[
{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1383, "culture": " English\n", "content": "Produced by Josep Cols Canals, Lisa Reigel, and the Online\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)\nTranscriber's Notes: Words in italics in the original are surrounded\nwith _underscores_. Variations in spelling and hyphenation remain as\nin the original. The Table of Contents is at the end of this volume. A\ncomplete list of corrections as well as other notes follows the text.\n            Printed by N. Biggs, Crane-court, Fleet-street,\n              FOR T. N. LONGMAN AND O. REES, PATERNOSTER\n_AMADIS of GAUL._\nBook the Fourth.\n_CHAPTER 1._\nYou have heard in the third book of this great history how King\nLisuarte against the will of all his subjects great as well as little,\ndelivered up his daughter Oriana to the Romans, and how by Amadis and\nhis companions of the Firm Island she was from them rescued; now we\nwill tell you what ensued. When Amadis had left the vessel where the\nPrincess was he went through the fleet to give orders concerning the\nprisoners and the spoils, coming near the ship where Salustanquidio lay\ndead he heard a great lamentation, for the people and the Knights of\nthat Prince were making moan over him, and relating all his praises and\ngreatness so that Agrayes and they who had won the ship could neither\nquiet them, nor remove them from the body. Amadis therefore ordered\nthat they should all leave the vessel, and he gave command that the\nbody should be placed in a coffin, and that such burial should be given\nhim as befitted such a Lord, for albeit he was his enemy, he had died\nlike a good man in his master's service.\nThe noise of this lamentation was so great that it reached the ship\nwherein was Oriana; but so soon as Queen Sardamira heard that it was\nfor Salustanquidio's death, forgetting all her former grief, she wrung\nher hands and threw herself upon the ground, and began to exclaim, O\ngenerous prince and of high lineage, the light and the mirror of the\nwhole Roman Empire, what a grief and a calamity will it be to all\nwho love thee when they shall hear the tidings of thy unhappy and\ndisastrous end, and what grief wilt thou feel O Emperor when thou shalt\nlearn the death of this thy cousin, who was the strong shield of thine\nempire, and the destruction of thy fleet, and the disgraceful loss of\nthy Knights. Either thou must tamely submit to this loss and remain the\nmost dishonoured Prince in the world, or else prepare to avenge it,\nputting thy state and person to great peril and doubtful issue, for\nby all that I have seen since my entering Great Britain in an unhappy\nhour, sure am I that there is no Prince or Power however great against\nwhom these Knights would fear to wage war. Alas, my afflicted heart\ngrieveth more for the living who will suffer in this quarrel, than for\nthese dead whose share of the evil is past! But then Oriana and Mabilia\nraised her up and comforted her the best they could.\n_CHAPTER 2._\nAmadis and his Knights now assembled on board Florestan's vessel,\nand there resolved that they should forthwith make sail for the Firm\nIsland, according to their own opinion and the pleasure of Oriana;\nthey then placed all the prisoners in one ship and appointed Gavarte\nof the Perilous Valley, and Landin the Nephew of Don Quadragante with\na body of Knights to guard them: and the spoils they placed in another\nship under the care of Don Gandales the foster-father of Amadis, and\nSadamon, who were two prudent and trusty Knights; their own force they\ndivided among the other vessels in the manner that they had first\nembarked, and then they deputed Don Bruneo of Bonamar and Angriote of\nEstravaus to inform Oriana that they were ready to obey her and to\nrequest her commands. These two Knights went on board her ship and\nkneeling before her said, good Lady all these Knights who are here\nassembled at your rescue, inform you that the fleet is now ready for\nyour service, and desire to know your will that they may fulfill it. My\ntrue friends, replied Oriana, I should not desire to live if I thought\nthat it would never be in my power to requite the love ye have all\nshown me, but I trust in God that as I have the will, so will he one\nday give me the power to show my gratefulness. Say to the Knights that\nwhat has been before determined should now be put in practice, that is,\nto go to the Firm Island, there we can take farther counsel, and there\nI hope that these difficult and painful beginnings will come to a good\nend.\nWhen the two Knights had carried back this answer to their companions\nthey bade all their trumpets sound, and joyfully and with loud clamours\nthe fleet began to move on. Joyfully and courageously did these Knights\ngo their way, being of one accord and resolved not to give over the\nenterprize which they had begun, till they should have well and happily\nconcluded it, for they were all of high lineage and of great prowess,\nand the knowledge that their cause was just now greatly heartened\nthem, and they even rejoiced to see themselves thus engaged against\ntwo such powerful princes, for be the issue what it would, they were\nsure by the contest to acquire a fair fame and leave behind them a\nremembrance which should endure for ever. Certes whoso had seen them in\nthat gallant fleet, how proudly they sailed on, so armed and with such\na company, would have weened that they were the train of some great\nEmperor, and of a truth scarcely could there be found in the household\nof any Prince how great soever, so goodly a company of Knights, high\nborn, and so approved in arms. Seven days they sailed along, and then\ntook port in the haven of the Firm Island, and there discharged the\ncannon for joy; the Islanders in alarm, seeing so great a fleet, took\narms and ran to the beach, but then they knew the banners and device of\nAmadis their Lord. Forthwith the boats were put out, and Don Gandales\nlanded to prepare the apartments and order that a bridge of boats\nshould be made from the shore, that Oriana and her Ladies might by that\nmeans land.\n_CHAPTER 3._\nNow when the fair Grasinda heard of the coming of the fleet and of\nall that had befallen, she made ready to receive Oriana, whom of all\npersons in the world she most desired to see, because of her great\nrenown that was every where spread abroad. She therefore wished to\nappear before her like a Lady of such rank and such wealth as indeed\nshe was; the robe which she put on was adorned with roses of gold,\nwrought with marvellous skill, and bordered with pearls and precious\nstones of exceeding value, this robe till now she had never worn,\nhaving reserved it to wear when she should make trial of the Forbidden\nChamber. On her goodly hair she would wear no other adornment than the\ncrown which the Greek Knight her champion had challenged for her, and\nwon for her from all the Damsels in King Lisuarte's court. She rode a\nwhite palfrey, whose trappings were all curiously wrought with gold,\nin this guise had she resolved, if her good fortune was such that she\nshould accomplish the proof of the Forbidden Chamber, to return to King\nLisuarte's court, and there make herself known to Queen Brisena and to\nher daughter Oriana, and to the other Princesses and damsels, and from\nthence to return with great glory to her own country; but the issue was\nfar otherwise than she hoped and imagined, for fair as of a truth she\nwas, yet was not her beauty equal to the beauty of Queen Briolania, who\nhad attempted that adventure and failed therein. In this rich attire\ndid that Lady go forth from her apartment, and with her all her dames\nand damsels all richly apparelled, ten of her Knights on foot led her\nreins, and with this array she proceeded to the shore. The Bridge of\nBoats had now been joined, it reached to the ship on board of which was\nOriana, and Grasinda waited by the end of the Bridge to salute her as\nshe landed.\nOriana now came out of her cabin, apparalled in a manner more beseeming\ndecency and her present fortune, than for the advancement and display\nof her beauty. She seeing Grasinda thus ornamented awaiting her at the\nbridge-end, enquired of Don Bruneo if that was not the Dame who had\ncome to her Father's court, and won the crown from the Damsels. Bruneo\nreplied, that it was the same, and bade Oriana accost and salute her\nhonourably, according to her deserts, for she was one of the worthy\nDames of the world; and then he related what honours and good offices\nAmadis and himself and Angriote had from her received. To this Oriana\nanswered, reasonable is it then that you and your friends should love\nand honour her, and thus will I do. Then Don Quadragante and Agrayes\neach took the Princess by the hand, and Don Florestan and Angriote led\nQueen Sardamira. Amadis alone led Mabilia, Olinda went between Don\nBruneo and Dragonis; and in like manner the other Damsels and Knights\nproceeded from the vessel. When Oriana came near the end of the bridge,\nGrasinda alighted and knelt down and took her hand to kiss it, but\nOriana drew it back, and embraced her with much love, as one whose\nnature it was to be affable and nothing proud, where pride beseemed her\nnot. But Grasinda seeing her exceeding beauty how far it was beyond\nall the praises that she had heard thereof, wondered and was greatly\nastonished, for she had not believed that such beauty was possible in\nany mortal creature, and in this wonder she remained still on her\nknees, though Oriana would have raised her; good Lady, quoth she,\nnow may I well give thanks to God that you were not in your father's\ncourt at the season of my arrival there; for had you been there though\nmy champion was assuredly the best in the world, a Knight of little\nprowess would have discomfited him in your behalf, if God as it be\nsaid, defends the right; with that she looked at Amadis, pardon me Sir,\nif I wrong you in saying this, but my eyes never before beheld the\nlike of what they now see. Amadis was full joyful to hear his Lady's\npraise; unreasonable would it be, he replied, if I should think ill of\nwhat you have said, or complain of so manifest a truth! But Oriana was\nabashed at hearing herself thus praised, and her thoughts were more\nupon her present fortune then her own beauty. She therefore answered, I\ncannot my Lady, reply to you, for should I contradict your words that\nwould be discourtesy to one like you, and to assent to them would in\nme be shame and folly, only I would have you know, that such as I am,\nI should rejoice to do aught for your honour, that is in the power of\na poor disherited princess like me. She then begged Agrayes would lead\nGrasinda to Olinda and accompany her, leaving her with only Quadragante.\nThus having landed they placed Oriana upon a palfrey, the most richly\ncaparisoned that ever eyes had seen, which Queen Brisena had given her,\nfor her entrance into Rome. Queen Sardamira also, and Grasinda, and all\nthe other Dames and Damsels were mounted; nor could Oriana prevail upon\nthe Knights but that they would proceed on foot and lead the reins, for\nthey knew that whatever honour and service they could manifest to these\nLadies would be to their own praise. In this order they entered the\nIsland by way of the Castle, and these Ladies and Oriana were conducted\nto the Tower in the garden where Don Gandales had ordered their\napartments to be made ready, that being the best dwelling in the whole\nIsland; for albeit there were many rich dwellings, of rare workmanship,\nyet that tower, wherein Apolidon had wrought the enchantments, which\nwere spoken of at length in the second part, had been his favourite\nplace of sojourn, and for that reason he had fabricated it with such\nskill and such costliness, that the greatest Emperor in the world would\nnot have ventured to attempt to make the like. In that tower were\nnine apartments, three on a floor, and though some part was the work\nof skilful artists, the rest was wrought by the skill and science of\nApolidon himself so wonderously that no man in the world could rightly\nvalue nor even understand its exceeding rarety. And because it would\nbe long to describe it all at length, I shall only say that the Tower\nstood in the middle of a garden surrounded with a wall of goodly stone\nand mortar, and the garden was the goodliest that might be seen by\nreason of its trees and herbs and fountains of sweet water. Of those\ntrees many were hung with fruit the whole year through, and others\nbore flowers, and round about the garden by the wall were covered\nwalks, with golden trellis-work through which might all that pleasant\ngreenness be seen, the ground was covered with stones, some clear as\nthe crystal, others coloured like rubies and other precious stones, the\nwhich Apolidon had procured from certain Islands in the East, where\njewels and gold and other rare things are produced by reason of the\ngreat heat of the sun continually acting. These Islands are uninhabited\nsave only by wild beasts, and for fear of those beasts no man durst\never set foot thereon, till Apolidon by his cunning wrought such spells\nthat it became safe to enter there; and then the neighbouring people\nbeing assured of this, took advantage thereof, and ventured there also,\nand thus the world became stocked with sundry things which it had never\nbefore known. To the four sides of the Tower water was brought from\nthe neighbouring mountains by metal pipes, and collected into four\nfountains, and the water spouted so high from the golden pillars and\nthrough the mouths of animals, that it was easy to reach it from the\nwindows of the first story, for it was caught in golden basons wrought\nin the pillar, and by these four fountains was the whole garden watered.\nIn this Tower then were the Princess Oriana and all those Ladies\nlodged, each in her apartment, and there were they well served by Dames\nand Damsels with all things convenient; but no Knight entered the\nTower nor even the Garden; for so Oriana had desired that it should\nbe, and requested the Knights to let it be so, till some terms might\nbe made with the King her father. They all esteemed her the more, and\nheld her the more praiseworthy, saying, that in that, and all things\nelse, their desire was to obey her will. Amadis himself, altho' he\nhad neither pleasure nor comfort except in her presence, was yet well\npleased that she had so ordered, for far more than his own death did he\nfear the least stain upon her honour; and he now consoled himself with\nthe thought that she was now under his protection, and that he would\nrather die than lose her. The other Knights and Lords and all their\npeople were lodged in the Island, each according to their quality,\nand abundantly supplied with all things needful for their subsistence\nand enjoyment, for though Amadis never appeared abroad but as a poor\nErrant Knight, he had store of treasure in that Island, not only from\nthe rents and from what he had found there, but of jewels and other\nprecious gifts which his mother and many other Ladies of high rank had\ngiven him, all the which he had sent here, and moreover the Islanders\nthemselves who were all rich and honourable men held themselves\nfortunate to supply him with bread, and meat, and wines, according to\nhis need.\n_CHAPTER 4._\nBut Amadis albeit he manifested the great courage which in truth he\npossessed, yet could he not but thoughtfully reflect upon the end of\nthis great business, of which the charge and weight lay upon him: the\nPrinces and Lords and Knights of high degree were many whose lives were\nadventured with his upon the issue, but when others slept he waked\nthinking upon what measures he should best pursue. Therefore with the\nadvice of Don Quadragante and of his cousin Agrayes, he summoned all\nthe Knights to council, in the apartment of Quadragante, in a large\nhall which was one of the richest in the whole Island. There being all\nassembled, Amadis rose having Master Helisabad whom he ever greatly\nhonoured by the hand, and thus addressed them.\nNoble Princes and Knights, it is known throughout the world how ye,\nabandoning those delights which ye might have possessed in your own\nlands, have chosen rather to follow the honourable profession of arms,\nand encounter all dangers to gain the praise of prowess and redress\nwrongs, in guerdon of which worthy resolution, good fortune hath now\ngiven into your hands this great victory which ye have at present\ngained. I call it not great as to the conquest of the Romans, for\nconsidering what they were, and what ye are, this conquest would be\nlittle praise, but because by that victory ye have rescued so great\nand excellent a Princess, and saved her from the worst wrong that any\none of her worth hath for many an age endured, this indeed is to your\nfair renown and to the service of Almighty God, for in this have ye\ndone that for which ye were born, succouring the oppressed and beating\ndown the evil-doers. But in this, what should most elate us is the\ndefiance which we have thus given to two so high and powerful Princes\nas are the Emperor of Rome and King Lisuarte, with whom, if they will\nnot be brought to reason and justice we must perforce have great debate\nand warfare. Noble Sirs, what then have we to expect? certes nothing\nbut that defending the right and reasonable cause against those who\nwould support injustice, we shall gain yet more victories, such that\nthe whole world shall ring therewith. For if they are so mighty that\ntheir power is to be feared, neither are we so destitute of great and\npowerful Lords, our friends and kinsmen, but that we could lightly so\nfill these plains with Knights and soldiers, so that no enemies, how\nmany soever they be, could approach within sight of the Firm Island.\nNow then, Sirs, speak your counsel, not of what behoves us to do, for\nye better than I know and feel what is now our duty, but in what manner\nwe can prosecute and carry on what we have so well begun.\nWith a right good will did they listen to that brave and courteous\nspeech of Amadis, and because in that assembly there were so many who\ncould well reply, all for awhile remained silent, each urging the other\nto make answer. At length Don Quadragante said, Since ye are all silent\nSirs, if it please you I will deliver my advice. Agrayes answered, Sir\nQuadragante, we all beseech you so to do; for considering who you are,\nand what great atchievements you have honourably brought to end, it\nbest becomes you of all others to make reply. Don Quadragante thanked\nhim for this honourable praise, and then said to Amadis: Noble Knight,\nyou have spoken right well and to our full contentment; on my part I\nshall only say what befits our present situation. In what has passed,\nour object has been not to gratify our own passion and enmity, but\nto do what we are bound to do as good Knights, succouring Dames and\nDamsels, who have no strength and no helpers, save only God and such as\nye. My counsel is, that ye represent this to King Lisuarte by fitting\nmessengers, and require him to acknowledge his error, and do justice to\nhis daughter Oriana, the which if he engage to do, and make us secure\nthereof, we then honourably may and ought to restore her. For ourselves\nwe should make no terms, for if this matter can be ended, I ween he\nwill ask peace of us, and hold himself a happy man if it be granted.\nMeantime, for we know not what may be the issue of this embassy, let us\ncall upon our kinsmen and friends to assist us, that if King Lisuarte\nshould come to seek us, he may find us not as poor Errant Knights, but\nas Lords and Princes, ready to give him his welcome.\n_CHAPTER 5._\nAt this reply of Quadragante all were well pleased, for they thought he\nhad left nothing to be said; it was therefore determined that Amadis\nshould send to advise King Perion his father of what had passed and\nrequest help, not only from him, but from all his other friends, who\nwould be disposed to give him succour now, in acknowledgement of the\ngreat services he had with so much peril, wrought them. Agrayes also\nit was agreed should send, or go to his father the King of Scotland\nfor the like purpose, and Don Bruneo to the Marquis his father, and\nto his brother Branfil, and with speed raise all the force he could.\nDon Quadragante also said that he would send his nephew Landin, to the\nQueen of Ireland, for he believed that altho' King Cildadan her husband\nwas bound with a certain number of Knights to serve King Lisuarte,\nyet she would grant permission to her subjects to serve under him,\nand many good men of his friends and vassals might be expected. In\nlike manner all the other Knights prepared to exert themselves. This\nbeing determined they appointed Agrayes and Don Florestan to inform\nthe Princess Oriana, that she might command whatever she thought most\nexpedient for her service. They then broke up the assembly, all in\ngood hope and greatly encouraged, more especially they who were of low\ncondition and who in some degree before had feared the issue of this\nadventure, for they beholding what resources were to be brought forward\nlost all apprehension of the event.\nNow as they were at the gate of the Castle from whence they could\ncommand the sight of the whole Island they saw a knight come riding\nalong the coast, having with him five Squires who carried his arms and\nother accoutrements. They all stood looking whom he might be, till as\nhe came nearer they knew that he was Don Brian of Monjaste, then were\nthey all full joyful, for well was he beloved by them all, being in\ntruth a good knight, and one who would have been every where greatly\nesteemed for his own worth even though he had not been Son to King\nLadasin of Spain. Of all Knights living he was the one who most loved\nhis friends, and was perpetually sporting with them and doing them the\nmost pleasure that might be, wherefore he on his part was in return by\nthem beloved. They knowing him, all went out to meet him, but he when\nhe saw them, was greatly surprized, wondering by what chance they were\nall thus collected, and he alighted and went towards them with open\narms, saying, I could embrace you all at once, for I regard you all\nas one. But when they came up to him, and he saw Amadis among them, I\nneed not say whether or no he rejoiced to meet him, for besides their\nnearness of blood, Don Brian's mother being the sister of King Perion,\nAmadis was the Knight in the world whom he loved best. Are you here?\nquoth he smiling, for I come in your quest; though all other adventures\nshould fail us, we should have enough to do in seeking you when you\nconceal yourself so well! Say what you please, replied Amadis embracing\nhim, for I have you now where I shall take my amends, the Knights\ncommand you to mount again, and come into the Island where there is a\nprison ready for such as you.\nWith that they all crowded to embrace him, and however loth he was,\nmade him remount, and attended him on foot to the apartment of Amadis,\nwhere he alighted. His cousins Agrayes and Florestan disarmed him\nthere and brought him a scarlet mantle; but he being thus disarmed,\nand seeing around him so many Knights and of such prowess, said, there\nmust be some great mystery and cause why so many good Knights are thus\nassembled. I beseech ye Sirs tell me the reason, for something thereof\nI have heard since my landing. Upon this they bade Agrayes relate what\nhad passed, and he whose heart was in the enterprize recounted what had\nbeen done, to the shame of King Lisuarte, greatly commending what the\nKnights had undertaken. When Brian of Monjaste heard this, he thought\nit a serious thing, being himself a prudent man, and one who looked to\nthe issue of such things as well as the beginning: And had this thing\nbeen to do, belike he not knowing the love of Amadis and Oriana, might\nhave dissuaded the enterprize, or at least proposed measures more\nmoderate before so desperate a course were taken, for he knew King\nLisuarte how jealous he was of his honour, and as the injury thereto\nwas so great, great in proportion would be his efforts for vengeance;\nhowbeit as the thing was, his assistance rather than advice was now\nrequired, and more especially as Amadis whom he so loved was the\nChief of the enterprize. He praised them for what they had done and\npromised the aid of his own person, and of all that he could raise in\nhis father's dominions, but he requested that he might see the Princess\nOriana, and learn from her what was her pleasure. Sir Cousin, replied\nAmadis, you are just come from a long journey, and these Knights have\nnot yet taken food. If it please you rest now and eat, meantime your\narrival shall be made known to the Princess. This counsel Don Brian\nthought good, so the Knights took their leave of him and retired each\nto his home.\nWhen it was evening Agrayes and Florestan went to wait upon Oriana as\nthey had appointed, and they took Don Brian with them. They found her\nwith all the other Princesses and Ladies of her company, expecting them\nin the apartment of Queen Sardamira. Don Brian knelt before her, and\nwould have kissed her hand, but she withdrew it and embraced him and\nwelcomed him with her accustomed courtesy. Sir, quoth she, Don Brian,\nyou are right welcome! welcome indeed you would at any time be, for\nyour nobleness and great virtue; but at this time more especially! I\nneed not tell you what doubtless you have already learnt from your\nfriends, nor need I request you what to do, for you are more worthy\nto give than to receive advice. Don Brian answered, the cause of my\ncoming Lady hath been this. After the battle which King Lisuarte had\nwith the seven Kings of the Islands, I returned into Spain to the King\nmy father, and there was busied in his disputes with the Africans, till\nI heard that my cousin Amadis was gone into some foreign land no man\nknew whither. But then, because he was the flower and mirror of all my\nlineage, and the one whom I the most esteemed and loved, his loss so\ngreatly grieved me, that I determined to go in his quest, and therefore\ncame hither to this Island, thinking that here I might likeliest hear\nsome tidings of him; so hither my good fortune guided me not only to\nfind him, but to arrive in a time when I may manifest some part of the\ngreat desire which I have ever felt to serve you. For as you imagine\nLady, I have heard what has happened, and knowing the inflexible\ncondition of the King your father, something also I can guess of what\nis to ensue; but come what will, my person is at your disposal to serve\nyou. Many thanks did Oriana return to him for this his courteous speech.\n_CHAPTER 6._\nGreat reason is there that the cause wherefore all these Knights\nwere so ready and desirous to expose themselves to such danger for\nthis Lady's sake should be known, and not remain in oblivion. Was\nit peradventure for the bountiful favours which they had from her\nreceived? Or was it because they knew the secret of her love with\nAmadis and for this reason were so zealous to serve both him and her?\nCertes I tell you that neither the one nor the other of these reasons\nwas that which so disposed them to her service. For though she was\nof such high rank, yet had it never been in her power to shew her\nbounty, for she possessed nothing more than a poor Damsel, and as for\nwhat regarded her love for Amadis you have already read in this great\nhistory with what secrecy that was concealed. But a cause there must\nhave been, and would you know what it was? Why this Princess was the\ngentlest, and of the best breeding, and of the most courtesy, and\nthe most affable and humble that lived in those times, and ever was\ndisposed to honour and demean herself to every one according to his\nmerits, and this is a net and a bond whereby the great who act thus can\nbind many to their service that would else be little bound to serve\nthem.\nNow after Don Brian of Monjaste had thus spoken and had accosted Queen\nSardamira, and the other princesses and the Lady Grasinda, Agrayes and\nFlorestan addressed Oriana and respectfully told her what the Knights\nhad deputed them to say, the which she well approved, leaving them to\nfollow their own judgment in these affairs, of which Knights could\nbetter judge than women; but she besought them ever to bear in mind\nan inclination and desire to be at peace with her father, if so be\nthat could be brought about to their honour, for her sake and for her\nreputation. This done, Oriana leaving Florestan and Don Brian in talk\nwith Queen Sardamira, took Agrayes by the hand, and leading him apart\nsaid, good Sir, and my true brother Agrayes, albeit the confidence,\nand trust which I have in Amadis and in all these noble Knights is\nvery great, yet have I greater confidence in you, being brought up in\nthe house of the King your father, and having been so cherished by the\nQueen your mother, who gave me Mabilia to be my companion, and such\na friend hath she been that I may well say that as to God I owe the\ngift of life, so to her do I owe the preservation of it, which but\nfor her prudence and consolations would ere this have been lost, more\nespecially since for my ill hap the Romans came to my Father's house.\nFor her sake and for the remembrance of all these things will I reveal\nto you, what I keep secret from all else, but for the present I only\nbeseech you, that laying aside all wrath and resentment against my\nFather, you would labour to bring about peace and concord between him\nand your cousin Amadis, for you know that by reason of their great\nspirits and the enmity which hath so long endured between them, they\nwill not lightly yield to persuasion; but if by your endeavour this\ncould be brought about, not only would the death of so many good men as\nelse must perish be prevented, but my fair name and honour, which may\nelse be called in question, will be thus manifestly justified.\nTo this Agrayes courteously and humbly made answer, with great reason\nmay and ought I to assent to all Lady that you have said. The wish\nof my father and of my mother is by all their means, to increase\nyour honour and dignity, as by their deeds shall soon appear: for my\nsister Mabilia and myself I need only say, that all our actions show\nhow entirely we desire your service. True it is Lady, that I above\nall others am most displeased with the King your father, for I have\nwitnessed all the great and signal services which have been wrought\nfor him by Amadis and by all us of his lineage, as is to all the world\nnotorious, and I also was witness to the thanklessness and ingratitude\nwherewith he requited us. For never did we ask of him other guerdon\nthan the Island of Mongaza for my uncle Don Galvanes, which Island was\nwon, to the great honour of his court, and to the more imminent danger\nof his life, who was the winner, than man can think or express, as you\nmy good Lady beheld with your own eyes. Yet neither did that avail,\nnor all our service, nor the great deserts of my uncle, that we could\nprocure so small a meed, which should then have remained in the King's\nvassalage, instead thereof he rejected our supplication, as though\ninstead of his servant, he had been his enemy. I cannot therefore deny\nbut that in my heart I should rejoice to serve against him till he\nshould be reduced to such a state, that all the world might see how\ngreatly to his loss he had wronged and insulted us. But as man obtains\nfavour in the sight of God in proportion as he curbs, and conquers his\nown will for his service; so Lady will I for your sake practise this\nself-denial, and repress my own anger, that by this difficult service\nyou may see how truly I desire to obey you, but I must do this warily,\nlest it should intimidate others to see me acting the mediator, whom\nthey know to be so earnest in the quarrel. So I beseech you let it\nbe, replied Oriana, and good friend act to this intent in what manner\nyou think best. Having ended this talk they returned to the company.\nBut Agrayes could hardly refrain his eye from fixing upon Olinda\nwhom he loved so well, that by that love he had been enabled to pass\nunder the Arch of True Lovers, howbeit remembering his high birth and\nduties, he now represt his inclinations, till it should be seen how\nall these things would end. So having conversed together awhile, the\nKnights cheering the Ladies, who women-like were affrayed by all these\npreparations, they returned to their companions with the answer of\nOriana. Then without delay they began to put in execution what they\nhad resolved, and send Embassadors to King Lisuarte, and the office was\nunanimously assigned to Don Quadragante and Don Brian of Monjaste, as\ntwo Knights well befitting such an embassy.\n_CHAPTER 7._\nMeantime Amadis went to the apartment of Grasinda whom he greatly loved\nand esteemed not only for her own merits, but for the honours and good\noffices which he had received at her hands, so having seated himself\non the estrado beside her, he said, If Lady you are not now served as\nI earnestly desire and wish to serve you, let your goodness pardon,\nfor the time, as you see, is in fault. And of this as your judgment\nwill perceive it to be so, I shall say nothing more, but instead, I am\ncome to learn what may be your pleasure and farther will; it is now\nlong since you have been absent from your own country, and I know not\nif peradventure that may trouble you; but whatsoever you may will,\nthat shall I labour to perform. Grasinda answered, Sir, if I did not\nfeel that from your company and friendship I have acquired greater\nhonour than could by any other fortune have befallen me; and that\nwhatever service I may have been able to render you in my own country\nhas been well satisfied and repaid, I might well be held the most\nthankless person in the world. But this is known and evident to all;\nand therefore Sir, I will explain to you my whole desire. I see how\nmany Knights and Princes are assembled in aid of this Princess; and I\nperceive that you my good Sir are he to whom they all look up, so that\nall their hope and confidence of success is in your courage and wisdom;\nand you cannot, considering your good heart and high renown, but feel\nyourself the Chief and Leader in this danger; perforce therefore must\nyou call upon your friends and all who are beholden to you, for their\nsuccour, and as one of them do I account myself. This therefore is my\nwill, that master Helisabad should forthwith return to my country, and\nsummon all my friends and vassals to make ready, and come with a great\nfleet to serve you Sir, when and where it may please you to appoint.\nMeantime I will remain in the company and service of this Lady, and not\nleave her or you, till the end of this business shall shall show me\nwhat course I then ought to pursue.\nWhen Amadis heard her speak thus, he embraced her with a cheerful\ncountenance and said. Truly I believe that if all other virtue and\nnobleness should perish from out of the world, it might from you my\ngood Lady be reproduced. Since it pleases you, let it be so; and\nas Master Helisabad is thus going on your bidding, albeit it will\nbe to him much toil, yet shall he bear my bidding to the Emperor\nof Constantinople. For considering the gracious proffers which he\nmade me, and the little reason which as I then learnt, he has to be\nsatisfied with the Emperor of Rome; with whom my quarrel principally\nlies; I hold myself assured that he will willingly send to succour\nme as though I had done him good service. Grasinda approved of this\ndesign, observing that Master Helisabad would think little of any toil\nundertaken in his behalf. Then Amadis said, since it is your pleasure\nLady to abide here with this Princess, it is reasonable that as the\nother Ladies and Princesses are lodged with her, so also should you,\nthat you may receive from her those courtesies and honours which you so\nwell deserve. Upon this he called his fosterer Don Gandales and bade\nhim tell Oriana of the great desire which Grasinda had to serve her,\nand request her to receive her on his part. But Oriana gladly received\nher with all due thankfulness, not so much for her present services,\nas for the good offices she had formerly rendered Amadis, and for the\npreservation of her own life, when she preserved his by giving him\nMaster Helisabad for a companion.\nThis being done and Master Helisabad being ready with a good will to\ndepart, Amadis wrote thus to the Emperor of Constantinople. Most high\nEmperor, the Knight of the Green Sword who by his own proper name is\ncalled Amadis of Gaul, sends to kiss your hands, and to remind you of\nwhat more by reason of your own nobleness and goodness than of his\ndeserts, you were pleased to offer him; for a time is now come wherein\nI need the help of your highness and of all my friends and well-wishers\nwho desire to follow reason and justice. Upon this Master Helisabad is\ninstructed fully. I beseech you give ear to his embassy, and let it\nhave that effect on which I rely. Having finished this, and delivered\nhis formal letters of credence to Master Helisabad, the Master took his\nleave of Amadis and of his Lady Grasinda, and set sail.\n_CHAPTER 8._\nAfter Amadis had dispatched the Master he called for Tantiles who was\nHigh Steward to the fair Queen Briolania, and said to him, my good\nfriend, I would now that you should take that trouble and concern for\nme, which I would take in whatever concerned you. You see in what\nmanner my honour is now staked, how greatly it may now be increased,\nor otherwise tarnished; go then to your Lady and tell her all that you\nhave witnessed, and that it behoves her to summon all her friends and\nvassals that they may be ready when need shall be; say to her that what\nso nearly concerns me, concerns her all also, for she knows that in\nlosing me, she would lose her servant. Tantiles answered, this will I\ndo without delay, and make you no doubt but that there could nothing\nhappen so to rejoice the Queen my Mistress, as to learn that she can\nnow make manifest the great love and good will with which she will\nperform whatever you can require from her kingdom. Be you sure that\nwhen the time comes I shall be ready to return with such array as such\na Lady ought to send to him, from whom under God, she has received her\nkingdom. He then received his letters of credence, and incontinently\nput to sea.\nThen Amadis took Gandalin apart and said, friend Gandalin whether or\nno I need the aid of my friends and kinsmen in this necessity wherein\nperforce I have placed myself, you well can judge. Sorely therefore\nas I shall feel your absence, yet it is now expedient that you should\ndepart from me. You know we have resolved to call upon all our friends\nfor succour, and though I have good hope in many to whom I have\nrendered good service, as you know, and trust that they will now repay\nthe debt of gratitude which they owe me, yet have I most confidence in\nKing Perion my father, that he, whether reason or not were on my side\nwill hasten to my help. You are the man who can best and most fully\nexplain the whole to him, and shame and sorrow would it be to him if I\nwho am his son and his eldest son, could not give these two Princes\ntheir fit answer when they come up against me! But before you go, speak\nwith my Cousin Mabilia and learn whether she hath any bidding to her\naunt or to my sister Melicia, and speak also with my Lady Oriana, for\nmine she is, and though she be secret toward all other, to only you\nwill she discover what may be her will. Meantime I will make ready your\nletter of credence, and therein I will request that Melicia may come\nhither to be in Oriana's company. So shall her virtues and great beauty\nbe seen by many, as they have already been heard of. All this Gandalin\npromised to perform.\nMeantime Agrayes spake with Don Gandales, the fosterer of Amadis, and\nsent him to Scotland for aid, nor was there need to write by him, for\nso many years had he been trusted and found trustworthy, that he was\nrather regarded like a counsellor and kinsman than as a vassal; and he\nwith all diligence and earnestness prepared to perform this embassy,\nbecause it nearly concerned Amadis, whom above all others in the world\nhe most loved.\n_CHAPTER 9._\nDon Quadragante also, on his part, spake with his nephew Landin, the\ngood Knight, saying, beloved nephew it is necessary that you depart for\nIreland with all speed, and speak there with the Queen my niece, in\nprivate, so that King Cildadan know not your errand; for he being sworn\nvassal to King Lisuarte, there is no reason that he should know the\nthing. Tell her how we are circumstanced, and that though so many good\nKnights are here, yet they make great account, and place great trust in\nme, as you Nephew behold, considering what I am, and of what lineage.\nAnd say to her that I beseech her in her kindness to permit as many of\nher people as shall be so disposed to come serve me; for tell her that\nin contests like these, such changes oftentimes take place, that states\nand kingdoms are overthrown, and vassals become Lords, and they who\nwere the Lords are reduced to vassallage. She therefore should not fear\nto grant my request. Do you then with what aid you may thus obtain, and\nwith my friends and vassals, fit out a fleet, and be ready to obey my\ncall. Landin replied that by God's help he would procure a good answer\nto his demand. So he embarked on board one of the Roman ships, and went\nhis way.\nAnd Don Bruneo bade his Squire depart with letters to the Marquis his\nfather, and to his brother Branfil, and beseech them to collect forces\nfor their help. Lasindo, my good friend, said he, you must perceive\nthat though so many good Knights are here, in this quarrel, yet Amadis\nis the most nearly concerned; and much as the love which we bear each\nother would influence me to serve him, yet am I the more bound to\nthis duty, seeing that he is brother to my Lady Melicia. Though he\nhad been my enemy I should now have been bound to serve him for her\nsake, how much more when he is the man in the world whom I love best!\nI therefore above all others am most concerned to support his honour.\nOf this you will say nothing, but do you persuade my father to this\nsuccour which so concerns my honour now. Of Branfil my brother I am\nalready assured, and well I know that he would rather have had his part\nin what has already past than have won an Empire, for all his delight\nis in honourable feats of chivalry. You need say no more Sir, replied\nLasindo, by God's help I shall procure you such succour that your Lady\nshall be well served, and your own renown greatly increased. So he\nembarked and put to sea. Now this Lasindo was a right good Squire, and\nof good lineage, and with true love and true good will did he now go\nupon his Master's service.\n_CHAPTER 10._\nBut Amadis never ceased to think how he might best provide for his\ndefence, because his Lady was now to be by him protected. He called\nYsanjo, whom he had found governor of the Firm Island when he made the\nconquest thereof. Good Sir, said he, and my good friend, I know your\nvirtue and your prudence, and the desire which you have ever shewn to\npromote my honour, and therefore will I now impose some labour upon\nyou, for considering the quality of him to whom I am about to send, it\nbehoves to employ so worthy a Messenger. You shall go to King Tafinor\nof Bohemia, and take him my letters, and tell him the confidence I\nhave in his friendship. He is a right noble King, and offered me his\nassistance with a free good will when I left his court. Sir, quoth\nYsanjo, this employment is an honour not a trouble; be assured that\neven to death I should rejoice to serve you. Then Amadis wrote thus.\nNoble King Tafinor of Bohemia, if when I abode in your house as an\nErrant Knight it was my good fortune to render you any service, I\nhold myself well repaid by the honours and good offices which I there\nreceived from you and from all of your court. And if I now send to\nrequest your help in my necessity, it is because I know how nobly and\nvirtuously you have desired with your utmost power to uphold the right\ncause. The Knight who bears this letter will inform you of all that has\npassed; give him full confidence, and I trust his embassy will have the\nlike success that your bidding would have found with me. Ysanjo then\ngave order that a ship should be prepared for his departure.\n_CHAPTER 11._\nAll these messengers had now departed save only Gandalin; he went to\nthe garden wherein the Tower stood, and where as you have heard no\nman permitted to enter without the especial leave of the Princess;\nthe entrance being kept only by women. He coming to the garden gate\nbade those within say to Mabilia that Gandalin was preparing to sail\nfor Gaul, and would speak with her before his departure. When Mabilia\nrepeated this to Oriana, she was right glad of Gandalin's coming, and\ngave orders that he should be admitted. So he having entered, fell on\nhis knees before her and kissed her hand, and then said to Mabilia\naccording as his Master had commanded him. Upon that Mabilia said aloud\nto Oriana that all might hear, Gandalin is going to Gaul, what now will\nyou say to the Queen and to my cousin Melicia? Oriana replied that she\nshould rejoice to have the opportunity of sending to them, and then\nshe went and joined Mabilia and Gandalin as they were talking apart.\nAh friend Gandalin, said she, what think you of my froward fortune!\nthe thing in the world which I have most desired, is to be where thy\nMaster should never be out of my sight, and now that fate has thrown me\ninto his power, we are so circumstanced that both for his honour and\nfor my own I dare not see him! If you could know what my heart suffers\nbecause of this, sure am I that you would pity me. Now tell him this,\nto comfort him, and to excuse me, and tell him to devise some means\nthat he and the other Knights may visit me, and that we may talk in\npresence of all without suspicion. Ah Lady, Gandalin replied, great\nreason have you to give comfort to that Knight! much greater sorrow\nwould you feel than you now suffer if I could tell you what he has\nendured in the fortunes that we have passed through; the feats in arms\nwhich he atchieved are such that no other could have performed, or\neven in his heart imagined them, in such straits hath his absence from\nyou placed him. But it is useless now to talk thus; do you only shew\nkindness to him, for verily I believe that your life depends on his.\nMy true friend, quoth Oriana, that you may truly say; without him life\nwould be to me far more grievous than death. But go tell him what I\nhave said. Howbeit before he went, Oriana said to him in a loud voice,\nthat she would write to Queen Elisena and to the Princess Melicia, and\nGandalin requested that she would speedily send the letters, for the\nother Messengers were already departed, and he alone remained.\nThen Gandalin went to Amadis and told him all that Oriana had said.\nAmadis after he had mused awhile replied; I will tell you how this may\nbe brought about. Go to Agrayes, and tell him you have spoken with\nhis sister Mabilia on account of your journey to Gaul, and that she\nhath said it would be well if he could bring the Knights to see and\nencourage Oriana, for her situation is so serious and so strange that\nshe needs all encouragement. But tell me concerning her, did she seem\nsorrowful? Gandalin replied, You Sir, well know her fortitude, and that\nshe will discover nothing but the virtue of her noble heart, yet certes\ndoth her appearance savour more of sadness than of joy. Then Amadis,\nraising his hands to heaven, exclaimed, O Lord Almighty let it please\nthee that I may be able to serve this my Lady to her full honour,\nand for my death or life let that betide as it will. Take you no fear\nfor that Sir, quoth Gandalin, for as God hath in all other adventures\nfavoured you above any other Knight, so will he now in this which you\nwith so great justice have undertaken.\nWith that Gandalin repaired to Agrayes, and said to him as he had been\ndirected. Agrayes replied, this which my sister says is reasonable, and\nshall be done; and if it has not been done before, it was only because\nthese Knights knew it was the pleasure of Oriana to live in retirement\nfor her honour's sake. We will go speak of it to my cousin Amadis. So\nhe went to Amadis, who answered him as one that had known nothing of\nthe business before. Agrayes then went to the Knights and represented\nto them that it would be well if they visited Oriana to encourage her,\nfor in perils like these even the brave sometimes needed encouragement,\nhow much more then would feeble women stand in need of such comfort? So\nthey agreed that on the following evening they would clad themselves\nin goodly arms, and mount their palfreys; having their swords girded\non all adorned with gold, and in this array proceed to the apartment\nof Oriana. Of this Agrayes sent intimation to Oriana, and she sent to\nQueen Sardamira and to Grasinda and for the other Dames and Damsels of\nher company, that they should make ready to receive them.\n_CHAPTER 12._\nNow when these Knights entered the apartment of Oriana they all\nrespectfully made obeisance to her, and afterwards to the other Ladies,\nand she courteously welcomed them as beseemed her noble nature;\nthen Amadis bade Don Quadragante and Brian of Monjaste go talk with\nOriana, he himself went to Mabilia. Agrayes conversed with Olinda,\nDon Florestan with Queen Sardamira, and Don Bruneo and Angriote with\nGrasinda whom they with great reason greatly esteemed; the other\nKnights talked each with whom he liked best. Presently Mabilia said to\nher cousin Amadis with a loud voice, Sir send for Gandalin hither, that\nhe may take my bidding to the Queen my aunt and to my Cousin Melicia,\nyou shall give it to him in charge, since it is with your embassy that\nhe is going to Gaul. When Oriana heard this she said, he shall also\ntake my message to the Queen and her daughter. Then Amadis called for\nGandalin, who was with the other squires in the garden, expecting to be\nsummoned. He came in and went to Amadis and Mabilia where they stood\napart from the company, and after they had talked awhile Mabilia said\nto the princess, Lady, I have dispatched Gandalin, see now what you\nhave to say to him. Oriana then turned to Queen Sardamira and said,\ntake you Don Quadragante while I go speak with the Squire; and with\nthat, leading Don Brian of Monjaste with her she went towards Mabilia,\nbut as they came Don Brian said with playful courtesy, as one who well\nknew what demeanour beseemed a Knight; since I am chosen Embassador to\nyour father, I will not be present at a Lady's embassy, for I fear your\ndeceitfulness, lest you should impose upon me a more courteous manner\nthan would be suitable to what the Knights have given me in charge.\nAt that Oriana smiled sweetly and answered, for this very purpose Sir\nDon Brian have I led you here, that we may somewhat abate your choler\nagainst my father; yet I fear that your heart is not so well inclined\ntowards womankind, that your purpose can anyway by us be changed. She\nsaid this sportively, for though Don Brian was young and very comely\nhe was more disposed to follow arms and to the converse of Knights\nthan to hold talk with women; he indeed was ready to expose himself\nto any danger in defence of their rights, and he loved all and was\nby all beloved, but not by any one with particular affection. So he\nmade reply, I shall fly from you Lady and from your enticements lest I\nlose in little time what I have been long gaining. So laughing left he\nOriana and turned towards Grasinda, whom he greatly desired to know,\nhaving heard so much in her praise.\nWhen Amadis saw his Lady before him, whom he so dearly loved, and\nwhom for so long time he had not seen, for that sight of her on the\nsea in that great uproar, he accounted as nothing, his flesh trembled\nand his heart panted for exceeding delight, and he stood like a man\nbeside himself, having no power to speak. Oriana saw his trouble,\nand drew nearer and took his hand under her mantle, and prest it in\ntoken of love, as though she would have embraced him. My true friend\nquoth she, and dear above all others in the world, though fortune has\nplaced me where I most desire to be, in your power, yet such is my\nill hap that now more than ever it behoves me to shun your company,\nthat this adventure which is so known abroad through the world may\nappear no ways injurious to my honour, and that you may be believed\nto have undertaken it, pursuing your duty and virtuous inclination\nin redressing wrongs and relieving the oppressed, rather than from\nany other motive. For if the true cause were made known a different\njudgment would be formed by our friends as well as enemies. What\ntherefore we have so long carefully concealed, we must with yet more\ncare continue to conceal, till it shall please God to bring these\ntroubles to the end which we desire. Amadis answered, for God's sake\nLady offer not to me any reason or excuse for what you think fitting,\nfor I was born only to be yours and to do you service while the life\ncontinues in the body; nor have I any other desire or will than to obey\nyour pleasure. All I beseech you is, that you would always remember\nthis truth and command me as you think best, for that will be the\nbest comfort and recompense I can receive. While he said this, Oriana\nlooked at him, and saw that the tears were flowing down his face. Dear\nfriend, quoth she, it is no new thing for me to believe what you say,\nand how my heart returns this affection he knows from whom nothing is\nhid. But now it behoves to be patient, and I beseech you even with that\nlove which you have ever desired me to express, to put away these\nthoughts of grief and trouble from your heart for one way or other, by\npeace or by war, our secret must soon be known, and then shall we be\nunited even according to our desire. We have now talked long together,\nI will rejoin these Knights, do you dry up these tears, and speak with\nMabilia. She will tell you what we have never before found means to let\nyou know, and shall rejoice your heart.\nOriana then sent to call Don Quadragante and Don Brian and returned\nbetween them to her place. Amadis remained communing with Mabilia, who\ntold him every thing relating to Esplandian, of his birth, and how he\nwas carried away by the Lioness, and how he had been bred up by the\nHermit. When Amadis heard this he was as joyful as he could be. Lady\nand good Cousin, he replied as soon as the joy which disturbed his\nheart would permit him to speak, when Angriote and Don Bruneo came to\nme at the house of the noble Lady Grasinda, Angriote then told me this\nhistory of Esplandian, but whose son he was that could he not tell. Yet\nit came into my mind then what you had said to me in that letter which\nmy foster-father Gandales brought to this Island, that my lineage had\nbeen increased, and I thought it possible considering the time when\nyour letter was written, that this child might be my son, but this was\nonly a thought. Now after they communed together thus they returned to\nOriana, and then Gandalin took leave and set forth on his voyage, and\nthen the Knights broke up the company and returned each to his lodgings.\n_CHAPTER 13._\nThat day whereon King Lisuarte had delivered his daughter Oriana to\nthe Romans, hard and cruel as he had been to her in this marriage, yet\ncould he not hear without pity her cries and lamentation, which were\nso grievous that there was not a man in the world who could have heard\nthem without compassion. The tears against his will came into his eyes,\nand he turned back more sorrowful at heart then he would let be seen\nin his semblance. Now when he came to his palace he found both men and\nwomen there making great moan for the departure of Oriana, nor could\nthe strict command which he gave any way prevail or abate this, for\nthat Princess was more honoured and better loved by all, than ever was\nother person in Great Britain. He looked round his palace and saw no\nKnights there as he had been used to see them, except only Brandoyuas,\nwho told him that the Queen was lamenting in her chamber. So he went\nthither, but there also he could see none of the Princesses and Dames\nand Damsels who were wont to be in her company, and when he beheld how\ndeserted the place was and how greatly changed from what it had been,\nthere came a cloud over his heart, and he had no power to speak. But\nwhen the Queen saw him enter her apartment she fell down in a swoon.\nKing Lisuarte raised her up and held her in his arms till her senses\nreturned; and when he saw that she was somewhat recovered, he said to\nher, Lady it neither beseems your prudence nor your virtue to be thus\ncast down by what is no calamity, but instead of that, great honour and\ngood fortune. If you wish to preserve my esteem and love, let this be\nthe last display of such weakness. Your daughter is not so despoiled,\nbut that she ought to be esteemed the greatest Princess of all her\nrace. To this the Queen made no reply, but fell with her face upon the\nbed, sobbing in great agony.\nThe King then left her and returned to the hall; there he found none\nbut King Arban of North Wales and Don Grumedan, both showing by their\ncountenances and demeanour the sorrow which at heart they felt. And\nthough King Lisuarte was of great heart, and could beyond all other\nmen conceal his thoughts, yet was it manifest how deeply he was now\nafflicted. But he thought it would be well to go hunt in the woods,\ntill time should remedy what he felt, and he bade King Arban give\ncommand that the tents should be made ready and all things needful\nfor the chace, for he would go out on the morrow. That night he would\nnot sleep in the Queen's chamber lest his presence might increase her\ngrief. Early in the morning he heard mass and departed, but when he saw\nwith how poor a company he was now attended, he who was so desirous\nof the company of good Knights and who had once had the best of the\nworld in his household, in spite of himself he could not chuse but be\ngreatly troubled. But Fortune now was bent to give him real cause for\ngrief and make him forget this displeasure which was brought on by\nhimself; for some of the Roman prisoners who had made their escape from\nthe Firm Island learning where the King was, came to him, and told him\nevery thing as it had happened in their sight. How much soever King\nLisuarte felt at such tidings so unexpected and so nearly concerning\nhim, with a good countenance as Kings use to put on, he made no show\nof displeasure, but answered, I am grieved my friends for the death\nof Salustanquidio and for your loss; but as for what regards myself\nI am used to receive injuries and to give them in return. Remain ye\nin my court, and ye shall be assisted with all things needful. Upon\nthat they kissed his hand and besought him that he would remember\ntheir companions and those Lords who had been taken with them. Be not\ntroubled for them, replied the King, that shall be remedied in a manner\nbefitting my honour and the honour of your Master. Then he bade them\ngo to the city where the Queen was, but charged them to say nothing of\nwhat had happened till he should return.\nThree days King Lisuarte remained hunting in the forest in such mood\nas you may imagine, then he returned to the city still bearing a\nchearful countenance. Forthwith he went to the Queen's apartment, and\nshe who was one of the noblest women in the world and the most prudent,\nseeing that it nothing availed her to show her sorrow appeared more\ntranquil. The King ordered all her attendants to leave the chamber,\nand seating himself beside her, said, In things of little moment which\nby chance may fall out to trouble us, there is some licence allowed\nfor the expression of grief and sorrow, which as they are produced by\nslight evils may by slight remedies be removed. But in great wrongs\nthat afflict us greatly, more especially when they concern our honour,\nit is far otherwise, the feeling expressed must be little and the\nseverity of vengeance great. To come to the point, You Queen have felt\nthe loss of your daughter, according to the custom of mothers, and you\nhave shown what you have felt, as others do at such marriages, and I\nrejoice that you have so soon taken consolation. But this which hath\nfollowed is of such a nature that little grief must be shown, but heavy\namends earnestly and heartily sought. The Romans who departed with\nour daughter have been with all their fleet destroyed, or taken, or\nslain with their Prince Salustanquidio, and she herself with all her\nDames and Damsels made prisoner by Amadis and the Knights of the Firm\nIsland, where they have carried them with triumphs and rejoicings; so\nsignal a thing as this hath never before been perpetrated in the memory\nof man. Now therefore it behoves us, you prudently as a woman, and I\nstrenuously as a King and Knight, to remedy our honour by deeds and not\nby idle resentment of sorrow.\nWhen Queen Brisena heard this she remained for awhile silent, for she\nwas one of the women in the world who best loved her husband, and\nwas aware in such a case as this and with such men, it was far better\nto make peace than to encourage discord. Therefore she replied, Sir,\ngreatly as you must needs feel this, yet when you judge it you should\nrecollect the time when you yourself were an Errant Knight. You know\nwhat complaints and lamentations Oriana and all her Damsels made for so\nlong time, so that it was every where known, and all men believed great\nforce was done her. It is not to be wondered at that these Knights as\nmen whose profession it is to succour all distressed damsels, should\nhave dared attempt what they have atchieved. But Sir, tho' she be\nyour daughter, yet as you have delivered her up to the Embassadors of\nthe Emperor, the injury is to him, and it behoves you to act now with\nmoderation lest you should appear to be chiefly wronged, for if you do\notherwise the offence can no ways be dissembled. The King answered,\nbear now in mind Dame what becomes your honour as I said before! For\nme, by God's help I shall take such amends as will become your rank and\nmine.\nThen King Lisuarte went to his palace and called for King Arban of\nNorth Wales and Don Grumedan and Guilan the Pensive, who was now\nrecovered from his sickness, and being apart with these he told them\nall that had befallen, for these three Knights were they in whom he\nchiefly trusted: and he besought them to consider what was the course\nbest befitting his honour, and to take due deliberation before they\nadvised him. The King also remained some days pondering what he should\ndo. But Queen Brisena remained full of sorrow for the great rigour of\nthe King her husband: and because he had now for his enemies these\nKnights who would rather die than lose one jot of honour; this also\nshe knew was her husband's temper, and therefore she thought all other\ndangers that ever heretofore had threatened him were light to this.\nWhile she was in this trouble, revolving what remedy might be devised,\nthere came in one to say that Durin the brother of the Damsel of\nDenmark was arrived from the Firm Island and would speak to her. The\nQueen gave order that he should be admitted, so he entered and knelt\nbefore her, and kissed her hand, and gave her a letter from Oriana her\ndaughter. But when the Queen took it the tears came into her eyes for\nthe loss of her child, and for the thought that she could never again\nrecover her unless it pleased the mercy of God to remedy this evil,\nand she could not speak, nor ask any thing of Durin till she had read\nthe letter.\n_CHAPTER 14._\nThe letter was in this fashion. Most high and mighty Queen Brisena, my\nLady Mother, I the sorrowful and unhappy Oriana, your daughter, send\nwith all humility to kiss your feet and hands. My good Lady, you know\nhow my ill fortune being to me more contrary and evil-minded than to\nall other women that ever have lived or will be, made me be banished\nfrom my own country with exceeding cruelty on the part of the King my\nfather, and on my part with such grief and agony of heart that I myself\nmarvel how I could have lived through it a single day. But that fortune\nprepared for me a remedy more cruel than the wretched sufferings which\nI had expected; for in the first state I should have died, and that\nwould only have been the death of an unhappy wretch, for whom death was\nmore desireable than life. But in this which has happened, unless you,\nunder God have compassion upon me; not I alone but numberless others\nwho have no fault herein, must miserably end their lives. For it has\npleased God, who knew the wrong and cruelty that have been done me,\nthat the Knights of the Firm Island met and destroyed the Roman fleet,\nand carried me and all my Dames and Damsels to the Firm Island, where\nI am now treated with the same reverence and decorum, as if I was in\nyour royal house. And because they are about to send certain Knights to\nthe King my father, with intention to procure peace, if any concession\nmay be made in my favour, I have thought it well to write thus before\nthey can arrive, beseeching you by the tears which I now am shedding\nand do perpetually shed, that you will in goodness intreat the King my\nfather to have pity on me, and consider the service of God more than\nthe glories and honours of this world, and not put his own fortunes\nupon hazard, for he knows better than any other, the great force and\ninjustice that he has done to me, nothing deserving it.\nHaving read this letter the Queen told Durin not to return till she\ngave him an answer, but that she must first speak to the King. And\nDurin then told her that the Princesses and Dames and Damsels who\nwere in her Lady's company, all sent to kiss her hands. Brisena then\nsent to request the King to come alone to her chamber, that she might\nspeak with him. So soon as he entered she fell on her knees before him,\nweeping, and said, Sir, read this letter which your daughter Oriana\nhas sent, and have mercy upon her and upon me. The King raised her up\nby the hand; and took the letter and read it, and then that he might\ngive her some contentment he said, since Oriana writes that these\nKnights are about to send Embassadors to me, peradventure the Embassy\nmay be such as to satisfy for the wrong received. If it should prove\notherwise, you must consider that it is better to support our honour\nwith danger, than by avoiding danger, to suffer that it should be\ntarnished. He then entreated her to put her trust in God and cease to\nafflict herself, and having said this, left the apartment.\nThe Queen then called for Durin, and said to him, friend Durin go\ntell my daughter that till these Knights arrive and their embassy be\nknown, I can give no answer, for the King her father can come to no\nresolution, but if any means of peace can be found out, I will with all\nmy power labour to procure it, and greet her lovingly from me; and\ngreet from me likewise all her Dames and Damsels. Tell her also, that\nnow is the time when she must show what she is, chiefly by regarding\nher own good fame, without which nothing to be valued would be left\nher, and also by enduring affliction as becomes one of her high rank;\nfor where God hath bestowed rank there also hath he allotted cares\nand troubles proportionately greater. I pray God to protect her, and\nrestore her to me with honour. So Durin kissed her hand and departed;\nbut little profit came of this journey, nor did Oriana receive any hope\nfrom her mother's message.\nNow the history saith that one day when King Lisuarte having heard\nmass, was preparing to eat with his chiefs in the palace hall; there\ncame in a Squire and presented a letter of credence to him. The King\ntook and read, and then asked him what he would have, and from whom he\ncame? Sir he replied, I am the Squire of Don Quadragante of Ireland,\nand come to you with his bidding. Lisuarte answered, say then what you\nwould have, and I shall willingly listen. The Squire made answer, Sir,\nDon Quadragante and Don Brian of Monjaste are come into your kingdom\nwith the bidding of Amadis and the other Princes and Knights who are\nwith him in the Firm Island, this they send to notify to you, before\nthey enter your court; if they may safely appear before you, they\nwill come and deliver their embassy, but if not, they will publish\nit abroad, and return thither from whence they came. Therefore Sir,\ngive me answer as it may please you, that they may not be delayed.\nHaving heard this King Lisuarte remained awhile without replying, as\nevery great man ought to do, that he may have time to consider; but\nreflecting that no inconvenience could follow from receiving an embassy\nfrom his enemies and that it would discover little moderation if he\nrefused, he said to the Squire, tell these Knights that they may come\nto my court, with full security; and that I will listen to what they\nhave to say.\nWith this answer the Squire returned. Don Quadragante and Don Brian\nhearing this landed from their vessel, being armed in goodly arms, and\non the third day they reached the town wherein the King then sojourned,\nat such time as he had finished his meal. As they rode through the\nstreets great was the concourse of people to look at them, for they\nknew them well, and said to each other. Cursed be the traitors whose\nvillainy hath made our Lord the King lose these good Knights and so\nmany others from his company. But some among them who knew better how\nit had been, laid all the fault upon the King, because he submitted\nhis prudence to the counsel of scandalous and envious men. Thus they\nrode along, and having entered the outer court of the Palace they there\ndismounted, and went in where the King was, and courteously accosted\nhim, and he on his part received them with courteous demeanour.\nDon Quadragante then thus addrest him, it becomes great Princes\npatiently and without passion to hear the Messengers who are sent to\nthem, for if the Embassy should content them, then will they have\nreason to rejoice that they received it graciously, and if otherwise\nthe remedy is to be found in a courageous heart and brave resolution,\nnot in angry words. It becomes Embassadors also respectfully to deliver\nwhat they have in charge without fear of any danger that may on that\naccount betide them. The cause of our coming to you King Lisuarte,\nis by order and request of Amadis of Gaul and the other good Knights\nwho are in the Firm Island. They send to tell you, that they seeking\nadventures abroad to uphold the right and redress wrong, did hear from\nmany, that you, following your own will instead of reason and justice,\nand regarding neither the serious admonition of your nobles, nor the\ntears of your people, and not having your duty to God before your eyes,\ndetermined to disinherit your daughter Oriana, the lawful successor\nto these your kingdoms after your decease, that you might give them\nto your younger daughter in her stead. Moreover not regarding her\nintreaties and lamentations, that you without mercy delivered her up to\nthe Romans, to be wife to the Emperor, against all right and against\nher own consent, and against the inclination of all your people. But\nas things like these are notorious to God, and he it is who gives the\nremedy, it pleased him that we should hear of this wrong, and that we\nshould redress it, with no will or design to commit injury ourselves,\nbut seeking to remedy what wrong had been committed, which without\nshame we could not have forborne to do. We therefore having vanquished\nthe Romans, have carried the Princess your daughter to the Firm Island,\nwith the reverence and respect due to her nobleness and royal birth,\nand there we have left her in the company of many noble Ladies and\nKnights of high degree. Now therefore as our intention was only to\nserve God and uphold the right, these Knights send to exhort you, that\nyou will appoint some means whereby this noble Princess may be secured\nfrom any farther such manifest wrong, and restored to your love as\nheretofore. If peradventure you bear any resentment against us for what\nwe have done, let that remain for its season. For it is not reasonable\nthe certain right of her cause should be confounded with our quarrel.\nWhen Don Quadragante had finished his speech, the King answered him\nafter this manner, Knight because angry words and severe answers,\nneither increase courage, nor make the weak heart strong, my answer\nshall be brief, and given with more patience than your demand deserves.\nYe have done that which in your judgement was most for your honour,\nwith overweening pride and with arrogant strength, for little glory is\nit to rob and conquer those who were voyaging securely as they thought,\nand with no fear. Ye did not bear in memory that I, being God's\nLieutenant, am accountable to him and to none other for my actions.\nWhen amends shall have been taken for this, it will be time enough to\ntalk of the accord which you propose; farther speech would be useless\nnow. Don Brian of Monjaste then answered, nothing more then remains,\nnow that we know your will, but that each of us prepare for that which\nbehoves our honour. With that they took their leave, and went to horse,\nand Don Grumedan with them whom the King had commanded to accompany\nthem out of the town.\nWhen Grumedan saw that he was out of the King's presence, he said to\nthese Knights, my good Sirs, I am greatly grieved at this which I have\nwitnessed, for knowing the prudence of the King and the noble nature\nof Amadis and of all ye, I had good hope that this might have come to\ngood end; but it is all clean contrary to what I hoped, and so must be\ntill it please God to bring about peace and concord. But I pray you\ntell me how comes it that Amadis is now in the Firm Island, for it\nis long since any tidings have been known of him, though his friends\nwere perilously seeking him in foreign lands. Don Brian made answer,\nI need not say much to you Don Grumedan concerning our quarrel with\nthe King, certes, we should rejoice if setting that aside, some means\nmight be found to right the Princess Oriana, but since he will proceed\naccording to his anger rather than his reason, he shall find the upshot\nmore difficult than the commencement. But as for what my good Sir, you\nask concerning Amadis, you must know that till he came to this court\ncalling himself the Greek Knight in the company with that Lady for whom\nhe vanquished the Romans, and won the crown of the Damsels, we none of\nus knew tidings concerning him. Saint Mary help me! quoth Grumedan,\nwas that Greek Knight Amadis?\u2014Without doubt he was. Now then,\nreplied the old man I will tell you that I think myself a man of poor\nunderstanding, for I ought to have known that he who performed such\nfeats in arms could be no other than Amadis. And I beseech you, who\nwere the two Knights whom he left to help me against the Romans?\u2014Your\nfriends Angriote of Estravaus, and Don Bruneo of Bonamar.\u2014God-a-mercy!\nif I had known that, I should not have feared the battle as I did. In\ntruth then I gained but little honour there, for with such helpers, I\nshould not think it much to conquer twice the number of such foes. I\nbelieve by your courage Don Grumedan, said Quadragante, that you alone\nwould have been sufficient. Be I what I may, replied the old man,\nye have my love and true good will with ye, and God grant that this\nbusiness may yet end well.\nBy this they had gone out of the town and some little beyond it, then\nas Grumedan was about to bid them farewell, the fair Child Esplandian\ncame up to them returning from his sport, and with him Ambor, the\nson of Angriote of Estravaus. He rode upon a goodly palfrey and well\ncaparisoned, which Queen Brisena had given him, and he was richly\nclad, for the King and Queen liberally provided him with all things,\nboth by reason of his great beauty, and also because of what Urganda\nthe Unknown had written concerning him; and he carried upon his fist\na goshawk. So coming up they gave each to other the good-day! and\nDon Brian asked of Grumedan who the fair Child was. He is called\nEsplandian, and was reared in a marvellous manner, said the old Knight,\nand strange things hath Urganda prophecied concerning him. Is this he?\nquoth Quadragante, we in the Firm Island have heard much talk of this\nchild, I pray you call him back. Don Grumedan then called to him for\nhe was passing on. Come hither said he, and send some bidding to the\nGreek Knight, who in courtesy to you spared the lives of the Romans.\nEsplandian turned back and answered, right glad should I be to learn\ntidings of that noble Knight and know where I could send my thanks, as\nyou say, and as he truly deserves.\u2014These Knights, are going whether\nhe now is. He tells you truth, said Don Quadragante; we will carry\nyour bidding to him, who when he was here was called the Greek Knight:\nbut is now called Amadis. What, cried Esplandian, is he the Amadis of\nwhom all men speak so highly?\u2014Even so\u2014In truth highly ought he to be\nesteemed! and his gentleness and courtesy are not less worthy praise\nthan his valour. I went up to him when he was in wrath, and yet he did\nnot for that do me the less honour, nor refuse to grant me the lives\nof those Knights who had greatly incensed him. I thank him truly, and\nwould to God there may come a time, when I may with the like honour\nrequite him for it. Much were those Knights pleased to hear how well\nthe Child spake. God make you a good man, quoth Don Bruneo, as good\nfair Child, as he hath made you fair. I thank you, the Child replied.\nBut if God hath reserved any worth for me; I would it were in me now\nthat I might be able to serve my Lord the King, who now needs the\nservice of all his people. God be with you Sirs! so he and Don Grumedan\ntook their leave, and those Knights proceeded to their ships.\n_CHAPTER 15._\nAfter those Knights had departed, King Lisuarte sent to summon King\nArban of North Wales, and Don Grumedan, and Don Guilan the Pensive, and\nhe said to them, Ye know my friends how I stand with the Knights of the\nFirm Island, and the great insult which I have received at their hands,\nand certes if I did not take such amends as should break their great\npride, I should not hold myself a King, nor should I think that others\nwould as such esteem me. Therefore that I may render such account of\nmyself, as behoves a prudent man, and that all may be done with due\nadvice and deliberation, I have now sent for you to know your counsel.\nThen King Arban who was a good Knight, and prudent, and greatly desired\nto promote the King's honour, replied, these Knights Sir, and I, have\nthought much upon this matter, and consulted together, as you required\nus. And we have concluded that since it is not your pleasure to come\nto any terms of concord with these Knights, that you ought with all\ndiligence to prepare the means whereby they may be represt and their\nhaughtiness curbed. For the Knights of the Firm Island are many and\nright powerful in arms, as you Sir well knew, when by the grace of\nGod they were all so long in your service; and more than this, we are\nassured that they have sent on all sides to demand succour, the which\nbesure they will find, being of high lineage, sons and brethren of\nKings and of other great personages, and likewise they have in their\nown persons made many friends, so that when people come from so many\nparts to their help, there will be a great host presently raised.\nBut on the other hand Sir, we see that your Court and Household is\nmore destitute of Knights now than we ever remember it to have been;\nand the greatness of your power hath made you many enemies who will\nnow discover their ill will, for troubles will break out in times of\nneed like these which are hushed in calm seasons. It is therefore\nexpedient that all your servants and friends should now be called upon,\nespecially the Emperor of Rome, whom as the Queen hath said, this\nbusiness more nearly touches than it doth you; then when you have seen\nthe power which you can bring together you may better judge whether to\nproceed rigorously, or come to such accord as is proposed.\nKing Lisuarte thought himself well advised by this speech, and bade\nDon Guilan prepare to go to the Emperor, for for such an Embassy such\nan Embassador was meet. Don Guilan answered, in this Sir, and in far\nmore than this I am ready to do you service, and God grant it may be to\nthe advancement of your honour; let therefore the dispatches be made\nready, that you may be obeyed without delay. There needs nothing more\nthan your letters of credence, said the King. Tell the Emperor that in\ncompliance with his demand, I gave my daughter to his Embassadors to\nbe his wife, and tell him what hath befallen her, and that the Knights\nhave sent to me preferring certain terms, which I, knowing the insult\nconcerned him more than me, would not accept. And say to him that what\nwill satisfy me is that we should surround the place where they detain\nmy daughter and make all the world know that we like great princes as\nwe are have punished these thieves and robbers for the insult and\ninjury which they have offered us. Tell him then your own opinion and\nsay that wrongs of this nature grow worse, the longer the remedy is\ndelay'd. Don Guilan then received his credentials and went on board.\nThe King then called for Brandoyuas and bade him go to the Island of\nMongaza and summon Don Galvanes with all his people, and then pass\nover with the like bidding to King Cildadan of Ireland; and he sent\nFilispinel to Gasquilan King of Sweden, to tell him in what state he\nwas, he being a Knight who delighted in all occasions wherein he could\nshow his great hardihood and prowess. In like manner he sent to all his\nother friends and vassals, and ordered all his people to make ready,\nand set about preparing arms and horses, to have the greatest force of\nhorsemen that he could raise.\nNow the History saith that Arcalaus the Enchanter being in one of his\ncastles, and always devising how he could do some mischief, as he and\nall wicked ones like him are accustomed to do, the tidings came to\nhim of this great quarrel between King Lisuarte and Amadis. Whether\nhe was pleased or no need not be said, for they were the two men in\nthe world whom he most hated, and whose destruction he never ceased\nto have at heart, and the uppermost thing in his thoughts. At such a\ntime as this he thought he might wreak his will, and because he could\nnot in his heart prevail upon himself to assist either of them, he in\nhis subtlety resolved to raise a third army of those who were enemies\nboth to Lisuarte and to Amadis, and so dispose of them that if a\nbattle should take place, they might fall on the survivors, and with\nlittle peril utterly destroy them. Incontinently he went to horse, and\nwith such a train as was needful set forth travelling by land and by\nsea till he came to King Aravigo, who with the six Island-Kings had\nbeen hardly handled by Amadis and King Lisuarte, as you have heard in\nthe third book of this history. When he came to him Arcalaus said, O\nKing Aravigo, if your heart and resolution be answerable to your high\nestate, and to the prudence with which you ought to govern, Fortune\nwho was once so much your enemy hath now so repented, and is ready to\nmake you such amends, that the loss of your honour shall be repaired\nwith double victory. Your revenge is now in your own hands, our two\ngreat enemies King Lisuarte and Amadis of Gaul, are at such utter\ndiscord, that there can be no other issue than a great battle, and the\ndestruction of one, or peradventure of both. Now if you will hearken\nto my advice, you will not only recover the loss, which by following\nmy counsel heretofore, you have suffered; but your kingdom shall be\ngreatly increased, and the possessions of all us who desire your\nservice. Friend Arcalaus, replied King Aravigo, the length of way which\nyou have travelled, and your manifest fatigue make me well believe what\nyou tell me; but let me hear it more at length, for never was it in my\nwill because of adversity to desist from such enterprizes as become the\ngreatness of my person.\nThen Arcalaus related how Amadis had taken Oriana from the Romans,\nand carried her to the Firm Island. And I would give you to know,\nsaid he, that this Amadis was one of those Knights of the Serpent\nwho were against us in the battle against the other six Kings; he it\nwas who wore the golden helmet, and who by his great prowess wrested\nthe victory from your hands. Now as Amadis on the one hand and King\nLisuarte on the other, will gather together all the force they can, and\nas the Emperor himself will come in person to revenge the great insult\nwhich he hath received, you may well judge what destruction there\nwill be in the battle between them. If therefore you will summon your\ncompanions I will bring you for allies Barsinan, Lord of Sansuena, the\nson of that Barsinan whom King Lisuarte put to death in London, and\nmoreover all the great lineage of that good Knight Dardan the Proud,\nwhom Amadis slew in Windsor, and they will be a company of right good\nKnights. Moreover I will bring the King of the Deep Island, who escaped\nwith thee from the battle. We will station ourselves so that after\nthey shall have fought their battle, we may fall upon them and destroy\nthem all, the conquerors as well as the conquered, without difficulty\nor danger; so that by this great victory all Britain will be subjected\nto you, and your royal power shall be raised above the power of any\nEmperor upon earth. Look to it now King! whether for so little toil and\nperil you will forego such glory and such dominion.\nTo all this King Aravigo lent a willing ear. Friend Arcalaus, he\nreplied, you tell me great things, and though I had resolved to\ntempt Fortune no more, great folly would it be to reject so fair an\nopportunity. I will prepare my friends and vassals, do you therefore\ndo as you have said. Forthwith Arcalaus departed for Sansuena, and\nspake with Barsinan, bidding him remember the death of his father, and\nalso of his brother Brandolot, who, being conquered by Don Guilan the\nPensive and carried prisoner to King Lisuarte, was, by his command,\nthrown headlong from the Tower, at the foot of which his father had\nbeen burnt. He told him likewise that the former enterprize had\nsucceeded, and that his father would have been King of Britain, he\nhaving made both Lisuarte and his daughter prisoners, when all was\nrecovered from him by that traitor Amadis. Now Barsinan was young\nand haughty by nature, and in his evil disposition resembled his\nfather. Arcalaus therefore lightly prevailed on him to join in this\nconfederacy. With small persuasion too, in like manner, did he win the\nKing of the Deep Island, and all the lineage of Dardan the Proud: this\ndid he as secretly as he could, and exhorted them to have their force\nready for the occasion.\n_CHAPTER 16._\nAfter Don Quadragante and Don Brian had parted from Don Grumedan, they\nproceeded to the shore, and there embarked to carry their tidings to\nthe Firm Island. The first day they voyaged on with prosperous weather,\nbut at night the sea began to rage, and so great a tempest arose that\nthe sailors lost all command of the ship and they were driven they\nknew not whither, expecting to be swallowed up by the waves. Thus they\ndrove along all night, in sufficient fear, for in dangers like these\nneither arms nor courage avail aught; and when the day broke and the\nsailors could look about them, they found they were near the Kingdom\nof Sobradisa where the fair Queen Briolania reigned. At this time\nwas the storm abated, and as they were about to turn to their right\ncourse, they saw on the right a ship marvellously great. Now as their\nship was so swift and manageable that they apprehended no danger even\nthough this should prove an enemy they resolved to wait her coming up,\nand when she drew nearer, they thought they had never seen so goodly a\nship, nor so large, nor so richly ornamented, for the sails were all\nof silk and every part was covered with rich cloths, and they could\nsee upon the deck Knights and Damsels all bravely attired. Much did\nDon Quadragante and Don Brian marvel at this sight, and they could not\nimagine who came in her, so they put out a boat, and sent a Squire to\nask whose ship it was.\nThe Squire did as he was commanded, and one of the Knights answered\nthat Queen Briolania was aboard, on her way to the Firm Island. God\nbe thanked, quoth the Squire at that, they who sent me to ask will be\nright glad of such tidings! Good Squire, cried the Damsels, tell us if\nit please you who be they? Ladies, he replied, they are two Knights who\nare voyaging to the same port as yourselves, but by the fortune of the\nsea have been driven hither, where what they have here met will well\nrequite them for their fatigue, they will make themselves known as soon\nas I return, therefore I need say no more. Full joyfull were those\nKnights when the Squire returned and told them into what company they\nhad fallen, and they brought their ship nearer to the other vessel.\nAnd when they were come nigh the Damsels knew them, having seen them\nwhen they were with their mistress at the Court of King Lisuarte; so\nthey ran joyfully to tell the Queen how they had met two Knights, great\nfriends of Amadis, Don Quadragante and Don Brian of Monjaste. She\nhearing this went out from her apartment to bid them welcome, for she\nhad heard from her high steward Tantiles, how these Knights had been\nsent from the Firm Island to Lisuarte. By the time she came out they\nwere already on board, and went to kiss her hand, but not suffering\nthat, she put one arm round each and thus awhile embraced them, saying,\nSirs and my good friends I thank God for this meeting, than which\nnothing could have delighted me more, unless it had been to have seen\nAmadis of Gaul, whom as ye know I am so much in duty bound to love. Now\ntell me how ye have sped? They then told her all that had past, and how\nno hope of any accord with King Lisuarte remained, and how they had\nbeen driven by the storm, but now said they, we think ourselves happy\nto have been so driven, since we can now serve and protect you on your\nvoyage. I too, replied the Queen, had my fears during that storm, for\ncertes, I thought we never could have outlived it, but my ship is large\nand stout, and my anchors and cables strong, and it pleased God that we\nneither dragged nor broke them. I knew from my high Steward Tantiles\nthat you were gone on this embassy, and knowing how fortunate King\nLisuarte hath been, judged that he would continue to presume upon his\nfortunes. I have therefore summoned all my vassals and called upon my\nfriends for help, and having left Tantiles to assemble and conduct the\nforce, thought that it would be well meantime to go visit the Princess\nOriana at the Firm Island, and abide with her the chance which it may\nplease God to send us. This is the reason why you have met me here, and\nI am right glad that we shall proceed together. Lady mine, replied Don\nBrian, from one so fair as you and of such high degree, nothing but\nwhat is virtuous and noble can be expected, and such we find in your\ndoings. The Queen then desired that they would order their vessel to\nkeep company with hers, and they themselves remain on board with her,\nso they were well lodged on board Queen Briolania's ship, and ate at\nher table, and thus they sailed pleasantly over the seas.\nNow you must know that when the Uncle of this Queen Briolania, Abiseos,\nwas slain with his two sons by Amadis and Agrayes, in vengeance for\nthe death of his brother, whom he had treacherously killed, he had yet\nanother son left, who, being but a child, was by a Knight carefully\nbrought up. This son was now a young Knight of great hardihood and\nprowess, as had in many encounters been proved; and though for long\ntime he was so young that he thought of nothing but following arms\nand increasing his honour, yet now certain servants of his father had\ntold him that he ought to take vengeance for his death, and either\nrecover the kingdom which by right was his, or else procure such\ncompensation as might be worthy of his birth. So this young Knight\nwho was called Trion was now always ruminating on what these servants\ntold him, and watching fair occasion to put in practice his desires,\nand now knowing how Amadis, whom he regarded as the main let of his\nambition, was engaged with King Lisuarte, he thought he would have no\nleisure to direct his attention to any thing but his own great danger.\nHe therefore having understood the departure of Queen Briolania, and\nthat she went with so small a company that she had in her ship not more\nthan twenty men at arms, and among them none of great prowess, he went\nout from a Castle which he possessed, which Castle was all that Abiseos\npossessed before he murdered his brother, and gathered together his\nfriends, not telling them for what enterprize, and having collected\nfifty men at arms, and certain archers and cross-bowmen besides, he\nfitted out two ships and put to sea, with design to take the Queen, and\nto obtain from her a share of the kingdom, or if he saw a favourable\nopportunity recover the whole. He knew the course she was steering, and\none evening came out to intercept her.\nThe sailors seeing these two ships coming toward them, told the Queen;\nimmediately Don Quadragante and Don Brian went on deck, and seeing that\nthe ships were bearing down upon them, gave order that the men should\narm; this the men did, though with little apprehension of danger, and\ncontinued to hold their course. The others were now come so nigh that\ntheir voices might be heard. Then Trion cried out aloud, Knights who\nare in yonder ship, tell Queen Briolania that her cousin Trion is\nhere, and would speak with her, and bid her order her people to make\nno resistance, for else not one of them shall escape death. When the\nQueen heard this she was greatly dismayed, and said, Sirs, this is the\ngreatest enemy that I have in the world, and he would not venture upon\nthis without great cause, and a strong company. My good Lady, replied\nQuadragante, take you no fear, please God we will soon chastise his\nfolly. He then ordered answer to be made, that if Trion would come\nalone to see the Queen he should willingly be admitted. Since this\nis your answer quoth Trion, I shall come against your will. Then he\nordered a Knight who had been one of his father's servants to bear\ndown in the one vessel and board the Queen's ship on one side and he\nwould do the same on the other. Don Brian seeing the ships separate\nguessed what was their purpose, and bade Quadragante with half the men\nlook to the defence on one side, as he would on the other; accordingly\nthus it was done, and Don Quadragante had the side which Trion himself\nattacked, and Brian was opposed to the other Knight. Quadragante then\nbade his people stand forward so that he might not be seen, and he\ntold them not to prevent Trion from entering if he should attempt it.\nAnon the ship was hotly attacked on both sides, for the assailants,\nknowing nothing of these Knights of the Firm Island, thought that no\nresistance could be made which could be any way dangerous. Immediately\nTrion, who was full of confidence and eager for success, leaped on\nboard; the Queen's people gave way as they had been directed, and Don\nQuadragante seeing him fairly on board then came forward. He as you\nhave heard in the second part of this history was huge of stature, and\nwhen Trion beheld him, he well knew that he was not such an enemy as\nhe had expected to meet, howbeit his heart did not fail, and he made\nat him bravely; they gave each other such strokes that fire fled from\ntheir helmets and swords, but Don Quadragante was the stronger man,\nand laid on such a load, that Trion's sword dropt from his hand, and\nhe fell upon his knees. Quadragante then looked round, and seeing that\nthe enemies were crowding on board, he bade his men take charge of that\nKnight, and went among the other assailants, the first whom he met he\nsmote so soundly on the head that he had no need of a surgeon, the\nothers seeing their Leader taken and this other Knight slain, and how\nmanfully Quadragante was bestirring himself among them, strove to get\nback into their own ship, so that in their fear some were drowned, and\nmany were slain, and the rest driven out of the vessel. Quadragante\nthen looked and saw that Don Brian was on board the other ship making\ngreat slaughter among his enemies and he sent more of his men to his\nassistance, waiting himself to see if the attack would be renewed. With\nthis help Don Brian speedily became master of the other vessel, for he\nhad already slain the Knight who commanded her, and the men now cried\nout for mercy, so that he gave orders that no further slaughter should\nbe made.\nAll this while was Queen Briolania and her women in their cabin, on\ntheir knees beseeching God to preserve them. Presently one of her\npeople came and said, come out Lady and see how Trion is made prisoner\nand all his men defeated, for these Knights of the Firm Island have\ndone such wonders in arms as no others could have atchieved. When the\nQueen heard this she was as rejoiced as you may well suppose, and she\nlifted up her hands and said, blessed be the Lord Almighty that at\nsuch a time and for such a purpose he sent me these Knights! but from\nAmadis and his friends, nothing but good fortune can befall me! She\nthen went out and said Don Quadragante, greatly am I beholden to God\nand to you for this service! certes both my person and kingdom were in\ngreat peril. He answered, my good Lady here is your enemy, command that\njustice may be done upon him. When Trion heard this he feared for his\nlife, and knelt down before her, saying, mercy Lady! that I may not be\nslain! I beseech you remember your own goodness, and that I am of your\nblood, and that though I have now offended I may yet hereafter serve\nyou. To this the Queen who because of her noble nature had compassion\non him, replied, Trion, not for your own desert, I will save your\nlife till I have consulted with these Knights concerning you, and she\nordered him to be secured in an apartment.\nBy this Don Brian of Monjaste came up, and the Queen embraced him and\nasked how he fared? Right well, he replied, and full glad that it has\nbeen my good fortune to do you any service; one wound I have received,\nbut thank God it is not dangerous. He then showed her how an arrow had\ngone through his shield and part of his arm. The Queen then with her\nfair hands drew out the arrow as gently as she could, and helped to\ndisarm him, and he was cured as he had often been of worse wounds.\nGlad were they all of their victory; and they saw Trion's ship was\nmaking her escape as fast as she could, and not staying to pursue her\nthey held their course for the Firm Island.\nWhen they entered the haven, it so happened that Amadis with the\nmost part of the Knights were riding on their palfreys in the plain\nbelow the Castle, as they were wont to do, and seeing these ships put\nto land, they rode to the shore to know what they were. Presently\nthey met the Squires of Quadragante and Don Brian coming to announce\ntheir arrival and when they reached the shore they bade their friends\nwelcome, and Don Brian said, speaking from the ship, we are come back\nricher than we went, but as for you poor people, you are shut up here!\nAt that they all laughed, and bade him show the riches of which he was\nso proud. A boat then put out and they and the Queen entered it and\nwere put to land. Then all the Knights alighted and went to kiss her\nhand, but she lovingly embraced them. Amadis then came and would have\nkissed her hand, but she lovingly embraced him, and held him so long as\nif she would never have let him go, and the tears ran down her cheeks\nfor pure joy at seeing him, for since the battle with King Lisuarte\nand King Cildadan, when she was at Fenusa she had never seen him, and\nthough she had now no thought of ever having him for her husband, yet\nhe was the Knight in the world whom she loved best, and for whose sake\nshe would willingly risk her person and her kingdom; and when she\nlet him go she could scarcely speak for joy. Many thanks do I owe to\nGod, Lady, said Amadis, that he has brought me where I can once more\nsee you whom I have so much desired to see; and at this time are you\nmore welcome than ever, for great pleasure will the sight of you be\nto these Knights, and yet greater to your friend the Princess Oriana,\nfor I believe there is no other person in the world whose coming would\nso much rejoice her as yours. She answered, for this reason my good\nLord have I left my kingdom; chiefly to see you, which was the thing\nin the world that I most desired. God knows the sorrow which I endured\nso long a time that I could learn no tidings of you, earnestly as I\nenquired! And now, as soon as my High Steward brought me your letter, I\nthen thought it best to come with all speed to see you and that noble\nLady of whom you speak, for now is the time that all her friends and\nservants should manifest the love they bear towards her. But in great\ndanger should I have been had it not been for the succour of these\nKnights, as they will inform you.\nBy this were all her women and attendants landed, and they placed her\non such a palfrey as was becoming such a personage, and proceeded\ntowards the tower where Oriana dwelt. Greatly was that Princess\ndelighted to hear of her arrival, and she desired Mabilia and Grasinda\nand the other Princesses to go and meet her in the garden, while she\nand Queen Sardamira remained to receive her in her apartment. Queen\nSardamira seeing how much they were all rejoiced at this news, said to\nOriana, who is this whose coming is matter of so great joy? A Queen,\nreplied she, the fairest in her person as well as the goodliest in her\nfame that lives, as you shall presently see. When Briolania came to the\ngarden gate, and saw so many Ladies and in such attire, she marvelled\nmuch, and thought herself happy that she had resolved to come there,\nand turning to the Knights she said, good Sirs, God be with ye! these\nLadies will now release ye of your charge; and smiling sweetly she\nalighted and went in and then the gate was closed. Those Ladies then\ncourteously saluted her, and Grasinda was greatly surprized at her\nexceeding beauty, insomuch that had she not seen Oriana she should have\nsurely thought that no woman in the world could be her peer. So they\nled her to the Tower and when she and Oriana saw each other, they met\nwith open arms and embraced each other with great love. Then Oriana led\nher to Queen Sardamira saying, Lady Queen speak to the Queen Sardamira,\nand honour her for she well deserves it; so they with great courtesy\nsaluted each the other, each observing such demeanour as became her\nhigh rank; they then seated themselves on the estrado, Oriana being\nbetween them, and the other Ladies seated around. Good my Lady, said\nOriana, great courtesy is this that you should come to visit me from so\nfar a land, and much do I thank you, for such a journey would not have\nbeen undertaken but for great love. Lady, replied the Queen, ungrateful\nshould I deserve to be accounted, if at this time I had not manifested\nto all the world the desire I have to do you honour and service;\nespecially as the business so nearly concerns Amadis of Gaul, to whom\nyou know how greatly I am beholden. I have left Tantiles to collect all\nthe force of my dominions, and meanwhile believe that I ought to come\nand bear you company till this business was ended, which may it please\nour Lord to end as you would desire. May he do so in his mercy! replied\nOriana, I hope Don Quadragante and Don Brian will bring good tidings of\nsome accord with my father! but Briolania knowing that in truth they\nbrought none, did not reply.\nThus they continued in discourse till at length the Damsel of Denmark\nsaid, remember Lady that the Queen is just come from her voyage, and\nwill be glad to sup and retire to rest; it is time that you should take\nher to your apartment, as she is to be your guest. Oriana then having\nasked if all was ready, took leave of Queen Sardamira and Grasinda, who\nwent to their apartments, and went with Briolania to her chamber. When\nthey were alone Briolania asked who was that goodly Lady with Queen\nSardamira, and being told it was Grasinda and all that she had done for\nAmadis, wretch that I am, she replied, that I should not have known\nthis when she accosted me! now I pray you when we have supt let her be\nsent for, that I may honour her as she deserves for the good service\nshe rendered Amadis. So after they had supt, the Damsel of Denmark went\nfor Grasinda, and Briolania courteously excused herself that she had\nnot with more kindness saluted her, not knowing the great help which\nAmadis had from her received; and as they conversed together, Grasinda\ntold them how she had first known Amadis when under the name of the\nKnight of the Green Sword he had wrought such atchievements in Romania\nand throughout all Germany. I was so well pleased with him, said she,\nthat though I was so great a Lady in that land, and he appeared only\na poor Errant Knight, I should have been well content to take him in\nmarriage, and should have thought no Queen in the world equal to me in\ngood fortune. But seeing him so thoughtful and overcome by so deep a\nmelancholy, I suspected that the cause could be nothing but love, and\ntherefore I asked Gandalin, who knew the drift of my question and at\none time denied it, and then told me that he suspected it might be so,\nthis he said to divert me from any farther thought of that which could\nnot be brought to pass, and for that I thanked him much, and from that\nhour entertained such thoughts no longer. Briolania hearing this smiled\nat Oriana, and said methinks Lady this Knight spreads this disorder\nfarther than we imagined! remember what he told us at the Castle\nof Miraflores. So thus they communed till it was the hour of rest,\nGrasinda then took leave, and Briolania slept with Mabilia in a bed\nwhich was made near Oriana's.\n_CHAPTER 17._\nOn the morrow all the Knights assembled to hear mass and to learn what\nanswer Don Quadragante and Don Brian brought from Lisuarte. When they\nwere met together after mass, Quadragante said, good Sirs, our answer\nwas so brief that I have nothing to say, except that you ought to thank\nGod that with so great justice and reason you may gain great renown,\nand prove the virtue of your noble hearts. King Lisuarte will listen to\nnothing but rigour. He then related all that past and how he knew that\nthe King had sent to the Emperor of Rome and to all his friends for\naid. At this Agrayes answered, who was nothing grieved at this issue,\nand had so long moderated his anger only in compliance with Oriana,\nCertes good Sirs, I always thought it would be more difficult to obtain\nsecurity for the Princess and maintain our own honours, than to raise\nhelp for the war; and for my own part I will now tell you that I am\nbetter pleased to have war, than that we should have made accord which\nmight have easily been broken; for King Lisuarte and the Emperor are\npowerful Princes, and can at any time soon collect their force, which\nwe, who derive our succours from many and distant places cannot so\neasily bring together: better therefore is open war than so dangerous a\npeace! They all exclaimed at this that what Agrayes said was true, and\nthat they ought to assemble their army without delay and give Lisuarte\nbattle in his own kingdom. Now had Amadis all along been fearful lest\naccord should have been made with the King, for though his honour would\nhave been secured thereby, yet should he have been obliged to deliver\nup Oriana, who would in that case have again been where he could have\nno means to see her, and that to him would have been worse than death;\nso that what the Embassador and Agrayes said, rejoiced him more than\nif he had been made Lord of the World. Sir my Cousin, quoth he, your\nactions have been full chivalrous, and greatly ought we who are of your\nlineage to thank God that we have among us a Knight like you, so able\nto defend his honour in danger, and to increase it in counsel! as you\nand these Chiefs have so well determined, it only remains for me to\nfollow your will. Angriote of Estravaus who was a brave Knight and of\ngood heart, and who truly loved Amadis, rightly judged that though he\nsaid nothing of his opinion, yet was he well pleased that no accord had\nbeen made: and this he thought proceeded from his love of danger and\narms, not suspecting the true cause; he therefore said, Sirs, ye ought\nall to be well contented with the result of this embassy, for war is\nnot only safer than peace, but more to our honour, and we shall leave a\nfame behind us in this world, as immortal as our souls will be in the\nnext! let us then lose no time in summoning all our force. So having\nthus determined they all went to their meal.\n_CHAPTER 18._\nSuch good speed had Master Helisabad on his voyage, that he arrived\nsafely at the land of his Lady Grasinda, and there having summoned all\nthe Chiefs of the land, he produced his powers and entreated them to\nfulfil their Lady's will; they all replied that they should with good\nwill accomplish it, and forthwith gave order to assemble horsemen,\nand archers, and cross-bowmen, and equipped what vessels they had and\nset about building others. When the Master saw how actively they made\nthese preparations, he left a young Knight by name Libeo, who was his\nnephew, to superintend the armament, and put to sea himself and went\nto Constantinople. When he arrived at the Palace they told him the\nEmperor was talking with his good men, so he went in and knelt down and\nkissed the Emperor's hand, who received him courteously, as one whom\nhe knew and held for a good man. The Master then gave him the letter\nof Amadis, but when the Emperor learnt that the Knight of the Green\nSword was that Amadis of Gaul of whom he had heard so much, he said,\nMaster I must complain of you, if you knew the name of this Knight and\ndid not tell me, for I am vexed that a man of such high lineage and so\nrenowned should come to my court and be by me honoured as only a Knight\nerrant. Sir, replied the Master, I swear by my holy orders, that I\nnever knew who he was till he left off the title of the Greek Knight,\nand discovered himself to Grasinda. How! quoth the Emperor, did he call\nhimself the Greek Knight after he went from hence? What, cried the\nMaster, have ye not heard of the great things which the Greek Knight\natchieved? and then he related how he had won the crown for Grasinda,\nand in what manner he had quelled the pride of the Romans, who despised\nhim, thinking him to be a Greek. Right glad were all they who were\npresent to hear such tidings. Now then, said the Emperor, deliver your\nbidding. With that Master Helisabad related all that had fallen out;\nand besought him on the part of Amadis, that if King Lisuarte instead\nof coming to reasonable accord, should come against him with the\nEmperor of Rome and a great power, he would be pleased to assist him in\ndefending the wronged Princess, he being one of the principal Ministers\nwhom God has appointed to maintain justice upon earth.\nWhen the Emperor heard this he saw that it was a weighty matter, for\nhe knew the worth of King Lisuarte, and how highly he prized his\nhonour; and he knew also the haughty spirit of El Patin, how much more\nhe was guided by pride than by reason. Yet considering the justice of\nthe cause, and how Amadis had travelled so far to see him, and the\npromise he had made, albeit it were made lightly and with no such\nmeaning as was now given to it, and calling to mind also the wrongs he\nhad formerly received from the Emperor of Rome, he replied, you have\ntold me great things Master! and from a good man like you it is to be\nbelieved; since then the brave Amadis hath need of my succour, I will\ngive it him as fully as I promised, even as the word of so great a man\ngiven to so renowned a Knight ought to be accomplished. I never yet\nbegan thing which I did not carry through to the end. Then were all\nthey rejoiced who heard, and above all Gastiles the nephew of the\nEmperor, who knelt down and besought that he might go with the succour.\nGood Nephew replied the Emperor, I am well pleased that you should, and\nI command you and the Marquis Saluder to take charge of providing such\na fleet as becomes my rank, and if need be, ye shall go in it, and give\nbattle to the Emperor of Rome. You may well think how Master Helisabad\nrejoiced to receive such an answer. Sir said he, for what you have\nsaid, I kiss your hand on the part of the Knight who sent me, and for\nmyself who bears the embassy, being such as I am, I kiss your feet. Now\nthen I pray you, for I have much to do, give me leave to depart, and if\nthe Emperor of Rome should send his forces, do you dispatch yours in\ntime to meet them. Go in God's name Master! replied the Emperor, leave\nthe rest to me, if need be you shall see who I am, and how I esteem\nAmadis. The Master then took leave and returned to the Land of his Lady\nGrasinda.\n_CHAPTER 19._\nJoyfully was Gandalin welcomed in Gaul because of the good tidings\nwhich he brought of Amadis, of whom for long time nothing had been\nknown. Presently he took King Perion apart, and told all that he had\nbeen sent to say. Now because this King was so brave that he feared no\ndanger how great soever, especially if it regarded this his son who\nwas like a shining mirror in the world, and whom he so dearly loved,\nhe replied, Gandalin what you desire shall speedily be done, and if\nyou should see your Lord before I see him, say to him that I should\nnot have held him for a Knight if he had suffered that wrong to go\nunredressed, for such enterprizes are appointed for such hearts as his.\nI say unto you that if King Lisuarte will not be brought to reason, it\nshall be to his own loss. But take heed that you say nothing of this\nto my son Galaor, who is here so ill that we have often thought him\nmore dead than alive, and even now he is in great danger; nor to his\ncomrade Norandel who is come hither to see him, for I will communicate\nit to him. Gandalin replied, I will bear it in mind, and glad am I that\nyou have thus forewarned me. Go now to him, said the King, and tell him\nnews of his brother.\nGandalin then went to Galaor's chamber, whom he found so weak and sick\nthat he wondered at seeing him, and he knelt down to kiss his hand;\nthen Galaor looked and knew that it was Gandalin, and the tears came\ninto his eyes for joy.\u2014Welcome friend Gandalin, what news bringest\nthou of my Lord and Brother Amadis? Sir, replied the Squire, he remains\nwell and in health in the Firm Island, and knows nothing of your\nmalady, neither did I till my Lord the King told me thereof. I came\nhither by his command to inform the King and Queen of his return, and\ngreatly will he be troubled when he learns what plight you are in, whom\nhe loves and esteems more than any other of his lineage. Norandel then\ncame up and embraced him, and asked for Amadis. Gandalin said to him\nthe same as he had told Galaor: and he related some of the adventures\nwhich he had atchieved in the Islands of Romania, and in those foreign\nparts thereabout. Sir, quoth Norandel to Don Galaor, reason is it that\nat such news you should take heart and shake off your sickness, that\nwe may go see this Knight; as God shall help me, he is so excellent a\nKnight, that all they who have any worth in them ought to think little\nof the toil of the longest journey to see him. While they were thus\ntalking, the King came in, and taking Norandel by the hand, after some\ntalk, led him out of the chamber; my good friend, then said he, it\nbehoves you without delay to go to the King your father, for by what I\nlearn he will stand in need of your help, and of all his friends; but\nsay nothing of this to your friend Galaor, for it would excite in him\nsuch agitation that much harm might come of it, seeing how weak he is.\nNorandel answered, the advice Sir of so good a man as you, ought to be\nfollowed, without enquiry into its cause. I will take leave of Galaor\nto-night, and put to sea to-morrow, for my ship is ready. This the King\ndid that Norandel might fulfil his duty toward his father, and also\nthat he might not see the preparations for war which were going on.\nThat day were they more in hope of Don Galaor, by reason of the joy he\nhad for the tidings of his brother. Gandalin also said to the Queen,\nwhat Amadis had bidden him; and she replied, that she would do all that\nhe desired: but Gandalin my friend, said she, I am much troubled at\nthis news, for my son must now be in great care and hereafter in great\ndanger of his person. Fear nothing, Lady, Gandalin made answer, he will\nraise such force that neither King Lisuarte nor the Emperor of Rome\nwill dare attack him. May it please God, quoth she, that it be so! When\nnight came, Norandel said to Don Galaor, Sir, I must now depart, for as\nyour illness is so lingering and I can nothing profit you, it is better\nthat I should attend to other things. You know it is not long since I\nhave been a Knight, nor have I yet gained honour to be esteemed a man\nof worth by good men. The news of your malady called me from a quest\nwhich I had undertaken when I left the King my father's house, and I\nmust now go where I am needed. God knows this parting grieves me, but\nif it please him, while I am performing this, from which I cannot be\nexcused, you will recover, and then I will return to you, and we will\ngo together to seek adventures. At this Galaor sighed with exceeding\nsorrow,\u2014since it must be so, you must obey the will of God, and if\nperchance you go to the court of my Lord your father, kiss his hand for\nme, and tell him that I remain at his service, though as you see, more\ndead than alive. Norandel then took his leave, and on the morrow sailed\nto Great Britain.\n_CHAPTER 20._\nLasindo the Squire of Don Bruneo of Bonamar arrived where the Marquis\nsojourned; and when he delivered his Master's bidding to him and to\nBranfil, so grieved was Branfil that he had not been with those Knights\nat the rescue of Oriana, that he fain would have killed himself, so he\nknelt down to his father, and earnestly entreated him to do what his\nbrother requested. The Marquis who was a good Knight, and who knew the\ngreat friendship which his sons bore to Amadis and all his lineage,\nand the honour which they had thereby gained, made answer, trouble not\nyourself my son, for I will compleatly do what he desires, and if need\nbe, will send you to him with such succour, that your's shall not be\nthe worst company there. For this Branfil kissed his hand; and orders\nwere then immediately given to prepare a fleet and forces; for this\nMarquis was a great Lord and wealthy, and had many good Knights in his\nLordship, and many soldiers all well equipped.\n_CHAPTER 21._\nWhen Ysanjo the Knight of the Firm Island arrived in the kingdom of\nBohemia and gave the letter of Amadis to King Tafinor, there is no man\ncan tell the pleasure which the King felt. You are welcome here Knight,\nsaid he, and I thank God for the message which you have brought me;\nyou shall see with what good will I receive it, and whether or no the\ntrouble of your journey was well employed. Then he called for his son\nGrasandor and said to him, Sir, read this letter, which the Knight of\nthe Green Sword hath sent me, for you were witness of the service he\ndid me, and how he delivered me from the most cruel and perilous war\nin which ever King was engaged, in which by reason of the great power\nand unreasonable pride of the Roman Emperor, both you and I should have\nbeen undone and belike brought to death but for his succour. And know\nthat this Knight is that Amadis of Gaul, of whom such renown is gone\nabroad through all the world. As soon as Grasandor had read the letter,\nand heard the bidding of Ysanjo: he said, O Sir, what joy it is to my\nheart that this noble Knight should now stand in need of your help, and\nsee the sense, and the gratitude which you feel for his past services!\nI beseech you let Count Galtines remain to lead the succour, and give\nme leave to go immediately with twenty Knights to the Firm Island, for\nit will be greatly to my honour to be in company of such Knights as are\nthere assembled. Let it be so, if you wish it, replied the King, and\nGod send you a good voyage, and that we with our whole kingdom, may\nrepay him the succour which he with his single person afforded us! So\nPrince Grasandor, the heir of King Tafinor of Bohemia, chose out twenty\nKnights, and put to sea, and sailed towards the Firm Island.\n_CHAPTER 22._\nLandin the Nephew of Don Quadragante arrived in Ireland, and spake\nsecretly with the Queen, as he had been enjoined to do. And when she\nheard of the great discord, albeit she knew that her father King Abies\nof Ireland had been slain by the hand of Amadis, as it is written in\nthe first part of this history, and though she bore in her heart that\nenmity which in such cases is usual, yet she considered it was better\nto remedy present evils then resent the past. Therefore she spake with\nthose whom she trusted, and so devised that great aid was made ready\nfor her uncle Don Quadragante without the knowledge of King Cildadan.\nThus as you have heard were all these various forces raised, and ready\nwhen they should be needed, having such good will and eagerness as they\nwho would be conquerors.\n_CHAPTER 23._\nSuch speed did Don Guilan the Pensive make, that in twenty days\nafter his departure from Great Britain he arrived at Rome. He found\nthe Emperor Patin ready with a great train, and great preparations\nto receive Oriana, whom he every day expected, for his cousin\nSalustanquidio and Brondajel of the Rock had written to inform him\nthey were dispatched, so that he had made ready for her reception, and\nmarvelled much at their long delay. Don Guilan armed as he was at all\npoints, except his head and hands, entered the Palace, and knelt before\nthe Emperor and kissed his hand, and gave him the letter which he had\nbrought. The Emperor knew him well, having often seen him in the house\nof King Lisuarte, at what time he returned there badly wounded, with\nthe stroke which Amadis had given him by night in the forest, as you\nhave heard in the second book of this history; and he said to him, you\nare welcome Don Guilan, I suppose you are come with your Lady Oriana,\ntell me where she and all my people tarry? Sir, replied the Knight she\nand your people are in a place neither befitting them nor you! read\nthis letter and then I will tell you more than you expect to hear.\nWhen the Emperor had read the letter, being impatient by nature, he\nexclaimed, now tell me before all these what you have to say, for I can\nhave patience no longer.\nBut when Don Guilan had finished his speech he exclaimed, O wretched\nEmperor of Rome, if thou dost not chastise this, thou deservest not\nto live another hour in this world! and then he turned to the Knight\nand said, is it certain that Oriana is taken away and my cousin slain?\nCertain beyond all doubt, replied Don Guilan, all has passed as I have\ntold you. Go back again Knight, then said the Emperor, and tell the\nKing your Master, that I take upon myself this injury and the vengeance\ndue: and that he need do nothing more than look on and behold what I\nwill do, for if I wished to be allied with him, it was not to give him\ncare or trouble, but to revenge him in any wrong that might be wrought\nhim. Sir, said Don Guilan, you make answer like a mighty Prince as you\nare, and a Knight of great courage, yet you will have to do with such\nmen that all King Lisuarte's force will be needed as well as yours.\nThe King my Master hath ever till now taken full satisfaction from\nthose who have wronged him, and so he will continue to do. Since you\nhave given me so good a dispatch I will return without delay, and see\nthat all things needful be made ready. With that he took his leave and\nwent his way, not well content in heart, for he was a right noble and\nwell-conditioned Knight, and when he saw how arrogantly, and with how\nlittle thought that Emperor spake, it grieved him to the heart to see\nthe King his Master allied with such a man, from whose company, unless\nby great good fortune, nothing but shame and loss of honour was to be\nexpected. And many times he lamented as he went along, the great loss\nwhich King Lisuarte had suffered by his own fault, in losing Amadis\nand all those good men of his lineage who for the sake of Amadis had\nformerly been in his service, and were now become his enemies.\nAfter much toil he reached Great Britain, and told the King that the\nEmperor was preparing to set forth with all speed. God grant Sir,\nsaid he, that your alliance with this man may be to your honour, for\nas God shall help me, I am little pleased with his arrogance, and can\nexpect nothing good from any force which hath such a Leader. The King\nanswered, Don Guilan I rejoice at your safe return! having you and\nsuch as you in my service, we need nothing more than the forces of the\nEmperor, for you are well able to direct both him and me; but since\nhe hath given you such an answer we must take care to be so prepared,\nthat when he arrives, he shall not think so much of his own power as\nhe now does. So with all diligence King Lisuarte prepared his forces,\nfor he knew that his enemies were assembling aid from all parts, and\nthat the Emperor of Constantinople, and the King of Bohemia, and King\nPerion of Gaul, and many other Princes were raising men to send to the\nFirm Island, and happy he thought himself if they should not seek him\nin his own land. He likewise knew how King Aravigo and Barsinan Lord\nof Sansuena were arming, and he knew not for what purpose. At this\ntime Brandoyuas returned, and said that King Cildadan of Ireland was\npreparing to obey his summons, but that Don Galvanes requested he\nwould not call upon him to act against Amadis and his nephew Agrayes;\nbut if the King would not be so content, he besought him to set him\nfree from his homage, and take back the Island of Mongaza, as had been\nstipulated, that so long as he held it he should be the King's vassal,\nand when he chose to be so no longer, he might give up the Island and\nremain free. The King though his necessity was so great, yet saw that\nDon Galvanes spake with reason, and sent to tell him he might remain in\npeace, for though he could not serve him in this quarrel, there might\ncome a time when he might make amends.\nMoreover tidings soon came by Filispinel, that King Gasquilan of Sweden\nhad well received the embassy, and had promised to come aid the King,\nand fight with Amadis, which he had so long desired to do. The King\ntherefore knowing what preparations were now made, called for Giontes\nand said to him, Nephew you must needs go with all speed to the Emperor\nPatin, and tell him I am well pleased with what he hath said to me by\nDon Guilan, and that I am going to my court at Windsor, because it is\nnear the port where he will land: there I shall assemble my force, and\nhe will find me encamped, expecting his arrival. Say that I beseech\nhim to come as speedily as possible, for if at first we can exceed our\nenemies in number, much of the aid which they expect will fail. Do not\nyou, nephew, leave Rome till he comes himself, for that will hasten\nhim. Then Lisuarte departed for Windsor, and Giontes put to sea.\n_CHAPTER 24._\nYou have heard how Prince Grasandor had embarked with twenty Knights\nfor the Firm Island; now it so fortuned that he fell in by night with\nthe ship which carried Giontes on his embassy to Rome, and gave orders\nto his men to bear up to her, that he might see who was on board.\nGiontes having none other than mariners with him, and certain of his\nservants, could make no resistance, and was brought before Grasandor;\nwho asked him who he was. He replied, a Knight of King Lisuarte,\ngoing with his bidding to the Emperor of Rome; if for courtesy you\nwill release me, that I may proceed on my way, I shall hold myself\nobliged, for you have neither cause nor reason to detain me. Grasandor\nanswered, Knight, I expect soon to be against the King you speak of,\nin aid of Amadis of Gaul, and am therefore not bound to treat any of\nhis people well; yet shall I deal courteously with you, and will let\nyou depart, provided you tell me your name, and what is your embassy to\nthe Emperor. It would be to my honour, and to my Master's service, said\nGiontes, if I were not asked that question; but my Embassy is public,\nand I shall do my duty in avowing it: my name is Giontes, King Lisuarte\nis my Uncle. I go to bring the Emperor and all his force as speedily\nas can be, to go with the King my Uncle against those who have carried\naway his daughter Oriana; now if it please you let me depart. You have\nspoken like a Knight, replied Grasandor, I set you free! and come\nquickly with the force you are to bring, for you will find those whom\nyou seek, ready.\nGiontes then went his way, and Grasandor immediately sent one of his\nKnights in a vessel which he brought with him, to the King his father,\nto tell him what he had learnt, and request him to observe when the\nEmperor departed and then without delay send off Count Galtines with\nthe succour, for much to their honour would it be if they should arrive\nthe first. Grasandor then sailed on, and arrived without let or danger\nat the port of the Firm Island. When the Islanders saw a ship come in\nthey informed Amadis, who forthwith sent to know who came in her, but\nwhen he heard it was Prince Grasandor, son to the King of Bohemia, he\ngreatly rejoiced, and went to horse, and took with him Don Quadragante\nand Agrayes, and rode to welcome him. When they met they embraced\neach other like true friends, and Grasandor after their greeting\ntold him how he had met Giontes, and had sent to bid the succours\nproceed without waiting for farther summons. If all our friends, quoth\nQuadragante, help us with the like good will, little need we fear this\ndanger. Then they rode to the Castle, and Amadis took Grasandor to\nhis apartment and gave order that his company should be well lodged\nand provided, and he sent to inform all his Knights of the Prince's\narrival, that they might go welcome him; forthwith they all repaired to\nthe apartment of Amadis, being clad richly in the dress of war, as they\nwere ever accustomed to be when in time of rest; and when Grasandor saw\nso many Knights whose fame was so spread abroad, he thought himself\ngreatly honoured to be in their company.\nNow when it was known to what end Giontes had been sent to Rome,\nmessengers were dispatched without delay for all the succour, and\nbecause it would be tedious to relate how they all severally sped in\ntheir embassy, we will only tell you that they all arrived, and that\nall the succours embarked and sailed to the Firm Island. The good King\nPerion brought three thousand Knights. King Tafinor of Bohemia sent one\nthousand five hundred Knights with Count Galtines. Tantiles brought\none thousand two hundred from Queen Briolania. Six hundred came with\nBranfil the brother of Don Bruneo. Six hundred from Ireland with Don\nQuadragante's nephew Landin. King Ladasin of Spain sent two thousand\nto his son Don Brian of Monjaste. Don Gandales came from Scotland\nwith fifteen hundred for Agrayes. The Emperor of Constantinople sent\neight thousand with his nephew Gastiles. All these came to the Firm\nIsland; but the first who arrived was King Perion, by reason that his\nkingdom lay the nearest. If he was well received by his sons and by\nall those Chiefs need not be said. By his advice it was resolved that\nall the forces of the Island should go out and pitch their tents upon\na plain that lay below the Castle, which abounded with springs and\nwas surrounded with trees; and so soon as any succours arrived they\nwere immediately there encamped. But who can tell when they were all\nassembled what Knights and horses and arms were there? Certes you may\nwell believe that never in memory of man were such Knights, and so\nmany, assembled together in behalf of any Prince.\nBut Oriana did nothing but weep and curse her ill fortune that would\noccasion so great destruction, unless it pleased God in his mercy to\nprovide some remedy. All those Ladies who were in her company consoled\nher the best they could, saying that neither she, nor they who served\nher could stand accused to God or to the world. And albeit she was\nloth, they made her go up to the top of the Tower, from whence she\ncould see the plain and all the people who were encamped there; and\nwhen she beheld the plain covered with people, and so many glittering\narms, and so many tents, she thought all the world were up in arms.\nThen while the others were all wondering at the sight, Mabilia, seeing\nthat none could hear her, said, What think you, is there another in\nthe world who hath such a servant and friend as you? Oriana answered,\nAh, Lady, my true friend, what shall I do, my heart cannot bear this.\nOn one side is he who is the light of my eyes, and the consolation of\nmy poor heart, without whom I could not live, and on the other is my\nfather, to whom, cruel as I have found him, I cannot but feel that true\nlove which as his child I owe him. Wretch that I am, whichever of these\nshould perish, I must be the most unhappy woman that ever lived! and\nthen she wept and wrung her hands. Mabilia took her hands, For God's\nsake, Lady, desist from this, and put your trust in God! if evil should\ncome, remember that wrongs like yours cannot be lightly remedied, and\nthank God that the sin is not yours. Oriana felt the truth of this, and\nwas somewhat consoled.\nWhen King Perion saw all the forces encamped, he took both Grasandor\nand Agrayes and said he would go visit Oriana, and he bade Amadis and\nDon Florestan remain with the army. When Oriana heard of the coming of\nthe King, she was greatly pleased, for she had never seen him since\nhe knighted the Child of the Sea by her request at the house of King\nLanguines of Scotland. She assembled all her Ladies to receive him; the\nKing when he entered her apartment courteously saluted her, and she\nhumbly returned the salutation; then he addressed the Queens Briolania\nand Sardamira and all the other Princesses and Damsels. Mabilia then\ncame forward and knelt before him, and would have kissed his hand,\nbut he drew her toward him and embraced her with exceeding love, and\nsaid to her, Dear Niece, I bring many remembrances from the Queen your\nAunt and from your Cousin Melicia, as to one whom they greatly esteem\nand love. Gandalin will tell you the Queen's bidding, for he remains\nto come with Melicia, that she may keep company with this Lady who so\nwell deserves it. Then he turned to Oriana and said, Good my Lady, the\nsame reason that made me feel for your wrongs, hath bound me to labour\nto redress them, and for this am I come hither. But do you take good\nheart, and put your trust in God, for he will help you and reinstate\nyou in that greatness, which your own virtue and the justness of your\ncause deserve. Oriana, the while he spoke, looked earnestly at the\nKing; his person was so goodly, and he spoke so well, that she thought\nin herself he well deserved to be the father of such sons, and that his\ngreat renown was but reasonable. Sir, she replied, what requital can\na poor wretched and distressed damsel like me make for what you have\nsaid? certes none other than what all those whose injuries you have\nheretofore redressed, have made, to tell you that in so doing you are\nserving God, and increasing the great fame which you have already won.\nOne thing I beseech you, Sir, do for me,\u2014try every means to bring\nabout peace with the King my father, for this will please God in saving\nthe lives of so many as must needs perish else, and it would make me\nthe happiest woman in the world. The King answered, things are now\nin such state that this would be very difficult; but oftentimes when\nenmity appears to be at its extreme, peace is then procured which could\nnever be obtained before: and be sure that if it can be, I shall with\nall good will procure it, both for the service of God and for your\nsake, as one whom I so much desire to serve. At that Oriana humbly gave\nhim thanks, like one in whom virtue abounded more than in any other\nwoman.\nWhile they were thus in talk, Agrayes and Grasandor conversed with\nQueen Briolania and Queen Sardamira, and Olinda and the other Ladies;\nand when Grasandor saw Oriana and all her company how excellently\nfair they were, above all that ever he had yet seen or heard of, so\nastonished was he that he knew not what to say, and he could not but\nbelieve that God himself had made them with his own hand. And albeit\nthat except Melicia, who was not there present, there was not one who\nequalled the beauty of Oriana, and Queen Briolania and Olinda, yet was\nhe so pleased with the gaiety and grace, and good humour of Mabilia,\nthat from that hour was he never inclined so to love and serve any\nother woman; and thus his heart was taken, and the more he looked at\nher, the greater his affection grew, as is usual in such occasions. He\nbeing thus disturbed, like a young man who had never before been out\nof his father's kingdom, now desired Agrayes for courtesy to tell him\nthe names of those ladies who were with Oriana. Agrayes named them all\nto him, and told him the greatness of their rank. He then asked who\nMabilia was, for she was talking with King Perion. Agrayes replied she\nwas his sister, and he did not believe there was a woman in the world\nof better nature, nor more beloved by all who knew her. Grasandor upon\nthis was silent, and thought in his heart assuredly what Agrayes said\nwas true, and so in very deed it was, for all who knew the Princess\nMabilia loved her for her gentleness and gaiety.\nThus as they were all conversing chearfully in the hope to chear\nOriana, who could feel no joy, Queen Briolania said to Agrayes, Good\nSir, and my great friend, I have occasion to speak with Don Quadragante\nand Don Brian of Monjaste before you; I beseech you let them come\nhither before you depart. Immediately Agrayes sent to call them, and\nwhen they came the Queen led them apart with Agrayes, and said, Ye\nknow from what imminent peril I was delivered by you, under God, and\nhow ye gave my cousin Trion into my power whom I now hold prisoner. I\nhave been pondering much how to deal with him; for on the one hand, he\nis the son of Abiseos my uncle who so treacherously slew my father,\nand the seed of so bad a man ought to perish lest other like treasons\nspring up from it; on the other hand, I remember our nearness of kin,\nand that children often differ greatly from their fathers, and that\nthis attack which he made upon me was committed like a young man,\nwhom evil counsellors had advised. I have not therefore known how to\ndetermine, and beseech you, as persons whose prudence always knows\nwhat ought to be done, to tell me your judgment. To this Don Brian\nof Monjaste replied, My good Lady, your discretion hath so aptly\nurged all that can be said on this case, that there remains nothing\nto advise, except it be to remind you that one of the causes for\nwhich great princes are most praised, and by which their persons and\ndominions are most secured, is clemency: by using which, they obey the\ncommand of him whose ministers they are, and to whom, doing their duty,\nthey ought to refer the consequence. It would be well for the deciding\none of your doubts, to call him here, Lady; by speaking with him you\nmay perhaps form some judgment of what cannot be known in his absence.\nBriolania then requested King Perion not to depart till she had decided\nwith those Knights upon a point which nearly concerned her. Then was\nTrion brought in; he appeared before the Queen with much humility, yet\nwith such a presence as well showed the great lineage of which he came.\nTrion, said the Queen to him, whether I have cause to pardon you, or\nAmadis to execute vengeance for the wrong you have done, you yourself\nknow; you also well know what your father did to mine; howbeit, as\nthese things are past, and as I know that you are the nearest of my\nblood, I am moved not only to have pity upon your youth, you having\nthat sense of your fault which you ought to have, but also to place you\nin that rank and honour, that, instead of an enemy you should become\nmy friend and servant. Speak therefore before these Knights what is\nyour choice, and let there come nothing from your lips but that truth\nwhich beseems one of such lineage. Trion, who had not expected this,\nreplied, Lady, as to what toucheth my father, I am, by reason of my\ntender years at the time, acquitted; for myself, certain it is, that\nby my own good will, as well as the counsel of others, I would have\nplaced you in such straits, and myself in such honour, that I might\nhave obtained the rank suitable to my birth; but Fortune, as she was to\nmy father and brethren, even so hath she shown herself contrary to me.\nThere remains therefore nothing for my remedy but to acknowledge that\nyou are the rightful inheritrix of the kingdom of our forefathers; and\nalso to acknowledge your great mercy and favour towards me, that so I\nmay, by my services and your good pleasure, obtain what my heart sought\nto gain by force. The Queen answered, If you, Trion, will do as you\nsay, and be my loyal vassal, I will be to you not as a cousin but even\nas a sister, and you shall receive such favour from me as shall fully\nsatisfy your honour. Then Trion bent his knee before her, and kissed\nher hand, and from that time forward he bore himself so loyally in all\nthings, that his authority in the kingdom was almost like her own. You\nare free then, said she, and I require you to take charge of these my\npeople who are here, and to obey the orders of Amadis. Greatly did the\nKnights praise this action of the fair Queen, and greatly did they\nhonour Trion, as in truth he well deserved.\nKing Perion and the Knights now took leave, and returned to the camp;\nthey found that Balays of Carsante had just arrived with twenty Knights\nof his lineage, all good men and well armed, to serve Amadis. This\nBalays was one of those whom Amadis had delivered from the cruel prison\nof Arcalaus the Enchanter, and he it was who cut off the head of the\nDamsel that had engaged Amadis and Galaor in fight to destroy each\nother; and certes had it not been for this action of Balays, the one or\nboth would then have died. He brought tidings that King Lisuarte was\nencamped near Windsor, and that, by what he could hear, he had about\nsix thousand horsemen with him, besides foot-soldiers; and that the\nEmperor of Rome had arrived with a great fleet, and had landed and\npitched his camp near the King's. Gasquilan King of Sweden also had\nbrought eight hundred good Knights, and King Cildadan two hundred;\nbut he believed they would not advance for fifteen days, because they\nwere all weary with the voyage. All this Balays of Carsante could well\nlearn, for he held a good castle in the Lordship of King Lisuarte, and\nit was so situated that he could with little trouble learn news of his\nforces.\nEarly on the following morning Master Helisabad arrived in the haven\nwith Grasandor's succour, five hundred Knights and Archers. When Amadis\nknew his arrival he went with Angriote and Don Bruneo to receive them;\nthe forces were encamped, and Libeo the Master's nephew with them as\ntheir Captain. They then took the Master and led him to King Perion,\nand told who he was, and how he had saved Amadis from death after the\ncombat with the Endriago, and that at this season there could not have\nbeen any person whose coming would so profit them. The King courteously\nwelcomed him and said, Good friend, after the battle we must decide\nthe question to whom Amadis is most indebted, to me who under God\nproduced him from nothing, or to you who from death recovered him to\nlife. The Master kissed his hand, and then said pleasantly, Let it be\nso, Sir, I will not yield the advantage to you till the question has\nbeen searched. Then he told the King that he was certainly informed how\nthe Emperor of Rome had set out with his fleet, carrying ten thousand\nhorsemen; and that Gastiles nephew of the Emperor of Constantinople was\nnow on the sea with eight thousand horsemen in aid of Amadis, and would\nhe believed arrive now in three days.\n_CHAPTER 25._\nThe History saith, that Giontes after he left Grasandor proceeded to\nRome, and by his diligence and that of the Emperor, the fleet was soon\nequipped and the ten thousand Knights embarked, and they set sail, and\narrived safely in the haven near Windsor. When King Lisuarte heard\nof his arrival, he rode with the Kings Cildadan and Gasquilan, and\nmany other good men to receive him, and they embraced each other with\ngreat joy. King, said the Emperor, if you have received any wrong or\ngrievance for my sake, I am here to satisfy your honour with double\nvictory. And as I alone have been the cause of this, I would you would\nallow that I alone might take vengeance, that the punishment which I\ninflict may be an example to all, that none may dare offend a man so\npowerful as I. The King answered, My good Lord and Friend, you and\nyour people are now weary of your voyage, let them recover from their\nfatigue; in the mean while we shall learn tidings of our enemies, and\nwhen that is known, you shall take what counsel pleaseth you. The\nEmperor would have marched on without delay, but Lisuarte, who better\nknew what was necessary, detained him, for he was well aware, that on\nthis battle every thing depended. So they remained eight days in the\ncamp receiving the forces who every day came in.\nOne day as the Emperor and the Kings, and many Knights in their\ncompany, were riding in the fields near the camp, they saw a Knight\napproach, and a Squire with him carrying his arms. If any one asks who\nthis Knight was, I answer that he was the good Knight Enil, the nephew\nof Don Gandales. When he came to the camp, he asked if Arquisil were\nthere, who was kinsman to the Emperor; he was answered yes, and that\nhe was then riding with the Emperor. Enil then rode up to the company,\nwho were now halting by a brook side and talking about the battle: he\nhumbly saluted them, and they on their part bade him welcome, and\nasked what he would have. Enil answered, Sirs, I come, from the Firm\nIsland, with the bidding of my Lord the noble Knight Amadis of Gaul,\nson of King Perion, to a Knight called Arquisil. Arquisil answered, I\nam he whom you seek. Then said Enil, Arquisil, Amadis of Gaul sends to\nsay, that when he was at the Court of King Tafinor of Bohemia, calling\nhimself the Knight of the Green Sword, on the day after his battle with\nDon Garadan, he entered into the lists with you and your companions,\nand you were made his prisoner, and by him set at liberty on your\npromise as a true Knight, that you would return and put yourself into\nhis power whenever he required it; he now by me calls upon you to\nfulfil your word, as so good a man and of so high a lineage ought.\nCertes, Knight, answered Arquisil, what you say is true; it only\nremains to be assured, that he who called himself the Knight of the\nGreen Sword is Amadis of Gaul. Certain Knights who were present said,\nthat without doubt it was so. Then Arquisil said to the Emperor, You\nhave heard, Sir, what this Knight demands, I can no ways excuse myself,\nbut must perform that which I owe; he gave me my life, and prevented\nthe other Knights from killing me, who were well inclined to do it. I\nbeseech you, Sir, be not displeased at my going, for if I should fail\nin my promise, you, powerful and great as you are, ought neither to\nhave me in your company, nor acknowledge me for your kin. The Emperor,\nwith his wonted want of temper, cried out, You Knight who come hither\non the part of Amadis, tell him he ought to be quite satisfied with\noffering me those little insults which little men can offer to the\ngreat: and that the time is come when I shall show him who I am, and\nwhat I can do. Tell him that he can no where escape me, not even in\nthat Den of Thieves where he lurks; he shall soon make seven-fold\nrestitution! You, Arquisil, do as you are required; it will not be long\nbefore I shall put this man by whom you were taken into your hands,\nthat you may have your will of him.\nWhen Enil heard this, he grew angry and fearlessly replied, I ween,\nSir, Amadis knows what you can do already, for he met you once as an\nErrant Knight, not as a great prince, and you did not depart from him\nquite so easily! But now, as you come in another manner, so in another\nmanner will he meet you: let them who know the past remember it! God\nonly knows the future. At this King Lisuarte was fearful lest the\nKnight should receive some hurt at the Emperor's command, which would\ngreatly have displeased him, as indeed what had been said had done; for\nit was his manner to be rigorous in deed, but fair in speech; so to\nprevent more, he took the Emperor by the hand and said, Let us go to\nour tents, for it is time to sup; and let this Knight enjoy the freedom\nwhich Embassadors use to and ought to possess. The Emperor then went\naway, as much in anger as though what had passed had been with his peer.\nBut Arquisil took Enil to his tent and showed him much honour; and they\nrode together like friends to the Firm Island. When they were near\nthe camp and Arquisil saw so great a force, for the succours from the\nEmperor of Constantinople were now arrived, he marvelled greatly, yet\ngave he no sign of wonder. Enil took him to the tent of Amadis, by whom\nhe was courteously received. There he remained four days, and Amadis\nshewed him the army and all those noble Knights, the fame of whose\nprowess was gone abroad through all the world. Much was he astonished\nto behold so mighty a power, but in particular to behold so many good\nKnights, for he well knew that if any disaster should befall the\nEmperor, it would be by their means, for of the rest he thought little,\nand would have felt no fear of them if they had not had such leaders.\nWell too did he perceive that his Lord the Emperor needed great force\nto give them battle, and he thought himself an unhappy man to be held\nprisoner at such a time; for if he had heard afar off that such a\nbattle was to be waged, he would have hastened to bear a part, and now\nit would be in his sight even, and yet he could not be there! For this\nhe accounted himself the most unfortunate man in the world, and the\ntears ran down his cheeks; and in this great grief he resolved to prove\nthe virtue and nobleness of Amadis. So when the brave Amadis was with\nmany other Knights in the tent of King Perion, and Arquisil with them,\nbecause the place of his prison had not been appointed, he rose up\nand said to the King, May it please you, Sir, to hear me before these\nKnights, and Amadis of Gaul. The King said, willingly, and bade him\nspeak. Then Arquisil related how he had been conquered by Amadis, and\non what terms taken to mercy; but now, quoth he, if Amadis will deal\ntowards me with that generosity which he hath ever shown, and permit\nme in this great battle to serve my Lord the Emperor, I promise before\nyou and all these Knights, if I escape with life, to yield myself up\ninto his hands again. Amadis, who had listened to him standing to shew\nhim more honour, replied, Arquisil, my good Sir, if I regarded the\nintolerable arrogance of your Emperor I might justly requite it with\ncruelty to all his people; but his fault is not yours, and the time is\nhard at hand, when the virtue of each of us shall be put to proof: I\ngive you therefore leave to be in the battle, and if you survive it,\nand are in no danger, come in ten days after to this island.\nThankfully did Arquisil acknowledge that noble treatment, and he took\nhis horse and arms, and departed, and arrived without let or hindrance\nat the Emperor's camp. Now I would have you know, that the reason why\nall these Knights performed such long journeys without meeting any\nadventure, was, because they heeded nothing but to prepare for the\ngreat battle, and would therefore meddle with nothing of less moment\nthat might keep them from it. When Arquisil came to the camp, he spoke\nwith the Emperor apart, and told him how Amadis had dealt with him,\nand what a mighty power was there assembled, and the names of all the\ngood Knights who were come to his succour: and be assured, said he,\nthat so soon as they know you have moved on, they will advance to meet\nyou. Arrogant as the Emperor was, yet when he heard this from so good\na Knight, and one who he knew would speak nothing but what was true,\nhe was dismayed, as they use to be whose courage lies more in words\nthan in actions, and he wished he had never been brought into this\nquarrel. He had expected that Amadis never could have raised a force\nto oppose him and King Lisuarte, and that they should have blocked him\nup by sea and by land, so that, either by famine or treaty, he might\nrecover Oriana, and vindicate his honour. But thenceforward the hope\nand confidence which he expressed was more than in truth he felt, and\nhe conformed himself more to the advice of King Lisuarte and his good\nmen.\nFifteen days they remained in the camp, mustering their forces, which\nwere found to be as follows: the Emperor brought ten thousand horsemen;\nKing Lisuarte six thousand five hundred; Gasquilan King of Sweden eight\nhundred; King Cildadan two hundred. When all was ready the army were\nordered to march; the Emperor divided his host into three divisions;\nthe first, of two thousand five hundred Knights, he gave to Floyan,\nthe brother of Salustanquidio; the second, with a like number, to\nArquisil; the other five thousand he reserved for his own command, and\nhe requested King Lisuarte to let him be in the van, to which the King\nassented, though he would far rather have taken that post himself, for\nhe thought little of the Romans, and feared that they might by their\nconfusion occasion some great loss; howbeit to do the Emperor honour,\nhe consented, which in such a case was ill done, for then all affection\nshould be laid aside, and nothing but reason consulted. King Lisuarte\nmade two divisions of his force, the one, of three thousand Knights,\nhe gave to King Arban of North Wales, and with him he appointed\nNorandel to go, and Don Guilan the Pensive, and Cendil of Ganota, and\nBrandoyuas; three thousand of his Knights he gave to King Cildadan and\nKing Gasquilan, which, with their own thousand, made another division;\nof the rest he took charge himself; his standard he gave to the good\nDon Grumedan, who, with great sorrow and heaviness of heart, reflected\non that ill exchange which King Lisuarte had made, to make such men his\nenemies and chuse such for his friends! All this being thus ordered,\nthe army moved on behind the baggage, which went forward that the camp\nmight be pitched.\n_CHAPTER 26._\nThe history saith, that as this King Perion was a Knight of great\ncourage, and one whom fortune had always hitherto assisted to uphold\nhis honour, he seeing himself brought into such a contest which\naffected his sons and all his lineage, and knowing likewise the great\ncourage of King Lisuarte and what a revenger of injuries wrought to him\nhe was: for these things he was always pondering on what it behoved him\nto provide for. He was well aware that if the chance went against him\nthat he would not be satisfied with victory, but like a mad dog would\nhunt them out wherever they should retreat, and think nothing of any\nfatigue or difficulty in pursuing them, even as he himself should do if\nhe were the conqueror. He, therefore, among other needful things, was\ncareful to have trusty persons in those parts where they could observe\nthe movements of the enemy; and by them he was now advised how and in\nwhat order they were on their march. So on the morrow betimes he rose\nand summoned all the Chiefs and the Knights of his lineage, and told\nthem what he knew, and how he thought they should raise their camp, and\ndivide their army, that every man might know what standard and what\nleader he was to follow; and that having so done they should march\nto meet the enemy and give them battle, in full confidence that they\nshould be victorious in so just a cause. To this they all accorded, and\nearnestly they besought that, both because of his high rank, and of his\ngreat courage and discretion, he would take the charge of leading and\ndirecting them, all promising to obey his orders: this he accepted,\nwell knowing that what they proposed was right, and that which he could\nnot reasonably decline. Then he ordered the counsel to be carried into\neffect. The camp was raised, and the forces all armed and mounted\nassembled in that wide plain.\nThis good King rode in the midst of them on a goodly horse, and armed\nwith rich arms, three Squires were with him, and ten Pages all on\nhorseback and all bearing one device, whose appointment was to ride\nabout the field of battle, and give their horses to such Knights as\nshould be in need of them. He was now at that age that the most part\nof his hair and beard was grey; his countenance was somewhat flushed\nwith the heat of his armour, and somewhat by the thoughts of his\nheart. All knew his courage, and the sight of him gave courage to\nall; so that they lost all fear, and made no doubt but that, under\nGod, such a leader would assuredly give them the victory. He looked\nat Don Quadragante and said, brave Knight, I entrust the van to you,\nwith my son Amadis, and Angriote of Estravaus, and Don Gavarte of the\nPerilous Vale, and Enil, and Balays of Carsante, and Landin, with the\nfive hundred Knights of Ireland, and fifteen hundred of my people. You\nmy good nephew Agrayes shall lead the second division with Don Bruneo\nof Bonamar and his brother Branfil, and their troops and your own, in\nall sixteen hundred Knights. You honourable Knight Grasandor shall\ntake the third division, and thou my son Florestan with him and Don\nDragonis, and Ladadin of Fajarque, and Elian the Bold, and Trion with\nthe people of Queen Briolania, who with the forces of King Tafinor\nwill make a company of sixteen hundred Knights. Then he turned to Don\nBrian of Monjaste, you my good nephew shall have the fourth, with your\nown people, and with three thousand of the Greeks; so that ye shall be\nfive thousand in all, and with you Mancian of the Silver Bridge and\nSadamon and Orlandin. He appointed Don Gandales with a thousand to\ncarry succour where it should be most needed. He himself took to his\ncharge Gastiles and the remainder of the forces which the Emperor of\nConstantinople had sent; and he bade all the army look to the Emperor's\nstandard, and regard it as though he himself were there in person. All\nbeing thus appointed, the army moved on with the sound of many trumpets\nand other instruments of war. Oriana with the Queen and Princesses\nand Dames and Damsels of her company beheld them, and in their hearts\nbesought God to help, or rather if it were his good pleasure, to give\nthem peace.\n_CHAPTER 27._\nNow Arcalaus the Enchanter, had, as you have heard, stirred up King\nAravigo, and Barsinan, Lord of Sansuena, and the King of the Deep\nIsland, who had escaped from the battle of the Seven Kings, and all\nthe lineage of Dardan the Proud, and when he knew that Amadis and King\nLisuarte had collected their forces, he dispatched a Knight called\nGarin, who was the son of Grumen one of the Enchanter's kinsmen, whom\nAmadis slew when he rescued Oriana. Him he bade rest neither day nor\nnight till he had borne the intelligence to all those Chiefs. Meantime\nhe himself assembled the kinsmen of Dardan and all his own forces. This\nGarin came to King Aravigo, whom he found in Araviga the chief city of\nall his realm; from which all the Kings thereof were called Aravigos,\nbecause great part of their dominions lay in the land of Arabia. The\nKing at this news without delay assembled all his forces, and they\npitched their tents in the plains near Califan, which was a principal\ntown in Sansuena. Twelve thousand Knights were they in number; there\nthey prepared their fleet, and stored it with food in abundance, as\nmen who were going against a strange land; and from thence they put\nto sea, and with a fair wind in eight days they arrived at a port in\nGreat Britain where Arcalaus had a strong castle. Arcalaus had with\nhim six thousand good Knights, who all hated King Lisuarte and Amadis\nfor having hunted down and slain many of their chiefs and put them to\nflight themselves, like evil doers as they were. I cannot tell you\nthe joy there was at this meeting. So as Arcalaus had learnt from his\nspies, that the King and Amadis were advancing to meet each other,\nhe set forth without delay. Barsinan led the van; he was a young\nKnight and strong, eager to revenge the deaths of his father and of\nhis brother Gandalot, and to show his own prowess. He had under him\narchers and cross-bowmen and two thousand Knights. Arcalaus, who, as\nyou may well believe, was not inferior to him in great strength and\ncourage, led the second division. Though half his right hand was lopt\noff, yet could there hardly be found a better Knight in arms, if his\nill deeds had not taken away all the renown which his hardihood gained.\nHe led on six hundred Knights, and two thousand four hundred whom King\nAravigo gave him. King Aravigo himself and that other King of the Deep\nIsland, led the third detachment with all the other forces, and they\nhad with them six Knights all akin to Brontaxar Danfania, whom Amadis\nslew in the battle of the Seven Kings, as is recorded in the third book\nof this history. These six Knights came from the Sagittary Island,\nwhere it is said the Sagittaries at first made their habitation; and\nthey were huge in body, and strong, like those who were descended in a\nright line from the hugest and most valiant giants that were ever in\nthis world. These Knights when they heard of such great preparations,\ncame by their own good will to revenge the death of that Brontaxar,\nwho was the chief of all their lineage; and also to prove themselves\nagainst those Knights of whom such renown was gone abroad. For these\ncauses they came to King Aravigo, who greatly rejoiced at their coming,\nand besought them to go in his division, the which they promised,\nthough against their will; for it was their wish to have been in the\nfront of the battle.\nAt this time the Duke of Bristol arrived: he, though he had been\nrequired by Arcalaus, would not at first engage, thinking what he said\nwas rash and ill advised; but when he saw so great a power assembled,\nhe then thought it his wisest course to join them, that he might\nrevenge the death of his father, whom Don Galvanes and Agrayes and\nOlivas slew; and also that he might recover the lands which had been\nforfeited by his father's death. He had conceived that if Lisuarte was\nput to the worst, he should regain his inheritance; but if Amadis was\ndefeated, then should he be revenged upon those who had so injured him.\nWhen King Aravigo and the other chiefs knew who he was, they were more\njoyful of his coming, because he was a native of the land, and had\ntowns and castles therein, than they would have been if a foreigner\nhad joined them with a greater force. King Aravigo gave him five\nhundred Knights in addition to his own force; and in this array they\nset forward, marching by bye ways, that they might be the more secure.\n_CHAPTER 28._\nThe History saith, that the Emperor of Rome and King Lisuarte broke up\ntheir camp before Windsor, and set forth with all that company whereof\nyou have heard. They resolved to proceed leisurely, that their men and\nhorses might be fresh at the meeting; so the first day they proceeded\nonly three leagues; and at this pace they continued their progress till\nthey learnt that King Perion was on his way to meet them, and was then\nonly two days journey distant. Incontinently King Lisuarte commanded\nLadasin the cousin of Don Guilan the Pensive to take fifty Knights\nand keep three leagues before the army. He on the third day fell in\nwith the advanced guard of King Perion, forty Knights led by Enil, and\nsent forward for the same precaution. Both parties then stopt and\nsent each the tidings, not daring to come to an encounter; for that\nhad been forbidden them. The two armies continued to advance, and were\nnow within half a league of each other upon a great and wide plain.\nIn either army there were many Knights skilful in war, that neither\nin this respect could boast of much advantage over the other; and it\nseemed as if by common accord they set about fortifying their camp with\nditches and other means of defence, in case they should need such helps\nin retreat.\nWhile the armies were thus employed Gandalin arrived, who had taken\nMelicia to the Firm Island, and had since hastened with his utmost\nspeed to come up before the battle. The reason was this: you know\nthat Gandalin was the son of the good Knight Don Gandales, and the\nmilk-brother of Amadis. From the day on which Amadis, then calling\nhimself the Child of the Sea, was made a Knight, he knew that they\nwere not brothers, though till then they had ever thought themselves\nsuch, and from that hour Gandalin had always attended him as his\nSquire. Now, though he had often besought his master to make him a\nKnight, yet Amadis could never have resolution to do that, which by\nreason he ought to have done, and to which he was greatly bound, for\nhis father's sake who fostered him, and for his own being the best\nSquire that ever served a Knight; yet because Gandalin knew the secret\nof his love and was his only comforter, and the only one with whom he\ncould talk about Oriana, he could not bear to lose him, as he must\nhave done, had he knighted him; for then Gandalin must needs have gone\nhis way to seek adventures and gain the praise of prowess. But now\nthat Amadis had his Lady Oriana in his power, and was resolved not to\npart with her except he lost his life, Gandalin knew that he might\nreasonably demand knighthood, more especially on so great and signal\nan occasion as this battle; for greatly as he desired it, he had never\nmuch urged the point, knowing how necessary he was to his master. So\nhaving now delivered the bidding of Queen Elisena, and related his\ntidings he took him aside and said\u2014the reason, Sir, why I have so\nlong ceased to ask knighthood at your hand with that earnestness which\nwould have become me, has been my great desire to serve you, and my\nknowledge how necessary I was to your comfort. For this reason I have\nforborne to act as became my good birth, and suffered my honour to be\nneglected; but now, Sir, that she for whom you have endured so much is\nin your power, there is no excuse either to satisfy myself or others\nwhy I should longer forbear to seek the order of knighthood. Now I\nbeseech you give it me, for you know, otherwise, what shame and lasting\ndishonour it will be to me if it be now withheld.\nWhen Amadis heard him speak thus, he was so troubled, that for a while\nhe could not reply. At length he said, O my true friend and brother,\nit is as grievous for me to fulfil what you require as though my heart\nwere plucked from my body; and if with any reason I could dissuade\nyou, I would strive with all my might so to do; but your demand is so\njust, that it cannot be denied; and I am grieved that I did not provide\nsuch arms and horse for the occasion as you deserve. Then Gandalin\nknelt down to kiss his hand; but Amadis raised him, and embraced him,\nand wept over him, to think of the solitude he should endure for his\nloss. Sir, quoth Gandalin, Don Galaor in his great courtesy, knowing\nmy desire, hath given me his horse and arms, of which, he said, he had\nno need in this malady; I thanked him and took the horse, which is a\ngood one, and the breast-plate and helmet, but not the other arms; for\nthey ought to be what beseem a young Knight; and those, therefore, I\nhad made while I remained with him. He offered me his sword also; but I\ntold him, Sir, that you would give me one of those which Queen Menoresa\ngave you in Greece. Since it is so, replied Amadis, do you watch your\narms the night before the battle in the chapel of my father's tent; and\nin the morning when we are about to encounter the enemies, the King my\nfather shall knight thee: you know that no better man can be found, nor\none from whose hand you could receive more honour in the ceremony. Sir,\nquoth Gandalin, what you say is true; it would be hard to find another\nKnight like the King; but I will receive Knighthood from no hand but\nyours. Lasindo, Don Bruneo's Squire, has told me that his master has\npromised to knight him, and we two will watch our arms together. God\ngrant that I may fulfil the duties of knighthood, and manifest the\nteaching which I have from you received.\nTwo days did the armies remain within sight of each other, fortifying\ntheir camps and preparing all things for the battle. On the second\nday at evening, the spies of King Aravigo arrived at the top of the\nmountains, and from thence beheld how both hosts were encamped below.\nWhen King Aravigo and the other leaders heard this, they sent their\nscouts back to observe all that should pass, and they themselves\ntook possession of all the passes of the Sierra, and so stationed\nthemselves, that if need were, they could with little danger retreat\nby the mountains to the sea, and there embark. But their doings had\nnot been so secret that King Lisuarte had not heard how so great an\narmy had landed in his dominions; and though he knew not to what end\nthey came, nor whitherward they marched, he had given orders to secure\nall the stores, and drive away all the cattle thereabout, and that the\npeasantry should go to the fortified towns, and he had left certain\nKnights to defend them. King Perion also had heard of them, and was\nalarmed at the tidings, but neither did he know where they now were:\nthus had they put both parties in fear. Now had they remained three\ndays, and the Emperor Patin became impatient of longer delay, desirous,\neither vanquished or victor, to return to his own country. Amadis also\nand Agrayes and Don Quadragante and the other Knights besought Perion\nto come to battle, that God might decide the cause. The King was as\ndesirous as they, but had delayed thus long that all things might be\nready: he now made proclamation that all should hear mass at dawn and\narm themselves, and every man then repair to his own Captain, for the\nbattle would be waged. The same order was issued in the other camp: so\nwhen the dawn appeared, the trumpets sounded so loud and clear that\nthey were heard in both camps as though they had been in concert. The\nKnights began to arm and saddle their horses; and they heard mass in\nthe tents, and mounted; and each went to his proper standard.\nWho is he that hath such thought and memory, though he had seen\nthis sight and given it all his attention, that he could relate or\nwrite of the arms and horses with their devices, and the Knights who\nwere there embattled? Certes the man would be a fool and devoid of\nunderstanding who could think to do this. Leaving, therefore, the\ngeneral description, something shall be said here of the particular;\nand we will begin with the Emperor of Rome who was strong of body and\ncourageous, and would have been a right good Knight, if his little\ndiscretion and great pride had not marred him. His armour was all\nblack, helmet and shield and surcoat; except that on the shield he bore\nthe figure of a damsel from her girdle upward made to the likeness of\nOriana, well wrought in gold and garnished with pearls and precious\nstones, and fastened to the shield with nails of gold; and on his\nblack surcoat he had a golden chain-work woven, which device he swore\nnever to lay aside till he had Amadis in chains, and all those who had\nbeen with him at the rescue of Oriana. He was on a goodly horse and\nof great size, and his lance in his hand, and thus he rode out of the\ncamp. Next after him came Floyan the brother of Salustanquidio: he bore\nfor his arms black and yellow quartered, and nothing more; he was a\ngood Knight and greatly esteemed by his own party. Arquisil was behind\nhim bearing arms of azure and argent powdered with roses of gold. The\narms of Lisuarte were black with white eagles; and he bore one Eagle\non his shield without any adornment; but those arms came out of the\nfield with great honour by reason of what their lord did therein. King\nCildadan appeared in arms that were entirely black; for, from the time\nof his defeat in the battle of the Hundred, whereby his kingdom became\ntributary to King Lisuarte, he had never worn others. I shall not tell\nyou what arms King Gasquilan of Sweden bore, till another time. King\nArban of North Wales, and Don Guilan the Pensive, and Don Grumedan\nwould wear no arms for show that day, but only for use, that they might\nthus show the sorrow they had to behold the King their master placed\nin so great danger against those who had been in his service and in\nhis household, and who had won for him such honour. Now we will tell\nyou the arms of King Perion, and the Knights of the other host; the\narmour and the helmet, and the shield of the King were all of burnished\nsteel; and his surcoat was of silk of a bright and vivid colour; he\nrode a goodly steed, which his nephew Don Brian of Monjaste had given\nhim, being one of twenty which the King his father had sent from Spain,\nto distribute among the Knights; and in this guise he advanced with\nthe banner of the Emperor of Constantinople. Amadis was armed in green\narmour, such as he wore when he slew Famongomadan and Basagante his\nson, the two mightiest giants in the world; these arms were powdered\nwith lions or; Amadis had much affection for them, because he assumed\nthem on his departure from the Poor Rock, and had worn them when he\nwent to Oriana at Miraflores. Don Quadragante wore murrey arms with\nflowers argent, and rode one of the Spanish horses. Don Bruneo of\nBonamar did not change his device, which was a damsel in his shield and\na Knight kneeling before her. Don Florestan the good Knight and jouster\nbore gules with golden flowers, and rode a Spanish horse. The arms\nof Agrayes were rose-colour, and in his shield was a damsel's hand,\nholding a heart. The good Angriote bore his usual arms of azure and\nargent; and all the other Knights of whom no mention is made, that they\nwho read this history may not be wearied, wore rich arms and of what\ncolour they liked best.\nThus they went forth into the field in good array; and when they were\nall assembled, each man under his leader, they advanced slowly on\nat the time of sunrise, and the morning shone upon their arms which\nwere new and bright, and shone in such guise that it was marvellous\nto behold. At this time Gandalin and Lasindo came up in white armour\nbefitting new Knights. Lasindo went to Don Bruneo, and Gandalin toward\nAmadis. When Amadis saw him approach, he requested Don Quadragante\nto take the command, while he knighted his Squire: then he went to\nGandalin, and as they were going toward King Perion, said to him, My\ntrue friend I beseech you keep near me in this battle; for though you\nhave seen many battles, and enough of dangers, and may think that you\nwant nothing but strength and courage, it is not so: this is a signal\nbattle; and it behoves you to look well to your life, and to your\nhonour also, and not to give such way to your courage as to let it\nmaster your discretion: keep near me and I will look to your defence\nwhen you shall need help, and do you the same by me when you see I\nrequire assistance. They were now come to where King Perion was, to\nwhom Amadis said, Sir, Gandalin would be made a Knight, and it would\nhave pleased me that he should have been made so by your hand; but\nas he wishes to receive the order from me, I come to ask that he may\nreceive the sword from you, that he may hereafter remember the great\nhonour and by whom it was conferred. The King looked at Gandalin,\nand knew the horse of his son Don Galaor, and the tears came into his\neyes: Friend Gandalin, said he, how did you leave Don Galaor at your\ndeparture? Greatly recovered from his malady, Sir, replied the Squire,\nbut in grief, and heaviness of heart, for he discovered your departure,\nthough it was kept so secret, but not the cause. He besought me to tell\nhim the truth, and I told him, that by what I had learnt, you were\ngone to help King Languines of Scotland against certain neighbouring\npowers. I would not tell him the truth in the state wherein he is. The\nKing at this heaved a sigh from his heart, loving his son dearly, and\nbelieving truly, that except Amadis, there was no better Knight in the\nworld, neither for arms, nor for all the manners that became a Knight:\nand he said, God grant, my good son, that I may never behold thy death,\nand that I may see thee honourably freed from thy great love to King\nLisuarte, that thou mayest be free and at liberty to aid thy brethren\nand thy lineage. Then Amadis took a sword from Durin, brother to the\nDamsel of Denmark, and gave it to the King; and he himself knighted\nGandalin, and kissed him, and put on his right spur, and King Perion\nfastened on his sword; and thus was he knighted by the two best\nKnights that ever bore arms. Amadis then went back with him to Don\nQuadragante, who, to do Gandalin honour, came forward and embraced him\nsaying, God grant, my friend, that you may as well fulfil the duties\nof knighthood, as you have manifested all the virtues and good parts\nof a good Squire. I believe it will be so, for good beginning for the\nmost part bringeth on good end. Gandalin humbled himself at this,\nthanking him for the honour. Lasindo also was knighted by the hand of\nhis master, and Agrayes girt on his sword; and you may be assured that\nthese twain in this their first essay of arms, performed such feats,\nand endured such dangers and such toil, that they in this great battle\ngained honour and the praise of prowess for all the days of their lives.\nIt was not long before they saw their enemies advancing to meet them.\nWhen they were near enough, Amadis saw that the banner of the Emperor\nof Rome was in the van; and at this he rejoiced, to think that the\nfirst encounter would be with him; for much as he disliked King\nLisuarte, yet he always remembered how he had once dwelt in his court,\nand what honour he had received from him, and above all that he was the\nfather of his lady Oriana, for which he had resolved, if possible, to\nturn aside from him in the battle, that he might not harm him, though\nhe well knew that Lisuarte would show him no such courtesy, but rather\nseek his death as a mortal enemy. But I tell you that Agrayes had a\nfar other intention, for all his hope was that he might meet King\nLisuarte in the battle, and slay him. He ever bore in mind the King's\ningratitude; and had he been in Mongaza when the island was given to\nhis uncle, he could never have consented that he should receive it,\nhaving been vanquished, but would have given him another such lordship\nin his father's kingdom. When they were now so near that they only\nwaited for the trumpets to sound, that they might begin the attack,\nthey saw a Squire come riding full speed from the army, who enquired\nwith a loud voice if Amadis of Gaul were there? Amadis beckoned to him\nin reply, and when he approached, said, I am he, what would you? The\nSquire looked at him, and thought that in his life he had never beheld\nso goodly a Knight in arms, nor who appeared so well on horseback.\nGood Sir, quoth he, of a truth I believe that you are he, for your\nappearance bears testimony to your great renown! Gasquilan, King of\nSweden, my lord and master, sends me to tell you, that when King\nLisuarte made war upon your Knights in the island of Mongaza, he came\nto his help, in the hope of engaging you in battle, not for any enmity\nwhich he bears toward you, but because of the renown of your great\nchivalry: and now he is come hither for the same intent, and saith\nthat he would willingly break two or three lances with you, before the\narmies join battle, for after that he may not be able to meet you in\nthe tumult. Amadis replied, Good Squire, tell the King your master,\nthat I have before heard of his wish, and attribute it to no enmity\nin him, but rather to the greatness of his courage. Albeit, my deeds\nare not equal to the fame, I am well content that a man of such renown\nshould so esteem me. This quarrel is more of will than necessity, and\nI had rather it had been in some other cause, more to his own honour\nand profit, but I am ready to do as it may please him. Sir, replied the\nSquire, my master knows how you conquered his father, the Giant of the\nDolorous Island, to save Cildadan and your brother Galaor; and though\nthat is nearly concerning him, yet, because of the great courtesy\nwherewith you used your victory, he is more beholden to you than bound\nto seek revenge. It is only for your high renown that he desires to\nencounter you; for the victory would be to his great fame above all\nother Knights in the world, and no shame will it be if he should be\nconquered by him who has conquered so many Knights, and Giants, and\nMonsters out of nature. Tell him, quoth Amadis, that I am ready.\n_CHAPTER 29._\nYou have heard who this Gasquilan was, and in what manner he became\nKing of Sweden. This King was enamoured of a Princess who was called\nthe fair Pinela, and by her father's death became Lady of the Strong\nIsland, which was near Sweden. She, because, Gasquilan was of the\nrace of the Giants, and in himself proud and overbearing, would\nnever encourage his hope; but because her chiefs feared him, and she\nherself saw no other remedy to prevent his love from changing into\nexceeding hatred, she devised this means. She told him that it was her\ndetermination, and what she had promised to her father at the time of\nhis death, never to marry any other than the best Knight in the world;\nto find who this might be, she had dispatched messengers into all\nforeign parts, and the tidings they had all brought back was, that a\nKnight called Amadis of Gaul was the bravest and best Knight in the\nworld, who undertook and atchieved adventures which no other dared\nattempt. If, therefore, he who was so strong and courageous would seek\nout this Amadis, and conquer him, she would then fulfil her promise\nto her father, and make him master of herself and her kingdom, fully\nbelieving that he would then have no peer. This she did, in the hope\nthat Gasquilan, strong as he was, was no ways equal to Amadis.\nWhen the Squire had brought him this answer, he exclaimed, My friend,\nyou tell me what I most desire to hear; every thing is now as I wished,\nand I shall win the love of my Lady, for I am that Gasquilan whom you\nknow. Then he called for his arms, which were after this fashion;\nthe field of his surcoat and bever was murrey, bearing griffins or;\nhis helmet and shield were burnished and bright as a mirror; and on\nhis shield he had a griffin griping a heart in his talons, wrought\nin gold, and fastened to the shield with golden nails, and garnished\nwith jewels; by the griffin he gave to understand the great rigour\nand cruelty of his Lady, and that as that heart was pierced by his\ntalons, even so his heart suffered from its mortal desires. He took\na strong lance, whose iron was long and bright, and going before the\nEmperor, besought him not to let his troops begin the attack till he\nhad performed one joust with Amadis, as he had agreed with him; and he\nbade the Emperor not hold him as a Knight, if he did not in the first\nencounter rid him of his enemy. The Emperor, who knew Amadis better\nthan he did, because he had proved him, thought within himself that\nthis was more easily conceited than performed. So Gasquilan advanced\nforward between the armies, who both halted to witness this signal\nencounter between two such Knights.\nAmadis was ready to give him his welcome; he knew him to be a brave\nKnight, yet, because he was so arrogant and vain-glorious, cared\nlittle for his valour; for when such men as he are in their greatest\nneed, then God breaks their pride; he turned his horse toward him, and\ncovered himself with his shield, and giving the spur rode at him with\nall his force. Gasquilan did the same, driving at full speed; their\nlances flew up in shivers, their shields and bodies met with such\nforce, that all the beholders imagined that they would both be dashed\nto pieces. Gasquilan was driven from his saddle with such force, that\nbeing of huge bulk, and falling upon the hard earth, his right arm\nbroke, and he lay stunned and like a dead man. The horse of Amadis had\nhis shoulder broken, and he himself was somewhat stunned, yet not so\nmuch but that he leaped from his horse before the beast fell, and went\non foot toward Gasquilan to see whether he was dead.\nWhen the Emperor saw Gasquilan lying for dead, and Amadis on foot,\nhe called out to Floyan to advance and help the King of Sweden. Don\nQuadragante seeing them come on, cried out, Attack them, Sir, and leave\nnot a man of them alive! Both sides then hastened to encounter; but\nGandalin, who saw his master on foot, and was fearful for his safety,\nrode the foremost to help him, and seeing Floyan in the front of his\nbattle encountered him so rudely, that Floyan fell, and he himself lost\nhis stirrups, but kept his seat. Both parties now strove to horse their\nKnights, and Quadragante dismounted four Romans before he broke his\nlance, and the horse of the first was given by Angriote to Amadis; mean\ntime the Romans carried Gasquilan, who was now recovering his senses,\nout of the field. Gavarte of the Perilous Vale, and Landin followed\nthe path of Quadragante; these Knights were used to such business,\nand were before the host; but when the two hosts encountered, then was\nthere such uproar that none could understand another, and there might\nyou behold horses without riders, and the riders, some slain, others\nwounded, and trampled under foot. Floyan, who was now horsed again, and\ndesirous both to gain honour and to revenge the death of Salustanquidio\nhis kinsman, made at Angriote, whom he saw doing great deeds in arms,\nand struck him in the side so rudely, that he well nigh dismounted him;\nthe blow broke his lance; then drew he his sword, and dealt a blow to\nEnil, which made the fire flash from his helmet, and rode on between\nthem, so that neither could strike him in requital, and they wondered\nat his courage and great prowess; and before he joined his own people,\nhe met a Knight of Ireland, one of the servants of Don Quadragante,\nand cut him on the shoulders to the flesh and bone, so that he was\nconstrained to quit the field.\nAt this time Amadis, taking with him Balays of Carsante and Gandalin,\nattacked the flank of the Romans as fiercely as he could, being enraged\nto see how they defended themselves; his companions followed the path\nhe made, and he smote such strokes with his sword, that the enemies\nwere astonished and dismayed, and gave way before him, and strove to\nrun back behind their fellows, like a flock of sheep when they are set\nupon by the wolves. As he was thus making his way without opposition,\na bastard brother of Queen Sardamira, by name Flamineo, who was a good\nKnight, advanced to meet him, and pierced his shield with a brave\nencounter, but then his lance failed him. Amadis thought to strike him\non the helmet as he passed, but he went by so fast that the blow fell\nupon the horse behind the saddle, and cut away the greater part of his\nbody and of his bowels, so that Flamineo fell with such violence that\nhe thought his shoulders were burst asunder. Mean time Don Quadragante\nand they who were in his company prest so closely upon the enemies,\nthat they would have destroyed them all, if Arquisil had not come\nup with the second division. At his coming they took courage, and\nsuch a shock was given, that more than a thousand from the two sides\nwere dismounted. Arquisil himself encountered Landin, the nephew of\nQuadragante, and both were driven to the ground. Floyan, who with fifty\nKnights had succoured Flamineo and remounted him, now saw Arquisil\nengaged afoot with Landin, and cried out, Knights of Rome, help your\nleader! He himself, with more than five hundred Knights, rode to his\nsuccour, and Landin would surely then have been slain if it had not\nbeen for Angriote, and Enil, and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley, who\ncalled upon Quadragante to support them without delay, and bestirred\nthemselves so bravely, that it was marvellous to behold their prowess.\nOn the other part, Flamineo, who was again on horseback, collected a\ncompany, and came to support his friends; the battle then waxed hot,\nand so many Knights were slain and beaten down, that the field was\ncovered with the dead and wounded. But the Romans were so numerous,\nthat, maugre all their enemies could do, they rescued Arquisil and got\nhim to horse, and Quadragante and his Knights did the same by Landin,\nfor there were horses enow at hand who had no riders.\nThis while Amadis was doing wonders, and so well had he now made\nhimself known, that the Romans wherever he appeared gave way; great\nneed was there for such prowess, for the enemies were so many, that had\nit not been for the goodness of the Knights, they would have had it\nall their own way. But presently Agrayes and Don Bruneo came up with\ntheir division, and as the Romans were now confused, they broke them\nand divided them, so that they would have had no remedy, if the Emperor\nhimself had not now advanced with five thousand Knights; this succour\nwas so powerful that they presently recovered the ground which they had\nlost. The Emperor himself, armed as you have heard, led the way on a\nhuge horse, being himself of great stature, and marvellously well did\nhe appear, and was greatly admired. Balays of Carsante was the first\nwhom he found before him; he struck his shield so rudely that the lance\nbroke; their horses encountered, the Emperor's was fresh, but that of\nBalays could not stand the shock, and fell and his master with him,\nwho was sorely bruised with the fall. At this success the Emperor was\ngreatly elated; he drew his sword, and shouted out, Rome! Rome! at them\nKnights! let not a man escape! and he thrust forward into the press,\ndealing about his blows like a good Knight. As he was thus making\ngreat havock, he met Don Quadragante, who on his part was laying about\nhim, sword in hand. They seeing each other, both raised their swords,\nand gave such strokes on each other's helmet, that fire flashed from\nthem; but as Don Quadragante was the stronger, the Emperor lost his\nstirrups with that blow, and was constrained to hold round his horse's\nneck, and was for a while astounded. It so chanced that Constancio,\na young Knight and a good, who was brother to Brondajel of the Rock,\nwas hard at hand, and seeing his lord the Emperor in this plight, he\npricked forward, and made at Quadragante with an overhand thrust of his\nlance, which pierced the shield and wounded him a little in the arm.\nQuadragante turned to strike him, and in that moment the Emperor had\ntime to shelter himself among his own Knights. But Constancio tarrying\nthere no longer, rode away toward the part where Amadis fought, and\nwhen he saw what havock he made, that not a man could stand before him,\nhe was so astonished, that he verily thought it was some devil come\nthere to destroy them. While he was looking at him, a good Knight,\nwho governed the Principality of Calabria for Salustanquidio, came\nforward, and struck the horse of Amadis in the neck: Amadis in requital\ngave it him on the helmet and head through helmet and head. At this\nConstancio was greatly grieved for the loss of so good a Knight, and\nhe cried out to Floyan, Here! here! maim or kill this man! for this\nis he who destroys us without mercy! Both he and Floyan then rode up\nto him together, and laid on him with their swords. It was Constancio\nwhom Amadis struck in return; the sword came upon the rim of his\nraised shield and split it, and went through upon the helmet with such\nweight that Constancio fell stunned. More than twenty Knights, who\nwere appointed to look to Floyan, now joined, and all at once assailed\nAmadis, but they could not move him from his horse, and every one was\nafraid to come too near him, who had no need ever to make a second blow.\nHowbeit the Romans were so many, that elsewhere they had somewhat the\nadvantage: they had killed the horses of Agrayes, and Don Bruneo,\nand Angriote, and surrounded the Knights. Lasindo, and Gandalin, and\nGavarte, and Branfil, came to their succour, but the multitude was so\ngreat, that though with great danger they had beaten down and slain\nmany Knights, they could not force their way to them. At this time\nGrasandor and Don Florestan came up: O, Sir Florestan, cried Lasindo,\nhelp here, or your friends are lost! Come on then! replied Florestan,\nand let us attack those who will not dare abide us! then sword in hand\nhe cut his way, and those other Knights with him, to the place where\ntheir friends were so hardly beset. Who can tell the feats which were\nperformed in that succour! but certes what those Knights had wrought,\nbeing on foot, and so few, and surrounded by so many enemies, cannot\nbe told. Yet would they even then have been in great danger, if Amadis\nhad not heard the outcry; he had now beaten down six of the twenty who\nassailed him, and the rest had retired and left him at liberty, so he\nrode toward that press, and knowing his friends by their arms, called\nout to his people, and followed by more than four hundred Knights, rode\nup to them. At the same time Floyan, and Arquisil, and Constancio, came\nup with the greatest body that they could collect, and there began the\nfiercest and most perilous battle that ever man beheld. Then might you\nhave seen Amadis do such wonders, as it was never before seen or heard\nthat living man could perform, that both friends and enemies marvelled\nto behold him, and such an uproar arose then, that the Emperor and the\ngreatest part of the army repaired thither. A cross-bowman rode to\nDon Quadragante, who was in another part of the field, and told him\nwhat was going on; and he took with him a thousand Knights from his\ndivision, saying, Now, Sirs, show your worth and follow me, for your\nsuccour is needed; and away they went: he led the way; so thick was\nthe press that he could scarcely get at his enemies; but he wheeled\nround, and attacked them in flank with such an encounter, that more\nthan two hundred Knights were thrown down to the ground, and I assure\nyou, that they whom he reached with a full stroke had never need of a\nsurgeon.\nAt that hour, Arquisil, and Floyan, and Flamineo, and many other of\ntheir comrades, did so well that no Knights could do better, striving\nall they could to slay Agrayes and those Knights who were dismounted;\nbut Florestan and the other Knights, who had forced their way to them,\nnever gave back how hardly soever they were prest; and now were the\nRomans so sharply set on by Don Quadragante, and by Amadis on another\nside, who saw the feats of Quadragante, and so bestirred himself, that\nhe left not a man in the saddle whom he could reach; and also by Don\nGandales, who had come up with eight hundred Knights, that they began\nto give ground. The Emperor, who from the time he had received that\nblow from Quadragante had employed himself more in directing his troops\nthan in fighting, called out to rally them, but with little effect. For\nnow Agrayes, and Angriote, and Don Bruneo, after so much peril and\nso hard contest, got to horse at last, and pricked forward into the\npress, and drove back the Romans, till they had retired to the division\nof King Arban of North Wales, about the hour of sunset. He made way\nfor their retreat to protect them, but he did not advance to battle,\nbecause of the lateness of the evening, and because King Lisuarte had\nforbidden him, for many of the other army had not as yet taken part in\nthe battle. They on their part ceased from pursuit, and thus that day\nended with great loss to both parties, although the Romans suffered\nmost. The field was in possession of Amadis, who had all his wounded\nmen removed, and his people spoiled their enemies. But many of the\nwounded Romans perished for want of help.\nWhen the armies had thus withdrawn, the religious men of the two hosts\nwent out to help the souls of those who were in need; and when they\nbeheld the great destruction that had been made, and heard the cries of\nthe wounded, crying for pity and help, they all agreed that it would be\nfor God's service to make a truce, that the wounded might have help and\nthe slain be buried; so they spoke to King Lisuarte and to the Emperor,\nand also with King Perion, and a truce was made for the following day.\nWhen morning came many went to the field to seek their kinsmen and\nfriends and masters, and then might you have beheld such lamentations,\non all sides, as were pitiful to hear, and how much more to see! The\nwounded were all carried into the Emperor's camp, and the dead were\nburied, so that the field remained clear. That whole day the Knights\npassed in refitting their arms, and looking to their horses; the wound\nin Don Quadragante's arm was dressed; and though it was such that if a\nKnight not so good as he had received it, he would not have borne arms\nnor encountered danger till it was healed, yet he would not be hindered\nfrom helping his comrades in the following battle. On the following\nday they rose at dawn at the trumpet's sound, and heard mass, and put\nthemselves in array, and it was determined on both sides that they who\nhad not fought in the former battle should take the lead in this.\n_CHAPTER 30._\nKing Lisuarte placed in the van King Arban of North Wales, and\nNorandel, and Don Guilan the Pensive, and those other Knights of whom\nyou have heard. He and King Cildadan came behind with their division\nto support them, and in the rear was the Emperor with all his force.\nKing Perion gave the front to his nephew Don Brian of Monjaste; he\nhimself and Gastiles supported him with the banner of the Emperor of\nConstantinople; and then came the other divisions, so arranged, that\nthey who had borne least part of yesterday's battle, should now bear\nthe brunt of this. When the ten armies drew nigh, the trumpet sounded,\nand the hosts of Don Brian and King Arban encountered with such a\nshock, that more than five hundred Knights were thrown, and their\nhorses ran loose over the field. Don Brian and King Arban met; they\nbrake their lances, and then fell to with their swords, as men who well\nknew their business. Norandel and Don Guilan kept together, and made\ngreat havock among their foes, and worse they would have made it, had\nit not been for Fileno, a kinsman of Don Brian, who, collecting a body\nof Spanish Knights, charged so hotly in that part where they fought,\nthat, maugre all their efforts, they made them give back, and then the\ntumult became so great, that King Arban and Don Brian were separated by\nthe throng. Each of those Knights then did his best; but the Spaniards\nbeing more in number, and better horsed, had soon so greatly the\nadvantage, that their enemies would all have been cut off, if King\nLisuarte and King Cildadan had not advanced to help them: their coming\nretrieved the loss. King Perion, who saw the wrath with which Lisuarte\nadvanced, then said to Gastiles, Now, my good Sir, let us go on, and\nlet us alway look to the standard, and then they made their onset. King\nLisuarte received them like a man whose heart never failed; you may\nbelieve, that, without doubt, there was no Knight in his time who more\nbravely adventured his person whenever his honour was concerned, as you\nhave seen throughout this great history.\nWho can tell the feats of chivalry that were now wrought, when so\nmany were engaged together. Certes it would be impossible for any one\nwho would speak the truth. For so many good Knights were now slain and\nwounded, that the horses could not set foot to ground without trampling\non them. King Lisuarte, like a man who esteemed his life as nothing,\nthrust so bravely among his enemies, that there was scarcely any man\nwho would dare abide him. King Perion in another part, as he was doing\nwonders, encountered King Cildadan; but they, because they knew each\nother, would not engage, but past on, each felling down his opponents.\nSo great was the uproar, that the Emperor thought his friends were in\ndanger, and gave orders to his troops to make their attack. Upon that\nall the remainder of the army came up, at the same time the rest of\nKing Perion's army advanced, and then the whole of both hosts were\nengaged, and now were they all so intermingled, that no one could\nattend to his leader. They were so thronged that there was no room to\nstrike, not even with the sword, but by force of hand they plucked\ntheir enemies down, and in that affray they who were trampled to death\nunder the horses' feet, were more in number than they who perished by\nthe sword. The uproar and noise were so great, as well of voices as\nof the din of arms, that all the vallies of the mountain rung, and\nit seemed as if the whole world were there assembled in arms; and of\na truth you may believe, not that the whole world, but that the most\npart and the flower of Christendom was there, which that day suffered\nso great a loss, that it did not for long time recover therefrom. This\nshould be a warning to all Christian Princes to take heed how for their\nerrors they make the innocent perish thus; for peradventure, because of\ntheir innocence, they who are slain go to a happy place, and a worse\nand more perilous death remains for those who caused the destruction,\nthough at the time they escape.\nAgrayes, who alway was seeking King Lisuarte, now saw that he had\njust broke his lance in overthrowing Dragonis, whom he was about to\nstrike with the sword. Upon this Agrayes cries out, At me! at me! King\nLisuarte! for I am the man who most hateth thee. The King turned, and\nseeing him, they made at each other with such fury, that they met too\nclosely to strike. Agrayes then let his sword hang by the chain, and\ngrappled with him. Now, as you have heard heretofore, Agrayes was the\nmost impetuous Knight, and of the best heart of any that lived in his\ntime; and if his strength had been equal to his courage, there would\nnot have been a better Knight in the world, and as it was he was one of\nthe good men. So they grappled then, and struggled each to overthrow\nthe other; and Agrayes would have found himself in danger, for the King\nwas of greater stature and strength than he, if King Perion had not\ncome up, and with him Florestan, and Landin, and Enil, and many other\nKnights. They came to help Agrayes, and on the other side Don Guilan\nand Norandel, and Brandoyuas, and Giontes, who always kept a watchful\neye upon the King. Sword in hand they all came up, for their lances had\nlong been broken, both parties striving to succour their friends; but\nthe King and Agrayes grappled so closely that they could not separate\nthem, neither could the one overthrow the other, for both were upheld\nby their comrades. As the press of the battle was now round about them,\nthe uproar brought thither many Knights on both sides; among others Don\nQuadragante came up, and seeing what it was, he forced his way through.\nHe would not strike at the King, lest the blow should wound Agrayes,\nbut he laid hold on him, and plucked so smartly, that he had well\nnigh overthrown both, and though the Knights of Lisuarte laid on him\na heavy load of blows, yet would he not loose his hold. At this time\nKing Arban, came up, who till now had been with the Emperor, and seeing\nthe King's danger, he was greatly dismayed, but he thrust forward\nand seized Quadragante forcibly in his arms; and thus they were all\nfour entangled, and round about them King Perion and his Knights and\nNorandel and Don Guilan and their comrades all fiercely battling. While\nthey were in this tumult the Emperor and King Cildadan came up with\nthree thousand Knights, and Galtines and Grasandor with a great company\non the other side; all these came on with such force, and the press\nbecame so great, that they who were struggling and clasped together\nwere fain to release each other, and all four remounted on horseback,\nthough so exhausted that they could scarcely keep their seats. But now\nso great a multitude thronged to the succour of King Lisuarte, that the\nday would have been lost, if it had not been for the great worth of\nKing Perion and Don Quadragante and Don Florestan and the Knights with\nthem, who valiantly bore the brunt of that assault. At this time Amadis\ncame from the right wing of the battle, where he had slain Constancio\nwith one blow, and broken the enemy; his sword was bloody up to the\nhilt, and he rode a fresh horse which he had just taken from one of the\npages. Count Galtines and Gandalin and Trion came with him; and when\nhe saw so many attacking his father, and the Emperor pushing on like\na man who thought the day his own, he spurred his horse, and made so\nfierce an assault, that it was marvellous to behold him. Floyan knew\nhis arms, and being fearful that if he encountered the Emperor, all\nhis people would not be able to save him, thrust forward, adventuring\nhis own life to save his master's. Don Florestan placed himself by the\nside of Amadis, and seeing Floyan, encountered him with such blows that\nhe beat him from his horse, and what with the wound and with the crowd\nwho trampled on him, Floyan was there slain. Amadis mean-time had set\nhis eyes upon the Emperor and his heart upon killing him, he made at\nhim through the throng, and maugre all resistance forced his way up\nto him, and dealt him a blow that made him drop his sword and reel in\nthe saddle; before he fell, Amadis drove down the sword a second time,\nit came upon the shoulder, and cut through armour and flesh and bone,\nslicing down, so that the whole quarter hung loose, and the Emperor\nfell and was dead presently.\nWhen the Romans saw their Emperor slain, they set up such a cry, that\nall who heard turned thither, and among the rest Arquisil and Flamineo\ncame with many other Knights and beset Amadis and Florestan. But then\nCount Galtines and Gandalin and Trion called out to Don Bruneo and\nAngriote to join them, and they five made way to their succour. King\nPerion mean-time and Agrayes and Quadragante were engaged against King\nLisuarte and King Cildadan, and then was the hottest fight that had\nbeen seen that day and the greatest slaughter. But now Don Brian of\nMonjaste and Don Gandales, who had collected about six hundred horse,\nmade so fierce a charge in that part where Amadis was fighting, that\nthe enemies perforce were driven back. At the great outcries which were\nthen heard, King Arban turned his head, and seeing how the Romans were\nlosing the field, he said to Lisuarte, Retire, Sir, or you are lost.\nWhen the King heard this, he looked round and saw that it was true; he\nthen bade King Cildadan help him to withdraw his men in good order,\nthat they might not be destroyed; and thus they retreated, still facing\ntheir enemies, and making head against them, till they had fallen back\nas far as the Romans, and then they all halted and stood their ground,\nfor Norandel, and Don Guilan, and Cendil of Ganota, and Ladasin, and\nmany other Knights, went to assist the Romans, they being the weakest;\nbut all was in vain, for the battle was lost. Amadis now saw that\nLisuarte had utterly lost the day, and that if he pursued his victory\nit would be no longer in his power to save the King, nor his own good\nfriends who were on that side: but above all, he remembered that he was\nthe father of Oriana, and called to mind the favours which he and his\nlineage had once received at his hands, and he knew that forbearance\nnow would be to his glory and attributed to exceeding virtue, not to\nlack of strength, for the Romans were carrying their Emperor from the\nfield with great lamentations, and scattered in confusion. The night\nwas now at hand, and he resolved, though with danger of some shame, to\ntry if he could now serve his Lady. So taking with him Count Galtines,\nhe rode between the two armies with great peril, for his own people,\nnow knowing their advantage, pressed so upon the foe, that none except\nLisuarte, and Cildadan, and the best Knights, could now make any\ndefence. They rode up to King Perion, and Amadis said to him, Sir,\nnight comes on so fast that we shall soon not be able to distinguish\none another, and if the battle be continued there is danger lest we\nslay friends as well as enemies; we had better call back the troops,\nthe enemies have received such loss, that I believe they will not\ndare abide us on the morrow. The King, who was grieved in his heart\nto see so many perish who had no fault, replied, Let it be, son, as\nyou have said, that there may be no farther slaughter; God, who knows\nall things, sees that we forbear for his sake, for they are all at our\nmercy. Agrayes, whom Amadis did not see, was near King Perion, and\nheard all that was said: how, Sir Cousin, quoth he, now that you have\nconquered your enemies, and are now on the point of becoming the most\nhonourable Prince in the world, would you stay and spare them now?\nAmadis replied, Sir Cousin, I would spare our own people, lest in the\ndarkness they should slay one another; as for the enemy, I hold them\nas conquered, for they can make no defence. But Agrayes, who well knew\nwhat was his intention, exclaimed, Since you will not conquer, you\nought not to command, and you deserve always to be an Errant Knight,\nsince at such a time you suffer compassion to overcome you; but do as\nyou please! Then King Perion on one side, with Don Quadragante, who was\nnothing sorry for the resolution, because of King Cildadan, with whom\nhe was so nearly connected, and whom he loved so well; and Amadis, and\nGastiles, on the other side, began to recall the troops, which they did\nwith little difficulty, for it was now night. King Lisuarte, who had no\nhope of recovering the field, and was resolved to die rather than be\nconquered, was greatly astonished to see these Knights withdraw their\ntroops, and well knew that this was not done without some great cause,\nand he stood still to see what would come of it. Now when King Cildadan\nbeheld what the enemies were about, he said to Lisuarte, I believe\nthese people do not pursue us that they may do us honour; since it is\nso, let us secure our retreat, and go to rest, for it is time. This\naccordingly they did, for King Arban of North Wales, and Don Guilan the\nPensive, and Arquisil, and Flamineo, brought off the Romans; and thus\nthen this great battle ended, as you have heard.\nNow because the beginning of all this great history was founded\nupon the love of King Perion and Queen Elisena, by whom this Knight\nAmadis was begotten, from whose love for his Lady Oriana all this\ngreat outcry hath proceeded, although it may appear somewhat from the\npurpose, yet reasonable it is, that for this reason, and for the excuse\nof those who love like them, it should be said how the strength of\nlove is above the strength of all other things; seeing that in such an\naffair as this, so famous in all the world, where so many nations were\nassembled, and there was so great slaughter, and the honour of victory\nwas so great, love had such power above anger and rage, and pride, and\nold hatred, that this Knight forewent the glory of the greatest victory\nin the world, whereby his enemies were saved, as you have heard, for,\nbeyond all doubt, the destruction of King Lisuarte and all his people\nwas then in the hand of Amadis. But it is not reasonable that this\nshould be attributed to any other than that Lord who is the helper of\nall things; and we may well believe, that it was permitted by him for\nthe sake of the great peace and concord which ensued after this great\nenmity, as you shall hear.\nThe armies being thus separated, and having retired to their camps,\ntruce was made for two days, because the dead were so many. What\ntrouble there was in burying them, and what mourning was made, I may\nbe excused from relating, because the death of the Emperor made all\nother losses be, as it were, forgotten, and because it would be tedious.\n_CHAPTER 31._\nWhen King Lisuarte came to his tent, he besought King Cildadan to\nalight and disarm there, that before they rested they might give order\nrespecting the body of the Emperor; then weary and bruised as they\nwere, they went to the tent where the Emperor lay dead, and found\nhis Knights making dole over him; for albeit, he was so proud, yet\nwas he so liberal of his gifts and favour that that covered many of\nhis faults. The two Kings then besought all these Knights to go rest\nthemselves, saying, that they would see the body disposed of as it\nought; and then they gave orders to the officers of his household\nto prepare the body that it might be carried a day's journey to a\nmonastery near the town of Lubayna, from whence it might be removed\nat leisure to the chapel of the Emperor at Rome. They then returned\nto the tent, and then they supt, and it seemed with a chearful\ncountenance; but there was one who was troubled in his spirit, and that\nwas King Lisuarte; for by the great advantage the enemies had gotten in\nthe two former battles, he knew that when the truce expired, there was\nno hope for him, but either he must be dishonoured and vanquished, or\nwhat he was more certain of, slain.\nOn the morrow the Emperor and Floyan were carried to the monastery,\nand Lisuarte and King Cildadan went to the Emperor's tent, and called\ntogether Arquisil and Flamineo and the chief Knights among the Romans,\nand said to them, My good friends, God only can tell the grief I feel\nfor this loss, and the desire I have to revenge it; but the past is\nwithout remedy, and we must show that the death of a Prince is not\nthe destruction of all his people. If all others should forsake me, I\nwill not depart from this place, except either conqueror, or dead; do\nye, therefore, call to mind what you are, and we may yet recover what\nadvantage we have lost, to our great glory. To this, Arquisil, who was\nnow the chief in rank as well as courage, being next in succession to\nthe Empire, replied, It is notorious to all the world what signal\nthings the Romans have atchieved, being among other nations like the\nmorning star among other stars. Since we are of so great a nation, do\nnot you King Lisuarte believe, but that we will fearlessly follow the\nexample of our forefathers: and therefore, for myself and for these\nChiefs I offer, when this truce is at an end, to take the front of the\nbattle, and to resist the enemy, even with more heart and courage than\nif our lord the Emperor were present. Greatly were they all contented\nwith this brave speech of Arquisil: King Lisuarte then said to\nCildadan, Good Sir, since we have found such resolution in the Romans,\nwhich I did not expect, and since they have now so good a Knight as\nArquisil to lead them, we also should lay aside all fear, and take\nthis chance as we ought: for myself, I tell you, that after the truce,\nthere shall be nothing but battle; and if God does not give me victory,\nI do not wish him to give me life; for death would be more desirable.\nNow, though King Cildadan was always grieved at heart to think that\nhe was tributary to King Lisuarte, yet being so good a Knight, and\nregarding his oath and promise more than his own will and pleasure, he\nreplied, I am rejoiced, Sir, by what the Romans say, and still more at\nbeholding your resolution; for things like these, are the touchstones\nby which virtue is proved. For myself, be assured, that living or\ndead, where you are, there shall my body be found also. From that hour\nKing Lisuarte resolved, let his fortune be what it might, to release\nCildadan from his vassalage for that good will which he manifested to\ndie in his defence.\n_CHAPTER 32._\nNasciano, the holy man who had brought up Esplandian, heard of the\ngreat discord between the Kings, and what danger they were in, whether\nby a special revelation of God, or by rumour that reached him is not\nknown, for the hermitage wherein he had dwelt forty years, was in so\nremote a part of the forest, that scarcely ever traveller passed that\nway. He being sick, besought God to give him strength, that he might go\nto the Firm Island, to obtain Oriana's consent, without which it could\nnot be done, that he might reveal the secret of her love to Amadis,\nwhich he might safely do, she being not in her father's power, and\nwhereby he trusted to bring about peace. So being somewhat recovered,\nthough still very weak and infirm, he mounted his ass, and took with\nhim two men of the village where his sister dwelt, and with much\nlabour and slow travelling, arrived at the Firm Island, when King\nPerion and the army had left it to give battle, whereat he was greatly\ngrieved. Being arrived, he sent word to Oriana of his coming, at which\nshe greatly rejoiced, being desirous to consult with him respecting her\nconscience; and she sent the Damsel of Denmark to bring him to her. So\nsoon as he came within the doors, she fell upon her knees before him,\nand wept bitterly, and said, O holy man, give your blessing to the\nunhappy and sinful woman who, for her own misfortune and the mischief\nof so many others, was born into this world! The tears came into the\nHermit's eyes, and he raised his hands and blessed her, saying, That\nGod who is the helper of all and almighty, bless you and remedy all\nyour troubles! He then took her by the hand and raised her up, and\nsaid, My good lady and dear daughter, I am come hither with much toil\nto speak with you; and when you are so pleased, hear me, for I cannot\ntarry, neither is it befitting my habit and manner of life. Oriana, who\ncould not answer him for sobs, then led him into her chamber, and gave\norder that they should be left alone.\nWhen the Hermit saw he could speak safely, he said, My good lady, I\nhave heard all this news in my hermitage, and have therefore taken this\njourney, because I knew the secret of your conscience, and the great\ndanger of your person and fame, if the marriage which the King your\nfather designeth, should take place. Now, my dear daughter, having\nlearnt this from you in confession, I am not at liberty to apply the\nremedy to all this evil; but it is now a greater sin to keep it silent,\nthan to reveal it; I therefore come, my beloved daughter, that you may\nbe persuaded that your father should be informed of what has passed,\nand how he cannot lawfully give you any other husband than the one\nyou already have; for while he thinks he may justly dispose of you in\nmarriage, he will persist in his determination to the great destruction\nof so many; and at last it will be discovered, for the Gospel sayeth,\nthat all hidden things shall be made known. Oriana who had now somewhat\nrecovered, took his hands and forcibly kissed them oftentimes, and\nsaid, O holy man and servant of God, I commit my cares to you, that you\nmay do what is most for the good of my soul and the service of God; and\nI beseech him to direct you, not as I, sinner as I am, have deserved,\nbut as he in his infinite goodness, hath oftentimes been pleased to\ndeal with those who, like me, with their whole hearts implore his\nmercy. Put your trust in him, replied the good man; and I must without\ndelay depart, for great evil might arise if I made any tarriance. God\nbe with you, said Oriana; I beseech you, if you return here, bring with\nyou the child who is indebted to you, under God, for his life.\nThe holy man then took his leave; but so infirm was he, that not being\nable to travel in any other manner than upon his ass, he did not arrive\nat the camp of King Lisuarte till these two battles had been fought,\nand they were employed in burying the dead. This sight greatly troubled\nhim, and he besought God to prosper him, that he might be the means of\nending this destructive quarrel, and without any delay he rode straight\nto the King's tent, and there alighted from his ass and went in. When\nthe King saw him he knew him immediately, and marvelled at his coming;\nfor he thought that by reason of his great age he could not go from his\nhermitage; and he presently judged, that so holy a man was not come\nwithout great cause; and he went to meet him and fell upon his knees\nbefore him, and said, Father Nasciano, my friend, and the servant of\nGod, give me your blessing! The Hermit raised his hands, and said,\nThat God whom I and all are bound to revere, protect you and give you\nsuch understanding, that your soul may one day enjoy the glory and\nrepose for which it was created, if by your own fault it be not lost.\nHe then gave him his blessing, and raised him up, and knelt in his\nturn to kiss his hand; but Lisuarte embraced him. The King then gave\norders that food should be brought him; and after he had eat, he led\nthe holy man into a recess of the tent and asked him the cause of his\ncoming, saying, that he marvelled how so recluse a man and one of so\ngreat age should have travelled so far from his habitation. The Hermit\nmade answer, Certes, Sir, according to my years, and condition, and\ninclination, I am now only fit to go from my cell to the altar; but\nit behoves all those who would serve our Lord Jesus Christ, and would\nfollow his example, for no trouble or toil to turn aside. I learnt,\nSir, in my hermitage, of this cruel war, and that the cause thereof\nwas, that you were resolved to give your daughter in marriage to the\nEmperor of Rome. Now, this I knew could not be done, not for the reason\nwhich the Chiefs and People of your realm with good cause assigned,\nbecause she is your lawful inheritrix, which ought in conscience to\nhave prevailed; but for another cause which is unknown to you and\nall your people, and which, according to all laws, divine and human,\nmakes it impossible; which is, that your daughter is already joined in\nmarriage to the husband whom it hath pleased our Lord Christ to appoint\nfor his service.\nWhen the King heard this, he thought either that the good man's senses\nwere impaired by his great age, or else that some one had deceived him\nwith false tales, and he replied, Nasciano, my good friend, my daughter\nOriana neither now has, nor ever has had any other husband than that\nEmperor to whom I gave her; and God is my witness that I did not that\nfor the sake of disinheriting her to give my kingdom to my other\ndaughter, as some have supposed, but in order by this alliance with the\nRoman Empire, to increase his holy Catholic faith. If I had foreseen\nthe great evils which have occurred, I would gladly have changed my\npurpose; but as my designs were just and good, I cannot think that what\nhas ensued can be imputed to my account. The good man replied, I told\nyou, Sir, that the cause was unknown to you, but I know it. On that\nday, Sir, when by your command, I brought Child Esplandian to your tent\nin the Forest, the Queen and Oriana spake with me concerning the state\nof their conscience, and then I learnt from your daughter Oriana, that\nwhen Amadis of Gaul delivered her from Arcalaus and the four Knights\nwho were carrying her away, that day when you were decoyed away by the\nDamsel, and in danger of losing your kingdom and your life, unless you\nhad been helped by Galaor, she then, in recompence for the service\nwhich he had done her, and still more for what his brother had done\nfor you, promised marriage to that noble Knight, who is the flower and\nmirror of all chivalry; and from this marriage it has pleased God that\nEsplandian should be born, whom he has thought fit so to distinguish\nabove all others that live. You know, Sir, better than I, what the\nwise Urganda the Unknown said concerning him; and now I would see if\nthe great wisdom wherewith God has endowed you be well bestowed, and\nthe great power wherewith he has entrusted you; for since he hath done\nfor you so much more than you deserve, you ought not to think much of\nfollowing what his holy destinies point out.\nWhen the King heard this he was greatly astonished, and said, O\nFather Nasciano, is it true that my daughter is married to Amadis? He\nreplied, it is certainly true that he is the husband of your daughter,\nand that Child Esplandian is your grandson. Holy Mary! quoth the King,\nhow ill done was it to keep this secret from me so long. If I had\nknown or guessed it, so many would not have been slain for no fault\nof their own! My good friend, I wish you had informed me in time to\nhave prevented this evil! That, Sir, could not be, replied the holy\nman, for what is revealed in confession must never be divulged; and it\nis with the consent of the Princess that I come. I trust in God that\nif the present be remedied, as it may, he will with little penitence\nforgive the past, in which the action hath been worse than the will.\nKing Lisuarte made no answer, he sate musing upon the great worth of\nAmadis and the services he had received from him, and he thought also\nupon his love to Galaor, and above all to Esplandian, and what Urganda\nhad prophesied. At length he said, Father Nasciano, the friend of God,\nsubject as my heart hath been to pride, and though I had resolved\neither to receive death or to inflict it, your holy words have such\nvirtue, that they have prevailed; and if peace be not now brought, you\nshall witness before God that the fault is not mine. Do you, therefore,\nspeak with Amadis, without letting him know my intention, and learn\nwhat he would have done in this case, and let us see how all can be\nsettled to the advantage and honour of both parties. Nasciano, weeping\nfor pure joy, knelt before him, and exclaimed, O fortunate King! may he\nwho came to save us thank you for this! I have not power to do it. So\nhe prepared to depart without delay, that all might be settled before\nthe truce expired. But as he was going forth from the tent, Esplandian\nand Sargil came in, whom Queen Brisena had sent to learn tidings of\nthe King her Lord. When the good man saw how he was grown, and that he\nwas almost approaching to the stature of manhood, who can tell the joy\nand delight that he felt? certes, it is impossible to express it, and\nbeing as he was with the King, he went towards him as fast as he could\nto embrace him. Esplandian, though he had not for a long time seen him,\nknew him immediately, and knelt down to kiss his hand, and the old man\nembraced him and kissed him many times with exceeding joy, saying, O\nmy dear son, blessed be the hour wherein thou wert born, and blessed\nand praised be the Lord, who by such miracle preserved thy life, and\nhath made thee what I now behold. All they who beheld the exceeding\nlove which the good man manifested were greatly moved, but he who felt\nthe most, though he did not show the pleasure which he felt, was King\nLisuarte; for well as he had loved the Child heretofore for his beauty,\nand the hope there was of him, that love was without the knowledge that\nhe was in very truth his grandson, and such force had this love, that\nall the hatred and enmity which he had so long harboured gave way, and\nhis old feelings towards Amadis returned, such as they were when Amadis\nwas most in his favour, and now he knew that what Urganda had said was\ntrue, how that Child should bring about peace between him and Amadis.\nThe Child now knelt to the King, and gave him a letter from Queen\nBrisena, in which she besought him to make peace, if it could be done\nto his honour. The good man then said, Sir, it would be a great comfort\nto me if you would permit Esplandian to go with me, that I may have\nleisure to look at him and talk with him. Let him go, replied the King,\nand I charge him not to leave you till it be your pleasure. For this\nthe good man thanked the King much, and he said, my good and happy son,\ncome with me since the King commands it. The Child replied, Good Sir,\nand my true father, I am well pleased to go with you, for I have long\ndesired to see you. So he went out from the tent and mounted his ass,\nand Esplandian and Sargil rode each his palfrey, and with this company\nthe good man proceeded to the other camp, and rode directly to the tent\nof Amadis. Amadis, for he had never seen him, knew him not, and could\nnot divine for what so old and infirm a man should come thither; and he\nknew Esplandian as little, for though he had spared the Roman Knights\nat his intreaty, yet had he then seen him for so short a time, that\nhe had forgotten him; but so fair was the Child, that he could scarce\nbelieve such beauty could be in a mortal man. But Don Quadragante knew\nhim, and went up to him, saying, I must embrace you, my good friend!\nDon Brian of Monjaste and I gave the Greek Knight your bidding! then\nhe turned to Amadis, This, Sir, is fair Child Esplandian. When Amadis\nheard that name, whether or no he was pleased need not be said; for he\nwas so overpowered with joy that he could hardly answer, and did not\nrecollect himself, and if any one had looked at him they would have\nseen his agitation: but there was none who suspected the truth, for\nthey all believed that only Urganda knew the father of the Child.\nThen Amadis would have embraced him while Don Quadragante was still\nholding him by the hand, but Child Esplandian said, Good Sir, do\nhonour first to the holy man Nasciano, who is come to seek you. When\nthe Knights heard that this was Nasciano, the fame of whose holiness\nand rigorous life was spread abroad in all parts, they all humbly drew\nnigh, and knelt before him, and asked his blessing. The Hermit then\nsaid, I beseech my Lord Jesus Christ, if the blessing of such a sinner\nas I am can be of any avail, that it may abate the pride and anger of\nyour hearts, and give you such understanding, that forgetting the vain\nthings of this world, ye may follow the true things of the true one;\nand then he lifted up his hands and blessed them.\nAmadis then embraced Esplandian, who made obeisance and reverence,\nnot as to his father, but as to the best Knight in the world, whom\nhe had long desired to see, and from whom he could now hardly take\noff his eyes. Amadis seeing how earnestly the Child looked at him,\nsuspected that he knew something of the truth; but the good Hermit\nbeholding them both how fair they were, as they were thus embracing,\nhe was as happy as if he had been in Paradise, and in his heart he\nprayed to God for them, and besought him that for his service he\nwould be pleased to enable him to make peace between these Knights,\nwho were the flower of the world. He then said to Don Quadragante,\nSir, I have something to say to Amadis; while I speak with him, be\npleased to take with you this Child, since you better than any other\nof these Knights know him. He then took Amadis by the hand, and when\nthey were sufficiently retired, he said, my son, before I open to you\nthe principal cause of my coming, I would have you call to mind how\nmuch more than all other living men you ought to be thankful to the\nLord our God, for at the hour of your birth you were shut up in an ark,\nand cast into the sea, and the Redeemer of the world had pity on you.\nHe hath made you the fairest Knight in the world, and the strongest,\nand most well-beloved, and seeing that he hath done so much for you,\nwhat ought not you to do for him? I am come hither, son, with great\ntoil and pain, to see if I can bring about peace, and having spoken\nwith King Lisuarte, and found him disposed to obey God, as every good\nKing who is the servant of God should do, I would now, my good Sir,\nlearn, whether you have most regard to him who created you, or to the\nvain glory of the world. You may speak to me without reserve, for I\nhave been to the Firm Island, and have undertaken this charge with the\npermission of the Princess Oriana, the secret of whose heart I have\nlearnt in confession. Amadis well believed that this was true, because\nthis was a holy man, who would not speak an untruth; he made answer,\nfriend of God, and holy Hermit, I should be the most fortunate Knight\nthat ever lived, if I could discharge what I owe to our Lord Christ for\nthe benefits wherewith he has favoured me; but I am a sinful man, who\nevery day offend him, and right glad shall I be if, by your coming,\nI may be taught how to make atonement for the past. O my fortunate\nson! exclaimed the good man, how have you comforted my heart, that was\nso disconsolate at beholding so great destruction! that Lord who is\nto save you give you the recompense which I cannot! Now without fear\nI will tell you what I have already done. Then he told him how, by\nOriana's consent, he had revealed the secret to King Lisuarte, and with\nwhat patience the King had learnt it; and since, by God's help they\nwere in this state, he besought him to devise how, by his marriage with\nthe Princess, peace might be established.\nAt this the heart and all the flesh of Amadis trembled for exceeding\njoy, to think that, by the consent of his Lady Oriana, the secret\nof their love was now made known. My good Sir, he replied, if King\nLisuarte is in this disposition, and will accept me to be his son,\nI will acknowledge him for my Lord and Father, and serve him in\nwhatsoever shall be to his honour. How then, quoth the Hermit, shall I\nproceed to bring this about before there be farther mischief? Amadis\nmade answer, methinks you should speak with the King, my father, and\ntell him wherefore you are come hither, and request him to incline to\npeace, if King Lisuarte should now accord to what Don Quadragante and\nDon Brian heretofore demanded, with regard to his daughter Oriana. I\ntrust in his virtue that you will speed with him, as you desire; tell\nhim that you have communed with me, but that I refer every thing to his\npleasure. The good man incontinently went to the tent of King Perion,\ntaking with him Sargil and Child Esplandian. King Perion, knowing\nwho the good man was, received him with much love, and looking at\nEsplandian, whom he had never before seen, he marvelled to behold so\nfair a creature, and asked the Hermit who he was. The holy man replied,\nThat he was one whom he had bred up, and whom God had given him by\ngreat miracle. What! quoth King Perion, is this the child whom the\nlioness suckled? of whom Urganda prophesied such wonders, and wrote to\nKing Lisuarte that he should one day bring about peace between him and\nAmadis? This is he, said the good man Nasciano, and if you have reason\nto love him now, much more will you have when you know more concerning\nhim: Son, said he, kiss the King's hand; but Perion then embraced him,\nand asked Nasciano if he knew whose child he was. God's child, the good\nman replied, though born of mortal man and woman; but it is manifest\nthat God loved him like a child, and it will please him that before\nlong you shall know more concerning him. He then led the King aside,\nand said, I am come hither, King, being thus aged and infirm as you\nsee me, hoping that the Lord my God will enable me to put an end to\nthis strife. I have spoken with King Lisuarte, who, as one who serves\nGod, is well disposed for peace, so it may be concluded to the honour\nof both parties; and I have spoken with your son Amadis, who says that\nhe will obey your will; so that now peace or war is at your choice.\nBut all know how greatly you are bound to serve the Lord, who hath so\nblessed you with all the good things of this life, your kingdom, and\nyour wife, and your sons; and now will it be seen in what manner you\nacknowledge his goodness, and are desirous to serve him. God is my\nwitness, replied the King, that I would willingly have avoided this\ngreat discord; but King Lisuarte would listen to no reason, thinking,\nthat as he had the Emperor of Rome on his part, the whole world were\nto be subject to him, and what hath ensued from this presumption all\nmen now behold. But if he will now show that reason which hitherto he\nhath not shown, I trust that these Knights, who are on our part, will\neasily follow my inclination, which is to put a stop to this slaughter.\nAnd farther, that you may know for how slight a demand he is thus\nobstinate, if he would but come to some terms for his daughter Oriana,\nthat would remedy all. My good Lord, replied Nasciano, God will give\nthis remedy, and I in his place; do you then speak with your Knights,\nand appoint certain of them who are desirous of the common good; King\nLisuarte will do the same; and I, as the soldier of God, will be with\nthem to close and repair the breach that has been made. The good man\nthen went away with a joyful heart to the camp of King Lisuarte.\nKing Perion then called together his principal Knights, and said,\nNoble Princes and Knights, even as we are bound to expose ourselves\nto all danger to defend our honours and estates, and to maintain\njustice, so are we to lay aside all anger and resentment, and listen\nto reason when it is proffered to us. The holy servant and friend of\nGod, Nasciano the Hermit, has come hither to say, that our enemies are\ndesirous of peace, more conformable to good conscience than to points\nof honour, and he only requires that persons on both sides be appointed\nto meet and consult together: this I thought right that you should\nknow, that your opinion may be taken and followed. At this they were\nall silent for a while, till Angriote arose and said, since none else\nadventures, I will speak, Sir; we chose you for your great worth to be\nour Chief in this war, knowing that neither favour nor affection would\ninduce you to swerve from what was right: so also am I assured that\nwhatever you shall determine, there is none here who would gainsay,\nfor your single power is sufficient to decide; howbeit, since you\nare pleased to ask our judgment, I will tell you mine; it would be\ngreat folly in us, having so encreased our honour, to deny peace when\nour enemies are desirous of it; as Don Quadragante and Don Brian of\nMonjaste were deputed before, they should be again appointed, as men\nwhose discretion and virtue will justly decide whether for peace or\nwar. So thus it was determined that these two Knights should consult\nwith King Perion, and resolve accordingly.\n_CHAPTER 33._\nThe good man Nasciano returned to King Lisuarte, and told him how well\nhe had sped: and as the King was now determined no longer to give way\nto the Wicked One, as he had done to the occasion of so great evil, he\nreplied, peace shall not be prevented by my fault, as you shall see;\ndo you therefore remain here in my tent, and I will go and speak with\nthose Knights who have undergone such danger to support my honour. Then\nhe went to the tent of King Gasquilan, who lay in his bed still from\nhis encounter with Amadis, and there he sent for King Cildadan, and the\nchief of the Romans and of his own army, and told them what the good\nman Nasciano had done, reserving only what related to Amadis and his\ndaughter, for that he would not have known as yet; and he besought them\nto deliver their opinion, in particular the Romans, for the great loss\nwhich they had sustained in losing their Emperor, bound him to follow\ntheir will, even though it were different from his own. King Cildadan\nin like manner requested the Romans to state their opinion; and upon\nthat the good Knight Arquisil arose and said, if my Lord the Emperor\nwere living, his opinion ought to be followed, because this quarrel was\nhis; but he being dead, we may say that what he was bound to do died\nwith him, and we, who are his kinsmen and vassals, are now no more a\npart, than as we are bound to follow you, King Lisuarte, which we will\ndo while a man of us remains alive; to you, therefore, as the person\nwhom this most nearly concerns, we leave the decision. Much was the\nKing pleased at the speech of this Knight, which was as prudent as it\nwas courageous: so returning to his tent, he appointed King Arban of\nNorth Wales, and Don Guilan the Pensive, to treat on his part; and he\nsaid to the Hermit, as things are in this state, I hold it advisable\nthat you should return to King Perion, and tell him that I have chosen\nthese Knights, and that as there always are delays in such matters, it\nwould be well if we both raised our camp, because while we are here,\nneither can the wounded be well looked to, nor the armies supplied with\nfood for men and beasts; he therefore should fall back a day's journey,\nand I to the town of Lubayna, to see that my wounded men be taken care\nof, and to send off the Emperor to his own country. Our mediators will\nknow how to proceed, and you shall be present; and if need be, he and\nI may see each other, where we may think good. This pleased the Hermit\nwell; for though all was not yet settled, he knew the danger would\nbe farther removed, when the armies were farther apart; for though\nthis good man was in orders, and led so strict a life in so remote a\npart, he had in his time been a right good Knight in the court of King\nLisuarte's father, and after of King Falangris, so that though he was\nperfect in things divine, he was also well versed in things temporal.\nSir, said he to the King, it only remains to appoint a certain day when\nyour Ambassadors shall meet here, which will be mid-way between the two\narmies; and by God's blessing I trust they will so agree that you and\nKing Perion may meet. I will go without delay, and send to tell you\nat what hour to break up your camp. So he went to King Perion, who,\nwith the consent of the two chosen Knights, was well content that the\narmies should remove on the morrow. King Lisuarte was advised thereof,\nand in the morning the trumpets were sounded, and the tents raised, and\nthe two armies joyfully separated, each going to the place appointed.\n_CHAPTER 34._\nMeantime King Aravigo, and Barsinan Lord of Sansuena, and Arcalaus\nthe Enchanter, remained in the mountain; they knew by their spies of\nthe two battles that had been fought, and how the camps were so well\nfortified, that they could not be forced at night; and the longer the\nstruggle continued, the more were they rejoiced, being assured that\nthe one party would at length be subdued, and thus they should win an\neasy victory, and fully effect their purpose. But now the spies brought\ntidings that the armies had broken up their camps, and were separating,\nthey knew not for what cause. Aravigo presently concluded that some\naccord had taken place, and he determined without delay to attack King\nLisuarte rather than Amadis; for if the King were slain or taken,\nAmadis would care little concerning Great Britain, and he might obtain\npossession of it. Howbeit, he said, it would be best to attack them\nby night, when they were utterly unprepared, and he sent his nephew\nEsclavor, who was a man skilful in war, with ten Knights, to observe\ntheir motions; accordingly he rode as privily as he could along the\nmountain, watching their march in the plain.\nNow King Lisuarte had alway been suspicious of this army, though he had\nno certain knowledge concerning them; but he had heard from some of\nthe country people that there were troops by the sea side, though he\nhad no leisure to attend to the information, being too much employed.\nBut now he was told that there were horsemen on the mountain, who\nseemed to conceal themselves: presently the King apprehended, that if\nthey came upon him, he could not escape without battle, the which he\ngreatly feared, seeing how hardly his army had been handled in the two\nformer fights; howbeit, having so courageous a heart, he did not delay\nto apply the fitting remedy, and he called King Cildadan and the other\nchiefs, and telling them what he had heard, bade them hold their troops\nin readiness, that if need were, they might be found as Knights ought\nto be. They all replied that they were ready to lose their lives in\nhis defence. But some there were, and in particular Don Grumedan and\nBrandoyuas, who secretly counselled him to advise King Perion, for this\narmy was fresh and numerous, and so greatly were they his enemies, that\nif they conquered, they would show him no mercy. But the King, who ever\nregarded his honour more than his life, refused to ask aid of the other\narmy, saying, that belike there was no danger, and if there were, they\nhad only to bestir themselves as they had done in greater perils. He\nthen sent Filispinel with twenty Knights to the mountain, to see what\nthey could discover. Then he made his men halt and refresh themselves,\nfor they had now marched four leagues, and he was desirous that they\nshould not stop again before they reached Lubayna, being fearful of an\nattack by night; and knowing, that if the men rested a second time,\nthey would disarm and sleep, so that a small force would put them to\nthe rout. After they had rested a while and taken food, he gave order\nto mount again and proceed, the baggage and the wounded going before,\nthough the greater part of the wounded had been sent to Lubayna during\nthe truce.\nFilispinel went straight to the mountain, and made such search, that\nhe soon discovered Esclavor and his company; and remaining himself\nin sight of them, he sent to inform the King how he had seen these\nfew Knights upon the look out, and that he believed the rest were not\nfar distant. Lisuarte therefore quickened his march that he might be\nnear Lubayna, if the danger overtook him; for though the town were\nnot strongly fortified, yet he could better defend himself there than\nin the plain: so he was soon at a good distance from the mountain.\nEsclavor now found that he was discovered, and sent to say so to his\nuncle King Aravigo, and to tell him that he had better descend into the\nplain without delay, for King Lisuarte, having espied them, would not\nhalt till he had found a place to his advantage. When the messenger\nbrought this advice to King Aravigo, his troops were all at rest,\nthat they might be fresh for the attack at night, so that there was a\ngreat delay while they armed; and the ground which they had chosen for\nsecurity, because it was rugged and broken, contributed to embarrass\nthem when they were thus in haste. Howbeit, they began the pursuit, but\nbefore they had got down from the mountain, King Lisuarte was so far\non his way, that it was manifest they could not come up with him till\nhe was very near the town. Arcalaus, who knew the country, told King\nAravigo not to be grieved on that account, neither to hurry his army so\nas to heat them, for he knew the town, and that the King with his small\nforce would be in greater danger there than in the field.\nMeantime, by the will of God who would not that this evil race should\nput their crooked purposes into effect, it so befell that the good\nHermit sent Child Esplandian and his nephew Sargil to the King to tell\nhim, that he would be with him in Lubayna, as soon as he could, to\ngive order for the meeting of the four Knights. When they came to the\ncamp the army had already departed and they followed till they came\nto the place where the King had halted, and there they learnt that he\nhad advanced in fear and with greater haste: upon that they quickened\ntheir pace; but before they came in sight of the King, they saw the\narmy coming down the mountain, and immediately thought it was King\nAravigo; for when they were with Queen Brisena they had heard of his\narrival in the country, and knew that the Queen had sent out troops\ndifferent ways to observe them: but now beholding how mighty a power\nwas with him, and that King Lisuarte's army was few in number and sore\nwearied, Esplandian was greatly grieved to think of this danger, and\nsaid to Sargil, Brother follow me, and do not let us rest till the King\nbe succoured, and with that they turned the reins and galloped all the\nremainder of the day and the night also, till at dawn they overtook\nKing Perion who had retreated only four leagues, and had pitched his\ncamp beside a brook among fruit trees, and set guard upon the side of\nthe mountain; for he also had learnt of this army by the report of some\nshepherds. Esplandian went straight to the tent of Amadis, and found\nthe good man who had just risen, and was preparing to set forth on his\nway. Good son, cried the Hermit, why are you in such haste? I cannot\nstay to tell you, replied the Child, till I have spoken with Amadis; so\nhe alighted, and went in where Amadis was asleep, though in his armour,\nas he had been all night for the defence of the camp. Esplandian awoke\nhim, and said, O good Sir, if at any time your heart hath desired great\nexploits, the hour is now come wherein its worth may be made manifest;\nfor though you have atchieved many and perilous exploits, yet never was\nthere one so signal as this. Know that the troops who we heard were in\nthe mountains with King Aravigo, are advancing as fast as they can\nagainst my lord King Lisuarte; and they are so many and his force so\nlittle and in so ill a plight, that under God he hath no remedy but in\nyou. Amadis at this arose instantly, and said, Good child, wait for\nme here, and if I can prevail your labour shall not be in vain: then\nhe went to the tent of King Perion his father, and telling him these\ntidings, besought his permission to go to the succour of King Lisuarte,\nwhich would be greatly to his honour and praise wherever it was known;\nand he knelt down, and would not rise from his knees till the King had\nanswered him. Son, quoth King Perion, do as you think good; take such\ntroops as you choose and lead the way, and I will follow. If we are to\nhave peace with King Lisuarte this will make it firmer; and if war,\nit is better that he should be overthrown by us than by others, who,\nperadventure, might be worse enemies to us than he is.\nThe trumpets were then sounded, and the whole army being already armed\nand suspicious of attack, went to horse and arranged themselves in\ntheir ranks. King Perion told them what had fallen out, and besought\nthem, laying aside all enmity to King Lisuarte, to march with good\nwill and succour him against that wicked race. They all approved\nof what he said, and declared they were ready to obey him. Amadis\nthen took with him Don Quadragante, and his brother Don Florestan,\nand Angriote of Estravaus, and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley, and\nGandalin, and Enil, and four thousand Knights, and also Master\nHelisabad, who in this war had performed miracles in his office, giving\nlife to many who could not have lived but for the help of God and him.\nWith this company he hastened forward, and King Perion with the rest of\nthe host followed.\n_CHAPTER 35._\nKing Aravigo might have overtaken Lisuarte, if it had not been for\nthe advice of Arcalaus, and the night came on so dark now that they\ncould not see each other: so they continued their march all night,\nEsclavor and the ten with him, and forty others whom his uncle had\nsent to strengthen them, being as it were mingled with the rear of\nLisuarte's army. Thus they proceeded till the day dawned, and then they\nsaw that they were near each other, and at little distance from the\ntown. Then King Lisuarte, like a brave prince as he was, halted, and\ndivided his men into two bodies; the one he gave to King Cildadan, and\nwith him were Norandel, and King Arban of North Wales, and Don Guilan,\nand Cendil of Ganota, and about two thousand Knights: in the other,\nArquisil and Flamineo with the Romans, and Giontes, and Brandoyuas,\nand about six thousand Knights. If these two divisions had been well\narmed, and their horses fresh, they would not have had much to fear\nfrom their enemies; but it was otherwise, for their arms were broken in\nthe former battle, and their horses spent, as well with their former\nfatigue as with the present, having now travelled day and night with\nlittle respite.\nKing Aravigo had placed Barsinan in the van with two thousand Knights,\nand as soon as it was light enough the two armies attacked each other,\nwith so fierce an encounter that many were overthrown. Barsinan broke\nhis lance, and laid hand to his sword, and dealt his blows around\nlike a brave man who was in great anger. Norandel who was among the\nforemost met an uncle of Barsinan who had governed the land during\nhis minority, and he smote him so rudely that the lance went through\nshield and breast-plate and came out between his shoulders, and he fell\ndead. King Cildadan also and Don Guilan and King Arban played their\npart so well, that the host of Barsinan would have been discomfited if\nArcalaus had not advanced to their succour. Though he had lost half\nof his right hand by a stroke which Amadis had given him when he was\ncalled Beltenebros, he had now by practice learnt to use the left as\nwell; and at his coming Barsinan and his company took heart again,\nand many of King Lisuarte's Knights were slain, or badly wounded,\nor overthrown. Great deeds in arms did Arcalaus then atchieve, like\none who was valiant and strong, and at that hour you might have seen\nwonders done by King Cildadan, and Norandel, and Don Guilan, and Cendil\nof Ganota; for they were the shield and rampart of the army; but all\nwould have been of no avail, for the enemies were so many and fresh,\nif King Lisuarte, who never in any danger, how great soever, failed to\ndo his duty, had not advanced; he, desirous rather to die than fail in\nhis devoir, pricked forward before his men. The first man whom he met\nwas brother to that Alumas, the cousin of Dardan, whom Florestan slew\nby the Fountain of the Elms; him he thrust through with his lance; and\nhis Knights in like manner gave the enemy so hot a charge as made them\ngive back. The King laid hand to sword, and gave such blows that no\nman who received one of them full had ever need of a surgeon. In that\nhour he was so enraged, that having no regard to danger, he thrust\nhimself among the thickest of the enemy. Arcalaus had before procured\ninformation of what arms he wore, that he might know him in the field\nand do him the worst hurt he could, for this was his custom; and when\nhe saw him advanced thus far before his men, he went to Barsinan, and\nsaid, Your enemy is before you, if you slay him the business is done;\ndo you not see what King Lisuarte is doing? Barsinan then took ten\nKnights, and crying out to Arcalaus, Now have at him! and he or we\nshall perish! they beset the King on all sides, and beat him from his\nhorse. Now Filispinel and the twenty Knights who had gone with him\nto spy the enemy, had promised to keep company in the battle, and he\nseeing the King fall, exclaimed, O Sirs, now is the time to die with\nthe King! They forced their way up to him, and found that two Knights\nwere grappling with him, who had thrown themselves on him before he\ncould rise, and that they had forced his sword from him. At this they\nassailed Arcalaus and his men so fiercely, that they made them fall\nback; but so many of the enemy collected at the call of Arcalaus,\nthat the King would certes have been slain, if the good Knight King\nCildadan, and Arquisil, and Norandel, and Brandoyuas, with a good\ncompany of Knights, had not come up. Norandel, seeing in what danger\nthe King was, dismounted, and smiting at those who still held the King,\nrecovered for him his good sword, and placing it in his hand, said,\nmount my horse, Sir! This the King did, but he would not move from\nthence till Brandoyuas had gotten another horse for Norandel, and then\nthey joined their men, who fought so well, that the enemy began to give\nway, and Arcalaus called to one of his Knights, ask King Aravigo why he\nwould suffer me to be slain?\nWhen King Aravigo heard this message, he replied, I saw that he needed\nsuccour, but waited till the enemy should advance farther from the\ntown; howbeit, as he desires it, let us go on. The trumpets then\nsounded, and he advanced with all his people, and with the six Knights\nfrom the Sagittary Island. He found King Lisuarte's men so weary and\nheated, that he made his attack safely and with great slaughter; and\nthe six Knights did wonders, in slaying and beating down all whom they\nencountered; so that by reason of their prowess, and of the great force\nwhich Aravigo brought, Lisuarte's troops could no longer sustain the\nattack, but began to yield the field like people who were defeated.\nKing Lisuarte himself, who saw that the day was lost, and that it could\nno way be recovered, took with him King Cildadan, and Norandel, and Don\nGuilan, and Arquisil, and certain other the best Knights, and stood\nforward before the rest of the army, whom he ordered to retreat into\nthe town. What shall I say? in this flight and defeat the King exerted\nhimself so to defend his people, that never had his prowess been so\nmanifested since he was made Knight, as it was that day: and all those\nKnights that were with him did their devoir well; but at length with\ngreat loss, many being slain, many taken, and others wounded, they\nwere driven to the gates of the town, and there, as they crowded to\nget through, and the enemy pressed upon them in pursuit, a greater\nslaughter was made. King Arban and Don Grumedan with the banner of the\nKing, were both beaten from their horses, and taken there, and so also\nwould King Lisuarte himself have been, if some of his people had not\nheld him fast, and dragged him per force within the gates, and then the\ngates were shut; but they who escaped were very few.\nThe enemies fell back, for they within shot at them with bows and\narbalists, and they carried with them King Arban of North Wales, and\nDon Grumedan, with Lisuarte's banner. Arcalaus was for putting them\nwithout delay to death; but King Aravigo said, let us wait till we have\ntaken King Lisuarte and the rest, and then with your accord and the\nadvice of these other Chiefs, we will bring them all to justice; he\nthen set a guard upon them to keep them carefully. Thus, as you have\nheard, was King Lisuarte conquered, and the greater part of his army\nslain or taken, and he and the remainder blocked up in that weak town,\nwhere he expected nothing but death. King Aravigo now took counsel\nwith the Chiefs of his army how they should proceed; then were there\nmany opinions, as is usual after such victories, when the success is\nso good, that the conquerors know not how to make good, better. Some\nsaid, it would be well now to make preparations for the attack of the\ntown, and mean time set guards around, that Lisuarte might not escape.\nOthers were for an immediate attack, before they within could make\nany preparations for defence, saying, That being now defeated and\ndisheartened, they could easily be destroyed. When King Aravigo had\nheard these opinions, they all looked for his which they would follow,\nbecause he was the chief and head of the enterprise. Good Sirs, and\nhonourable Knights, said he, I have always heard that men ought to\nfollow up good fortune when it comes; therefore let Barsinan and the\nDuke of Bristol go with their people to the other side of the town,\nand I, and Arcalaus, and the King of the Deep Island, will remain with\nour forces here, and let us all attack the enemy without delay, before\nthe darkness comes on, for we shall have but two hours more of the Sun.\nIf we do not carry the city in this attack, we will fall back, and the\narmy may take their rest till day-break, and then we will again assail;\nbut I myself promise to you all, that I will never take enjoyment\ntill I have them in my power; on the word of a King I promise, that\nhis death or mine shall befal to-morrow. At this were all those Lords\ngreatly encouraged and rejoiced; and as King Aravigo had sworn, even\nso also did they swear: forthwith they ordered food to be dealt, and\nmade their men eat and drink, and told them that now they were on the\npoint of becoming rich and fortunate, if their own want of courage did\nnot prevent them. This done, Barsinan, and the Duke of Bristol, with\nhalf the army, went to the other side of the town, and the other half\nremained, and they all alighted now, and at the sound of the trumpet\nprepared for the assault.\nKing Lisuarte, when he escaped into the town, took no rest, for he\nsaw his destruction was at hand, yet, though he knew that the place\ncould not long be defended, he determined to do his best till his ill\nfortune was fulfilled, and die like a Knight, rather than fall into the\nhands of his mortal enemies. The townsmen brought food to him and his\nsoldiers, and when he had ate, he placed his Knights and all the people\nof the town on such parts of the wall as were weakest, telling them,\nthat, under God, their safety and lives were in their own hands and\nhearts; but such men were they, that they needed no one to make them\ndo their duty, for every one expected to die like the King his master.\nPresently the enemy came fiercely on, like conquerors, covered with\ntheir shields, with lances they who had them unbroken, others sword in\nhand, and the archers and cross-bowmen behind. They within received\nthem with stones, and arrows from their bows and arbalists; the wall\nwas low, and in some places broken, so that they joined battle almost\nas though they had been in the plain. Yet, what with the little defence\nthe place afforded, and more with the great courage of the besieged,\nthe assailants soon lost their first confidence, and fell back; but\nothers kept up the assault. King Aravigo and all the other captains,\nwho were still on horseback, ceased not to urge their people on, and\nthey themselves rode up to the walls, and with their lances thrust at\nthose who were on the bulwarks; so that King Lisuarte's place of refuge\nwould soon have been entered, if it had not pleased God that the night\ncame on with great darkness. Then the assailants withdrew as they were\ncommanded, the wounded were dressed; and the enemy placed themselves\nall round the town, setting strict watch, and surely they thought that\nthe first assault at day-break would end the enterprize.\n_CHAPTER 36._\nWhen Amadis and his companions went forward before King Perion, he\nhastened eagerly to be in time for the succour, and that his Lady\nOriana might know that, with reason or without it, he always had her\npresent to his eyes, to serve her. But the way was long; for from\nthe place where he set out, to the field where the two great battles\nhad been fought, was five leagues, and from thence to Lubayna eight,\nthirteen leagues in all, so that march as fast as they could, they\nwere three leagues from the town when night overtook them. Amadis had\nordered his guides to keep always toward the mountain, that the enemy\nmight not retreat to any strong position; but the darkness came on, and\nthe guides were confounded, and knew not where they were, nor where the\ntown lay, nor whether they had past it. When Amadis heard this, though\nhe was the most patient man in the world, and the one who upon all\noccasions could best repress his anger, he could not now refrain from\noften cursing himself and his evil fortune, so that there was no man\nwho dared speak to him. Don Quadragante, who was also greatly grieved\nbecause of King Cildadan, with whom he was so nearly allied, and whom\nhe loved so well, went up to him and said, good Sir, be not so greatly\ndisturbed, for God knows what is best; if it please him that, by this,\nhelp should be afforded to those Kings and Knights who are so much our\nfriends, he will guide us to them; but if his will be otherwise, no one\nhath power to act against it. And certes as it fell out, if they had\nnot thus gone astray, the issue would not have been so honourable for\nthem, as you shall hear.\nBeing thus perplexed, Amadis asked the guides if they were near the\nmountain, and they replied they must needs be near it, for by his\ncommand they had inclined that way; he then bade Gandalin go, with\none of the guides, and seek a way up, for if the army were encamped\nhe would see their fires. Gandalin kept to the left, on which hand\nthe mountain lay, and after some time found that he was at the foot\nof the mountain, and getting up as fast as he could, he looked over\nthe plain, and presently saw the fires; he then called the guide, and\npointed them out, and asked him if he could lead the way thither; the\nman answered that he could. Then they hastened back to Amadis and told\nhim this; lead on then, said he, as fast as possible, for the night is\nfar spent. So they moved forward, and at length came within sight of\nthe fires of Aravigo's camp. If that pleased them need not be said,\nbut especially the brave Amadis, who never in his life was so desirous\nto fulfil adventure, that King Lisuarte might know, how under God, he\nit was who helped and supported him in all his dangers; for he knew\nthe King could not escape death or captivity without his aid, and had\nresolved, after having saved him, to return without seeing or speaking\nto him. The morning now began to break, and they were yet a league from\nthe town.\nNow when it was day light, King Aravigo and all his Knights prepared\njoyfully for the contest, and went up to the battlements. Lisuarte\nand his people bravely defended themselves, but at length, the enemy\nbeing so many, and encouraged by success, and these on the King's side\nfew, and for the most part wounded and disheartened, they could not\nprevent them from entering the town with a mighty shout. Then was the\nuproar great in the streets, where the King and his Knights obstinately\ndefended themselves; and the women and children, and they who could no\nway else assist, helped them from the windows. The sword-strokes fell\nso fast, and the arrows and stones flew about so, and such an outcry\nwas there, as none could have beheld without dismay. As King Lisuarte\nand his Knights saw that they were lost, and feared more to be taken\nthan slain, no one can tell the feats they performed, and the blows\nthey dealt about; and their enemies dared not come near them, but prest\non them with lances and stones. On the other side, where King Cildadan,\nand Arquisil, and Flamineo, and Norandel were opposed to King Aravigo,\nyou may well assure yourself they were not idle; and there was a brave\nbattle, till at length Aravigo and Arcalaus, and the six Knights of the\nSagittary Island, made good the entrance. Two of these Knights King\nAravigo sent by a traverse through the streets, to help the division of\nBarsinan and the Duke of Bristol. He went with the other four against\nCildadan, saying to them, now my friends is the time to satisfy your\nwrath, and revenge the death of the noble Knight Brontaxar Danfania,\nfor here you see those who slew him: fall on them for they can make\nno defence! These four Knights then drew their large swords, and\nfuriously advanced through their own people, striking them down to\nclear the way, till they came up to King Cildadan and his comrades.\nHe, brave and resolute as he was, could not chuse but fear, seeing how\nhuge and terrible they were, and he said to his friends, fall on Sirs,\nwe shall die worthily here, but in such sort, that if we can, these\nshall go before us. With that they made at each other like men who\nwere determined to slay or be slain. One of the four Knights made at\nKing Cildadan, and struck at his helmet, thinking to cleave his head\nin twain. The King saw the blow, and raised his shield, the sword went\nthrough the rim, and pierced so deep, that when the Knight attempted to\ndraw it out, he plucked away the shield with it. King Cildadan who was\nused to such danger, lost neither his courage nor his thought, but gave\nit him on the arm, which, by reason of the weight of the shield hanging\nfrom his sword, he could not so speedily draw back; it was such a blow\nas cut through the mail and the whole arm, and left it dangling by a\nbit of flesh: the sword fell at his feet, and the Knight drew back\nlike a maimed man. The King then went to help his companions, who were\nbravely combating the other three, and by his coming, and the sight of\nthat blow which he had given, the enemy were somewhat dismayed: and\nthey defended the street so well, that they received little hurt there,\nthough King Aravigo was calling out not to leave a man alive.\nThe other two Knights were now come up to the other battle; when they\narrived, King Lisuarte and his Knights were retiring to the crossing\nof a street, where some of his people were standing idle, because the\nstreet itself was so narrow, that they could not find room to fight;\nthere at the crossing they stopt, but all was in vain, for so few were\nthey, and their arms so hacked away, and they themselves so wounded,\nthat in less than half an hour they must all have been killed or taken,\nif it had not pleased God to help them by the coming of Amadis. Amadis\nhad spurred on from day-break; when he came up and saw the enemy in\nthe town, and others still without the walls, he charged them, and\nbeat all who came in his way, and he through one gate, and Quadragante\nthrough the other, entered with their people, shouting out, Gaul! Gaul!\nIreland! Ireland!\nThe enemy were unprepared and without order, so that a great slaughter\nwas made among them, and many took refuge in the houses. They who\nwere fighting in the front heard the uproar, and the war-cries, and\nimmediately they thought that King Lisuarte was succoured; and they\nwere dismayed, and knew not what to do, whether to continue the battle\nwhere they were, or to turn back and help their people. King Lisuarte\nalso hearing this, and seeing how his enemies waxed faint, took heart,\nand began to hearten his comrades; and they bestirred themselves so\nbravely, that they made their enemies give ground till they met those\nwho were flying before Amadis, and then they had no remedy but to\nplace themselves back to back, and defend themselves. King Aravigo and\nArcalaus, seeing how the day was lost, got into a house, for they had\nnot courage to die in battle, and they were soon taken. Amadis was now\ndealing about such blows, that none dared meet him, except the two\nKnights of the Sagittary Island, who advanced against him. He, though\nhe saw what mighty men they were, was nothing dismayed, but raised his\ngood sword, and gave the one such a blow upon the helmet, that strong\nas he was, he came on both his knees; Amadis thrust him backward and\npassed by him; and seeing how Florestan and Angriote had overthrown\nthe other, he left him to the care of his people, and they three went\non towards Barsinan and the Duke of Bristol, who were now so hardly\nprest by King Lisuarte, that seeing nothing but death before them,\nthe one ran to Amadis, and the Duke of Bristol to Florestan, crying\nfor mercy. These chiefs being thus taken, Amadis looked and saw King\nLisuarte, and that there was no farther resistance there; so with his\nprisoners he turned back to aid Quadragante, but on the way he learnt\nthat that Knight had already done his work, and had taken King Aravigo\nand Arcalaus; and then he said to Gandalin, go tell Don Quadragante,\nthat I am leaving town, and that as he has finished too, we should\ndepart without seeing King Lisuarte: and he took horse himself, and\nmade his people mount.\nWhen Lisuarte saw how his life had been saved, and that his enemies\nwere destroyed or taken, he was so astonished that he knew not what\nto say, and he called to Don Guilan who was near him and said, How is\nall this, and who are these who have done us so much good? Who can it\nbe, sir, replied Guilan, but the same as usual? No other than Amadis\nof Gaul, for you heard his cry; and it would be well, Sir, that you\nshould give him the thanks that he deserves. The King answered, Go you\nforward and stop him if he be departing; he will stay for you. I will\npresently follow. When Don Guilan came to the gate, he then learnt for\ncertain that it was Amadis; and that he had already taken horse and\nwas departing with his people, not waiting for Quadragante, lest he\nshould be detained. Don Guilan then cried out aloud to him to stay,\nfor the King was here. At this Amadis was troubled, but when he came\nnearer he looked at the King, and saw that his armour was all broken\nand clotted with the blood of his wounds; and he was moved to pity at\nbeholding him thus; for notwithstanding the great enmity between them,\nhe had always remembered that he was the bravest and most honourable\nKing in the world, and the best of heart; so coming still nearer, he\ndismounted and went up to him, and knelt, and would have kissed his\nhand; but the King raised him up and embraced him with right good will.\nAt this time Don Quadragante came up to follow Amadis, and with him\ncame Cildadan and many others who were going to detain Amadis, that he\nmight see the King. Quadragante, and Florestan, and Angriote then went\nto kiss the King's hand, and Amadis embraced King Cildadan. Who can\ntell the pleasure they all felt to see themselves thus united, and the\ndestruction of their enemies!\nKing Cildadan then said to Amadis, Go you, sir, to the King, and I\nwill remain with my uncle Don Quadragante: thus accordingly they did;\nbut now Brandoyuas came up with much pain, for he was sorely wounded,\nand said to the King, Sir, the townsmen and your people are killing\nthe enemies, who have fled into the houses; and such slaughter is\nthere, that the streets are flowing with blood; but though their lords\ndeserve this, their people have not. Do you, therefore, give order what\nshould be done in this cruel destruction. Let it be stopt, Sir, cried\nAmadis; for it is in these things that greatness of heart is shown. The\nKing then sent his son Norandel and Don Guilan to put a stop to the\nslaughter, and look to the prisoners; and Amadis bade Gandalin and Enil\nand his foster-father Gandales take charge of Aravigo and Arcalaus,\nand Barsinan, and the Duke of Bristol. Lisuarte then took Amadis by\nthe hand, and said, Sir, if it pleases you, let us now go rest and\nrefresh ourselves, for we have need; let us go into the town, and have\nthe dead carried out. May it please you, replied Amadis, to give us\nleave to depart, that we may return in time to King Perion who is on\nhis way with all the rest of the army. Certes, quoth Lisuarte, that\nleave will I not give. In virtue and strength none can conquer you; but\nin this you must yield to me, we will receive your father here. After\nso signal a thing as this, it is not reasonable that we should part\nso soon! and then he turned to King Cildadan and said, Do you retain\nthis Knight, since I cannot. Sir, quoth Cildadan, do this which the\nKing so affectionately beseeches you; and let not a man who hath been\nso well brought up commit such discourtesy. Amadis then turned to his\nbrother Florestan and the other Knights, and asked what they should do\nsince the King commanded them. Quadragante answered, that as they were\ncome thither to serve the King, and had already done so in the more\nimportant part, so ought they in lesser things. Let it be so, Sir, then\nAmadis replied.\nHe then bade his people dismount, and secure their horses in the field,\nand seek for food. Presently they saw King Arban and Don Grumedan come\nup with their hands tied behind them; for their guards had left them,\nand it was a wonder that they had not slain them. Greatly did the King\nrejoice to see them, for he thought that they had been dead, and so\ncertes they would have been but for this succour: and they went and\nkissed his hands, and then went to welcome Amadis with such joy as the\ngreatest friends in the world feel when they meet. They now advised\nthe King to go with all those Knights to the Monastery which was near,\ntill the town should be cleared of dead bodies. Arquisil now, who had\nbeen placing Flamineo where his wounds could be attended, came up; and\nwhen he saw Amadis he embraced him, saying, Sir, you succoured us in\ngood time; if you have slain some of us, you have saved more. Amadis\nreplied with great pleasure, Sir, have I succoured you, for you may\nbelieve that I truly love you. Now as Lisuarte was going toward the\nmonastery, he saw King Perion and his army coming up with great speed.\nSir, quoth Don Grumedan, this is a good succour; but if the first had\nbeen delayed, our safety would have been delayed altogether. The King\nlaughing replied, he who would dispute with you respecting Amadis,\nwould have a long quarrel, Don Grumedan, and a perilous one!\nThe King then called for a horse, and bade King Cildadan mount also,\nthat they might ride to welcome King Perion. Sir, said Amadis, it\nwere far better that you rested and took heed to your wounds, and the\nKing my father will come to visit you; but the King said, he would\nby all means meet him; so he and King Cildadan and Amadis rode on,\nand Durin was sent forward to let Perion know of his coming. King\nPerion upon this took with him Count Gastiles, and Grasandor and Don\nBrian and Trion, and besought Agrayes to lead the troops while they\nadvanced. This he did knowing the enmity of Agrayes to King Lisuarte,\nand he who was well pleased, busied himself to delay the army, that he\nmight not have occasion to meet the King. When the two Kings met they\nalighted and embraced each other; and Perion, seeing him so wounded,\nsaid, methinks, you were not in this evil plight when you left your\ncamp, though there your arms had not lain idle in their cases, nor your\nperson under the shade of your tent. Sir, quoth King Lisuarte, I wished\nyou to behold me as I am, that you might know in what state I was when\nAmadis and these Knights rescued me. He then told him how the battle\nhad been. I thank God for it, replied King Perion, and for the peace\nthere is between us; for through all this quarrel it has ever been my\nwish, that my sons and all their kin should look up to, and reverence\nyou as their lord and father. Lisuarte answered, We will leave this\nfor farther leisure. I trust in God that before we part we shall be\nconnected by a near tie, and by great love.\nKing Lisuarte now looked round for Agrayes, and seeing him not, he\nasked for him, for though he knew how that Prince hated him, yet both\nfor his own sake, and to show that no farther enmity existed, he had\nresolved what to do. Perion replied, that he had left him with the\narmy, to prevent any accidental mischief if the armies should meet.\nLet him be called then, said Lisuarte, for I will not depart till I\nhave seen him. Amadis upon this went himself to Agrayes, knowing that\nhe could best prevail upon his cousin, and he told him all that had\npassed, and besought him to go with him, since friendship was now\nre-established. Agrayes answered, Cousin, you know my anger lasts no\nlonger than it is your will; but God send that the service which you\nhave now done the King may be better guerdoned than your former ones!\nthis has made him suffer for the past, and that belike may change his\ncondition! so he bade the army halt till they received his orders,\nand rode back with Amadis. When they came up, the King took him in\nhis arms and embraced him awhile saying, which is the most dangerous,\nthis embrace, or that which we gave each other in the battle? Agrayes\ncourteously answered, Sir, longer time is necessary before that can be\nresolved with truth. Now then, quoth the King, let us move; You, Sir,\nspeaking to King Perion, with those Knights must be my guests in the\nMonastery; the troops, as many as can, must take their quarters in the\ntown, and the rest encamp in these fields; we will have all the stores\nwhich are collected for the camp brought here, that there will be no\nwant. King Perion would fain have had his leave to depart, but Lisuarte\nand Cildadan urged him so that he could not deny, and they were all\nwell lodged in the Monastery. There King Lisuarte was attended by the\nMasters whom he had brought with him, but they were all as nothing to\nMaster Helisabad, who soon made the King and all the other wounded\nKnights safe and sound, that it was marvellous; yet Lisuarte had been\nso grievously hurt that it was more than ten days before he could rise\nfrom his bed.\nIn the mean time the good man Nasciano arrived, at whose coming they\nwere all greatly rejoiced, and he on his part seeing these persons\nso joined in friendship now, who but three days agone were so cruelly\nstriving to slay each other, lifted up his hands and said, O Lord,\nhow exceeding great is thy mercy, the blood of the wounds which these\nKnights and Kings made by the wicked enemy's persuasion is not yet\ndried; and because I have spoken to them in thy name, they are now in\nthe beginning of the good way! let me as thy servant, sinner though\nI am, so bring all this to an end, that they may forsake all other\npursuits, which are not to thy service, and give themselves altogether\nto the advancement of thy holy Catholic faith. This good man never\nceased to exhort them with good examples and doctrine. One day when\nthey were all in King Lisuarte's chamber, the King asked Perion how he\nhad learnt the news of his danger, and being answered that Esplandian\nhad seen Aravigo's army and carried the alarm, the King said to him,\nEsplandian you have done me great service, and I trust in God that I\nshall one day well requite it! Son, quoth the Hermit, go and kiss the\nKing's hand for what he hath said. The Child went and knelt and kissed\nhis hand; and the King drew his head nearer, and kissed his face, and\nlooked at Amadis; and Amadis who had his eyes upon the child, saw\nwhat the King did, and how he looked at him; and his face coloured;\nfor he knew that Lisuarte was informed of his love for Oriana, and\nhow Esplandian was their child; so that to see how the King loved\nEsplandian made him more desirous to serve the King; and Lisuarte was\nso fond of the child, that while he was between them as a reconciler,\nno difference could happen.\nKing Gasquilan now arrived at the Monastery; he had been carried in a\nlitter from the camp, and by Lisuarte's advice he kept as far as he\ncould to the right of the mountain, so that by reason of the circuit,\nhe was five days reaching Lubayna; and when he heard of the battle he\nwas sorely grieved that he had not been present, and in his pride said\nthings to that effect, which they who heard did not think good. He\nwas courteously received by all that company, and his bed was placed\nin King Lisuarte's chamber. There seeing so many fair Knights about\nhim, he asked which was Amadis? who came forward and bade him welcome,\nsaying, I should be better pleased, good Sir, to have seen you in\nhealth than thus, for any malady is ill employed upon so good a man as\nyou; may it please God soon to heal you, and whatever quarrel there\nmay be between us, shall be amended with good works. Gasquilan looked\nat him, and seeing him so fair and so gentle, he would have thought\nhim a fitter man for Dames and Damsels than for feats of war, if he\nhad not to his cost proved him; he made answer, My good Sir Amadis,\nyou are the Knight in the world whom I most desired to see, not for\nyour good, but to combat with you; and if that had befallen you from my\nhands, which has befallen me from yours, I should have thought myself\nthe best Knight in the world, and should also have won the love of my\nLady, by whose command I sought you, and before whom I know not how I\nshall appear, so that my evil is greater than it seemeth. I am grieved\nat this, quoth Amadis, but you who have performed such signal exploits,\nwould not have gained much by conquering a Knight of so little renown\nas I am. At this King Cildadan said with a smile to Lisuarte, you\nshould throw down your wand, Sir, to separate these two Knights, and\nthus jestingly they were led to talk of other things.\nNow King Perion besought Lisuarte that he and his Knights might return\nto the Firm Island, and send his two Knights to the meeting as had\nbeen determined; but King Lisuarte replied, that since it had pleased\nGod thus to bring them together, they would not separate till all was\nconcluded. Arquisil now spake with Amadis, saying he was ready to\nperform his promise, and return to prison. Amadis then rode out with\nhim, and when they were away from all others, said, my good Sir, I have\nbeen prevented from speaking to you before, as you have seen; but now\nthat we have opportunity to speak, I will tell you what is in my mind.\nNow that the Emperor is dead, you are the right heir to the Empire,\nand I know likewise, that you are well beloved by all the people, and\nif any one disliked you it was the Emperor, for his envy of your good\nqualities. So great a thing as this you ought to attend to. You have\nhere the greater part of the best Knights of Rome, and I have in the\nFirm Island, Brondajel of the Rock, and the Duke of Ancona, and the\nArchbishop of Talancia, with sundry others who were taken upon the sea.\nWe will send for them, and before we separate, they will do homage\nto you as Emperor; and if there be any opposition, I will assist you\nto obtain your right. If Arquisil was well pleased at this, you may\neasily guess, for he had expected to be held prisoner in some place\nfrom whence he should not soon have been released. My good Sir, he\nreplied, I know not why all who are in the world do not seek after your\nfriendship! If thanks were sufficient for such a kindness I would offer\nthem; but what can I offer? certes nothing but my person, and all that\nGod and my right may bestow upon me; therefore, as you have said, bring\nthis to effect, and what I gain will be more yours than mine. I will\nundertake it, said Amadis, and with God's help you shall depart Emperor\nfrom hence, or else hold me not for a Knight.\nBefore we return to the Monastery, said Amadis, I will show you the\nman in the world who hates me most; with that they entered Lubayna,\nand went to the lodging of Don Gandales, and to the chamber where\nKing Aravigo and Arcalaus were held prisoners. They found them in one\nbed, and with their cloaths on; for since their captivity they had\nnever undressed. Amadis knew the Enchanter, and said to him, what\ndost thou do, Arcalaus?\u2014Who art thou who askest?\u2014Amadis of Gaul,\nwhom you have so much desired to see. Then Arcalaus looked at him\nmore attentively; certes you say truly, for though it is long since I\nsaw thee, I remember that thou art the same whom I had in my power in\nCastle Valderin. The compassion which I then had upon thy youth and\ncomeliness, hath since occasioned me many and great troubles, and has\nat length brought me to such state, that it behoveth me to ask thy\nmercy. Amadis replied, if I should have mercy, wouldst thou cease to\ncommit those great iniquities and cruelties to which thou hast been\naccustomed? No, quoth he, for my age so long addicted thereto by its\nown will, cannot now give up what hath so long been its delight; but\nnecessity, whose strong curb can change all customs from good to evil,\nand from evil to good, would make me do that in my age, which my youth\nin liberty neither would nor could. What necessity, replied Amadis,\ncould I lay thee under, if I set thee free? Arcalaus answered, I would\ngive thee up my castles and all my lands, to increase which I have\ndone so much ill to my conscience and fame, and would reserve no more\nthan it might please you, for your virtue, to allow me; for at present\nI can do nothing else. It might be that this pressure, and your great\ngoodness would work that change in me, which reason hitherto hath not\nbeen able to effect. Then Amadis replied, Arcalaus, if I have any hope\nthat thy disposition can be amended, it is only from the knowledge\nwhich thou thyself hast that thou art a wicked sinner. Take courage,\ntherefore, in this consolation; it may be this prison of the body\nwhich thou so much dreadest, may be the key to release thy soul, which\nthou hast had so long enthralled. Then he would have left him; but\nArcalaus cried out, Amadis, look at this unhappy King! a little while\nago, and he was on the point of becoming one of the greatest Princes\nin the world, and in a moment, fortune, which had been so favourable,\nbeat him down, and placed him in this cruel captivity. Let him be an\nexample to thee, and to all who have, or desire to have, honour and\ndominion; and remember that to conquer and to pardon is the character\nof great spirits. Amadis did not answer, because he was his prisoner,\nand this reason was against him, that he, though by his arms and his\nenchantments had conquered many, had never spared; howbeit he knew that\nwhat he had now said was spoken well.\nAs soon as they returned to the monastery, Amadis called for Ardian\nhis Dwarf, and bade him go to the Firm Island, and tell Oriana and her\ncompany all that had taken place; and he gave him a letter for Ysanjo,\nwherein he bade him send all the Roman prisoners. Well pleased was the\nDwarf to carry this news, because he hoped from it great honour and\nmuch profit. He mounted his horse, and rode by day and by night with\nlittle respite till he arrived. Oriana had heard of the two battles,\nand that the Emperor of Rome was slain, and how the good man Nasciano\nhad made a truce, but she knew nothing more, and was now very sorrowful\nthat he could not bring about peace; and she did nothing now but tell\nher beads and make offerings and _romerias_ to all the churches in\nthe island, and continually pray for peace. Now when she heard that\nthe Dwarf had arrived and brought tidings for her, her heart was\ngreatly disturbed, fearing what he might tell her both of her father\nand Amadis; but he, as soon as he saw her, said, Lady, I ask for\n_albricias_ (the reward of good tidings) not according to what I am,\nbut according to what you are, and what the tidings are that I bring.\nOriana answered, my friend Ardian, it seems things go well with your\nmaster, but tell me if my father is living? Living? Lady, quoth the\nDwarf, alive and well, and happier than ever he was! Holy Mary! cried\nOriana, tell me all, and if ever God gives me any good, I will make\nthee happy in this world. But when she heard all that had befallen, she\nknelt down, and lifted her hands and said, O Lord Almighty, the helper\nof all that be in need, blessed be thy holy name! and blessed be that\nfair child who hath been the occasion of all this good; I am bound to\nlove him better than any one can think! They who heard her, thought she\nsaid this because of the succour which Esplandian had procured for the\nKing, but it proceeded from the bowels of a mother.\nQueen Briolania and Melicia then asked him concerning Child Esplandian,\nwhat manner of youth he was, and how the King requited his service.\nGood Ladies, he answered, I was with Amadis in the King's chamber,\nwhen Esplandian went to kiss the King's hand for the favours which he\npromised him; and I saw the King draw him closer, and lay his hand upon\nhis head and kiss his eyes. And as for his beauty, I tell you, that\nthough he is a man, and you think yourselves full handsome, if he were\nbefore you, you would hide yourselves and not dare be seen. It is well\nthen, said they, that we are shut up here, where he cannot see us. Oh,\nquoth the Dwarf, however you were shut up, you and all fair Ladies\nwould go far to seek him. At that they all laughed merrily. But Oriana,\nlooking at Queen Sardamira, bade her be of good cheer, for when the\nLord was thus helping her sorrows, she also would not be forgotten.\nThe Queen thanked her, and asked Ardian what was become of those\nunhappy Romans who were with King Lisuarte? he told her that he had\nseen Arquisil talking in friendship with Amadis, and that her brother\nFlamineo was hurt, but not badly.\nWhen Ysanjo had read the letter of Amadis, he took the Roman chiefs\nfrom the tower where they were held prisoners, and gave them horses,\nand all things fitting for the journey, and sent his own son and other\npersons to guide them; and the other prisoners, who were about two\nhundred, he released also, and sent them to Amadis. When they arrived\nat the Monastery, they kissed the King's hand, who received them kindly\nand with good cheer. But when they saw Arquisil, neither he nor they\ncould refrain from tears. Amadis courteously received them, and taking\nthem apart without Arquisil, he said, good Sirs, I sent for you, that\nas things appear to be drawing to a happy end, ye might be present,\nbeing men of whom reasonably much account should be taken; and also to\ntell you, that I have Arquisil's promise to return to prison, at my\ndiscretion, as probably you have heard. But considering the lineage\nfrom which he is sprung, and his own nobleness, I resolved to confer\nwith you, that as there is no other to whom the empire can of right\nbelong, ye should take him for your Emperor, in doing which ye would\ndo two things: first, ye would discharge your duty, by giving to the\nEmpire so good a Knight, who is the right heir, and who would bestow\ngreat honours upon you; and secondly, as to what relates to your own\ncaptivity and his, for without delay ye should be at liberty to return\ninto your own country, and I would always be your good friend as\nlong as it pleased you; for I love Arquisil as though he were my own\nbrother. Upon this the Roman Lords desired Brondajel of the Rock to\nspeak for them: We are much beholden to you, Sir Amadis, said he, for\nthis gracious speech. But this is a weighty business, and the consent\nof so many wills is necessary, that we cannot reply till we have\nconsulted with the Knights who are here; for though little account may\nbe made of them, yet in this, Sir, they are of great importance, for\nthey possess cities, and towns, and fortresses, in the Empire, and many\noffices, which concern the election; if it please you, therefore, let\nus see Flamineo, and we will summon the rest in his presence, and then\nwe shall be enabled deliberately to answer. Amadis upon this said, they\nhad answered like good Knights, and he besought them that there might\nbe no delay; incontinently those Lords went to horse, and rode into the\ntown, which by this time was cleared of the dead, for King Lisuarte had\nsummoned the people of the surrounding districts to bury them.\nGlad were they to see Flamineo, albeit the great misfortunes which had\nbefallen them, made their countenances sorrowful. They told him what\nhad past, and the chiefs of the Romans were forthwith assembled. Then,\nwhen they were all met, Brondajel of the Rock thus began: Honourable\nKnight Flamineo, you, and these our good friends, know the misfortunes\nwhich have fallen upon us, since first we came to this Island of Great\nBritain, by command of the Emperor, whom God pardon! of this I will\nnot speak. We were prisoners in the Firm Island, and it pleased Amadis\nof Gaul to send for us hither, where he hath shown us great honour,\nand spoken to us at length saying, that as our Empire is now without\na Lord, and the succession more justly appertaineth to Arquisil than\nto any other, it would please him if we would chuse that Knight to be\nour Lord and Emperor, and that he would then set us free, and become\nour faithful friend and ally; and so earnestly did he propose this,\nthat it appeared to us he would rejoice if we did so with good-will,\nand that if we refused, he would employ his force to bring it otherwise\nabout; for this cause ye are now summoned; and to me it seems that this\nwhich Amadis desires of us is what we ought most earnestly to have\nrequested of him. For who is there, who either by his right, or for his\ncourage, or for his virtues, deserves the Empire so well as Arquisil?\nCertes none. He is our countryman, brought up among us; we know his\ngood disposition, and that we may ask privileges of him as our right,\nwhich a stranger belike would deny. Moreover, thus should we win the\nfriendship of the famous Amadis, who, as when he was our enemy, he had\nsuch power to injure us, so being our friend, will he remedy the past\nwith much honour and advantage. Now, then, Sirs, speak as you may think\nfit, having no regard to our captivity or tribulation, but only as\nreason and justice shall direct.\nSuch influence have those things that are just and reasonable, that\neven the wicked cannot easily withstand them. But these Knights were\nmen of much discretion and understanding, and though on such occasions\nthere are often many discordant wills, they all agreed that what\nBrondajel of the Rock had advised was reasonable, and that what Amadis\nrecommended should be done; that they and their Emperor might leave the\nland, in which so much evil had befallen them, and return to their own\ncountry. With this answer the chiefs returned to Amadis. Then all the\nchiefs and people of the Empire there present, being assembled in the\nchurch, they did homage to Arquisil as their Emperor, and he swore to\nmaintain their privileges and customs, and granted them all the favours\nwhich they reasonably asked.\n_CHAPTER 37._\nWhen King Lisuarte had left his bed, and was sufficiently recovered,\nand all the other wounded Knights had been healed by the skill of that\ngreat master Helisabad, the King on a day summoned all the Kings and\nChiefs of both armies to the church of the Monastery, and addressed\nthem in this manner, Honourable Kings and renowned Knights, I need not\ncall to your remembrance the things which have now befallen us, for ye\nalso were present; and if an end had not been found to them, we also\nwho are living, should have been among the dead. Leaving this then\napart, and knowing the great evil to the service of God and to our own\nperson and kingdom if they had gone on, I have detained the noble King\nPerion of Gaul and all the Princes and Knights of his army, that I may\nspeak in their presence, and in yours. Then turning to Amadis, he said,\nBrave Sir Amadis of Gaul, it is not my custom to praise a man in his\npresence, nor is it your inclination to be praised; but I must call to\nthe remembrance of these Knights all that hath passed between you and\nme, since you first abode at my court as the Knight of Queen Brisena\nmy wife; these things were notorious to all, but they must see that I\nalso acknowledge them, and that there is a good cause for the guerdon\nwhich I design to bestow. After you had defeated Dardan the Proud in my\npresence, and given me your brother Don Galaor to be my Knight, which\nwas the best gift that ever yet was made to any King, I and my daughter\nOriana were entrapped by the wicked Enchanter Arcalaus, and led away\nwithout any means of defence; for my Knights were all withheld by the\nword which I had given; so that she and I were in danger of death or\ncruel prison, and my kingdom in hazard of being lost. Then did you and\nGalaor, returning from adventure on which the Queen had sent you, put\nyour lives upon the chance to help us, and we were both rescued, and\nour enemies slain or put to flight, and immediately after the Queen\nmy wife was succoured by you, and Barsinan, the father of this Lord of\nSansuena, defeated, who besieged her in our city of London; so that as\nwith great treachery and imminent danger I had been taken, I was by\nyou with honour saved, to the safety of my kingdom. Again, when the\nbattle of the Hundred Knights on each side was appointed between me\nand King Cildadan who is here present; before the day arrived you rid\nme of the enmity of this Knight Don Quadragante, and slew Famongomadan\nand Basagante, the fiercest giant of all the islands in the sea, and\nrescued my daughter Leonoreta with all her ladies and ten of my bravest\nKnights, when all my power could not have saved them. In the battle,\nsuch were the Giants and Knights whom King Cildadan brought against me,\nthat I could not have won the victory but for you, who slew with one\nblow the brave Sardaman the Lion, and with another delivered me from\nMadanfabul of the Vermilion Tower, who had disabled me, and plucked\nme from the saddle to carry me on board his ship. You then conquered\nthat most valiant and renowned Ardan Canileo the Terrible, to the great\nhonour of my court; for no where else could be found one, nor two,\nnor three, nor four Knights, who dared meet him in the lists. All this\nit may be said you were bound to perform, being in my service, and for\nyour honour. I will, therefore, relate what you have done, since, by\nmy fault, who gave ear to evil counsellors, rather than by yours, you\nleft my house like an enemy. At that time when we were at the greatest\nenmity, you and the King your father, and Don Florestan your brother\ncame to my help when King Aravigo with the six Knights and so great a\npower was come up against me, and chiefly by the power of ye three,\nthough I had many good Knights on my part, I obtained such victory as\nsecured my person and kingdom, in greater honour than before, though\nreasonably then because of our quarrel, you might have fought against\nme. And now at the end, I know that after the second battle, it was\nyou who held back, whereby I and mine were saved from the danger in\nwhich we stood, as they all knew; of the last danger I need not speak,\nfor the blood of our wounds is yet flowing, and the souls which we\nthere let loose, have not yet had time to find a resting place. Now\nthen, Sirs, what guerdon can be equal to such services? none but this,\nthat reserving all my honours so long as I shall live my kingdoms,\nwhich have so often been protected by his hand, should be given him in\nmarriage with my daughter Oriana; and that as without my knowledge they\nare already joined in marriage by their own consent, so now that I do\nknow it, I acknowledge them as my children, and the successors of my\nkingdom.\nWhen Amadis heard the consent which the King had thus publickly given\nto his marriage, he knelt before him, and per-force kissed his hand,\nsaying, All that you have said in my praise, Sir, might well have\nbeen excused; for considering the honours and favours which I and my\nlineage have received from you, we were bound to these and far greater\nservices; for this, therefore, Sir, I will return you no thanks; but\nfor the last favour, not the inheritance of your kingdom, but for the\ngift of your daughter Oriana, I will serve you while I live with more\nobedience and affection than ever son served his father, or vassal his\nlord. At that King Lisuarte right lovingly embraced him, and replied,\nand you also shall find in me the same love as in the father that begot\nyou. All they who were present marvelled greatly that the King had so\nentirely laid aside his former enmity. Whether or no they were pleased,\nI may be excused from saying; and they asked one of the other, what the\nKing might mean by saying, that Amadis and the Princess were already\njoined in marriage; as from the time she had been taken on the sea by\nhim they had perceived no such thing, and far less before: but then the\nKing called upon the holy man Nasciano to relate all, that they might\nknow with what justice Amadis had rescued her from the Romans, and also\nthat the King was without fault in delivering her up to the Emperor,\nbeing ignorant of her marriage; and that if Oriana had then plighted\nherself without her father's knowledge, great cause and reason was\nthere that she should so do. The good man then related it over as he\nhad done to Lisuarte in the tent. But when Child Esplandian heard who\nwere his parents, it need not be asked if he were pleased or not! The\nHermit knelt with him before both the Kings and before his father, and\nmade him kiss their hands, and they gave him their blessing.\nThen Amadis said to King Lisuarte, Sir, as from hence forward, it will\nbe my pleasure to do you service, so am I now constrained to ask\nfavours of you; and the first is that you would be pleased to give your\ndaughter Leonoreta to the Emperor of Rome to wife; and to beseech him\nto accept her, that we may be both your sons. The King thought it well\nto accept this alliance with Arquisil, and promised him his daughter,\nwhom he was well contented to receive. King Lisuarte then asked King\nPerion if he had any news of Galaor, and King Perion told him how\nGandalin had brought tidings that he was somewhat better. I tell you,\nquoth Lisuarte, that though he is your son, I do not love him less than\nas a son; if it had not been for these differences, I would have gone\nto see him in his sickness. I beseech you send for him, if he be in a\nstate to come. I must go forthwith to Windsor where I have ordered the\nQueen to meet me; and for the honour of Amadis, I and the Queen, and\nmy daughter Leonoreta will join you in the Firm Island, to be present\nat his marriage, and at the Emperor's, and we will see the wonders\nwhich Apolidon left there; and greatly would it please me if Don Galaor\nshould be there, for I have long desired to see him. Agrayes then\nbesought the King to send for his uncle Don Galvanes and Madasima and\nbring them in his company; this the King promised, and said that he\nwould depart on the morrow and return as speedily as might be, that all\nthe Knights and their people might return to their own countries; and\nit was determined that all the fleets should be made ready in the haven\nof the Firm Island, that they might depart from thence.\n_CHAPTER 38._\nLisuarte took with him King Cildadan, and King Gasquilan, and all his\npeople, and in five days arrived at his town of Windsor, being more\nchearful in semblance than in heart, for though he well knew that\nboth his daughters were now honourable disposed, yet it was after he\nhad been conquered, and the glory all appertained to Amadis; but he\nwas now advanced in years, and grieved to behold so much slaughter,\nand as he had heretofore regarded so inordinately the glories of the\nworld that he had forgotten the state of his own soul, so now he felt\nthat God had justly thus chastised him. He took Esplandian by the\nhand, and led him to the Queen, who had already learnt all that had\npast from Brandoyuas. When he entered, the Queen knelt to him, and\nwould have kissed his hand, but he drew her toward him and embraced\nher lovingly as one whom he loved with his whole heart; and while the\nother Dames and Damsels kissed the King's hand, Brisena took Child\nEsplandian, who was kneeling before her, in her arms, and kissed him\noften times, and said, O my fair and fortunate child, blessed be the\nhour in which thou wast born! and the blessing of God and my blessing\nbe upon thee! The King of Sweden and King Cildadan then came and\nsaluted her, and she courteously, as was her manner, welcomed them\nand the other Knights. By this it was supper time, and the two Kings\nand many other Knights, sate at table with the King, where they were\nplentifully served with various meats, as was the custom and beseemed\nthe board of such a man. After they had supped, King Lisuarte gave\norder that these Knights should be lodged in the Palace, and he and\nthe Queen retired to their chamber, and when they were in bed, the\nKing said, Dame, if peradventure you marvelled at what you have heard\nconcerning your daughter Oriana and Amadis of Gaul, so also did I, for\ncertes any such thought was far from us. I am only grieved that we knew\nit not, for then all these deaths and losses might have been spared.\nBut now that it is come to our knowledge there is no remedy but that\nOriana should remain with the husband whom she has chosen, and setting\naside all animosity, to acknowledge the truth, there is no Emperor or\nPrince this day in the world who can equal him; and Leonoreta will be\nEmpress of Rome. You must therefore get ready, for I freely promised\nAmadis to do him honour, that we would go to him in the Firm Island,\nand there you must put on a chearful countenance, and forbear to speak\nof what has past. The Queen then kissed his hand, because he had thus\ncontrouled the pride and anger of his heart, and told him, she would\nobey, and that since he had two such sons, he should give thanks to\nGod, notwithstanding the manner had not been according to his own will.\nSo on the morrow they gave order for their departure.\n_CHAPTER 39._\nThe history saith, that King Perion and his companions returned in good\narray as they had come; the Emperor always lodged in the same tent with\nAmadis, and slept in the same bed; and all his people, and tents, and\naccoutrements, were under the care of Brondajel of the Rock, as his\nHigh Steward, as he had been to the Emperor Patin. When they arrived at\nthe Firm island, they found Oriana and all her company in the garden,\nso fair, and so richly attired, that it was a wonder to behold, and\nyou would have thought that they did not look like earthly persons,\nbut as if God had made them in Heaven and sent them there. The joy\nthat they then had to see themselves met together again, in safety,\nand being now certain of peace, cannot in any manner be expressed.\nKing Perion went first, and they whom it behoved humbly saluted him,\nand the others kissed his hand. Amadis led the Emperor to Oriana.\nAgrayes, and Florestan, and Quadragante, and Don Brian of Monjaste,\nwent to Queen Sardamira, and Olinda, and Grasinda; Don Bruneo to his\nbeloved Lady Melicia; and the other Knights to the other Princesses and\nDamsels. Then Amadis took Gastiles the nephew of the Greek Emperor, and\nGrasandor the son of the King of Bohemia, and led them to his Cousin\nMabilia, and said, My good Lady, take these Princes and honour them:\nand she with that took them by the hand, and seated herself between\nthem. At this was Grasandor greatly pleased; for as we have told you,\non the first day that he saw her his heart was disposed to her love.\nThus were all the Knights conversing with the Damsels as it pleased\nthem, except Amadis, who greatly desired to speak with Oriana, and\ncould not, by reason of the Emperor. So he took Queen Briolania by the\nhand, and led her toward him, and said to him, Sir, speak to this Lady\nand keep her company. The Emperor then looked round, for till now he\nhad not taken his eyes from Oriana, and when he saw the Queen how fair\nshe was, and also those other Ladies, how excellent above all others\nthat ever he had seen, he said to Amadis, Truly, Sir, I believe that\nthese Ladies were not born into the world like other women, but that\nthe wise Apolidon made them by his great art, and left them here in\nthis Island, where you found them; I cannot think but that either they\nor I must be enchanted, for if you should seek such another company in\nthe whole world, it could not be found. Amadis at this embraced him\nlaughingly, and asked him if he had seen no such company in any Court?\nCertes, he replied, neither have I, nor has any other one, except it\nwere in the Court of Heaven. At this time King Perion, who had been\ntalking with the fair Grasinda, came up, and taking Queen Briolania by\nthe hand, said to the Emperor, Good Sir, if it please you, let you and\nI be with this fair Queen, and Amadis talk with Oriana, which I believe\nwill be greatly to his pleasure. So Amadis then full joyfully went to\nhis Lady, and seating himself with her apart, said, O Lady, with what\nservices can I requite you, that by your consent our loves are now made\nknown? Oriana answered, It is now, Sir, no longer time that you should\nproffer such courtesies, or that I should receive them. I am now to\nfollow and observe your will with that obedience which wife owes to\nhusband, and henceforward I desire to know the great love which you\nbear me, only by being treated by you, my Lord, as reason requires, and\nno otherwise. Of this then, no more; how is my father? and how does\nhe brook all this? Your father, replied Amadis, hath a great heart,\nand though in secret he may feel otherwise, he appears well satisfied.\nYou know he is to come hither with the Queen and your sister. Oriana\nanswered, I cannot tell you the pleasure which my heart feels, and\nmay it please God that all may be fulfilled as it has been agreed;\nfor you may well believe, my Lord, that next to yourself there is no\nother person whom I love so well as him, notwithstanding his cruelty.\nBut tell me, what think you of Esplandian? Esplandian, replied Amadis,\nin his manners and appearance is your son, and more cannot be said. I\nwished that the holy man Nasciano might have brought him hither, for he\nwill soon be here, not chusing to come in so great a company, but the\nKing your father desired he might be left with the Queen, and said that\nthey would bring him with them.\nThus they remained talking of many things till it was the hour of\nsupper; then King Perion rose and took the Emperor by the hand, and\nthey went to Oriana, and said, Lady, it is time that we should\nretire. She bade them do as it pleased them; so they all departed,\nand Oriana and her company remained wonderfully happy. That night all\nthese Knights supped in the lodgings of King Perion; and when they\nhad supped, the Joculars came in and made all manner of sports for\nthem, till it was time to sleep, and then they all retired, except\nAmadis, with whom the King his father would speak. So when they twain\nwere together in the King's chamber, Perion said, beloved Son, since\nthis danger is so happily over, it now remains, that as you have\nshown yourself diligent in procuring the help of all these honourable\nKnights, so you should now display your sense of their services; and\nas you have now a wife, procure wives for them also, that they may\npartake the same happiness as they have partaken the same perils; for\nthis end I leave my daughter Melicia at your disposal, that you may\ngive her conformably to her virtue and great beauty; the same you may\ndo with your cousin Mabilia, and I well know that Queen Briolania will\nfollow no will but yours; with these there is your friend Grasinda, and\nQueen Sardamira, for the Emperor is here who may command them, if they\nchuse to marry in this land, where there is no lack of Knights, their\nequals in lineage and lordship. But remember that your brethren are now\ndisposed to wive, that they may leave a generation to keep up the life\nand remembrance of their name; let this be done soon, for good works\nlose their worth by delay.\nOn the morrow Amadis assembled all the Knights, and said to them, good\nSirs, reasonable it is, that after the great perils you have undergone,\nand the great renown which ye have won, ye should now take your rest;\nit hath pleased God that by your help I have obtained what I most\ndesired in this world, and so I would that ye should obtain what ye\ndesire, if it be any way in my power. Therefore, Sirs, do not hesitate\nto tell me your loves and wishes, if there be any of these Ladies here\nwhom you would have to wife, for as for their cause ye have endured so\nmany wounds and dangers, it is reasonable now that ye should enjoy the\nLordships which they possess. For this they all thanked Amadis, and\nwithout delay Agrayes said, he would take his Lady Olinda. Don Bruneo\nof Bonamar said, Amadis knew all his hopes were in Melicia. Grasandor\nsaid, that he had never surrendered his heart to any woman except the\nPrincess Mabilia, and that he loved her, and desired her for his wife.\nGood Sir, quoth Don Quadragante, time and youth have hitherto prevented\nme from repose, and from any other care than for my horse and arms, but\nnow reason and age invite me to another manner of life; if it please\nGrasinda to marry in this land, I will take her to wife. Then Florestan\nspake, it was my desire, quoth he, when these wars were over, to go\ninto Germany, whereof on my mother's side I am a native, and see all my\nkinsmen there, whom I should now scarcely know; yet if I can win the\ngood will of Queen Sardamira I may change my purpose. The other Knights\nreplied, that their hearts were free, and that being young men they had\nnot yet acquired enow honour, they therefore besought Amadis to divide\nthe conquests among the good Knights who were now about to enjoy a life\nof more repose, and let them go seek adventures.\nAmadis then made answer, I trust in God, Sirs, that what ye thus\ndetermine is for his service, and will have his blessing; I will\ntherefore thus allot the conquests. You Don Quadragante, who are son\nand brother to a King, and have no lands equal to your birth and\ndeserts, shall have the Lordship of Sansuena; and you, my good Sir,\nDon Bruneo of Bonamar, shall have the Kingdom of King Aravigo with\nmy sister Melicia, and the Lands of the Marquis your father may then\ndevolve to Branfil. Don Florestan, my brother, shall have the Queen\nwhom he desires, and besides her Island of Sardinia, the Emperor\nwill, at my request, give you the Lordship of Calabria, which was\nSalustanquidio's. You, Sirs, Agrayes and Grasandor, will content\nyourselves for the present with those great Kingdoms which you will\ninherit; and I with this little corner the Firm Island, till it shall\nplease God to give us more. At this they were all well pleased, and\nbecause to relate all that passed with respect to their marriages with\nthese Ladies would be great prolixity, you shall only know that as\nthe Knights had said, so said they also. The Emperor granted to Don\nFlorestan what Amadis asked, and they were all espoused by the holy man\nNasciano, but their nuptials were to be celebrated on the same day with\nthose of Amadis and the Emperor.\n_CHAPTER 40._\nAmadis said to King Perion his father, Sir, it would be well that you\nshould send for my lady the Queen, and for Don Galaor my brother, for\nwhom I have reserved Queen Briolania, with whom he will be happy. King\nPerion replied, I will write to the Queen, and do you send whom you\nplease with the letters: at that uprose Don Bruneo and said, I will\nundertake this voyage with my brother Branfil, if it please you; but\nthen Angriote of Estravaus cried, you shall not go without me: then\nsaid King Perion, I consent that Angriote and Branfil should go, but\nnot you Don Bruneo; for he would not be your friend who should separate\nyou from your mistress. Don Bruneo smiled and answered, Though this,\nsir, is the greatest of all the favours I have received from you,\nyet will I go to serve the Queen my lady; for from thence will come\nsatisfaction to all others. Be it so then, quoth the King; and would to\nGod my good friend that you may find your brother Don Galaor able to\ntravel. Sir, cried Ysanjo, he is well: there came some merchants here\nfrom Gaul, on their way to Great Britain, being afraid of the war, and\nI asked them for Don Galaor, they told me that he had left his bed, and\nwas able to go about, though still weak.\nOn the following day these three Knights embarked, and setting sail\nwith wind at will, in short time they reached Gaul, where they were\nhonourably welcomed by the Queen. But for Don Galaor, I tell you, so\ngreat was his pleasure when he saw them, that weak as he was he ran to\nembrace them, and the tears came into his eyes, and he said, O Sirs,\nand my great friends, when will it please God that I shall go again\nin your company, and bear arms once more? Be not grieved, Sir, quoth\nAngriote, God will fulfill your desire; but hear now the tidings of\ngreat joy which we bring. Then they related to the Queen and to him all\nthat had befallen from the beginning, which when Don Galaor heard he\nwas much disturbed, and said, Holy Mary! has King Lisuarte endured all\nthis, and I not with him in the battle! now indeed, may I say that God\nin his signal mercy sent me this malady; for certes else I must have\nadventured myself to death in his service, though the King my father\nand my brethren were on the other side. Truly, if I had known this in\nmy weakness I should have died for grief. Don Bruneo replied, it is\nbetter as it is, and more to the honour of all, that peace is made, as\nyou will see; and you have gained fair Queen Briolania for your wife,\nwho is now with Amadis: then they gave the letter to the Queen, which\nwas to desire that she would come to join Queen Brisena and Oriana and\nall the great ladies, and be present at the nuptials. When the Queen\nhad read this, being a noble lady and one who dearly loved her husband\nand her children, she blessed God for what had happened, and said, My\nson Don Galaor look at this letter and take courage, and go see thy\nfather and brethren, and there you will find King Lisuarte with more\nhonour to your lineage than he desired.\nQueen Elisena now gave order to prepare ships for her voyage; eight\ndays the Knights abode with her, and then they all put to sea. So\nas they went along with fair weather, on the third day they saw a\nship coming up at night with sails and oars; and they sent one of\nDon Galaor's Squires in a boat to know who was there. They answered\nhim courteously, that it was a Dame going in great haste to the Firm\nIsland: tell her then, quoth the Squire, that this fleet is bound\nthither, and that she need not fear to join it; for it carries such\npersons that she may well rejoice to go in their company. When the Dame\nheard this, she put out a boat also, and sent a Knight to know if this\nwere indeed true. He came up to the ship and said, Sirs, by the faith\nyou owe to God, tell me if the Dame in yonder vessel may come up to\nyou safely; she is going to the Firm Island, whither the Squire hath\nsaid ye also are bound. Angriote answered, the Squire said true and\nthe Dame may come safely; not only shall she receive no harm, but she\nshall be aided against any who would wrong her. God be praised! quoth\nthe Knight. I beseech you tarry for her; you are Knights and will have\ngreat sorrow to hear what hath befallen her.\nHearing this, that other ship made up to the Queen's vessel, which\nseemed the richest in its appearance, and a Dame came forth covered\nwith a black mantle, from head to foot, and asked who went in that\nship. Angriote answered, it was the Queen of Gaul going to the Firm\nIsland. Sir Knight, said she, I beseech you by the virtue to which you\nare bound, devise how I may speak with her. That may presently be done,\nreplied Angriote; come on board; she is a lady who will willingly speak\nwith you, as she does with all who require it. When the Dame was before\nQueen Elisena, she courteously welcomed her, and asked who she was: at\nthat she began to weep, and said, I was the wife of the King of Dacia,\nand in his company was I a happy Queen. By him I had two sons and a\ndaughter; the daughter who was begotten for our evil fortune, we gave\nin marriage to the Duke of Suecia, a great lordship which borders upon\nour country. Now, the Duke being a young man and covetous of dominion,\nthought that as the King my husband was in years, and our sons but\nboys, the eldest not passing fourteen years, he might kill the King and\nseize them, and thus obtain the kingdom in his wife's right: and as he\nthought, so did he; for, coming under pretext of a visit to our court,\nand with a large train, as if to do us honour, the King my husband\nwent out joyfully to meet him, and that traitor slew him with his own\nhand. It pleased God to save the boys; for they were behind upon their\npalfreys, and turned round and gallopped into the city and the greater\npart of their Knights with them, and there are they now besieged. At\nthis season I was gone upon a pilgrimage to a very ancient church of\nour Lady, which stands upon a rock half a league out at sea; there was\nI informed of their unhappy fortune, and having none other remedy, I\nresolved to go to the Firm Island to a Knight called Amadis, who is\nthere with many other Knights of great renown, and beseech them to have\npity upon those young Princes, and not suffer them to be so wickedly\nslain; for if there were but some to encourage and lead the people,\nthat traitor would not dare continue there.\nWhen Queen Elisena heard this, she took her hand and made her sit\nbeside her, and besought her pardon that she had not at first honoured\nher according to her deserts. Since God hath brought you here, said\nshe, you shall go in my company to the Firm Island, and there you will\nfind succour, as all have found it who are in need. I have heard,\nreplied the Queen of Dacia, how Amadis rescued the daughter of King\nLisuarte when her father had disinherited her for the sake of a younger\ndaughter, and delivered her up to the Emperor of Rome against her\nwill; and this made me seek that blessed Knight, who is the helper of\nall that are oppressed. But then Angriote and his companions knelt\ndown and besought Queen Elisena that they might go and revenge the\ngreat treason; for they were now so near the Firm Island that they\nmight safely depart: this they obtained; and taking with them the\nQueen of Dacia, who who would needs go herself with them, saying, that\nher presence would be of great avail, they parted company from Queen\nElisena.\nQueen Elisena and Don Galaor proceeded, and arrived safely at the Firm\nIsland. When their coming was known, the King her husband, and his\nsons, and the Emperor took horse, and went with all the other Knights\nto receive her. Oriana also would have gone with all her company; but\nthe King sent to request her not to take that trouble, saying, that he\nwould presently bring the Queen to her. After Amadis had kissed his\nmother's hand, he embraced Don Galaor, and asked him how he fared;\nBetter, quoth Galaor, and better I shall be, since the quarrels\nbetween you and King Lisuarte are at an end. So they proceeded toward\nthe garden, and there Oriana was ready with the Queens and all her\ncompany in rich attire to receive her. When she went in, Oriana and the\nQueens Sardamira and Briolania hand in hand knelt down to her with that\nobedience which they owed to their true mother; and the Queen embraced\nthem, and kissed them, and raised them up. Then came up Mabilia, and\nMelicia, and Grasinda, and all the other ladies, and kissed her hand,\nand led her to her apartment. When Don Galaor appeared, I cannot tell\nyou the love which Oriana showed him; for, except Amadis, there was\nno Knight in the world whom she loved so well, both for his brother's\nsake, and because her father Lisuarte so truly loved him, and he had\nserved the King so faithfully. Amadis took Queen Briolania by the hand,\nand said to him, Sir brother, I trust to you this fair Queen, whom you\nhave seen heretofore. Don Galaor, without delay, received her, as one\nnoways abashed at seeing women. Sir, quoth he, I hold it a great favour\nin you that you give her to me, and in her that she will accept me as\nher own. The Queen said nothing; but her face coloured, and became more\nbeautiful. Galaor had not seen her since she went to Lisuarte's court\nto look for Amadis, when she was very young; but now she was in the\nperfection of her age and beauty; and so fair did she appear to him,\nthat though he had seen and toyed with many women, yet his heart was\nnever surrendered in pure true love to any but this fair Queen; and she\non her part, knowing how excellent a Knight he was, transferred to him\nall the great affection she had once felt for his brother Amadis; so\nthat they lived ever after the happiest and most honourable life that\ncan be devised.\nWhen Queen Elisena had been thus received and lodged with the other\nDames and Damsels where only King Perion was permitted to enter; for\nso it was determined, till King Lisuarte should arrive and all the\nmarriages be performed in his presence; the Knights went to such\npastimes as they liked best, especially those who affected the chace,\nfor about a league from the island, on the firm land, there were the\ngoodliest trees and thickets, which, because the land was kept well,\nwere all full of venison, and wild boars, and rabbits, and other wild\nbeasts, whom they killed with dogs and nets, or from on horseback.\nFor hawking also, there were hares, and partridges, and water fowl;\nso that it may be said that in that little corner were collected the\nflower of all the chivalry in the world, and all the beauty that could\nbe found upon earth, and all fitting sports and pastimes whereof you\nhave heard as well the natural ones, as what Apolidon had made by his\nenchantments.\n_CHAPTER 41._\nSo joyful was the Queen of Dacia for the aid which she had obtained,\nthat it was some time before she asked the Knights who they were. Good\nLady, quoth Angriote, so little will you know us, that the knowledge\nof our names will neither lessen nor increase your hope of help from\nus. These two Knights are brethren, the one is Don Bruneo of Bonamar,\nthe other Branfil. Don Bruneo, by his spouse, is brother to that Amadis\nof Gaul whom you were seeking. My own name is Angriote of Estravaus.\nWhen the Queen heard that, she exclaimed, O good Sirs, now do I thank\nGod that I have found you! for your renown is every where gone abroad.\nThey who told me of the great wars between Amadis and King Lisuarte,\ntold us also of the best Knights who were there engaged, and I well\nremember your names among the best. Thus they continued their voyage\ntill they reached the kingdom, and then it was resolved that the Queen\nshould remain on shipboard, till she saw what success they had; and\nthey, taking their horses and arms and their Squires, and two Knights\nunarmed, who were in the Queen's company, to guide them, took their\nway toward the city wherein the Princes were besieged, which was a\ngood day's journey from the shore, and they bade their Squires carry\nwith them food and barley for the horses, that they might not enter\nany inhabited place. They rode on till evening, and then rested awhile\nupon the skirts of a forest, and gave their horses to eat, then mounted\nagain, and continued their way, till about an hour before day-break\nthey arrived at the camp. As covertly as they could, they reconnoitred\nit to see where was the weakest part, that they might break through;\nand having done that, they bade their Squires, and the two Knights,\nto use their endeavour, while they were fighting, to reach the town.\nAccordingly they three charged upon ten Knights whom they found before\nthem; at the first encounter each overthrew his man, and they broke\ntheir lances, and then laid about them so manfully with their swords,\nthat the other Knights, thinking they were attacked by a greater\nnumber, began to fly, crying out for help! Now, quoth Angriote, let us\nleave them and get to the walls; this they did; the uproar had brought\nsome of the besieged to the ramparts, who knew the two Knights, and\nwithout delay opened a portal and admitted them.\nThe Princes hearing the outcry, hastily arose, and when they heard that\nthese Knights were come to their help, and that the Queen their mother\nwas living, of whom before they had heard no tidings, whether she were\nalive or dead, they were greatly rejoiced, and the town's-people also\ntook heart; so the Knights were lodged in the Palace, and disarmed,\nand then went to rest. Meantime there was a great uproar in the Duke's\ncamp, the whole army were alarmed, and it was day before the tumult\nsubsided. The Duke questioned the Knights, and they said they had seen\nabout eight or ten horsemen, though they believed there had been more,\nand that they had entered the town; upon this he said they must be some\nof the country, and I will enquire who they are; and if I can learn,\nthey shall lose their lands. He then bade the army disarm, and retire\nto their quarters.\nAfter Angriote and his companions had slept awhile, they rose and\nheard mass with the young Princes, and then required them to summon all\ntheir people, that they might see what was their force. When this was\ndone, they said it was enough to resist the numbers of the Duke, and\nthey three took counsel together, and resolved, that when it was night\nan attack should be made upon the besiegers, and Don Bruneo, at the\nsame time, attempt to escape on another side with the youngest Prince,\nand go to certain places in that district which were well affected, but\nhad been compelled to supply the Duke's camp, because they saw their\nKing slain, and that the Queen was fled, and the Princes besieged.\nAmong them, it was thought, Don Bruneo might collect some succours,\nwhen they were encouraged by his presence, and the sight of the Prince;\nthe which if he could do, he should make certain signals, and they\nwould sally by night, while he at the same time attacked the camp.\nWhen the night was far advanced, Angriote and Branfil, and all the\npeople of the town, sallied out, and Don Bruneo and the Prince went out\non the other side, as had been agreed. Angriote and Branfil led the way\nalong a lane between gardens which they had noted by day, and which\nled into the plain where the army was encamped.\nThis plain was not guarded by day, but by night about twenty men were\nset to watch it; these they charged so hotly, that they soon overthrew\nthem, killing some, and beating down the rest. Angriote and Branfil\npassed on, felling all those who came from the camp at the uproar, and\nthus they continued their way till they came out into the open plain.\nThe Duke was now on horseback, and being enraged to see such confusion\nexcited by so few enemies, he spurred at them, and his people followed\nso furiously, that it seemed as if the ground would split, so that the\ntownsmen were dismayed, and fell back into the lane, and none remained\nin the field except Angriote and Branfil, who bore the brunt of all\nthat multitude; and they, though they bestirred themselves well, and\nslew many, and even beat the Duke from his horse, were perforce obliged\nto retreat into the lane also, where they halted, for the place was\nnarrow. The Duke, though he had fallen, was not wounded; he was soon\nremounted; and when he saw the enemies making good their ground, and\nthat those two Knights resisted all his power, and maintained the pass,\nhe cried out shame upon his Knights, that they let two men baffle\nthem. With that, so many advanced with him, and made such an attack,\nthat Angriote and his comrades, and their people, were driven up the\nlane some way, and the Duke thought he had won the battle, and that he\nmight enter the town with them. So advancing like a conqueror before\nhis men, sword in hand, he came up to Angriote, and smote him on the\nhelmet, for which he received payment without delay. For Angriote,\nafter he had seen how this man took the command, always had had his eye\nupon him, and now that he was in his reach, lifted up his sword and\ndealt him such a blow upon the helmet, as took away all his strength,\nand brought him to the ground at the horses feet. Then he shouted to\nhis people to take him, for it was the Duke. He and Branfil immediately\nadvanced and beat back the enemy; for as the lane was narrow they\nfought to advantage, as they could only be attacked in front. Meanwhile\nthe Duke was taken; he, as he recovered, knew not in whose hands he\nwas, but his men thought that he was slain, and retreated into the\nfield. Then the two Knights forebore to pursue, being satisfied with\nthe advantage which they had gained, and retired into the town. Their\nhorses soon died of their wounds, and their arms were in bad plight,\nbut they themselves had no great hurt. At the gate they found Prince\nGarinto, for so he was called, and you may imagine the pleasure he felt\nto see them safe, and the Duke a prisoner.\nOf all this Don Bruneo knew nothing, save only that he heard the\nuproar. There were only a few men on foot left on the side where he\nwent out, for the rest were gone toward the place of battle. These men\nwere without any to lead them, and he would not endanger the Prince by\nattacking them, but passed through them without hindrance, and thus\nthey rode on all the remainder of the night, following their guide.\nWhen it was morning, they came in sight of a good town called Alimenta,\nfrom whence they saw two armed Knights coming towards them, and the\nguides told him they belonged to the Duke's party. These were they whom\nthe Duke had sent to all the places round, to learn who had succoured\nthe town, and to order more food for the camp. Look you to the child,\ncried Don Bruneo, I will see what kind of Knights they can be who\nfollow so wicked a Lord. Then he made towards them, who thought he\nwas one of the camp, crying out, defend yourself, ye bad Knights, who\nlive with the traitor, for I defy you to death. At this they replied,\nyou shall have the reward of your folly! we should have let you pass,\ntaking you for a friend. With that they ran at him; all three brake\ntheir spears; but he whom Don Bruneo encountered, was driven to the\nground so violently, that he could neither move hand nor foot. Sword\nin hand, Don Bruneo then turned against the other, and a brave battle\nensued; but that other Knight was not of such force as was Don Bruneo,\nnor so practised in such dangers, and the blows fell on him so heavy,\nthat he dropt his sword, and lost both his stirrups, and fell upon\nthe neck of his horse, crying for God's sake do not kill me. Yield\nthen! quoth Bruneo. I yield, he replied, to save my life and my soul.\nAlight then! this he did, but he tottered and fell. Don Bruneo made\nhim rise;\u2014go see if thy companion be alive or dead, and he went and\nunlaced his helmet; and when the other Knight felt the air it somewhat\nrevived him.\nDon Bruneo then beckoned with his sword to the young Prince, for the\nguide had gone some way forward with him, distrusting the event of\nthe combat. When the Child came up and saw what Don Bruneo had done,\nhe was greatly amazed. Good Child, said he, order your enemies to be\nslain, though this would be but poor vengeance for the treason which\ntheir Lord committed against your father. The Child replied, but\nperadventure, Sir Knight, these had no part in that treason, and if it\nplease you, we had better take them alive than slay them. This answer\npleased Don Bruneo, and he thought that if the Child lived he would be\na good man. He then bade the guide lay the one Knight who was stunned,\nacross his horse, and making the other mount, they all proceeded to\nthe town. Greatly did the townsmen wonder to see those Knights who had\nleft them that morning, return in such a plight, and in this array were\nthey carried along the street into the square, where the people soon\ncollected, who, when they saw the Prince, they kissed his hand and\nwept, saying, Sir, if we dared put in execution what our hearts desire,\nor if we saw any hope, we should be ready to die in your service; but\nwe know of no remedy, for we have no chief or leader. O men of little\nheart! quoth Don Bruneo, do ye not remember that ye are vassals of the\nKing, this Child's father, and now also of the King his brother? how do\nye now discharge the duty to which ye are bound, seeing your Lord slain\nby so great treason, and his children besieged by the wicked Duke his\nenemy! Sir Knight, replied one of the most honourable of the townsmen,\nyou say truth; but we have had none to lead us on, and we are people\nwho live more by our substance than by arms; but now that our Prince is\nhere, and you to protect him, say what we are able and ought to do, and\nto the best of our power we will do it. You speak like a good man, said\nDon Bruneo, and it is reasonable that the King should well reward you,\nand all who will follow your opinion. I am come to lead you, and to die\nor live with you; and then he told them he was of the Firm Island, and\nin what manner he had come with the Queen. At this there was a great\nacclamation, and the people cried, there never was a Knight of the Firm\nIsland who was not fortunate, since the famous Amadis of Gaul won it.\nOrder us as you think good, and we will obey. Don Bruneo then thanked\nthem for their good will, and made the young Prince thank them also; he\nthen had the gates made fast, and said to them, go ye to your houses,\nand eat, and make ready your arms. I and the Prince will go to the next\ntown, and return hither with such force as we can raise there, and then\nI will lead you in such manner, that if the enemy await us they shall\nbe all destroyed; they have already enough to do, now such help is come\nto the King.\nAs they were preparing to depart at noon, two countrymen came to the\ngate in great haste, and bade the guards let them in, for they brought\ngood tidings; so they were led before the Prince and Don Bruneo, to\nwhom they related how the Duke had been taken, and that his army\nwere breaking up in confusion; we, said they, are of a neighbouring\nvalley, and had been to the camp with provisions; and seeing this, we\ncame here, that the townsmen might be on their guard, lest these men\nshould attempt to spoil them in their retreat. Upon this Don Bruneo\nsummoned all the people to the great square, and he and the Prince rode\namong them, and made these countrymen repeat their tidings. Now, good\nFriends, said he, I will go no farther for succour, for we are enough,\nand great shame would it be, if we should have no part of this glory!\nand the townsmen all cried, as soon as it is dark let us set forth. He\nwould fain have persuaded the young Prince to remain there in safety,\nbut he would not forsake Don Bruneo. So as soon as it was night they\nset out towards the camp; and when they had advanced some way, made the\nappointed signal; the townsmen seeing it, knew that Don Bruneo had sped\nwell: and they prepared to sally; but the besiegers seeing their fires\nkindled by night, and having lost their Duke, were in great alarm,\nand as fast as they could broke up their camp, and retired while it\nwas yet dark, so that they had gone some way before their retreat was\ndiscovered; and when Don Bruneo came up to the camp, and they of the\ntown on the other side, they found it deserted: howbeit they pursued\nthem, and coming up to them at day-break made great slaughter, and took\nmany prisoners, and returned with much spoil and great glory to the\ntown.\nThey then sent for the Queen. Who can tell the joy she felt when she\ncame and saw her son safe, and her enemy a prisoner? Angriote and his\ncompanions then besought her leave to depart, that they might return to\nthe Firm Island; but she entreated them to remain two days, that her\nson might be made King, and justice done upon that traiterous Duke in\ntheir presence. They replied, that they would willingly see the King\ncrowned, but not the punishment of the Duke; he was in her power, and\nshe might deal with him as she thought fit after their departure. The\nQueen then had a great scaffold erected in the square, covered with\nrich cloth of silk and gold; and there the Chiefs of the realm were\nassembled, and the Prince Garinto and the three Knights, and they\nbrought the Duke, in such evil plight as he was upon a horse without\na saddle. And the trumpet sounded, and the Prince was proclaimed King\nof Dacia, and Angriote and Don Bruneo placed upon his head a crown\nof gold, set with pearls and precious stones. Then were there great\nsports and rejoicings made for the rest of the day, to the great shame\nand sorrow of the Duke, whom all the people reviled; but those Knights\nbesought the Queen to send the Duke away, or else they would depart,\nfor they would not see such insults offered to any prisoner in their\npresence. Upon this the Queen remanded him to prison, seeing that it\ndispleased the Knights. She now besought them to accept certain rich\njewels; but they said they would take no reward for what they had done,\nonly as they had heard that the greyhounds and spaniels of that land\nwere excellently good, if it pleased her they would take some for their\nsports in the Firm Island. More than forty were then brought them, and\nthey chose such as they liked best.\nWhen the Queen saw that they would depart, she said to them, my good\nfriends, since ye would not take my jewels ye must needs take one which\nI value above all others in the world, and that is the King my son,\nwhom ye shall present in my name to Amadis, that in his company he may\nbe instructed in all good things that beseem a Knight, as God hath\nalready abundantly provided him with temporal goods; and tell him that\nif my son should live to years sufficient, he shall receive knighthood\nmore honourably from his hand than from any other living; and that for\nhis own sake, and for yours, who have recovered me my kingdom, it is at\nhis and your disposal. For this honour they thanked the Queen as she\ndeserved, and without delay embarked, the Queen going with them to the\nshore; and on her return she had the Duke hanged, that all might behold\nwhat fruit the flowers of treason produce.\nThey sailed on till they reached the Firm Island, and then sent to tell\nAmadis that the young King of Dacia was in their company. Amadis and\nAgrayes went out to meet him, and they courteously bade him welcome,\nand lodged him with Don Bruneo, till he should have companions suitable\nto his age.\n_CHAPTER 42._\nKing Lisuarte, when all things were ready for his departure, set forth\nwith Queen Brisena, and the Princess Leonoreta, and his High Steward\nKing Arban of North Wales, and King Cildadan, and Don Galvanes, with\nMadasima his wife, who were now come from Mongaza, and other Knights;\nbut King Gasquilan had returned to his own country. They travelled\non till they came within four leagues of the Firm Island, where they\nrested one night. When Amadis heard that they were so near, it was\nresolved that all the Knights of the Island, and all the Dames and\nDamsels should go meet them two leagues out. On the following day the\nKnights therefore went out, and all the Queens, with Queen Elisena\nand their company. What dresses they wore, and what riches, and how\ntheir palfreys were caparisoned, memory is not equal to relate nor\nwrite; but neither before nor since was there ever such a company of\nKnights so highly born, and of such prowess, and of such Princesses and\nfair Damsels, assembled in the world. When King Lisuarte saw such a\ncompany, and coming towards him, he guessed who they were, and hastened\nto meet them, and he and King Perion and the Emperor embraced. Amadis\nwas somewhat behind, talking with his brother Galaor, and when he came\nnear the King he alighted, though the King called out to him to keep\nhis seat, but he notwithstanding went up to him on foot, and kissed\nhis hand per-force; and then went on to Queen Brisena, whose bridle\nChild Esplandian was leading, the Queen bent downward to embrace him,\nbut he took her hands and kissed them. When Galaor, who was so weak\nthat he could scarcely sit on horseback, came near, King Lisuarte went\nto embrace him, and they both wept, and the King held him thus for a\nwhile, and could not speak; some said, that this feeling was for joy\nat their meeting, but others thought it was for the remembrance of all\nthat had passed, and for grief that they had not been together when\ntheir hearts so greatly desired it; you may assign it to which cause\nyou please, but in either case it proceeded from the great love which\nthey bore to one another.\nOriana made towards the Queen her mother: after Queen Elisena had\nsaluted her, and when her mother saw the thing in the world that she\nloved best, she took her in her arms, and if the Knights had not\nsupported them they would both have fallen; and Brisena kissed her\neyes and her face saying, O my child, God in his mercy grant that\nyour beauty which has brought upon us such trouble and such dangers,\nmay remedy all and bring about peace and happiness for ever more! but\nOriana could only weep for joy, and made no answer. Queen Briolania\nand Sardamira now came up and took her from her mother's arms, and\nthey spake to the Queen and all the other Ladies afterward, with that\ncourtesy which was due to one of the best and most honourable Queens\nin the world. Leonoreta came to kiss her sister's hand, but Oriana\nembraced her and kissed her; and then all the other Dames and Damsels\nof Brisena's Court joyfully accosted Oriana, whom they loved better\nthan themselves, for she was the noblest Lady of her time, and the most\naffable, and for that reason was she so beloved by all who knew her.\nThus is the meeting described, not as it was, for that would be\nimpossible, but as is convenient for the order of the book. They now\nproceeded all together toward the Island. When Queen Brisena saw\nso goodly a company of Knights, and how they all looked to Amadis,\nhe thinking himself the most honoured who was nearest him, she was\nastonished thereat, and though till now she had thought there was no\nhousehold in the world equal to King Lisuarte's, she now thought that\nhis Court was in comparison like that of a poor Count: she marvelled\nhow a Knight who had nothing but his arms and his horse could have\nattracted such state, and though he was the husband of her daughter,\nyet could she not help envying him, desiring that power and dignity\nfor her husband, and afterward for Amadis by inheritance; howbeit she\nconcealed this feeling, and went with a cheerful countenance, though\nin her heart she was disturbed. Thus as they went along Oriana could\nnot keep her eyes from Esplandian, and the Queen seeing this, said,\nDaughter, let this Child lead you. Oriana then stopped, and the Child\ncame humbly to kiss her hand; she longed to kiss him, but was obliged\nto refrain now. Then Mabilia drew near him, and said, My friend, I must\nhave a share of your embraces; at this he looked round with so sweet\na countenance that it was marvellous to behold, and they went on with\nthe Child between them, talking to him, who answered them so well, that\nthey looked at each other, and Mabilia said, was not this nice food for\nthe Lioness and her cubs? For God's sake, cried Oriana, do not remind\nme of that! His father, replied Mabilia, underwent no less a peril when\nhe was in the sea, but God preserved him to be what you behold him, and\nin like manner has preserved the son to excel him and all others in the\nworld. At this Oriana smiled from her heart, and answered, true Sister\nmine, you are tempting me to see which I would have the best! I will\nnot tell you! only God make them each without equal in his time, as\ntill now they have been.\nWhen they reached the Firm Island, King Lisuarte and Brisena were\nlodged in Oriana's apartment, and King Perion, and Elisena, and\nSardamira, and Oriana, with all the brides that were to be, in the\nupper story of the Tower. The tables were spread under the covered\nwalks in the garden, and supplied with such abundance of food and wine,\nand fruit, that it was a wonder to behold the plenty. Don Quadragante\ntook King Cildadan to his lodgings, and thus did all the other\nKnights, each taking one of King Lisuarte's company whom he loved\nbest. Amadis took for his guests King Arban of North Wales, and Don\nGrumedan, and Don Guilan the Pensive. Norandel went with his great\nfriend Don Galaor. But the joy which Agrayes had to see his Uncle and\nMadasima cannot be related or imagined, for he loved and reverenced him\nlike his own father; and he took Don Galvanes to his own lodging, and\nplaced Madasima with Oriana and his sister. Child Esplandian had for\nhis companion the King of Dacia, who was of his own age, and became his\ngreat friend.\nAfter the Knights had rested themselves two days, they began to give\norder respecting the marriages, that they might return each to his\nown land. So as they were talking together under the trees beside the\nfountain, of a sudden they heard a great uproar without the garden, and\nwere told that the strangest and most dreadful thing was coming across\nthe sea that had ever been seen. Immediately all the Knights went to\nhorse and rode down to the Coast, and the Queens and other Ladies\nwent up to the top of the Tower, and they saw the blackest and most\nfearful smoke upon the sea that could be imagined; presently the smoke\nbegan to clear away, and they saw in the middle of it, a serpent much\nbigger than the biggest ship in the world, his wings were more than an\narrow's flight asunder, and his tail curled up higher than a tower,\nand the head and the mouth, and the teeth, were so huge, and the eyes\nso terrible, that none could endure to look at them, and that black\nsmoke which rose as high as Heaven was the breath of his nostrils, and\nhis snortings and hisses were so terrible, that it seemed as if the\nsea would have burst asunder, and he spouted the water from his mouth\nso far and so fiercely, that if any ship, how great soever, had come\nnear, it would have been sunk. The Kings and the Knights, brave as\nthey were, looked at one another, and knew not what to say, nor what\nresistance they could possibly make. The great serpent drawing nearer,\nflew round and round as if in mirth, and clapped his wings so loudly,\nthat the rustling of the scales was heard for half a league around; at\nthat the horses all took fright, so that the Knights having no power\nto curb were obliged to alight, and some said it behoved them to arm\nthemselves; but while they were all thus amazed, they saw a boat let\ndown from the side of the serpent, all covered with cloth of gold,\nand in it was a Dame, having on each side of her a child richly clad,\nupon whose shoulders she was leaning, and two dwarfs marvellously\nill-favoured; and in this manner the boat came towards the land. Never\ntrust me, quoth Lisuarte, if this be not Urganda the Unknown!\nWhen the boat came near, they knew it was she, for she manifested\nherself to them in her own natural shape, in which she was seldom, for,\nfor the most part she assumed other appearances, seeming sometimes an\nold woman, at others like a girl. She landed, and approached to kiss\nthe King's hand, but he embraced her, and so also did the Kings Perion\nand Cildadan; and then she turned to the Emperor and said, Good Sir,\nthough you know me not, I know you, and shall be your friend, and you\nmust remember me whenever you need my help, for though you may think my\ndwelling place is far from your country, it would be for me no labour\nto perform the whole journey in a day. Courteously did the Emperor\nthank her, saying, that he had gained more in gaining her good will,\nthan by great part of his dominions. She then looked at Amadis, and\nsaid, I must not lose your embrace, noble Knight! though now you will\nregard little what such as we can do! Good Lady, quoth he, my will will\nalways be to serve you for the great favours which I have received\nat your hands, but my power will alway be weak to requite them. Then\nhaving saluted her other friends, she proceeded to the garden gate, and\nthere giving the two fair children into Esplandian's care, she went\nin, and was so well received as never other woman was in other place.\nShe looked round, and seeing all that goodly company, exclaimed, O my\nheart! see what thou wilt hereafter, thou wilt feel it like solitude,\nafter having in one day seen the best Knights in the world, and the\nfairest and most honourable Queens and Damsels that ever were born, and\nthe truest love? So she besought leave of the Queen that she might be\nOriana's guest; and there she was honoured of them as though she had\nbeen the Lady of all.\n_CHAPTER 43._\nDragonis, the Cousin of Amadis, was not in the Firm Island when Amadis\ndivided the conquests among the Knights, and gave them those Damsels in\nmarriage; for he had gone from the Monastery of Lubayna with a Damsel\nto deliver her father, the which adventure he had happily accomplished,\nand being then near Mongaza he had gone thither, and was now returned\nto the Firm Island in company with Don Galvanes and Madasima. Now\nbecause he was so good a Knight, Amadis, who dearly loved him, took him\naside, and told him, that he had learnt how the King of the Profound\nIsland, who had fled from the battle of Lubayna sorely wounded, was\nsince dead, and that he would give him that Island to be the King\nthereof, that the inheritance of his father might descend to his\nbrother Palomir, and the Princess Estrelleta to be his wife. Willingly\ndid Dragonis accept of this Princess and that island for a kingdom,\nthough he had before determined to go with Don Bruneo and Quadragante,\nand assist in putting them in possession of their dominions, and he\nthanked Amadis as so good an offer deserved, saying, that he was ready\nto follow his advice, and at all times bound to his service.\nAmadis then asked of King Lisuarte the dutchy of Bristol for Don Guilan\nthe Pensive, and the Dutchess, whom he had loved so long, for his wife;\nthe which the King readily granted in love to Amadis, and for the\ndesert of that good Knight; for this favour Amadis kissed the King's\nhand, and Don Guilan would have kissed his, but Amadis embraced him\nlovingly, like the man in the world who was more bountiful and gentle\nto his friends.\n_CHAPTER 44._\nThe Kings now determined that the marriages should be celebrated on\nthe fourth day, and that the feasts should continue fifteen days,\nafter which they would return home. When the day was arrived, all\nthe bridegrooms assembled at the apartment of Amadis, being clad in\nsuch rich and costly apparel as beseemed such personages upon such an\noccasion. They mounted their palfreys, and rode with the Kings and\nall their company to the garden, where they found the brides, all in\nrich array, and upon their palfreys also, and then with the Queens\nand other ladies, the whole company proceeded to the church, where\nthe holy Hermit Nasciano was ready to say mass. When the ceremony\nand marriage had been performed with all the solemnities which the\nholy church enjoins, Amadis went to King Lisuarte and said, Sir, I\nask a boon of you, which you will be nothing loth to grant. The King\nreplied, I grant it.\u2014Then, Sir, be pleased to command Oriana before\nit be dinner time to prove the Arch of True Lovers, and the Forbidden\nChamber, for hitherto we have none of us been able to persuade her to\nthe adventure, by reason of her great sadness. I have such confidence\nin her truth and beauty that I doubt not but she will enter without let\nor hindrance where no woman hath for a hundred years entered; for I saw\nGrimanesa's image, made with such cunning as she were alive, and her\nbeauty is nothing equal to Oriana's. Our marriage feast shall then be\nheld in the Forbidden Chamber.\nSon, replied the King, what you ask is easily done; but I fear lest\nit should disturb our feast; affection will often delude the eyes,\nand this may have been the case with you and Oriana. Fear not, quoth\nAmadis, my heart is assured that it will be as I say. The King then\nsent to Oriana, who was with the Queens and the other brides, and said\nto her, Daughter, your husband hath asked a boon of me, and it is only\nyou who can perform it, I would have you, therefore, make good my\npromise. She knelt down, and kissed his hand, saying, Sir, I would to\nGod that I could in any way serve you: tell me what it is to be, and if\nI can do it, there shall be no delay; then he raised her up and kissed\nher cheek, and said, before dinner you must prove the adventure of the\nArch of True Lovers, and of the Forbidden Chamber; for this is what\nyour husband hath asked. When they heard this, some there were who\nrejoiced that the attempt was to be made, and others who were fearful\nlest she should fail where many had failed, and thus be put to shame:\nso they left the church and made to the place beyond which none could\npass who were not found worthy.\nWhen they reached this place, Melicia and Olinda said to their\nhusbands, that they also would prove the adventure: thereat Don Bruneo\nand Agrayes were greatly rejoiced to see with what courage they would\nput their truth to the proof; but yet fearing lest it might turn out\notherwise, they replied, that they were so well satisfied, that the\nproof need not be made. Nay, said the brides, we will attempt it; if\nwe were elsewhere it might well be excused; but being at the place, it\nshall never be thought that we feared in our own hearts this proof.\nSince it is so, replied the husbands, we cannot deny that we shall\nreceive from it the greatest joy that can be. Then they told King\nLisuarte that these also would prove the adventure. In God's name!\nquoth the King. They all alighted; and it was agreed that Melicia and\nOlinda should enter first. They then advanced, and one after the other\npassed under the Arch without opposition, and went where the images of\nApolidon and Grimanesa stood; and the figure which stood upon the Arch\nsounded his trumpet sweetly, so that all who heard it were delighted;\nfor except they who had before heard the same, they had never heard\nso sweet sounds. Oriana then came up to the line of the spell, and\nshe looked round at Amadis and her face coloured; then she turned and\nadvanced, and when she was under the Arch, the Image began his music,\nand from the mouth of his trumpet showered down flowers and roses in\nsuch abundance that they covered the ground, and the sound was far\nsweeter than what had before been uttered, delightful to all who heard\nit, so that they would willingly have remained listening so long as\nit should continue; but as soon as she had passed the Arch the sound\nceased. She found Olinda and Melicia looking at their own names which\nwere now written in the jasper table: they seeing her joyfully went\nto her, and led her to behold the Images. Oriana looked carefully at\nGrimanesa, and saw that none of those who were without could compare\nwith her beauty; and she herself began to fear, and would willingly\nhave declined the adventure of the Forbidden Chamber; in that of\nthe Arch she had had no fear, knowing her own heart and true love.\nWillingly would they have tarried longer, if they who were without had\nnot expected them; so hand in hand they went out, so well contented\nand so proud of what they had atchieved, that their beauty seemed to\nhave been brightened by the success. Their three husbands, who had\nbefore proved the adventure, went through the Arch to meet them, which\nnone of the Knights could have done; and the trumpet sounded again, and\nagain showered more flowers, and they embraced their wives and kissed\nthem, and thus they all came forth together.\nThis done, they proceeded towards the Forbidden Chamber, then Grasinda\napproached Amadis and said, Sir, though my beauty may not be such as to\ngratify my heart's desire, yet I cannot for pride forbear this trial;\nit never shall be said that this was atchieved, and that I had not\nproved it. Let come what will, I will adventure. Amadis, whose only\nwish was that all might prove it before Oriana, that her glory might\nbe the greater, replied, Lady, I can only attribute this resolution to\nthe greatness of your heart, which wishes to atchieve that wherein so\nmany have failed; and he took her by the hand, and said, this fair lady\nwill attempt the adventure, and so should you also Olinda and Melicia;\nfor with such beauty as God hath given you, ye ought without fear, on\nso great an occasion to adventure it; perchance it may be accomplished\nby one of you, and then Oriana will be freed from the alarm which she\nfeels. This he said; but in his heart he knew that none but Oriana\ncould compare with Grimanesa's beauty.\nGrasinda then commended herself to God, and began her way. She reached\nthe copper perron with little trouble, and went on; but when she was\nnear the marble perron, she was opposed. Howbeit, discovering mere\nresolution than could have been expected from a woman, she held on, and\nreached the marble perron; but then she was seized without remorse by\nher goodly locks, and thrown out senseless. Don Quadragante took her;\nand though he knew there was no hurt in all this violence, yet was he\ngreatly moved; for albeit, he was now not a young man, yet did he as\nentirely love his lady as any of the other bridegrooms. The gentle\nOlinda came next, led by Agrayes, who had little hope that she would\nsucceed, notwithstanding his great love, for he had seen the image of\nGrimanesa; howbeit, he thought she could advance among the foremost.\nShe reached the marble perron without let, but there the resistance\nbegan; and having only advanced one step farther, she also was cast\nout. Melicia then came on with good cheer and a proud heart, and she\npassed both the perrons, so that all thought she would have entered the\nchamber, and Oriana herself was dismayed; but when she had advanced one\nstep beyond Olinda, she was thrown out, as if she had been dead, for\nthey who advanced farthest were thrown out with most violence, as it\nhad been done to the Knights before Amadis atchieved the adventure. The\ngrief of Don Bruneo to see her in such plight moved many to compassion;\nbut all they who knew that there was neither danger nor hurt laughed at\nhis alarm.\nAnd now Amadis led on Oriana in whom all beauty was centered. She\nadvanced with gentle step and firm countenance to the line of the\nspell, and there she crossed herself, and commended herself to God, and\nwent on. She felt nothing till she had passed both the perrons; but\nwhen she was within a step of the chamber, she felt hands that pushed\nher and dragged her back, and three times they forced her back to the\nmarble perron; but she with her fair hands repelled them on both sides,\nand it seemed as if she were thrusting hands and arms from her, and\nthus by her perseverance and good heart, but above all by reason of her\nsurpassing beauty, she came, though sorely wearied, to the door of the\nchamber and laid hold on the door post; and then the hand and arm which\nhad led in Amadis, came out and took her hand, and above twenty voices\nsung these words sweetly, Welcome is the noble Lady, who hath excelled\nthe beauty of Grimanesa the worthy companion of the Knight who, because\nhe surpasses Apolidon in valour, hath now the lordship of this Island,\nwhich shall be held by his posterity for long ages. The hand then drew\nher in, and she was as joyful as though the whole world had been given\nher, not so much for the prize of beauty which had been won, as that\nshe had thus proved herself the worthy mate of Amadis, having like him,\nentered the Forbidden Chamber, and deprived all others of the hope of\nthat glory.\nYsanjo then said, that all the enchantments of the Island were now\nat an end, and all might freely enter that chamber. They all went in\nand beheld the most sumptuous chamber that could be devised; and they\nembraced Oriana with such joy as though they had not for long while\nseen her. Then was the feast spread, and the marriage bed of Amadis and\nOriana made in that chamber which they had won.\nPRAISE BE TO GOD.\nVOL. IV.\n  _Here beginneth the fourth book of the noble and\n  virtuous Knight Amadis of Gaul, Son of King Perion and\n  Queen Elisena, which treats of his prowess and the\n  great feats of arms which he and the Knights of his\n  lineage performed._\n  CHAPTER 1.\n  _Of the great lamentation which Queen Sardamira made for\n  the death of Prince Salustanquidio_                        1\n  CHAPTER 2.\n  _How by the choice and command of the Princess Oriana,\n  these Knights carried her to the Firm Island_              4\n  CHAPTER 3.\n  _How Grasinda knowing the victory which Amadis had gained,\n  adorned to go forth, accompanied by many Knights and Dames\n  CHAPTER 4.\n  _How Amadis assembled together all the Knights, and the\n  speech which he made to them, and what they determined_   15\n  CHAPTER 5.\n  _How all the Knights were well contented with what Don\n  CHAPTER 6.\n  _How all the Knights were greatly anxious for the service\n  and honour of the Princess Oriana_                        25\n  CHAPTER 7.\n  _How Amadis spake with Grasinda, and what she replied_    31\n  CHAPTER 8.\n  _How Amadis sent a messenger to Queen Briolania_          36\n  CHAPTER 9.\n  _How Don Quadragante spake with his nephew Landin, and\n  told him to go to Ireland, and speak with the Queen his\n  niece, that she might allow his vassals to come and serve\n  CHAPTER 10.\n  _How Amadis sent to the King of Bohemia_                  42\n  CHAPTER 11.\n  _How Gandalin spake with Mabilia and Oriana, and what\n  CHAPTER 12.\n  _How Amadis and Agrayes, and all the Knights of high\n  degree, went to see and console Oriana, and the Ladies\n  CHAPTER 13.\n  _How the news of the defeat of the Romans, and the taking\n  of Oriana came to King Lisuarte, and of what he did\n  CHAPTER 14.\n  _Of the letter which the Princess Oriana sent to Queen\n  Brisena her mother, from the Firm Island_                 63\n  CHAPTER 15.\n  _How King Lisuarte asked counsel of King Arban of North\n  Wales and Don Grumedan and Guilan the Pensive, and what\n  CHAPTER 16.\n  _How it fortuned that Don Quadragante and Brian of\n  Monjaste lost themselves at sea, and by adventure found\n  Queen Briolania, and of what befell them_                 83\n  CHAPTER 17.\n  _Of the answer which Don Quadragante and Brian of\n  Monjaste brought from King Lisuarte, and what all those\n  CHAPTER 18.\n  _How Master Helisabad arrived at the land of Grasinda,\n  and from thence went to Constantinople with the\n  bidding of Amadis; and how he sped_                      103\n  CHAPTER 19.\n  _How Gandalin arrived in Gaul, and spake with King\n  Perion, and of the answer which he had_                  107\n  CHAPTER 20.\n  _How Lasindo the Squire of Don Bruneo of Bonamar, went\n  with the bidding of his Master to the Marquis and to\n  Branfil, and of what he did with them_                   112\n  CHAPTER 21.\n  _How Ysanjo went with the bidding of Amadis to the good\n  King of Bohemia, and of the good success which he met\n  CHAPTER 22.\n  _How Landin the nephew of Don Quadragante arrived in\n  Ireland, and of the success he had with the Queen_       116\n  CHAPTER 23.\n  _How Don Guilan the Pensive went to Rome with the\n  bidding of King Lisuarte, and of what he did in his\n  CHAPTER 24.\n  _How Grasandor son of the King of Bohemia met Giontes,\n  CHAPTER 25.\n  _How the Emperor of Rome arrived with his fleet at\n  Great Britain, and what he and King Lisuarte did_        139\n  CHAPTER 26.\n  _How King Perion advanced with his people against his\n  enemies, and how he arrayed his army for the battle_     149\n  CHAPTER 27.\n  _How when Arcalaus the Enchanter knew that all these\n  forces were collected for battle, he in all haste\n  called upon King Aravigo and his  companions_            153\n  CHAPTER 28.\n  _How the Emperor of Rome and King Lisuarte went with\n  all their force towards the Firm Island to seek their\n  CHAPTER 29.\n  _Shewing for what reason this Gasquilan King of Sweden\n  sent his Squire with the demand which you have heard to\n  CHAPTER 30.\n  _What befell to either party in the second battle, and\n  for what cause the battle was put a stop to_             188\n  CHAPTER 31.\n  _How King Lisuarte sent the body of the Emperor of Rome\n  to a Monastery, and how he spake with the Romans_        201\n  CHAPTER 32.\n  _How when the holy hermit Nasciano knew of this great\n  quarrel between the Kings, he set about making peace_    205\n  CHAPTER 33.\n  _How the holy man Nasciano returned with the answer of\n  King Perion to King Lisuarte, and of what was agreed_    224\n  CHAPTER 34.\n  _How when King Aravigo knew that the armies were\n  separated he determined to attack King Lisuarte_         228\n  CHAPTER 35.\n  _Of the battle which King Lisuarte had with King Aravigo\n  and his army, wherein King Lisuarte was conquered, and\n  how he was succoured by Amadis of Gaul, he who never\n  failed to succour those who were in need_                236\n  CHAPTER 36.\n  _How Amadis went to succour King Lisuarte, and of what\n  happened upon the way before he arrived_                 246\n  CHAPTER 37.\n  _How King Lisuarte assembled all the Kings and Chiefs\n  and Knights in the Monastery of Lubayna, and told them\n  the services which he had received from Amadis of Gaul,\n  and the guerdon which he gave him_                       275\n  CHAPTER 38.\n  _How King Lisuarte went to Windsor, and how he and\n  Queen Brisena and their daughter resolved to go to the\n  CHAPTER 39.\n  _How King Perion and his troops returned to the Firm\n  Island, and of what they did before King Lisuarte\n  CHAPTER 40.\n  _How Don Bruneo of Bonamar and Angriote of Estravaus\n  and Branfil went to Gaul for Queen Elisena and Don\n  Galaor, and of the adventures which befell them on\n  CHAPTER 41.\n  _Of what happened to Don Bruneo of Bonamar and Angriote\n  of Estravaus and Branfil, in the succour which they\n  CHAPTER 42.\n  _How King Lisuarte and Queen Brisena and the Princess\n  Leonoreta came to the Firm Island, and how those\n  Knights and Ladies  went out to receive them_            318\n  CHAPTER 43.\n  _How Amadis gave his cousin Dragonis in marriage to the\n  Princess Estrelleta and made him King of the Deep\n  CHAPTER 44.\n  _How the Kings were present at the marriages_            329\n    Biggs, Printer, Crane-court, Fleet-street.\n_ERRORS._\nVOL. I.\n  Page  Line\n   94    20   for _Lyons_ read _Lyones_.\n  272     2   for she could do more read she could do _no_ more\nVOL. II.\n  115    18   for for God's speak read for God's _sake_ speak.\n  211    12   for _the_ blood read _this_ blood.\n  229     4   for then blessed read then _he_ blessed.\n  240     3   for unless miraculously read unless _God_ miraculously.\n  279    11   for _knew_ that I _know_ read _know_ that I _knew_.\n  291    23   for so dangerous, they esteem it read so dangerous _did_ they\n  324     7   for _King_ read _Knight_.\n  339    12   love each truly read love each _other_ truly.\nVOL. III.\n    4    19   for _friend_ read _friends_.\n    9    21   for a full stop, place a comma.\n    9    22   for a comma, place a semicolon.\n   17    23   for to continue by sea read to continue _thus_ by sea\n   39     6   for She Lady who wished read She, Lady, who _wishes_.\n   79     8   for beseech read beseech _her_.\n  148     2   for _could_ read _would_.\n  194    14   for _branded_ read _bounded_.\n  287     6   for _Damsel_ read _Damsels_\n  296     2   for _Damsel_ read _Damsels_.\nVOL. IV.\n  212    25   for brought, read brought _about_.\nTRANSCRIBER'S NOTES\nVariations in spelling and hyphenation remain as in the original.\nThe following corrections have been made to the text:\n    Page 15: could he not but thoughtfully[original has\n    \"thonghtfully\"] reflect\n    Page 15: advice of Don Quadragante and[original has \"aud\"] of\n    his cousin\n    Page 45: Ah friend Gandalin[original has \"Gandaalin\"], said she\n    Page 46: tell you how this may be[\"be\" missing in original]\n    brought about\n    Page 53: told me this history of Esplandian[original has\n    \"Espladian\"]\n    Page 56: esteemed the greatest[original has \"greatess\"] Princess\n    Page 68: It becomes Embassadors[original has \"Embasssdors\"]\n    also respectfully\n    Page 72: In[original has \"in\"] truth then I gained but little\n    Page 97: went with Briolania to her chamber.[original has a\n    comma]\n    Page 104: Now then, said the[original has \"he\"] Emperor\n    Page 152: Damsels of her company beheld[original has \"heheld\"]\n    them\n    Page 155: valiant giants that were ever in this world[period\n    missing in original]\n    Page 161: grievous for me to fulfil[original has \"fullfil\"]\n    what you require\n    Page 162: the King; but[original has \"bnt\"] I will receive\n    Page 167: when he went to Oriana[orginial has \"Orania\"] at\n    Miraflores\n    Page 191: about to strike with the sword.[period missing in\n    original]\n    Page 243: mine shall befal to-morrow[original has \"to-morow\"]\n    Page 246: that his Lady Oriana[orginial has \"Orania\"] might\n    know that\n    Page 284: gave order that these Knights[original has \"Kinghts\"]\n    should be lodged\n    Page 294: I have reserved Queen Briolania[original has\n    \"Briolanea\"]\n    Page 300: and asked him how he[original has \"be\"] fared\n    Page 306: these Knights[original has \"Knighs\"] were come to\n    their help\n    Page 313: there never was[\"was\" missing in original] a Knight\n    of the Firm Island who was not fortunate\n    Page 332: images of Apolidon and[original has \"aud\"] Grimanesa\n    stood\n    Page 332: in[original has \"In\"] that of the Arch she had had no\n    fear\n    Page 334: perchance it[original has \"ti\"] may be accomplished\n    Page 345: Emperor of Rome to a Monastery[original has\n    \"Manastery\"]\n    Page 345: knew that the armies were separated[original has\n    \"seperated\"]\nThe corrections listed on the Errors page for Vol. IV. have been made\nto this text.\nEnd of Project Gutenberg's Amad\u00eds of Gaul, (Vol. IV. of IV), by Vasco Lobeira\n*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMAD\u00cdS OF GAUL, (VOL. 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{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1383, "culture": " English\n", "content": "Produced by Josep Cols Canals, Lisa Reigel, and the Online\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)\nTranscriber's Notes: Words in italics in the original are surrounded\nwith _underscores_. Variations in spelling and hyphenation remain as\nin the original. The Table of Contents is at the end of this volume. A\ncomplete list of corrections follows the text.\n            Printed by N. Biggs, Crane-court, Fleet-street,\n              FOR T. N. LONGMAN AND O. REES, PATERNOSTER\n_AMADIS of GAUL._\nBook the First.\n_CHAPTER 36._\nAmadis and Galaor were within two leagues of London when they saw\nArdian the Dwarf coming towards them as fast as horse could gallop.\nNever trust me, quoth Amadis, if he comes not with the news of some\ngreat mishap to seek us. Presently the Dwarf came up and related all\nhis tidings, and how Oriana was carried away. Holy Mary, help me! cried\nAmadis: which way did they take her?\u2014By the city is the nearest road.\nAmadis immediately spurred his horse, and gallopped amain towards\nLondon, so confounded with the terror of this news that he never spoke\nword to Galaor, who followed him full speed. They passed close by the\ntown without stopping a minute, only Amadis enquired of all he saw\nwhich way the Princess had been taken; but as Gandalin passed under the\nwindows where the Queen and her Ladies were, the Queen called him,\nand threw the King's sword to him, which was the best sword that ever\nKnight girded on; take it to your Master, quoth she, and God speed him\nwith it! and tell Galaor that the King went from hence with a Damsel\nthis morning, and is not yet returned, and we know not where she has\nled him. Gandalin took the sword and rode as fast as he could after\nAmadis, who coming to a brook missed the bridge in his hurry, and\nforcing the horse to leap the tired animal fell short into the mud;\nthen Gandalin came up to him and gave him the sword, and the horse\nwhich he himself rode. Presently they turned aside from the road to\nfollow the track of horsemen, and there they saw some woodmen, who\nasked them if they came from London, for if a Knight and a Damsel be\nmissing there, said they, we have seen an adventure; and then they\ntold them what they had beheld. Who is it that has taken them? quoth\nAmadis; for he knew it was Lisuarte by the description. They answered,\nthe Damsel who led the Knight here called loudly for Arcalaus. Lord\nGod! quoth Amadis: let me but find that traitor!\u2014The woodmen then told\nthem how the party had separated, and said that one of the five Knights\nwho went with the Damsel was the biggest Knight they had ever seen.\nAmadis knew that that was Arcalaus; and bidding Galaor follow where\nthe King went, he spurred on after Oriana. By sunset the horse could\ncarry him no farther, and he being greatly distressed, saw a little to\nthe right of the road a Knight lying dead, and a Squire by him holding\nhis horse. Who slew that Knight? cried Amadis. A traitor that passed\nby, carrying the fairest Damsel in the world by force, and he slew my\nmaster only for asking who they were, and here is no one to help me\nto remove the body.\u2014My Squire shall help you: give me your master's\nhorse: I promise to give you two better in return. He told Gandalin to\nfollow him after the body was disposed of, and gallopped on. Towards\nday-break he came to a hermitage in a valley, and asked the Hermit\nif he had seen five Knights pass carrying with them two Damsels? Do\nyou see yonder castle? he replied: my nephew tells me that Arcalaus\nthe Enchanter is lodged there, and with him two fair Damsels whom he\nhath taken by violence. By God the very villain whom I seek!\u2014He hath\ndone much evil in this land, replied the Hermit. God remove him, or\nmend him!\u2014Then Amadis asked him if he had any barley for his horse;\nand, while the horse was feeding, enquired who was the Lord of the\ncastle. Grumen, said the good man, cousin to Dardan who was slain in\nLisuarte's court, and therefore the King's enemies put up there. Now\nGod be with you, father! quoth Amadis; I beseech you remember me in\nyour prayers! which way to the castle?\u2014Amadis followed the path which\nthe good man had pointed out, and came up to it, and saw that the wall\nwas high and the towers strong. He listened and could hear no sound\nwithin, and that pleased him, for he knew that Arcalaus was not gone\nforth; and he rode round, and saw that it had only one issue. Then he\nretired among some crags, and, dismounting, stood holding the bridle,\nand with his eyes fixed upon the gate, like one who had no will to\nsleep. By this the morning broke, and he removed farther across a\nvalley to a hill that was well wooded, for he feared that if those of\nthe castle saw him they would suspect there were others at hand, and\ntherefore not come out. Presently the gate opened, and a Knight came\nout, and went to a high eminence and looked all round; then returned\ninto the castle. It was not long before he saw Arcalaus and his four\ncompanions come out, all well armed, and among them Oriana. Ah, God!\nquoth he, now and for ever help me in her defence! They drew near him,\nand he heard Oriana say, Dear friend, I shall never see thee more, for\nI go to my death. The tears came into his eyes; he descended the hill\nas fast as he could, and came after them into a great plain, and then\ncried, Arcalaus! traitor! it becomes not one like thee to carry away\nso excellent a Lady! Oriana knew the voice, and shook all over; but\nArcalaus and the others ran at him. He took his aim at Arcalaus, and\nbore him right over the crupper; then turned his horse and smote at\nGrumen, so that the point and part of the stave of the spear came out\nat his back, and he fell down dead, and the spear broke in him. Then\nhe drew the King's sword, and laid about with such rage and violence,\nand felt such strength in himself, that he thought if the whole plain\nwere full of Knights they could not stand before him. We are succoured!\nquoth the Damsel of Denmark: it is the fortunate Knight! look at the\nwonders he performeth! Ah God protect thee, dear friend! cried Oriana:\nnone other in the world can save us. The Squire who had her in his\nkeeping seeing what had passed, cried out, Certes I shall not wait\ntill those blows come upon my head which shields and helmets cannot\nresist! and he put the princess down, and rode off full speed. By this\nAmadis had cut thro' the arm of another, and sent him away howling\nwith the agony of death; and he cleft a third down to the neck. The\nfourth began to fly, and Amadis was after him, when he heard his Lady\ncry; and looking round, saw that Arcalaus had mounted again, and was\ndragging her up by the arm. Amadis soon came up to them, and lifting up\nhis sword dared not put forth his strength lest he should slay both,\nbut with a half-blow he smote him on the shoulder, and cut away part\nof the cuirass and the skin; then Arcalaus let Oriana fall, that he\nmight escape the better. Turn, Arcalaus, cried Amadis, and see if I be\ndead as thou hast reported! but he in fear of death spurred on, and\nthrew his shield from off his neck for speed. The blow made at him just\nreached his loins with the sword-end, and fell upon the horse's flank\nand wounded it, so that the beast rode away more furiously. Amadis,\nalbeit he so hated the Enchanter, did not pursue him further, lest he\nshould lose his mistress, he turned towards her, and alighted and knelt\nbefore her, and kissed her hand, saying, now let God do with me what he\nwill! I never thought to see you again. She being among the dead was\nin great terror, and could not speak, but she embraced him. The Damsel\nof Denmark going to hold his horse saw the sword of Arcalaus on the\nground, and admiring its beauty gave it to Amadis; but he seeing it\nwas right glad thereof, for it was King Perion's sword which had been\nplaced in his cradle, and which Arcalaus had taken when he enchanted\nhim. Presently Gandalin came up, who had travelled all night long: a\njoyful man was he seeing how the quest had ended.\nAmadis then placed Oriana upon the Damsels palfrey, while Gandalin\ncaught one of the loose horses for the Damsel, and taking her bridle\nthey left the place of battle. But Amadis as they went along reminded\nOriana how she had promised to be his; hitherto, said he, I have known\nthat it was not in your power to show me more favour than you did; but\nnow that you are at full liberty, how should I support disappointments\nwithout the worst despair that ever destroyed man! Dear friend, quoth\nshe, never for my sake shall you suffer, for I am at your will: though\nit be an error and a sin now, let it not be so before God.\u2014When they\nhad proceeded about three leagues they entered a thick wood, and about\na league farther there was a town. Oriana, who had not slept a wink\nsince she left her father's house, complained of fatigue: let us rest\nin that valley, said Amadis. There was a brook there and soft herbage;\nthere Amadis took her from her palfrey: the noon, said he, is coming on\nvery hot, let us sleep here till it be cooler, and meantime Gandalin\nshall go bring us food from the town. He may go, replied Oriana, but\nwho will give him food?\u2014They will give it him for his horse, which\nhe may leave in pledge, and return on foot. No: said Oriana, let him\ntake my ring, which was never before so useful: and she gave it to\nGandalin, who, as he went by Amadis, said to him, he who loses a good\nopportunity, Sir, must wait long before he find another. Oriana laid\nherself down upon the Damsel's cloak, while Amadis disarmed, of which\nhe had great need, and the Damsel retired farther among the trees to\nsleep. Then was his Lady in his power, nothing loth; and the fairest\nDamsel in the world became a Woman. Yet was their love encreased\nthereby, as pure and true love alway is.\nWhen Galaor returned, the Damsel prepared the food; and, though they\nhad neither many serving-men, nor vessels of gold and silver, yet was\nthat a sweet meal upon the green grass in the forest.\n_CHAPTER 37._\nGalaor rode on after the King so fast as his horse could carry him;\nstill following the track of the horsemen. About vespers he met a\nKnight who cried out to him, whither so fast? stop and tell me! I have\nno time, quoth he.\u2014By St. Mary, you pass not so! tell me, or fight me!\nBut Galaor still rode on.\u2014Certes, Knight, cried the stranger, you have\ncommitted some villainy that you fly so fast: defend yourself! Galaor\nturned as if to meet him in his career, but dexterously moved aside,\nso that the Knight's horse in his speed carried him a good way on. Ah,\ncoward! cried the Knight, when at last he turned, thou shalt answer me\nor die! and he ran at him again full tilt. Again Galaor avoided the\nencounter, and rode on as fast as he could. When the Knight saw him\nfar before, he said, as God shall help me, he shall not escape so!\nand knowing the country well, he struck across by a nearer way, and\ntook possession of a pass. Faint-hearted coward! quoth he, chuse now\nof three things: fight, or turn back, or answer me! I like neither,\nreplied Galaor, and you are discourteous: if you want to know why I go\nso fast, follow me and see; I should lose time in telling you, and you\nwould not believe me, it is for so great an evil. The Knight answered,\nIn God's name then go on, and I will follow thee though for these three\ndays.\nIn about half a league's time they saw one Knight running after his\nhorse, and another gallopping away from him. He who was with Galaor\nknew him on foot, for he was his cousin, and he caught the horse\nfor him, and asked him, how is this? He replied, I was riding along\nthinking upon you know what, when that Knight yonder gave me such a\nthrust on my shield that the horse fell upon his knees and threw me. I\ndrew my sword, and called to him to do battle; but he only cried out,\nremember to answer another time when you are spoken to! and so he rode\naway. By my faith in God, let us follow him, and see you how I will\navenge myself. I cannot, said his cousin, now, for I must keep this\nKnight company for three days; and then he related what had befallen\nhim with Galaor. Quoth the other, certes either he is the greatest\ncoward in the world, or he goes upon some great adventure: I will\nforego my own vengeance to see the end of this. By this Galaor was far\nbefore them, for he did not tarry a whit, and they rode after him. It\nwas now drawing towards night. Galaor entered a forest, and soon lost\nthe track, for it was dark, so that he knew not which way to take. Then\nhe began to pray to God to guide him that he might be the first to\nsuccour the King; and thinking that those horsemen might have led the\nKing apart from the road to rest themselves, he went along the bottoms\nlistening every where if he might hear them. The Knights thinking he\nhad kept the road, rode straight forward about a league till they came\nthrough the forest, and not seeing him there they imagined he had\nhidden himself, and they turned aside to lodge in the house of a Dame\nhard by.\nWhen Galaor had searched the forest throughout, and found nothing, he\nresolved to proceed, and ascend some eminence the next day to look\nabout. So recovering the road, he went on till he came into the open\ncountry, and there he saw before him in a valley a little fire. Thither\nhe went; it was some forgemen, and they seeing him come among them in\narms, took up lances and hatchets to defend themselves; but he bidding\nthem not fear, besought them to give him some barley for his horse.\nThe which they did, and he gave the beast his supper. They would have\ngiven him also to eat, but he would not; only he lay down to sleep,\nrequesting them to wake him before day-break. The night was two parts\ngone, and Galaor lay down by the fire, completely armed. At dawn he\nrose, for he had not slept much for pure vexation, and, commending them\nto God, he took his leave. His Squire had not been able to keep pace\nwith him, and thenceforth he vowed if God prospered him, to give his\nSquire the better horse. So he rode to a high hill, and from thence\nbegan to look all round him.\nThe two cousins had now left the Lady's house, and it being now day\nthey saw Galaor on the eminence, and knowing him by his shield rode\ntowards him. As they drew nigh they saw him descend the hill as fast\nas horse could carry him. Certes, quoth the one, he is flying and\nconcealing himself for some mischief: if I come up with him, God never\nhelp me if I do not learn from him what he hath deserved. But Galaor,\nthinking nothing of them, had just seen ten Knights passing a strait\nat the entrance of the forest, of whom five rode first and five behind,\nand some unarmed men went in the middle. These he thought to be the\nvillains with the King, and went towards them like a man who has\ndevoted his own life to save another. Coming near, he saw Lisuarte with\nthe chain about his neck; and then, with grief and rage that defied\ndanger, he ran at the first five, exclaiming, Ah, traitors! to your own\nmisfortune have you laid hands upon the best man in the world! The five\nat once ran at him; he smote the first so sternly, that the wood of his\nlance appeared through his back, and he fell dead; the others smote\nhim with such force that his horse fell upon his knees, and one of\nthem drove his spear between Galaor's shield and breast-plate. Galaor\nforced it from him, and striking at another with it, nailed his leg\nto the horse, and left the broken lance in them; then putting hand to\nsword, the others all came at him, and he defended himself so bravely\nthat every one wondered how he could bear up against such blows. But\nbeing in this great press of danger, it pleased God to succour him\nwith the two cousins who were in his pursuit, who seeing his great\nchivalry, exclaimed, Of a truth we wrongly called him coward: let us\ngo help the best Knight in the world! With that they ran full tilt to\nhis assistance, like men who knew their business, for they had each\nbeen Errant Knights for ten years, and the one was called Ladasin, the\nsword-player, and the other Don Guilan the pensive, the good Knight.\nAt this time Galaor had great need of their aid, for his helmet was\nhacked and battered, his harness open in many places, and his horse\ntottering with loss of blood; yet he felt assured that, if his horse\ndid not fail him, he should bring it to a good end. But when the two\ncousins came to his help, then he bestirred himself more hopefully, for\nhe marvelled at their prowess. The load of blows was lightened, and he\nhad room for action. When the Cousin of Arcalaus saw how things were\ngoing, for his Knights were falling on all sides, he ran to Lisuarte to\nslay him. Those who were with the King had fled, and he got from off\nthe palfrey with the chain about his neck, and caught up a shield and\nsword from the ground, and received upon the shield the blow that was\nmeant for his death. The sword passed a palm's length through the rim\nof the shield, and with its point reaching the head made a slant wound\nto the skull; but the King smote at his enemy's horse in the face, so\nthat the traitor could not repeat the blow, and the horse reared and\nfell back upon the rider. Galaor now on foot, for his horse could not\nmove, ran to him to smite off his head; but the King called out not to\nslay him. By this the two cousins had made an end of their last enemy,\nand then turning round they knew the King, to their great wonder,\nfor they knew nothing of what had happened; and they took off their\nhelmets, and knelt before him. He raised them up, saying, By my God,\nfriends, you have succoured me in time! great wrong, Don Guilan, hath\nyour mistress done me in withdrawing you from my company, and for your\nsake I lose Ladasin also. Guilan was ashamed at these words, and his\ncheeks crimsoned, for he loved the Dutchess of Bristol and she loved\nhim, and the Duke always suspected it was he who had entered his castle\nwhen Galaor was there.\nGalaor had now taken the chain from Lisuarte, and fastened it round\nthe cousin of Arcalaus; they took the horses of the dead, one for the\nKing, and one for Galaor, and rode towards London. They halted at\nthe dwelling of Ladasin, and there found Galaor's Squire and Ardian\nthe Dwarf, who thought his master had taken that way. A Squire was\nsent forthwith to inform the Queen of Lisuarte's safety. They rested\nthat night; and, as they set forth on the morning, their prisoners\nconfessed how all that had passed had been concerted with Barsinan,\nthat he might make himself King of Great Britain; which, when Lisuarte\nheard, he spurred on in greater haste.\n_CHAPTER 38._\nThe woodmen had carried the news of Lisuarte's imprisonment to London;\nimmediately there was a great stir in the city: the Knights all ran\nto horse, and gallopped to his rescue, so that the whole plain seemed\nfull of them. King Arban of North Wales was talking with the Queen,\nwhen his Squires brought him horse and arms, and a Page said to him,\narm yourself, Sir! what are you doing? there is not a Knight of all\nthe King's company, except yourself, who is not gone full speed to the\nforest. And why? quoth Arban.\u2014Because they say ten Knights are carrying\naway the King prisoner. Holy Mary! exclaimed the Queen; I always feared\nthis! and she fell down in a swoon. Arban left her to the care of her\nLadies, all making loud lamentation, and armed himself. As he was\nmounting, he heard a great cry that the Tower was taken. Holy Mary!\nquoth he, we are all betrayed! and then he knew he must not leave the\nQueen. By this time there was such an uproar in the town, as if all the\npeople of the world were there. Arban drew up his two hundred Knights\nbefore the Queen's palace, and sent two of them to discover the cause\nof the tumult. They went to the Tower, and saw that Barsinan had got\npossession of it, and was killing some and throwing others from the\nwalls, for he had six hundred Knights with him, besides footmen, and\nthe King's Knights suspecting nothing had all gone to their master's\nrescue. The townsmen hearing this, ran all armed as they could in haste\nto the Queen's palace, and there also Barsinan went that he might take\nher, and get possession of the crown and throne. When he arrived he\nfound Arban ready for defence. Arban, quoth he, you have hitherto been\nthe wisest Knight of a young man that has been known: see now that you\nlose not your wisdom. Why do you say this? cried Arban.\u2014Because before\nfive days end Lisuarte's head will be sent me, and there is no other\nin this land who can and ought to be King except myself, and King I\nwill be! I give you the kingdom of North Wales which you now hold,\nbecause you are a good Knight and wise: so retire now, and let me take\nthe crown and throne, for whosoever opposes me shall lose his head.\nVillain and Traitor! quoth Arban; and then began a sharp conflict,\nwherein many were slain, which lasted till night, for the streets being\nnarrow Barsinan could not avail himself of his numbers, and King Arban\nso behaved himself that he that day saved the Queen.\nAt night both parties retired: the Queen then sent for Arban; he went\nto her armed as he was, and wounded in many places, and, when he came\nbefore her, took off his battered helmet. There were five wounds in\nhis face and neck, and his countenance was all bloody; but it seemed a\nbeautiful face to those who, under God, thought him their protector.\nBut the Queen seeing him, wept aloud with great pity: Ah, good nephew,\nGod defend thee! what will become of the King? and what will become of\nus? Of him, quoth Arban, we shall have good news; for ourselves, fear\nnothing from these traitors: your vassals who are with me can defend\nthemselves in their great loyalty.\u2014But, Nephew, you are not in a state\nto bear arms, and what can the others do without you?\u2014Fear not, Lady,\nso long as life is in me I shall not forsake my arms.\nBarsinan, who found his people had need of rest, took twenty Knights\nwith him in the morning, and went to a post which Arban's High Steward\nkept. They at the barrier took their arms to defend themselves, but\nBarsinan cried out that he came to speak with them, and make a truce\ntill noon; to which Arban, being advised thereof, assented willingly,\nfor the most part of his company had been so hardly handled that they\ncould not bear arms. Barsinan then went to Arban, and said he would\nmake a truce for five days. Agreed, said Arban, but provided that\nyou shall not attempt to take any thing in the town; and that if the\nKing comes, we immediately act as he may order us. I grant all this,\nsaid Barsinan, that there may be no more battling, for I value my own\nKnights, and I value you who will be mine sooner than you think. I will\ntell you how: the King is dead, and I have his daughter and will make\nher my wife. God forsake me then, quoth Arban, if ever thou shalt have\ntruce with me, since thou art a partaker in the treason against my\nliege Lord! go and do thy worst! And before night Barsinan made three\nattacks upon him, and was repulsed.\n_CHAPTER 39._\nMeantime Amadis asked Oriana what Arcalaus had said to her. He told\nme not to grieve, said she, for within fifteen days he would make me\nQueen of London, and give me Barsinan for my husband, to whom he was to\ngive me and my father's head, and be made his High Steward in return.\nHoly Mary! quoth Amadis: Barsinan, who seemed such a friend! I fear\nlest he do injury to the Queen. Dear friend, cried Oriana, hasten on!\nI must to my sorrow, replied Amadis, for else I should have delighted\nto pass four days here in the forest with you, if it had pleased you.\nOriana answered, God knows how willingly! but great evil might happen\nthereby to this land, which if God pleases will one day be yours and\nmine. As soon as it was morning Amadis armed himself, and leading his\nLady's bridle, rode on as fast as they could towards London; and every\nwhere they met the Knights, five by five, and ten by ten, as they\nwere seeking the King; more than a thousand they met, and told them\nwhich way the King was gone, and how Galaor was in quest of him. When\nthey came within five leagues of London they met Grumedan, the good\nold Knight who had fostered the Queen; twenty of his lineage were with\nhim, and they had been all night long scouring the forest. He seeing\nOriana went towards her weeping: Oh God, Lady, what a good day with\nyour coming! but what tidings of the King? They told him what they\nknew, and Amadis said to him, Take you charge of Oriana, and bid all\nthe Knights that you shall meet turn back, for if numbers can succour\nhim, there are already more than enough gone: I must go with all speed\nto protect the Queen. With that he gallopped away: at the entrance of\nthe city he found the Squire whom Lisuarte had sent with the news of\nhis deliverance, and learnt also the state of the city. So entering\nas privately as he could he went to Arban, who embraced him right\njoyfully, and asked, what news? As good as heart could wish! quoth\nAmadis: let us go to the Queen. He took with him Ladasin's messenger,\nand kneeling before Brisena, said, Lady, this Squire has left Lisuarte\nsafe and well, and I have left Oriana with your fosterer Grumedan;\nthey will soon be here, but I must go look after Barsinan. He then\nchanged his shield and helmet that he might not be known, and bade\nArban throw down the barriers, that the traitors might come freely\non, for by God's help they shall pay dearly for their treason! The\nbarriers were thrown down, and Barsinan prest on at the head of his\npeople, thinking that all would now be his, for his own men were many\nand his enemies few, and he was eager to seize the Queen. The King's\nparty gave back being overpowered, then Amadis went forth; he had on\na rusty helmet, and a plain shield hanging from his neck; but he was\nsoon judged to be a good one, and he went on making his way through the\npress; and having the good sword of Lisuarte by his side. He forced his\nway to Barsinan and encountered him; drove his lance through shield\nand corselet, and left the broken spear in him half way of its iron;\nthen drew he his sword, and smote off the crest and top of his helmet,\nand the scalp of his head, for the sword cut so finely that Amadis\ncould scarce feel the blow he gave; with another stroke he sheared\nthro' gauntlet and hand, and the sword passing through the bone of the\nwrist, fell on the leg and entered in half through. Then Barsinan fell,\nand Amadis turned upon the throng, and King Arban so prest them that\nthey who could escape slaughter ran to the Tower, and made fast the\ngates. Amadis finding he could not force entrance readily, went back\nto Barsinan, and finding him still alive, ordered that he should be\ncarried to the palace and kept till the King's return. Then the strife\nbeing over, he looked at the bloody sword which he held in his hand.\nSword! quoth he, in a happy day was the Knight born who shall wield\nyou! and certes you are well employed, for being the best in the world,\nyou belong to the noblest King! He then disarmed himself, and went to\nthe Queen; and Arban was laid in his bed, as there was great need, for\nhe was sorely wounded.\nAt this time King Lisuarte was hastening to London. Of the Knights whom\nhe met, some he made turn back, others he sent through the vallies and\nby all roads to recal their comrades from their search. The first whom\nhe met were Agrayes and Galvanes, and Solinan and Galdan, and Dinadaus\nand Bervas, all six together making great moan; who when they saw him\nwould have kissed his hand, but he joyfully embraced them. Sir, said\nDinadaus, the whole city are in quest of you like mad men. Nephew,\nreplied the King, take some of these Knights with you, and carry my\nshield that you may be the sooner obeyed, and turn back all whom you\nmeet. This Dinadaus was one of the best Knights of the King's lineage,\nand well esteemed among all good Knights, as well for courteous bearing\nas for his good chivalry and prowess. When they came into the high\nroad to London they fell in with Grumedan, the King's so dear friend,\nwho was conducting Oriana home; and I tell you their pleasure was\nexceeding great, and the old man told him how Amadis was gone to the\nQueen's succour. Presently they heard news what Barsinan had done, and\nhow King Arban had defended the city, and how by the coming of Amadis\nall had been ended and the traitor taken. By the time the King reached\nLondon, there were in his company more than two thousand Knights. When\nhe came to the palace, who can tell the joy that was made? Immediately\nhe had the Tower surrounded, and having made Barsinan and the Cousin\nof Arcalaus confess the whole manner of their treason, they were both\nburnt in sight of their own people, who having no provisions, neither\nany remedy, in five days came to the King's mercy, and he executed\njustice upon some and pardoned others. Thus ended this treason, but it\nwas the cause of much enmity between the countries of Great Britain\nand Sansuena, for a son of Barsinan, who was a good Knight, came\nafterwards against Lisuarte with a great power.\nThese dangers over the court proceeded as before, making great pastimes\nand festivals as well by night in the town, as by day in the fields.\nOn one of those days the Lady and her sons arrived, before whom Amadis\nand Galaor had made their covenant with Madasima. They seeing her went\nhonourably to bid her welcome. Friends, said she, you know wherefore I\nam come: what will you do in this case? will you not keep your promise,\nfor to-day is the time? In God's name, replied Galaor, let us go before\nthe King. Let us go, quoth she. Then coming into the presence, the Lady\nmade her obeisance and said, Sir, I come here to see these Knights\nperform a covenant which they have made; and then she repeated what\nthey had promised to Madasima, the Lady of Gantasi. Ah Galaor, cried\nthe King, you have undone me! Galaor answered, better this than to die:\nif we had been known, all the world could not have saved our lives; and\nnow the remedy is easier than you imagine. Brother, remember you have\npromised to follow my example! Then Galaor related before the King,\nand all the Knights present, by what treachery they had been taken.\nSir King, said he, I now forsake you and your company for the sake\nof Madasima, the Lady of Castle Gantasi; for it is her will to do you\nthis displeasure, and whatever others she can, for the hatred she bears\nyou. Amadis affirmed what his brother had said. Have we performed our\ncovenant? then said Galaor to the three witnesses; they answered, yes,\ntruly, you have acquitted your promise. In God's name! quoth Galaor,\nand now you may return when you please, and tell Madasima that she hath\nnot made her terms so cunningly as she thought, as you may see. Sir,\nwe have kept our covenant with Madasima, and forsaken your service;\nbut it was not stipulated how long we were to be out of your service,\ntherefore we are free to use our own will, and freely again enter your\nservice as before. At this Lisuarte was greatly pleased, and said to\nthe Lady, Certes these Knights have fairly acquitted themselves of a\npromise so treacherously obtained, and just it is that they who deceive\nshould be themselves deceived. Tell Madasima, that, if she hates me,\nshe had it in her power to do me the greatest ill that could happen;\nbut God, who has preserved them from other perils, would not suffer\nthem to perish by such hands. If it please you, Sir, said the Lady,\ntell me who these Knights are?\u2014Amadis and Don Galaor his brother. What!\nwas Amadis in her power? cried she: now God be praised that they are\nsafe, for certes it had been great misadventure if two such good men\nhad so perished? She will be ready for pure vexation to inflict the\ndeath upon herself which she designed for them. Truly, quoth the King,\nthat would be more justly done. So the Lady went her way.\n_CHAPTER 40._\nTwelve days together did King Lisuarte continue his court, and, when\nit broke up, though many Knights departed to their own lands, it was\na wonder how many remained, and in like manner many Dames and Damsels\ncontinued to abide with the Queen. Among those whom the King received\ninto his company were the cousins Ladasin and Guilan the pensive, both\ngood Knights, but Guilan was the better of the twain, for in the whole\nkingdom of London there was none who surpassed him in worth; but so\nabsent was he, that none could enjoy his conversation or company, and\nof this love was the cause, and that to a Lady who neither loved him\nnor any thing else to such an excess: her name was Brandalisa, sister\nto the Queen of Sobradisa, and married to the Duke of Bristol.\nThe day came whereon that Duke was summoned to appear and answer the\nappeal of Olivas. The Duke arrived, and was courteously by the King\nreceived. Sir, quoth he, you have summoned me to answer an accusation:\nhe who made it lies, and I am ready to acquit myself as you shall judge\nright. Then uprose Olivas, and with him all the Errant Knights present.\nLisuarte asked why they all arose. Grumedan answered, because the Duke\nthreatens all Knights Errant, and therefore we are all concerned.\nCertes, quoth the King, a mad war hath he undertaken! there is not in\nthe world a King so mighty, or so wise, that he could bring a war like\nthat to good issue! but retire you at present, and seek not now to\navenge yourselves: he shall have full justice. All then withdrew, but\nOlivas, who said, the Duke who standeth before you, Sir, hath slain my\nCousin-german, who never by word or deed gave him occasion of offence:\nI therefore accuse him as a traitor for this, and will either make him\nconfess it, or kill him, or force him out of the lists. The Duke told\nhim he lied, and that he was ready to acquit himself. The combat was\nfixed for the next day, for the Duke's two nephews who were to fight on\nhis side were not yet arrived.\nThey came that evening; the Duke made such account of them that he\nthought Olivas could not produce their peers. They went before the\nKing. Olivas defied the Duke, who demanded battle, three to three. Then\nDon Galvanes, who was at the feet of the King, rose, and called his\nnephew Agrayes, and said to Olivas, Friend, we promised to be on your\nside if need was: now then let the battle be. When the Duke saw them,\nhe remembered how they had rescued the Damsel whom he would have burnt,\nand he was somewhat abashed. They armed themselves, and entered the\nplace appointed for such trials; one party through the one gate, the\nother on the opposite side. From the Queen's window Olinda overlooked\nthe lists, and seeing Agrayes about to fight her heart failed her; and\nMabilia and Oriana were greatly grieved for the love they bore to him\nand Galvanes. The lists were cleared: the King withdrew from them, and\nthe champions ran their encounter. Agrayes and his Uncle dismounted\ntheir enemies, and broke both their lances. Olivas made the Duke fall\non his horse's neck, but received a deep wound himself, and the Duke\nrecovered his seat. Agrayes rode at him, and laid on him a heavy load\nof blows, heartily hating him for his great discourtesy and falsehood;\nbut one of the dismounted Knights struck at the Prince's horse, and\nburied the sword in his flank: the horse fell, and the Duke and his\nNephew both assailed Agrayes as he lay upon the ground. Don Galvanes,\nclosely busied with his antagonist, saw nothing of this. At that hour\nall who loved Agrayes were in great consternation; Amadis yearned to\nbe among them, for he greatly feared his cousin's death; the three\nDamsels above were well nigh desperate, and it was pitiful to behold\nOlinda, what she suffered. Howbeit, Agrayes got on his feet, and with\nthe good sword of Amadis, which he wielded, laid lustily about him. Ah,\nGod, cried Galaor aloud, what is Olivas about this while! better that\nhe had never borne arms, if he fails at a time like this! But Galaor\nknew not what sore agony Olivas suffered; for he had such a wound,\nand bled so fast, that it was a wonder how he kept his seat. He saw\nthe peril of Agrayes, and heaving a deep sigh, as one whose heart did\nnot fail him though his strength was failing, he cried, Oh God, let\nme help my good friend before my soul depart! and then, feebly as he\ncould, he laid hand to sword and turned upon the Duke, and his spirit\nkept him up. Agrayes was now left man to man, and he remembered that\nhis Lady saw him, and he laid on so furiously that his friends trembled\nlest his strength and breath should fail him; but this was his custom,\nand if his strength had been equal to his great courage, he would\nhave been one of the best Knights in the world; but even as it was he\nwas right good, and of great prowess. Anon he had cut through armour\nand flesh in sundry places, and left his foe quivering with death, at\nthe same moment when Olivas, fainting for loss of blood, fell from\nhis horse. The Duke not seeing how Agrayes had fared, turned upon\nGalvanes; Agrayes leaped upon Olivas's horse, and rode to his Uncle's\nassistance: he smote the Duke's Nephew upon the helmet, so that the\nsword stuck there; and plucking it away, he burst the lacings, and\nleft him bareheaded to the wrath of Galvanes, while he turned upon the\nDuke. Presently Galvanes having finished his enemy, attacked the Duke\non the other side, but his horse being wounded fell and bruised him,\nso that man to man were left. Still were all the beholders right glad;\nbut above all Don Guilan, who hoped to see the Duke slain, for the love\nhe bore to his wife. The Duke was flying, Agrayes reached the rim of\nhis shield, the sword went in, the Duke threw off the shield from his\nneck, and still fled; then turned, while Agrayes was recovering his\nsword, and struck twice at him. The Prince, as soon as his weapon was\nfree, requited him with a blow on the left shoulder that went through\nharness and flesh and bone, down to the ribs. The Duke fell, but hung\nin the stirrup, and the horse dragged him out of the lists, and when\nhe was picked up his head was found dashed to pieces by the horse's\nheels. Agrayes forthwith alighted, and ran to his uncle, and asked how\nhe fared. Bravely, quoth Galvanes, God be thanked! but I am right sorry\nfor Olivas, for methinks he is dead. They then cast the two nephews out\nof the lists; then went to Olivas, and found that he had just opened\nhis eyes, and was asking to be confessed. Galvanes looked at his wound:\ntake heart, cried he, it is not in a dangerous place! Sir, replied\nOlivas, my heart and all my limbs are dying away; I have been sore\nwounded ere now, but never was in such weakness. They disarmed him,\nand the fresh air was of service, and the blood somewhat ceased. The\nKing sent a bed whereon to remove him, and skilful surgeons dressed his\nwound, and said that though it was very deep, by God's help they could\nheal it.\nThe Queen then sent Grumedan to bring Brandalisa to court, and, with\nher, her niece Aldeva: Thereat was Don Guilan well pleased, and in\na month they arrived, and were honourably welcomed. So the fame of\nKing Lisuarte went abroad, and in half a year it was a marvel how\nmany Knights came from foreign parts to serve him, whom he rewarded\nbountifully, hoping by their aid not only to preserve his own kingdom,\nbut to conquer others, that in old times had been subject and tributary\nto Great Britain.\n_CHAPTER 41._\nThis history has related to you how Amadis promised Briolania to\nrevenge her father's death, and how she gave him a sword, and that when\nin his combat with Gasinan he broke the sword, he gave the pieces to\nGandalin's care: You shall now hear how the battle was performed, and\nwhat great danger he underwent because of that broken sword, not from\nany fault of his own, but for the ignorance of his dwarf Ardian.\nAmadis, now recollecting that the time was come to perform his promise,\nacquainted Oriana, and requested her leave, though to him it was like\ndividing his heart from his bosom to leave her; and she granted it,\nalbeit with many tears, and a sorrow that seemed to presage what evil\nwas about to happen. Amadis took the Queen's leave for form's sake, and\ndeparted with Galaor and Agrayes. They had gone about half a league,\nwhen he asked Gandalin if he had brought the three pieces of the sword\nwhich Briolania had given him, and finding he had not, bade him return\nand fetch them. The Dwarf said he would go, for he had nothing to delay\nhim; and this was the means whereby Amadis and Oriana were both brought\ninto extreme misery, neither they nor the Dwarf himself being culpable.\nThe Dwarf rode back to his master's lodging, found the pieces of the\nsword, put them in his skirt, and was retiring, when, as he passed the\npalace, he heard himself called. Looking up, he saw Oriana and Mabilia,\nwho asked him why he had not gone with his master. I set out with him,\nsaid he, but returned for this; and he showed her the broken sword.\nWhat can your master want a broken sword for? quoth Oriana. Because,\nsaid the Dwarf, he values it more than the two best whole ones, for her\nsake who gave it him.\u2014And who is she\u2014The Lady for whom he undertakes\nthis combat, and though you are daughter to the best King in the world,\nyet, fair as you are, you would rather win what she has won, than\npossess all your father's lands.\u2014What gain so precious hath she made?\nperchance she hath gained your master?\u2014Yes, she has, his whole heart!\nand he remains her Knight to serve her! Then, giving his horse the\nlash, he gallopped away, little thinking the wrong he had done. Oriana\nremained pale as death; she burst into bitter reproaches against the\nfalsehood of Amadis, and wrung her hands, and her heart was so agitated\nthat not a tear did she shed. It was in vain that Mabilia and the\nDamsel of Denmark strove to allay her rage with reasonable words: as\npassionate women will do, she followed her own will, which led her to\ncommit so great an error, that God's mercy was necessary to repair it.\nThe Dwarf rejoined his master, and showed him the pieces of his sword,\nbut Amadis asked him no questions, and he said nothing of what had\npassed. Presently they met a Damsel, who asked whither they were\ngoing.\u2014Along this road.\u2014I advise you to leave it.\u2014Why?\u2014Because no\nKnight hath taken it for fifteen days but he hath been either slain\nor wounded. And who hath done all this mischief? quoth Amadis.\u2014The\nbest Knight in arms that I have ever seen. Damsel, said Agrayes, you\nmust shew us this Knight.\u2014He will shew himself so soon as you enter\nthe forest. The Damsel then followed them; they looked all round the\nforest in vain, till, as they were at the other side thereof, they saw\na Knight of good stature completely armed, on a roan horse, holding\na lance, and a Squire by him with four other lances. He speaking to\nhis Squire, the man laid the lances against a tree, and came up to\nthe Knights.\u2014Sirs, yonder Knight sends to inform ye that he hath kept\nthis forest for fifteen days against all Knights Errant with fair\nfortune, and for the pleasure of the joust hath yet stayed a day and\na half longer than his time appointed; he says, that if it please you\nto joust with him he is ready, but there shall be no sword combat,\nfor in that he hath done much evil against his own will, and will\navoid it henceforth if he can. Agrayes had taken his helm and thrown\nthe shield round his neck, while the Squire was speaking: tell him to\ndefend himself! quoth he. They ran their race; their spears brake, and\nAgrayes was dismounted, and his horse ran loose, whereat he was greatly\nashamed. Galaor took his arms to avenge him; the lances were broken:\ntheir bodies met with such force, that Galaor's horse, being the\nweaker and more weary, fell and threw him, and then ran away. Amadis\nseeing this, blessed himself: in truth, said he, the Knight may well\nbe praised, for he hath proved himself against two of the best in the\nworld; but as he went on to take his turn he found Galaor on foot,\nwith his sword in hand defying the Knight to battle, but the Knight\nlaughed at him; and Amadis said, brother, do not chafe yourself; it was\nthe covenant that there should be no sword-battle. Then he bade the\nstranger defend himself, and they ran at each other: their spears flew\nup in splinters; they came against each other, shield and helmet; the\nhorse fell with Amadis, and the horse broke his shoulder; the Knight of\nthe forest was dismounted, but he held the reins, and lightly took the\nsaddle again. Quoth Amadis, you must joust again, for this encounter\nwas equal, we both fell. I do not chuse to joust again, said he. Amadis\nreplied, Knight, you do me wrong. Right yourself when you can! said\nthe other: I am bound no farther, as I sent to tell you! and then he\ngallopped away through the forest.\nAmadis leapt upon Gandalin's horse, and told his companions to follow\nhim as fast as they could to find that Knight, for they were all\ngreatly abashed. Quoth the Damsel, it will be a foolish quest: all the\nKnights of King Lisuarte's household would fail to find him without a\nguide. My friend, said Galaor, belike you know who he is, and where\nto be found? If I do, quoth she, I mean not to tell you, for I would\nbring no harm to so good a man. Ah, Damsel, said Galaor, by the faith\nyou owe to God, and by the thing in the world which you love best, tell\nme what you know of him. She answered, I care not for these conjurings,\nand will not discover him for nothing. Ask what you will, quoth\nAmadis.\u2014Tell me your name, and promise me each a boon hereafter, when\nI shall demand it. They in their earnestness promised. When she heard\nthe name of Amadis, she exclaimed, God be praised, for I was seeking\nyou!\u2014And wherefore?\u2014You shall know when it is time; but tell me, have\nyou forgot your promise to the daughter of the King of Sobradisa,\nwho let loose the lions to save you? I am now going, replied Amadis,\nto perform the battle. Why then, quoth she, would you turn astray to\nfollow this Knight, who is not so easy to find as you imagine, when\nyour day is appointed for the combat? She says true, Sir brother, said\nGalaor: go you with Agrayes upon this business; I will follow the\nKnight with this Damsel, for I shall never have joy till I find him,\nand I will join you in time for the battle if it be possible. In God's\nname! cried Amadis, but tell us, Damsel, the name of the Knight.\u2014I know\nit not, yet once I was a month with him and saw never else such deeds\nof arms; but I can show where he is to be found. Then Galaor departed\nwith her.\nAmadis and Agrayes proceeded till they came to the castle of Torin, the\ndwelling of that fair young Damsel, who was now grown so beautiful that\nshe appeared like a bright star. What think you of her? said Amadis.\nAgrayes answered, if her Maker designed to make her beautiful, he has\nmost perfectly accomplished his will. They were disarmed, and mantles\ngiven them, and they were conducted into the hall. But when Briolania\nsaw Amadis how young he was, for he was not twenty, and how beautiful,\nfor even the scars in his face became him, and of what fair renown he\nwas, she thought him the best Knight in the world, and greatly affected\nhim; so that when by his help she had recovered her kingdom, she would\nhave given him herself and that, but Amadis told her right loyally how\nhe was another's.\n_CHAPTER 42._\nFour days Galaor rode with the Damsel, and so wrathful was he for\nthis fall that whatever Knight encountered him in that time felt the\neffects, and many were slain for the act of another. At length they saw\na fair fortress, built above a vale; the Damsel told him there was no\nother place near where he could lodge that night, and they made up to\nit. At the gate they found many men and Dames and Damsels, so that it\nseemed to be the house of a good man, and among them was a Knight of\nseventy years, with a cloak of scarlet skin, who courteously bade him\nwelcome. Sir, quoth Galaor, you welcome us so well, that, tho' we found\nanother host, we would not leave your hospitality. Then were they led\ninto a hall, and supper was given them right honourably; and, when the\ncloths were removed, the old Knight went to Galaor and asked him if\nthe Damsel was to be his bedfellow. He replied, no; and two Damsels\nthen conducted her to her chamber, while he was shewn a rich bed for\nhimself. Here rest yourself, said his host: God knows the pleasure I\nhave in entertaining you, and all Errant Knights, for I myself have\nbeen one, and have two sons who are the like, but both now are badly\nwounded, for there came by a Knight who dismounted them both, and they\ngreatly ashamed of their foil rode after him, and came up to him by a\nriver as he was about to cross it in a boat; and they would have made\nhim do battle with the sword, since they knew how he could joust. The\nKnight, who was in haste, would have declined the battle, but my sons\nprevented him from entering the boat. A Lady who was in the boat then\nsaid to them, that they were discourteous in detaining her Knight\nagainst her will; but they said, he must needs do battle. Let it be,\nthen, said the Lady, that he shall fight with the better of you twain,\nand if he conquer him that shall suffice. Not so, they answered; if one\nfailed, the other would prove his fortune. The Knight then grew angry,\nand cried, come both, since you will not let me proceed! and one after\nthe other he sent them from their horses, utterly confounded; then\ncrossed the river and went his way. I went afterwards to bring home\nmy sons, for they were sorely wounded: you shall see with what wounds,\nsuch as never before were given by any Knight. He then sent for the\narmour which they had worn, and it was so cut through with the sword\nthat Galaor greatly marvelled, and asked what arms the Knight bore.\u2014A\nvermilion shield with two grey lions, and another on his helmet, and\nhe rides a roan horse. Know you who he is? cried Galaor. No, said the\nold Knight. It is the same Knight whom I am seeking, quoth Galaor, and,\nif I find him, I will revenge your two sons and myself, or die. Sir\nfriend, quoth his host, I would counsel you to forbear the attempt, for\nas for what my sons have suffered they brought it on themselves; and\nthen he bade him good night.\nThe next morning Galaor and his guide departed; they crossed the river\nin the boat, and proceeding about five leagues came to a fortress. Wait\nfor me a little, said the Damsel; I will be here presently: and she\nentered the castle. Presently she returned, bringing with her another\nDamsel and ten Knights on horseback; and that other Damsel, who was\npassing fair, said to Galaor, Sir, my Cousin tells me you are in quest\nof the Knight who bears two grey lions in a vermilion shield, that you\nmay know who he is; but I tell you that you cannot learn by force, for\nthere is no Knight like him in all the islands, and he will neither\ntell you nor any other for three years, unless it be forced from him.\nDamsel, said Galaor, I shall not cease my enquiry, and would rather\nlearn his name by force than by other means. Since that be so, said\nshe, within three days I will bring you to him, at my Cousin's request.\nThey set forth, and by vespers time came to an arm of the sea that\nclipped round an island, so that there was full three leagues of water\nto cross; a bark was ready at the harbour, but before they entered it\nan oath was demanded, that there was only one Knight in company. Why\nis this oath required? said Galaor. The Damsel replied, the Lady of\nthe island will have it so; when one Knight has crost over, no other\nis suffered to come till the first return, or is slain.\u2014Who is it that\nkills or conquers them?\u2014The Knight whom you are seeking; he has been\nhere half a year, and by this occasion: a turney was held here by the\nLady of the island, and another Dame of great beauty; this Knight came\nhither from a foreign land, and being on her side won the victory.\nWhereat she was so pleased, that she never rested till she had won him\nfor her paramour; but because he is desirous of seeking adventures,\nthe Lady, to detain him with her, invites Knights to joust against\nhim. If by chance they are slain, they are there interred; otherwise,\nthey are sent back, and he gives their arms and horses to his mistress.\nShe is a full fair Lady, and her name Corisanda; the island is called\nGravisanda. How came he, said Galaor, to keep the forest? It was a boon\nasked of him by a Damsel, said she, tho' his mistress hardly permitted\nhim to perform it.\nBy this they had reached the island; the night was some way advanced,\nbut it was clear moonlight, the Damsel had two tents pitched beside\na little brook, and there they supped, and rested till the morning.\nGalaor would fain have shared the Damsel's tent, but to that, albeit,\nshe thought him the fairest of all Knights and much delighted in his\nconversation, she would not consent. In the morning they set forward,\nand he asked his guide if she knew the Knight's name?\u2014Neither man nor\nwoman in all this land know it, except his mistress. Then was Galaor\nthe more curious that one of such worth in arms should so conceal\nhimself. Presently they saw a castle on a height, surrounded for a\nleague on all sides by a rich plain. In that castle, quoth the Damsel,\nis he whom you seek. Having advanced farther, they found a stone\npillar curiously wrought, and a horn upon it. Sound that horn, said\nshe, and you shall presently see the Knight. Galaor blew the horn, and\nforthwith there came certain men from the castle, and pitched a tent\nin the meadow before the gate, and then there issued out ten Dames and\nDamsels, and in the midst of them one richly clad, who was the Lady of\nthe rest. Why does the Knight tarry? quoth Galaor, who saw all this.\nThe Damsel answered, he will not come till the Lady send for him. I\nbeseech you then, said he, go to her and request her to summon him, for\nI have much to do elsewhere and cannot tarry. When the Lady heard this\nerrand, what! cried she, holds he our Knight so cheap that he already\nthinks of doing ought elsewhere? he will depart sooner than he thinks,\nand more to his cost. Then she turned to her man: go, call the strange\nKnight. Anon he came from the castle, armed and afoot; his men led\nhis horse, and carried his shield and lance and helmet, and he went\nstraight to his mistress. You see a foolish Knight yonder, said she,\nwho thinks lightly to take his leave of you: I desire you would make\nhim know his foolishness! and then she embraced, and kissed him. All\nthis made Galaor the more angry.\nThe Knight mounted, and slowly rode down the height. Galaor was ready\nas soon as he saw him in the level, and bade him defend himself: they\nran at each other; both lances were broken, both shields pierced, both\nKnights deeply wounded. Don Galaor drew his sword: the stranger said\nto him, Knight, by the faith you owe to God, and to the thing you love\nbest, let us joust once more! You conjure me so, said Galaor, that I\nwill do it, but I am sorry my horse is not so good as yours, else we\nwould joust till one of us fell, or till all your lances were broken!\nThe Knight made no answer, but called to his Squire for two lances,\nand sent the one to Galaor. Again they encountered: Galaor's horse\ncame on his knees and tottered, and was almost down; the stranger lost\nboth his stirrups, and was fain to hold round the neck of his horse.\nGalaor spurred up his and had now sword in hand; thereat the stranger,\nsomewhat abashed, exclaimed, you are desirous to do combat with the\nsword; certes, I fear it rather for you than for myself: if you do not\nbelieve me, you shall see. Do your worst! quoth Galaor: I will either\ndie, or revenge those whom you left in the forest. Then the stranger\nrecollected that it was he who had defied him on foot, and he answered\nhim angrily, revenge yourself if you can, but I rather think you will\ncarry back one shame upon another.\nThe Ladies, seeing how gallantly they had jousted, thought they would\nthen have accorded, but when they saw the sword-battle, they were\ngreatly amazed at the fury with which it was begun. Such mortal blows\nthey gave each other, that the head was often made to bow upon the\nbreast, and the steel [50:A]arches of the helmets were cut through, and\ntheir trappings, and the sword went through the linings and was felt\nupon the head; and the field was strewn with the fragments of their\nshields and their broken mail. This continued long, till each wondered\nthat his antagonist could hold out. Galaor's horse at last began to\nfail him, and could scarcely move, whereat he waxed exceeding wroth,\nthinking that only this delayed his victory, for the stranger could\nlightly come on, and withdraw again from his blows. Galaor, when indeed\nhe did reach him, made him feel the sword, but his horse tottered as\nif he had been blind, and he began to fear his own death more than\nhe had ever done before in any battle, save in that with his brother\nAmadis, for from that he never expected to leave off alive. Next to\nAmadis, he thought this the best Knight he had ever encountered,\nalbeit he doubted not of conquering him, were it not for the fault of\nhis horse. Being in this strait, he called out. Knight! either finish\nthe battle on foot, or give me another horse, or else I will slay\nyours, and that villainy will be your fault. Do your worst! replied\nthe stranger: the battle shall not be delayed; it is a great shame\nthat it hath lasted so long. Look to your horse then! quoth Galaor.\nThe Knight rode close to him, fearing for his horse; so close, that\nGalaor caught him with both arms, and at the same instant spurred his\nown horse violently, and they both fell upon the ground, each holding\nhis sword, and there they struggled for some time before they released\neach other. But, when they rose, they attacked again so furiously as if\nthe battle were but then beginning; there was not a moment's respite,\nnow that they could freely close or strike. As the fight continued\nGalaor perceived he was gaining the better, for his enemy's strength\nevidently weakened: Good Knight! quoth he, hold a while! whereat the\nother paused, being indeed in need of rest. You see, quoth Galaor,\nthat I have the better of the battle; tell me your name, and why you\nso carefully conceal yourself, and I will acquit you from the combat\nand shall receive great pleasure; but unless you do this I will not\nleave you. Certes, quoth the Knight, I shall not leave off with these\nconditions: I never found myself so hardy in any battle as in this,\nand God forbid that any single Knight should ever know me, except to\nmy great honour. Be not rash, cried Galaor; by my faith I swear never\nto let you go till I know who you are, and why you conceal yourself.\nGod never help me, quoth the stranger, if ever you learn it from me:\nI will rather perish in battle than tell it, except to two Knights,\nto whom, tho' I know them not, I neither could nor ought to deny any\nthing. Who are they whom you value so much? quoth Galaor. Neither shall\nyou know that, replied the stranger, because it seems that it would\nplease you. Certes, rejoined Galaor; I will know what I ask, or one of\nus, or both, shall die. I am not averse to that, quoth his enemy. Then\nthey renewed the combat with full fury; but the stranger waxed weaker,\nhis armour was every where laid open and streaming with blood, till at\nlast the Lady of the Island ran like one frantic to Galaor, and cried,\nhold, Knight! would the bark had been sunk that brought thee hither!\nLady, said he, if it offends you that I am avenging myself, and one who\nis better than myself, the fault is not mine. Offer him no more harm,\nquoth she, or you shall die by the hands of one who will have no mercy.\nHe answered, I know not how that may turn out, but I will not leave him\ntill I know what I have asked.\u2014And what is that?\u2014His name, and why he\nconceals it? and who the two Knights are whom he esteems above the rest\nof the world. She answered, A curse upon him who taught you to strike,\nand upon you who have learnt so well! I will tell you: his name is Don\nFlorestan; he conceals himself because he hath two brothers in this\nland of such passing worth in arms, that, albeit you have proved his\nprowess, he dares not make himself known to them, till, by his fame, he\nis worthy to join them; and these two Knights are in the household of\nKing Lisuarte, the one is called Amadis, the other Don Galaor, and they\nare all three sons of King Perion. Holy Mary! cried Galaor, what have\nI done? and then he presented his sword to Florestan: good brother,\ntake my sword, and the honour of the battle!\u2014Are you my brother?\u2014I\nam your brother Don Galaor. Then Florestan fell on his knees before\nhim, saying, Sir, pardon me! for this offence that I have committed in\ncombatting against you, was caused by no other reason than that I durst\nnot name myself your brother, as I am, till I had somewhat resembled\nyou in prowess. Galaor raised him up, and took him in his arms, and\nwept over him for joy, and for sorrow to see him so sorely wounded.\n    [50:A] Cortando de los yelmos los arcos de azero con parte\n    de las faldas dellos, assi qui las espadas descendian a los\n    almofares, y las sentian en las cabe\u00e7as.\nBut the Lady beholding all this was greatly rejoiced. Sir, quoth she,\nif you gave me great anguish you have repaid it with double pleasure.\nThey were then both carried into the castle and laid in bed, both in\none apartment, and Corisanda, being skilful in chirurgery, looked to\ntheir wounds herself with great care; for she knew that if the one\ndied, the other would die also for pure sorrow, and her own life would\nbe doubtful if Florestan were in great danger.\n_CHAPTER 43._\nThis valiant and hardy Knight, Don Florestan, you should know how and\nin what land he was begotten, and by whom. Know then that when King\nPerion, being a young man and of good heart, sought adventures, he\npassed two years in Germany, doing great deeds in arms, and as he was\nreturning with great glory to his own land, he lodged one day with the\nCount of Selandia, where he was right worshipfully entertained, and\nat night he was shewn to a rich bed, and there being weary with his\njourney fell asleep. Ere long he felt a Damsel embracing him, and her\nmouth joined to his; and, waking thereat, was drawing back, but she\ncried out, how is this, Sir? would you rather be alone in the bed? The\nKing then looked at her by his chamber-light, and saw the fairest woman\nthat ever he saw: tell me, quoth he, who you are? She answered, one\nthat loves you, and gives you her love.\u2014First tell me your name?\u2014Why\ndo you distress me with the question?\u2014I must know.\u2014I am the Count's\ndaughter. Then the King said, it becomes not a woman of your rank to\ncommit this folly: I tell you I will not do this wrong to your father.\nAh, quoth she, ill betide those who praise your goodness! you are the\nworst man in the world, and the most discourteous! what goodness can\nthere be in you when you thrust away a fair Lady of such lineage? King\nPerion answered, I shall do that which is to your honour and my own,\nnot what would injure both. Then, quoth she, I will do that which shall\ngrieve my father more, than if you consent to my will! and she leapt\nup and took King Perion's sword, that same sword which was laid in the\nark with Amadis, and unsheathed it, and placed the point against her\nheart:\u2014Will not my father grieve more for my death? When the King saw\nthat, he was greatly astonished, and he sprung from the bed, crying,\nhold! I will perform your will! and he snatched the sword from her,\nand that night she became pregnant. On the morrow Perion departed, and\nnever saw her more.\nShe, so long as she could, concealed her situation, and when the time\ndrew nigh contrived to go visit her Aunt, with one Damsel; but as she\nwas passing through a forest her pains came on her, and she alighted\nfrom her palfrey, and there brought forth a son. The Damsel seeing\nher in this plight, put the baby to her breast. Now, Lady, said she,\nthe same courage that you showed in sinning, show now in supporting\nyourself till I return; and then she mounted her palfrey, and rode on\nas fast as she could to the Aunt's castle, and told her all that had\nhappened. The Dame was greatly troubled, yet delayed not for that to\nsuccour her, but went forthwith with a litter, wherein she used to\nvisit her brother to shade her from the sun; and when she saw her niece\nshe alighted, and wept with her, and had her placed with the infant in\nthe litter, and taken by night into the castle, and enjoined secrecy to\nall who were with her. So the mother returned after her recovery to the\nCount's castle, and nothing was known of what had passed, and the boy\nwas educated till he was of eighteen years, a braver youth, and better\nlimbed than any other in the district; and the Dame his Aunt seeing\nthis gave him horse and arms, and took him to the Count to knight him,\nwho knew not that he whom he was knighting was his own grandson.\nAs they were returning, the Dame told him the secret of his birth, and\nsaid that he ought to go seek his father and make himself known to him.\nCertes, Lady, quoth he, I have often heard of King Perion, but never\nthought he was my father; but by the faith I owe to God, and to you who\nhave brought me up, neither he nor any one else shall know who I am,\ntill they can say that I am worthy to be the son of so good a man. Then\ntaking his leave, he went with two Squires to Constantinople, where he\nheard there was a cruel war; there he remained four years, and did such\ndeeds in arms as never Knight had wrought before in those parts, so\nthat at the end of that time he determined to go and discover himself\nto his father. But as he drew nearer France, he heard the fame of\nAmadis and Galaor, who were now beginning to work wonders, so that he\nchanged his first intention, and resolved to gain more honour in Great\nBritain, where there were more good Knights than in any part of the\nworld, and that he would not make himself known till his prowess had\ngiven him sufficient renown: in which mind he continued till his combat\nwith Galaor, as you have heard.\nAmadis and Agrayes remained five days at the castle of Torin; then all\nthings being prepared, they set forward with Briolania and her aunt,\nwho took with them two damsels and five serving-men, on horseback,\nand three palfreys laden with apparel, for Briolania went in black,\nand would wear nothing else till her father's death was avenged. As\nthey began their journey Briolania requested a boon of Amadis, and\nher Aunt another of Agrayes; the which they granted, without knowing\nwhat it might be: they then demanded, that, let what would happen, the\nKnights should not leave the road, that so their present quest might\nnot be interrupted. Much did they repent their promise, and great\nshame did they endure thereby, for in many places was their succour\nneeded, and rightly might they have bestirred themselves if they had\nbeen at liberty. Thus they travelled twelve days before they entered\nthe kingdom of Sobradisa; it was night when they reached it: they left\nthe high road, and struck by a by-way for three leagues; and then,\ngreat part of the night being past, they came to a little castle, where\na Lady dwelt named Galumba, who had served in the court of the King\nBriolania's father. She right joyfully admitted them, and set supper\nbefore them, and provided their night's entertainment; and the next\nmorning asked the Aunt whither they were going. A joyful woman was she,\nhearing that those Knights were going to revenge her Master's death;\nbut I fear, said she, lest that traitor should destroy them by some\ndeceit: for that reason, said the old Lady, am I come to consult with\nyou. Leave it to me, quoth Galumba. Then she took ink and parchment,\nand wrote a letter, and sealed it with Briolania's seal, and gave it\nto a Damsel, and directed her what she should do. The Damsel mounted\nher palfrey, and rode on till she came to the great city of Sobradisa,\nfrom whence the whole kingdom took its name. She went directly to the\npalace of Abiseos, and rode through the gate, being richly apparelled.\nThe Knights came around to assist her to dismount; but she said, no,\nshe would not alight till the King saw her, and commanded her so to\ndo. They then took her bridle, and led her into a hall where the King\nwas, with his sons and many other Knights, and he bade her alight if\nshe had any thing to say. She answered, I will, Sir, on condition that\nyou protect me, and that I shall suffer no injury for any thing that I\nmay say against you, or against any other here. The King assured her\nthat she should be under his protection and royal faith, and bade her\ndeliver what she was come to say. Upon that she alighted, and said,\nSir, I bring a message which must be delivered in the presence of all\nthe chiefs of your realm: summon them, and it shall be made known.\nQuoth Abiseos, it is as you would wish: they are already in my court,\nand have been assembled on business these six days. Call them together,\nsaid she. Forthwith they were summoned, and being all met, the Damsel\nthen said, King, Briolania, she whom you disherited, sends you this\nletter, to be read before this assembly. When Abiseos heard the name\nof his niece he was touched with shame, remembering the wrong he had\nwrought her; yet, the letter was openly read, which was to give credit\nto the Damsel's words. To this he only replied, that they were not to\nbelieve what the Damsel might say on Briolania's behalf: but the people\nof the realm who were there present were moved with great compassion\nat the name of their lawful Lady, who was so unjustly dispossessed,\nand they besought God secretly that he would no longer suffer so great\na treason to remain unpunished. Give your errand, quoth the King.\nSir King, said the Damsel, it is true that you killed the father of\nBriolania, and have disherited her of her kingdom; and you have often\ndeclared, that you and your sons would justify what you have done by\nforce of arms. Briolania now sends to say, that if you hold your word\nshe will bring here two Knights who will undertake the battle in her\ncause, and make you know your treason and great tyranny. When Darasion,\nthe eldest of the sons heard this, he arose in great anger, being of\na hot nature, and without his father's permission replied, Damsel,\nif Briolania has these Knights, I promise the combat for myself, and\nfor my father and brother; and, if I do not perform this, I promise\nbefore all these Knights to give my head to her, that she may take it\nin requital of her father's. Certes Darasion, answered the Damsel, you\nanswer like a Knight of great courage, yet may I doubt your words to\nproceed from choler, for I see you are enraged; but if you will obtain\nfrom the King an assurance of your words, I shall think they proceed\nfrom that great worth and hardihood which are in you. What would you\nhave? quoth he. Cause the King, she replied, to give our Knights\nassurance that, for any mishap which you may receive in the battle,\nthey shall sustain no injury from any in this land, nor be meddled\nwithal but by you three: give them this safe conduct, and they will\nbe here within three days. Darasion knelt down before his father;\u2014you\nsee, Sir, what the Damsel requests, and what I have promised; and,\nbecause my honour is yours, let it be granted, else they will without\ndanger have put us to shame, for we have always avowed that if any\none attainted your deeds we would justify it in battle; and even\nwithout the promise we ought to accept the defiance, for they tell me\nthese Knights are some of King Lisuarte's rash household, whose pride\nand folly makes them magnify their own worth and despise all others.\nThe King, albeit he felt himself guilty of his brother's murder, and\ndreaded the battle, yet, because he loved his son as he did himself,\ngave the safe conduct as the Damsel had demanded, the hour appointed by\nthe Most High being come. The Damsel having accomplished this, said,\nhold yourselves ready, for to-morrow the Knights will be here. And then\nshe mounted her palfrey, and departed.\nMuch were the Ladies and the Knights rejoiced at the success of her\nembassy. When Amadis heard that Darasion held them as fools, because\nthey were of King Lisuarte's household, he grew angry, and exclaimed,\nthere are those in that household who could easily break his pride, and\nhis head too! but, when he had said this, he was ashamed that he had\nbeen so mastered by anger. Briolania, who could not keep her eyes off\nhim, observed this, and said, you cannot, Sir, either say or do any\nthing against those traitors which they have not deserved, and worse:\nhave pity on me, since you know my father's murder, and my wrongs: my\ntrust is in God and in you. Amadis, whose heart was submiss to virtue\nand all gentleness, moved with pity for that fair Damsel, answered, if\nGod be so pleased, Lady, I ween that ere to-morrow night your sorrow\nwill be turned into joy. Then Briolania would, for thankfulness, have\nhumbled herself to have kissed his feet, but he drew back abashed, and\nAgrayes raised her up. They determined to set forward by day-break, and\nhear mass at the chapel of the Three Fountains, which was half a league\nfrom Sobradisa.\nThat night they made good cheer, and Briolania, who talked much with\nAmadis, was oftentimes moved to offer marriage to him, but seeing his\nfrequent reveries, and the tears that sometimes fell down his cheeks,\nwhich she knew proceeded from no fear in his brave heart, she suspected\nthat he loved elsewhere, and so refrained. At dawn they all departed;\nand, arriving at the Three Fountains, heard mass from the good Hermit,\nwho hearing wherefore they were on their way, besought God to speed\nthem well in the battle, as he knew their cause was right. There they\narmed themselves all save the head and hands, and so proceeded to\nthe city. Without the walls they found King Abiseos and his sons,\nand a great company attending them: the people all flocked towards\nBriolania, whom in their hearts they loved, thinking her their rightful\nand natural Lady. Amadis led her bridle, and uncovered her face,[65:A]\nthat all might see her how beautiful she was: she was weeping, and the\nmultitude blessed her in their hearts, and prayed that she might now\nbe restored to her rights. Abiseos dissembled a feeling from which\nneither his ambition nor his wickedness could shield him, and seeing\nhow the people flocked round Briolania, he exclaimed, fools, I see\nhow you rejoice in her sight! but it is to your honour and safety\nthat a Knight like me should protect you, not a weak woman; who in\nso long a time has only been able to get these two Knights for her\nchampions; whom, because they are thus deceitfully brought to their\ndeath, or dishonour, I cannot forbear to pity. These words so kindled\nthe indignation of Amadis, that blood seemed starting from his eyes;\nhe rose in his stirrups that all might hear him, and answered, King\nAbiseos, I well see how the coming of Briolania troubles you, because\nyou have murdered her father, who was your King and brother: if there\nbe yet virtue enough in you to resign to her what is her own, I will\nexcuse the battle, that you may have leisure for repentance, that,\nthough you have lost your honour in this world, you may save your soul.\nBefore the King could reply, Darasion exclaimed, Thou foolish Knight\nof King Lisuarte's court! I never thought I could endure to hear a\nspeech like thine: come on! and if your heart fails, you cannot fly\nwhere I cannot reach you with such a vengeance, that none can behold it\nwithout compassion. Arm thyself, traitor, and do battle! quoth Agrayes.\nDarasion answered, say what thou wilt now! presently I will send thy\ntongue without thy body to King Lisuarte's court, as a warning to all\nsuch fools! Then they armed themselves; and Amadis and Agrayes laced on\ntheir helmets, and took their shields and spears, and entered the place\nwhich had been of yore marked out for such trials. Dramis, the second\nson, who was so good a Knight that no two Knights of that country could\nkeep the field against him, said to his father, Sir, where you and my\nbrother are present, I might well be excused from speaking; but now I\nhave to act with that strength which I have received from God and you.\nLeave that Knight who has reviled you to me: if I do not slay him with\nthe first lance-thrust, may I never again bear arms! or if it be his\ngood fortune that the spear does not strike right, the first blow with\nthe sword shall do it. There were many who heard this speech, and did\nnot think it vain boasting, he was of such exceeding strength. Darasion\nlooked round the lists: how is this? quoth he; ye are but two! hath the\nheart of the third failed him? call him to come directly, for we will\nnot tarry. Trouble not yourself about the third, said Amadis, you will\npresently wish the second away: now look to your defence!\n    [65:A] _Quitole los antifazes._ She was muffled in the Moorish\n    manner, not veiled.\nThey placed their shields before them, and gave their horses the rein.\nDramis ran right at Amadis, and pierced his shield and broke his lance\nagainst his side; but Amadis smote him so roughly, that the spear went\nthrough his shield, and, without piercing his breast-plate, burst his\nheart within him, and he fell like the fall of a tower. In God's name,\ncried Ardian the Dwarf, my Master's deed is better than his word! The\nother twain ran at Agrayes: he and Darasion broke their lances upon\neach other, and both kept their seats. Abiseos failed in his course;\nhe saw Dramis on the ground, and in great grief, albeit he did not\nsuppose him to be dead, ran full at Amadis, and pierced his shield, and\nbroke the lance in his arm, so that all thought he could not continue\nthe battle. Well may you think how Briolania felt at that; her heart\nsunk, and the sight of her eyes failed her, and without support she\nwould have fallen from her palfrey. But he, who was not to be dismayed\nby such wounds, graspt well that good sword which he had so lately\nrecovered from Arcalaus, and struck Abiseos upon the helm; through helm\nit went, and slanted down the head, and pierced into the shoulder; a\nslant wound, but so staggering that Abiseos tottered on his seat, and\nfell, half senseless. Then he of Gaul rode up to Darasion, who was\nclose engaged with Agrayes:\u2014now Darasion, you had rather the second\nwere absent, than that the third were come! Agrayes cried out to him\nto hold:\u2014Cousin, you have done enough, leave me this man who has\nthreatened to cut out my tongue. Amadis did not hear him; he had made a\nblow which sliced off a part of the shield, and came through the pummel\nof the saddle to the horse's neck; but Darasion, as he past, ran his\nsword into the belly of Amadis's horse; the horse instantly ran away;\nthe reins broke in the rider's hand, and Amadis seeing that he had\nno remedy, and that he should be carried out of the lists, struck the\nbeast between the ears with his sword, and split his head; the fall\nbruised him sorely, but he arose, and turned to Abiseos.\nAt this time Agrayes had driven his sword into Darasion's helmet, so\nthat he could not recover it. Darasion had forced it from his hand,\nand was driving at him. Agrayes grappled him; they fell together and\nstruggled on the ground. Abiseos came up, and was lifting the skirts of\nhis armour to thrust his sword into him. Amadis came up in time. The\nKing was compelled to look to his own safety; he lifted his shield,\nthe blow dashed shield against helmet, and made him reel. Agrayes and\nDarasion had loosed each other: Agrayes caught up Darasion's sword;\nDarasion plucked the other from his helm, and ran towards his father.\nAmadis saw that Agrayes was all bloody from a wound in his neck, and\nfearing it was mortal, he cried, leave them to me, good cousin, and\nrest yourself! I have no wound, quoth Agrayes, to keep me from aiding\nyou: see if it be so! Have at them, then! cried Amadis; but the fear he\nfelt for his cousin gave him such anger, that presently his enemies,\ntheir armour all hacked, and their flesh too, began to turn here and\nthere disorderly, and with the fear of death. So it continued till the\nhour of tierce, when Abiseos, seeing death before him, lifted his sword\nin both hands, and ran desperately at Amadis, and gave him a blow,\nsuch as might not be looked for from a man so wounded: it cut away the\nbrim of the helmet, and the shoulder mail and a part of the flesh with\nit. Amadis felt it sorely, and did not delay to give him his wages: he\nstruck his shoulder, and lopt off that arm with which he had murdered\nhis own king and brother; arm and shoulder he lopt off, and cried, that\narm brought thee by treason to the throne, and it now brings thee to\ndeath and the depth of hell! The King had fallen in the pangs of death.\nAmadis looked round him, and saw that Agrayes had smitten off the head\nof Darasion. Then the people of the land went joyfully to kiss the hand\nof Briolania their [70:A]Lady.\n    [70:A] There follows in the original a page of advice to all\n    wicked kings and rulers.\nThe conquerors dragged their enemies out of the lists. Amadis, though\nhe was much wounded, would not disarm himself till he knew if there\nwere any to gainsay Briolania's right. But one of the chiefs of the\nrealm, by name Goman, came before him with an hundred men of his\nlineage and household, and they declared that they had only endured the\nusurpation of Abiseos because they had no remedy: now God had delivered\nthem, they were in that loyalty and vassallage which they owed to\nBriolania. Within eight days all the kingdom came joyfully to do homage\nto her. Amadis meantime was laid in bed, and that fair Queen never left\nhim but when she went to sleep herself. Agrayes, who was dangerously\nwounded, was put under the care of a skilful man, who suffered none to\napproach him, that he might not speak, for the wound was in his throat.\n_CHAPTER 44._\nDon Galaor and Florestan remained in the castle of Corisanda till their\nwounds were well healed, then took they their departure; but Corisanda\nmade such sorrow that it was pitiful to see her, albeit Florestan\ncomforted her, and assured her of his speedy return. They crossed to\nthe mainland, and proceeded towards Sobradisa, hoping to arrive there\nbefore the battle. Brother, quoth Florestan, as they rode along, grant\nme a boon for courtesy. Sir, and good brother, cried Galaor, is it a\nthing that I shall repent? You will not repent it, said Florestan.\u2014Ask\nit then; for what I can grant without shame, I shall grant with good\nwill.\u2014I ask then, that you will attempt no combat in this journey\ntill I have tried my fortune. Certes, quoth Galaor, I repent. Not so,\nreplied Florestan, for if there be any worth in me, it is to your\nhonour as well as to mine. Four days they rode without adventure:\non the fifth at evening they came to a Tower. A Knight, who stood at\nthe court-gate, courteously invited them for the night; and there\nwere they worshipfully entertained. The Knight their host, was a fair\nKnight and a wise, and of goodly stature; but oftentimes he appeared\nso lost in thought and sadness, that the brethren asked each other\nwhat it might mean, and Don Galaor at last said to him, Sir, methinks\nyou are not so chearful as you should be! if your sadness is for any\ncause which our aid can remedy, tell us, and we will do your will.\nMany thanks, replied he of the Tower: I believe you would do so like\ngood Knights; but my sadness proceeds from the force of love, and I\nwill not tell you more now, for it would be to my own great shame. The\nhour of sleeping came on; their host went to his apartment, and the\nbrethren remained in a handsome chamber where there were two beds. In\nthe morning he rode to bear them company, but unarmed; and, that he\nmight see whether they were such in arms as their appearance bespoke\nthem, he led them not along the high road, but through bye ways, till\nthey came to a place called the fountain of the Three Elms, for there\nwere three great and lofty Elm-trees above the fountain. Three fair\nDamsels and well apparelled, were by the fountain, and there was a\nDwarf aloft in the trees. Florestan went first and saluted them gently,\nas a courteous man, and one who had been gently bred. God save you, Sir\nKnight, quoth the one; if you are as brave as you are handsome, God\nhath gifted you well. Damsel, he replied, if my beauty pleaseth you,\nmy courage would please you more if it were put to proof. You answer\nwell, quoth she: see now, if your courage be enough to carry me from\nhence.\u2014Certes, quoth Florestan, little goodness is enough for that;\nsince it is your pleasure, I will do it.\u2014He then bade his Squires place\nher upon a palfrey which was tied to one of the Elms: when the Dwarf,\nwho was sitting up in the tree, cried out aloud, Come forth, Knights,\ncome forth! they are carrying away your mistress! At these words a\nKnight, well armed and on a great horse, came up from the valley, and\ncried out to Florestan, Knight! who bid you lay your hands upon that\nDamsel? I do not think she can be yours, replied Florestan, seeing of\nher own will she desired me to carry her hence. The Knight answered,\nthough she consent, I do not; and I have defended her against better\nthan you.\u2014I know not how that may be, but unless you act up to your\nwords, carry her away I will!\u2014Learn first what the Knights of the\nValley are, and how they defend their mistresses! With that they ran\nat each other, and Florestan smote his shield so strongly against\nhis helmet that the laces brake, and the helmet came off. The Knight\ncould not keep his seat; he fell upon his sword, and broke it in two.\nFlorestan turned his horse and pointed his lance at him:\u2014you are dead,\nunless you yield the Damsel! I yield her, quoth he, and cursed be she,\nand the day wherein I first beheld her, for she made me commit so many\nfollies that at last I have destroyed myself. Florestan left him, and\nwent to the Damsel, saying, you are mine! You have well won me, quoth\nshe, and may do with me as you please. Let us go then! said he; but\none of the other Damsels then said to him, Sir Knight, you are parting\ngood company; we have been a year together, and it grieves us to be\nseparated. Said Florestan, if you chuse to go in my company I will take\nyou also, otherwise you must be separated, for I will not leave so fair\na Damsel as this. And if she be fair, quoth the Damsel, neither do I\nesteem myself so ugly, but that Knight should venture something for me\nalso; but I believe you are not of that temper. What! cried he, think\nyou that I would leave you here for fear? so help me as I would have\ndone so only to respect your free will, but you shall see. He bade the\nSquires place her also on her palfrey, and the Dwarf, who sate up\naloft, cried out again for help.\nPresently there came another Knight from the valley, and said to\nFlorestan, Don Cavalier, you have won one Damsel, and, not content with\nher, you would carry off another; you must, therefore, lose both, and\nyour head too; for it is not fit that a Knight of such degree as you\nshould have in your keeping a Damsel of such rank. You praise yourself\nbountifully, quoth Florestan; yet had I rather have two Knights of my\nkin for my helpers than thee! I neither regard thee nor them, said the\nKnight: you have won this Damsel from him who could not defend her; if\nI conquer thee, she shall be mine; if the victory is yours, you shall\ntake the other whom I defend. Content, quoth Florestan. Defend yourself\nnow, if you can! said he of the valley; and they ran their encounter.\nThe Knight pierced through Florestan's shield, and broke his lance\nagainst the strong mail. Florestan failed in the race; ashamed at that,\nwhen the Knight had taken from his Squire another lance, he ran again,\nand pierced the shield of his antagonist and the arm that held it, and\ndrove him back upon the crupper of his horse; the horse reared and\nthrew him, and, the ground being hard, he neither moved hand nor foot.\nDamsel, said Florestan, you are mine; for methinks your friend can\nneither help you nor himself. So it seems, quoth she.\nFlorestan looked at the other Damsel, who now remained alone by the\nfountain, and saw that she was very sad. Damsel, said he, if it please\nyou, I will not leave you here alone. She did not answer him, but\nsaid to his host, Go from hence, I counsel you! you know that these\nKnights are not enough to protect you from him who will presently be\nhere, and, if he take you, you are sure to die. I will see what may\nhappen, he answered, my horse is swift, and my Tower at hand. Ah, said\nshe, take care of yourself; ye are but three, and you unarmed, and you\nwell know that is nothing against him. When Florestan heard this, he\nbecame more desirous to carry away that Damsel, and see him whom she\npraised so greatly. So he had her also placed on her palfrey; and the\nDwarf, who sate up aloft, said, Don Cavalier, in an ill hour are you\nso bold: here comes one who shall take vengeance for all! and then he\nshouted out, help! help, Sir! you linger too long! Presently there came\nanother Knight from the same valley; his armour was inlaid with gold,\nand he rode upon a bay horse, big enough for a giant. Two Squires\ncame after him, armed with corselets and morions like serving men, and\neach carried a huge battle-axe in his hand, in the use of which weapon\ntheir master prided himself. He cried out to Florestan, stay, Knight,\nand seek not to fly, for it will not save you: die you must, and it is\nbetter die like a brave man, than like a coward! When Florestan heard\nhimself threatened, he waxed wonderous angry, and cried out, come on,\nwretch and rascal, and clumsy[78:A] fool! So help me God, as I fear\nthee no more than a great cowardly beast. Ah, quoth the Knight, how it\ngrieves me that I cannot wreak sufficient vengeance upon thee! would\nthat the best four of thy lineage were here, that I might cut off their\nheads with thine! Protect yourself from one, cried Florestan, you may\ndispense with the rest. Then, being both greatly incensed, they ran\nat each other, and the shields and the mails of both were pierced\nwith the violence of the encounter: the large Knight lost both his\nstirrups, and was fain to save himself by clinging round his horse's\nneck. Florestan, as he past on, caught at one of the battle-axes, and\nplucked it with such force from the Squire who held it, that both the\nman and his horse were brought to the ground. The Knight of the Valley\nhad recovered his seat, and was ready with the other battle-axe, and\nFlorestan made at him with equal arms: both struck at once, each on the\nhelmet of his enemy; the axes went in three fingers' depth. Florestan\nbowed his face upon his breast with the weight of the blow: the Knight\nfell upon the neck of his horse, and the axe, being fast in the other's\nhelmet, slipt from his hand; before he could raise himself, Florestan\nsmote him as he lay between the helm and gorget, so that his head fell\nat the horse's feet. This done, he turned to the Damsels. Certes, good\nKnight, quoth the first of them, I once thought that not ten such as\nyou could have won us.\n    [78:A] Ven cativa cosa, y mala, y fuera de razon, sin talle.\n    The language of vituperation is not easily translatable.\nThe young Knight, their host, then came up to Florestan, and said, Sir,\nI love this Damsel dearly, and she loves me. It is a year since this\nKnight whom you have slain hath forcibly detained her, so that I could\nnot see her: now, that I may receive her from your hands, I beseech\nyou refuse me not. My host, quoth Florestan, of a truth I will right\ngladly aid you, if it be as you say; but against her will I will yield\nher to none. Ah, Sir, cried the Damsel, this is with my will! I beseech\nyou give me to him: he is my true love. Florestan answered, in God's\nname, dispose of yourself as you like best! and she went joyfully to\nher true love. Galaor then gave his horse to their friend, and took\nthe bay horse of the dead Knight, which was the handsomest he had ever\nseen, and then they separated. The two Damsels whom Florestan had won,\nwere young and fair; he took the one to himself, and gave the other to\nGalaor: I give you to this Knight, said he, and command you to do as\nhe pleases. What! quoth she, do you give me to this Knight, who has\nnot the heart of a woman? who stood by and saw you in such danger,\nand did not help you? Damsel, answered Florestan, by my faith to God\nand to you, I swear that I give you to the best Knight whom I know\nin the world, except it be Amadis my Lord. The Damsel then looked at\nGalaor, and seeing him so handsome, and so young, she marvelled at his\nworth, and granted him her love. That night they had their lodging at\nthe house of a Lady, sister to their last night's host. On the morrow\nthey resumed their road, and said to their fair friends, we have a\nlong journey to perform thro' foreign lands, where you would endure\nmany hardships in following us: tell us where you would like best to\ngo, and there we will conduct you. They replied, that their Aunt had\na castle four days journey on that road whither they would go. As\nthey proceeded, Galaor asked his Damsel how she came into the power\nof those Knights. She answered, that great Knight who was slain loved\nthe Damsel who went with your host, but she hated him. He took her by\nforce, for he was the best Knight in all these parts, and none could\ngainsay him, yet would she never yield him her love; and he, for the\naffection he bore her, withheld from offering her any wrong; and he\nsaid to her, My fair friend, great reason is it that I should be loved\nby you, being the best Knight in the world. Now I will do this for your\nsake: there is a Knight who is called the best that ever was, Amadis of\nGaul by name, and he slew my cousin Dardan, in King Lisuarte's court;\nI will find him, and cut off his head, and then shall I inherit all\nhis renown. Till I do this, I will give you two of the fairest Damsels\nin all this land for your companions, and they shall have the two best\nKnights of my lineage for their friends; and you shall every day be\ntaken to the fountain of the Three Elms, where many Errant Knights\npass, that you may see brave jousting, and learn to love me as I love\nyou. He then took us by force, and gave us to his kinsmen, and thus had\nwe past a year, till Don Florestan broke the bonds. That Knight, quoth\nGalaor, had a haughty mind: what was his name? Alumas, she answered;\nand, if it had not been for his exceeding pride, he was of great\nprowess. Thus they proceeded till they reached the Lady's castle, who\nthankfully entertained them, because they had delivered her nieces from\nAlumas and his kinsmen, who had forcibly and dishonourably detained\nthem.\nGalaor and Florestan proceeded till they reached the kingdom of\nSobradisa, and there heard the joyful tidings of what their brother\nand Agrayes had done. They hastened to the city, and went immediately\nto the palace, where Amadis and his cousin, now whole of their wounds,\nwere conversing with the new Queen. Amadis, from the Damsel who had\nguided Galaor, knew who they were, and went to welcome Florestan with\ntears of joy, embracing and kissing him who would have knelt before\nhim. But when Briolania saw four such Knights in her palace, and\nrecollected how powerful she now was, and how lately she had lived,\nnot without fear, in a single castle, she knelt down, and thanked the\nMost High for the mercy he had vouchsafed her. Of a truth, Sirs, said\nshe, these changes are the work of him, before whom the mightiest are\nnothing; but for this dominion, and this wealth, which we suffer so\nmuch anxiety and trouble to gain, and having gained, to keep; would it\nbe better, as being neither certain nor durable in themselves, and as\nthings superfluous and destructive to the body, and moreover to the\nsoul,\u2014would it be better to reject and abhor them? Certainly I say,\nno: and affirm, that, when they are gained with a good conscience, and\njustly administered, we may enjoy from them comfort and pleasure and\njoy in this world, and everlasting glory in the next.\n  _Here endeth the First Book of the noble and virtuous\n  Knight, Amadis of Gaul._\n_AMADIS of GAUL._\nBook the Second.\n_CHAPTER 1._\nThere was a King in Greece married to the sister of the Emperor of\nConstantinople, by whom he had two fair sons, especially the elder,\nnamed Apolidon, who in his days had no equal for strength of body and\ncourage of heart. He having a subtle genius, which is so seldom found\nwith valour, gave himself to the study of the sciences and of all arts,\nso that he shone among those of his own time like the Moon among the\nstars; especially he excelled in necromancy, whereby things that appear\nimpossible are done. The King his father was very rich in treasure,\nbut poor in life, by reason of his great age; and seeing himself at\nthe point of death, he commanded that the kingdom should be given to\nApolidon, as his eldest son, and his books and treasures to the other.\nThe younger was not contented with this, and told his father so with\ntears, and complained that he was disherited; but the old man, not\nknowing what to do, wrung his hands for pure sorrow. Then that famous\nApolidon, seeing his father's grief and the littleness of his brother,\nbade him take comfort, for he would accept the books and treasure, and\nrelinquish the kingdom to his brother. Whereat the father gave him his\nblessing with many tears. So Apolidon took his inheritance, and fitted\nout certain ships, manning them with chosen Knights, and set forth into\nthe sea, trusting himself to Fortune, who seeing his great obedience to\nhis father, and how he had thrown himself upon her mercy, resolved to\nrequite him with glory and greatness. A fair wind carried him to the\nempire of Rome, where Siudan was then Emperor, at whose court he abode\nsome time, doing great feats in arms, till there grew a true affection\nbetween him and the Emperor's sister, Grimanesa, who then flourished\namong all other women for beauty. So it was that as he was loving, even\nso was he loved, and as their loves might no other ways be indulged,\nthey left Rome together, and set sail in Apolidon's fleet, and sailed\ntill they came to the Firm Island. There Apolidon landed, not knowing\nwhat country it was, and pitched a tent upon the shore, and placed a\ncouch there for his Lady, who was weary of the sea. Presently there\ncame down a fierce Giant, who was Lord of the island, with whom,\naccording to the custom of the place, Apolidon was to do battle for the\npreservation of his Lady and himself, and his company. It ended in such\nsort that the Giant lay dead on the field, and Apolidon remained master\nof the island. When he had seen its strength, he neither feared the\nEmperor of Rome, whom he had offended, nor all the world besides; and\nthere he and Grimanesa, being greatly beloved by the islanders, whom he\nhad delivered from their oppressor, dwelt in all happiness for sixteen\nyears. During that time many rich edifices were made, as well with\nhis great treasures, as with his surpassing wisdom, such as it would\nhave been difficult for any Emperor or King, how rich soever, to have\ncompleted. At the end of that time the Emperor of Greece died without\nan heir, and the Greeks, knowing the great worth of Apolidon, and that\nby his mother's side he was of the blood and lineage of the Emperors,\nelected him with one common consent to rule over them. He, albeit\nhe was enjoying all possible delights in his own island, yet, with\nGrimanesa's consent, accepted the Empire; but she, before they left\nthe island where she had enjoyed such rare happiness, requested her\nhusband that he would work such a means by his great knowledge, that\nthat island might never be possessed, except by a Knight as excellent\nin arms and loyal in love as himself, and by a Dame resembling her in\nbeauty and truth.\nThen Apolidon made an arch at the entrance of a garden, wherein there\nwere all kind of trees, and also four rich chambers, but it was so\nsurrounded that none could enter, except by passing under the arch,\nover which he placed the Image of a man made of copper, holding a\ntrumpet in his mouth as if he would wind it. And in one of the chambers\nwithin he placed two figures, in the likeness of himself and his Lady,\nthe countenances and the stature like unto them, so true that they\nseemed alive, and near them he placed a bright stone of jasper; and,\nabout the distance of half a cross-bow shot, he made a [87:A]perron\nof iron. Henceforward, said he, no man or woman who hath been false\nto their first love shall pass here, for yonder Image shall blow from\nthat trumpet so dreadful a blast with smoke and flames of fire, that\nthey shall be stunned and cast out as dead. But if Knight, or Dame, or\nDamsel come, worthy by virtue of true loyalty to finish this adventure,\nthey shall enter without let, and the Image shall make a sound so sweet\nthat it shall be delightful to hear, and they shall see our images,\nand behold their own name written in the jasper. Grimanesa afterwards\nordered some of her Knights and Ladies to make trial, and then the\nImage blew the dreadful blast with smoke and flames of fire; whereat\nGrimanesa laughed, knowing them to be in more dread than danger. But\nyet, my Lord, quoth she, what shall be done with that rich chamber\nwherein we have enjoyed such great contentment? He answered, you shall\nsee. Then he made two other perrons, one of stone, the other of copper:\nthe stone one was placed five paces from the chamber, the copper one\nfive paces farther off. Know now, said he, that henceforth in no\nmanner, nor at any time, shall man or woman enter this chamber, till\na Knight come who surpasses me in prowess, or a woman exceeding you\nin beauty; they shall enter. He then placed these words in the copper\nperron: Knights shall advance here, each according to his valour; and\nin the stone perron, he wrote: here none shall pass except the Knight\nwho exceeds Apolidon in prowess. And over the door of the chamber he\nwrote: He who surpasses me in prowess shall enter here, and be Lord of\nthe island. And he laid such a spell, that none could approach within\ntwelve paces of the chamber round about, nor was there any entrance but\nby the perrons.\n    [87:A] _Padron_ is the Spanish word: the English version\n    renders it pillar, but the word means more; there must be\n    a roof and a flooring. Our market-crosses would be called\n    _padrones_. _Perron_ is used in the English Amadis of Greece.\nThen he appointed a Governor to rule the island, and collect the\nrevenues, which were to be reserved for the Knight who should enter\nthe chamber; and he commanded that all who failed in attempting to\npass the Arch of Lovers, should, without ceremony, be cast out of\nthe island; but such as passed through were to be entertained and\nserved with all honour. And farther, he appointed that all Knights who\nattempted the adventure of the Forbidden Chamber, and did not pass\nthe copper perron, should leave their arms there; but from those who\nadvanced any way beyond it, only their swords should be taken. They\nwho reached to the marble perron should leave only their shields, and\nif they penetrated beyond that, but failed to enter the chamber, they\nshould lose only their spurs. From the Dames and Damsels who failed,\nnothing was to be taken, only their names should be placed upon the\ncastle-gate, and an account how far they had advanced. Apolidon then\nsaid, when this island shall have another Lord, the enchantment shall\nbe dissolved, and all Knights may freely pass the perrons and enter the\nchamber; but it shall not be free for women, till the fairest shall\nhave come, and lodged in the rich chamber with the Lord of the island.\nThese enchantments being thus made, Apolidon and his wife entered their\nships, and passed over into Greece, where they reigned during their\nlives, and left children to succeed them.\n_CHAPTER 2._\nWhile Amadis remained with his comrades at the court of Sobradisa,\nhis thoughts were perpetually fixed upon his Lady Oriana; and, so\nthoughtful was he, and so often, both sleeping and waking, was he in\ntears, that all saw how he was troubled, yet knew they not the cause,\nfor he kept his love silent, as a man who had all virtues in his\nheart. At length, not being able to support a longer absence, he asked\npermission of the fair young Queen to depart, which she not without\nreluctance having granted, loving him better than herself, he and his\nbrethren and their cousin Agrayes took the road towards King Lisuarte.\nSome days had they travelled when they came to a little church,\nand entering there to say their prayers, they saw a fair Damsel,\naccompanied by two others, and by four Squires, who guarded her, coming\nfrom the door. She asked them whither they went. Amadis answered,\nDamsel, we go to the court of King Lisuarte, where, if it please you\nto go, we will accompany you. Thank you, quoth the Damsel, but I am\nfaring elsewhere. I waited, because I saw you were armed like Errant\nKnights, to know if any of you would go and see the wonders of the Firm\nIsland, for I am the Governor's daughter, and am returning there. Holy\nMary! cried Amadis, I have often heard of the wonders of that island,\nand should account myself happy if I might prove them, yet till now\nhave I never prepared to go! Good Sir, quoth she, do not repent of your\ndelay; many have gone there with the same wish, and returned not so\njoyfully as they went. So I have heard, said Amadis: tell me, would it\nbe far out of our road if we went there?\u2014Two days journey.\u2014Is the Firm\nIsland then in this part of the sea, where is the enchanted Arch of\nTrue Lovers, under which neither man nor woman can pass that hath been\nfalse to their first love? The Damsel answered, it is a certain truth,\nand many other wonders are there. Then Agrayes said to his companions,\nI know not what you will do, but I will go with this Damsel, and see\nthese wonderful things. If you are so true a lover, said she, as to\npass the enchanted Arch, you will see the likenesses of Apolidon and\nGrimanesa, and behold your own name written upon a stone, where you\nwill find only two names written besides, though the spell hath been\nmade an hundred years. In God's name let us go, quoth Agrayes, and I\nwill try whether I can be third. With that, Amadis, who in his heart\nhad no less desire and faith to prove the adventure, said to his\nbrethren, we are not enamoured, but we should keep our cousin company\nwho is, and whose heart is so bold. Thereto they all consented, and set\nforth with the Damsel. What is this island? said Florestan to Amadis,\ntell me, Sir, for you seem to know. A young Knight whom I greatly\nesteem, replied Amadis, told me all I know; King Arban of North Wales:\nhe was there four days, but could accomplish none of the adventures,\nand so departed with shame. The Damsel then related the history of the\nenchantments, which greatly incited Galaor and Florestan to the proof.\nSo they rode on till sunset, and then entering a valley, they saw many\ntents pitched in a meadow, and people sporting about them, and one\nKnight, richly apparelled, who seemed to be the chief. Sirs, quoth the\nDamsel, that is my father: I will go advertise him of your coming,\nthat he may do you honour. When he heard of their desire to try the\nenchantment, he went on foot with all his company to welcome them,\nand they were honourably feasted and lodged that night. At morning\nthey accompanied the Governor to his castle, which commanded the whole\nisland, for at the entrance there was a neck of land, only a bow-shot\nover, connected with the main land, all the rest was surrounded by the\nsea; seven leagues in length it was, and five broad, and because it was\nall surrounded by the sea, except where that neck of land connected\nit with the continent, it was called the Firm Island. Having entered,\nthey saw a great palace, the gates whereof were open, and many shields\nhung upon the wall; about an hundred were in one row, and above them\nwere ten, and above the ten were two, but one of them was in a higher\nniche than the other. Then Amadis asked why they were thus ranked.\nThe Governor answered, according to the prowess of those who would\nhave entered the Forbidden Chamber; the shields of those who could\nnot enter the perron of copper, are near the ground; the ten above\nthem are of those who reached it; the lowest of the two passed that\nperron, and the one above all reached to the marble perron, but could\npass no farther. Then Amadis approached the shields to see if he knew\nthem, for each had its owner's name inscribed; the one which was the\nhighest of the ten bore a sable lion, with argent teeth and nails, and\na bloody mouth, in a field sable: this he knew to be the shield of\nArcalaus. Then he beheld the two uppermost; the lower bore, in a field\nazure, a Knight cutting off the head of a Giant; this was the shield of\nKing Abies of Ireland, who had been there two years before his combat\nwith Amadis: the highest had three golden flowers in a field azure:\nthis he knew not, but he read the inscription, This is the shield of\nDon Quadragante, brother to King Abies of Ireland. He had proved the\nadventure twelve days ago, and had reached the marble perron, which was\nmore than any Knight before him had done, and he was now gone to Great\nBritain to combat Amadis, in revenge for his brother's death. When\nAmadis saw all these shields, he doubted the adventure much, seeing\nthat such Knights had failed.\nThey went out from the palace towards the Arch of True Lovers. When\nthey came near, Agrayes alighted and commended himself to God, and\ncried, Love, if I have been true to thee, remember me! and he past the\nspell; and, when he came under the arch, the Image blew forth sweet\nsounds, and he came to the palace, and saw the likeness of Apolidon\nand Grimanesa, and saw also the jasper-stone, wherein two names were\nwritten, and now his own the third. The first said, Madanil, son of the\nDuke of Burgundy, atchieved this adventure: and the second was, this is\nthe name of Don Bruneo of Bonamar, son to Vallados, Marquis of Troque:\nand his own said, this is Agrayes, son to King Languines of Scotland.\nThis Madanil loved Guinda, Lady of Flanders. Don Bruneo had proved the\nenchantment but eight days ago, and she whom he loved was Melicia,\ndaughter to King Perion, the sister of Amadis.\nWhen Agrayes had thus entered, Amadis said to his brethren, will ye\nprove the adventure? No, said they, we are not so enthralled that we\ncan deserve to accomplish it. Since you are two, then, quoth he, keep\none another company, as I, if I can, will do with my cousin Agrayes.\nThen gave he his horse and arms to Gandalin, and went on without fear,\nas one who felt that never in deed or in thought had he been faithless\nto his Lady. When he came under the arch, the Image began a sound far\ndifferent and more melodious than he had ever before done, and showered\ndown flowers of great fragrance from the mouth of the trumpet, the like\nof which had never been done before to any Knight who entered. He past\non to the Images, and here Agrayes, who apprehended something of his\npassion, met him and embraced him, and said, Sir, my Cousin, there is\nno reason that we should henceforth conceal from each other our loves.\nBut Amadis made no reply, but taking his hand, they went to survey the\nbeauties of the garden.\nDon Galaor and Florestan, who waited for them without, seeing that they\ntarried, besought Ysanjo, the Governor, to shew them the Forbidden\nChamber, and he led them towards the perrons. Sir brother, said\nFlorestan, what will you do? Nothing, replied Galaor: I have no mind to\nmeddle with enchantments. Then amuse yourself here, quoth Florestan, I\nwill try my fortune. He then commended himself to God, threw his shield\nbefore him, and proceeded sword in hand. When he entered the spell, he\nfelt himself attacked on all sides with lances and swords, such blows\nand so many that it might be thought never man could endure them; yet,\nfor he was strong and of good heart, he ceased not to make his way,\nstriking manfully on all sides, and it felt in his hand as though he\nwere striking armed men, and the sword did not cut. Thus struggling,\nhe passed the copper perron, and advanced as far as the marble one,\nbut there his strength failed him, and he fell like one dead, and was\ncast out beyond the line of the spell. When Galaor saw this he was\ndispleased, and said, however little I like these things, I must take\nmy share in the danger! and bidding the Squires and the Dwarf to stay\nby Florestan, and throw cold water in his face, he took his arms and\ncommended himself to God, and advanced towards the Forbidden Chamber.\nImmediately the unseen blows fell upon him, but he went on, and forced\nhis way up to the marble perron, and there he stood; but, when he\nadvanced another step beyond, the blows came on him so heavy a load,\nthat he fell senseless, and was cast out like Florestan.\nAmadis and Agrayes were reading the new inscription in the jasper, This\nis Amadis of Gaul, the true lover, son to King Perion,\u2014when Ardian\nthe Dwarf came up to the line, and cried out, Help! help, Sir Amadis,\nyour brothers are slain! They hastened out to him, and asked how it\nwas.\u2014Sir, they attempted the Forbidden Chamber, and did not atchieve\nit, and there they lie for dead! Immediately they rode towards them,\nand found them so handled as you have heard, albeit some little\nrecovering. Then Agrayes, who was stout of heart, alighted and went on\nas fast as he could to the Forbidden Chamber, striking aright and aleft\nwith his sword, but his strength did not suffice to bear the blows, he\nfell senseless between the perrons, and was cast out as his cousins\nhad been. Then Amadis began to curse their journey thither, and said\nto Galaor, who was now revived, Brother, I must not excuse my body\nfrom the danger which yours have undergone. Galaor would have withheld\nhim, but he took his arms, and went on, praying God to help him. When\nhe came to the line of the spell, there he paused for a moment, and\nsaid, O Oriana, my Lady, from you proceeds all my strength and courage!\nremember me now at this time, when your dear remembrance is so needful\nto me! Then he went on. The blows fell thick upon him and hard till he\nreached the marble perron, but then they came so fast as if all the\nKnights in the world were besetting him, and such an uproar of voices\narose as if the whole world were perishing, and he heard it said, if\nthis Knight should fail, there is not one in the world who can enter.\nBut he ceased not to proceed, winning his way hardly, sometimes beaten\ndown upon his hands, sometimes falling upon his knees; his sword fell\nfrom his hand, and, though it hung by a thong from the wrist, he\ncould not recover it, yet holding on still he reached the door of the\nchamber, and a hand came forth and took him by the hand to draw him in,\nand he heard a voice which said, Welcome is the Knight who shall be\nLord here, because he passeth in prowess him who made the enchantment,\nand who had no peer in his time. The hand that led him was large, and\nhard, like the hand of an old man, and the arm was sleeved with green\nsattin. As soon as he was within the chamber it let go his hold, and\nwas seen no more, and Amadis remained fresh, and with all his strength\nrecovered; he took the shield from his neck and the helmet from his\nhead, and sheathed his sword, and gave thanks to his Lady Oriana for\nthis honour, which for her sake he had won. At this time they of the\ncastle who had heard the voices resign the lordship, and seen Amadis\nenter, began to cry out, God be praised, we see accomplished what we\nhave so long desired. When his brethren saw that he had atchieved that\nwherein they had failed, they were exceedingly joyful, because of the\ngreat love they bore him, and desired that they might be carried to the\nchamber; and there the Governor with all his train went to Amadis, and\nkissed his hand as their Lord. Then saw they the wonders which were\nin the chamber, the works of art and the treasures, such that they\nwere amazed to see them. Yet all this was nothing to the chamber of\nApolidon and Grimanesa, for that was such, that not only could no one\nmake the like, but no one could even imagine how it could be made; it\nwas so devised, that they who were within could clearly see what was\ndoing without, but from without nothing could be seen within. There\nthey remained some time with great pleasure; the Knights, because one\nof their lineage was found to exceed in worth all living men, and all\nwho for a hundred years had lived: the islanders, because they trusted\nto be well ruled and made happy under such a Lord, and even to master\nother lands. Sir, quoth Ysanjo, it is time to take food and rest for\nto-day: to-morrow, the good men of the land will come and do homage to\nyou. So that day they feasted in the palace, and the following day all\nthe people assembled and did homage to Amadis as their Lord, with great\nsolemnities and feasting and rejoicing.[101:A]\n    [101:A] The Spanish Writer moralizes here a little upon the\n    mutability of fortune.\nYou have heard in the first part of this great history, how Oriana\nwas moved to great anger and rage by what the Dwarf had said to her\nconcerning the broken sword, so that neither the wise counsels of\nMabilia nor of the Damsel of Denmark aught availed her. From that time\nshe gave way to her wrath, so that wholly changing her accustomed\nmanner of life, which was to be altogether in their company, she now\nforsook them, and for the most part chose to be alone, devising how she\nmight revenge herself for what she suffered, upon him who had caused\nher sufferings. So recollecting that she could by writing make him\nsensible of her displeasure, even at a distance, being alone in her\nchamber, she took ink and parchment from her coffer, and wrote thus:\nMy frantic grief, accompanied by so great a reason, causes my weak hand\nto declare what my sad heart cannot conceal against you, the false and\ndisloyal Knight, Amadis of Gaul; for the disloyalty and faithlessness\nare known which you have committed against me, the most ill-fortuned\nand unhappy of all in the world, since you have changed your affection\nfor me, who loved you above all things, and have placed your love upon\none who by her years cannot have discretion to know and love you.\nSince then I have no other vengeance in my power, I withdraw all that\nexceeding and misplaced love which I bore towards you; for great error\nwould it be to love him who has forsaken me, when in requital for my\nsighs and passion I am deceived and deserted. Therefore, as the wrong\nis manifest, never appear before me! for be sure the great love I felt\nis turned into raging anger. Go, and deceive some other poor woman as\nyou deceived me with your treacherous words, for which no excuse will\nbe received, while I lament with tears my own wretchedness, and so put\nan end to my life and unhappiness.\nHaving thus written, she sealed the letter with the seal of Amadis, and\nwrote on the superscription, I am the Damsel wounded through the heart\nwith a sword, and you are he who wounded me. She then secretly called a\nSquire, who was named Durin, and was brother to the Damsel of Denmark,\nand bade him not rest till he had reached the kingdom of Sobradisa,\nwhere he would find Amadis; and she bade him mark the countenance of\nAmadis while he was reading the letter, and stay with him that day, but\nreceive no answer from him, if he wished to give one.\n_CHAPTER 3._\nDurin, in obedience to the command of Oriana, presently departed, and\nhasted so well that on the tenth day he arrived at Sobradisa, where\nhe found the new Queen Briolania, whom he thought the fairest woman,\nexcept Oriana, that ever he had seen; and learning from her that Amadis\nhad departed two days before, he followed him, and reached the Firm\nIsland just as Amadis was passing under the Arch of True Lovers, and so\nhe beheld how the Image did more for him than ever it had done for any\nother. And though he saw Amadis after he came forth to his brethren,\nyet he did not speak with him, nor give him the letter, till after he\nhad entered the Forbidden Chamber, and been received by all as Lord of\nthe island. This he did by Gandalin's advice, who, knowing the letter\nto be from Oriana, feared that it might cause his Master either to\nforslow or fail in the atchieving of so great an enterprise, for he\nwould not only have left off the conquest of the Firm Island, but also\nof the whole world, to fulfil what she had commanded; but, when every\nthing was finished, Durin went before him, and Amadis took him apart\nfrom his brethren and from all others into a garden, and asked him if\nhe came from the court of King Lisuarte, and what tidings. Sir, said\nhe, the court is as when you left it: I come from thence by the command\nof my Lady Oriana; by this letter you will know the cause of my coming.\nAmadis took the letter, and he concealed the joy that was in his heart,\nthat Durin might know nothing of his secret; but his grief he could not\nconceal when he had read those strong and bitter words, for neither his\ncourage nor reason could support him then, for he seemed struck with\ndeath. When Durin saw him so disordered, he cursed himself and his ill\nfortune, and death, that had not overtaken him on the way. Amadis, for\nhe could not stand, sate down upon the grass, and took the letter which\nhad fallen from his hands, and, when he saw the superscription, again\nhis grief became so violent that Durin would have called his brethren,\nbut feared to do so, observing what secrecy Amadis had chosen.\nPresently Amadis exclaimed, O Lord, wherefore does it please thee that\nI should perish, not having deserved it! and then again, Ah, truth, an\nill guerdon dost thou give him who never failed thee! Then he took the\nletter again, saying, you are the cause of my unhappy end; come here,\nthat it may be sooner! and he placed it in his bosom. He asked Durin\nif he had aught else to say; and hearing that he had not, replied,\nwell then thou shalt take my answer. Sir, quoth he, I am forbidden\nto receive any.\u2014Did neither Mabilia nor thy sister bid thee say any\nthing?\u2014They knew not my coming: my Lady commanded me to conceal it from\nthem.\u2014Holy Mary help me! I see now my wretchedness is without remedy.\nHe then went to a stream that proceeded from a fountain, and washed\nhis face and eyes, and bade Durin call Gandalin, and bid him bring\nYsanjo the Governor; and he said to the Governor, promise me, as you\nare a loyal Knight, to keep secret all that you shall see till after\nmy brothers have heard mass to-morrow; and the same promise he exacted\nfrom the two Squires. Then he commanded Ysanjo to open privately the\ngate of the castle, and Gandalin to take his horse and arms out,\nprivately also. This done they left him, and he remained alone,\nthinking upon a dream which he had dreamt the last night, wherein it\nseemed, that being armed and on horseback he was on a hill covered with\ntrees, and many persons round about him making great joy; when a man\nfrom amongst them presented him a box, saying, Sir, taste what I bring\nyou; which he did, and it was exceeding bitter; and therewith feeling\nhimself cast down and disconsolate, he loosed the reins of his horse,\nand let him go whither he would; and he thought that the mirth of all\naround him was changed into such sorrow as was pitiful to behold; but\nhis horse carried him far away from them, and took him through the\ntrees to a rocky place surrounded with water; and then it seemed in his\ndream that he left his horse and arms, as if by that he would have had\nrest, and there came to him an old man in a religious habit, and took\nhim by the hand as if he had compassion, and spoke to him in a language\nwhich he did not understand, whereupon he awoke. Upon this dream Amadis\nnow mused, thinking that he now found it true.\nThen hiding his face from his brethren, that they might not see his\ntrouble, he went to the castle-gate, which the sons of Ysanjo had\nopened. Come you with me, said Amadis to the Governor, and let your\nsons remain here, and keep this matter secret. So they went to the\nfoot of the rock, where there was a little chapel, and Gandalin and\nDurin went with them. There he armed himself, and asked the Governor\nto what saint that chapel was dedicated.\u2014To our Lady the Virgin, who\nhath wrought many miracles here. Hearing this, Amadis went in and\nknelt down, and said, weeping, Our Lady Virgin Mary, the consoler and\nhelper of those that are afflicted, I beseech you to intercede with\nyour glorious Son, that he may have mercy on me; and, if it be your\nwill not to help me in my body, have mercy on my soul in these my\nlast days, for other thing than death I do not hope. He then called\nYsanjo, and said, promise as a loyal Knight to do what I shall direct!\nand turning to Gandalin, he took him in his arms and wept abundantly,\nand held him somewhile, for he could not speak. At length he said, my\ngood friend Gandalin, you and I were nursed by the same milk, and our\nlives have been past together, and never have I endured hardship and\ndanger in which you had not your part also. Your father took me from\nthe sea when I was so little, being only that night's child, and they\nbrought me up as a good father and mother bring up their beloved son;\nand you, my true friend, have always thought how to serve me, and I\nhave hoped in God that he would one day enable me to requite thee;\nbut now this misery, which is worse than death, is come upon me, and\nwe must part, and I have nothing to leave thee, except this island: I\ntherefore command Ysanjo and all others, by the homage which they have\ndone to me, that so soon as they shall know my death they take thee for\ntheir Lord. The Lordship shall be thine, but I enjoin that thy father\nand mother enjoy it while they live, and afterwards it shall remain\nto thee. This I do for what they did for my childhood, for my ill\nfortune will not suffer me to do what they deserve, and what I desire.\nHe then told Ysanjo to take from the rents of the island, which had\naccumulated, enough to build a monastery by that chapel, in honour of\nthe Virgin Mary, and to endow it for thirty friars. But Gandalin cried\nout, Sir, you never yet had trouble wherein I was separated from you,\nnor shall it be now; and if you die, I do not wish to live: and I want\nno honours or lordships; give it to your brethren, I will not take it,\nand I do not want it. Hold thy peace, for God's sake, quoth Amadis, and\nsay no such folly to displease me. My brethren are of such worth that\nthey can gain lands for themselves, and to bestow on others. Then he\nsaid to Ysanjo, it grieves me, my friend Ysanjo, to leave you before\nI could honour you according to your deserts; but I leave you with\nthose who will do it. Ysanjo answered, let me go with you, Sir, and\nsuffer what you suffer. Friend, answered Amadis, it must be as I say;\nGod only can comfort me! I will be guided by his mercy, and have no\nother company. He then said to Gandalin, if thou desirest knighthood,\ntake my arms; for, since thou hast kept them so well, it is right they\nshould be thine. I shall little need them: if not, my brother Galaor\nshall knight thee. Tell him this Ysanjo, and serve and love him as thou\nhast me, for I love him above all my lineage, because he is the best,\nand hath ever been humble towards me. Tell him, too, that I commit\nArdian the Dwarf to his care. They for great sorrow could make him no\nanswer. Then Amadis embraced them, and commended them to God, saying\nthat he never thought to see them more, and he forbade them to follow\nhim; and with that spurred his horse and rode away, forgetting to take\neither shield, or helmet, or spear. He struck into the mountain, going\nwhither his horse would. Thus he kept till midnight, being utterly\nlost in thought; the horse came then to a little stream of water,\nand proceeded upward to find a place so deep that he could drink\nthereat. The branches struck Amadis in the face, and so recalled him\nto himself, and he looked round, and seeing nothing but thickets,\nrejoiced, thinking that he was hidden in that solitude. So he alighted,\nand fastened his horse to a tree, and sate upon the green herb by, and\nwept till his head became giddy, and he fell asleep.\n_CHAPTER 4._\nGandalin and his companions remained by the chapel, looking after\nAmadis as he rode so fast away: then Gandalin, who was passionately\nweeping, cried out, I will follow and carry his arms to him, although\nhe hath forbidden me! And I, quoth Durin, will bear you company for\nthis night. So they left Ysanjo, and getting to horse, rode after him,\ncoasting here and there about the wood, till fortune brought them so\nnear the place where he was lying, that his horse scented theirs, and\nbegan to neigh. Then they knew that he was near, and Gandalin alighted,\nand went quietly through the shrubs till he saw his Master sleeping by\nthe fountain. The Squire then took his horse and led it where he had\nleft Durin, and taking off the bridles from all the horses that they\nmight browze the green boughs, they remained still. It was not long\nbefore Amadis awoke, for his sleep was restless: he rose, and looked\nround: the Moon was almost down, but it was yet some time till day;\nthen he lay down again, and broke out into pitiful lamentations for his\nevil fortune.\nThe two Squires heard all he said and were greatly moved thereat, yet\ndurst they not appear before him. Presently there came up a Knight\nsinging along the way, and, when he was near the place where Amadis\nlay, he exclaimed, Love, love, I thank thee for exalting me above all\nother Knights! giving me good first, and better afterwards. You made\nme affect the fair Queen Sardamira, thinking to secure her heart by\nthe honour which I should bear away from this land; and now, for my\ngreater happiness, you make me love the daughter of the greatest King\nin the world, the fair Oriana, who hath no peer on earth: you make\nme love her, and you give me strength to serve her. Saying this, he\ndrew from the wayside to a great tree, whereunder he meant to wait for\nday-break. Then said Gandalin to his comrade, stay here while I go see\nwhat Amadis will do. He went towards the fountain, but Amadis had risen\nand was seeking his horse; and seeing Gandalin dimly in the night, he\ncried out, who goes there? tell me, I beseech thee?\u2014Gandalin, Sir!\nwho is going to bring you your horse.\u2014Who bade thee follow me against\nmy command? you have displeased me: give me my horse and go thy way,\nand tarry not here, unless thou wouldst have me slay thee and myself.\nSir, cried Gandalin, for God's sake no more of this! did you hear the\nfoolish words of a Knight hard by? And this he said to make him angry,\nthat he might forget his displeasure for a while. Amadis answered, I\nheard him, and therefore want my horse to depart.\u2014How! is this all you\nwill do?\u2014What wouldst thou more?\u2014That you should fight with him, and\nmake him know his folly.\u2014Fool that thou art! I have neither heart,\nnor strength, nor spirit! having lost all in losing her from whom all\ncame: she gave me courage, and hath taken it away: the most caitiff\nKnight in Great Britain might slay me now. Sir, said Gandalin, for\nGod's sake speak lower, that Durin may not hear this, for he has heard\nall that the Knight said.\u2014What! is Durin here?\u2014We came together: I\nthink he tarries to see what you will do, that he may report it to her\nwho sent him. I am vexed at what you tell me, quoth Amadis; but his\nspirit arose, knowing that Durin was there, and he said, give me my\nhorse then, and guide me to the Knight. He mounted and took his arms,\nand Gandalin led him where the Knight sate under a tree, holding his\nhorse by the bridle. You Sir Knight, quoth Amadis, who are enjoying\nyourself, rise, and let us see if you can maintain the love of which\nyou boast. The Knight arose, and cried, who are you who question me?\nyou shall see how I maintain it, if you dare do battle with me, for I\nwill strike terror into thee, and all who are scorned by Love. I am\none of those, quoth Amadis: Love hath foully requited me: I tell thee\nthis, Sir Lover, where I have found one truth in him, I have found\nseven lies. Come, and maintain his justice: let us see if he has gained\nmore in you than he has lost in me! and, as he spake these words, his\nanger kindled, feeling how unjustly his Lady had abandoned him. The\nKnight mounted and took his arms, and said, You Knight, whom Love has\njustly forsaken, because you were not worthy to serve him, get you\ngone! I am offended even at the sight of you. And he would have rode\naway, but Amadis cried out, What, Knight! do you defend your love only\nwith words, and ride off like a coward? How! quoth he: I was leaving\nthee for contempt, and thou callest it fear! thou art very desirous\nof thy own hurt: defend thyself now if thou canst! They ran against\neach other, and both shields were pierced, but the Knight was thrown\ndown: he kept the reins, and mounted again lightly. Quoth Amadis, If\nyou do not defend Love better with the sword than with the lance, you\nwill be a bad champion. The Knight made no reply, but struck at him in\ngreat fury: the sword fell on the rim of the shield, and entered in\naslant, and he could not pluck it out. Amadis stood in his stirrups,\nand gave him a blow on his head, and cut away the trappings of his\nhelmet and the skin of his head, and the sword held on and came upon\nthe neck of the horse, so that he fell dead, and the rider senseless.\nAmadis waited a minute, thinking that he had slain him; then seeing\nhim recover, he said, Knight, what Love has gained in you, and you in\nhim, you may both enjoy: I leave you. So departing from him, he called\nGandalin, and seeing Durin there, he said to him, friend Durin, my\nsorrow hath no equal, and my grief and recollections are intolerable:\nit is better that I should die: pray God it may be soon! Go, with\ngood fortune! Salute for me, Mabilia, my good cousin, and the Damsel\nof Denmark, thy sister; and tell them, if they grieve for me, that I\nperish more undeservedly than ever Knight perished; and tell them that\nI sorely regret that those who have loved me so much, and done so much\nfor me, have never had their guerdon! Durin stood weeping before him,\nand could make no reply. Amadis embraced him, and he commended him to\nGod, and kissed the skirts of his armour and departed. By this it was\nday-break: Amadis said to Gandalin, if you chuse to go with me, attempt\nnot to disturb me in whatever I say or do: if you will not obey this,\ngo back. He promised obedience. Then Amadis gave him his arms, and bade\nhim pluck the sword from the shield and give it the Knight, and so they\nrode on.\n_CHAPTER 5._\nThis wounded Knight was Patin, brother to Don Sidon, who was then\nEmperor of Rome; he was the best Knight in all those lands; and\ntherefore greatly feared throughout the empire. The Emperor was very\nold, and had no son, therefore all thought this brother should succeed\nhim. He loved Sardamira, Queen of Sardinia, who was a fair and comely\nDamsel, and being niece to the Empress had been brought up in the\ncourt; and he had so far profited by his service, that she had promised\nhim, if ever she married, to marry him. El[119:A] Patin upon this grew\nmore presumptuous, though his natural arrogance was enough; and he\nsaid to her, I have heard that King Lisuarte hath a daughter who is\nrenowned over all the world for her beauty. I will go to his court,\nand say she is not so fair as you, and this I will maintain against\nthe two best Knights who dare undertake her cause. They say there are\nKnights there of great worth in arms, but if I do not conquer them in\none day, I will that King Lisuarte do cause my head to be cut off! The\nQueen answered him, do not do this; for, if that Princess be fair, it\nimpaireth not the beauty which God hath bestowed upon me, if beauty\nthere be; and, methinks, you might with more reason and less pride\nprove your prowess in some other cause, for this enterprize is not\nbecoming a man of so high a rank, and moreover it is unreasonable and\narrogant, and you cannot expect it to come to a good end. Come what\nwill, quoth he, I will do it, to prove that you, who are the fairest\nLady in the world, have the best Knight for your servant. So he took\nhis leave, and with rich arms and ten Squires passed over into Great\nBritain, and went directly to where King Lisuarte was, who seeing him\nso accompanied thought him to be some great personage, and courteously\nwelcomed him. When he was disarmed, all that saw his great stature\njudged him to be of great courage. Lisuarte then asked him who he was.\nHe answered, King, I will tell you, for I do not come to your house\nto conceal myself, but to make myself known. Know, then, that I am El\nPatin, brother to the Emperor of Rome, and so soon as I see the Queen,\nand your daughter Oriana, you shall know the cause of my coming. When\nthe King heard that he was a man of so high rank, he embraced him\nand said, Good friend, much are we pleased with your coming, and you\nshall see the Queen and her daughter and all others of my house, when\nit pleaseth you. Then he placed him at his own table, and they were\nfeasted in a manner befitting the table of such a personage. El Patin\nlooked round him, and when he saw so many Knights he was astonished,\nand began to hold the household of his brother, the Emperor, as\nnothing. Don Grumedan took him to his lodging, by the King's command,\nand did him much honour. The next day after mass, the King took with\nhim El Patin and Don Grumedan, and went to the Queen, who received\nhim honourably, and made him sit before her and near her daughter.\nNow Oriana's beauty was much impaired by reason of her great trouble\nof mind, yet when El Patin saw her he marvelled greatly, and thought\nthat they who praised her had not mentioned half her beauty, and his\nheart was entirely changed from the purpose with which he had come,\nand wholly bent to obtain her. Wherefore calling to mind his own high\nbirth and great qualities, and moreover that he should one day possess\nthe empire, he thought that if he demanded her in marriage she would\nnot be refused him. So taking the King and Queen apart, he said, I come\nhither to request the marriage of your daughter, for your worth and for\nher beauty: if I sought others of her rank, I could obtain them, seeing\nwhat I am, and what I expect to be. The King answered, we thank you\nmuch for what you say, but the Queen and I have promised our daughter\nnot to give her in marriage against her consent: we must talk with her,\nbefore we can answer you. This the King said that he might not offend\nhim, but in his mind he was resolved not to give her to him, or to any\nother who would carry her out of the land which she was to inherit.\nEl Patin was satisfied with this, and waited five days, expecting a\nfavourable answer; but the King and Queen, thinking it folly, had said\nnothing to Oriana. Then El Patin asked the King how the business went\non. He answered, I do what I can, but it is necessary that you should\nspeak to my daughter, and request her to obey my commands. El Patin\nwent to the Princess, and said, Lady Oriana, I wish to ask a thing of\nyou which will be much to your honour and profit. What thing is that?\nquoth she.\u2014That you will do the will of your father. She knowing not\nfor what reason he spake, replied, that shall I right willingly, being\nsure it will be as you say. Then Patin was full joyful, thinking he\nhad won her, and said, I will go through this land seeking adventures;\nbefore long you will hear such things of me, as will make you with more\nreason grant what I require. And this also he said to the King, telling\nhim that he would see the wonders of his land. The King replied, you\nhave it in you to do this; yet would I dissuade you, for in this land\nyou will find many great and perilous adventures, and many strong and\nhardy Knights, practised in arms. I like this, quoth El Patin: if they\nare strong and hardy, I am neither weak nor faint, as my deeds shall\nshow. So he departed, right joyful at Oriana's answer, and for this joy\nhe was singing as you have heard, when his ill fortune led him where\nAmadis was making moan; and this is the reason why that Knight came\nfrom so far a land.\n    [119:A] The article is uniformly prefixed to his name, except\n    where he is first mentioned. In our language it is only\n    used where the name is a family or clan appellation: The\n    Plantagenet, the Douglas, the Graham.\nDurin departed from Amadis when it was clear day-light, and he passed\nby El Patin, who had taken off the piece of his helmet that was left,\nand had his face and neck all bloody. He seeing Durin, said to him,\nGood child, so may God make you a good man as you tell me if there\nbe any place near where I may have remedy for my wound. Yes, quoth\nhe, but all there are so afflicted that they will hardly attend to\nyou.\u2014For what cause?\u2014For the loss of a good Knight, who hath won that\nlordship, and seen the likenesses and secrets of Apolidon, which none\nother could ever do, and he is departed in such sorrow that nothing\nbut his death is looked for.\u2014Methinks you speak of the Firm Island?\u2014I\ndo.\u2014What! hath it found a a master? certes I am heartily sorry, for I\nwas going there myself to prove the adventure and win the Island. Durin\nlaughed, and answered, Truly, Sir Knight, if there be no more prowess\nin you than you have just now manifested, you would have gained little\nhonour! El Patin raised himself as well as he could, and tried to catch\nhis bridle, but Durin turned aside. Tell me, said he, what Knight is\nhe that hath won the Firm Island?\u2014Tell me first who you are?\u2014I am El\nPatin, brother to the Emperor of Rome.\u2014God-a-mercy! quoth Durin, your\nbirth is better than your prowess or your courtesy. Know that the\nKnight you ask about is the same who hath just now left you: by what\nyou have seen you may judge that he is worthy of what he hath won. So\nhe went his way, and took the straight road to London, greatly desirous\nto tell Oriana all that he had seen of Amadis.\n_CHAPTER 6._\nYsanjo, according to his promise, revealed nothing concerning Amadis\ntill after mass the next day. Then, when his brethren and his cousin\nenquired for him, he said, arm yourselves, and I will tell you his\ncommands. And, when they were armed, Ysanjo began to weep passionately,\nand exclaimed, O Sirs, what a grief and a misery is come upon us, that\nwe should lose our Lord so soon! Then he told them all that Amadis had\nsaid, and how he besought that they would not seek him, for they could\nnot help his ill, and that they should not grieve for his death. Holy\nMary! cried they, the best Knight in the world is about to perish! but\nwe will seek him, and, if we cannot with our lives help him, we will\nbear him company with our deaths. Ysanjo then told Galaor his brother's\nrequest that he would make Gandalin a Knight, and take the Dwarf into\nhis service: this he delivered weeping, and they weeping also heard\nit. The Dwarf for pure grief was beating his head against a wall; but\nGalaor caught him up and said, Ardian come with me, since thy Master\nhas so commanded, and my lot shall be yours. The Dwarf answered, Sir,\nI will follow you, but not as my Master, till we know some certain\ntidings of Amadis. Forthwith they went to horse, and all three hastened\nalong the road which Ysanjo pointed. All day they rode on, meeting\nno one of whom they could ask tidings, till they came where El Patin\nlay wounded beside his dead horse: his Squires had found him, and\nwere cutting down boughs and poles to make him a litter, for he was\nexceeding faint with loss of blood, so that he could not answer them,\nbut made sign that they should speak to his Squires, and they replied,\nthat their Lord had sped so ill in an encounter with the Knight who had\nwon the Firm Island. Good Squires, know you which way he went?\u2014No; but\nbefore we came up to this place we met an armed Knight in the forest,\nupon a stout horse, and he was weeping and accusing his fortune: a\nSquire behind him carried his arms; the shield had two lions azure in a\nfield or., and the Squire was lamenting also. That is he! cried they;\nand they pushed on with great speed till they came out of the forest\nupon a great plain, where there were many roads in every direction,\nso that they knew not which way to take; therefore they agreed to\nseparate, and meet at the court of Lisuarte upon St. John's day, that\nif by then they had been unsuccessful in their search, they might\nconsult anew how to find him. There then they embraced and separated,\neach earnestly bent on his quest, but in vain; for, when Amadis reached\nthe open country, he took none of those roads, but struck aside along a\nglen, and thence made into the mountain.\nHe rode on lost in thought, suffering his horse to chuse the\npath. About noon the horse came to some trees that grew beside a\nmountain-stream, and then stopt, being weary with the heat and with the\ntoil of last night. Here Amadis recollected himself and looked round,\nand was pleased to see no signs of a habitation: he alighted and drank\nof the brook. Gandalin came up, and turning the horses to feed came\nto his Master, whom he found more dead than alive; and, not daring to\ndisturb him, he lay down before him. Amadis continued in this mood\ntill sunset, then rising, he struck his foot against Gandalin: art\nthou sleeping? quoth he. No, replied Gandalin, but I am thinking upon\ntwo things which concern you, the which, if it please you to hear, I\nwill speak: if not, I will be silent. Amadis answered, go saddle the\nhorses, and let us begone: I do not chuse to be found by those who seek\nme. Sir, said Gandalin, you are in a solitary place, and your horse is\nso weary that, unless you allow him some rest, he cannot carry you.\nAmadis replied, weeping, do what you think best: whether I stay or go,\nthere is no rest for me! Then Gandalin looked after the horses, and\nreturned to his Master, and begged him to eat of a pasty which he had\nbrought, but he would not. Sir, said he, shall I say the two things\nwhereon I have been thinking? Say what you will, quoth Amadis; I care\nnothing now for any thing that may be said or done, and wish to live no\nlonger than till I can confess.\u2014Then I pray you hear me, Sir: I have\nthought much upon that letter which Oriana sent you, and upon the words\nof the Knight with whom you fought; and seeing how light is the faith\nof many women, it may be that she hath changed her affections, and so\nhas feigned anger against you, before you discover it. The other thing\nis, that I believe her to be so good and loyal that she could not have\nbeen thus moved, unless some great falsehood had been spoken of you,\nwhich she believes and feels in her heart; and, since you know that you\nhave never been false, you should make the truth known, whereby she\nwill repent of what she hath done, and intreat your forgiveness for the\nwrong, and you will enjoy your former happiness. It is better to take\nfood with this hope, than, by abandoning yourself to despair, to die\nand lose her, and the glory of this world, and even the other. Hold thy\npeace, for God's sake! quoth Amadis, for such foolishness and lies as\nthou hast uttered, are enough to provoke the whole world. Oriana, my\nLady, has never done wrong; and, if I perish, it is but reasonable, not\nfor my deserving, but to accomplish her will and command: if I did not\nknow that thou hast said this to comfort me, I would cut off thy head!\nyou have greatly displeased me: never say the like to me again! He then\nturned away in anger, and walked along the side of the stream.\nBut Gandalin, who for two days and a night had not slept, was overcome\nwith heaviness, and at length fell asleep. When Amadis saw this, he\nsaddled his horse, and hid Gandalin's saddle and bridle among the\nbushes, that he might not be able to find them; and, taking his arms,\nhe struck into the wildest part of the mountain. All night he went; and\nthe next day till vespers, then he came to a plain at the foot of a\nmountain: there were two high trees there that grew over a fountain,\nand there he went to give his horse drink, for they had found no water\nall that day. When he came up to the fountain, he saw an old man in a\nreligious habit, who was giving his ass water; his beard and hair were\ngrey, and his habit was very poor, being made of goat's hair. Amadis\nsaluted him, and asked him if he was a Priest. The good man answered,\nhe had been one forty years. God be praised! quoth Amadis: I beseech\nyou for the love of God stay here to-night, and hear my confession, of\nwhich I am in great need. In God's name! said the old man. Then Amadis\nalighted, laid his arms upon the ground, and took the saddle from his\nhorse and let him feed; and he disarmed, and knelt before the good\nman, and began to kiss his feet. The good man took him by the hand\nand raised him, and made him sit by him, and, beholding him well, he\nthought him the goodliest Knight that ever he saw, but he was pale,\nand his face and neck were stained with tears, so that the old man\nhad great pity, and said, Sir Knight, it seems that you are in great\naffliction: if it be for any sin that you have committed, and these\ntears spring from repentance, in a happy hour came you here! but if it\nbe for any worldly concerns, from which by your youth and comeliness\nit seems you cannot be removed, remember God, and beseech him of\nhis mercy to bring you to his service. He then raised his hand and\nblessed him, and bade him relate all the sins he could call to mind.\nHereon Amadis began the whole discourse of his life, without letting\nany thing pass. The good man then said, seeing that you are of such\nunderstanding, and of so high a lineage, you ought not to despair and\ncast yourself away for any thing that may befall you, much less for\nthe action of a woman, for they are as easily won as lightly lost. I\ncounsel you to lay aside such folly, for the love of God, to whom it\nis displeasing, and even for worldly reason, for man ought not to love\nwhere he is not beloved. Good Sir, replied Amadis, I am now in such\nextremity that I cannot live any long time: I beseech you, by that God\nwhose faith you hold, take me with you for the little while I have to\nlive, that I may have comfort for my soul. My horse and arms I need no\nlonger: I will leave them here, and go with you on foot, and perform\nwhatever penitence you enjoin. If you refuse, you will sin before God,\nfor else I shall wander and perish in this mountain. When the good man\nsaw him thus resolute, he said to him, with a heart wholly bent to his\ngood, Certes, Sir, it becomes not a Knight like you to abandon himself\nas if he had lost the whole world, by reason of a woman: their love\nis no longer than while they see you with their eyes, and hear such\nwords as you say to them, and that past, presently they forget you;\nespecially in those false loves that are begun against the Lord: the\nsame sin which makes them sweet at first, gives them a bitterness in\nthe end, as you experience. But you who are of such prowess, and have\nsuch power, you who are the true and loyal protector of such as are\noppressed, great wrong would it be to the world if you thus forsake\nit. I know not what she is who hath brought you to this extremity, but\nif all the worth and beauty of the sex were brought together in one,\nI know that such a man as you ought not to be lost for her. Good Sir,\nquoth Amadis, I ask not your counsel upon this, where it is not wanted;\nbut, for my soul's sake, I pray you take me in your company, for else I\nshall have no remedy, but to die in this mountain. The old man hearing\nthis, had such compassion on him that the tears fell down his long\nwhite beard. Sir, my son, said he, I live in a dreary place, and a\nhard life; my hermitage is full seven leagues out at sea, upon a high\nrock, to which no ship can come except in summer time. I have lived\nthere these thirty years, and he who lives there must renounce all the\npleasures and delights of the world, and all my support is the alms\nwhich the people of the land here bestow upon me. I promise you, said\nAmadis, this is the life I desire for the little while I shall live,\nand I beseech you, for the love of God, let me go with you. The good\nman, albeit against his will, consented; and Amadis said, now, Father,\ncommand me what to do, and I will be obedient. The good man gave him\nhis blessing, and said vespers, and then taking bread and fish from\nhis wallet, he bade Amadis eat; but Amadis refused, though he had been\nthree days without tasting food. You are to obey me, said the good man,\nand I command you to eat, else your soul will be in great danger if you\ndie. Then he took a little food; and when it was time to sleep, the old\nman spread his cloak and laid him down thereon, and Amadis laid himself\ndown at his feet.\nThe most part of the night Amadis did nothing but turn from side to\nside, but at last being sore wearied he fell asleep, and in that sleep\nhe dreamt that he was fastened in a dark chamber, where there was\nno light at all, neither could he find any way to come out thereof,\nwhereat he greatly lamented; then he thought that his cousin Mabilia\nand the Damsel of Denmark came to him, and there was a sun-beam before\nthem which dispelled the darkness, and they took him by the hand,\nsaying, Come forth, Sir, to this great palace. And he thought that he\nwas right joyful; and going out he saw his Lady Oriana surrounded with\na great flame of fire, whereat he cried out, Holy Mary, help her! and\nran through the fire to save her, feeling no hurt, and took her in her\narms and carried her into a garden, the greenest and pleasantest that\never he had seen. At the loud cry which he made the good man awoke, and\ntook him by the hand, asking him what he ailed? Sir, said he, I felt\nsuch pain in my sleep that I was almost dead. So it seemed by your cry,\nsaid the old man, but it is time to set out; then he got upon his ass.\nAmadis would have walked by him, but the good man with great entreaty\nmade him mount his horse, and so they fared on together.\nAs they went, Amadis besought him to grant one boon, which should be\nno-ways hurtful, the which the old man granted. I pray you then, said\nAmadis, that so long as we are together you will not tell any man who\nI am, nor any thing concerning me, and that you will call me by some\nother name, not my own; and, when I am dead, you tell my brethren of\nme, that they may take my body into their country. Your life and\ndeath, said the good man, are in the hands of God, so talk no more\nof this, he will help you if you know and love and serve him as you\nought; but tell me, by what name will you be called?\u2014Even by whatever\nit shall please you.\u2014So the old man, seeing how fair he was, and in\nhow forlorn a condition, replied, I will give you a name conformable\nto your appearance and distress, you shall be called Beltenebros.\nNow Beltenebros being interpreted, signifyeth, the Fair Forlorn. The\nname pleased Amadis, and he admired the good sense of the old man\nin chusing it; so by this name he was long known, till it became as\nrenowned as that of Amadis. Thus communing they reached the sea-side\njust as the night closed in; there they found a bark, wherein the good\nman might cross to his hermitage. Beltenebros gave his horse to the\nmariners, and they gave him in exchange a cloak of goat skin, and a\ngarment of coarse grey woollen. They embarked, and Beltenebros asked\nthe good man what was his own name, and the name of his abode. They\ncall my dwelling-place, said he, the Poor Rock, because none can live\nthere without enduring great poverty: my own name is Andalod. I was\na clerk of some learning, and spent my youth in many vanities, till\nit pleased God to awaken me, and then I withdrew to this solitary\nabode: for thirty years I have never left it, till now that I went to\nthe burial of my sister. At length they reached the Rock and landed,\nand the mariners returned to the main land. Thus Amadis, now called\nBeltenebros, remained on the Poor Rock, partaking the austerities of\nthe hermit, not for devotion, but for despair, forgetful of his great\nrenown in arms, and hoping and expecting death,\u2014all for the anger of a\nwoman!\nWhen Gandalin awoke in the mountain, he looked round him, and seeing\nonly his own horse, started up, misdoubting what had happened; he\ncalled aloud, and searched among the shrubs in vain, he could find\nneither Amadis nor his horse. Then, knowing that Amadis was departed,\nhe turned to his horse to ride after him, but the saddle and bridle\nwere gone! upon that he cursed himself and his evil fortune, and the\nday wherein he was born, going from one place to another, till at\nlength he espied the harness, and immediately set out on pursuit.\nFive days he rode on, sleeping in desert places, enquiring at every\nhabitation for his Master. On the sixth, chance led him to the fountain\nwhere Amadis had left his armour. Here he beheld a tent, in which were\ntwo Damsels: he alighted, and asked them if they had seen a Knight who\nbore two lions azure in a golden field. They answered that they had not\nseen him, but such a shield and the whole harness of a Knight, they\nhad found beside that fountain. When Gandalin heard this, he tore his\nhair, and exclaimed, Holy Mary, help me! my Master, the best Knight in\nthe world, is dead or lost! how badly have I served you, my Lord! and\nnow with reason ought I to be hated by all men, and the earth ought\nnot to suffer me upon her, since I have left you at such a time! You\nwere he who succoured all, and now all have forsaken you! the world and\nall in it have abandoned you! and I, caitiff wretch, and more wretched\nthan all that ever were born, have left you in your death! And with\nthat, for excess of passion, he fell down. The Damsels shrieked out,\nHoly Mary, help! the Squire is dead! and they ran to him, and flung\nwater in his face, but it was long before they could recal him to his\nsenses. Good Squire, they cried, be not desperate for a thing which\nis not certain: you had better seek him till you learn whether he be\nalive or dead: good men ought to bear up against sorrow, not to die in\ndespair. Gandalin took heart at their words, and resolved to seek his\nMaster as long as he lived. Ladies, said he, where did you see these\narms?\u2014We will tell you willingly: we were in the company of Don Guilan\nthe Pensive, who delivered us and twenty other Knights and Damsels\nfrom the prison of Gandinos the ruffian, behaving himself there so\nvaliantly that he hath destroyed the wicked customs of the castle, and\nconstrained the Lord thereof to swear never more to maintain the same.\nWe came with Guilan to this fountain four days ago, and when he saw the\nshield for which you enquired, he was very sorrowful, and alighting,\nsaid, the shield of the best Knight in the world should not lie thus!\nand with that, weeping sorely, he hung the shield upon this tree, and\nbade us keep it while he rode to seek him whose it was. We set up our\ntents here, and Guilan sought for him three days without success:\nyesterday he returned, and this morning, giving his own arms to his\nSquires, he girded on the sword and took the shield, saying, By God,\nshield, thou makest a bad exchange, in losing thy master to go with me!\nHe told us, he would carry the arms to Queen Brisena. We also, and all\nwho were delivered by him, are going to that court, to beg the Queen of\nher goodness to recompense Don Guilan, as the Knights will beseech the\nKing. Then God be with you! quoth Gandalin. I shall take your advice;\nand, as the most caitiff and unhappy wretch in the world, go seek for\nhim upon whom my life or death depends.\n_CHAPTER 7._\nOn the tenth day after he had left Amadis in the forest, Durin reached\nLondon, and, alighting at his own lodging, went straight to the Queen's\npalace. So soon as Oriana saw him, her heart throbbed violently, so\nthat she could not calm it, and she went into her chamber and lay down\nupon the bed, bidding the Damsel of Denmark go for her brother, and\nbring him to her secretly. The Damsel returned with Durin, and leaving\nhim with her mistress, went out to Mabilia. Now, friend, said Oriana,\ntell me where you have been, and where you found Amadis, and what he\ndid when he read my letter, and if you have seen Queen Briolania:\ntell me every thing. Then Durin related how he had followed Amadis\nfrom Sobradisa to the Firm Island, and arrived there just as Amadis\nwas passing under the Arch of True Lovers, under the which none might\npass that had been false to his first love. How, cried she, dared\nhe prove that adventure, knowing that he could not accomplish it? It\ndid not turn out so, replied the Squire; he accomplished it with more\nloyalty than any other had ever there displayed, and was received with\nmore honour, and such signs as had never been seen before. When Oriana\nheard this, her joy was very great, that that which had occasioned her\ngreat anger was thus disproved. He proceeded with his tale, how Amadis\nhad won the Forbidden Chamber. Hold! quoth she, and she lifted up her\nhands and began to pray God that she might one day be in that Chamber\nwith him who had worthily won it. Now, quoth she, tell me what did\nAmadis when you gave him the letter? The tears came into Durin's eyes.\nLady, I advise you not to ask, for you have done the worst cruelty\nand devilry that ever Damsel committed. Holy Mary! cried Oriana,\nwhat art thou saying? I say, repeated Durin, that you have unjustly\ndestroyed the best and truest Knight that ever woman had, or will have\nto the end of the world. Cursed be the hour in which such a thing was\ndevised, and cursed be death that did not take me before I carried\nsuch a message: if I had known what I carried, I would rather have\nslain myself than have appeared before him, for you in sending that\nletter, and I in taking it, have been the cause of his death. Then he\nrelated every thing that had passed, and all that Amadis had said, and\nhow he was gone into the mountain to die. While he was relating these\nthings, all Oriana's anger was gone, and her shame and anguish became\nso intolerable, that when he had ceased she could not utter a word,\nbut remained like one who had lost her senses. Durin, albeit that he\nthought she well deserved this suffering, was yet moved to pity, and he\nwent to Mabilia and his sister, and said to them, go and help Oriana,\nfor, if she hath done wrong, her punishment is come upon her: and he\nwent his way.\nThey ran to her, and seeing in what state she was, they fastened the\ndoor of her chamber, and threw water in her face, and brought her to\nherself, and she then began to lament what she had done, and cry out\nfor death. But those true friends sent again for Durin, and learnt from\nhim all that had past, and then began to comfort her, and they made her\nwrite a letter to request his forgiveness, and bid him come with all\nspeed to the castle of Miraflores, there to receive her atonement. This\nletter the Damsel of Denmark would take and search for him, for she\nrefused no trouble or difficulty for the two persons in the world whom\nshe loved best; and, because Amadis in his sorrow had talked so much\nof Gandales, they thought he might be with him; and they agreed, as a\npretext for her going there, that she should carry gifts to the Queen\nof Scotland, and tidings of her daughter Mabilia. Oriana therefore told\nher mother they were about to send the Damsel, and Brisena approving\nthereof, sent also presents from herself. This being settled, the\nDamsel, in company with her brother Durin, and Enil, a nephew of\nGandales, rode to a port called Vegil, which is in that part of Great\nBritain towards Scotland, and embarking there, in seven days they came\nto the town called Poligez, in Scotland. From thence they proceeded to\nthe castle of Gandales; him they met going to the chace, and saluted\nhim; and he, perceiving that the Damsel was of a foreign land by her\nspeech, asked her from whence she came. I am the messenger, quoth she,\nof some Damsels who love you much, and who have sent gifts to the Queen\nof Scotland.\u2014Good Damsel, and who are they?\u2014Oriana, daughter of King\nLisuarte, and Mabilia, whom you know. Then Gandales joyfully bade them\nwelcome, and took them to his castle. As they were conversing, the old\nKnight enquired for his foster son, Amadis. At this the Damsel was\ngrieved, perceiving that he was not there as they had hoped; but, not\nto distress Gandales by the truth, she only answered that he was not\nyet returned from Sobradisa. We thought, said she, that he would first\naccompany his cousin Agrayes here, to see you and the Queen his aunt;\nand I bring letters to him from Queen Brisena and his other friends,\nwhich he would be right glad to receive. This she said, that if Amadis\nwere there in secret, he might be induced to see her. She remained with\nGandales two days, then proceeded to the Queen.\n_CHAPTER 8._\nDon Guilan the Pensive proceeded with the arms toward the court of\nLisuarte. He always carried the shield of Amadis round his neck,\nexcept when he was constrained to fight, and then he took his own. So\nas he rode, two nephews of Arcalaus met him and knew the shield, and\nattempted to force it from him, saying they would take that shield, or\nthe head of him who carried it, to their uncle. When Guilan knew of\nhow bad a race they were, he cared the less for them, and gave them\nboth battle. They were strong Knights, and both younger men than he;\nhe, nevertheless, was a valiant man and tried in arms, so that he slew\none, and drove the other to flight. That evening he took up his lodging\nin the house of a Knight whom he knew, who welcomed him gladly, and\ngave him another lance, for his own was broken in the encounter. He\ncontinued his way till he came to a river called Guinon, which was a\ngreat water, and over it was a wooden-bridge, just so broad that one\nhorseman might come and another go. At one end of the bridge was a\nKnight who wished to pass; he bore a shield vert, with a bend argent,\nwhereby Guilan knew him to be his cousin Ladasin. On the other side\nwas a Knight who kept the passage; he rode a large bay horse, and did\nbear in his shield argent a lion sable: this Knight called out aloud to\nLadasin, You must joust, Knight, if you would pass. Your joust shall\nnot prevent me, quoth Ladasin. They ran at each other upon the bridge,\nand Ladasin and his horse fell into the river. There would Ladasin\nhave perished, by reason of the weight of his arms, and the height\nwhence he had fallen, if by good hap he had not caught the boughs of\nsome willows, by which he got to the bank. Don Guilan ran to his help,\nand with the aid of his Squires got him out of the water. Cousin, said\nhe, you would hardly have been saved without these boughs: all Knights\nshould avoid to joust upon these bridges, for they who keep them have\ntheir horses practised to the place, and rather by that, than by their\nown prowess, win the honour. I would rather turn out of the way and go\nround, if this had not happened to you, but now I must try to revenge\nyou. By this, Ladasin's horse had got upon the opposite bank, and the\nKnight bade his servants lead him to the castle, which was a strong\nand pleasant fortress, built in the river, and the way to it was by a\nbridge of stone. The Knight was ready at the bridge-end. Don Guilan\ngave the shield of Amadis to his Squire, and took his own, and they met\ntogether upon the bridge with a most rude encounter. The Knight was\nunhorsed and fell into the water; Guilan also was dismounted, and his\nhorse went over, but he saved himself by clinging to the planks. The\nKnight got upon Guilan's horse, and so to shore, while Guilan's Squires\ntook the bay courser for their master. Don Guilan presently saw the\nKnight of the bridge shaking off the water, and holding the bridle:\ngive me my horse, said he, and let me depart. How! quoth he, think you\nto escape so lightly with this?\u2014Quoth Guilan, have we not performed the\ncustom? The battle is not yet over, cried the Knight, because we both\nfell: we must decide it with the sword. Perforce must I fight? cried\nGuilan: is not the wrong done already enough, for bridges should be\nfree for every passenger? Will you, nill you, quoth he of the bridge,\nyou shall feel how my sword can cut. He then sprung upon Guilan's\nhorse, without setting his foot in the stirrup, and placed himself\nright in the road. Don Cavalier, tell me, said he, before we fight,\nif thou art of Lisuarte's country or court?\u2014Why ask you?\u2014I wish it\npleased God, that I had King Lisuarte here as I have thee, by my head\nhis reign should be finished. Certes, quoth Guilan, you have now given\nme a good will to fight with thee, which before I had not: I am of his\nhousehold, and, if it be in me, you shall never more do him disservice.\nBefore noon, quoth the Knight, you shall carry my message to him, and\nI will tell you who I am, and what present I will send him: my name\nis Gandalod, son to Barsinan, Lord of Sansuena, he whom King Lisuarte\nslew in London. The presents you shall carry him, are the heads of\nfour of his Knights, whom I hold prisoners in yonder tower: the one is\nGiontes his nephew, and thy own right hand, which I mean to cut off and\ntie round thy neck. Don Guilan laid hand to sword; you have boasting\nenough, if that were all that were needed.\nThen began so fierce a battle, that Ladasin and the Squires thought\neven the conqueror could not escape with life; but they were both hardy\nKnights, and their armour of excellent temper, and they knew how to\ndefend themselves. Now when their fight was at the hottest, they heard\nthe winding of a horn from the top of the tower. Gandalod knew not what\nit could mean, and Guilan thought it was a signal for succour to his\nenemy; therefore they both more eagerly bestirred themselves to end the\nbattle. Gandalod grappled with him, and they both fell; then was the\nfight closer and more dangerous, but Guilan had the advantage; it was\nevident that his antagonist waxed weary and weak, and at length, by a\nwell driven blow, Don Guilan lopt off his right arm. He shrieked out,\nand turned to fly to his tower, but Guilan reached him, plucked the\nhelmet from his head, and bade him chuse instant death, or to present\nhimself with his presents, but in another guise, to King Lisuarte.\nI will rather trust his mercy, quoth Gandalod, than be slain here\noutright.\nDon Guilan then took horse, and rode with Ladasin towards the tower,\nwhere there was a great uproar. The Knights had broken from their\nprison and seized arms, and one of them it was who wound the horn, and\nnow they had won the castle; the gate was opened, and the servants\nand one Knight came flying out: they called out to Ladasin and Guilan\nto kill those villains, and particularly the Knight: three of the men\nescaped them, but the Knight they took. Then said Guilan to them,\nSirs, I cannot tarry, but my cousin Ladasin shall keep you company; let\nthe castle be kept for me, and do you carry this Knight and Gandalod to\nKing Lisuarte for his judgment. Then he gave his own shield, which was\nmuch battered, to his Squire, and took that of Amadis, and as he hung\nit round his neck the tears came. They knew the shield, and hearing how\nDon Guilan had found it, were sorely troubled, thinking that some great\nmishap had befallen Amadis. So he proceeded to the court, and all that\nsaw the shield crowded round him; and the King said, for God's sake,\nDon Guilan, tell us what you know of Amadis. I know nothing of him,\nSir, quoth he, but how I found the shield I will declare before the\nQueen. So he was taken to the Queen, and he knelt before her weeping,\nand told her how he had found the arms of Amadis, and sought for him\nthree days in vain. Knowing, said he, the value of that good Knight,\nand that it was his desire to employ it till death in your service, I\nhave brought you these arms, in testimony of the duty which I do owe\nboth to you and to him. Let them be placed where all may see them;\nthere may be some among the many strangers who come here, who may know\nsome tidings of their master, and they will be memorials to all who\nfollow arms, that they may take example by his great chivalry. Greatly\nwas the Queen distressed at this, and Lisuarte also, and all the\ncourt; but Oriana could not remain there, and she went to her bed, and\nbitterly reproaching her own folly, wished for death. Albeit Mabilia\ndid somewhat cheer her with a hope that the Damsel of Denmark might\nfind him and repair all.\nThe Knight and Damsels whom Don Guilan had released, soon arrived,\nand the two Damsels who had seen Gandalin, and they related what\nlamentation a Squire had made over the arms. Presently after came\nLadasin, and the Knights who led Gandalod prisoner; and when Lisuarte\nheard what cruelties he had purposed, he said to him, here I slew\nthy father for the great treason which he committed against me, and\nhere thou shalt die for that which thou didst purpose to commit. So\nhe commanded him, and the Knight his follower, to be thrown from the\nTower, before which Barsinan had been burnt.\n_CHAPTER 9._\nBeltenebros and the Hermit were one day sitting on the stone-bench\nby the door of their chapel, when the old man said, I pray you, son,\ntell me what it was that made you cry out so in your sleep, when we\nwere by the fountain of the plain? That shall I willingly, father, he\nreplied, and I beseech you tell me what you understand by it. Then he\nrelated to him the manner of his dream, only the names of the women,\nthose he did not tell. The good man mused for a while, and then said,\nwith a cheerful countenance, Beltenebros, you have given me great\npleasure by this account, and you also have great reason to rejoice.\nThe dark chamber, in the which you thought yourself to be, and from\nwhence you could not get out, signifieth this great tribulation which\nyou now endure. The Damsels who opened the door, are those friends\nwho continually solicit your cause with her whom you love so much,\nand they will succeed so well as to withdraw you from this place. The\nsun-beam which went before them, is the joyful news that they are to\nsend you here; and the fire, wherein you saw your Lady enveloped, is\nthe great pain of love which she suffers for you as well as you for\nher: from that fire you delivered her, that is, from the pain which\nyour presence will remove; and the pleasant garden is a sign of great\nhappiness, wherewith you shall pass your lives. Truly, I know a man of\nmy habit should not discourse of such things as these, yet it is more\nfor God's service to speak the truth that may comfort you, than to\nconceal it, seeing your desperate state.\nBeltenebros knelt down and kissed the old man's hands, thanking God\nfor having given him such a friend in his need, and praying with tears\nthat he would mercifully be pleased to accomplish the words of that\nholy man his servant. Then he besought him to tell the interpretation\nof the dream he had dreamt before Durin gave him the letter, which when\nthe Hermit had heard, he answered, This I can show you clearly, for it\nis all accomplished. The place overshadowed with trees, was the Firm\nIsland, and the people who made such great joy about you, signified\nthe great pleasure of the Islanders in gaining you for their Lord. The\nman who came to you with the box of bitter electuary, was the messenger\nof your Lady, for the bitterness of her words, you, who have proved\nthem, can best tell; and you laid aside your arms. The stony place\namidst the water, is this Poor Rock; and the religious man who spoke\nto you in an unknown tongue, am I, who tell you the holy word of God,\nwhich before you neither knew nor thought of.\nVerily, said Beltenebros, you tell me the truth of this dream, for\nthese things have all come to pass, and therefore great cause have I to\nhope for the future. Yet was not this hope so great or so certain as\nto remove his sorrow, for he would often sit with his eyes fixed upon\nthe ground, remembering what he had been, and his life would have been\nendangered by exceeding melancholy, had it not been for the counsel of\nthat good man. And sometimes, to take him away from that pensiveness,\nthe Hermit would make him go with two nephews that kept him company\nthere, to angle in a little stream hard by, where they caught plenty of\nfish.\nHere Beltenebros dwelt in penitence and great grief, and he past the\nnight most frequently under some large trees in the garden near the\nchapel, that he might there lament, without the knowledge of the Hermit\nor the boys; and calling to mind the great wrong he endured, he made\nthis song in his passion:\n    _Sith that the victory of right deserved\n    By wrong they do withhold for which I served;\n    Now sith my glory thus hath had a fall,\n    Glorious it is to end my life withall.\n    By this my death, likewise my woes release,\n    My hope, my joy, my inflamed love doth cease.\n    But ever will I mind my during pain,\n    For they, to end my glory and my gain,\n    Myself have murdered, and my glory slain._[156:A]\n    [156:A] This is the version in the English translation from the\n    French: the matter is preserved, the manner lost. The poem is\n    curious from its age; it is printed with these marks:\n        Pues seme niega victoria\n        dojusto mera deuida\n        alli do muere la gloria           (:\u00b7:)\n        es gloria morir la vida.\n        Y con esta muerte mia\n        mi esperanza y mi porfia\n        el amor y sus enga\u00f1os;\n        mas quedara en mi memoria\n        lastima nunca perdida,            (:\u00b7:)\n        que por me matar la gloria,\n        me mataron gloria y vida.\nHe had passed one night as usual under these trees, when towards\nmorning he heard certain instruments touched so sweetly, that he\ntook great delight in hearing them, and marvelled what it might be,\nknowing that in that place there dwelt none else than the Hermit and\nhis nephews. He rose, and went softly towards the sound, and saw that\nthere were two Damsels by a fountain, who, tuning their voices to their\nlutes, did sing a most pleasant song. He stood awhile listening, then\nadvanced, and said, God save you, gentle Damsels, but your sweet music\nhas made me lose my matins! They wondered who he should be, and said\nto him, tell us, friend, for courtesy, what place is this where we have\nlanded, and who are you who speak to us? Ladies, he replied, they call\nit the Rock of the Hermitage, because of the Hermit that dwells here.\nAs for me, I am a poor man who bear him company, doing great and hard\npenance for the sins that I have committed. Then said they, friend, is\nthere any house here where our Lady could rest for two or three days?\nfor she is very sick: she is a Lady of high rank and wealth, whom love\nhath greatly tormented. Beltenebros answered, here is a little cabin,\nit is very small, in which I lodge: if the Hermit pleases, you shall\nhave it, and I will asleep abroad in the field, as I often use to do.\nFor this courtesy the Damsels heartily thanked him. By this the day\nbegan to break, and Beltenebros saw under some trees the Lady of whom\nthey spake, lying upon a rich bed; four armed Knights and five serving\nmen, who attended her, were sleeping on the shore, and a well appointed\nship rode at anchor. The Lady was young and beautiful, so that he took\npleasure in beholding her.\nBeltenebros then went to the Hermit, who was robing himself to say\nmass. Father, said he, there are strangers here: it will be well\nto wait mass for them. So they both went out from the chapel. The\nKnights and serving-men were carrying the sick Lady towards them, and\nher Damsels were coming with her, and they asked the Hermit if there\nwas any house wherein they could place her. He answered, here are two\ncabins: I live in the one, and by my will never woman shall enter that.\nThis poor man, who makes his penitence here, lodges in the other, and\nI will not remove him against his will. To this Beltenebros replied,\nFather, you may well give them that, for I will rest under the trees,\nas I often do. They then entered the chapel to hear mass; but the sight\nof Knights and Damsels reminded Beltenebros of what he had been, and\nof his own Lady, and renewed in him his exceeding sorrow, so that he\nsobbed aloud, and kneeling down at the altar, besought the Virgin Mary\nto help him in his affliction. The Knights and Damsels, who saw how\nhe wept, held him for a man of good life, and marvelled how he could\nemploy his youth and beauty in that desert place, for any sin that he\ncould have committed, seeing that the mercy of God may be obtained in\nall places alike, by such as truly repent. As soon as mass was ended,\nthey carried the Lady into his cabin, and laid her in her rich bed,\nand she lay there weeping and wringing her hands. The Damsels went\nfor their lutes to solace her, and Beltenebros asked them wherefore\nshe appeared so distressed. Friend, said they, this Lady hath great\npossessions, and is of high rank and beautiful; though her sorrow\ndoth now diminish her fairness, and we will tell you the cause of her\nsorrow, tho' it should not be told to others. It is excessive love that\nafflicts her: she is going to seek him whom she loves at the court of\nKing Lisuarte, and God grant that she may find him there! When he heard\nthe house of King Lisuarte mentioned, and that the Lady was sick of\nlove, the tears came into his eyes, and he said, I pray you, Ladies,\ntell me the name of the Knight whom she loves. They answered, he is\nnot of this country, but is one of the best Knights in the world,\nexcepting only two who are of the greatest renown.\u2014By the faith you\nowe to God, I beseech you tell his name, and the name of those other\ntwo.\u2014We will tell you, on condition that you in return tell us if you\nbe a Knight, as you seem by every thing, and likewise what is your\nname. I am content, said he, that I may know what I ask.\u2014Know then,\nthe Knight whom our Lady loveth, is Don Florestan, brother to the good\nKnight Amadis of Gaul, and to Don Galaor, and son of King Perion\nof Gaul and the Countess of Selandria. Now, quoth he, you tell me\ntruly of his goodness, for you cannot say so much good of him as he\ndeserveth.\u2014Do you then know him?\u2014It is not long since I saw him in the\nhouse of Briolania, for I saw the battle there of Amadis and his cousin\nAgrayes against Abiseos and his sons; after which Florestan arrived\nthere, and I heard Don Galaor speak great things of his prowess, for\nthey say he fought with him.\u2014Yes, replied the Damsels, it was in that\nbattle they knew each other, and then Florestan went away.\u2014What! is\nthis the Lady of the island where that battle was fought?\u2014The same.\u2014Her\nname is Corisanda. I do not now grieve for her so much, for he is so\ngentle and of such disposition, that well I know he will do whatever is\nher pleasure. Now then, said the Damsels, tell us who you are. Gentle\nDamsels, replied he, I am a Knight who have had more pleasure in the\nvanities of the world than falls to my lot now, for which I am now\nsuffering, and my name is Beltenebros. God's mercy upon you! said they:\nwe must now go play to our Lady.\nAfter they had sung to her awhile, they told her what Beltenebros had\nsaid of Florestan. Ah, call him here, cried she, he must be some good\nman, since he knows Don Florestan. They brought him to her. These\nDamsels, said she, tell me that you have seen and that you love Don\nFlorestan: by the faith you owe to God, tell me all you know concerning\nhim. Beltenebros then related how he had gone with his brethren and\nAgrayes to the Firm Island, and that he had not seen him since. Tell\nme, said Corisanda, are you akin to him, for you seem to love him\nmuch?\u2014Lady, I love him for his great valour, and because his father\nknighted me, wherefore I am greatly bound to him and his sons; but I\nam very sad for the tidings which I heard of Amadis before my coming\nhere.\u2014What are they?\u2014I met a Damsel in a forest by the way side,\nsinging a sweet song, and I asked her who had made it. She answered, a\nKnight, to whom God give more comfort than he had when that was made,\nfor by the words it seemed he had suffered great wrong in love, and\ncomplained heavily. I stayed two days with the Damsel till I had learnt\nit. She told me that Amadis did show it her, and that he wept at the\ntime and was in great misery. I beseech you, quoth Corisanda, teach\nit to my Damsels, that they may sing and play it to me. That will I,\nsaid he, for your own sake, and for his sake whom you love; albeit that\nis no time for singing, nor for aught that is matter of joy. He then\nwent with the Damsels to the chapel, and showed them the song which he\nhad made: his voice was of rare sweetness, and now his melancholy made\nit more soft and in unison; and the Damsels learnt the song, and did\nsing it to their Lady, who took great pleasure to hear them. Corisanda\nremained there four days; on the fifth she took leave of the Hermit,\nand asked Beltenebros if he should remain there long? Lady, till I die,\nhe replied. Then she entered her ship, and made voyage to London.\nLisuarte and the Queen received her in a manner suitable to her high\nrank, and lodged her in the palace, and the Queen asked her if she had\nany suit to Lisuarte, that, if so, she might further it. My Lady, said\nCorisanda, I thank you for the favour; but my coming is to seek Don\nFlorestan, and because tidings from all parts reach this court, I will\nremain here some time till I hear news of him. Good friend, replied\nBrisena, that may you do so long as you think good; at present we have\nno other news of him, than that he is gone in search of his brother\nAmadis, who is lost, we know not for what cause; and she then related\nhow Guilan had found the arms. Hearing this, she began to weep, and\nsay, O Lord God, what will become of my Lord and friend Don Florestan!\nfor he so loves that brother, that, if he finds him not, he also will\nbecome desperate, and I shall never see him more! The Queen having\ngreat pity, consoled her, and Oriana, who was by, hearing the love\nshe bore to the brother of Amadis, had the greater desire to honour\nher, and accompanied her to her chamber, and learnt from her all her\nlove. Thus talking with her and Mabilia of sundry things, Corisanda\nrelated how she had been upon the Poor Rock, and found a Knight there\ndoing hard penance, who had taught her Damsels a song made by Amadis\nin his affliction, and the words, she said, were very sad. My good\nfriend and Lady, quoth Mabilia, beseech you let your Damsels sing it! I\ndesire much to hear it, seeing it was made by that Knight, my cousin.\nThe Damsels then sung the song, which it was a pleasure to hear, and\nyet so sorrowful that it made those sad who heard it. But Oriana, who\nunderstood the complaint, could no longer abide there for the shame of\nthe tears that she felt flowing, and she went to her chamber. Mabilia\ntherefore said to Corisanda, I see Oriana is unwell; she hath for\ncourtesy remained here longer than she should: I must go and assist\nher; but tell me what manner of man was he whom you saw upon the Poor\nRock of the Hermitage, and what did he know concerning Amadis? She\nthen told her how they had found him, that she had never seen a man so\ncomely in grief and being wasted, nor one of such manners in poverty,\nnor a man so young of such discourse and reason. Mabilia forthwith went\njoyfully to her friend's chamber. He who asks news, said she, sometimes\nlearns more than he expects: the melancholy man who lives upon the\nPoor Rock, and calls himself Beltenebros, by all that I can learn\nfrom Corisanda, must be Amadis. Oriana lifted up her hands, O Lord of\nthe World, grant that it be true! Dear friend, tell me what to do,\nfor I have neither sense nor judgment: unfortunate wretch, who by my\nown folly and intemperate passion have lost all my happiness! Mabilia\nturned away her face, that the tears might not be seen: we must wait\nfor the Damsel's return, said she; if she should not find him, leave it\nto me: I am sure he is this Beltenebros.\n_CHAPTER 10._\nTen days that Damsel of Denmark remained in Scotland, not so much for\npleasure, as because she had suffered much from the sea, and for the\nill success of her search, and she feared that to return, when she had\nsped so ill, would be the death of her mistress. At length she took\nher leave, and receiving presents from the Queen of Scotland to Queen\nBrisena and Oriana and Mabilia, she embarked for Great Britain, not\nknowing what other course to pursue; but that Lord of the World, who\nto those that are utterly without hope or remedy shows something of\nhis power, that we may know it is he that helpeth us and not our own\nwisdom, he changed her voyage, to her own great fear, and the fear\nand sorrow of all in the ship; for the sea began to rage, and such\na tempest arose, that the sailors lost all power over the ship, and\nall knowledge of their course, and the ship was driven whither the\nwinds would, they that were in her having no hope of life. At last\none morning they came to the foot of the Poor Rock; some of them knew\nthe place, and said that Andalod the Hermit lived there, which, when\nthe Damsel heard, she ordered them to put to land, that being rescued\nfrom such a danger, she might hear mass from that holy man, and return\nthanks to the Virgin Mary for the mercy which her glorious Son had\nshown them.\nBeltenebros was sitting at this time by the fountain under the trees,\nwhere he had passed the night, and he was now so reduced that he did\nnot expect to live fifteen days. What with weeping, and with the\nwasting away of sorrow, his face was more deadly pale than sickness\ncould have made it, and so worn down and wan that no one could have\nknown him. He saw the ship, and the Damsels and two Squires landing;\nbut his thoughts being wholly bent upon death, the things that once\ngave him pleasure, as in seeing strangers that he might help them if\nthey needed succour, now had become hateful. So he rose and went into\nthe chapel, and told the Hermit that there were strangers landed and\ncoming up; and then he knelt before the altar, and prayed God to have\nmercy upon his soul, for he was soon going to his account. The Hermit\nvested himself to say mass, and the Damsel with Durin and Enil entered.\nAfter she had prayed, she uncovered her face. Beltenebros rose from his\nknees, and seeing her and Durin, the shock was so great that he fell\ndown senseless. The Hermit thought him dead, and exclaimed, Ah, Lord\nAlmighty, why has it not pleased thee to have pity upon him who might\nhave done so much in thy service! and the tears fell fast adown his\nlong white beard. Good Damsel, said he, let these men help me to carry\nhim to his chamber, I believe it is the last kindness we can do him.\nEnil and Durin assisted to lift him up, and they carried him into his\nchamber, and laid him upon a poor bed, and neither of them knew him.\nAfter the Damsel had heard mass, she resolved to make her meal ashore,\nfor she was weary of the sea. So by chance she asked who that poor\nman was, and what sore sickness afflicted him.\u2014He is a Knight, who\nliveth here in penance. He is greatly to be blamed, quoth she, to\nchuse so desert a place. It is as you say, replied the Hermit, for he\nhas done so for the foolish vanities of the world, more than for the\nservice of God. I will see him, said the Damsel, since you tell me he\nis a Knight, perhaps there may be something in the ship which would\nrelieve him.\u2014That you may do, but he is so near his end, that I believe\nDeath will ease you of that trouble. Beltenebros was lying upon his\nbed, thinking what he should do: if he made himself known, that would\nbe breaking his Lady's command, and, if he did not, he should remain\nwithout any hope or possible remedy; but he thought to disobey her will\nwould be worse than death, and so determined to be silent. The Damsel\ncame to the bedside, and said, Good man, I learn from the Hermit that\nyou are a Knight, and because Damsels are beholden to all Knights for\nthe dangers they encounter in our defence, I resolved to see you, and\nleave with you any thing which is in the ship that may contribute to\nyour health. He made her no answer, but sobbed with such exceeding\npassion, that she thought his soul was departing; and because the room\nwas dark, she opened a shutter for the light, and drew near to see\nif he were dead. They looked at each other some time, and the Damsel\nknew him not. At last, she saw a scar in his face: it was the mark of\na wound which Arcalaus had given him with his lance, when Oriana was\nrescued; then, tho' before she had no suspicion, she knew that this\nwas Amadis.\u2014Ah, Holy Mary, help me! you are he, Sir! and she fell with\nher face upon the bed, and knelt down, and kist his hands. Now, Sir,\nsaid she, your compassion and pardon are needed for her who has wronged\nyou, for, if her unjust suspicion have reduced you to this danger,\nshe herself with more reason passes a life more bitter than death.\nBeltenebros took her in his arms, and held her awhile, having no power\nto speak. She then gave him the letter: your Lady sends you this, and\nshe bids you, if you are the same Amadis, whom she loves so well, to\nforget the past, and come to her in the castle of Miraflores, and there\nreceive her atonement for your wrongs, which excessive love occasioned.\nAmadis kissed the letter, and placed it upon his heart, saying, Heart,\ntake thy remedy, for there was none other that could save thee! This\nwas the letter:\nIf great faults committed by enmity, when humbly acknowledged, deserve\npardon, what shall we say to those which proceeded from excess of love?\nNot that by this do I deny, my true friend, that I deserve exceeding\npunishment, for neither having considered your truth, that had never\nbefore failed, nor my own mind in how passionate a state it was. I pray\nyou receive this Damsel as coming from one who humbly confesseth her\nfault, and who will tell you the wretchedness which she endures who\nrequests your pity, not because she deserves it, but for your comfort,\nas well as her own.\nSuch joy had Beltenebros at this letter, that he was lost even as in\nhis past sorrow, and tears that he did not feel ran down his cheeks. It\nwas agreed between them, that the Damsel should give out how she took\nhim aboard for his health sake, because on that Rock he could have no\nhelp, and that as soon as possible they should take land, and leave\nthe ship. Beltenebros then told the Hermit by what happy chance the\nDamsel had found him, and besought him that he would take charge of the\nMonastery that was to be built by his command at the foot of the rock\nof the Firm Island. This the old man promised, and Beltenebros then\nembarked, being known of none but the Damsel.\nThey soon landed with the two Squires, and left the mariners. Presently\nthey found a pleasant place upon the side of a brook, with many\ngoodly trees, and there they resolved to rest, because Beltenebros\nwas so weak; and there, if it had not been that the absence of his\nLady afflicted him, he would have passed the pleasantest life, and\nbest for his recovery that might be, for under those trees where the\nbrook-springs arose, they had their meals, and there was their tent\nfor the night. There related they to each other all that had past, and\na pleasure was it now to him to talk over his misery. Ten days they\nremained, and in that time he so regained strength, that his heart felt\nits old inclination for arms. He made himself known to Durin there,\nand took Enil for his Squire, who knew not whom it was that he served,\nbut was well content with him for his gentle speech. Hence departing,\nin four days they reached a nunnery; there they determined that he and\nEnil should abide, while the Damsel and her brother went to Miraflores.\nShe then gave Beltenebros money to buy horses and armour, and for\nhis wants; and she left behind her part of the Queen of Scotland's\npresents, that she might send Durin for them as if they had been\nforgotten, and so he might bring news.\n_CHAPTER 11._\nAfter their year's vain search, Agrayes, Galaor, and Florestan, met\nat the place appointed, which was a chapel half a league from London.\nGandalin came with Florestan, and, when he found no tidings of his\nMaster, he said to them, that they should leave their lamentation and\nbegin their search again, remembering what Amadis would have done for\nthem if they had been in like case. So they determined to enter the\ncourt, and, if they learnt nothing there, to set out again upon their\nquest; and they wept to think how happily they had accomplished all\nadventures that had befallen them, and yet had failed to find him whom\nthey sought.\nThen having heard mass at the chapel, they rode towards the city. It\nwas St. John's day, and presently they met King Lisuarte riding out\nwith all his Knights in honour of that holy day, because the Saint was\nso great a Saint, and also because on that day he had been made King.\nWhen he saw three Errant Knights approaching, he drew nigh to welcome\nthem. Great joy was there when they unhelmed, and at first Lisuarte\nthought Florestan was Amadis, for he much resembled him; but Gandalin\nand the Dwarf, when they beheld this meeting, wept with great grief.\nThe news soon spread: greatly was Corisanda rejoiced thereat, and\nOlinda, the gentle friend of Agrayes, who knew how he had past under\nthe Arch of True Lovers. Mabilia, in joy for her brother's coming,\nwent for Oriana, who was sitting sorrowfully at her chamber-window,\nreading. She answered, weeping and sighing as if her heart-strings\nwould have broken, how can I go? do you not see my face and eyes, how\nthey show that I have been weeping? and how can I see those Knights, in\nwhose company I was wont to see Amadis: it is better to die! Mabilia\ncomforted her how she could:\u2014the Damsel might yet bring tidings. Nay,\nquoth Oriana, if these Knights have failed, who have sought him so far\nand so long, how shall she succeed? a woman! and seeking him but in\none place? But she may induce him to discover himself, said Mabilia,\nfor she carries comfort to him, and knows the secret of his love,\nwhich they did not. So she cheared her, and made her wash her eyes,\nand called Olinda to go with them to the Queen. Look, quoth the King\nto Galaor, how ill your friend Oriana is! I grieve to see her thus,\nreplied he: reason is it that we should try to help her health by\nour services. My good friend, Galaor, said she, God it is who heals\nsickness and sorrow, and if it pleaseth him he will me, and recover\nyour brother Amadis, whom you have lost, and whom we all lament. Anon\nan outcry was heard without, for Gandalin and the Dwarf seeing their\nMaster's shield where it was hung, began to lament aloud, and the\nKnights were comforting them. What! cried Lisuarte, is Gandalin here?\nFlorestan answered, I met him two months ago seeking for his Master,\nand made him bear me company. I hold Gandalin, said the King, to be\none of the best Squires in the world, and we ought to comfort him. So\nhe rose, and went out to him. When Oriana heard the name of Gandalin,\nand the lamentation that he was making, she grew pale, and would have\nfallen, but Galaor and Florestan caught her. Mabilia, who knew the\ncause, ran to her, and put her arms round her neck. Good and true\nfriends, then said Oriana to the two brethren, if I do not show you\nwhat honour I ought and desire to show, I pray you impute it to its\ntrue cause, this sore illness! and then she went to her chamber. Dear\nfriend, said she to Mabilia, since we entered this city of London, I\nhave never been without some cause of sorrow: let us go to Miraflores,\nthat is a delightful place, and there I can have the comfort of\nsolitude. We will ask your parents' permission, said Mabilia, and there\nthe Damsel of Denmark will find us, and there you may the more freely\nsee him, when he shall be found. Ah, quoth Oriana, let us lose no time!\nThis castle of Miraflores was about two leagues from London, a little\nplace, but the pleasantest abode in all that land, for it was in a\nwood by the side of a mountain, surrounded with orchards and gardens\nthat abounded with fruits and flowers, and there were fountains in the\ncourts canopied with trees, that all the year round bore flower and\nfruit. The King one day had taken the Queen and Princess there when\nhe was hunting, and because the Princess was much pleased with the\nplace, he gave it her for her own. About a bow-shot from the gate was a\nnunnery, which she had founded, and there were nuns in it of holy life.\nSo that night she asked permission of Lisuarte and her Mother to retire\nthere, which was readily granted.\nThe King being at table with Agrayes and his cousins, said to them, I\ntrust we shall have good news of Amadis, for I have sent thirty Knights\nof the best of my household to seek him, and, if they fail, take you\nas many as you will and seek him; but I beseech you do not depart till\nafter a battle which has been appointed between me and King Cildadan of\nIreland, who is a King renowned in arms, and has married the daughter\nof King Abies, whom Amadis slew. The battle is to be an hundred against\nan hundred, and the quarrel this: That kingdom has been obliged to\npay tribute to the Kings of Great Britain: Cildadan demands battle on\ncondition, that, if he be conquered, the tribute shall be doubled; but,\nif he succeed, the country shall be freed therefrom. I trow he will\nneed all his Knights and friends! The three companions, albeit loth to\nhave their search delayed, yet could they not refuse to stay and share\nthe peril. After the cloths were removed, Florestan bade Gandalin go\nto Mabilia, who wished to see him. He went accordingly, and, when they\nsaw each other, they both wept. Ah, Lady, quoth he, what great wrong\nhath Oriana done to you and to your lineage, in depriving you of the\nbest Knight in the world! and what wrong hath she done to him, who\nnever erred against her in deed nor word! Ill hath God bestowed such\nbeauty and such goodness, when this could be in her! and yet none hath\nlost so much by it as herself! Say not thus, Gandalin! cried Mabilia,\nwhat she did was from exceeding love, and in the belief that he was\nloving another. And then she related all that had been said by Ardian\nconcerning the broken sword. O God! quoth Gandalin, where were all your\nunderstandings? he would have buried himself alive for her displeasure!\nand she believed this! and thus is the best Knight in the world\ndestroyed! Oriana had listened to all this: she came forward as if she\nhad heard nothing; and weeping, so that hardly could she speak, she\nsaid, O Gandalin! God preserve and bless you, as you shall do what you\nought! Lady, said he, in tears also, what do you command me? Kill me!\ncried she, for I killed your master, and you should revenge his death,\nas he would have revenged your's! And then she fell senseless.\nThe King bade Grumedan accompany his daughter to Miraflores, and see\nthat there were serving-men left there, and porters for the gate, and\nall things needful. Early the next morning they set out, and when\nOriana saw the place, how fresh it was with flowers and roses, and the\nwater-pipes and fountains, her mind felt greatly comforted. The keys of\nthe castle and of the garden-gates were every night to be carried by\nthe porters to the Abbess Adalasta, that she might keep them securely.\nI have desired to have the keys by day, said Oriana to Mabilia, that\nGandalin may get another set made, so that if by good fortune Amadis\nshould come, we may admit him by the postern-door thro' the garden; and\nthere Oriana determined to remain till she saw Amadis, or till she died\nin that solitude. Her apartments were full pleasant, and before the\nchamber-door there was a little court wherein three trees grew, that\nquite shadowed it; and there they took their pleasure, but with great\nanxiety expected the Damsel of Denmark and her tidings. The next day\nthe Porter came and said, a Squire asked for Mabilia. Let him in, quoth\nOriana; it is Gandalin, a right good Squire, who was brought up with\nus, and is the milk-brother of Amadis, whom God preserve from harm! God\npreserve him, indeed! cried the Porter, for great loss to the world\nwould it be if such a Knight were to perish. Lo now! said Oriana to\nher friend, as the Porter went away, how Amadis is loved by all, even\nby these simple men! and I who was so loved by him, I have been his\ndeath! Herewithal Gandalin entered, and Oriana making him sit by her\nside, related how she had sent the Damsel of Denmark to seek Amadis,\nand what she had written to him: think you, Gandalin, said she, that he\nwill forgive me? You little know his heart, Lady, quoth the Squire; by\nGod for the least word in the letter he will come: if you bade him, he\nwould bury himself alive under the earth,\u2014how much sooner will he come\nat your command! And the Damsel of Denmark will sooner find him than\nall the persons in the world; for, if he hid himself from me, he will\nnot show himself to any other. And you, Lady, should take comfort with\nthis hope, lest he should find your beauty so altered when he comes,\nand fly from you. What, Gandalin! seem I so ugly? quoth she, being\nwell-pleased at his words. You seem so to yourself, said he, that you\nthus hide yourself where none may see you. I do it to this end, said\nOriana, that, when thy master cometh, if he would fly, he may not be\nable. She then showed him the keys, and bade him get others made like\nthem, that when his master came they might admit him at their pleasure.\nGandalin took the keys to London, and returned that same night with\nothers so exactly like them, that there was no difference, except\nthat these were new and the others old. Here they are! cried Mabilia,\nshowing them to Oriana: come, we have supt, and all the people are at\nrest! let us try them. They took hand, and went in the dark to the\nposterns that opened from the castle into the garden. When they were\nnear the first, Oriana cried, I cannot go on, I am dying with fear!\nFear nothing! quoth Mabilia, laughing as she spake, when I am here to\nprotect you, for I am cousin to the best Knight in the world, and am\ngoing on his service. Oriana could not but smile. I will take courage,\nand trust in your prowess in arms. Come on boldly, quoth Mabilia, and\nsee how I finish the adventure! if I fail, I swear for one whole year\nnever to hang shield from my neck, nor gird on a sword. In this merry\nmood she opened the first postern, and presently the other with as\nlittle difficulty, and then they were in the garden. How will he get\nover the wall? cried Oriana. At yonder corner, replied Mabilia, there\nmust be a piece of wood laid on the other side, and we will give him\nour hands here. You must perform this labour, for it is you who will\nbe paid for it. Oriana at this took hold of her cousin's coif and\nthrew it on the ground, and they stood laughing for some time, then\nreturned and fastened the gates, and went to rest. As Oriana lay down,\nMabilia cried, I wish that poor wretch were here who is now despairing!\neat, cousin! and sleep, that you may recover your beauty, as Gandalin\nadvised!\n_CHAPTER 12._\nKing Lisuarte was at table; the cloths were removed, and Galaor,\nFlorestan, and Agrayes, were about to take their leave and conduct\nCorisanda to her island, when there came a strange Knight into the\npalace, all armed except his head and hands, and with him two Squires,\nand he carried in his hand a letter sealed with five seals, which on\nhis knees he presented to the King, saying, let this be read, and then\nI will say for what I am come. Lisuarte saw that it was a letter of\ncredence, and bade him speak his errand. Then said the Knight, King, I\ndefy thee on the part of Famongomadan, the Giant of the Boiling Lake;\nCartadaque, his nephew, Giant of the Defended Mountain; and Madanfabul,\nhis marriage-brother, the Giant of the Vermillion Tower; and for\nQuadragante, brother of King Abies, and Arcalaus the Enchanter: they\ntell thee that thy death, and the death of all who call themselves\nthine is in their hands, for they are coming against thee on King\nCildadan's side. Howbeit, if thou wilt give thy daughter Oriana to\nMadasima, the fair daughter of Famongomadan, to be her damsel and\nservant, they will not injure thee, nor be thine enemies, but will\ngive her in marriage when it is time to Basagante, Madasima's brother,\nwho doth well deserve to be Lord of her and thy land. Therefore, King,\nlook to thy choice! such peace, or such war! Lisuarte smiled when he\nbegan to reply, as one who set at nought the defiance. Knight, said\nhe, better is a dangerous war, than a dishonourable peace: a bad\naccount should I render to Him, who hath placed me in this high rank,\nif for lack of heart I should so shamefully debase it! Tell them I\nwould rather chuse war with them all the days of my life, and death in\nthat war at last, than consent to the peace they offer! Tell me where\nI may send a Knight to carry them this answer? They may be found,\nreplied the Embassador, in the Boiling Lake, which is in the Isle of\nMongaza. I know not the manner of these Giants, quoth Lisuarte, whether\na Knight can go amongst them safely? That, replied he, doubt not;\nwhere Don Quadragante is present, no wrong can be committed: I will\nbe his warrant. In God's name! said Lisuarte, now tell me who you\nare?\u2014Landin, the son of Quadragante's sister. We are come to revenge\nthe death of King Abies of Ireland, and greatly it grieves us that we\ncannot find him who slew him, neither know we whether he be alive or\ndead. Quoth Lisuarte, I would you did know him to be alive and well!\nall would then be right. I know wherefore you say thus, replied Landin;\nyou think him the best Knight living, but, be I what I may, you shall\nfind me in the battle with King Cildadan, and see what I can do against\nyou. I had rather have you in my service, answered Lisuarte; but there\nwill not be wanting those who will oppose you there.\nMeantime Florestan's anger was rising. Knight, said he, I am a stranger\nin this country, and not vassal to the King, so that there is no\nquarrel between us for what you have said to him, nor do I undertake\nit because there are many Knights in his household. But, you say, you\nseek for Amadis, and cannot find him; that I believe is not to your\nloss! but if it please you to do battle with me, who am Don Florestan,\nhis brother, let it be with this condition: if you are conquered, you\nshall give over the pursuit of vengeance; if I am slain, your wrath\nwill in part be satisfied, for whatever sorrow you feel for the loss\nof King Abies, that and much greater would Amadis endure for my death.\nLandin replied, Don Florestan I perceive you have a heart for battle,\nbut I cannot satisfy you now, being bound to return with this embassy\non an appointed day, and also having pledged myself to undertake no\nenterprize before the battle; but, if I come from that field alive, I\nwill meet you in the lists. Landin, quoth Florestan, you answer like a\ngood and honourable Knight, as you are bound to do; let it be as you\nhave said. And he gave his gloves in gage to the King, and Landin gave\nthe lappets of his armour; and the day for their combat was fixed for\nthe thirtieth after the battle. Lisuarte then sent a Knight called\nFilispinel with Landin to carry his reply, and they departed together.\nWhen they were gone, the King said to Galaor, and Florestan, and their\ncousin Agrayes, you shall see something that will please you! and\nhe sent for his daughter Leonoreta to come with her little damsels\nand dance before him, as she used to do; a thing which he had never\nordered, since the news that Amadis was lost. She came, and the King\nsaid to her, Daughter, sing now the song which Amadis, being your\nKnight, made for your love. So the child and the other young damsels\nbegan to sing.\n    _Leonor, sweet Rose, all other flowers excelling,\n    For thee I feel strange thoughts in me rebelling._\n    _I lost my liberty when I did gaze\n    Upon those lights which set me in a maze,\n    And of one free am now become a thrall,\n    Put to such pain thou serv'st thy friends withal;\n    And yet do I esteem this pain a pleasure,\n    Endured for thee whom I love out of measure.\n      Leonor, sweet Rose, all other flowers excelling,\n      For thee I feel strange thoughts in me rebelling._\n    _I little joy in any other's sight,\n    My heart is thine, thyself my chief delight.\n    But yet I see the more that I do love,\n    More smart I feel, more pain, more grief I prove.\n    Well! let Love rage, though he be angry ever,\n    I'll take my loss for gain, though I gain never.\n      Leonor, sweet Rose, all other flowers excelling,\n      For thee I feel strange thoughts in me rebelling._\n    _And though to you I manifest my woes,\n    My martyrdom, my smart, another knows;\n    One unto whom I secretly invoke,\n    Who is the cause of this my fire, my smoke.\n    She hath a salve to cure my endless grief,\n    And only she may yield me some relief.\n      Leonor, sweet Rose, all other flowers excelling,\n      For thee I feel strange thoughts in me[188:A] rebelling._\n    [188:A] The song of Amadis has suffered much in this second\n    translation, this \"shadow of a shade.\"\n        VILLANCICO.\n        Leonoreta, fin roseta,\n        blanca sobre toda flor,\n        fin roseta, no me meta\n        en tal cuyta vuestro amor.\n        Sin ventura yo en locura\n        en vos amar es locura\n        sin me poder apartar,\n        o hermosura sin par,\n        que me da pena y dulzor,\n        fin roseta, no me meta\n        en tal cuyta vuestro amor.           \u2042\n        De todas las que yo veo\n        no desseo\n        servir otra sino a vos;\n        es devaneo,\n        do no me puedo partir,\n        pues que no puedo huyr\n        de ser vuestro servidor,\n        no me meta, fin roseta\n        en tal cuyta vuestro amor.           \u2042\n        Aunque mi quexa parece\n        referirse a vos senora,\n        otra es la vencedora,\n        que mi vida desfallece,\n        aquesta tiene el poder\n        de me hazer toda guerra;\n        aquesta puede hazer,\n        sin yo selo merecer,\n        Que muerto biva so tierra.           \u2042\nYou should know by what occasion Amadis made this song for the Princess\nLeonoreta. One day, as he was talking with Queen Brisena, Oriana,\nMabilia, and Olinda, told Leonoreta to go and ask Amadis to be her\nKnight, and that he would then serve her and no one else. The little\ngirl went to him, and did so; and Amadis, smiling, took her in his\narms, and placed her on the estrado. Since you would have me be your\nKnight, said he, give me some jewel in token that you hold me for\nyours; and then she took from her head a gold clasp set with gems,\nand gave it him. All began to laugh at seeing how verily she believed\nthe jest, and Amadis, being thus chosen her Knight, made for her this\nsong. And when she and her damsels sung it they were dressed alike,\nhaving garlands on their heads, and garments of the same costliness and\nfashion as Leonoreta wore. She was a fair princess, albeit not so fair\nas Oriana, who had no peer, and afterwards she became Empress of Rome,\nand her twelve little damsels were all daughters of Counts and noble\nchiefs. So having sung their song, they knelt before Lisuarte, and then\nreturned to the Queen.\nGalaor and Florestan and Agrayes then asked the King permission to\nguard Corisanda home. He took them aside and said, Friends! there are\nno other three in the world in whom I have the same confidence as in\nyou. This battle is to be the first week in August, and you hear who\nare coming against me, and they will bring others with them, who are\nbrave and terrible in arms, and are also of the nature and blood of\nthe Giants: therefore, I request you not to undertake any adventure\nthat may delay you from being there to aid me, for with your aid, and\nthe justice of my cause, I trust in God, my enemies, powerful as they\nare, will be put to shame. Sir, said they, this command was not needed:\nas Errant Knights, our wish is to be in danger, to be where, being\nconquerors, we may win the renown which we seek; or, if conquered, come\nto the end for which we were all born: we will presently return. So\nthey took their leave, and departed with Corisanda.\nGandalin, who saw them depart, went to Miraflores, and related to\nOriana and Mabilia all that had past. Now, quoth Oriana, is Corisanda\nin all happiness, for she hath with her Don Florestan, whom she loves.\nGod ever continue her joy! for she is a good Lady. And then she herself\nbegan to weep, and cry, Lord God, let me see Amadis again, if it be\nbut for a day!\u2014Gandalin greatly pitied her, but he affected anger,\nand said, Lady, you will make me stay away from Miraflores, for here\nare we looking for good tidings, and you will make us thus unhappy!\nOriana wiped away her tears: Do not reproach me, Gandalin! I would do\notherwise if I could; but, whatever semblance I should put on, my heart\nis always weeping! But tell me, what will become of the King my father,\nsince Amadis will not be in the battle? He cannot so have hidden\nhimself, replied Gandalin, that such news should not reach him; and\nthough you have forbidden him your sight, yet he may be present there,\nthinking then to merit pardon for a fault which he never committed, nor\nthought to commit. While they were thus communing, a little girl came\nrunning in, Lady, here is the Damsel of Denmark, and she brings noble\npresents for you! At this her heart trembled, and sunk within her, so\nthat she could not speak, and she was altogether so agitated as one\nwho expected life or death from the messenger who was coming. Mabilia\nanswered for her: tell the Damsel to come to us alone, that we may\nspeak with her in private. This she said that there might be none to\nwitness Oriana's agitation; but she herself and Gandalin were dismayed,\nnot knowing what was to come. The Damsel entered with a chearful\ncountenance, and kneeling before Oriana gave her a letter; here, Lady,\nare tidings of joy! I have fulfilled all your commands: read, and see\nif Amadis have not written it with his own hand. The letter fell from\nOriana's hand, she trembled so with exceeding joy: she opened it, and\nfound in it the ring which she had sent by Gandalin to Amadis, the day\nwhereon he fought with Dardan at Windsor, the which she knew well and\nkissed it many times, and said, blessed be the hour in which thou wert\nmade, that art transferred with such joy from one hand to another!\nSo when she had read the letter, and blest God with lifted hands for\nhis mercy, she made the Damsel relate how she had found him. Greatly\nwere they pleased at her wisdom in leaving a part of the presents with\nAmadis; now then, said they, produce the rest before those who are\nhere, and say how you have forgotten the others, that we may send for\nthem.\nThey showed Durin to what part of the garden-wall he was to bring\nAmadis, and he kissed Oriana's hands for sending him upon this errand,\nwhich might atone for what unwittingly he had carried before. It was\nagreed that Mabilia should publicly ask him to go; but he feigned\nhimself little contented at the bidding, and said, angrily, to Mabilia,\nfor you, Lady, I will go, but not for the Queen or Oriana, for I have\nhad great hardships in this journey for their pleasure. Friend Durin,\nsaid Oriana, you should not upbraid us with your services, so that we\nshall not thank you for it. Your thanks, replied he, I believe will be\nworth about as much as my service! however, said he to Mabilia, since\nyou desire it, I will set out to-morrow. He then took leave, and went\nwith Gandalin to the town to sleep; and Gandalin bade him remember\nhim to his cousin Enil, and tell him, said he, to come and see me as\nsoon as he can, for I have much to say to him, and request him while he\ncontinues with that Knight, to see if he can learn any news of Amadis.\nThis he said that Amadis might be the better disguised, and that he\nmight not want a pretext to send Enil away. So Durin mounted his\npalfrey the next morning and departed.\n_CHAPTER 13._\nWhile Beltenebros remained in the Nunnery, his health and strength\nrecovered, and he sent Enil to the next town to get arms made for him,\na green shield with as many golden lions as it could hold, and to buy\nhim a horse, and a sword and breast-plate, the best he could find. In\ntwenty days all was ready, as he had ordered it, and at the end of that\ntime Durin arrived. Beltenebros was right glad to see him, and asked\nhim before Enil how the Damsel was, and wherefore he had returned.\nDurin answered, that the Damsel commended herself to him, and had sent\nfor two jewels which she had left in her bed; and then he delivered\nto Enil the bidding of his cousin Gandalin. Who is Gandalin? said\nBeltenebros. A Squire, my cousin, replied Enil, who long time served\na Knight called Amadis of Gaul. Then Beltenebros took Durin apart to\nwalk with him, and heard the message of Oriana, and also how his\nbrethren were to be in the battle with Cildadan, and of the defiance\nthat Famongomadan had sent, and how he had demanded Oriana to be\nserving-damsel to his daughter, till he should give her in marriage to\nhis son. When he heard this, his flesh shook with exceeding anger, and\nhe resolved in himself, so soon as he had seen his Lady, to undertake\nno adventure till he had found Famongomadan, and fought with him a\ncombat to the utterance for what he had dared propose.\nThat night Beltenebros took leave of the Nuns, and early the next day,\narmed in his green armour, he set forth, and Enil with him carrying his\nshield and helmet and lance. The day was clear, and he feeling himself\nin his strength and once more in arms, began to manage his horse so\nskilfully that Enil said to him, I know not, Sir, what the strength of\nyour heart may be, but I never saw a Knight appear so well in arms.\nThe worth, quoth Beltenebros, lies in a good heart, not in a good\nappearance! happy dole hath he whom God has gifted with both! You have\njudged the one, judge the other as you shall see it deserves when put\nto proof. Seven days they travelled without adventure, and Beltenebros,\nas he drew nearer, wore his helmet that he might not be known. On the\neighth, as they were passing the foot of a mountain, they met a Knight\nupon a large bay horse, so huge in stature that he appeared to be a\nGiant, and two Squires carrying his arms. He cried out with a loud\nvoice to Beltenebros, Stop, Sir Knight, till you have told me what I\nwant to know! Beltenebros looked at the stranger's shield, and seeing\nthree golden flowers in a field azure, he knew it was Don Quadragante,\nfor he had seen a like shield in the Firm Island, hanging above all the\nothers, as his who had approached nearest the Forbidden Chamber. Yet,\nremembering Famongomadan, he would willingly now have avoided battle;\nas also, because he was on his way to Oriana, and feared lest the great\nprowess of this Knight should cause him some delay. Howbeit he stopt,\nand bade Enil give him his arms if they were wanted. God protect you!\nquoth Enil, he looks to me more like a Devil than a Knight! He is no\nDevil, quoth Beltenebros, but a right good Knight, of whom I have heard\nheretofore. By this Quadragante was come up, and said to him, Knight,\nyou must tell me if you belong to the household of King Lisuarte?\u2014Why\nask you?\u2014Because I have defied him and all his household, and kill all\nof them whom I meet. Beltenebros felt his anger rising, and replied,\nyou are one of those who have defied him?\u2014I am; and I am he who will\ndo to him and his all the evil in my power.\u2014And who are you?\u2014My name\nis Don Quadragante.\u2014Certes, Don Quadragante, notwithstanding your high\nlineage, and your great prowess in arms, this is great folly in you to\ndefy the best King in the world! they who undertake more than they can\neffect, are rather rash than hardy. I am not this King's vassal, nor am\nI of his land, but for his goodness my heart is disposed to serve him,\nso that I may account myself among those whom you have defied: if you\nchuse battle with me, you may have it; if not, go your way! I believe\nKnight, said Quadragante, you speak thus boldly because you know me so\nlittle: pray you, tell me your name?\u2014They call me Beltenebros: you will\nknow me by it no better than before, for it is a name of no renown;\nbut, though I am of a far land, I have heard that you are seeking\nAmadis of Gaul, and, by what I hear of him, it is no loss to you that\nyou cannot find him. What! quoth Quadragante, do you prize him, whom I\nhate so much, above me? Know, that your death-hour is arrived! take thy\narms, and defend thyself if thou canst. I might do it with some doubt\nagainst others, he replied, but can have none in opposing thee, who art\nso full of pride and threats.\nThen they ran their course; both felt the shock; the horse of\nBeltenebros reeled, and he himself was wounded at the nipple of his\nbreast. Quadragante was unhorsed and hurt in the ribs; he rose, and ran\nat Beltenebros, who did not see him, for he was adjusting his helmet,\nand he mortally stabbed his horse. Beltenebros alighted, and went\nagainst him sword in hand in great anger. There was no courage in this!\ncried he; your own horse was strong enough to have finished the battle\nwithout this discourtesy! The blows fell as thick and loud as though\nten Knights had been in combat, for both put forth all their strength\nand skill, and the fight lasted from the hour of tierce till vespers;\nbut then Quadragante, overcome with fatigue, and with a blow that\nBeltenebros gave him on the helmet, fell down senseless. Beltenebros\ntook off his helmet to see if he were dead; the air revived him; he\nplaced the sword-point at his face, and said, Quadragante, remember thy\nsoul, for thou art a dead man. Ah, Beltenebros, cried he, for God's\nsake let me live for my soul's sake!\u2014Yield thyself vanquished, then,\nand promise to fulfil what I command! I will fulfil your will to save\nmy life, said Quadragante, but there is no reason wherefore I should\nconfess myself vanquished: he is not vanquished, who in his defence\nhath shown no fear, doing his utmost till strength and breath fail him\nand he falls; but he who does not do what he could have done, for lack\nof heart. You speak well, said Beltenebros, and I like much what I\nhave learnt from you: give me your hand and your promise then; and he\ncalled the Squires to witness it. You shall go forthwith to the court\nof King Lisuarte, and remain there till Amadis arrives, and then you\nshall pardon him for the death of your brother, King Abies; for they by\ntheir own will fought in lists together, and such revenge, even among\nthose of meaner degree, ought not to be pursued. Moreover, you shall\nmake null the defiance against King Lisuarte, and not take arms against\nthose who are in his service. All this did Quadragante promise against\nhis will, and in the fear of death. He then ordered his Squires to make\na litter, and remove him; and Beltenebros mounting the bay horse of his\nantagonist, gave his arms to Enil, and departed.\nFour Damsels, who were hawking with a merlin, had seen the battle, and\nthey now came up, and requested Beltenebros would go to their castle,\nwhere he should be honourably welcomed, for the good will which he had\nmanifested to King Lisuarte. He thankfully accepted their hospitality,\nbeing sore wearied with the struggle, and accompanied them. They\nfound no other wound than that upon the nipple of his breast, which\nbled much; howbeit, in three days he departed. On the second day at\nnoon, from a hill top, he beheld the city of London, and, to the right\nthereof, the castle of Miraflores, where his Lady Oriana then abode.\nHere he stood awhile, gazing, and devising how he might dispatch Enil.\nDo you know this country? said he. Yes, replied Enil; that is London,\nin the valley.\u2014Are we so near? but I will not go to the court till I\nhave won some renown, and deserve to be there: go you therefore and\nvisit your cousin Gandalin, and there you will hear what may be said of\nme, and when the battle is to be with King Cildadan.\u2014But shall I leave\nyou alone?\u2014I sometimes go alone; but we will first appoint a place to\nmeet at. They proceeded a little way and saw three tents pitched by a\nriver side, the middle a rich one, and before it there were Knights\nand Damsels sporting; and he saw five shields at the entrance of one\ntent, and five at another, and ten armed Knights, therefore he turned\naside from the road that he might not joust with them. The Knights\ncalled out to him to joust. Not now, said he, for you are many and\nfresh, and I am alone and weary. I believe, said the one, you are\nafraid you should lose your horse.\u2014Why should I lose him?\u2014Because he\nwould be won by the man who dismounted you: a likelier chance than that\nyou should win his. Since that is the case, said Beltenebros, I will\nride on and secure him while I can; and he continued his course. The\nKnights cried after him, your arms, Sir Cavalier, are protected better\nby a smooth tongue than by a stout heart: they will last to be hung\nover your monument, tho' you should live these hundred years! Think of\nme as you please, quoth he, your words will not destroy my worth such\nas it is. I would to heaven you would break one lance with me! cried\nthe Knight; I would not mount horse again for a whole year, if you\nrode to your lodging this night upon that bay steed! Good Sir, said\nBeltenebros, that is the very thing I am afraid of, and have therefore\ngot out of the way. Holy Mary, they all exclaimed, what a cowardly\nKnight! He nothing heeding them, rode on to a ford, at which he meant\nto cross, when he heard a cry from behind. Stop, Knight! and looking\nround saw a Damsel following him upon a palfrey richly trappinged. Sir\nKnight, said she, Leonoreta, daughter to King Lisuarte, is in yonder\ntent, and she and all her Damsels request that for their sake you will\njoust with her Knights, a thing you will be more bound to do by this\nrequest than by their defiance.\u2014What! quoth he, is the daughter of the\nQueen there?\u2014Aye, truly!\u2014I should rather do her service myself than\ncommit enmity against her Knights, but at her command I will consent,\non condition that they require from me nothing farther than the joust.\nWith this answer the Damsel returned; and Beltenebros took his arms,\nand rode to an open part of the field to wait for the encounter. The\nfirst who came was the one who had such an inclination to win his\nhorse. Beltenebros was pleased that this was the first: he unhorsed\nhim, and bade Enil take his horse, and said, Sir Knight, if you keep\nyour word, you will not have another fall for a whole year, for so\nyou promised unless you won my bay; but he lay groaning, for he had\nthree ribs and a hip broken. Three others shared the same fortune with\nless hurt; on the last, Beltenebros broke his lance. Enil took their\nhorses one by one, and tied them to the trees, and then Beltenebros\nwould have departed; but he saw another Knight making ready, and a\nSquire brought him four lances, and said, Sir, Leonoreta sends you\nthese lances, and bids you do your duty with them against the other\nKnights, since you have overthrown their companions. For her sake, said\nhe, who is daughter to so good a King, I will do what she requires;\nbut for her Knights I would do nothing, for they are discourteous to\nmake Knights who are travelling joust against their will. So he took\na lance, and one after the other dismounted all the rest; only the\nlast endured two encounters, and fell not till the third, for he was\nNicoran of the Perilous Bridge, and was one of the good jousters in\nGreat Britain. When Beltenebros had finished, he sent all the horses\nthat he had won to Leonoreta, and bade her tell her Knights to be more\ncourteous to strangers, or else to joust better, for they might find\na Knight who would make them go afoot. The Knights remained greatly\nabashed; if Amadis were alive and well, quoth Nicoran, verily I should\nsay this were he, for I know no other who would have left us thus. It\nis not he, said Galiseo, some of us should have known him, and he would\nnot have jousted with us, being his friends. Giontes, the nephew of\nKing Lisuarte, who was one of them, replied. Would it were Amadis, our\ndishonour would be well gained! but be he who he may, God prosper him\nwherever he goes! for he won our horses like a good Knight, and like a\ngood Knight restored them. Curse him, quoth Lasamor, he has broken my\nhip and my ribs, but it was my own fault.\nBeltenebros went on satisfied with his success, and admiring the lance\nwhich he held, for it was a good one. About a quarter of a league\non, he saw a chapel overbowered with trees, and there he determined\nto alight for the sake of prayer, and because the great heat and the\nexercise of jousting had made him athirst. At the chapel-door were\nthree palfreys equipped for women, and two for Squires. He went in,\nbut there was no one there, and commended himself from his heart to\nGod and the Virgin. As he was coming out, he saw the three Damsels and\ntheir Squires sitting under the trees beside a fountain, and made up\nto them that he might drink: but neither of them did he know. Knight,\nsaid they, are you of King Lisuarte's household? I would, quoth he, I\nwere so good a Knight as to be approved in such a company: but whither\ngo ye?\u2014To Miraflores, to see our Aunt who is Abbess there, and to see\nOriana the Princess; but we are waiting here till the heat of the day\nbe over. In God's name, quoth he, and I will keep you company till it\nbe time to travel: how is this fountain called?\u2014We know not but there\nis one in yonder valley, by those great trees there, which is called\nthe Fountain of the Three Channels. He knew it better than they, for\nhe had often passed it when hunting, and there he determined to fix a\nmeeting-place with Enil, whom he wished to send away while he went to\nhis Lady.\nPresently, while they were thus talking, there came along the road\nwhich Beltenebros had passed, a waggon drawn by twelve palfreys, and on\nit were two Dwarfs who drove. There were many Knights in chains in the\nwaggon, and their shields were hanging at the side, and many damsels\nand girls among them weeping and lamenting loudly. Before it went a\nGiant, so great that he was fearful to behold; he rode a huge black\nhorse, and he was armed with plates of steel, and his helmet shone\nbright, and in his hand he had a boar spear, whose point was a full\narm's-length long. Behind the waggon was another Giant, who appeared\nmore huge and terrible than the first. The Damsels seeing them were\ngreatly terrified, and hid themselves among the trees. Presently the\nGiant who rode foremost turned to the Dwarfs, and cried, I will cut\nyou into a thousand pieces if you suffer these girls to shed their own\nblood, for I mean to do sacrifice with it to my god, whom I adore.\nWhen Beltenebros heard this, he knew it was Famongomadan, for he had a\ncustom to sacrifice damsels to an Idol in the Boiling Lake, by whose\nadvice and words he was guided in every thing, and that sacrifice used\nto content his god, being the Wicked Enemy who is satisfied with such\nwickedness. At this time Beltenebros did not wish to encounter him,\nbecause he expected to be that night with Oriana, and also because his\njoust with the ten Knights had wearied him; but he knew the Knights\nin the waggon, and saw that Leonoreta and her Damsels were there, for\nFamongomadan, who always took this waggon with him to carry away all\nhe could find, had seized them in their tents shortly after their\nencounter. Immediately he mounted, and called to Enil for his arms; but\nEnil said, let those Devils pass by first. Give me! quoth Beltenebros,\nI shall try God's mercy before they pass, to see if I can redress this\nvillainy. O Sir, cried the Squire, why have you so little compassion\nupon your own youth! if the best twenty Knights of King Lisuarte's\ncourt were here, they would not venture to attack them. Care not\nthou for that, replied his Master, if I let them pass without doing\nmy best I should be unworthy to appear among good men: you shall see\nmy fortune. Enil gave him his arms, weeping, and Beltenebros then\ndescended the sloping ground to meet them. He looked toward Miraflores\nas he went, and said, O Oriana, my Lady, never did I attempt adventure\nconfiding in my own courage, but in you: my gentle Lady, assist me now,\nin this great need! He felt his full strength now, and all fear was\ngone, and he cried out to the Dwarfs to stop.\nWhen the Giant heard him, he came towards him with such rage that smoke\ncame through the vizor of his helmet, and he shook his boar-spear with\nsuch force that its ends almost met. Unhappy wretch! cried he, who\ngave thee boldness enough to dare appear before me? That Lord, quoth\nBeltenebros, whom thou hast offended, who will give me strength to-day\nto break thy pride. Come on! come on! cried the Giant, and see if his\npower can protect thee from mine! Beltenebros fitted the lance under\nhis arm, and ran against him full speed: he smote him below the waist\nwith such exceeding force that the spear burst through the plates of\nsteel and ran through him, even so as to strike the saddle behind,\nthat the girths broke, and he fell with the saddle, the broken lance\nremaining in him. His boar-spear had taken effect upon the horse of\nBeltenebros, and mortally wounded him. The Knight leapt off and drew\nhis sword. The Giant rose up so enraged that fire came from him, and\nhe plucked the lance from his wound, and threw it at Beltenebros so\nforcibly that if the shield had not protected his helmet, it would\nhave driven him to the ground; but his own bowels came out with the\nweapon, and he fell, crying, help, Basagante! I am slain. At this\nBasagante came up as fast as his horse could carry him: he had a steel\naxe in his hand, and with this he thought to have cut his enemy in\ntwo; but Beltenebros avoided the blow, and at the same time struck at\nthe Giant's horse: the stroke fell short, but the end of his sword cut\nthrough the stirrup-leather, and cut the leg also half through. The\nGiant in his fury did not feel the wound, though he missed the stirrup;\nhe turned and raised his axe again. Beltenebros had taken the shield\nfrom his neck, and was holding it by the thongs: the axe fell on it and\npierced in, and drove it from his hands to the ground. Beltenebros had\nmade another stroke, the sword wounded Basagante's arm, and, falling\nbelow upon the plates of fine steel, broke, so that only the handle\nremained in his hand. Not for this was he a whit dismayed; he saw the\nGiant could not pluck his axe from the shield, and he ran and caught\nit by the handle also; both struggled; it was on that side where the\nstirrup had been cut away, so that Basagante lost his balance, the\nhorse started and he fell, and Beltenebros got the battle-axe. The\nGiant drew his sword in great fury, and would have ran at the Knight,\nbut the nerves of his leg were cut through; he fell upon one knee,\nand Beltenebros smote him on the helmet, that the laces burst and it\nfell off. He seeing his enemy so near, thought with his sword, which\nwas very long, to smite off his head; the blow was aimed too high,\nit cut off the whole crown of the helmet, and cut away the hair with\nit. Beltenebros drew back; the helmet fell over his head upon his\nshoulders, and Leonoreta and the Damsels, who were on their knees in\nthe waggon praying to God to deliver them, tore their hair and began\nto shriek and call upon the Virgin, thinking he was surely slain.\nHe himself put up his hand to feel if he were wounded to death, but\nfeeling no harm, made again at the Giant, whose sword falling upon a\nstone in the last blow had broken. Basagante's heart failed him now, he\nmade one stroke more, and cut him slightly in the leg with the broken\nsword; but Beltenebros let drive the battle-axe at his head; it cut\naway the ear and the cheek and the jaw, and Basagante fell, writhing in\nthe agony of death.\nAt this time Famongomadan had taken off his helmet, and was holding his\nhands upon his wound to check the blood. When he saw his son slain,\nhe began to blaspheme God and his Mother Holy Mary, saying that he did\nnot so much grieve to die as that he could destroy their monasteries\nand churches, because they had suffered him and his son to be conquered\nby one Knight. Beltenebros was then upon his knees returning thanks\nto God, when he heard the blasphemer, he exclaimed, Accursed of God\nand of his Blessed Mother! now shalt thou suffer for thy cruelties;\npray to thine Idol, that, as thou hast shed so much blood before him,\nhe may stop this blood of thine from flowing out with thy life! The\nGiant continued to curse God and his Saints; then Beltenebros plucked\nthe boar-spear from the horse's body, and thrust it into the mouth\nof Famongomadan, and nailed him backward to the earth. He then put\non Basagante's helmet that he might not be known, and mounting the\nother's horse, rode up to the waggon and broke the chains of all who\nwere prisoners therein, and he besought them to carry the bodies of the\nGiants to King Lisuarte, and say they were sent him by a strange Knight\ncalled Beltenebros; and he begged the Princess to permit him to take\nthe black horse of Famongomadan, because it was a strong and handsome\nhorse, and he would ride him in the battle against King Cildadan. The\nbodies of the Giants were so huge, that they were obliged to bend\ntheir knees to lay them in the waggon. Leonoreta and her Damsels made\ngarlands for their heads, and being right joyful for their deliverance\nentered London singing in triumph. Much was King Lisuarte astonished\nat their adventure, and the more for Quadragante had already presented\nhimself on the part of Beltenebros, of whom nothing else was known\nexcept what Corisanda had related. I would he were among us, said the\nKing, I would not lose him for any thing that he could ask and I could\ngrant.\n_CHAPTER 14._\nBeltenebros having taken leave of the Princess, returned joyfully to\nthe fountain where the Damsels were. He bade Enil go to London, and\nget him other arms made the same as those he wore, which were now so\nbattered as to be useless, and he was to buy him another sword, and\nbring them in eight days to the Fountain of the Three Channels. Enil\nforthwith departed, and the Damsels also taking their leave, rode on\nto Miraflores, and there told Oriana and Mabilia what great feats they\nhad seen that day atchieved by a Knight called Beltenebros. He meantime\nstruck into the forest, and rode slowly the same way, till he came to\na brook winding among the trees, and there, for it was yet early, he\nalighted and took off his helmet, and drank of the water, and cleansed\nhimself from the sweat of the battle; and there he remained, musing\nover his past and present fortunes and the strange vicissitudes of\nlife, till night approached; then he made for the castle. Durin and\nGandalin met him at the garden-wall, and took his horse. Oriana and\nMabilia and the Damsel were on the wall: they gave him their hands:\npresently he was over, and held Oriana in his arms; but who can tell\nwhat joy there then was in embracing and kisses, and the mingling of\ntears? Mabilia roused them as from a dream, and led them into the\ncastle, and there Beltenebros remained eight days with Oriana in joys\ndearer to him than even Paradise.\nMeantime King Lisuarte was preparing for the battle against King\nCildadan, which he much doubted, knowing what Giants and mighty\nKnights would be with his enemy. Florestan and Galaor and Agrayes\nwere returned, and Don Galvanes Lackland had arrived, and many other\ngood Knights. The whole talk was of Beltenebros, and many said his\ndeeds surpassed those of Amadis; whereat Galaor and Florestan were\nso enraged, that nothing but their promise to undertake no adventure\nbefore the battle, withheld them from seeking him and proving him in\nmortal combat, but of this they only communed with each other. One day\nthere came into the palace an old Squire with two others, all clad in\ngarments of the same cloth. The old man's beard was shorn, his ears\nwere large, and the hair of his head grey. He, kneeling before the\nKing, addressed him in the Greek language: Sir, the great fame which\nis gone abroad of the Knights and Dames and Damsels of your court hath\nbrought me hither, to see if I can find among them what for sixty years\nI have sought through all parts of the world, and reaped no fruit for\nmy labour. Noble King, if you hold it good, permit that a trial may be\nmade here, which shall not be to your injury nor to the shame of any.\nAll who were present, desirous to see what it might be, besought the\nKing's assent, which he, feeling the like curiosity, readily granted.\nThe old Squire then took in his hand a coffer of jasper, three cubits\nlong and a span wide, its sides being fastened with plates of gold;\nthis he opened, and took out a sword, so strange as the like was never\nseen; the sheath was of bone, yet green like an emerald, and so clear\nthat the blade of the sword could be seen through, and it was unlike\nother blades, for the one-half was as bright as it could be, and the\nother burning red like fire; the hilt was of the same green bone, and\nthe belt also, being made of such small pieces fastened together with\ngold screws, that it could be girt on like a common belt. This the\nSquire hung round his neck, and took from the same coffer a head-dress\nof flowers, the half whereof were as beautiful and fresh as though\nthey had just then been cut from the living stem; the other half so\nwithered and dry, that it seemed they would crumble at a touch. The\nKing asked why those flowers, that all seemed to grow from the same\nstem, were yet in such different condition, and what was the nature of\nthat strange sword? King, said the old Squire, this sword cannot be\ndrawn from the scabbard, except by the Knight who of all men in the\nworld loveth his Lady best; and as soon as he shall have it in his\nhand, the half which is now of burning red, shall become clear and\nbright like the other part, and the whole blade be of one colour; and\nwhen this garland of flowers shall be set upon the head of that Lady\nor Damsel, that with the same surpassing love doth love her husband or\nfriend, the dry flowers shall again become fresh and green. And know,\nSir, that I cannot be knighted except by the hands of that true lover,\nnor take sword except from that loyal Lady; for this, O King, having\nsearched all other courts and parts of the world, I am come hither,\nafter sixty years, hoping that as there is no court of Emperor or King\nlike this, here I may succeed at last. Tell me, said Lisuarte, how is\nit that the half which is burning red, does not burn the scabbard?\nYou shall hear, quoth the Squire: Between Tartary and India there is\na sea so hot, that it boils like water over a fire, and it is all\ngreen; and in that sea serpents breed bigger than crocodiles, having\nwings wherewith they fly, and so venomous that all people run from\nthem in fear; nevertheless, they who at any time find one dead esteem\nit much, being a thing excellent in medicine. These serpents have one\nbone reaching from the head to the tail, it is so strong that the whole\nbody is formed upon this one bone, and green as you see it here in this\nscabbard and hilt and belt, and because it grew in that boiling sea no\nfire can burn it. Now I will tell you of this garland: the flowers are\nfrom trees in Tartary, in an island fifteen miles from the shore; the\ntrees are only two, nor is it known that there are any such in any part\nelsewhere; but in that sea is a whirlpool, so terrible that men fear to\nventure to take them, howbeit they that have dared pass and succeeded,\nsell them for what they will to ask, for this freshness and life-green\nnever fails. Having told you thus much, you shall know who I myself am.\nI am nephew of the best man of his own time, who was called Apolidon,\nand who long time dwelt here in your country in the Firm Island. My\nfather was King Ganor, his brother, to whom he gave his kingdom, and\nmy mother, daughter to the King of Panonia, and, when I was of age to\nbe knighted, my father, because of the exceeding love between him and\nmy mother, made me promise to be made Knight by none but the most true\nLover in the world, and to receive sword only from the truest Lady.\nI lightly promised, thinking to accomplish this as soon as I should\nsee my Uncle Apolidon and his Grimanesa; but so it was, that, when I\narrived, Grimanesa was dead, and he knowing wherefore I came, greatly\npitied me, for it is the custom of my land that no one who is not a\nKnight can reign therein. So having no remedy to give me then, he bade\nme return to him at a year's end, and at that time he gave me this\nsword and garland, telling me by the labour of this search to remedy\nthe folly of such a promise. And now, Sir, I beseech you, as without\nwrong or shame it may be done, that you and your Knights and the Queen\nand her Ladies be pleased to make the proof; and if such can be found\nas shall accomplish it, let the sword and garland be theirs, the profit\nwill be mine, and rest from my weary toil, and the honour yours above\nall other Princes, that they who could accomplish this adventure were\nfound in your court. The King then said, that Santiago's day was but\nfive days off, and then he had summoned many Knights to be present,\nwherefore if it pleased him to wait so long, his chance of success\nwould be greater among so many more Knights. This the Squire thought\ngood.\nGandalin was at this time in the court, and heard all that the Squire\nhad said. Forthwith he rode to Miraflores. Beltenebros and Oriana\nwere playing chess in the little court under the trees. When he had\nrelated all that had past, and how a day was appointed for the trial,\nBeltenebros sate musing for a while, lost in thought, till Gandalin\nand his cousin had left the place, and then, as he looked up, Oriana\nasked what had made him so deep in thought. Lady mine, quoth he, if by\nGod's help and your's my thought could be accomplished, I should be a\nhappy man for ever. Dear friend, she answered, she who hath made you\nmaster of her person will do for you any thing! He took her hands and\nkissed them often, and said, this is what I have been thinking; that,\nif you and I could win this sword and garland, our hearts would be for\never at rest, and all those doubts that have tortured us be utterly\ndestroyed. But how can I do this, said Oriana, without great shame\nand greater danger to myself and to these Damsels, who are privy to\nour loves? That, replied Beltenebros, may easily be done, you shall\ngo so disguised, and I will obtain such security from the King your\nfather, that we shall be as unknown as before strangers. Then do your\npleasure, quoth she, and God prosper it to good! I doubt not to gain\nthe garland, if it is to be won by exceeding love. I will obtain your\nfather's promise, said Beltenebros, that nothing shall be demanded\nfrom me against my own consent, and will go completely armed; and you,\nLady, shall have a cloak fastened round you, and your face muffled,\nso that you shall see all, yet no one see you. Let us call Mabilia,\ncried Oriana, without her counsel I must not adventure. So they called\nher and Gandalin, and the Damsel of Denmark, and they, albeit they\nsaw great peril, did not gainsay their inclination; and Mabilia said,\nthere was a rich cloak among her mother's presents that the Damsel had\nbrought, which never had been worn or seen in that land. She brought\nit, and took Oriana apart and dressed her in it, so that when she came\nout with her gloves on, and her face-cloths,[220:A] no one knew her,\nthough they looked narrowly. Lady mine, cried Beltenebros, I never\nthought it would give me pleasure not to see and know you! He then\nbade Gandalin buy the fairest palfrey that could be found in all that\ncountry, and bring it at midnight before the day of the adventure, to\nthe garden-wall; and he told Durin to have his horse ready for him this\nevening, that he might meet Enil, and send him to obtain the security\nfrom King Lisuarte.\n    [220:A] Antifazes.\nBeltenebros rode that night through the forest, and at day-break\nreached the fountain of the Three Channels. Presently Enil came up and\nbrought with him the arms: they were good arms, and pleased him well.\nHe then asked the Squire what news of the court, and Enil told him the\ntalk there was of his prowess, and was about to relate concerning the\nsword and garland, but Beltenebros said, this I learnt three days since\nfrom a Damsel who made me promise to carry her secretly to this proof:\nthis I must do, and will prove the sword myself; but, as you know it is\nmy will not to make myself known to the King nor to any other till my\ndeeds make me worthy, you must return directly and tell the King, that\nif he will promise and secure us that nothing shall be said or done\nto us against our pleasure, we will come and try the adventure; and\nsay you, before the Queen and her Ladies, that this Damsel makes me go\ngreatly against my inclination. On the day of the proof, meet me here\nat dawn, that the Damsel may know if she has this security; meantime I\nmust return to bring her here, for she dwells far off. Beltenebros then\ntook his arms, and while Enil went to the city, lay down by the same\nbrook-side till night, then rode to Miraflores. Durin was ready to take\nhis horse, and his fair friends expected him at the garden-wall. What,\nSir Cousin! quoth Mabilia, seeing his arms, you return richer than you\nwent. Do you not understand it? cried Oriana, he went to get arms, that\nhe might free himself from this prison. Thus chearfully they entered\nthe castle, and they gave him food, for he had not eaten the whole day,\nlest he might be seen.\n_CHAPTER 15._\nThe next day the Damsel of Denmark was sent to London to learn what\nanswer Enil obtained, and to tell the Queen and her Ladies that Oriana\nwas ill, and did not rise. It was late before she returned, because the\nKing had gone forth to meet Queen Briolania, who was come to his court,\nand brought with her three hundred Knights to go in search of Amadis,\nas his brothers might dispose of them. Twenty Damsels accompanied her,\nall dressed in mourning like herself, for in that dress had he found\nher, and that dress had she worn when he recovered for her her kingdom,\nand that she would wear till some tidings of him were known. Is she\nso handsome as they say? quoth Oriana. So save me God, Lady, replied\nthe Damsel, as excepting yourself, I think her the fairest and most\ngraceful woman that I have ever seen. And it grieved her much when she\nheard of your malady, and she bade me say, when it pleased you, she\nwould come and see you. I should be much pleased, answered Oriana,\nfor she is the person in the world whom I most wish to see. Honour\nher well, said Beltenebros, for she well deserves it, although, Lady,\nyou have suspected something.\u2014Dear friend, no more of this, I know my\nthoughts were false. But this trial, quoth he, will make you more free\nfrom this, and me more subject.\u2014The garland, said Oriana, will prove\nwhether my error proceeded from excess of love. The Damsel then told\nthem how the King had promised Enil the security which he required.\nThey rose at midnight before the day of the proof. Oriana was wrapt\nin Mabilia's mantle, and her face muffled, and Beltenebros armed\nhimself in his new arms. They crossed the wall; Gandalin was there\nwith the horse and palfrey: they mounted, and rode alone into the\nforest. Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark remained in great fear\nlest ill should befal; but, when Oriana found herself in the midst\nof the forest at night, she was so affrighted that her whole body\ntrembled and her speech failed, and she began to apprehend that she\nmight fail to accomplish the adventure, and that if so her lover, who\nnow trusted in her so fully, would suspect her truth, and then she\nwished she had never undertaken the danger. When Beltenebros perceived\nher agitation, he said, I would rather have died, Lady, than brought\nyou here, if I had thought you would have been so terrified; we had\nbetter turn back, and he turned his horse and led her palfrey round.\nBut then Oriana's heart changed, seeing that so great an adventure\nwould be for her sake foregone, and she said, dear friend do not heed\nmy fears, for I am a woman, and this is a strange place to me; regard\nonly what you, as a good Knight, ought to atchieve. Dear Lady, mine,\nquoth he, your prudence guides my folly: I can neither do or say other\nthan you command me: so they proceeded, and about an hour before the\ndawn reached the Fountain. When it was broad day Enil came up. Lady\nDamsel, said Beltenebros, this is the Squire of whom I spake, let us\nhear if the King grant your demand. Enil then told them what Lisuarte\nhad promised, and that the proof was to begin immediately after mass.\nBeltenebros then gave him his shield and spear, the helmet he wore\nhimself; they took the road to London, and in this guise entered the\ngate. All flocked to see them crying out, this is the good Knight\nBeltenebros, who sent here Don Quadragante and the giants! This is the\nprime of all knighthood! Happy the Damsel who comes in his guard! When\nOriana heard this she felt a pride to know herself the mistress of him,\nwho, by his great valour, could command all others. Thus they reached\nthe palace, where the King and all his Knights, the Queen and her\nLadies, were assembled for the adventure. As soon as their approach was\nknown the King went to receive them at the entrance. They knelt to kiss\nhis hand, but he withdrew it, saying, Good friend, I shall willingly\nobserve your pleasure, for in a short time you have done more for me\nthan ever Knight did for King before. Beltenebros bowed thankfully,\nbut made no answer, and proceeded with his Damsel up to the Queen: But\nOriana's flesh quivered with fear, seeing she was before her parents,\nbut her true friend never let go her hand, and so they both knelt\nbefore Brisena. The Queen raised them and said, Damsel, I know not who\nyou are, never having seen you; but for the great services which this\nKnight hath performed, and for your own deserts also, you are both\nhonourably and deservedly welcome. Beltenebros thanked her, but Oriana\nheld down her head as if for humbleness, and made no answer. The King\nand his Knights then went on one side of the hall, the Queen and her\nLadies to the other; but Beltenebros said, that if it pleased the King\nhe would stand apart with his Damsel, and prove the adventure last of\nall.\nLisuarte then took the sword and drew it a hands breadth, no more.\nMacandon, the old Squire, said, King, if there be no better lover in\nthe Court than you, I shall depart without my wish, and he thrust\nthe sword back, for so it was to be at every trial; then Galaor\nessayed, and could only draw it three fingers breadth. Florestan and\nGalvanes, and Grumedan, and Brandoyuas, and Ladasin, all tried, none\nso successfully as Florestan, who drew it at a full palm's length.\nDon Guilan the Pensive was the next, and he drew it half out; had you\nloved just as much again, said Macandon, you would have won the sword.\nOthers there were who tried and could not move it, and these the old\nSquire called heretics in love. Then came Agrayes to the proof, he\nlooked at Olinda, and thought surely the sword would be his, for his\ntrue and loyal love; he drew it within a hand of the point, and as he\nstill attempted to pluck it forth the burning part of the blade touched\nhis cloak and burnt it; then he retired sufficiently rejoiced that he\nhad so far exceeded all others. Almost Sir Knight, quoth old Macandon,\nhad you been the winner, and I satisfied. Palomir and Dragonis, who\nhad arrived the day before, next essayed, and drew it no farther than\nGalaor. Knights, quoth the Squire, if you had only as much of the\nsword as you can draw, you would have but little for your own defence.\nTrue, said Dragonis; and if you should be knighted at the end of the\nadventure, you are not so young but that you may remember the ceremony.\nAt this all laughed, but there remained no more to make the trial;\nBeltenebros then arose and took his Lady by the hand, and went towards\nthe sword. Sir Stranger, quoth Macandon, this sword will become you\nbetter than the one you wear, yet I would not have you be so sure of\nit as to lay aside your own, for this is to be won by truth of heart,\nand not by force of arms. But he took the sword, and drew it from the\nscabbard, and immediately the whole blade became clear and shining\nwith one brightness. When Macandon saw this, he knelt down and said, O\ngood Knight, God give thee honour, for thou hast done great honour to\nthis court! Reason is it that you should be beloved well by your Lady\nunless she be the falsest and most unreasonable of women. Now then give\nme the honour of Knighthood, which I may receive from no other hand\nbut yours! and you will give me with it lands and the lordship over\nmany good men. Good friend, replied Beltenebros, let the proof of the\ngarland be made, then I will do with you what can rightly be done. And\nthen he blessed the sword, and laying his own aside, hung it round his\nneck, and led his Lady back to her station. Great were the praises then\nwhich he received for excellence in arms and in love, so that Galaor\nand Florestan were moved to great anger, for they thought it shame that\nany other than Amadis should be esteemed above them, and they resolved\nwithin themselves that their first business after the battle with King\nCildadan should be to fight him, and either die or show to the world\nthe difference there was between him and their brother.\nLisuarte now called upon the Queen and her Ladies to make their proof,\nwithout fear, and in the hope of honour; for she who won the garland,\nif Dame should be more loved and honoured by her husband, if Damsel\nacquire the praise of loyalty above all. Brisena first placed the\nflowers on her own head, they did not in the least alter. Queen and\nMadam, quoth old Macandon, if the King your husband gained little by\nattempting the sword, it seems you have well requited him; she answered\nnothing, but drew back greatly abashed. Next was Briolania, that fair\nQueen of Sobradisa; she, like Brisena, produced no change. Lady and\nmost fair Damsel, cried the Squire, you must be loved before you can\nlove so as to gain the garland; four other King's daughters came on,\nEluida and Estrelleta her sister, who was fair and proud, and Aldeva\nand Olinda the gentle. Upon her head the flowers began to revive so\nthat all thought she would win the praise, but they only began, and\nwhen the garland was taken off they withered again as before; more than\na hundred other Dames tried, but all with less success than Olinda,\nand all received their jest from the old Squire. Oriana had felt a\nfear when Briolania made the proof, and she rejoiced at the failure,\nlest, had she succeeded, her friend might deem it was for his love,\nfor never had she seen so fair a Damsel, and she thought surely, that\nif his heart were not won by her, there was no danger of a rival. All\nothers had now failed; she made sign to Beltenebros to lead her up,\nthe garland was placed round her head, and immediately the dry flowers\nquickened with full freshness and verdure. Excellent Damsel, quoth\nMacandon, you are she for whom I sought forty years before you were\nborn!\nThen the old Squire besought Beltenebros to knight him, and that\nDamsel to give him a sword. Let it be presently, said Beltenebros, for\nI cannot tarry. Macandon then put on white garments, and white armour\nover it like a new Knight, and Beltenebros knighted him according to\nthe manner, and put on his right spur, and Oriana girded on a rich\nsword which his Squires had brought. The Dames and Damsels laughed at\nseeing him, and Aldeva said so loud that all heard her. What a fair\nChild! and he will be a new Knight as long as he lives! How know you\nthat? cried the rest. She answered, because the dress he has now put\non will last as long as himself. Gentle Damsels, quoth the old man, I\nwould not exchange my pleasure for your manners; my youth may be ranked\nwith your modesty. The King was pleased at this reply, for he thought\ntheir speeches were unseemly.\nThis done, Beltenebros and his Lady took leave of the Queen; and\nBrisena said to her daughter, Lady, though it is your pleasure not to\nbe known here, yet I beseech you, when you are returned home, ask of me\nwhatever favour I can grant. I know her Lady, quoth Beltenebros, just\nas much as you do, though we have been seven days together; but this\nI can say, that she is fair, and she has locks that need not be thus\nconcealed. Damsel, said Briolania, I know you not: but if your friend\nlove you as you love him, and as he will do if he be wise, love never\nmade a better union. Her words gave pleasure to Oriana; then they took\ntheir leave, and mounted, the King and Don Galaor accompanying them;\nand Beltenebros said to the King, take this Damsel and honour her, Sir,\nfor she well deserves it, having honoured your court. Lisuarte took her\nbridle, and he went on talking with Galaor, who had little inclination\nfor friendly talk with him, longing to engage him in battle. When they\nhad gone a little way Beltenebros took the bridle from the King, and\nsaid, Now, Sir, God be with you, and if it please you that I should\nbe one of your hundred in the battle, I shall willingly serve you.\nThe King embraced and thanked him, and said, that great part of his\nfear was removed by having him on his part; they parted then, and\nBeltenebros and his Lady, Enil following, entered the forest, he having\nround his neck that green sword, and she that garland of flowers upon\nher head.\nWhen they reached the fountain of the Three Channels, they saw a Squire\non horseback coming down the mountain, who said, Knight, Arcalaus the\nEnchanter bids you send him that Damsel, if you make him fetch her,\nhe will cut off both your heads. Where is Arcalaus the Enchanter?\ncried Beltenebros; the Squire showed him where he and another Knight\nwere under a tuft of trees, both being armed, and their horses ready\nby them. At hearing this Oriana could scarce keep her seat upon the\npalfrey. Lady Damsel, fear not! quoth he, if this sword fail me not I\nwill protect you. He then took his arms\u2014tell Arcalaus I am a stranger\nKnight, who know him not, and have no reason to obey him. When Arcalaus\nheard this he grew greatly enraged, and said to the Knight with him,\nNephew Lindoraque, take that garland which the Damsel wears for your\nMistress Madasima; if the Knight attempts to hinder you cut off his\nhead, and hang the woman by the hair to a tree. Lindoraque mounted\nand moved on to do it: he was a huge man, and well might be so, being\nson of Cartadaque the giant of the defended mountain, by a sister of\nArcalaus. But Beltenebros held him at nought, and placing himself\nright in his way, for he had heard his errand, cried, Knight, you pass\nno farther! You shall not hinder me, quoth he, from performing the\npleasure of Arcalaus. Beltenebros answered, we shall see what your\npride and his villainy can do. They couched their lances and ran, the\nlances broke, Lindoraque fell with the truncheon in his body, he\nrose, being of stout heart, and seeing Beltenebros about to strike\nhim, bent from the blow, and reeled and fell upon the truncheon, and\ndrove it clean through his back, so that he died instantly. Arcalaus\nwas riding up to help him. Beltenebros galloped up to him and made him\nlose the joust, and struck at him with his sword a blow that cut off\nthe lance, and with it half the hand, so that only his thumb was left.\nHe turned to fly, and threw away his shield, and by the fleetness of\nhis horse escaped. Beltenebros then bade Enil take the shield and hand\nof Arcalaus, and the head of Lindoraque to the King, and tell him what\nhad happened. He and his Lady went on their way, and rested beside a\nfountain till it was near night, then rode to Miraflores. The Squires\nwere ready, and Mabilia and the Damsel joyfully received them, for if\nthere had been delay they only expected death. Fair prizes have you\nwon, quoth Mabilia, but they have cost us a great alarm and many tears.\nAs Lisuarte and Galaor were returning to the town, a Damsel came up\nand gave them each a letter, and rode away. The King read his thus:\nTo thee Lisuarte, King of Great Britain, I Urganda, the Unknown, send\nsalutation, and I tell thee that in the perilous and cruel battle\nbetween thee and King Cildadan, Beltenebros, in whom you confide, shall\nlose his name and his renown, and for one blow that he shall give all\nhis great deeds shall be quite forgotten. In that hour thou shalt be\nin the greatest extremity, and in all danger of death, when the sharp\nsword of Beltenebros shall shed thy blood. Cruel and dolorous will the\nbattle be; there will be great rage and cruelty, and no compassion. But\nat last by three blows from the hand of Beltenebros his party shall\nremain conquerors. Look to it King, for she who sends thee this warning\nknows what is to come!\nBrave as the King's heart was, this letter dismayed him; he believed\nthat Beltenebros was to lose his life, and that his own would be in\nthe utmost danger; howbeit he put on a good countenance, and gave the\nletter to Galaor, and asked his counsel. Sir, quoth Galaor, I stand\nin need of your counsel myself; but if this battle can honourably be\navoided, I should advise that it be done so; if that cannot be, you\nshould not be in the field; by the sword of Beltenebros your blood is\nto be shed, and by three blows from his hand his party are to remain\nconquerors. This I do not understand, for he is to be on your side; and\nyet the letter says otherwise. Friend, quoth the King, your love for\nme makes you advise me ill. I must not, for the knowledge of any one,\nhow wise soever, distrust the power of him who ordaineth all things. My\ngood friend, I will be in the battle, and take what fortune it please\nGod to give. The King's answer roused Galaor; rightly are you esteemed\nthe best King in the world! quoth he, and he then shewed him his own\nletter.\nYou Don Galaor of Gaul, the strong and the brave, I Urganda, salute as\nhim whom I esteem and love; know from me what must befall you in the\ndolorous battle, if you be there. After many cruelties and deaths that\nyou will have witnessed in the last press, your strong body and stout\nlimbs will fail your brave and ardent heart, and at the end your head\nwill be in his power, who, with the three blows that he shall give, is\nto decide the day.\nFriend, quoth Lisuarte, if this say true, you will be slain if you\nenter the battle; I will so order that you may honourably decline it.\nSir, said Galaor, it seems the advice I gave displeased you, that you\nwould command me to my shame. God forbid that I should herein obey\nyou. Don Galaor! you are right, the King answered, we will trust in\nGod. Meantime say nothing of these letters lest our friends should be\ndiscouraged. Before they entered the town two Knights came up to be\npresent in the battle, they were Don Bruneo of Bonamar, and Branfil\nhis brother; and Bruneo grieved much that he had not arrived in time\nto prove the sword, for he had passed under the arch of Loyal Lovers,\nand by his love to Melicia doubted not that he should have won it. Him\nGalaor courteously saluted, and took to his lodging as a right worthy\nKnight. Presently Enil arrived with the head of Lindoraque hanging from\nthe horse's breast-plate, and the hand and shield of Arcalaus. Then was\nthe great prowess of Beltenebros more praised, and Galaor and Florestan\nmore desirous, to prove in battle that he was not equal to their lost\nbrother Amadis. At this time Filispinel returned who had been sent with\nthe King's defiance to the giants; he brought word that they were gone\nto Ireland, and would in four days time land in the port of the plain\nwhere the battle was to be fought, and he brought with him this letter.\nTo the great Lord Lisuarte, King of Great Britain, and to all our\nfriends in his dominions. I Arban, a wretch, once King of North Wales,\nand I Angriote of Estravaus, inform you that our unhappy fortune hath\nthrown us into the power of the fierce Gromadaza, wife of Famongomadan,\nwho, in vengeance for the death of her husband and her son, inflicts\nupon us such torments, that we wish for death to relieve us; but she\nwill not kill us that she may lengthen our sufferings, the which are\nsuch, that we should have ridden ourselves of life, if it were not\nfor losing our souls thereby; but being now near death, we write this\nletter with our blood, praying God to grant you the victory over these\ntraitors, who, in such inhuman sort torment us. Great sorrow had the\nKing hereat, and all his Knights; however he comforted them, assuring\nthem that there was no other remedy, or way of helping their friends,\nthan by conquering in this great battle: so they all prepared, and set\nforth for the place appointed.\n_CHAPTER 16._\nThree days Beltenebros remained at Miraflores, on the fourth he\ndeparted alone at midnight. He had told Enil to meet him at the Castle\nof an old Knight, called Abradan, which was by the place of battle, and\nthere on the next day he found him. The old Knight received him well,\nfor he always, hospitably welcomed all Errant Knights. Presently two\nSquires arrived, the nephews of the host, and said, that King Cildadan\nwas landed, and had pitched his tents upon the sea-shore, and his\nKnights with him, and they were landing their horses and arms. Grumedan\nand Giontes had been to them on the part of King Lisuarte, and made\ntruce till the day of battle, and also concluded that neither party\nshould bring out more than the hundred Knights appointed. Nephews,\nsaid the host, what think you of those enemies whom God confound!\nGood Uncle, said they, we must not speak of them; they are so strong\nand terrible, that unless God miraculously assist our King, he and his\npower will be nothing against them. Herewithal, the tears fell from\nthe old man's eyes, who cried, O Lord, do not forsake the best and\njustest King in the world! Good mine host, quoth Beltenebros, be not\ndismayed for their fierceness, for worth and modesty often overcome\nproud valour. I pray you go to the King for me, and tell him that there\nis in your house a Knight called Beltenebros, who requests to know the\nday of battle that he may be there. How, Sir, cried old Abradan, are\nyou he who sent Don Quadragante to the King my Master, and who slew\nFamongomadan and his son! Now am I overpaid for all the services that\never I have rendered to Errant Knights. So taking his Nephews to guide\nhim, he went to King Lisuarte, who was arrived within half a league of\nhis enemies. Greatly was the King rejoiced with what he said, and he\ntold him the battle should be on the next day, and said, there lacked\nhim but one Knight of the hundred. Don Grumedan replied, you are rather\nabove the number, for Beltenebros should be counted for five. When the\nold man returned with these tidings, Enil took his Master aside, and\nkneeling down, said, Albeit Sir my services have not merited it, yet\nyour great goodness emboldens me to ask a boon, and I beseech you for\nGod's sake to grant it me. Beltenebros raised him and said, ask any\nthing that I can do. Enil would have kissed his hand; Sir, I ask you\nto make me a Knight, and to entreat the King that I may be one of the\nhundred since one is wanting. Friend Enil, replied Beltenebros, let it\nnot enter your heart to begin so perilously. I do not say this because\nI will not make thee a Knight, but to advise thee to undertake lighter\nadventures first. My good Master, quoth Enil, where can I adventure so\nwell? if I come from the field alive it will always be to my praise\nand honour, and if I die it will be dying well, and my memory will be\njoined with all those good Knights who must perish there. But then an\naffectionate pity was felt at the heart of Beltenebros, and he said\nwithin himself, thou dost well show thyself to be of the lineage of\nGandales, my excellent and true fosterer! Be it so! said he, and he\nasked the host to give the Squire arms; and Enil watched them that\nnight, and after dawn they heard mass, and Beltenebros knighted him,\nand they departed, their host and his Nephews carrying their arms. They\nfound Lisuarte putting his battle in order to go against the enemies,\nwho were ready in the plain. The King and his Knights rejoiced to\nsee Beltenebros. Sir, quoth he, I come to perform my promise, and I\nbring with me this Knight to supply the one lacking. The King joyfully\nwelcomed him, and placed his Knight to make up the complement. Then\nthey moved on in one battalion: the King was in the middle of the rank,\nbefore him Beltenebros and his companion were placed, and Galaor,\nFlorestan, and Agrayes; Gandalac, the Giant who had fostered Galaor,\nand his two sons Bramandil, and Gavus whom Galaor had knighted;\nNicoran, of the Perilous Bridge, Dragonis and Palomir, and Pinorante,\nGiontes, nephew to the King, the renowned Don Bruneo of Bonamar,\nand his brother Branfil, and Don Guilan the Pensive. All these were\ntogether, and before them went that honourable and good old Knight Don\nGrumedan, Brisena's fosterer, with the banner of the King.\nKing Cildadan on his side placed the Giants in the front of the battle,\nand twenty Knights of his lineage of great valour. He stationed\nMadanfabul, the Giant of the Isle of the Vermillion Tower, upon a\nlittle rising ground, and with him ten of the best Knights, and\ndirected them not to move till they saw that all were weary, and that\nthen they should make way fiercely towards King Lisuarte, to kill\nhim or carry him prisoner to the ships. In this array the two parties\napproached with deliberate pace till they came near, and then they met\nwith such a shock that many a man fell, and many a horse ran over the\nfield without a rider. That was a hard and dolorous day for all who\nwere there present! for striking and struggling they continued thus\nwithout rest or intermission a third part of the day, with such toil\nand effort, being in the mid heat of summer, that they and their horses\nwere so wearied, and the wounded bled so fast, that in many life could\nendure no longer, and there they fell dead, especially those whom the\nGiants had wounded with their great force. In that hour Beltenebros\ndid wonders in arms with that good sword, striking and slaying all\nbefore him, though the care with which he kept watch over the King\nmost employed him; for Lisuarte knowing that the great shame, or great\nglory of the day would be his, thrust himself into the hottest press\nof the battle. Galaor and Florestan, and Agrayes kept by him, being\nemulous to equal Beltenebros that day, and Don Bruneo watched to assist\nGalaor, who, like a lion made among the Giants, to equal him whom he\nthought the rival of Amadis, regardless of their great strength, and\nthose whom he saw fall under their blows. In this heat he came before\nCartadaque, the Giant of the Defended Mountain, who with a heavy battle\naxe, notwithstanding Florestan had given him a deep wound in the\nshoulder, had already killed six Knights at his feet. Galaor made at\nhim, and with his sword struck him upon the helmet; it cut away all it\ntouched, and lopt off his ear, and passing downward cut the battle-axe\nhelve from his hand. When the Giant saw his enemy so near, and that he\nhad no weapon to wound him, he laid hold on him with his hands, and\nplucked him so forcibly that the saddle girth broke, and he fell, but\nstill the Giant held him; and Galaor thought he never could escape\nfrom that mighty grasp, and that all his bones were broken. Yet before\nhis senses were gone he recovered his sword that hung from his wrist\nby the chain, and thrust it through the vizor of Cartadaque's helmet;\nthe Giant's gripe relaxed, and he fell dead. Galaor arose then, but so\nweak and exhausted, that he could not pluck his sword from the Giant's\nhead. The Knights on both sides pressed towards him, some to kill him\nat this disadvantage, his own friends to his help. The battle became\nfiercer there than it had yet been; King Cildadan came up, and on the\nother part Beltenebros. Beltenebros twice smote Cildadan on the head\nsuch stunning blows that the King fell from his horse at the feet of\nGalaor. Galaor caught up the sword of Cildadan, and laid about him till\nhis strength and senses were gone, and he fell upon the body of King\nCildadan.\nAt this time the Giants Gandalac and Albadanzor were engaged; they\nsmote each other so furiously with their clubs, that they and their\nhorses both fell. Albadanzor's arm was broken, and Gandalac's leg;\nhowbeit he and his sons slew their enemy. The day was now half over,\nand on the two sides an hundred and twenty Knights had been slain.\nMadanfabul, the Giant of the Vermillion Tower, was looking on from the\nhill; he saw how the field was thinned, that they who remained were\nweary with their toil, their armour broken, and their horses stiff\nand exhausted. He thought that he and his companions could now have\ndiscomfited all that were left on both sides, and descended into the\nfield, crying out, Leave not a man of them alive; I will kill or take\nKing Lisuarte. Beltenebros had just mounted a fresh horse, which one\nof old Abradan's nephews gave him; he saw the Giant and his troop come\non, and placed himself before the King, and called on Florestan and\nAgrayes, who were near; with these Don Bruneo of Bonamar joined, and\nBranfil, and Guilan the Pensive, and Enil, who had done much in that\nbattle, and was therefore always held in high esteem, all these albeit\nthey were grievously wounded, and their horses also, placed themselves\nbefore the King. Before Madanfabul came a Knight called Sarmadan the\nLion, the Uncle of King Cildadan, and for strength and prowess the\nbest of his lineage. Beltenebros stood foremost to meet him. Sarmadan\ndrove his lance at him, it broke, yet pierced the shield and wounded\nhim, though with no deep wound. Then Beltenebros hit him a thwart blow\nwith his sword across the bever, straight over both eyes, and through\nboth, that he fell dead. But Madanfabul and his other comrades came on\nso fiercely, that the most of those who were of King Lisuarte's part\nwere beaten down before them, and he made right for the King, with\nsuch fresh strength, that the Knights about the King, bravely as they\nadventured, could not protect him; he seized Lisuarte round the neck,\nand grasped him so strongly that he lost all power of resistance,\nplucked him from the saddle, and carried him towards the ships. When\nBeltenebros beheld that he exclaimed, O Lord God, let not Oriana have\nthis affliction! He struck the spurs into his horse and galloped after\nhim sword in hand, and reaching him smote at him with his whole force.\nThe sword fell on the right arm with which he held the King, and cut it\nclean through by the elbow; the weapon stayed not there, but passing on\ncut through the King's breast-plate, and wounded him so that the blood\nstreamed down. Lisuarte was left upon the ground, and the Giant fled\nlike a lost man, bleeding to death. When Beltenebros saw that with that\none blow he had slain that mighty Giant, and rescued King Lisuarte from\nso great a danger, he shouted out, Gaul! Gaul! for I am Amadis. This he\ncried as he laid on among his enemies, felling them or slaying them,\nand in good season did he exert this prowess, for great havock had been\nmade among the Knights of his party, so many slain, others wounded,\nand fighting on foot, and the enemies had come fresh against them with\ngreat strength, and an eager desire to kill all they could. For this\ncause Amadis put forth his strength, so that it might well be said his\ngreat prowess was the safety and support of his party that day; but\nwhat most kindled him was, that he had seen his brother Galaor afoot\nand sore wearied, and looking again saw him no longer, so that surely\nhe thought him dead, and with this grief and anger he encountered no\nKnight whom he did not slay. When they of King Cildadan's party saw the\ngreat feats that he atchieved, they took for their leader a Knight of\nthe race of the Giants, whose name was Gadancuriel, and who had made\nsuch slaughter that day that he was noted by all. They expected, being\nled by him to win the day, and at this time Amadis had thrust in so\nfar among the enemy that he was beset by them and in great peril. King\nLisuarte had mounted again, and with him were Don Bruneo of Bonamar,\nand Florestan, and Guilan the Pensive, and Ladasin, and Galvanes\nLackland, and Olivas, and old Grumedan, from whose hand the banner had\nbeen cut. The King seeing Amadis in such danger made up to succour him\nlike a worthy King, although he had many wounds, and all rejoicing that\nBeltenebros was Amadis, forced their way up to him, and released him\nfrom the press. He then turned whither he would, and chance guided him\nto where his cousin Agrayes, and Palomir and Dragonis were on foot,\nand many Knights upon them striving to slay them, but they standing\ntogether, and still defending themselves manfully. He seeing them thus,\ncalled upon his brother Florestan, and Guilan the Pensive, to their\nsuccour. There came against him a Knight of great renown, called\nVadamigar, whose helmet had been struck off; he wounded the horse of\nAmadis in the neck, but Amadis reached him, and cleft him down to the\nears, and as he fell cried out. Cousin Agrayes, take this horse! And\nFlorestan struck down a good Knight, called Daniel, and gave his horse\nto Palomir, and Palomir then won one for Dragonis; and Guilan wounded\nLandin sorely, and unhorsed him, and gave his horse to Branfil: thus\nthey were all helped, and then they followed in the path of Amadis,\nwho went on cutting his way manfully, and shouting Gaul! Gaul! Amadis!\nthat the enemy might know he was in the field. Such courage did he\nthen display, and so well did Florestan and Agrayes, and those other\nKnights second him, and King Lisuarte also played his part so well,\nthat they won the battle; the enemies who survived flying to their\nships, and Amadis still among them raging for the death of Galaor. But\nGadancuriel still made head with those whom he could turn from flight,\nand he turned upon the King. Florestan, who had seen his feats that\nday, thrust himself before Lisuarte to save him, though he had only a\nbroken sword. Gadancuriel cut through the helmet and wounded him in the\nhead, he with his broken sword smote him on the helmet so that it fell\noff, and then Lisuarte cleft his head; there was none other left to\nmaintain the field: they who fled perished before they could reach the\nwater, or in the water before they could reach their ships.\nThen Amadis cried to Florestan and Agrayes, weeping as he spake, Good\nkinsmen, I fear we have lost Don Galaor, let us seek for him. They went\nto the spot where Amadis had smitten down King Cildadan, and seen his\nbrother last on foot; but so many were the dead who lay there that they\nsaw him not, till as they moved away the bodies, Florestan knew him\nby the sleeve of his surcoat, which was of azure worked with silver\nflowers, and then they made great moan over him. But when Amadis saw\nhim thus with exceeding grief he threw himself from his horse, and his\nwounds over which the blood had clotted burst open with the fall, and\nbled abundantly, and he laying aside his shield and helm that were\nall hacked and bruised, went to Galaor and took off his helmet, and\ntook his head upon his knees. Galaor at the fresh air began to move a\nlittle, and they all gathered round him weeping to see him thus. While\nthey were thus standing twelve Damsels richly apparelled came up, and\nsome Squires with them, who brought a bed covered with rich drapery.\nThe Damsels knelt before Amadis and said, Sir, we are come hither for\nDon Galaor, if you would have him live give him to us: if not, all the\nMasters in Great Britain cannot help him. Amadis knew not the Damsels,\nand he saw the great danger of Galaor, and could not tell what to do;\nbut those Knights advised him to trust his brother to this fortune,\nrather than see him die without any possibility of saving him. Good\nDamsels, said Amadis, may I know whither you would carry him? They\nanswered, not as yet; but if you desire his life give him to us; else\nwe must go our way. Then Amadis besought that they would take him also;\nthis they refused, but at his request they suffered Ardian the Dwarf,\nand his Squire to follow them. Then they laid him in the bed, armed as\nhe was, all except his helmet and gauntlets, and half dead; and Amadis\nand the Knights followed them, weeping, to the shore. A ship was ready\nthere in which the Damsels placed him, and then returned and went to\nKing Lisuarte, and besought him that he would be pleased to give them\nKing Cildadan also, who lay among the dead, bidding him remember that\nhe was a good King, and had suffered this evil in doing what he was\nbound to do: and they prayed the King to have pity upon him, that he\nmight look for pity himself in his need. Lisuarte readily assented.\nThey took up Cildadan more dead than alive, and carried him in the same\nbed on board, then made sail, and were speedily out of sight.\nMeantime Lisuarte had secured the enemies fleet that nothing might\nescape, taking prisoners all who were not slain in battle. He now came\nup to Amadis, and the Knights that were weeping with him, and when he\nheard their lamentation was for the loss of Galaor, he was grieved at\nheart, for Galaor had faithfully and affectionately served him from the\nhour wherein he became his Knight; then he dismounted, his armour being\nall stained with blood, and embraced Amadis, and bade him take comfort,\nfor God would not suffer such a man as his brother to perish. They\nall then went to the tent of King Cildadan, and there took food, and\nhe ordered that all the Knights who had fallen on his side should be\nburied in a monastery that was at the foot of a near mountain, and he\nordered the due service for their souls, and assigned rents for masses\nfor them. Moreover he ordered a stately chapel to be built there, and\nrich monuments therein for them, and that their names should all be\nengraved upon their tombs. Messengers were sent to inform Queen Brisena\nof his good fortune, and he and his Knights then went to Ganota, a\ntown four leagues off, and there they remained till their wounds were\nhealed.\nWhile this battle was expected Queen Briolania went to visit Oriana\nat Miraflores. Oriana had her apartments hung with rich hangings to\nreceive a guest whom she so greatly desired to see. When they met both\nwere somewhat abashed, for neither the proof of the Enchanted Arch,\nnor of the Green Sword, could keep Oriana's heart so calm, but that it\nbeat fast with fear, thinking that no affection, how true soever, could\nresist such beauty as she saw before her. And Briolania, who had seen\nthe tears and thoughtfulness of Amadis, and knew what proof of love he\nhad given at the Firm Island, presently concluded it could be only for\nthis Princess, before whom she felt her own beauty even as nothing. So\nas they were freely communing together, Briolania related at length all\nthat Amadis had done for her, and said how in her heart she loved him.\nOriana then willing to learn farther, asked her why, as they were of\nequal rank, and she at her own disposal, she did not make him master of\nherself and her own dominions? Friend and Lady, replied Briolania, much\nas you have seen him, I think you know him not. Do you not believe I\nshould think myself the happiest woman in the world if this could be?\nBut you shall know all\u2014and keep it I pray you secret, as one like you\nshould do. I ventured upon this proposal, and it shames me whenever I\nremember it, but he replied, that he could neither bear affection to\nme nor to any other; the which I then believed, for unlike all other\nKnights, I never heard him speak of woman. You tell me wonders, quoth\nOriana, glad at heart of what she heard; but unless Amadis loved some\none he could not have passed under the Arch of True Lovers, which yet\nshowed him more honour than ever any other had received. He may love,\nreplied Briolania, but in his love he is the most secret that ever yet\nKnight was.\nBriolania remained ten days with Oriana, and then they both went\nto join Queen Brisena at Fenusa, a town, where she was waiting for\nLisuarte. Greatly rejoiced was she to see her daughter so recovered.\nThere the tidings came of the victory, for joy whereat Brisena gave\ngreat alms to the churches and convents, and to those who were in\nwant. But who can tell what joy there was to hear that Beltenebros was\nAmadis! What think you now of Amadis, quoth Briolania to Oriana, who\naffected the same surprise as the rest; I was in doubt whether he or\nBeltenebros most deserved my love. Queen and Lady, replied Oriana, we\nwill ask him when he comes, wherefore he changed his name, and who the\nDamsel is that won the garland of flowers.\n_CHAPTER 17._\nNow you shall know what became of King Cildadan and Galaor. The\nDamsels who removed them dressed their wounds, and on the third day\nthey recovered their senses. Galaor found himself in a rich room,\nwhich stood upon four marble pillars, and had an iron grating on all\nsides, through which he saw that he was in a garden, surrounded with\na high wall, in which was only one little door covered with plates\nof iron. Astonished to find himself in such a place, he thought he\nwas in prison, and felt such pain from his wounds that he expected\nnothing but death; and he remembered the battle, but knew not who had\ncarried him from it, nor how he had been removed there. King Cildadan\nalso, when he came to himself, saw that he was lying in a rich bed in\nthe vaulted chamber of a large tower. He looked round and saw no one,\nneither door nor any entrance into the chamber, but over the arch he\nheard voices. There was a window near his bed from whence he looked\nout and saw the sea, and it seemed that the tower he was in was a high\ntower upon a rock, and that the sea washed it on three sides. He too\nremembered the battle but nothing more: but he well knew that if he was\nthus a prisoner, his friends could not be in better plight, and seeing\nno remedy, lay down again in bed, groaning and in great pain with his\nwounds.\nDon Galaor, as he was lying in the open chamber, saw the little door\nof the garden wall open, and raised his head with great difficulty;\nthere came in a Damsel very fair and richly apparalled, and with her\na man so feeble and old that it was a wonder how he could walk, they\ncame up to the iron grating, and said to him, Don Galaor, look to your\nsoul, for we cannot warrant you. The Damsel then produced two little\nboxes, one of iron the other of silver, and showing them to Galaor,\nsaid, She who brought you here wills not that you should die till she\nknows whether you will perform her will; if so, your wounds shall be\nhealed, and you shall have food. Good Damsel, replied he, if what she\ndesire be any thing that I ought not to do, it will be worse than\ndeath. Do as you please, quoth she, we care little for your answer:\nit is at your own choice to live or die. The old man then opened the\ndoor of the grating, and they both went in, and she took the box of\niron, and told the old man to withdraw, and then she said to Galaor,\nSir, I have such compassion on you, that I will venture my own life\nto save yours. I have been ordered to fill this box with poison, and\nthe other with an ointment to make you sleep; the poison being then\nrubbed into your wounds will act more instantly and you would presently\ndie; but instead of this I have put here a remedy, the which, if you\ntake it daily for seven days, will so heal you, that by that time you\nshall be wholly recovered, and able to ride on horseback as before. She\nthen applied the ointment to his wounds, and the pain was instantly\nassuaged. Good Damsel, quoth he, you do so greatly bind me to your\nservice, that if by your help I may escape from hence, never was Damsel\nso well guerdoned by Knight as you shall be: but if you have not means\nfor this and yet wish to serve me, contrive that Urganda the Unknown\nmay know in what perilous prison I am laid, for in her I have great\nhope. The Damsel then began to laugh\u2014what hope can you have in Urganda,\nwho cares little for your weal or woe? So much, replied Galaor, that\nas she knows the wishes of all, she knows how greatly it is my wish to\nserve her. The Damsel then answered, Look for no other Urganda than\nme, Don Galaor; and take you good hope, for it is the part of courage,\nnot only to encounter danger, but to endure its after-chances for the\ndanger in which I place myself to heal you, and deliver you from hence,\nI ask one boon, which shall be neither to your dishonour nor hurt. I\ngrant, quoth he, all that may rightly be performed. Now then, said she,\nit is time to depart, lie you down, and feign to sleep soundly. He\ndid accordingly; she called the old man and said, Look how he sleeps!\nNow the poison will work. So it ought, quoth the old man, that he who\nbrought him here may be avenged. Since you have obeyed so well you may\ncome alone for the future, and see that you keep him fifteen days, that\nhe die not, but live in great agony, and by that time they will be here\nwho shall make him atone for the wrongs he hath done them. When Galaor\nheard this he found that the old man was his mortal enemy, howbeit he\ntook hope for what she had said to him. The old man and the Damsel then\nwent out of the garden; presently she returned, and brought with her\ntwo little girls, fair girls and well apparelled, who took food for\nGalaor; and she let them into the chamber to keep him company, and gave\nthem books of history to read to him, that he might not sleep by day,\nand then she fastened the door and left them.\nKing Cildadan in the tower saw also a door open in the wall, a stone\ndoor so neatly fitted that it looked like the wall itself, and a Dame\nof middle age entered with two armed Knights, and approached the bed\nwithout saluting him; he on his part spake to them with courteous\nsalutation, but they answered not. The Dame took off the bed cloaths,\nand applied salves to his wounds, then gave him food, and they went\nout again and fastened the stone door, not having spoken a word. The\nKing thought that verily he was in prison, and where his life was not\nsecure; howbeit having no remedy, he took as good comfort as he could.\nWhen it was time the Damsel returned to Galaor, and asked him how he\nfared? So well, quoth he, that if it proceed so I shall be in good\nplight by the time you promised. Doubt not, said she, that what I have\nsaid shall be accomplished. But you must promise me the boon as a\nloyal Knight, for only by my help can you escape; the attempt would be\nto your mortal danger and hurt, and you could not effect it at last.\nThat Galaor promised, and he besought her to tell him her name. What,\nquoth she, Don Galaor, know you not my name? I am deceived in you! Time\nwas that I did you a service, which it seems you little remember. They\ncall me the Wise[261:A] among the wisest. With that she departed, and\nhe remained thinking who she might be; and remembering the good sword\nwhich Urganda had given him when he was knighted by Amadis, he thought\nit should be her, but Urganda was old, and this was a Damsel. He looked\nfor the two little girls and they were gone, but in their stead he saw\nhis Squire Gasavel, and Ardian the Dwarf of Amadis, both sleeping. He\njoyfully called them, they awoke; and when they saw who was there ran\nweeping for joy to kiss his hand, and exclaimed, O good Sir! blessed be\nGod who has brought us here to serve you! He asked them how they came\nthere: they replied, they knew not; only that Amadis and Agrayes, and\nFlorestan, had sent them with him. Amadis, quoth he, was he found at\nsuch a time? Sir, said they, know that Beltenebros is your own brother\nAmadis, and that by his prowess the battle was won. Thou tellest me\ngreat things, cried Galaor, and great pleasure have I therein, though\nhe has not given me cause for pleasure in keeping himself so long\nconcealed from me. Thus abode King Cildadan and Don Galaor: the one\nin that great Tower, the other in the Garden-chamber, where they were\nboth healed of their hurts. Then Urganda made herself known to them,\nfor they were in her power in her Undiscovered Island; and she told\nthem that the fear wherein she had put them was to effect their cure\nmore speedily, for in their perilous state it so behoved. And she sent\ntwo Damsels to attend them and compleat their recovery; they were her\nnieces and fair Damsels, being the daughters of King Falangris, who\nwas brother to Lisuarte by Grimota, Urganda's sister; by him begotten\nwhen he was a young batchelor. The one was called Julianda, the other\nSolisa: and it so chanced that the one bore a son named Talanque, to\nDon Galaor, and the other a son to King Cildadan, who was called Maneli\nthe discreet, who were both valiant and strong Knights, and in this\nstate of great pleasure these two Knights remained till it pleased\nUrganda to set them at liberty, as you shall hear hereafter.\n    [261:A] Sabencia sobre sabencia.\nWhen Lisuarte and Amadis, and the other Knights were all whole of their\nwounds, he went to Fenusa, where the Queen then sojourned, and there\nwas he received with such joy by her, and by Briolania and Oriana, and\nthe other Dames and Damsels, as never welcomed man before. But the\njoyful greeting which Queen Briolania gave to Amadis, that can in no\nway be written; she taking him by the hand made him sit between her\nand Oriana, and she said to him, my Lord, the grief and sorrow which\nI felt when they told me you were lost I cannot relate to you. I came\nhither with an hundred Knights immediately that your brothers might\norder them whither they would in your search, and because this battle\ndelayed their departure, I resolved to remain here till it was decided.\nNow then direct me what I shall do, and it shall be done. Good Lady\nmine, quoth Amadis, if you felt sorrow for my mishap, great reason had\nyou: for there is no man in the world who hath a better will to obey\nyou; but since you desire me to direct you, I would have you abide here\nten days, and dispatch your business with the King; in that time we may\nknow something of my brother Don Galaor, and there will be a battle\nwhich has been appointed between Don Florestan and Landin, after that\nI will conduct you to your kingdom, and from thence I must go to the\nFirm Island, where I have much to do. So let it be, replied Briolania,\nand I beseech you tell us the wonders which you found in that Island.\nHe would have excused himself, but Oriana took his hand and said,\nYou shall not leave us till you have told us something of them. Good\nLadies, quoth Amadis, trust me, labour however I should, I could never\nrelate all; but this I say, that that Forbidden Chamber is the most\nrich and beautifullest thing in the world, and if by one of you it is\nnot atchieved, I believe none else will ever win it. Briolania, after\na while of silence, answered, I do not esteem myself such a one as can\naccomplish that adventure, yet such as I am, if you will not impute it\nto folly, I will prove it. Lady, quoth Amadis, I hold it no folly to\nattempt that wherein all have failed for want of beauty, especially\nin you whom God hath gifted so bountifully therewith, rather I hold\nit honourable to desire to win a fame which may endure through long\nages. At this was Oriana greatly displeased, and her countenance fell,\nso that Amadis, whose eyes never left her, understood her feelings,\nand repented him of what he had said, albeit that all his design had\nbeen to her greater praise, for having seen the likeness of Grimanesa\nhe knew that Briolania, fair as she was, did not equal her beauty,\nand of his own Lady's success he nothing doubted. But Oriana feared\nthat whatever was to be won by beauty Briolania could win, and having\nrequested her if she succeeded to let her know all the wonders of\nthe Chamber, she withdrew, and went to Mabilia and told her what had\npassed. This always is the case with your Cousin, said she, my poor\nheart thinks only of pleasing him, neither regarding God nor the anger\nof my parents, and he knowing his full power holds me at little price,\nand then the tears came and coursed down her fair cheeks. Mabilia\nanswered, I marvel Lady what manner of heart is yours! you are no\nsooner out of one trouble than you seek another. What great wrong is\nthis that my Cousin hath committed? If Apolidon left this Chamber to be\nproved by all, shall he forbid the proof to Briolania? Certes I believe\nthat neither her beauty nor yours will avail to accomplish that which\nnone in a hundred years for lack of beauty could effect. But this is\nhis over-ruling destiny that hath made him forsake all his lineage for\nyour service, and thus it is you reward him; you do not desire his\nlife, and will therefore drive him to death. This will be his reward!\nand mine, for all the friendship I have borne you, will be to see the\nflower of all my family, him who so dearly loves me, perish before my\neyes. This will I never remain to see: for my brother Agrayes, and\nGalvanes my Uncle, shall take me home to my own country! and with that\nshe wept and exclaimed, God grant that this cruelty toward Amadis may\nbe well requited to you, and this wrong you do his friends! but their\nloss, great though it be, will be less than yours, destroying him who\nfor your sake has deserted them, to give himself wholly to you. When\nMabilia spake thus Oriana's heart was so overcharged that she could not\nspeak, till at last the tears came, and she cried, wretch that I am\nabove all others! I came to you for relief and you increase my sorrow,\nsuspecting that which was never in my heart! Let God never help me if\never I had such thought! but what distresses me is, lest another woman\nshould accomplish that proof which would be to me worse than death, and\nthis fear has made me think wrongly of him who perhaps had but good\nin his intention: but come\u2014forgive me\u2014and for the love you bear your\nCousin advise me! And then with a sweet smile she embraced Mabilia,\nTrue friend and dearest, I promise you I will never speak of this to\nyour Cousin, nor let him know that I have had such a thought, but say\nyou to him what you think best. Mabilia answered, I will forgive you on\none condition, that whatever anger you conceive against him you never\ndiscover it to him till you have first consulted me, that no evil like\nthe past may happen again. With this were they well reconciled, between\nwhom there could never be a want of love.\nBut Mabilia sharply reprehended Amadis, and warned him to be wary in\nhis conduct to Briolania, remembering what he had suffered on her\naccount, and how difficult it is to root out jealousy from a woman's\nheart. Amadis replied, Lady and good Cousin, my thoughts were very\ndifferent. Briolania is held by all for one of the most beautiful\nwomen in the world, so they make no doubt she can enter the Forbidden\nChamber, but I who have seen the likeness of Grimanesa know that it\nwill not be so. That honour which any one hitherto has won, that\ncertainly will Briolania win: but Oriana has only to try and to\nsucceed. But if Oriana atchieves the adventure before Briolania has\nessayed it, all will say that the other would have won had she been\nfirst; on the contrary, when she will have failed, as sure I am she\nmust fail, my Lady will have her full glory. Well was Oriana satisfied\nat hearing this, and greatly repented her of her fault, to atone for\nwhich they appointed that Amadis should come to her apartment, through\nan old water way that issued into a garden. Presently Oriana and\nBriolania called Amadis, and requested him to answer them truly what\nthey should ask, the which he promised. Tell us then, said Oriana, who\nthe Damsel was who won the garland when you gained the sword? Then was\nAmadis grieved at the question because he was bound to answer it truly.\nAs God shall help me Lady, said he, I know no more of her name than you\ndo, though I was seven days in her company; but this I can say, that\nshe had beautiful locks, and as far as I could see was right fair. Thus\nwas Oriana sporting with him, when there came a Damsel to summon him\non the King's part, saying, that Don Quadragante and his nephew Landin\nwere come to acquit themselves of their promises. Being all assembled\nQuadragante rose and said, I come to discharge a promise made to\nAmadis of Gaul; and he then related how they had done battle together,\nand added, that both by the event of that battle, and by reason\nhe was bound to forgive him the death of King Abies, who had been\nslain in fair combat, and to receive him for a friend even in what\ndegree it pleased him. Then Amadis embraced him and thanked him; and\nnotwithstanding this friendship appeared a thing constrained, yet did\nit long and faithfully continue. And because Florestan and Landin were\nto fight upon the same quarrel, it was judged, that since Quadragante,\nwho was principal in the cause had forgiven it, their dispute should\ncease; the which pleased Landin not a little, for he had witnessed the\nprowess of Florestan in the great battle.\nKing Lisuarte now called to mind the cruel prison of King Arban of\nNorth Wales, and Angriote of Estravaus, and determined to pass over\nto the Island of Mongaza to deliver them; this resolution he imparted\nto his Knights. Then Amadis answered, Sir, you know what loss to your\nservice is the absence of Don Galaor; if it please you I and my brother\nand my cousins will go in search of him, and if it please God return\nwith him by the time that you make this voyage. The King replied, God\nknows with what good will I myself would seek him, if so many things\ndid not prevent me, since I cannot, do what you say. Then more than\nan hundred Knights arose, all good men in arms, and said that they\nwould enter upon that quest, for in no worthier adventure could they\nbe employed. Thereat was King Lisuarte well pleased, and he besought\nAmadis not to depart, for he would speak with him.\n_CHAPTER 18._\nAfter supper, it being almost the hour of sleep, as the King was in\nthe gallery looking toward the sea, he saw two fires coming on through\nthe water, whereat all were greatly astonished, marvelling how the\nfire and water could exist together. As they drew nearer, a galley was\nseen between the two fires, and on its mast there were great torches\nburning, so that the whole vessel seemed ablaze. The uproar was great,\nfor all the people ran to the walls to see this wonder, expecting that\nif the water could not quench this fire nothing else could, and the\ncity would surely be consumed; so they were greatly terrified. The\nQueen with all her Ladies went in their fear to the chapel, and the\nKing mounted, and with his guard of fifty Knights rode down to the\nshore, and found there the most part of his Knights, and in the front\nof all Amadis, and Guilan the Pensive, and Enil, so near the fires\nthat he wondered how they could endure them; then spurring his horse,\nwhom the tumult had frightened, he rode up to them. Presently he saw\ncome from under a cloth that covered the deck a Dame clad in white\nholding a golden casket in her hands, the which she opened and took out\na lighted candle and threw it into the sea, where it was extinguished.\nAt once the two great fires were quenched so that no trace of them\nremained, only the torches upon the mast remained burning, and cast\na light along the shore. Then was the cloth which covered the galley\nwithdrawn, and they saw how it was all hung with green boughs, and\nstrewed with roses and flowers, and they heard instruments within\nsounding very sweetly; and when the instruments ceased, ten Damsels\ncame forth, all richly garmented, with garlands on their heads and\nwands of gold in their hands, and before them was the Lady who had\nquenched the candle in the sea: and they coming to the galley's edge\nopposite to the King made obeisance to him, and he on his part returned\nthe greeting. Then said Lisuarte, Dame, you have put us in great fear\nwith your fires, if it please you tell me who you are, though I believe\nwith little difficulty we can divine. Sir, quoth she, in vain should he\nlabour who strove to strike fear into your great heart, and into these\nKnights in whom no fear is; these fires I bring to protect me and my\nDamsels: and if you think I am Urganda the Unknown, you think aright;\nI come to you as the best King in the world, and to behold the Queen,\nwho for virtue and goodness hath no peer. Then said she to Amadis, Sir,\ndraw nearer, and I will tell you of your brother Galaor to save you\nand your friends the labour of searching him; for though all in the\nworld were to seek him it would be but labour lost: he is healed of his\nwounds, and leads a life of such pleasure as he never till now enjoyed.\nLady, quoth Amadis, I always thought that next to God the safety of Don\nGalaor was in your hands, else would I rather have died than suffer him\nto be carried from me as he was. You shall soon see him, quoth she. The\nKing then said, it is time that you should leave the galley and come\nto my palace. Many thanks, she answered, but this night I will remain\nhere, to-morrow I will be at your command; then let Amadis and Agrayes,\nand Don Bruneo of Bonamar, and Don Guilan the Pensive come for me, for\nthey are all lovers and of high heart, even as I am myself. Use your\nown pleasure, replied Lisuarte, in this and every thing; then ordering\nall the people to return into the town he took his leave, and appointed\ntwenty cross-bowmen to keep guard that none should go down to the\nshore.\nIn the morning the Queen sent twelve palfreys richly accoutred for\nUrganda and her Damsels. Amadis and the other Knights whom she had\nnamed, being clothed in costly garments, went with them; they found\nUrganda and her company in a tent which she had pitched upon the sand,\nand they placed them on their palfreys, and went towards the town,\nthe four Knights surrounding Urganda. Now, said she, is my heart\nglad, because I see those around me who are like myself, and this she\nsaid because of the love she bore to that fair Knight who was her\nfriend. When they arrived at the palace the King welcomed her right\ncourteously, and she kissed his hand; and looking round and beholding\nthe Knights on every side how many they were, she said, Sir, you are\nwell accompanied, and this I say, not so much for the valour of these\nKnights as for the love they bear you, for when princes are loved by\ntheir people then are their kingdoms safe. Therefore preserve their\nlove, and beware of evil counsellors! Now if it please you I will see\nthe Queen. So she and the four Knights went to Brisena, by whom and\nby Oriana, and Briolania, and all the Dames and Damsels, she was\nlovingly received. Much did she admire the beauty of Briolania, and\nsaw that it fell far short of Oriana's perfection. Lady, quoth she,\nI came to this court to see the greatness of the King and you, the\nheight of prowess and the flower of beauty, and the perfection of true\nlove; for as valour was proved in the conquest of the Firm Island,\nand in the death of the giants, and in that dolorous battle with King\nCildadan, so was true love in the proofs of the burning sword and of\nthe garland. When Oriana heard her say this her colour changed, and she\ngreatly feared, as did Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark, fearing that\nUrganda should tell all; and Oriana looked at Amadis, but he seeing her\napprehension drew near to her and said, fear nothing, she will not say\nwhat you imagine; and then he went to the Queen and said, Lady, ask\nUrganda who she was who won the garland, and the Queen replied, if it\nplease you friend, tell us what Amadis desires to know! She smiled and\nanswered, he better ought to know than I for he was in her company, and\nwith great toil delivered her from Arcalaus and Lindoraque. I? quoth\nAmadis; it cannot be that I should know either her or myself better\nthan you know us, for from you nothing is concealed. Then, said she,\nI will tell you what you know of her, and raising her voice that all\nmight hear her she pursued: Though Amadis brought her here as a Damsel\nshe is certainly no Damsel: and because she loves so truly she won\nthe garland. She is a native of this kingdom, and in this kingdom she\ndwells and hath here her heirship; but her mother is not of this land;\nand if she lacks any thing it is only because she cannot have him whom\nshe loveth. He who would discover her must seek her in this kingdom,\nand he will lose his labour. She said no more, and Oriana's heart was\nthen at rest. Then went they to their meal.\nUrganda besought the Queen that she might be lodged with Oriana and\nQueen Briolania. That shall you, replied Brisena, but I believe their\nfollies will disquiet you. Their beauty, quoth Urganda, will more\ndisquiet the Knights, whose valour cannot protect them against that\ndanger. They may easily, replied the Queen, be pardoned the deaths of\nall they have yet slain! So taking her leave Urganda went to Oriana's\napartment, where there were four beds, one for Briolania, and one for\nMabilia, and for Urganda and herself. When Urganda saw that they were\nall asleep except Oriana, she said to her, Lady and friend, if you do\nnot sleep reason it is that he should keep you waking who has no rest\nbut in your sight. Oriana was abashed at her words: but she added, fear\nnothing, I will not divulge your secrets. Speak low, cried Oriana, that\nthey may not hear you. I will relieve you of that fear, quoth Urganda;\ntherewithall she took forth a book which was so little that a hand\nmight have shut over it, and began to read. Now, said she, do what you\nwill they shall not awake, and if any one should enter the room she\nwould fall down asleep. Oriana rose and went to awaken Briolania but\nshe could not, and she laughed and took her by the head and hands and\npulled her out of bed, and did the same to Mabilia, but they neither of\nthem awakened; and then she called the Damsel of Denmark, who was just\nwithout the door, and she, so soon as she entered, fell upon the floor\nin a deep sleep. Then Oriana joyfully went into Urganda's bed and said,\nI beseech you, since you know what is to come, tell me what will happen\nto me! Urganda looked at her and smiled. Dear daughter, said she, do\nyou think to escape it, if it be evil, by knowing it aforehand? Believe\nnot so! for that which is permitted and ordained by the Most High none\ncan alter, whether it be good or ill, unless he remedies it; but since\nyou so greatly wish me to say something I will speak: look now, if\nwhen you have the knowledge you can profit by it! At that time, when\ngreat sorrow shall be present with you, and many shall because of you\nbe greatly afflicted, the strong Lion with his beasts shall come forth,\nand with his loud roaring shall in such sort astonish those who have\nyou in their keeping, that you shall be left in his strong talons. And\nthe famous Lion shall throw from your head the lofty crown which shall\nno longer be yours, and the hungry Lion having your body in his power\nshall bear it into his den that his extreme famine may be slacked. Now\ndaughter dear look how you act, for this must come to pass! Lady, quoth\nOriana, I should have been better content if I had not enquired, for\nyou have made me in great terror of this strange and cruel end. Lady\nand daughter fair, replied Urganda, seek not to know that which neither\nyour prudence nor strength can avert. Of these dark things men often\ndread that for which they ought to be joyful. Meantime be you happy,\nfor God has made you daughter of the best King and Queen in the world,\nand has gifted you with such beauty that it is ever spoken of as a\nwonder, and has made that Knight love you, who shines above all other\nin prowess, even as day above darkness. Now it is time to awaken these\nladies; she then opened her book again, and read, and they recovered.\nAfter some days Urganda besought the King to summon all his Knights,\nand the Queen to assemble her Dames and Damsels, that she might speak\nto them before her departure; accordingly they met together in a\nspacious hall that was richly furnished, and Urganda placed herself\nwhere all might hear her. Then she said to the King, Sir, since you\nhave kept the letters which I sent to you and Don Galaor just after\nBeltenebros had won the sword, I beseech you let them be produced, that\nall here may know that I knew what was to come to pass. The letters\nwere then read, and it was seen how all had been accomplished, whereat\nthe Knights marvelled, and still more admired the courage of the King\nwho, notwithstanding that fearful forewarning, had dared enter the\nbattle. In like sort was it certainly known that by three strokes from\nBeltenebros the battle was won; the first when he felled King Cildadan\nat Galaor's feet, the second when he slew Sarmadan the Lion, the third\nwhen succouring the King he lopt off the arm of Madanfabul the fierce\ngiant of the Vermilion Tower. That also was fulfilled which had been\nwritten of Don Galaor, that his head should be in the power of him who\nshould strike the three strokes, for so it was when Amadis held it\nin his lap as dead. Now, said Urganda, I will tell what shall come\nto pass in process of time. Contention shall arise between the great\nSerpent and the strong Lion, in which many fierce beasts shall take\npart; anger and fury shall come upon them, so that many shall suffer\ncruel death. The great Roman Fox shall be wounded by the claw of the\nstrong Lion, and his skin cruelly torn, whereby a part of the great\nSerpent shall be in great affliction. In that time the gentle Sheep\ncovered with black wool shall come between them, who by his humble\nand loving blandishments shall assuage the fury of their hearts. But\npresently the Wolves shall come down from the mountains against the\ngreat Serpent, who being with all his animals by them conquered, shall\nbe blocked up in one of his dens; and the tender Unicorn putting his\nmouth to the ear of the strong Lion shall rouse him from his sleep, and\nmake him hasten to the succour of the great Serpent, whom he shall find\nso wounded and bitten that the blood shall flow over his scales, and he\nshall deliver him from the mouths of the Wolves, and they shall all be\ndestroyed. Then the great Serpent having his life restored, and casting\nall his poison from his entrails shall consent that the white Doe shall\nbe placed in the cruel talons of the Lion. Now good King, let all this\nbe written, for so it must be. The King said it should be done, albeit\nhe understood it not. Time will come, she answered, when it shall be\nmanifest to all. Then looking at Amadis, who was musing, she said,\nAmadis, you muse upon that which cannot avail you: let that be, and\nthink of a bargain you have to make. At that time you shall be brought\nnear to death for another's life, and for another's blood shall expend\nyour own, and of that bargain the martyrdom will be yours, and another\nwill have the gain; and the guerdon which you shall have will be wrath\nand the long delay of your will; then shall that keen and beautiful\nsword so pierce thy flesh and bones that you shall be poor of blood,\nand in such plight that if half the world were yours you would give it\nso that that sword were broken or thrown into some lake from whence it\ncould never be recovered. Look to it! for so it must be. Amadis saw\nthat all eyes were upon him, and he answered chearfully as he felt.\nLady, by what you have said of the past we may believe this also, but\nI knowing that I am mortal, and that my life cannot be prolonged one\nminute longer than it pleaseth God, am desirous to end it justly in\nsome great and honourable enterprize. It were as easy, quoth Urganda,\nto rob your heart of its courage as to drain the sea dry. Then said she\nto the King, Sir, I must depart; remember what I have said as one who\ndesire your honour and would serve you,\u2014shut your ears to those whose\nworks you know to be evil! With that she departed, suffering none but\nthe four Knights whom she had chosen to conduct her to the shore; then\nshe embarked, and the ship put forth to sea, and was presently covered\nwith a great darkness.\n_CHAPTER 19._\nSome few days after, as King Lisuarte was consulting with his Knights\nabout the passage which he would make to the Isle of Mongaza, to\ndeliver King Arban of North Wales, and Angriote of Estravaus, they saw\na ship making toward the port, and went thither to see whom it brought.\nWhen they came near a Damsel and two Squires were in the boat, and when\nthey landed the Damsel asked if King Lisuarte were there? They answered\nyes, but they were all astonished at her greatness, for there was not a\nKnight in the court who equalled her by a full palm in stature, and her\nfeatures and limbs were in proportion; she was fair enough, and richly\nattired. Sir, said she to Lisuarte, I bring you a message which, if it\nplease you, I would deliver before the Queen. Be it so, said the King,\nand he returned to the palace, and the Damsel with him. Then being in\npresence of the Queen and of all the Knights and Ladies of the Court,\nshe asked if Amadis of Gaul were there, he who had called himself\nBeltenebros. He answered, good Damsel I am he. She looked at him with\nan evil eye and said, you may well be he! but now it will be seen if\nyou are as good as you are famous! Then she produced two letters with\nseals of gold; the one she gave the King, the other to the Queen; they\nwere letters of credence, and the King bade her say her bidding.\nSir, quoth the Damsel, Gromadaza, the Giantess of the Boiling Lake,\nand the fair Madasima, and Ardan Canileo the Dreadful, who is with\nthem for their defender, know that you design to come against their\ncountry, and as that cannot be attempted without great loss, they are\nwilling to put it upon trial of a battle in this guise, that Ardan\nCanileo shall combat Amadis of Gaul. If he conquer or slay him the\nland shall be free, and he shall be allowed to carry his head to the\nBoiling Lake; if he be conquered or slain himself, the land shall be\nyours, and King Arban of North Wales, and Angriote of Estravaus shall\nbe delivered. They shall be brought hither, and if Amadis loves them\nas they believe, and will fulfill the hope they have in him, he will\naccept the battle to deliver two such friends; if he be conquered,\nArdan Canileo will still hold them prisoners, and if he will not accept\nthe defiance he shall presently see their heads cut off before him.\nGood Damsel, quoth Amadis, if I accept the battle, how shall the King\nbe certain that the terms will be accomplished? She answered, the fair\nMadasima, with twelve Damsels of great birth, will put themselves as\nprisoners in the Queen's power, in security that the terms shall be\nobserved, otherwise they are content to lose their heads, and they\ndemand no other assurance than that she may carry away your head if\nyou be overcome; and moreover the old giant Andanguel and his two\nsons will enter the King's prisons, and nine Knights beside, who have\nthe towns and castles of the Island in their keeping. Said Amadis, if\nthis be done the security is sufficient; but from me you shall have\nno answer unless you and your Squires come and eat with me. Why do\nyou invite us? quoth she; this is no wisdom, your trouble will all be\nlost, for I hate you to death. Good Damsel, said Amadis, I am sorry\ntherefore, for I love you, and will show you all the honour that I can;\nif you desire to be answered you must grant this. I grant it, quoth\nshe, more to get my answer than for any good will. Then said Amadis,\ngood Damsel to venture myself for two such friends, and to increase\nthe dominions of the King is a just thing, and therefore I undertake\nthe battle in the name of God, let therefore those whom you have named\ncome as hostages. Truly you have answered to my will, replied the\nDamsel; but let the King promise, that if you fail to perform your word\nhe will never protect you against the kindred of Famongomadan. That\npromise, quoth Amadis, may be excused, the King would have no one in\nhis company who lacked truth: now let us go eat, for it is time.\u2014I will\ngo, more joyfully than I expected; to-morrow Madasima and her Damsels\nwill be here, and the Knights will put themselves in the King's hands,\nfor Ardan Canileo would have the battle without delay; but you must\ngive him a safe conduct from all but Amadis, whose head he will take\nfrom hence. Don Bruneo of Bonamar answered, Lady Damsel, sometimes it\nhappens that he who thinks to take away anothers head loses his own,\nand so it may fall out to Ardan Canileo. Amadis besought him to be\nsilent, but the Damsel replied to Bruneo, who are you who speak for\nAmadis? A Knight, quoth he, who would willingly bear a part in the\nbattle if Ardan Canileo will bring a companion. She answered, you may\nbe excused from that battle, but if you are desirous of combat, after\nthat is finished I will produce a brother of mine to answer you, as\nmuch the mortal enemy of Amadis as you are his friend, and one who will\nprevent you from taking up the quarrel again. Good Damsel, quoth Don\nBruneo, your brother had need be as you boast to perform all that you\nhave promised! See, here is my gage that I defy him, and he stretched\nout the end of his cloak towards the King. The Damsel took a silver net\nfrom her head\u2014here Sir, you see mine that I will make good my words.\nThe King took the pledges, though against his will, for he thought the\ncombat of Amadis against Ardan Canileo enough to trouble him, for that\nenemy was so dreadful that for four years he had found no Knight hardy\nenough to do battle against him.\nThis being settled Amadis took the Damsel to his lodgings, which he\nought not to have done for the best castle in his father's lands; and\nto do her more honour he lodged her in the Chamber where Gandalin kept\nhis arms and accoutrements. She looking round saw the sword of Amadis,\nand seeing how strange a one it was, she told her two Squires, and\nthe others who were present, to leave her alone[288:A] for a little\nwhile; when they were gone she drew the sword, and leaving the sheath\nand belt so that the theft might not be discovered, she wrapt it under\nher mantle; then opening the door she gave it secretly to one of her\nSquires under his cloak, and bade him carry it to the vessel\u2014this she\nspake softly; then spake aloud, go bring me my cup! and all present\nthought that the Squire was sent for that. Then Amadis and Branfil\nentered, and they made the Damsel be seated on the Estrado, and\nAmadis asked at what hour of the morrow Madasima would arrive.\u2014Before\nbreakfast: but why ask you?\u2014Because we would go out to receive her and\nshow her every honour, that if she have received any displeasure from\nme I may make her such amends as she shall demand. If you keep your\npromise, quoth she, and Ardan Canileo be what he always hath been in\narms, you will give her your head for amends; any other amends will\nbe good for little. That, said Amadis, I shall keep if I can; but if\nit could be I should gladly obtain her pardon. With that he went out,\nleaving Enil and others to attend her, but she was so desirous to be\ngone, that the number of dishes provoked her, and as soon as the cloths\nwere removed she rose and said to Enil, Knight, tell Amadis that I am\ngone, and that all the pains he has taken to please me are lost. God\nsave me, quoth Enil, as I believe it! and whoever should strive to\nplease such a one as you would lose his pains. She answered, you please\nme little, and he still less! Enil replied, neither he nor I nor any\none else can like so insolent a Damsel. With these words they parted.\n    [288:A] Y pensando que alguna cosa de las naturales que no se\n    pueden escusar hazer queria, dexaron la sola.\nThe Damsel entered the ship glad for the sword which she had stolen,\nand she told Ardan Canileo and Madasima how she had sped. Ardan thanked\nher for what she had done, and he said to Madasima, my Lady, account\nme not for a Knight if I do not bring you back with honour; and if I\ngive you not the head of Amadis in less time than a man can go half a\nleague, how swift soever he be, never grant me your love. She answered\nhim not, for albeit she greatly desired vengeance for the death of her\nfather and her brother, yet for nothing in the world would she have\nseen herself married to Ardan Canileo, for she was fair and noble, and\nhe foul and deformed and hideous, that there was none like him, and\nthis agreement was made at her mother's will, not at her own, who had\npromised, if he would defend and revenge her, to give him Madasima and\nleave him all her lands. Now whereas this Ardan Canileo was a Knight\nfamous in the world, and of great prowess, the history shall tell you\nof what land he was native, and the fashion of his body and face,\nand what else to him appertaineth. Know then that he was born in the\nprovince called Canileo, of the blood of the Giants, who abound there\nmore than in other parts; he was not unreasonably great of body, albeit\nexceeding in stature any man who was not a giant; his limbs were large,\nand his breast broad, and his shoulders square, and his hands and legs\nproportioned; his face was large and flat and like a dog, wherefore\nhe was called Canileo, and his nose was flat and spreading, and his\ncolour purple freckled with black spots, which were all over his face\nand neck and hands; his look was fierce like a lion, and his lips were\nthick and curling out, and his hair so woolly that it could scarcely\nbe combed, and the beard like it. He was now five and thirty years\nold, and for ten years past neither Knight nor Giant had been able\nto withstand him, and so bony was he that there was scarcely a horse\ncould carry his weight. When the Insolent Damsel heard him promise the\nhead of Amadis to Madasima, she said to him, we may well hope so Sir,\nsince Fortune already shows herself adverse to your enemy. Here is his\ngood sword which I bring you, which could not have been gained for you\nwithout great mystery of his ill fate, and your good fortune; then she\ngave it him and related how she had stolen it. He took it and replied,\nI thank thee for the gift, more for the good manner in which you took\nit than for any fear I have of a battle against a single Knight. Then\nhe ordered tents to be taken from the ship, and pitched in a plain near\nthe town, and there they all went with their horses and palfreys, and\nthe arms of Ardan Canileo, expecting the next day to appear before King\nLisuarte. Right joyful was Ardan that the combat was thus appointed,\nand for two reasons: the one because he made no doubt that he should\ncarry off the head of Amadis, who being so famous all his glory would\nremain upon him, and the other because he should win the fair Madasima\nwhom he loved so well.\nMeantime Amadis was with his friends who greatly feared this combat,\nso dangerous did they esteem it. Presently Agrayes, and Don Florestan,\nand Galvanes Lackland, and Don Guilan the Pensive, came in, knowing\nnothing of what had past, for they had been hunting in the forest;\nbut when they heard how the combat had been appointed, they complained\nthat it had not been fixed for a greater number of Knights, that they\nmight have entered it, and he who most passionately lamented this was\nDon Guilan who had heard how Ardan Canileo was the strongest of any\nKnight in arms, and the most powerful, and it grieved him to death, for\nhe thought that Amadis would never escape with life from him, fighting\nhim man to man in lists, and he greatly wished to share his fortune if\nArdan had brought a companion. Don Florestan too exclaimed in great\nanger, as God shall save me, brother, you think me of no account as a\nKnight, or you do not love me, since you did not remember me on such\nan occasion! you make me perceive that it is bootless to accompany you\nlonger, for you always withhold me from such perils. Agrayes also and\nDon Galvanes complained in the like manner. Sirs, quoth Amadis, you\nblame me with little cause; the combat was demanded of me alone, so\nthat without showing cowardice I could not otherwise have answered;\nelse, if I might have had assistance whom else should I have looked\nto but you, whose great valour might have aided mine in danger. Thus\nhaving excused himself he said, it will be well that we ride forward\nto-morrow before the King goes forth, to meet Madasima, who is greatly\nesteemed by all who know her.\nIn the morning they apparalled themselves richly, and having heard\nmass mounted on palfreys and rode to receive Madasima. Don Bruneo of\nBonamar went with them and his brother Branfil, and Enil, who was a\ngoodly Knight and of great worth, and of chearful heart, so that he\nwas beloved and esteemed by all, so they were eight companions. And as\nthey drew nigh the tents they saw Madasima coming, and Ardan Canileo\nand their company. Madasima was arrayed in black, mourning for her\nfather and brother, but her beauty was so lively and excellent that\nit was a marvel, and her Damsels went near her all drest in the same\ncloth. Ardan Canileo led her bridle, and there came the old Giant and\nhis sons, and the nine Knights who were to be hostages. As they drew\nnear to each other the Knights made their obeisance, and she in like\nmanner bowed to them with good semblance; then Amadis approached her\nand said, Lady, if you are praised it is with great reason I see, and\nhappy ought he to be esteemed who is allowed to honour and serve you;\nthat would I willingly do in what it might please you to command me.\nArdan Canileo, who looked at him and saw how handsome he was, so that\nhe had seen none like him, was nothing pleased at this. Knight, quoth\nhe, give back, and dare not speak to one whom you know not. It is that\nwe may know her and serve her, replied Amadis, that we are come. And\nwho are you? cried Ardan scornfully; let me know if you are worthy to\nserve her? Such as I am, quoth Amadis, I have the will to serve her,\nand shall not cease to have that will, however unworthy I may be, and\nsince you ask who I am, tell me who are you?\u2014I am Ardan Canileo, who\ncan better serve her in a day than you can in your whole life, though\nyou were of twice your worth.\u2014That may well be: but your great service\nwould not proceed from so good a heart as my trifling one, this is\nplain from your pride and evil mind. Know that I am Amadis of Gaul of\nwhom you have demanded battle. If I have offended and grieved that Lady\nby doing that which without great shame I could not have left undone,\nright willingly would I atone for it by some good service. Ardan\nCanileo answered, if you dare perform your promise, certainly she shall\nreceive atonement with your head which I will give her. That amends,\nquoth Amadis, she shall not have with my good pleasure, but she shall\nreceive a greater; for I will break off your marriage. No man can so\nlack judgment as to hold it good that your beauty and hers should be\nunited! At this Madasima being nothing displeased, laughed a little,\nand her Damsels likewise, but Ardan became so wroth that his whole body\nshook, and his face became so exceeding terrible, that many thought\nAmadis was nothing in comparison with him, and that this would without\ndoubt be his last battle, and the last day of his life.\nThus they proceeded till they came before the King, to whom Ardan\nCanileo said, you see here the Knights ready to become your hostages,\nif Amadis dare keep his word. Then Amadis came forth and answered,\nyou see me here: let the battle be without delay, and I tell you\nthat though I had not promised it, I would undertake it now solely\nto save Madasima from so monstrous a marriage; but let King Arban of\nNorth Wales, and Angriote of Estravaus be brought here, that they\nmay be delivered if I conquer. They shall come, replied Ardan, but\nlet Madasima be where she may see the combat and the vengeance which\nI shall take for her. So the old Giant and his sons, and the nine\nKnights put themselves in the King's power, and Madasima and the\nDamsels went to the Queen, and so meekly and decorously did Madasima\ndemean herself, that albeit by her means Amadis was brought into this\ngreat danger, yet were they greatly pleased with her, and did her all\nhonour. But Oriana and Mabilia seeing the fierceness of Ardan Canileo\nwere greatly affrighted and retired in great fear and weeping to their\nchamber, for they thought the strength of Amadis was not enough to\nresist that Devil: yet did they remember his good fortune, how often it\nhad brought him off with honour, and Mabilia comforted her friend the\nbest she could. The following day was appointed for the battle; King\nLisuarte ordered his huntsmen and bowyers to surround the lists with\nchains and stakes, that neither Knight might lose honour by the fault\nof his horse. The lists were before the palace, and when Oriana saw\nthem preparing them from her window, the thought of how great a danger\nwas there designed for her Amadis so overpowered her, that she fell\nalmost senseless in Mabilia's arms.\nLisuarte went to the lodging of Amadis where many Knights were with\nhim, and said to him, that as the Queen and his daughter, and Queen\nBriolania and the other Dames and Damsels would pass that night in\nthe chapel, beseeching God to preserve their Knight, he would have\nhim return in his company to the palace, and with him Florestan and\nAgrayes, and Don Galvanes, and Guilan and Enil, and that there they\nshould regale themselves, and he desired Amadis to send his armour to\nthe chapel, that he might arm himself to-morrow before the Virgin Mary,\nthat so she and her glorious son might be his protectors. They went\ntherefore with the King, and Amadis ordered Gandalin to carry his arms\nthither as Lisuarte had advised. But he taking them in obedience missed\nthe sword from the scabbard, whereat so amazed was he and exceeding\nsorrowful that he wished himself dead, not only because the loss fell\nout at a time of such danger, but because he held it as a sign that\nhis Master's death was nigh at hand. He sought for it every where, and\nenquired of all who might know any thing; but when he could learn no\ntidings he was on the point of throwing himself from a window, if the\nthought had not come upon him that in that case he should destroy his\nsoul; forthwith in trouble of heart he went to the palace, and calling\nAmadis apart said to him, Cut off my head Sir, for I am a traitor to\nyou; and if you do not kill me I must slay myself. How now? quoth\nAmadis: are you mad? or what mishap is this? Better Sir, he said, that\nI were mad or dead than that such a mishap should have befallen. I\nhave lost your sword, it has been stolen from the scabbard. Is it for\nthis you are so distressed? replied Amadis, I thought something worse\nhad chanced; trouble yourself no more, there will be no want of another\nwherewith God will assist me, if it be his good pleasure. But though\nhe spake thus to comfort Gandalin, yet was he grieved at heart for the\nloss of that sword, as well for the lack of it now in such need, being\none of the best in the world, as because he had won it by the force of\nhis true love, and it was a comfort to him to look at it, and remember\nthat when he was absent from his Lady. Howbeit he bade Gandalin say\nnothing thereof to any person, but bring him the scabbard, and he bade\nhim learn of the Queen if he could have the sword which Don Guilan had\nbrought there together with his own arms; and if he could see Oriana\nhe made him request her in his name that she would be somewhere where\nhe might see her when he was in the lists, for the sight of her would\nmake him become conqueror in that or in a worse danger. Gandalin went\nto perform his bidding, and the Queen commanded the sword should be\ngiven him; but Briolania and Olinda said to him, Ah Gandalin, what\nthink you can your Master do against that Devil? he answered smiling,\nand with a chearful countenance, Ladies, this is not the first\nperilous enterprise which he hath undertaken, and as God as hitherto\npreserved him so he will now. God grant it, cried they. Then went he\nto Mabilia and told her what his Master requested of Oriana, and then\nreturned to Amadis, and said that all things were done as he desired,\nwhereat he had great pleasure and took more courage, knowing that his\nLady would be where he might see her from the lists. Amadis then took\nthe King aside, and said to him, Sir, I have lost my sword, and knew\nit not till now; they have stolen it and left the sheath. The King\nwas grieved thereat and answered him, although I had determined and\npromised never to give my sword to any Knight who was to fight man to\nman before me, yet will I now give it you, remembering how many dangers\nyou have encountered for my sake. God forbid, quoth Amadis, that I who\nought to maintain your royal word should make you break it, and that\ntoo when you have pledged it before so many good men. The tears came\ninto Lisuarte's eyes, and he said, such a man are you for maintaining\njustice and right! but what will you do?\u2014I have here the sword which\nwas laid in the Ark with me, which Don Guilan brought hither, herewith\nand with your prayers to the Lord which will avail before him, I may\nbe assisted. Then he placed the sword in the sheath, which became it\nwell, although the sword was somewhat short, and the King was glad he\ntook the sheath because of its virtue, which would protect him from\nexceeding heat or cold, for the bones of the serpents whereof it was\nmade were of such a constellation; but of very different goodness was\nthis sword from the other.\nThus they passed that day till it was the hour of sleep, and then all\nthose Knights had their arms around the King's bed. But all that night\nArdan Canileo had merry-making in his tents, with music and dancing,\nand ever at the end of his songs his people all cried out, come\nMorning, come! and let the day be clear, that Ardan Canileo may perform\nwhat he has promised to the fair Madasima! but it fell out otherwise\nthan they expected. That night Amadis slept in the King's chamber, but\nthe sleep which he slept was of no avail, for presently at midnight he\nrose without speaking, and went to the chapel, and having awakened the\nchaplain confessed all his sins to him, and there they both were before\nthe altar of the Virgin Mary making prayers, and beseeching her to be\nhis patroness in this battle. When it was dawn the King and those other\nKnights arose, and heard mass, and Amadis was armed by such Knights as\nwell knew how to do it; but before his breast-plate was put on Mabilia\ncame up and hung round his neck certain reliques shrined with gold,\nsaying, that the Queen her mother had sent them to her by the Damsel of\nDenmark; but it was not so, for Elisena had given them to Amadis when\nshe knew him for her son, and he gave them to Oriana when he delivered\nher from Arcalaus. When he was armed they brought him a goodly horse,\nwhich Corisanda had sent with other presents to her friend Florestan.\nFlorestan carried his lance, and Don Guilan his shield, and Don Bruneo\nhis helmet, and the King went before on a great horse, holding a wand\nin his hand. All the people of the court and town were assembled about\nthe lists to see the battle, and the Dames and Damsels were at the\nwindows, and the fair Oriana and Mabilia were at their chamber window,\nand with the Queen were Briolania and Madasima, and other princesses.\nAs Amadis came up to the lists they loosened one of the chains and he\nentered and took his arms, and as he put on his helmet he looked at\nhis Lady, and felt therewith such strength as though no one in the\nworld could withstand him. Then the Judges entered the field, who were\nto assign to each his right; they were three in number, that good\nold man Don Grumedan, who was well skilled in such things, and Don\nQuadragante, who was now the King's vassal, and Brandoyuas; then came\nArdan Canileo well armed, and upon a great horse: his harness was of\nthick mail, and his shield and helmet were of steel, so polished that\nit was bright like looking-glass; and he had girded at his side the\ngood sword of Amadis, which the Damsel had stolen, and he bent his huge\nlance as if he would have broken it, and thus he entered the lists.\nWhen Oriana saw him, she said in great agony, ah my friend, how fierce\nand terribly my death approaches, unless God in his mercy prevent\nit. Leave this, quoth Mabilia, and make good chear, for so shall you\nencourage your friend.\nThen Don Grumedan led Amadis to one end of the lists, and Brandoyuas\nplaced Ardan Canileo at the other, with their horses heads fronting\neach other; and Quadragante at an equal distance between them held a\ntrumpet in his hand to sound the signal. Amadis, who was looking at\nhis Lady, exclaimed, What is Quadragante about that he does not blow\nthe trumpet? Quadragante then blew the blast, and the two Knights ran\nfull speed, and encountered lance against shield so fiercely that\nthe lances shivered, and they hurtled with such force that the horse\nof Ardan Canileo fell and broke his neck and died, and the horse of\nAmadis broke his shoulder and could not rise. Amadis presently arose,\nthough with some difficulty, for a truncheon of the lance was sticking\nin his shield, and through the lappets of his armour, though it had\nnot reached the flesh; he plucked it out, and laid hand to sword and\nmade at Ardan, who had risen hardly and was adjusting his helmet.\nBut Ardan seeing his approach drew his sword, and they joined battle\nso furiously that there was not a man who saw them but was greatly\namazed, for their strokes fell so fierce and so fast that flames of\nfire seemed to proceed from their helmets and swords as if they burnt,\nand chiefly from the shield of Ardan Canileo, for that being of steel,\nand the blows of Amadis so rapid and heavy, it appeared as if the whole\nshield and arm were in a blaze of fire, but the great hardness of the\nshield protected him and saved his body, which was to the mortal evil\nof Amadis; for as his arms were not so good, and as Ardan had one of\nthe best swords in the world, never blow reached him that did not\npierce through and reach his flesh, so that in many parts the blood\nran down, and his shield was all hacked. The sword of Amadis could\nmake no impression upon the shield and helmet of his enemy, and though\nhis own harness was of thick and strong mail, it was pierced in more\nthan ten places, and the blood streamed from them all. What then most\nprofited Amadis was his activity, for by that he made Ardan miss all\nhis heaviest blows, though Ardan was well practised and expert with\nthe sword. Thus they continued till the hour of tierce, striking and\nfoyning, and grappling and struggling so manfully that Ardan Canileo\nwas in great amazement, for he had never before found Knight nor\nGiant so strong as to resist him thus much; and what made him doubt\nthe issue was, that he always found his antagonist more active and\nstronger than at the beginning, whereas he himself waxed weary and\nfaint, being full of blood. Then Madasima knew that he had boasted\nvainly when he promised to conquer Amadis before the swiftest footman\ncould run half a league, whereat she was little grieved, nor would she\nthough Ardan were to lose his own head there, for such was her mind,\nthat she would rather lose all her lands than be joined in marriage\nwith such as he. The Knights still continued in battle, striking at\neach other in every part where they could work most harm, each striving\nfor the other's death; and if Amadis had then had arms good as his\nown activity and breath, Ardan could not have held the field against\nhim, but all his efforts were now needed, for his arms were broken,\nand his shield broken, and the blood flowing from many wounds, and he\nhad to deal with a Knight fierce and strong in battle. When Oriana\nsaw him in such plight her heart failed her for sore anguish, and she\nthrew herself upon the ground, and beat her face, thinking that Amadis\nwas come to his death. Mabilia seeing this, notwithstanding her own\nexceeding trouble, put on an appearance of much anger, and told her\nthat at such a time and in such danger she ought not to forsake her\nlover, and because she could not endure to see his danger, Mabilia\nmade her stand with her back to the window that Amadis might see her\nlong hair. At this time Brandoyuas, who was one of the Judges, said,\nI am grieved to see the arms and shield of Amadis so battered! and I,\nquoth Grumedan, I am much troubled. Sirs, said Quadragante, I have\nproved Amadis in combat, and his strength seems to double while he\nfights, and of all Knights whom I have seen he endures the best, and\nis the best breathed; he is now in his full strength, which is not the\ncase with Ardan, if any fault be in Amadis it is that he is too eager:\nhe should suffer his enemy to press on him, and then his own weight\nwould weary Ardan. But his great courage will not let him thus spare\nhimself. When Oriana and Mabilia heard these words they were greatly\ncomforted; but Amadis, who had seen his Lady retire from the window,\nknew that it was for sorrow at beholding him, and he made a blow at\nArdan with exceeding fury, and smote him so rudely upon the helmet that\nhe brought him down upon one knee, but that blow was so mighty, and\nthe helmet so hard, that the sword broke in three pieces, and a piece\nonly remained in his hand. Then was Amadis in all fear of death, and\nthey who beheld him expected his death also. When Ardan saw this he\nrose and drew back, and took his shield by the straps, and brandishing\nhis sword cried aloud to Amadis, Look! here is the good sword which\nthou hast won to thy own destruction. Look at it! this is it, and thou\nshalt die by it. Come, Lady Madasima! come to the window, and you shall\nbehold the full vengeance which I will give you! When Madasima heard\nthis she fell at the Queen's feet, and besought her to protect her from\nArdan, which, said she, you may lawfully do, for Ardan promised to win\nthe battle before a man could run half a league, and it has now lasted\nfour hours. I hear you, replied Brisena, and will do what is just. But\nwhen Amadis saw in what plight he stood, his arms in pieces and without\na sword, he remembered the words of Urganda when she told him that\nhe would give half the world if it were his, so that that sword were\nsunk in a lake; and he looked toward Oriana's window, and seeing her\nback towards him, knew why she had turned away, and his courage revived\nso that he resolved to die rather than fail to do his utmost. He made\nat Ardan Canileo as if he were about to strike him; Ardan raised his\nsword and awaited him, and struck at him as he came up, but Amadis bent\naside and closed with him so close that Ardan could not interpose his\nsword, and he seized the shield by the rim, and plucked it with such\nforce that he tore it from his arm and well nigh brought him to the\nground, then he drew back, and put that shield upon his own arm, and\ntook up the truncheon of a lance which had its point, and again turned\nto Ardan, being now defended by Ardan's shield. Ardan in great fury\nfor this loss ran at him thinking to smite him on the helmet; Amadis\ncaught the blow upon his shield, and though it was of fine steel, such\nwas the temper of that good sword that it pierced through the rim and\nentered three fingers' depth, and with the broken lance Amadis wounded\nhim in the right arm by the wrist, thrusting the iron half through\nbetween the two bones, therewith Ardan lost all power to pluck the\nsword out, and Amadis forced it from his hand; if he was then right\nglad and satisfied need neither be asked nor said; he cast away the\nbroken lance, and drew the sword from the shield, thanking God for his\nmercy. Mabilia, who beheld, caught hold of Oriana and made her turn\nand see her lover obtain this victory over so imminent a danger. Ardan\nCanileo grew faint as he beheld his death at hand, howbeit he attempted\nto recover the shield in the like manner as he had lost it, but Amadis\nsmote him upon the left shoulder, and cut through armour, and flesh and\nbone. Ardan felt the use of his arm was gone, and he fled round the\nlists, fearing that good sword. Amadis followed close and caught him\nby the helmet, and plucked it off, and brought him to the ground at\nhis feet, then knelt upon him and cut off his head, to the great joy\nof all, especially of King Arban of North Wales, and Angriote, who had\nendured great agony while they witnessed the danger of Amadis. Then\nAmadis cast the head out of the lists, and he dragged the body to a\nrock and threw it into the sea, then he wiped the blood from his sword\nand placed it in its sheath.\nThe King sent him a horse, on which he rode well accompanied to his\nlodging, but he was sore wounded and had lost much blood. With him he\ntook King Arban and Angriote, whom he had delivered from their cruel\nchains. Brisena sent for her nephew Arban, and Angriote remained in the\nchamber of his true friend Amadis, and there were they both healed; and\nthey were lovingly visited there by many Knights and Dames and Damsels\nof the court, and his cousin Mabilia came to Amadis, and brought with\nher that true medicine wherewith his heart could heal all lesser evils.\n_CHAPTER 20._\nOn the day after the battle Don Bruneo of Bonamar appeared before\nthe King, and there he found the Insolent Damsel, who said that her\nbrother was ready to do combat with him, and take that poor vengeance\nfor Ardan Canileo. Forthwith they armed and went to the field, Don\nBruneo accompanied by many good Knights, and Madaman the Envious, for\nso he was called, by them who bore his arms. At the first encounter\nMadaman was thrown and Bruneo slightly hurt in the breast; he kept his\nseat, but when he turned the reins Madaman cried out to him, sword in\nhand, Don Bruneo, if you would not lose your horse, alight or let me\nmount. Take your own choice, quoth Bruneo. Alight then, said Madaman,\nfor being of huge stature he thought to have the advantage afoot; then\nbegan a brave battle, and while they were thus engaged there happened\na strange thing, whereby it was manifested that beasts know their\nmasters, for the horses being loose in the field attacked each other,\nfighting with their feet and teeth so furiously that all were amazed\nthereat, and this lasted till Madaman's horse being no longer able\nto hold out ran away, and in his fear leaped over the barriers, the\nwhich, all they who wished for the victory of Bruneo, held as a good\nsign; and turning their eyes now to the two combatants they saw how\nDon Bruneo prest upon the enemy hard, so that Madaman drew back and\nsaid, Why do you fatigue yourself? is not the day long enough? Hold\nawhile and let us rest; look at your arms and the blood which you have\nlost, and you will find it needful. Madaman, quoth he, if our combat\nwere of another nature you should find in me all courtesy, but for\nthis pride and hatred I will not suffer thee to rest, and show thy own\nfaint-heartedness, lest my own fame should be lessened; with that he\nprest upon him and foyned so fast at him, that Madaman had enough to\ndo to defend himself from the blows; and he thinking he might protect\nhimself better among the rocks drew back towards the cliff, and there\nhe stood upon the edge, being affrighted at the depth, till Bruneo came\nup, and with his shield and hand thrust him over, so that he was all\nshattered before he reached the water; then Bruneo knelt and returned\nthanks to God.\nBut when Matalesa the Insolent Damsel beheld the fall of her brother,\nshe ran furiously to the cliff and looked over, and seeing the bloody\nfragments floating on the waves, she caught up his sword which he had\ndropt and cried, Here, where the blood of my Uncle Ardan Canileo and\nmy brother has been shed, shall mine be shed also, that my soul may\nbe with theirs; and she ran herself through, and fell backward into\nthe sea. Don Bruneo then rode to the lodging of Amadis, and his bed\nwas placed by the beds of Amadis and Angriote, and there were they all\nhealed, and during their confinement the Knights and Ladies of the\ncourt often went there to amuse them.\nNow Briolania perceiving that the malady of her love increased, with\nthe advice of Amadis departed for her own kingdom; but she determined\nfirst to see the wonders of the Firm Island, and prove the Forbidden\nChamber. So she took Enil with her, and promised to tell Oriana all\nthat she should see there, as shall be related hereafter.\nAs this history now proceeds you will see the little power of human\nwisdom when it pleases God to leave man to himself. You have heard how\nKing Lisuarte being a prince, and possessing nothing but his arms and\nhis horse, and going about with only a few servants seeking adventures,\ncame to Denmark, where Brisena, the King's daughter, preferred him\nto all her many suitors, and chose him for her husband; this was his\nfirst good fortune. But ere long his brother died, and he became King\nof Great Britain, and subdued other Kingdoms, and the sons of Kings,\nand Princes, and Dukes, abode in his court, so that his name was famous\nabove all Emperors and Kings in the world. Now there were two Knights\nin his court who had served his brother King Falangris, and for this,\nand because of their age more than for their goodness, they were of\nLisuarte's counsel: the one was named Brocadan, the other Gandandel.\nThis Gandandel had two sons who were thought passing good Knights in\narms, before Amadis and those of his lineage arrived there, whose\nexceeding worth and courage had now made them be forgotten. On this\naccount Gandandel neither fearing God nor regarding his duty to the\nKing, nor the good deeds done by Amadis to himself, devised in his evil\nheart a foul treason. He led the King apart and said to him, Sir, I\nhave long forborne to speak to you upon this matter, hoping some other\nremedy might be devised, and therein have I greatly sinned against\nyou; but I should sin both against you and God if I were longer to\nkeep silence, and I have been always careful to preserve my soul and\nhonour, and do evil to no one, so that my judgment is free from all\npassion. You know Sir what great quarrels have subsisted between the\nkingdoms of Gaul and Great Britain, because that country ought to be\nsubject to this as all the other neighbouring countries are, and this\nis an evil which will never be thoroughly healed till it be so. But now\nAmadis, who is not only a native of Gaul, but the chief person of his\nlineage, is come hither with his kinsmen, and has acquired such power\nthat the kingdom is in his hand, as if he were right heir thereto. True\nit is that from him and his friends I have never received any wrong,\nbut great honour and pleasure; but you are my natural Lord, and I must\ndischarge my duty lest I fall into a wretched plight in this world, and\nmy soul be cast into hell in the other. The King without any seeming\nalteration answered him, These Knights have already served me well to\nmy honour and profit, so that I cannot think of them otherwise than\nwell. Sir, quoth Gandandel, that is the worst sign, for if they did\nany thing against your service you would be upon your guard against\nthem, but the treachery is concealed under their good services. Thus\nhave you heard all the talk, for the King answered nothing farther.\nBut Gandandel took counsel with his cousin Brocadan, whose evil mind\nwas like his own, and they two both working upon the King to the\nsame effect wrought in him a great change against those who had done\nhim such services, so that he seemed to have forgotten how Galaor\nrescued him from the ten Knights of Arcalaus, and Amadis from the arms\nof Madanfabul, although in both cases they saved his life and his\n[315:A]kingdoms.\n    [315:A] Here follows a column of caution against evil\n    Counsellors.\nSo much was Lisuarte moved thereby that he now began to hate Amadis and\nhis friends, and he left off visiting Amadis where he lay wounded, and\nwould pass by his lodging without asking how he fared. All who saw this\nnovelty marvelled much thereat, and they sometimes talked concerning it\nbefore Amadis, but he knowing his own true meaning would not believe\nbut that the King also was like himself, and that business occupied\nhim, and this he said to his friends, and particularly to Angriote of\nEstravaus, who was the most troubled. While things were in this state\nKing Lisuarte sent for Madasima and her Damsels, and the old Giant and\nhis sons, and the nine Knights whom he held as hostages, and he told\nthem that if they did not forthwith cause the Island of Mongaza to be\ngiven up to him, according to terms, he would have their heads cut off;\nwhich, when Madasima heard, the tears came abundantly, and not knowing\nwhat to reply her flesh all shook with exceeding fear. But Andaguel\nthe old Giant replied, that if he would send him with a certain force\nhe would cause the Island to be surrendered to him, or else return\nagain. The King therefore dismissed him with this force, and Madasima\nreturned to prison, accompanied by many Knights, among whom was Don\nGalvanes Lackland; he beholding the tears on that fair face was moved\nto exceeding pity, and yielded up that liberty which he had before\npreserved, and without delay speaking apart to her, he opened his\nheart and said, that if it pleased her to marry him he would so deal\nthat both her life and lands should be safe. Madasima, who well knew\nhis great worth, and of what lineage he was, was nothing averse; then\nGalvanes knelt down and kissed her hand, and it was not long before\nhe acquainted Amadis and Agrayes of his love, and besought them to\nenable him to perform what he had promised as they regarded his life.\nThey marvelling at this sudden change told him that, considering his\ngood services to King Lisuarte, what he required was a little thing,\nespecially as the Lordship of the Island would remain to the King, and\nAmadis promised, as soon as he could ride, to request the boon for him.\nMeantime Gandandel often went to visit Amadis with semblance of great\nregard, and always spoke to him of the King as being changed, and\nwarned him to beware of him lest some evil should happen, which,\nsaid the old traitor, would be a great grief to me, because of the\nmany favours I and my sons have received at your hands; but never\ncould he kindle any wrath or suspicion in the mind of Amadis, though\nhe persisted so that Amadis grew angry at him, and told him to say\nno more, for if all in the world were to tell him so he never would\nbelieve that so wise and good a King could be moved against one, who\nsleeping and waking had no thought of any thing but his service. After\nsome days, when the three Knights were healed of their wounds, they\nrode out one morning being richly apparelled, and after hearing mass\nwent to the palace, where they were right welcomed by all except by\nthe King, who neither looked at them nor received them as he was wont.\nAmadis did not conceive that this proceeded from any ill will, but that\ntraitor Gandandel came up to him, and embracing him, said with a smile,\npeople are sometimes not believed when they tell the truth. Amadis made\nhim no answer, and he seeing how Angriote and Don Bruneo were offended\nthat Lisuarte did not notice them, went up to the King and said, so\nthat no one could hear him, Do you not see Sir how those Knights look\ntowards you? Lisuarte did not reply, and Amadis then, who suspected\nno evil, came up with Galvanes and Agrayes and said courteously, Sir,\nif it please you we would speak with you, and let whom you will be\npresent; the King said, Gandandel and Brocadan; thereat was Amadis\nwell pleased, for he believed them to be his true friends. Then they\nwent together into a garden, where the King seated himself under a\ntree, and they round about him, and Amadis said, Sir, it has not been\nmy fortune to serve you according to my good will, yet though I may\nnot have deserved it, relying upon your virtue and great nobleness, I\nventure to ask a boon, which shall be to your service, and wherein you\nshall show great courtesy and do what is right. Certes, said Gandandel,\nif it be as you say you ask a fair boon, but let the King know what\nyou would have. Sir, replied Amadis, what I and Agrayes and Galvanes,\nwho have served you also, now request, is the Island of Mongaza, that\nreserving to yourself the Lordship you would give it with Madasima in\nmarriage to Don Galvanes, wherein you will show favour to him who is\nof such lineage and hath no lands, and will gain a good vassal for\nyourself, and also deal courteously with Madasima, who by us hath been\ndisherited. Gandandel and Brocadan hearing this looked at the King,\nand made signs to him that he should not grant it; but he remained\nsilent for awhile, calling to mind the great worth of Galvanes, and the\nservices which he had received from him, and how Amadis had won that\nIsland with the extreme peril of his life, and knowing also that what\nthey asked was a reasonable and becoming thing, and just. But because\nhis will was perverted he answered as one who had no inclination to\nconsent, He is not wise who asks for what he cannot have. I say this\nwith respect to you, for you ask that which five days ago I promised\nthe Queen for her daughter Leonoreta; this answer he made to excuse\nhimself, not because it was true. At this Gandandel and Brocadan were\nwell pleased, and made signs to him that he had said well, but Agrayes,\nwhose heart was warm, when he heard with how little courtesy the\nKing had refused them would not keep silence. You make us feel Sir,\nquoth he, that our services will profit us little here; if my advice\nbe taken, our lives shall be differently employed. Nephew, exclaimed\nGalvanes, services are worth little when they are done to those who\nknow not how to reward them: men should look where they bestow them.\nSirs, quoth Amadis, do not complain that the King cannot give you\nwhat he hath already promised to another. I will ask the King to give\nyou Madasima and let him keep the land, and I will give you the Firm\nIsland till the King shall have something else to bestow upon you. The\nKing answered, Madasima is in my prison in hostage for her lands, and\nif they be not surrendered I will have her head cut off. Then Amadis\nreplied, of a truth Sir you should have answered us more courteously,\nand you would not have committed this wrong if you had known us better.\nIf I do not know you, said Lisuarte, the world is wide enough; go\nthrough it, and look for those who may know you better. Certes Sir,\nquoth Amadis, till now I thought there was no King in the world who had\nwisdom such as yours; but seeing how strangely different you are from\nwhat I believed, since you are in this new mood we must seek a new way\nof life. Lisuarte answered, Do your own will as I shall mine, and he\nrose angrily and went to the Queen.\nGandandel and Brocadan commended him much for what he had done in thus\ndismissing such dangerous enemies, and he told Brisena all that had\npassed, and how he rejoiced thereat. But she told him that what he\nrejoiced at was to her cause for sorrow, for Amadis and his friends had\never served him faithfully and well; and that other Knights seeing how\nthey were recompensed would have great reason to seek one who would\nknow and reward them better. Say no more, cried he, I know what I am\ndoing, and remember to say what I tell you, that you asked that Island\nfor Leonoreta, and that I have given it her. I will do as you command\nme, replied Brisena, but God grant that it come to good!\nAmadis returned to his lodging in a more melancholy mood than he was\nwont, he would say nothing to the Knights of his company till he had\nspoken with Oriana, so calling Durin aside he bade him tell Mabilia\nthat he must see Oriana that night, and that they should expect him\nby the water course in the garden. Then he ate and regaled with the\nKnights as he used to do, and he desired them to assemble there on the\nmorrow for he had something to impart to them. When day was gone and\nnight was come, after they had retired and all were at rest, he went\nwith Gandalin to the water course, and having entered it went forthwith\nto the chamber of Oriana, where she with as true love expected him; and\nbeing in her arms she asked him why he had sent that message by Durin,\nand he told her all that had past. Now Lady mine, said he, since it\nis so that for my honour I must depart I beseech you do not command\nme otherwise, for I am more yours than my own, and if I am shamed the\nshame will be yours also. But Oriana, though she felt as though her\nheart were breaking, took courage as she could and answered, True\nfriend, with little reason can you complain of my father, for it is\nnot him but me whom you have served, for my sake you abode here, and\nfor my sake have done so many great actions, and from me you have had\nyour guerdon, and shall have while I live; yet should not my father\nhave done thus, seeing what you have been to him. Howbeit, though your\nabsence will be like as if my heart were breaking, I will regard reason\nmore than my unbounded love. Do as you think best! my father will find\nwhen you are gone that all that is left will be to him cause of sorrow\nand evil! Amadis kissed her hands; my own true Lady many and great\nkindnesses have I received from you which have saved me from death,\nbut for this I thank you above all, inasmuch as honour is above all\ndelights. Thus past they that night mingling tears with their love,\nthinking of the long solitude that was to come, and towards day-break\nAmadis rose; that dear cousin Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark went\nout with him, and he embraced them, and commended Oriana to their\nconsolations, and so they parted weeping.\nAmadis went to his lodging and slept the remainder of the night and\nsome part of the morning, but when it was time he arose, and the\nKnights assembled, they heard mass and rode forth, and being assembled\nin the field he addressed them after this guise:\u2014It is notorious to you\ngood Sirs and honourable Knights, whether the affairs of King Lisuarte\nhave prospered or declined since I and my brethren and friends for my\nsake came to Great Britain. I may therefore be excused from recalling\nwhat is past to your memory, this only I ought to say, that ye as well\nas myself might reasonably have expected great recompence; but either\nthat Fortune hath been using her accustomed inconstancy, or by the\ninfluence of evil counsellors, or perhaps because age hath altered\nthe conditions of the King, we have found him different from what we\nexpected; for when I myself and Agrayes, and Don Galvanes besought\nhim that he would give Madasima to Don Galvanes in marriage, and with\nher her lands in vassallage, he nothing regarding the worth of this\nKnight nor his high lineage, not only would not grant us the boon, but\ndenied it in terms so discourteous and dishonourable, that because\nthey proceeded from a tongue so true, and from a judgment so sound, I\nwould not willingly repeat them were not things at this extremity that\nit cannot be excused. Know then Sirs that towards the end of our talk,\nwhen we said to him that he did not know our services, he replied,\nthe world was wide enough and we might seek those who would know them\nbetter. So therefore as we have hitherto obeyed him in concord and\nfriendship, now must we in discord and enmity, fulfilling that which\nhe thinks fitting; it seemed right to me that you should know this,\nbecause it not only concerns us in particular but all in general.\nWhen these Knights heard what Amadis had said they were greatly\nastonished, and they talked one with another and said, that ill would\ntheir poor services be recompensed when what Amadis and his brethren\nhad done was so forgotten, so that their hearts were moved against the\nKing. And Angriote of Estravaus, as one who had resolved to take his\nshare in the good or evil which might befall Amadis, said to them,\nSirs, I have long known the King, and have always seen him temperate\nin all his actions, and never moved without great and just cause,\ntherefore I cannot believe that this should proceed from his own nature\nor inclination but from some meddling traitors who have bereft him of\nhis wisdom. Not for this do I excuse the King! for many days I have\nseen him speak more with Gandandel and Brocadan than he was accustomed\nto do, they being false and treacherous men, and I believe that they\nhave done this thing hoping to obtain thereby for themselves and their\nsons that which they have never merited, and that you may see how the\njustice of God comes to pass I will arm myself, and challenge them for\ntheir villainy which they have done to the King and to Amadis, and will\ndo combat against them both, or against their sons in their stead,\nif they dare sustain their father's treason. Forthwith he would have\ndeparted but Amadis withheld him saying, God forbid my true and loyal\nfriend that your life should be put in danger for an uncertain cause.\nI am certain, quoth Angriote, that it is as I say by what I have\nlong known of them, and if it pleases the King to speak truth he will\nconfirm it. If you love me, replied Amadis, let this rest at present,\nthat the King may not be offended; if these men who seemed so friendly\nare indeed my enemies, that will be known hereafter, and then may you\nbetter proceed against them. Then Angriote albeit unwillingly consented\nto delay vengeance. Amadis then turned to the assembled Knights and\nsaid, Sirs, I will take leave of the King and Queen if they chuse to\nsee me, and will go to the Firm Island, where they who shall please to\nlive with me shall be partakers with me in all the honour and pleasures\nthat I can command. The land is rich and aboundeth with all things,\nthere is store of forests and of fair women. I have treasure enough for\nour wants; they who know us will come thither to see us, and strangers\nto demand our help, and there we may return from our adventures to\nrecover strength. While my father King Perion lives the kingdom of\nGaul will not fail us, nor after his days. I have letters from the\nlesser Britain telling me that they give me that land, that then you\nmay esteem our own; I must remind you also of Scotland, the country of\nmy Cousin Agrayes, and of Queen Briolania's kingdom, which will not\nfail us for weal or for woe. That you may say truly Sir Amadis, quoth a\nKnight present, whose name was Tantiles, and who was governor of that\nkingdom. Sobradisa and its fair Queen, whom you have established there,\nwill be always at your service. Now then Sir, cried Don Quadragante,\ntake leave of the King and then will it be seen who they are who love\nyou, and will continue in your company. Amadis answered, greatly shall\nI esteem those who at this time will so honour me, yet do I not say,\nthat if they can profitably remain with the King they should not do so,\nfor of a truth so good a Lord cannot soon be found. As they were thus\ntalking the King and Gandandel past by with many other Knights, hawking\nwith merlins, and sported near them awhile without speaking to them or\nnoticing them, and then returned to the palace.\n_CHAPTER 21._\nThen Amadis taking with him all those Knights went to take leave of the\nKing; they who were in the palace, when they saw with how altered a\ncountenance he entered, and at that hour when the tables were placed,\nall drew nigh to hear what he should say. He being before the King\nspake thus: Sir, whether or not you have dealt ill with me God and\nyourself can witness: of this I say no more, for though my services\nmay have been great, much greater was the will I had to requite those\nhonours which I from you received. Yesterday you told me that I might\ngo about the world and seek for one who would know me better, giving me\nto understand that what you wished was my departure from your court;\nsince this would please you it becomes me so to do. I do not come to\ndischarge myself of vassallage, for I never was subject to you, nor to\nany but God alone; but I take leave of that good will which you once\nmanifested to honour and favour me, and of that great love wherewith\nI ever strove to requite and serve you. Then Don Galvanes also took\nleave, and Agrayes and Florestan, and Dragonis and Palomir, who were\ncousins to Amadis, and Don Bruneo of Bonamar and his brother Branfil,\nand Angriote of Estravaus, and Grindonan his brother, and Pinores his\nnephew. Don Quadragante then came before the King and said, Sir, I\nabode with you only at the request of Amadis, and because I have been\nyours for his sake, for the same reason I will continue so no longer;\nsmall hope of recompence can there be for my poor services when he is\nso rewarded! for ill have you remembered how he saved you from the\nhands of Madanfabul, from whence none other could have saved you, and\nhow he won for you that battle against King Cildadan, and how his\nbrethren and kinsmen there shed their blood for you; how he delivered\nyou from my enmity, and from Famongomadan and his son Basagante, who\nwere the strongest giants in the world, and from Lindoraque, who was\nso mighty a Knight, and from Arcalaus the Enchanter\u2014all this you have\nforgotten; but I tell you that had all we been in the field and Amadis\naway, how think you would it then have fallen out? The King answered,\nDon Quadragante I well perceive by your words that you have no love\ntowards me, neither are you so beholden to Amadis that you should\ndesire his welfare; perchance what you say of that is not so true as\nit sounds. Quadragante replied, you are of that rank that you may say\nwhat pleases you, but sure am I that you will not move Amadis with\nmischief-making words as others have been moved, who will discover\ntheir error when too late. Then Landin came up and said, Sir, of all\nyour household I could find no help or healing for my wounds save\nonly from Amadis, therefore shall I go with him and with my uncle Don\nQuadragante. Certes, quoth Lisuarte, if you staid I should not have a\nfriend the more. Landin replied, such as they are towards you will I\nbe. At this time were assembled together in another part of the palace,\nDon Brian of Monjaste, a right good Knight, who was son of King Ladasan\nof Spain and of a sister of King Perion, and Gandal, and Orlandin, son\nto the Count of Orlanda, and Grandores, and Madancil, he of the Silver\nBridge, and Listoran of the White Tower, and Ladadin of Fajarque,\nand Branfiles the haughty, and Don Gavarte of the Perilous Vale; and\nwhen they saw how all those other Knights were about to depart for\nthe love of Amadis, they also went before the King and said, Sir, we\ncame to your court to see Amadis and his brethren, and to obtain his\nfriendship, and as he was the cause of our coming so will he be of our\ndeparture. These Knights having departed, and there remaining no other,\nAmadis would have taken leave of the Queen but Lisuarte would not\npermit him, because she had always opposed this quarrel, so he sent his\nexcuses by Don Grumedan. Then went he to his lodging, and after they\nhad made their meal they all mounted being fully armed, five hundred\nKnights were they in all who followed Amadis, among whom were the sons\nof Kings and of Counts, and others, who for their prowess as well as\nbirth, were renowned throughout all the world.\nMabilia beheld them from a window of the Queen's palace, in what order\nthey went, their arms how rich they were, and how glittering in the\nsun, so that none who saw them depart but marvelled and thought the\nKing unhappy, that he would so lose such a Knight and so goodly a\ncompany. Then Mabilia went to Oriana and said, Cease thy sorrow and\ncome look at your vassals! and let your heart rejoice that you have\nsuch a lover; for if till now he has led the life of an Errant Knight\nserving your father, now that he has left his service, he appears like\na powerful Prince, and that Lady will redound to your honour. Oriana\nbeing comforted by her words looked at the company, subduing by her\nfortitude that grief and passion which tormented her heart. There went\nout with Amadis to honour him, King Arban of North Wales, and Grumedan\nthe Queen's fosterer, and Brandoyuas and Quinorante, and Giontes the\nKing's nephew, and Listoran the good jouster. All these rode with him\napart from his company and very sorrowful for his departure, and Amadis\nbesought them that they would still be his friends so far as they could\nwithout breach of honour, for he should still esteem and love them as\nhe had done; nor though the King had ceased to love him, having no\ncause for this change, should they do so likewise, nor for that cease\nto serve the King and honour him as for his worth he deserved. They\nanswered, that they should never cease to love him however they were\nbound by loyalty to serve the King. Then said Amadis, I beseech you\ntell the King that what Urganda said before me is now made manifest,\nhow I should gain for another, and my guerdon should be wrath, and the\nlong delay of my will! So has it come to pass! but the just Judge of\nall will allot to every one his right. Don Grumedan cursed Urganda for\nprophesying so truly, and then they returned to the town. Presently\nDon Guilan came up and he was in tears; and he said, Sir, You know how\nit is with us, that I have neither will nor heart of my own, but must\nobey her for whom I suffer so much, and she has forbidden me to follow\nyou, and thus am I put to great shame: now would I repay those honours\nwhich I have ever received from you and your brethren, but I may not!\nBut Amadis, who knew the great and excessive love of this Knight, and\nremembered how he himself loved and obeyed Oriana, embraced him and\nsaid, Don Guilan my dear friend, God forbid that a Knight like you\nshould disobey your Lady, not so would I advise you, nor so advising\nshould I be your friend; obey her and serve the King, and sure am I\nthat you will keep your loyalty and yet that I shall have in you the\nsame friend. So Guilan answered, he trusted in God to serve him yet;\nand he took his leave. They rode on about three leagues to the shore\nwhere Amadis had ordered tents to be pitched; there they regaled that\nnight, congratulating each other that they had not remained longer in\nthe service of one so thankless, but Amadis felt his heart fail him,\nfor he knew not when he should again see Oriana. In the morning they\nset forth again and took the straight road to the Firm Island.\nOn the day after Amadis had departed, the King when mass was over sate\nin his palace according to custom, and looked on one side and on the\nother, and beholding how desolate the place appeared without those\nKnights who were gone, he began to muse upon his own conduct, and was\nlost in thought. Gandandel and Brocadan, who knew what Angriote had\nsaid of them, when they saw him thus thoughtful began to fear that he\nwas ill satisfied with what had been done. Howbeit as they could not\nnow retreat they resolved to push farther on, for this is the ill fate\nof all great errors. So Gandandel went up to Lisuarte and said to him,\nhenceforth Sir you may rest secure since those who could have injured\nyou are dismissed from your service; the trouble of your state and\nhousehold you may lay on us and we will attend to it more carefully\nthan to our own concerns, and when you think of the treasures which you\nmust have bestowed upon those Knights but which are now your own, you\nshould greatly rejoice. Lisuarte looked sternly at them and answered,\nI marvel much at what you say, that I should commit the management of\nmy state and household to you! that I and those about me are not equal\nto the task\u2014but you, in whom I did not perceive such great ability are\ncapable thereof! Even if you were, my vassals and household would\nbe ill contented with the authority of such as you! You tell me too\nthat I shall save the wealth which would else have been bestowed among\nthose Knights. I would know how it could be better employed than to\nmy own honour and service, my honour was defended by it, my dominion\nincreased, and so it at last returned to me again, for the wealth that\nis bestowed where it ought, lies in a good treasury whence it never can\nbe lost. No more of this! I shall not take your counsel! He then arose\nand called his huntsmen and went forth to the field, leaving them in\namazement and great dismay.\nAt this season arrived a Damsel from Queen Briolania with tidings to\nOriana, whereat all greatly rejoiced for that Queen was much beloved by\nall. Lady, quoth she, I come from Briolania to tell you the wonders of\nthe Firm Island, that you may know all, for I was witness. God grant\nlong life to her! said Oriana, and good fortune to you for the trouble\nwhich you have taken. So all drew round to hear her. Then said the\nDamsel, when Briolania and her company had arrived at the Firm Island\nshe was asked if she would attempt the Forbidden Chamber or the Arch of\nTrue Lovers, but she answered, that she would leave those two proofs\ntill the last. They then led us to a fair dwelling about a league from\nthe Castle, which, because of its goodly situation, was one of the\nchief habitations of Apolidon, and when it was dinner time they led us\nto a large hall, at the one end whereof was a deep cave so dark and\nfearful that none durst go nigh to it, and at the other end of the\npalace was a fair tower where they led us, and we found the tables and\nbenches placed by the windows, and from thence we could see all that\npast below in the large hall. So there were we well served by Dames and\nDamsels, and the Knights and our people feasted below in the hall. But\nwhen the second service was brought in loud hissings were heard from\nthe cave, and a hot wind came forth therefrom, and there issued out\na great serpent into the middle of the hall, so fierce and terrible\nthat none dared look on him, and he breathed smoke from his mouth and\nnostrils, and lashed the ground with his tail so that the whole palace\nshook; presently two Lions came out of the cave and attacked him, and\nbegan such a battle that there is not heart of man which would not have\nfelt fear at beholding it. The Knights and people fled with all speed\nfrom the table, and though the windows whereat we were were very high,\nyet were we greatly terrified. Half an hour that battle lasted till the\nLions were so wearied that they lay as though they were dead, and the\nserpent so exhausted that he could scarce draw breath; but after he had\nrested a little he took one Lion in his mouth and carried him into the\ncave, then returned for the other, and they were seen no more that day.\nThe men of the Island laughed at our fear, and assured us that they\nwould appear no more that day, so we then returned to the tables and\nfinished our meal.\nThe next day they led us to a place still fairer, where we were well\nfeasted, and at night they showed us a rich chamber, marvellously fair\nwhere there was a rich and costly bed for Briolania, and other good\nones for us. But about midnight the doors flew open with so great\nnoise that we all awoke in terror, and a hart came in, having lighted\ncandles upon his horns, so that the whole chamber was as light as day.\nOne side of that hart was white as snow, and the neck and the head\nwere black as pitch, and the one horn seemed gilt and the other was\nred; four dogs pursued him in full cry, and behind them an ivory horn\nmoved and sounded in the air as if a man were sounding it, and gave the\nproper sound of the chase, and cheared the dogs so that they pursued\nthe hart and allowed him no respite, and drove him from one part of\nthe chamber to another, and sometimes they leaped over our beds, and\nsometimes they fell on them, so that we rose up in our shifts and our\nhair hanging about and fled from them, and some hid themselves under\nthe beds, till the Hart finding no safety there leaped through a window\nand the dogs after him; then were we right glad, and taking up the\ncloaths which were thrown about covered ourselves, and gave a robe to\nBriolania wherein she drest herself, and then as the fear was past we\nlaughed at the confusion into which we had been thrown. While we were\nmaking our beds again, a Dame and two Damsels entered and a little girl\nwith candles, and she spake to Briolania and said, How is it Lady that\nyou have risen at such an hour? but when she heard they laughed and\nanswered, Now then Ladies go to sleep again, for you have nothing more\nto apprehend to-night.\nEarly in the morning we went to a wood where there were fine groves\nand fair gardens, and there we had tents pitched by a brook side. We\nfound there a round building with twelve marble pillars, the walls\nwere of crystal so curiously made that they who might be within could\nsee all without; the doors were made of plate of gold and of silver,\nand by every pillar there was placed the image of a Giant made in\ncopper, and these images had bows in their hands, and the arrow heads\nwere of fire. We were told that nothing could enter that chamber but\nwould be presently reduced to ashes by those arrows which never failed\nof their mark; and they put in two fallow deer and a stag, immediately\nthe images shot at them and they were reduced to ashes, and the arrows\nreturned to the bows from whence they fled. On the doors of the chamber\nthere were letters written which said, Let no man or woman dare enter\nhere except they twain who love each other truly, as truly as did\nGrimanesa and Apolidon, and they must enter here together, else will\nthey die the cruellest death that ever was seen. This enchantment will\nendure till they twain shall have entered the Forbidden Chamber, and\nthen shall all the enchantments of the Firm Island be done away. Then\nBriolania called Ysanjo and Enil, and told them she wished to see\nnothing more except the Arch of True Lovers and the Forbidden Chamber,\nand she asked Ysanjo the meaning of the Lion and Serpent, and of the\nHart and the Dogs. Lady, he replied, we know nothing more than that\nalways at that hour they appear; and the Hart and the Dogs run from the\nwindow into a lake which we believe proceeds from the sea, but were\nyou to remain here a whole year you could not see half the wonders\nthat are in this Island.\nOn the morrow we mounted our palfreys and returned to the Castle;\nwithout delay Briolania went to the Arch of True Lovers and past\nthrough the Forbidden Perrons like one who had never failed in her\nlove, and the image with the trumpet made so sweet a sound that we were\nall astonished, and when she entered where the images were of Apolidon\nand Grimanesa, it ceased with so sweet a finish as was marvellous to\nhear. There beheld she those images as fair and fresh as life, and\nbeing alone with them she thought herself in good company; and while\nthere she saw letters newly written in the Jasper, saying, this is the\nname of Briolania, daughter to King Tagadan of Sobradisa, the third\nDamsel that hath entered here. Then she felt a fear of being alone and\nreturned. The fifth morning she went to attempt the Forbidden Chamber;\nshe was in rich attire, and she wore nothing upon her beautiful head\nexcept a gold clasp with jewels, and all who saw her said, that if\nshe did not enter the Chamber there was none in the world who could,\nand that they should now see the end of all those enchantments. She\ncommended herself to God, and passed through the copper Perron, and\ncame up to the marble Perron and read the writing there, and proceeded\nso far beyond that all surely thought the adventure was atchieved; but\nwhen she was within three paces from the door three hands seized her\nby those beautiful locks, and pitilessly cast her out of the Forbidden\nground as they had done all others, and she lay in such plight that we\ncould not soon recover her. Till now Oriana's heart had been misgiving\nher, but now she looked at Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark, and\nthey at her, being all well pleased; the next day pursued the Damsel,\nBriolania departed for her own kingdom. So the Damsel then received her\nbidding from Brisena and Oriana, and the other Ladies, and set out on\nher return to her Mistress.\nNow Amadis and his company arrived at the Firm Island, where they\nwere joyfully received by all the dwellers therein, who, as they had\nfelt great sorrow for the loss of their new Lord, so now had they\ndouble pleasure in welcoming him. But when those Knights who were\nwith him beheld the Castle how strong it was, and how there was no\nother entrance to the Island large as it was, and that the land was so\nfertile, and peopled with so many and such inhabitants, they thought\nit might maintain war against all the world; so they were lodged in\nthe largest town which stood under the Castle. You are to know that\nthis Island was nine leagues long and seven wide, all full of villages\nand rich dwelling-houses of the Knights of the land. And in the\npleasantest parts thereof Apolidon had built four palaces for himself,\nthe strangest and most delightful that ever man could behold. One was\nthat of the Serpent and the Lions. Another that of the Hart and the\nDogs. The third was called the Whirling Palace, for three times in the\nday and as often in the night it whirled round, so that they who were\nin it thought it would dash to pieces; and the fourth was that of the\nBull, because every day a wild Bull issued out of an old covered way,\nand ran among the people therein as though he would kill them, and\nwhen they fled from him he ran against the iron door of a tower and\nburst it open and went in, and presently he came out again being quite\ntame, and ridden by an old Ape, so wrinkled that his skin hung all in\nfolds, which Ape flogged him into the place from whence he came. Great\npleasure had all these Knights in beholding these enchantments, and\nenough pastime had they there, and they were all firm in their love to\nAmadis, and ready to follow him wherever he would.\nAt this time came Andalod the Hermit of the Poor Rock to establish the\nmonastery as had been appointed, and he seeing Amadis gave thanks to\nGod for giving life to so good a man, and looked at him and embraced\nhim as if he had never seen him before. But Amadis kist his hands, and\nwith all humility thanked him for his preservation and for his life,\nwhich he owed to God and to him. So a monastery was founded at the foot\nof the rock, where that Chapel of the Virgin stood, wherein Amadis had\nprayed in his despair before he departed into the mountain. A good man\ncalled Sisian, whom Andalod brought, remained there, and thirty Friars\nwith him, and Amadis assigned to them rents enough, and Andalod then\nreturned to the Poor Rock as before. Then Balays of Carsante arrived,\nhe whom Amadis had released from the dungeon of Arcalaus, who had gone\nto take leave of King Lisuarte, so soon as he knew that Amadis had\nleft him in discontent; with him also came Olivas whom Agrayes and\nDon Galvanes had helped in battle against the Duke of Bristol. They\nasked of Balays, what news in the court? he answered, enough to tell.\nKing Lisuarte Sir has summoned all his people; for Count Latine and\nthey whom he sent to take possession of the Island of Mongaza, have\ninformed him that the old Giant had given up to them all the Castles\nwhich he and his sons had in their keeping. But Gromadaza refused to\nyield the Castles by the Boiling Lake, which is the strongest place in\nthe Island, and also three other strong Castles, for she says she will\nnever yield the place where she was Mistress in the life of her husband\nFamongomadan, and Basagante her son, but always annoy Lisuarte to the\nutmost of her power, and for Madasima and the Damsels she cares not\nwhat may become of them so she can do any harm to the King. The King\ntherefore has summoned his forces, and hath sworn, if Gromadaza does\nnot yield up her Castles within a month, that he will behead Madasima\nand the Damsels, and that he will go against the Castle of the Boiling\nLake, and not depart from before it till he shall have won it, and if\nhe can take the old Giantess he will throw her to the Lions. At this\nnews they were all greatly troubled, and Galvanes said to them, Sirs,\nyou all know the promise which I have made to Madasima, to defend her\nwith reason, or if that failed by force of arms; and for this cause\nwas it that Amadis and all of us forsook Lisuarte; now I beseech you,\nif he will not hear reason, assist me in arms to fulfil my word. At\nthat uprose Don Florestan, and said, Don Galvanes, there are better\nadvisers here than I, but if reason fail I will undertake the battle in\nthe name of God. Good friend, replied Galvanes, I thank you with all my\nheart; but if it must be by battle I have promised and I will perform\nit. Then Don Brian of Monjaste and Quadragante said that the quarrel\nappertained to all, and all ought to bear a part, for all Knights were\nbound to succour Damsels who were opprest, and as Madasima and her\nDamsels had gone as hostages in obedience to her mother, they were\ninnocent before God. Sirs, said Amadis, you rejoice me in what you say;\nfor whatsoever is undertaken with such concord will have good issue.\nBut I will tell you what seems to me good: these Damsels are twelve in\nnumber, and therefore ought to be succoured by twelve Knights. Sure I\nam that such as ye will think such danger but pastime, if it please ye\nI will name twelve champions, and let the other Knights remain here for\ngreater perils if they should befal us. You, Sir Don Galvanes shall\nbe the first, as it is your quarrel, and Agrayes your nephew, and my\nbrother Florestan, and my cousins Palomir and Dragonis, and Don Brian\nof Monjaste, and Nicoran of the White Tower, and Urlandin and Gavarte\nof the Perilous Vale, and Ymosil brother to the Duke of Burgandy, and\nMadansil of the Silver Bridge, and Ladadin of Fajarque; let those\ntwelve go, there are among them the sons of Kings and Dukes and Counts,\nso that their peers will not be found. Hereat were all well pleased,\nand the Knights appointed made ready forthwith, and shortly after\nmidnight armed themselves and rode towards Tafilana, the town where\nLisuarte then was.\n_CHAPTER 22._\nNow Oriana felt herself great with child, and she asked counsel of\nMabilia and the Damsel of Denmark in that danger; they albeit they were\nsore dismayed dissembled that, and Mabilia bade her take heart for all\nshould be remedied. I always expected, said she, that to such[347:A]\na saint such an offering would be brought. Oriana could not forbear a\nsmile. I will feign myself worse, she said, and withdraw as much as\nI can from all company; and if the Damsel of Denmark will hazard her\nhonour for me, my honour and life may both be saved. Lady, quoth the\nDamsel, I am at your command even were it to my death. Good friend,\nquoth Oriana, this I hoped, and if I live you shall recover your honour\nand with great praise. Then the Damsel knelt and kissed her hands, and\nOriana proceeded: continue to visit Adalasta the Abbess of my Nunnery\nas you have hitherto done, and when it is time tell her that you are\npregnant, and beseech her to help you, so that you may lay the child at\nthe church door, and that she will order it to be taken in and brought\nup for Charity's sake; thus will my secret be safe, nor will you be\nshamed, for none but this honourable Lady will know what you shall tell\nher, and she loves you much. Thus they determined that it should be.\n    [347:A] This is D'Herberay's phrase, it is better than the\n    original: Siempre me tuve por dicho que de tales juegos\n    auriades tal ganancia.\nWhen Lisuarte knew how Gromadaza persisted in her warfare, by advice\nof Gandandel and Brocadan he sent for Madasima and her Damsels, and\ntold them that they must all be put to death for an example. When she\nheard this so rigorous doom the fair and fresh colour of her cheeks\nsuddenly changed to a pale and deadly hue, and falling at the King's\nfeet she said, Sir, the fear of death doth make my heart weaker than\nit naturally is, weak Damsel as I am, so that I have neither thought\nnor words to answer you; but if in this court there be any Knight\nwilling to uphold the right let him speak for me as a Knight is bound\nto do, for I did not enter your prison willingly but in obedience to\nmy mother. If there be none such here, do you O King, whom hitherto\nnever distressed Dame or Damsel hath implored in vain, do you deal\njustly by me, and let not anger have the mastery over you. Gandandel,\nwho was present, was greatly desirous that Madasima should be slain,\nknowing that then Amadis could never be reconciled with the King; and\nhe said, Sir, do not hear her, these Damsels were given you as hostages\nto die if the conditions were not performed, and therefore justice\nought to be executed without delay. But Don Grumedan, who was a good\nKnight, and well versed in all the laws of Knighthood, as one who had\nnot only practised but read much, replied, that shall not the King\ndo if it please God! nor ever shall such cruelty and wrong be by him\ncommitted. This Damsel came hither in obedience to her mother, and as\nthat obedience will in secret be by God rewarded, so should it be in\npublic by the King as his servant, and one who obeys his will. Moreover\nI have learnt that within three days here will arrive certain Knights\nfrom the Firm Island to take up their quarrel; and if you Gandandel, or\nyour sons are willing to maintain the justice of your advice; you will\nthere find those who will answer you. Gandandel answered, Don Grumedan,\ntho' you wish me ill I have never deserved it at your hands; if you had\noffended my sons you know they are such Knights that they can maintain\nwhat I have said. We shall soon see that, quoth old Grumedan; as for\nyou I only wish you well or ill as it shall be found that you have\ncounselled the King. Albeit that Lisuarte had acted much amiss toward\nAmadis, and had it in his heart to do him all displeasure, yet could\nnot that new passion subdue his old virtue, so that he was glad at\nwhat Grumedan said, and asked who the Knights were that were coming to\ndefend the Damsels, and when Grumedan had told their names, he observed\nthat they were enough good and prudent Knights. But then was Gandandel\nsore dismayed, and he repented him of what he had said concerning his\nsons, knowing that they were nothing equal in arms to Florestan and\nAgrayes, and Don Brian of Monjaste, and Gavarte of the Perilous Vale.\nSo when Madasima was remanded to prison he went to his brother-in-law\nBrocadan in trouble of heart, receiving now the guerdon which the\nmerits of his misdeed deserved.\nHere came to pass what the Gospel saith, That no hidden thing but\nshall be made known; for Gandandel retiring with Brocadan to a private\nchamber to consult with him how they might prevail upon the King to\nexecute Madasima and her Damsels before the Knights of the Firm Island\narrived, Brocadan began to reproach him for the wrong he had done to\nAmadis, greatly repenting his own wickedness now that he saw his own\nhonour and his sons in danger. Now it happened that a niece of Brocadan\nwas enamoured of a young Knight called Sarquiles, who was nephew to\nAngriote of Estravaus, and she had hidden him near this chamber, so\nthat he heard the whole secret of this treachery; and when it was night\nhe went out and armed himself, and mounting his horse he rode on the\nmorrow into the town as if he came from another place, and he went\nbefore the King and said to him, Sir, I am your natural subject and was\nbrought up in your household, and therefore would save you from all\ntreachery, that you may not commit wrong in compliance with another's\nwill. It is not three days since I was in a place where I heard persons\ncounselling how to instigate you to do an evil thing against your own\nhonour and good reason. I say to you, give no heed to Gandandel and\nBrocadan in what they say to you, touching Madasima, for there are\nothers in your court who more honestly advise you; you and all here\nshall know wherefore I say this, within twelve days, if you will delay\nfollowing their will for so long. Now Sir, God be with you, for I go\nto my Uncle Angriote. God be with you, replied Lisuarte, and remained\nmusing on what he had heard.\nSarquiles rode on by the shortest way he knew to the Firm Island, and\nwhen he arrived there his horse was so overspent with the speed he had\nmade that he could scarcely carry him. He found Amadis, and Angriote,\nand Don Bruneo, riding on the shore to hasten the equipment of some\nvessels which they had ordered to pass over to Gaul, for Amadis was\ndesirous to see his parents. Right well was Sarquiles received, and\nAngriote said to him, Nephew, what business have you that your horse\nis in such plight? Very great, replied he, and he told him how his\nMistress Gandaza had hidden him in Brocadan's house, and what he had\nthere heard. Now Sir, quoth Angriote to Amadis, was my suspicion right?\nYou would not suffer me to bring the matter to an end, but now if it\nplease God neither you nor ought else shall let, but that this great\ntreason against the King and against you shall be made manifest. Good\nfriend, replied Amadis, you may now do it with reason and certainty,\nand God therewith will speed you. I will depart to-morrow, said\nAngriote, and Sarquiles upon another horse with me. Accordingly on the\nfollowing morning they twain set out for the dwelling of King Lisuarte.\nMeantime the King mused much upon that Sarquiles had told him. One day\nGandandel and Brocadan came before him and said, Sir, we are grieved\nto see how little you regard your own welfare; that, quoth Lisuarte,\nmay well be, but why say you this?\u2014Because these Knights who are your\nenemies are coming to your Court without any fear to defend these\nDamsels for whom you ought to have the land given up. If you will take\nour advice you ought to behead them before these champions arrive, and\nsend to forbid the Knights to enter your kingdom; thus would you make\nthem fear you, and Amadis would not venture to offer you any wrong,\nfor if they do not forbear for fear, for nothing else will they; the\nsooner this is done the better will it be, and the more terror will\nit strike. The King then called to mind the words of Sarquiles, and\nsaw how he had spoken truth. You tell me two things, he replied,\nagainst all reason: the one that without any form of judgment I should\nhave these Damsels slain, what account could I give to the Lord whose\nminister I am if I should do this? He has appointed me here in his\nstead to administer right in his name, and if I did this wrong which\nyou counsel to strike fear into others, it would fall upon my own head\nat last. Those Kings who follow their own will instead of what is\nreasonable rely on themselves and not on God, which is the worst error\ninto which they can fall. Their best security is to chuse out good\ncounsellors, and honest ones, and to remember that however evil actions\nappear at first, the just Judge directs, and the end thereof cannot be\ngood. You tell me also to forbid these Knights from coming to my court;\na dishonourable thing would it be to prevent any one from claiming\njustice before me, much more they being my enemies, for it is to my\nhonour that I have the power and inclination to do what they request.\nI do not like your counsel! you have done ill to those who deserved no\nill at your hands! I have sinned and I have my punishment; and if you\nhave been false so I trust will you have yours at the end. And with\nthat he went away and left them.\nThe following day Lisuarte rode forth after mass with a great company,\nand seeing that the twelve Knights were approaching he rode forward to\nreceive them, for he was a courteous man to all, and they well deserved\nsuch honour being what they were. They made obeisance to him, and while\ntheir people pitched tents in the field Don Galvanes spake to the King.\nSir, confiding in your virtue and in your wonted goodness, we are\ncome hither to request that you will hear Madasima and her Damsels,\nthat they may have their right; we are come to plead their cause, and\nif by that means we cannot succeed, let it not offend you Sir if we\nsupport it by arms, for there is no cause wherefore they ought to die.\nThe King answered, go now and rest yourselves, I will do all that can\njustly be done. Don Brian of Monjaste then replied, So Sir we hoped,\nthat you would do what behoved your royal dignity and your conscience,\nand whenever you have failed so to act it has been the work of evil\nadvisers, and that, if it did not offend you, I would prove upon any\none who dared gainsay. Don Brian, quoth the King, if you would listen\nto your father I know that you would neither forsake me for another,\nnor come hither to plead against me. Sir, replied Don Brian, my\npleading is for you, it is that you should do justice, and not listen\nto those who would serve you less faithfully than I, and stain your\nworth. You say Sir, that if I had listened to my father I should not\nforsake you: I have not forsaken you Sir, for I never was yours, albeit\nI am of your lineage. I came to your court to seek my kinsman Amadis,\nand when you were pleased that he should be no longer yours, then I\ndeparted with him; in all this I have not erred a single point of duty.\nThe King then returned to the town, and they remained in their tents\nwhere they were visited by their friends. But for Oriana I tell you she\nnever left the window, looking at those who so loved her lover, and\nbeseeching God to give them the victory in this appeal.\nThat night did Gandandel and Brocadan pass in great perplexity, wishing\nthat they could recall what was past, but now perforce must they go on.\nOn the morrow the twelve Knights heard mass with the King, and that\ndone accompanied him to his palace. He then called for Gandandel and\nBrocadan, and said to them, You must now support the advice which you\nhave always given me in the affair of Madasima, and make these good men\nunderstand why she ought not to be heard, and he bade them stand where\nall might hear them. Ymosil of Burgandy, and Ladadin of Fajarque then\ncame forward and said, We Sir, and these Knights beseech you of your\ngoodness that Madasima and her Damsels may be heard, for so we conceive\nit is right. Then answered Gandandel, many talk about the right and\nfew know what it is; you say that of right these Damsels ought to be\nheard, which of right they ought not, for without any such condition\nthey bound themselves to death, and entered the prison of the King\nthereupon, that if Ardan Canileo were slain or vanquished, and the\nwhole Island of Mongaza were not then freely surrendered, they and the\nKnights with them should suffer death. The Knights delivered up the\nCastles in their keeping, which Gromadaza will not do, therefore there\nneither is nor can be reason for which they should be excused from\ndeath. Ymosil replied, Certes Gandandel, you might have been excused\nfrom uttering such reasons before so good a King and such Knights as\nare here! It is manifest to all who have any knowledge, that man or\nwoman are to be heard, of right in their own defence, in all cases\nexcept in treason and conspiracy; this is the custom in all lands\nwherein justice is observed, and this is what we require. Gandandel\nreplied, that nothing more was to be said: the King was to decide, so\nthe matter was at issue, and the King remained with certain Knights,\nall the others leaving the hall.\nThe King wished his Uncle Argamonte, an honourable Count and of great\nprudence, to deliver his opinion, but he referred it to the King,\nsaying that none so fully understood what was right as he himself; the\nother counsellors did the same. Lisuarte seeing this then said, Since\nyou leave the decision to me, I think Ymosil of Burgundy hath spoken\nto the purpose, and the Damsels should be heard. Certes Sir, quoth the\nCount, and all they who were present said the same, you have determined\njustly, for thus it ought to be. They then called in the Knights and\nsaid what had been resolved; for this Ymosil and Ladadin of Fajarque\nkissed his hands and said, be pleased therefore Sir to let Madasima\nand her Damsels be summoned, and we will save them by fair reason, or\nby arms if need shall be. Let them come, replied the King, and see if\nthey will commit their cause to you. Presently they came before the\nKing so modestly and in such fear that not a man could behold them\nwithout great pity. The twelve Knights of the Firm Island took them by\nthe hand, and Agrayes, Florestan, Ymosil and Ladadin said to Madasima,\nLady Madasima, these Knights come to save you and your Damsels from\ndeath, will you commit your cause to us? Sirs, she replied, if the\ncause of Damsels so forlorn and wretched may be undertaken, we commit\nit to you, and trust in God and you. Since it is so, quoth Ymosil, let\nwho will come forward against you! if he be one I will defend you by\nreason or by arms; if more, twelve shall be answered. The King looked\nat Gandandel and Brocadan, and saw that they looked down, and were\ndismayed, and did not answer. Return to your lodgings till the morrow,\nsaid Lisuarte, and meanwhile those who are to answer you will take\ncounsel. The Knights then conducted Madasima to her prison and went to\ntheir tents.\nLisuarte led Gandandel and Brocadan aside, and said to them, you have\noften urged me to put those Damsels to death, and said you would\nmaintain the justice of the deed by reason, or your sons should in\narms, if need should be, now then do as you said, for what Ymosil\nadvances seems just to me, and I will not appoint any of my Court to\ncombat against these Knights. Look ye to it! Else will the Damsels be\ndelivered, and I shall have been ill advised by ye, and wrongfully.\nThey replied, that to-morrow they would be ready with their reply, and\nreturned very sorrowfully to their homes. And they agreed to persist\nin their advice and maintain it by reason, but not put their sons in\ndanger, because the cause was not just, and they were not such in arms\nas those Knights. But that same evening tidings came to the King how\nGromadaza the Giantess was dead, and had ordered her Castles to be\ndelivered up to save her daughter and the Damsels, and that they had\naccordingly been yielded to Count Latine. Greatly pleased thereat was\nLisuarte, and when the Knights came before him on the morrow he said,\nproceed no farther in this cause, for you are quit of your defence,\nand the Damsels are free; the Castles for which I held them in pledge\nhaving been surrendered. Gandandel and Brocadan then rejoiced, for they\nsurely expected to be dishonoured. Then Lisuarte sent for Madasima and\nthe Damsels, and said to them, ye are free; do what it pleases you, the\nCastles have been given up; but he would not tell her that her mother\nwas dead. Madasima would have kissed his hand but the King permitted\nnot that, for he never suffered Dame or Damsel to kiss his hand save\nwhen he bestowed upon them some boon. Then said she, since you leave me\nat my own disposal; I give myself to my Lord Galvanes, who hath been so\nwilling to help me. Agrayes took her by the hand and said, good Lady,\nyou do that which is right; and though you are now disherited of your\nown land, you shall be honoured in another till it please God to remedy\nyour loss. But Ymosil then said to the King, Sir, if right be done to\nMadasima she will not be disherited, for children who are in the power\nof their parents must obey them, however unwillingly, but not for that\nshould they be disherited, when obedience and not free will hath made\nthem bind themselves to what their parents commanded. And because you\nSir are appointed here to make every one render to another his right,\nso ought you yourself to do as an example. Ymosil, replied the King,\nyou have the Damsels at liberty, say no more upon this other matter; I\nhave had sufficient trouble about that land, and will defend it now it\nis mine, nor can I take it from my daughter Leonoreta, to whom I have\ngranted it. Don Galvanes then said, Sir, that right which Madasima has\nto the land of her fathers is now mine. I beseech you remember some\nservices which I have done you, and do not disinherit me, for I would\nwillingly be your vassal and stand in your favour, and serve you as\nloyally as it is possible. Say no more Don Galvanes, quoth Lisuarte,\nthat is done which cannot be undone. Since it is so, quoth he, that I\nfind neither right nor courtesy here, I shall strive to win it how I\ncan. Do your utmost, replied the King, it was in the power of those\nwho were stronger than you, and easier will it be to defend it from\nyou, than it was to win it from them. You won it, answered Galvanes,\nby means of one who was badly guerdoned, he will help to recover it.\nIf he helps you, cried Lisuarte, many others will serve me who would\nnot serve me before for his sake, when I had him in my household and\nprotected him from them. Agrayes then grew angry and exclaimed, Certes\nall here, and others beside can tell whether Amadis was protected by\nyou or you by him, though you are a King and he was always as an Errant\nKnight. Don Florestan seeing how Agrayes was moved laid hand upon his\nshoulder and drew him back, and then said himself, it seems, Sir, you\nprize the services of these you speak of above those of Amadis, whether\nthey be so indeed, we shall soon see. Don Brian of Monjaste then stept\nforward, however little you esteem the services of Amadis and his\nfriends, they must be of great worth indeed who can reasonably make\nthem to be forgotten. It is plain Don Brian, replied the King, that\nyou are one of those friends!\u2014Sure Sir I am; he is my kinsman and I\nshall do what he pleases. We have enough, quoth Lisuarte, to dispense\nwith you. All you have, replied Don Brian, will be wanted to resist\nwhat Amadis can do. The Knights on both sides drew nigh to answer, but\nLisuarte stretched out a wand which he held and commanded them to say\nno more, and they returned to their places.\nJust then Angriote of Estravaus, and his nephew Sarquiles entered,\ncompleatly armed, and approached to kiss the King's hand. The twelve\nKnights marvelled at their coming being ignorant of the cause thereof,\nbut Gandandel and Brocadan were put in fear, and they looked at each\nother, for they knew what Angriote had said of them before, and albeit\nthey held him for the best Knight in the King's dominions, yet they\ntook courage to answer what he might say; and they called their sons\nand bade them say nothing more than they should tell them. Angriote\nstood up before the King and said, Sir, let Gandandel and Brocadan\ncome hither, and I will say that to them which shall make you and\nall present know them better than ye have hitherto done. The King\naccordingly called on them to come forward, and all the Knights drew\nnigh to hear. Then said Angriote, know Sir that Gandandel and Brocadan\nare disloyal and false toward you, they counselled you wickedly and\nlyingly, neither regarding God, nor you, nor Amadis, who had so\nhonoured them, and had never done them wrong. They, villains as they\nare, told you that Amadis designed to seize your kingdom, a thing which\nnever was in his thoughts, for what he desired hath ever been your\nservice, and thus have they made you lose the best Knight that ever\nKing had to serve him, and many other good Knights with him, for no\nfault of their own. Therefore I say that these wicked and false men, in\nwhom you trusted, have committed a great treason against you, which if\nthey deny, I will do battle with them both; but if their age excuses\nthem, let their sons come forward, and by God's help I will make them\nconfess the disloyalty of their fathers before you, that you shall\nunderstand it. Sir, replied Gandandel, you see how Angriote comes to\ndishonour your court! and this is because you permit those to enter\nyour land who do not seek your service, if you had prevented that at\nfirst this would not have happened; and now Sir do not marvel if Amadis\nshould come hither to-morrow and defy you yourself! If Angriote had\nmet me in those days when I did good service in arms for this kingdom,\nand for your brother King Falangris, he would not then have dared to\nsay what now he says, but now he sees me old and weak, and dares insult\nme as one already overcome; this shame Sir falls more upon you than me.\nNo Sir Knave, quoth Angriote, I am not come hither to dishonour the\nCourt, but for its honour to destroy treason, and root out the tares\nwhich you have scattered among the good seed! Then said Sarquiles,\nSir, you know the words which I spake to you upon this matter; with my\nown ears I heard the villainy which these old traitors were devising;\nthey are old, but their sons are young and strong; let them answer for\nthem, they are three and we are two, then will God discover the truth,\nand it will be seen if they are such as to make amends for the loss of\nAmadis and his lineage as their fathers have boasted! When the two sons\nof Gandandel heard this, and saw that the whole Court were smiling to\nsee their fathers so prest, they thrust angrily through the throng, and\ncame before the King and said, Sir, Angriote lies in all that he hath\nsaid and we will combat with him; here are our gages, and they threw\ntheir gloves into his lap. Angriote then held out the lappet of his\narmour\u2014here Sir is mine! let them go arm themselves, and do you Sir\nbehold the battle. The King answered, the day is far spent and there\nwill not be time, let it be after mass to-morrow. With that Adamas\ncame up, the son of Brocadan by a sister of Gandandel; he was great of\nstature and strong, but of so villainous a nature that none esteemed\nhim. He said to the King, Sir, Sarquiles lies in all he hath said,\nand if he dare enter the field with his Uncle I will combat him! at\nthis Sarquiles right joyfully gave his gage; the Court then broke up.\nAngriote and Sarquiles went with the twelve Knights and Madasima, who\nhad taken leave of the Queen and of Oriana, and Brisena sent her a rich\ntent to lodge in.\nThe King remained with Don Grumedan and Giontes his nephew; he sent for\nGandandel and Brocadan, and said to them, I marvel at you! you have\nso often told me that Amadis designed treason and meant to seize my\nkingdom, and now when the proof was necessary you shrunk from it! and\nhave suffered your sons to risque themselves who know not what is the\njustice of their cause. You have sinned against God and me; great evil\nhave you done me in making me lose such a man and such Knights, but you\nwill not escape without your punishment, for that just Judge will give\nto every one his due. Sir, said Gandandel, my sons came forward hastily\nthinking that the proof was delayed. Of a truth, quoth Grumedan, they\nthought right; for there neither is nor can be proof that Amadis in\nthis or in aught else hath done wrong toward the King, and if you\nsuspect it, it is against all reason; even the devils in hell cannot\nthink so! If you had a thousand heads, and the King were to cut them\nall off, he would not be enough revenged for the wrong you have done\nhim, and now you will be left for more mischief, which God forbid! and\nyour wretched sons must suffer for your fault! Don Grumedan, said they,\nwhatever you believe and wish we trust that our sons will save their\nhonour and our own. God never save me, replied he, if I wish more than\nthat you be rewarded as your counsel deserves. The King then bade them\ncease, and he went to table, and they departed to their homes.\nThat night the arms and horses of the champions were made ready.\nAngriote and Sarquiles past the remainder of the night from midnight\nin a chapel of Saint Mary, which was near their tents. At day-break\nthe twelve Knights armed themselves, for they doubted the King seeing\nhow wroth he was against them, and with Madasima and her Damsels, each\nupon her palfrey, they rode through the town to the field of battle,\nAngriote and Sarquiles going before them. The King and his Knights\nwere already assembled, and three Judges were appointed: King Arban of\nNorth Wales, and Giontes the King's Nephew, and Quinorante the good\nJouster; they placed Angriote and Sarquiles at one end of the lists.\nPresently the two brothers Tarin and Corian came with their cousin\nAdamas, well armed and mounted, and disposed to do their part well, if\nthe wickedness of their fathers had not been against them. They being\nopposed each to the other, Giontes blew his trumpet and they ran the\ncareer, Corian and Tarin at Angriote, and Adamas against Sarquiles.\nTarin broke his lance upon Angriote, who encountered Corian, and bore\nhim from his saddle, then turned and saw Tarin sword in hand. Tarin\nstruck at him but the blow fell upon the horses' head and wounded him,\nand cut away the headstall, so that the reins fell on his neck, and the\nhorse being thus at liberty, Angriote was carried against his enemy,\nand they dashed against each other and Tarin fell; then Angriote leaped\nlightly from his horse as one accustomed to such perils, and took his\nshield, and laid hand upon that sword with which he had heretofore\ndealt so many and mighty blows. He saw his nephew maintaining a brave\nsword-combat on horseback, and then made at the two brethren who stood\nby each other, and laid on him a heavy load like brave and strong\nKnights. But Angriote well defended himself, holding out his shield\nagainst one and laying on the other with the sword, so that he made\nthem give back, for never stroke came from him that did not shear away\nthe armour, for as I have told you this Knight was the best foyner\nwith the sword of any in the King's dominions. So that their shields\nwere soon chipt away, and their harness broken that the blood started\nthrough, nor was he so whole but that the blood ran from many wounds.\nWhen Sarquiles saw how his Uncle sped, and that he was still coping\nin equal battle with Adamas, he spurred his horse and grappled with\nhis enemy, and there they struggled each to overthrow the other.\nAngriote seeing them drew nigh to succour Sarquiles if he should fall\nundermost, and the two brethren followed him to help their cousin. At\nlength the two Knights fell from their horses, still grappling; then\nmight you have seen a great conflict, Angriote pressing to help his\nnephew and the brethren to assist Adamas. But in that hour Angriote\ndid such wonders in arms, and laid on such terrible and heavy blows\nthat the brethren, albeit they did their utmost, could not save Adamas\nfrom the hands of Sarquiles. When Gandandel and Brocadan saw this, who\ntill now had hoped that the valour of their sons might have defended\ntheir wickedness they withdrew from the window in great sorrow and pain\nof heart, and the King withdrew also, for all the good fortune which\nbefell the friends of Amadis displeased him, and he would not witness\nthe victory of Angriote. But all else who were present rejoiced to see\nthat Gandandel and Brocadan would suffer some part of the punishment on\nearth which they deserved. The four Knights meantime continued their\nfierce conflict, but it did not long endure, for now Tarin and Corian\ngave ground and fled, seeking some place of safety, but finding none\nthey turned, and struck again at their pursuers and then again fled,\ntill they were smitten down and slain to the great joy of Madasima\nand her Damsels, and the Knights of the Firm Island, but above all of\nOriana, who had never ceased praying to God to grant her friends that\nvictory. Angriote then asked the Judges if there was aught more to be\ndone? they replied, he had done enough for his honour, and led the two\nchampions from the lists; their comrades then received and took them\nwith Madasima to their tents where they were healed of their wounds.\n_Here endeth the Second Book of Amadis of Gaul._\nEND OF THE SECOND VOLUME.\nVOL. II.\n  CHAPTER 36.\n  _How Amadis and Galaor knew of this great treason and\n  took counsel to procure, if they could, the liberty of\n  CHAPTER 37.\n  _How Don Galaor delivered King Lisuarte from the\n  captivity to which they were treacherously leading him\n  CHAPTER 38.\n  _How tidings came to the Queen that King Lisuarte was\n  made prisoner, and how Barsinan executed his treason,\n  and how at last he was overthrown and the King restored\n  CHAPTER 39.\n  _How Amadis came to succour the City of London, and\n  CHAPTER 40.\n  _How King Lisuarte held a Cortes which lasted twelve\n  days, at which great feastings were made, and of the many\n  Chiefs and Knights who came there_                        29\n  CHAPTER 41.\n  _Of the battle which Amadis had promised the fair child\n  Briolania to perform against Abiseos and his two sons in\n  CHAPTER 42.\n  _How Don Galaor went with the Damsel in quest of the\n  Knight who had overthrown them, till he did battle with\n  CHAPTER 43.\n  _Showing how Don Florestan was the son of King Perion by\n  a fair Damsel, daughter to the Count of Salandia_         55\n  CHAPTER 44.\n  _How Don Galaor and Florestan, going towards the kingdom\n  of Sobradisa, met three Damsels at the Fountain of the Elm\n  _Here beginneth the Second Book of Amadis of Gaul; and\n  because the great things which will be related in the\n  Fourth Book concerning Amadis are all relating to the\n  Firm Island, it behoves that in this second it should\n  be related what this Island was, and who left those\n  enchantments and the great riches which were therein_     84\n  CHAPTER 2.\n  _How Amadis with his brethren and his cousin Agrayes\n  went towards King Lisuarte, and how by adventure they went\n  to the Enchanted Firm Island, and of what befel them\n  CHAPTER 3.\n  _How Durin went with the letter of Oriana to Amadis,\n  and how when Amadis had seen the letter he abandoned\n  every thing in despair, and went to hide himself in the\n  CHAPTER 4.\n  _How Gandalin and Durin followed the track of Amadis,\n  carrying his arms which he had left, and how they found\n  him, and how he did battle with a Knight and conquered\n  CHAPTER 5.\n  _Showing who the Knight was whom Amadis conquered, and\n  what had befallen him before he was conquered_           119\n  CHAPTER 6.\n  _How Don Galaor and Florestan and Agrayes went in quest\n  of Amadis, and how Amadis forsaking his arms and changing\n  his name betook himself to a solitary life with a good man\n  CHAPTER 7.\n  _How Durin returned to his Lady after having delivered\n  her bidding to Amadis, and of the grief she made for the\n  CHAPTER 8.\n  _How Guilan the Pensive took the shield and armour of\n  Amadis, which he found by the Fountain, and carried them\n  CHAPTER 9.\n  _Relating how, Beltenebros being upon a Poor Rock,\n  Corisanda came there in a ship in search of her lover\n  Florestan, and of what happened, and what she said\n  CHAPTER 10.\n  _How the Damsel of Denmark went in search of Amadis,\n  and by adventure after much toil came to the Poor Rock,\n  where Amadis was, who called himself Beltenebros_        166\n  CHAPTER 11.\n  _How Don Galaor and Florestan and Agrayes having gone\n  a long time in search of Amadis and found no trace of\n  him, came all disconsolate to the Court of King\n  CHAPTER 12.\n  _How, when King Lisuarte was at table, there came in a\n  strange Knight armed at all points, and defied the King\n  and all his Court, and of what passed between him and\n  Florestan, and how Oriana was comforted and Amadis\n  CHAPTER 13.\n  _How Beltenebros ordered arms to be made, and prepared\n  to see his Mistress Oriana, and of the adventures which\n  CHAPTER 14.\n  _How Beltenebros having finished these adventures went\n  to the Fountain of the Three Channels, where he concerted\n  his going to Miraflores, where his Lady Oriana sojourned.\n  And how a strange Knight brought certain jewels, which\n  were to try true lovers to the Court of the King, and how\n  Amadis agreed with his Lady Oriana that they twain should\n  CHAPTER 15.\n  _How Beltenebros and Oriana sent the Damsel of Denmark\n  to know what answer was given to their demand, and how\n  CHAPTER 16.\n  _How Beltenebros went to Miraflores and abode there with\n  his Lady Oriana after the conquest of the Sword and\n  Garland, and how he went from thence to the battle which\n  had been appointed with King Cildadan, and of what there\n  CHAPTER 17.\n  _How King Cildadan and Don Galaor were carried away to\n  be cured, and how they were placed, the one in a strong\n  tower surrounded by the sea, the other in a garden with\n  high walls and iron railings, where each thought he was\n  in prison, not knowing by whom he had been brought there,\n  CHAPTER 18.\n  _How the King beheld a strange sight of fires upon the\n  CHAPTER 19.\n  _How when King Lisuarte was talking with his Knights\n  how he would go against the Island of the Boiling Lake,\n  to deliver King Arban of North Wales and Angriote of\n  Estravaus, there came a Damsel of the race of the Giants\n  from the sea, and demanded before the Court that Amadis\n  should do battle with Ardan Canileo, and if he conquered\n  the prisoners should be released and the Island\n  surrendered to the King; but if Ardan Canileo won the\n  battle he desired nothing more than to carry the head of\n  CHAPTER 20.\n  _How the battle was performed between Don Bruneo of\n  Bonamar, and Madaman the envious, brother to the\n  Insolent Damsel, and of the confusion which was\n  occasioned by envy among the friends of Amadis, for\n  which Amadis forsook the Court of King Lisuarte_         310\n  CHAPTER 21.\n  _How Amadis took leave of King Lisuarte and with him\n  ten Knights, his friends and kinsmen, who were the best\n  and bravest of the Court, and went their way to the Firm\n  Island, where Briolania proved the adventures of the Arch\n  of True Lovers and of the Forbidden Chamber, and how they\n  determined to deliver Madasima and her Damsels from the\n  CHAPTER 22.\n  _How Oriana was greatly afflicted for the departure of\n  Amadis, and moreover to find herself great with child;\n  and how twelve Knights came from the Firm Island to\n  defend Madasima and the other Damsels, who were in danger\n  of death with them, though there was no just cause why\nTRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:\nThe following corrections have been made to the original text:\n    Page 2: how the party had separated[original has \"seperated\"]\n    Page 5: Arcalaus and the others[original has \"other\"] ran at him\n    Page 9: but dexterously[original has \"dextrously\"] moved aside\n    Page 53: She answered[original has \"ansswered\"], A curse upon\n    him\n    Page 65: I cannot forbear to pity.[period missing in original]\n    Page 69: and turned to Abiseos[original has \"Abiseous\"]\n    Page 94: in a higher niche[original has \"nich\"] than the other\n    Page 106: observing what secrecy[original has \"secresy\"] Amadis\n    had chosen\n    Page 124: Tell me, said[original has \"siad\"] he\n    Page 127: two lions azure in a field or.[period missing in\n    original]\n    Page 129: Say what you will, quoth Amadis[original has \"Amaids\"]\n    Page 139: he returned, and[original has \"aud\"] this morning\n    Page 159: there are strangers[original has \"stangers\"] here\n    Page 159: serving-men were carrying[original has \"carrrying\"]\n    the sick Lady\n    Page 170: having no power to[original has \"so\"] speak\n    Page 188: I feel strange thoughts in me rebelling.[original has\n    a comma]\n    Page 188: Queen Brisena, Oriana, Mabilia[original has\n    \"Mabililia\"], and Olinda\n    Page 207: who always[original has \"alway\"] took this waggon\n    with him\n    Page 211: then put on Basagante's[original has \"Basangante's\"]\n    helmet\n    Page 230: but drew back greatly abashed.[original has a comma]\n    Next was Briolania[original has \"Briloania\"]\n    Page 246: When Beltenebros[original has \"Beltrenebros\"] beheld\n    that he exclaimed\n    Page 247: galloped after him[original has \"him him\"] sword in\n    hand\n    Page 248: all rejoicing that[original has \"that that\"]\n    Beltenebros was Amadis\n    Page 301: Florestan carried[original has \"carcarried\"] his lance\n    Page 301: his helmet he looked at[original has \"look-at\" split\n    across a line break] his Lady\n    Page 330: Sir, of all your household[original has \"houshold\"]\n    Page 338: nothing more to apprehend to-night[original has \"to\n    night\"]\n    Page 352: had hidden him in Brocadan's[original has \"Brocadan\"]\n    house\n    Page 366: leave of the Queen and[original has \"nd\"] of Oriana\n    Page 377: CHAPTER 11.[original has \"CAAPTER 11\" without a\n    period]\nThere is an Errata page at the end of Vol. IV. listing the following\ncorrections:\nVOL. II.\n  115    18   \u2014for God's speak\u2014\u2014for God's _sake_ speak.\n  211    12   \u2014_the_ blood\u2014\u2014_this_ blood.\n  229     4   \u2014then blessed\u2014\u2014then _he_ blessed.\n  240     3   \u2014unless miraculously\u2014\u2014unless _God_ miraculously.\n  279    11   \u2014_knew_ that I _know_\u2014\u2014_know_ that I _knew_.\n  291    23   \u2014so dangerous, they esteem it\u2014\u2014so dangerous _did_ they esteem it.\n  339    12   love each truly\u2014\u2014love each _other_ truly.\nThe listed corrections have been made to this text.\nEnd of Project Gutenberg's Amad\u00eds of Gaul, Vol. II. of IV., by Vasco Lobeira\n*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMAD\u00cdS OF GAUL, VOL. II. 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{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1383, "culture": " English\n", "content": "Produced by Josep Cols Canals, Lisa Reigel, and the Online\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)\nTranscriber's Notes: Words in italics in the original are surrounded\nwith _underscores_. Variations in spelling and hyphenation remain as\nin the original. The Table of Contents is at the end of this volume. A\ncomplete list of corrections follows the text.\n            Printed by N. Biggs, Crane-court, Fleet-street,\n              FOR T. N. LONGMAN AND O. REES, PATERNOSTER\n_AMADIS of GAUL._\nBook the Third.\n_CHAPTER 1._\nSo soon as King Lisuarte knew that Angriote and his nephew were so\nfar healed of their wounds that they could ride, he sent to bid them\nquit his kingdom, and not enter it again at their peril. Of this those\nKnights complained loudly to Don Grumedan and their other friends,\nespecially Don Brian of Monjaste and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley,\nwho said that since the King had so forgotten their past services,\nthey would give him cause to remember the future. They then struck\ntheir tents and departed for the Firm Island. On the third day of their\njourney they found Gandeza in a chapel, the niece of Brocadan, she who\nhad concealed her lover Sarquiles where he overheard all the treason,\nand who had now fled for fear. Great joy had they in finding her, and\nabove all Sarquiles who loved her truly, and taking her with him he\ncontinued his way.\nGrumedan and his friends after they had ridden out with the Knights\nof the Firm Island on their departure, returned to Lisuarte, and told\nhim what had passed. He who was already much grieved for the victory\nof Angriote, not for any regret for the slain, whom he knew to be evil\nlike their parents, but because it was a triumph to Amadis, became now\nmore enraged. Forbearance, said he, is for the most part a profitable\nthing, but at times it is the cause of great mishap, and so hath it\nbeen with me. If I had withdrawn my favour from these Knights, they\nwould not have dared say that which they have said, nor have approached\nmy court, nor even entered my dominions. But they shall pay for their\nfolly! I will send and defy them, and Amadis with them, and see whether\ntheir pride can save them. King Arban of North-Wales who truly desired\nthe welfare of the King replied, Sir you should look well to this\nbefore you do as you have said, because of the great valour of these\nKnights and because God hath shown the justice of their cause, else\nwould not Angriote, good Knight as he is, have so acquitted himself\nagainst two such enemies, nor Sarquiles have so come off from Adamas.\nThe good cause which they maintained gave them the victory; therefore\nI should think it well that they returned to your service, for poor\nprofit is it for a King to war with his subjects when he can avoid it:\nthe blood that is shed, and the wealth that is expended on both sides,\nis the King's loss, and he gains no honour in victory. From such strife\ngreat evils often arise: the neighbouring Kings and Chiefs who had\nbeen before kept in awe, take courage and recover more than they had\nlost; and what is more to be feared, the vassals cease to respect their\nLord, who should rule them mildly, as a good shepherd controuls his\nflock; for if he oppresses them more than they can bear, it oftentimes\nchances, that where the first broke out the rest follow, and when the\nfault is at last discovered, it is difficult to amend it. Now Sir is\nthe time to amend what has been done amiss. Amadis is so gentle and so\nkindly disposed to you, that you may lightly recover him and all who\nfollow him. You say well, quoth Lisuarte, but I will not give them that\nwhich I have already given to my daughter Leonoreta, and great as his\npower may be, it is nothing to mine! so say no more, but prepare arms\nand horses to serve me, and let Cendil of Ganota go to-morrow and defy\nthose of the Firm Island. In God's name! they all replied; he will\nappoint what seemeth good to him, and we will serve you.\nYou must know that Gandandel and Brocadan when they saw their sons\nslain, and that they were undone in this world and in the next,\nreceiving that due reward which such as them escape in our days, (for\nGod reserves them either in his mercy that they may repent, or for his\njustice, that if they continue in sin they may pay for all without\nredemption,) they took their dead sons, and with their wives and\nhousehold embarked in two vessels with the curses of all who beheld\nthem, and went their way, and this history will not mention them\nmore; but we may reasonably believe that they who have grown old in\nwickedness will die in it, unless it pleases God, more for his mercy\nthan their deserts, to turn their hearts in time.\nKing Lisuarte then having assembled together all the great Lords of\nhis court, and the Knights of lower degree, complained to them of\nAmadis and his friends, and besought them to redress his wrongs, as\nhe did theirs. They all replied that they would serve him in what he\nshould command. He then called Cendil of Ganota, and bade him to horse\nand carry a letter of credence to the Firm Island, and defy Amadis\nfor me, and all those Knights with him who will support the cause of\nDon Galvanes. Tell them to beware of me, for wherever I find them I\nwill destroy their lives and fortune. Don Cendil took his bidding and\ndeparted.\nAfter some days the King went to one of his towns which because it was\nso abundantly furnished with all things pleasant was called Gracedonia.\nThis removal greatly pleased Oriana, for her time now drew nigh, and\nthis was near Miraflores, so that she thought herself safer there\nthan in any other place. Meantime the Knights who escorted Madasima\ncontinued their way, till when they were within two leagues of the\nFirm Island they met with two thousand and three hundred Knights who\nhad come out to meet them. Well were they then received, and Amadis\ncourteously welcomed Madasima, and embraced Angriote many times,\nfor Florestan had sent tidings of the battle. While they were thus\nrejoicing they saw Don Cendil of Ganota come riding down the mountain,\nbut he beholding so large a company and knowing that they had all\nforsaken the King's service, the tears came into his eyes, for he was a\nright loyal servant to Lisuarte. Howbeit he put on the best countenance\nhe could, being a fair Knight, and of great valour and discretion,\nand rode up to them and asked for Amadis, by whom and by the rest he\nwas honourably welcomed as he deserved to be. Sir, said he, let this\nletter be read. That being done, Amadis replied, it is your credential;\nnow speak your embassy. Sir Amadis, quoth he, my Lord the King hath\nsent me to defy you and those of your lineage, and those who are\nhere present, and those who mean to attempt the Isle of Mongaza, and\nhe warns you henceforward to defend your lands and possessions and\npersons, for he will destroy all if he can, and he says you may be\nexcused from seeking adventures in his country, for whomsoever of ye\nhe finds there he will slay. Quadragante answered, Don Cendil you have\nsaid your bidding and have therein done right; but for your master who\nthreatens our lives and lands, let these Knights reply to him as they\nthink good; for me\u2014tell him that King as he is, I regard my poor life\nas much as he can value his mighty one; that in birth I yield nothing\nto him, being of as royal blood on both sides as himself, and since\nI must defend myself from him, bid him defend himself from me. But\nAmadis wished that a milder answer should be returned, and he said,\nDon Quadragante, Sir, let this Knight take one answer for you and all.\nWe have heard the embassy, and we will take counsel how to reply; and\nyou, Don Cendil, may tell the King that he will find it difficult to\nperform what he threatens. Come with us to the Firm Island meantime,\nand try the Arch of True Lovers, for if you atchieve it you will find\nbetter favour from your mistress. Sir, quoth Don Cendil, I will go with\nyou if it please, but of my loves you shall know nothing. They then\nrode thither, but when Cendil beheld the Island, and its strength, and\nthe abundance of all things therein, he knew that not all the force in\nthe world could injure it. So Amadis took him to his home, and lodged\nhim honourably, for Don Cendil was of high lineage.\nThe next day the Knights assembled and resolved to defy King Lisuarte\nby a Knight called Sadamon, who came in the company of Dragonis and\nPalomir. These two brethren were sons of Grasugis, King of Low Germany,\nby Saduva, King Perion's sister. And they and all the other sons of\nCounts and Kings who were there, had brought forces there from their\nfather's land, and vessels wherein to pass over to the Island of\nMongaza. To this Sadamon they gave a letter of credence signed with\nall their names, and they said to him, tell King Lisuarte since he\ndefies and threatens us, to defend himself. With fair weather we shall\ngo against the island of Mongaza, and if he is the mighty Lord he\nsays, we shall soon prove his strength and our own. If he replies aught\nto this, answer him like a good Knight, and if God pleases we will\nmaintain it. Then Amadis spake with his foster-father Don Gandales and\nsaid, you must go from me to King Lisuarte, and without fear tell him I\ncare little for his defiance and less for his threats than he believes.\nTell him that if I had foreseen how thanklessly he would requite my\nservices, I would not have encountered such dangers for his sake; for\nthat power and dominion wherewith he now menaces me and my friends and\nkinsmen hath been supported and preserved by the blood of my body.\nI trust in God this will be all amended, more by my power than his\ninclination. But say to him that as I won for him the island of Mongaza\nhe shall not lose it by me; nor will I ever offend him in any place\nwhere the Queen shall be, for the honour which she deserves. Tell him\nthis, and that as he desires my enmity, he shall have it in such sort,\nthat all he now feels shall be forgotten. Don Gandales, said Agrayes,\nstrive to see the Queen, and kiss her hand for me, and tell her to send\nme my sister Mabilia, for seeing on what terms we are with the King,\nshe should not remain in his court. At this was Amadis sorely grieved,\nfor rather than see Mabilia separated from Oriana he would have had\nhis own heart taken from his breast; yet could he not gainsay, lest the\nsecret of his love should be discovered.\nThe Knights departed with Don Cendil of Ganota, ten days they rode and\nthen arrived at the court where King Lisuarte, knowing their errand,\nhonourably bade them welcome, and having read their letter bade them\nspeak. Sir Sadamon, Sir, quoth Gandales, will deliver you the bidding\nof the Knights. I come with words from Amadis to you, and from Agrayes\nto the Queen, if it please you that I may see her. It pleases me well,\nreplied Lisuarte, and much pleasure will she have in seeing you, for\nyou served her daughter Oriana well while she abode in your country,\nfor which I thank you. Many thanks, quoth Gandales, and God knows if\nI should delight to serve you, and if it troubles me to do otherwise.\nLisuarte answered, I believe you. But trouble not yourself for doing\nthat whereto you are bound, in the service of him whom you fostered;\nto act otherwise would be to your shame. Then Sadamon delivered the\ndefiance, and when he said that the Knights expected no peace till he\nrestored the island to Don Galvanes and Madasima, the King replied,\nthat peace will come late if they wait for it! May I never be held a\nKing if I do not break their pride! Sir, quoth Sadamon, thus far is my\nembassy, what else I may say is of myself. I tell you, Sir, that he\nmust be of great prowess and power who can break the pride of those\nKnights; and you will find it harder than you imagine.\nDon Gandales then delivered the bidding of Amadis, and when he related\nhow Amadis would not go against the island of Mongaza which he had won\nfor Lisuarte, nor yet war upon him in any place where the Queen should\nbe, all present spake of it as being honourably and right loyally done,\nand so the King held it. Then the King bade the Embassadors disarm\nthemselves and come to table, for it was time to take food. And he\nmade them sit at a table opposite his own, with his nephew Giontes,\nand Guilan the Pensive, and other good Knights who were placed there\nin honour of their prowess. The King grew chearful at his meal, and\nhe ordered all the Knights who were there to prepare for going to\nthe island of Mongaza, and said that if need were, he would himself\naccompany them. When the cloths were removed, Don Grumedan led Gandales\nto the Queen, who wished to see him, whereat Oriana and Mabilia\nrejoiced, because from him they should have tidings of Amadis. The\nQueen welcomed him right lovingly, and made him sit before her by\nOriana, and asked him if he knew the damsel beside him, for he had\nserved her well? Lady, quoth he, happy am I to have served her, and\nhappy should I be to serve her again, or you Lady, and so would I the\nKing, were it not against Amadis my Lord and my foster-child: he bade\nme kiss your hand for him as for one who is much grieved that he is\ndriven from your service. And I do the same for Agrayes, who beseeches\nyou to send him his sister Mabilia, for as he and Don Galvanes are no\nlonger in the King's favour, it is not meet that she should remain in\nhis house. When Oriana heard this she was greatly troubled, and the\ntears came, for she could not bear it; for she loved her in her heart,\nand now at this season knew not what to do if she should be taken away.\nMabilia exclaimed, ah how cruel will your father and mother be to me,\nif they separate me from you! Do not weep, cried Gandales, you shall be\ntaken to your aunt, Queen Elisena of Gaul, than whom, except her before\nwhom we stand, there is not a more honourable Lady; and there shall you\nsee your cousin Melicia, who greatly desires your coming. Don Gandales,\nquoth Brisena, I am troubled at what Agrayes demands, and will speak\nwith the King thereon; if he takes my counsel the Princess shall not\nbe dismissed, till she is married as beseems her rank. Let it be\ndetermined soon then, said Gandales, for I cannot tarry. The Queen then\nsent for Lisuarte, and Oriana knowing that her remedy was in his will,\nwent to him and fell on her knees and said, Sir, you know what honours\nI received in the house of the King of Scotland, and how when you sent\nfor me, they gave me their daughter Mabilia, and to my shame would it\nbe if I did not shew my gratitude to her. Moreover she is my comfort\nand help in my sickness and sufferings, and now Agrayes has sent for\nher! If you take her from me, you will do me the worst cruelty that\never was inflicted, and for no cause; for she is not yet repaid for\nthe honours I received from her father. Mabilia knelt before him and\nheld up her hands to beseech him that she might not be taken away, for\ngrief would kill her; and then she clung to Oriana. But Lisuarte, who\nwas of a kind heart and of great discretion, answered, think not you\nmy child Mabilia because there is discord between your house and mine,\nthat I should forget you, or cease to receive and honour any of your\nlineage who would chuse to serve me. I shall not leave to love one for\nthe sake of another, much less you! you shall not depart till you have\nbeen recompensed as you deserve. She would have kissed his hand, but\nhe raised her up, and made her and Oriana sit down, and sate himself\nbetween them. He would do ill who should part ye, Ladies! quoth Don\nGandales, and so shall I tell Agrayes, and be he pleased or not, all\nwill think that good which the King does, and ye yourselves desire. Now\nthen I must depart. God be with you, replied Lisuarte. Say to Amadis\nthat in what he says of the island of Mongaza I well understand him,\nit is for his own profit more than for my honour, and as I understand\nit, so do I thank him; henceforth each must do what he can. And then\nhe left the Queen's apartment. Don Gandales, said Brisena, do not you\nattend to the angry words of the King, nor of Amadis; but strive ever\nif you can to reconcile them, as I shall do. Salute Amadis for me, and\ntell him I thank him for what he said that he would not attack any\nplace where I might be, and beg him to grant my request when I shall\nmake one. So she commended him to God, and prayed that there might be\npeace between her husband and Amadis; and Gandales took his leave. Then\nthe Princesses called him, and Oriana said, Don Gandales, Sir, my true\nfriend, greatly am I grieved that I cannot recompence you for the\nservice which you have done me; but the times will not permit me now,\nnor have I wherewith to repay you, but if it please God I may one day\ndo what is my duty and desire. This enmity troubles me; they are of\nsuch hearts that much evil must follow unless it please God to remedy\nit. I trust he will. Salute Amadis for me, and tell him I beseech him\nto remember all that past here; and bear with the present, and give way\nfor the future to my father, who still values and loves him. Then said\nMabilia, commend me kindly to my Lord and Cousin Amadis, and to Agrayes\nmy Lord and Brother, and to the right good Don Galvanes, my Uncle;\nand tell them to have no concern for me, nor to trouble themselves to\nseparate me from my Lady Oriana, for this trouble would be lost, and I\nwould rather die than leave her; and give this letter to Amadis, tell\nhim he will find in it all I have to say, and I believe he will receive\ngreat consolation thereby. Gandales then saluted them and departed, and\ntook his way with Sadamon.\nAs they left the town they saw a great force which the King had\nprepared to go against the island of Mongaza, and had now drawn up in\ntheir sight, that they might terrify those of the Firm Island by the\nreport thereof. The Chiefs were the good Knight King Arban of North\nWales, and Gasquilan the Bold, son of Madarque, the fierce Giant of the\nDolorous Isle, by a sister of Lancino King of Sweden. This Gasquilan\nthe Bold was so strong and valiant in arms, that when King Lancino\ndied without an heir, all they of his kingdom held it good to chuse\nhim for their King. But when he heard of the war between King Lisuarte\nand Amadis, he left Sweden to be present in the battle, and to prove\nhimself in combat against Amadis, by command of a Lady whom he loved.\nThe which how it fell out shall be recorded hereafter. Gandales and\nSadamon nothing afraid at beholding so great a force, rode on till\nthey arrived at the Firm Island, and having disarmed went into a fair\ngarden, where Amadis and the Knights awaited them, and there delivered\nthey their bidding, and declared all that they had seen, and also of\nthe coming of King Gasquilan, because he desired to prove himself\nagainst Amadis and the other Knights. Gavarte of the Perilous Valley\nsaid then, he will find able masters here to cure his longing sickness,\nDon Florestan and Don Quadragante; and if they should be otherwhere\nemployed, I will offer to him my body, for pity would it be if he\nshould travel so far in vain. Don Gavarte, said Amadis, if I were\nlonging sick, I would rather forsake all physic and only hope in God,\nthan taste your emulsions and electuaries. Nay, Sir, quoth Brian, of\nMonjaste, you are not sick like he who comes to seek us, and we ought\nto remedy him, that he may report in his own land what leeches are\nto be found here for such ailments. At this they laughed awhile, and\nthen Amadis asked if there were any there who knew Gasquilan? Listoran\nof the White Tower, answered, I know him well; then told he of what\nrace he came, and how for his valour he was made King. I once, said\nhe, encountered him in a Turney at Valtierra, and we both fell at the\nfirst attaint, horse and man to earth, but the press was so hot that we\ncould not finish our combat. That day the part on which I was, was put\nto the worst, because the Knights did not do their duty, and because\nof the great strength of Gasquilan, who was our mortal enemy, so that\nthe praise was his, and he never fell that day, save only when we\nencountered. Certes, quoth Amadis, you speak of a great man, who comes\nlike a valiant Knight to make his worth known. That is true, answered\nDon Quadragante, but being free to chuse his side, he ought to have\ntaken ours, for we are the fewest. He has chosen right, said Galvanes,\nfor if he has joined the many, they are the weakest, and he could not\nhave proved his prowess unless the worthiest were against him.\nWhile they thus communed, the Sailors came, and bade them arm and\naboard, for the wind was fair. They then joyfully left the garden,\nand such was the press and clamour of people and of the instruments\nof the fleet, that scarce could they hear each other. Soon were they\narmed, and their horses embarked in the brigantines, and all things\nneedful put aboard, and they themselves joyfully embarked. Amadis and\nDon Bruneo of Bonamar went in a boat among the fleet, and in one vessel\nthey found Don Florestan and Brian of Monjaste, and Don Quadragante\nand Angriote of Estravaus, and they went aboard to them, and Amadis\nembraced them, as if it would be long before he should see them again,\nand the tears came into his eyes for the exceeding love he bare them,\nand for the solitude he should feel when they were gone. Good Sirs,\nquoth he, I rejoice to see you thus in company. Quadragante answered,\nSir, we have determined to continue thus by sea and by land, unless\nFortune should separate us; and they then shewed him their banner,\nwhich was marvellously fair, in which twelve damsels were figured\nhaving white flowers in their hands. Amadis then exhorted them to be\ncautious; and taking leave, he went through the fleet from ship to ship\nwith Bruneo and his foster-father Gandales, till the fleet put to sea,\nand then he and his comrades returned.\nThe ships sailed on, following the vessel wherein Galvanes and\nMadasima led the way, with clarions and trumpets. The wind was fair,\nand in seven days they came before day-light to the Castle of the\nBoiling-Lake, which was near the Port. Forthwith they armed themselves,\nand prepared the boats to land, and bridges and planks and mats of\nreed to land the horses. All this did they as secretly as they could,\nbecause Count Latine and Galdar de Rascuil were in the town with three\nhundred Knights. The watchman saw them, and cried out that they were\nthere, but he knew not how many, for it was yet dark. The Count and\nGaldar went up to the Castle, and they heard the noise and stir, and it\nseemed as of a great company, and when it was dawn many ships appeared,\nand Galdar exclaimed, surely this is Don Galvanes and his friends who\nare come against us; God never save me if they land so lightly as they\nthink! He then armed his people, and went out to the haven by the town\nwith one part of the force, and Count Latine went with the others to\nthe Castle port, where Galvanes and Agrayes were and their company.\nGavarte of the Perilous Valley went in the front, and Orlandin, and\nOsinan of Burgundy, and Madansil of the Silver Bridge. And at the other\nport Galdar found Florestan and Quadragante and Brian of Monjaste and\nAngriote and their companions. Then began a cruel and perilous battle,\nwith lances and arrows and stones; so that many were wounded and slain,\nand they of the land defended the ports till the hour of tierce. But\nin the bark with Don Florestan there was Enil, the good Knight of whom\nyou have heard heretofore, and his cousin Amorantes of Salvatierra,\nand Coman and Nicoran, were with Don Brian, and with Quadragante,\nLandin, and Orlan the Brave, and with Angriote his brother Gradovoy and\nSarquiles his nephew. Florestan cried out, lower the bridge, that we\nmay ride out among them! Angriote answered, why would you venture so\nrashly? if the bridge were down, the water is so deep that the horses\ncould not reach land without swimming. Quadragante said the same, but\nBrian was of Florestan's opinion, and the bridge was lowered, and they\nboth rode out, and reaching the end of the bridge, they made their\nhorses leap into the water; it was up to the pummel of the saddle; and\nthere the enemies attacked them, laying on heavy and mortal blows.\nQuadragante and Angriote came out to them, and so did their comrades;\nbut the shore was so steep, and they who defended it so many, that they\nknew not how to help themselves, and the clamour was so great, and\nthe shout and cries so loud as if the whole world were in an uproar.\nDragonis and Palomir were up to their necks in water, catching at the\nplanks of the galleys, and their horses struggling under them; but\nthey prest on till it was only to their middle, and altho' they of the\nIsland were many and well armed and fought bravely, yet could they not\nprevent Florestan and his comrades from landing, and presently Dragonis\nand Palomir and the other Knights also. When Galdar saw that the ground\nwas lost, he made his people retreat as well as they could, for he was\nsore wounded by Florestan and by Don Brian, who had unhorsed him, and\nso bruised was he that he scarce could sit on the horse whereon his\nfriends had placed him. As he retired toward the town, he saw Count\nLatine and his troops come flying with all speed, for Don Galvanes\nand Agrayes had won the landing, having played their part like men who\nfought in their own cause.\nNow you should know that the Count had imprisoned Dandasido, son of\nthe old Giant, and twenty other men of the town whom he suspected to\nbe against him, and they were in a prison in the highest part of the\nCastle-tower, and men to guard them. But their keepers when the Knights\nwere engaged went out to see the battle. When Dandasido observed that\nthey were thus left, he said to his comrades, help me, and we will\nescape. How can that be? said they.\u2014Break the bolt of this chain\nwhich fetters us all. They then took a strong rush rope, with which\ntheir hands and feet were tied every night, and put it through the\nbolt, and with the great strength of Dandasido and his companions\nthey plucked the bolt out, and loosed themselves, and caught up their\nkeepers weapons, and went upon the tower and slew them who expected\nno such danger, and then they shouted out to arms\u2014to arms\u2014for our\nLady Madasima! When the townsmen heard them they rose, and seized the\nstrong towers, and slew all they could lay hand on. Count Latine\nseeing this, took shelter in a house by the gate, and Galdar of Rascuil\nwith him, not daring to venture farther, and expecting death; and\nthey of the town taking courage, ran through the streets and called\nto the assailants, and bade them bring their Lady Madasima, that they\nmight give her possession of the place. Quadragante and Angriote rode\nup to the gate to learn the truth, and having spoken with Dandasido,\nthey took the tidings to Don Galvanes; presently they all took horse,\nand brought out Madasima on a white palfrey, she having her fair face\nuncovered, and wearing a chaplet of gold. As she approached the town\nthe gates were thrown open, and a hundred of the most honourable men\ncame out to meet her, and kissed her hand; and she said to them, kiss\nye the hand of my Lord and Husband, Don Galvanes, who next to God hath\ndelivered me from death, and hath now recovered for me my natural\nsubjects. If ye love me, take him for your Lord! Then they knelt before\nDon Galvanes, and kissed his hand right humbly, and he courteously\nreceived them and thanked them for their loyalty and love to their good\nLady Madasima. Dandasido met them at the town, and much was he honoured\nfor what he had done. This done Ymosil of Burgundy said, now then\nlet us rid the town of our enemies. Agrayes, whose wrath was kindled,\nanswered, I have sent to scour the streets; the way to rid the town of\nthem, is not to leave one of them alive. Sir, quoth Florestan, give\nnot way to anger, which would make you commit that which you would\nafterwards rather die than have done. You say well, said Quadragante,\nlet them be put in prison; it is better to have the conquered prisoners\nthan dead, considering the turns of fortune. Then Angriote and Gavarte\nwent to take charge of them, and coming to the gate they found Count\nLatine and Galdar and their people in sad plight, so that they were\nglad to yield themselves to the gentle mercy of Don Galvanes. Thus was\nMadasima put in possession of the Town and Castle to the great joy of\nher people.\nBut on the following day came tidings that King Arban, of North Wales,\nand King Gasquilan had landed with three thousand Knights, and sent\nback their fleet to bring them supplies. Then were they somewhat\ncast down, knowing the number of their enemies, and seeing how they\nthemselves had been handled. However they remembered the advice of\nAmadis, and although some among them would have issued out to battle,\nthey determined to remain till their wounds were healed, and their\nhorses and arms made fit for service.\n_CHAPTER 2._\nTill the fleet was gone from the Firm Island the turmoil had been so\ngreat that Amadis had had no time to enquire from Galvanes the news\nfrom King Lisuarte's court; but now he took him into the garden to\nlearn, and Galvanes told him all that had past, and gave him Mabilia's\nletter, whereby he learnt that his lineage was about to be increased.\nAt this had Amadis great joy, yet for the loneliness he felt for his\nLady, he retired alone and wept like a man beside himself. When this\npassion was somewhat abated, he bade Gandalin carry his arms aboard\na vessel, for he and Don Bruneo would depart the next day for Gaul.\nOn the morrow they put to sea, the wind was sometimes fair, at other\ntimes foul, and after five days they found themselves abreast of a\nfair island and well wooded. Let us stop here a day or two, quoth Don\nBruneo, it seemeth a good land, and we may perchance find adventures\nhere. They then bade the master put to shore, for they would land. God\nforbid that you should! said he. Why so? quoth Amadis.\u2014That you may\nescape death or cruel imprisonment. For know that this is the Dolorous\nIsle, whereof the great giant Madarque is Lord, the cruellest and\nfiercest in the world. I tell you no Knight or Damsel hath entered\nhere for fifteen years, but hath been killed or taken. When they heard\nthis they wondered greatly, and with no little fear to undertake such\nan adventure; yet as their hearts were such, and as their true office\nwas to cleanse the world of such customs, not heeding danger they bade\nthe Master make to land, which with difficulty and almost force they\nmade him do. Then took they their arms and horses, and with their two\nSquires Gandalin and Lasindo, whom they told if they were set upon by\nany other than Knights to bestir themselves to aid them, they rode into\nthe Island. So they went up the mountain, and being at the top saw near\nthem a Castle goodly and strong, toward which they went to hear news of\nthe Giant. Coming near they heard a horn sound from the Tower so loud\nthat it made the valleys ring. The Master of the Ship had told them\nthat that horn sounded to call the Giant when his people had attacked\nany Knights whom they could not subdue, and that then he came forth in\nsuch fury that he slew all whom he met, even sometimes his own people.\nLet us go forward then! said Amadis. Far had they not gone when they\nheard a great uproar and the clash of lances and the clang of swords\nfalling heavy and fast. Presently they saw a great crowd pressing\nupon two Knights and two Squires, having slain their horses and now\nlabouring to kill them, but they four defended themselves marvellously\nwell. Anon Amadis saw the dwarf Ardian come running toward him, and\nhe knowing his master's shield, cried out, O! Sir Amadis! help your\nbrother Galaor, whom they are slaying and his friend King Cildadan. At\nthat they spurred their horses full speed to their rescue.\nAs they were thus gallopping they saw the Giant Madarque come up. He\nwas on a huge horse; his mail was thick, and he was covered with plates\nof iron, and instead of a helmet he wore an armet of bright steel, and\nin his hand he held a spear so heavy that any other Knight could not\nwithout difficulty lift it, and a great shield; and he came on crying,\ngive room, give room, ye worthless wretches, who cannot kill two tired\nand worthless Knights! leave them to me that my spear may enjoy\ntheir blood. O how God takes vengeance upon the unjust! and how is he\ndissatisfied with those who follow pride! remember Reader that Nimrod\nwho built the Tower of Babel, and many others, whom I will not now\nmention that I may not run into prolixity, so was it with Madarque in\nthis battle. Amadis who heard him feared greatly seeing how monstrous\nhe was, and commending himself to God, he said, now Oriana Lady mine,\nit is time to be succoured by you! he then besought Don Bruneo to\nengage the other Knights, for he would attack the Giant, and fitted\nhis lance under his arm and ran at him in full career, and smote him\nso rudely on the breast that he made him fall back upon the crupper.\nThe Giant held the reins short, and being thus driven back he plucked\nthem with him so strongly that the horse reared and fell back upon his\nmaster; so that Madarque broke his leg, and the horses shoulder was put\nout, and neither of them could rise. Amadis, who saw him thus, drew\nhis sword and cried out aloud at them, brother Galaor! for I am Amadis\nwho help you. And he rode among them marvelling to see the feats of\nBruneo, who at one stroke had pierced a nephew of the Giant through\nthe throat, and was laying about him with his sword. Then Amadis\ncleaved down another Knight to the teeth, and Galaor mounted upon his\nhorse, yet would he not move on from King Cildadan who was on foot by\nhim; but Gandalin came up and gave his horse to the King, and fought\nhimself with the Squires; then when the four Knights were all mounted\nyou might have seen wonderful deeds of arms, how they smote down and\nslew all before them; and the Squires also did their parts manfully.\nSo that all who were able to fly soon fled before them to the Castle,\nand they followed them close to the Castle-gate. Now the gate was shut,\nand might not be opened till the Giant himself came, for so he had\ncommanded; when therefore his people saw that they could not enter and\nhad no remedy, they who were on horseback alighted, and they threw away\ntheir swords, and fell upon their knees before Amadis, who was foremost\nin pursuit, and caught hold of the lappets of his armour to escape from\nhis companions. Amadis protected them from King Cildadan and Galaor,\nwho were so enraged at the wrong they had received that they would not\nelse have left a man alive; and he took assurance from them to obey\nhis commands. Then went they towards the Giant, who lay unable to help\nhimself, in such plight that he was well nigh expiring, for the horse\nlay upon his broken leg. King Cildadan alighted, and bade his Squires\nhelp him, and they together turned the horse over, so that the Giant\ncould breathe, for King Cildadan, though by his means both himself\nand Galaor had been brought to the point of death, had no design to\nslay him, not for his own sake, for he was evil and proud, but for the\nlove of his son, King Gasquilan, who was a right good Knight, and he\ntherefore besought Amadis to spare him. Madarque, then quoth Amadis,\nyou see in what plight you are, if you will take my counsel you shall\nlive, if not Death is with thee. Good Knight, replied the Giant, since\nyou place life or death in my choice, I will do your pleasure and live,\nand this I swear. What I will then, answered Amadis, is that thou\nshouldst become a Christian, with all thy people, and build churches\nand monasteries in thy dominions, and release all thy prisoners, and\nnever more keep this evil custom. The Giant answered being in the fear\nof death, all this will I do, for I well know that according to my\nforce and people compared with yours I could not have been vanquished\nexcept for my sins, and that too by one blow. Now if it please you\nlet me be carried to my Castle, and come ye there also and regale\nyourselves, and there I will obey you. Then Amadis called those whom\nhe had spared and they took up the Giant, and all went to the Castle.\nWhen they had disarmed, Amadis and Galaor embraced each other many\ntimes, weeping for pure joy, and thus happy were those four Knights\ntill the Giant sent to inform them that their food was ready; but\nAmadis replied that he would not eat till the prisoners were all\nbrought before him. That shall presently be done, said the Giant's\npeople, for he has already sent to release them. Presently they came,\none hundred and thirty Knights and forty dames and damsels, and they\nall came humbly to kiss the hand of Amadis and ask what he would\ncommand them to do. What will most please me, replied Amadis, is that\nye go to Queen Brisena, and tell her that her Knight of the Firm\nIsland hath sent ye, and that he hath found here his brother Galaor,\nand kiss her hand for me. Then were they served with food, and Amadis\nordered that ships should be provided for the prisoners, and so they\nset sail to perform his bidding. After they had made their meal Amadis\nand his companions went into the Giant's chamber to see him, and they\nfound that his sister Andandona was looking to his wound. This was\nthe fiercest and worst Giantess in the world; she was fifteen years\nolder then her brother, and had holpen to bring him up, and her hair\nwas white and so woolly that it could not be combed, and her face so\ndeformed beyond all course of nature, that she looked like nothing but\na Devil. Of stature was she huge, and fleet of foot, nor was there\nhorse so wild nor any other savage beast that she could not tame and\nbreak in. She shot with the bow, and threw darts certainly and strong,\nso that for the most part she was hunting in the mountain, and her\nclothing was of the skins of bears and lions and wild boars whom she\nhad slain. Great enemy was she to the Christians, and always had done\nthem all the evil in her power, and much worse was she hereafter and\nmade her brother be the same, till in the battle which King Lisuarte\nhad with King Aravigo and the six Kings, King Perion slew him as shall\nbe related.\nAfter the Knights had remained awhile with Madarque, and he had again\npromised them to turn Christian, they left him, and on the following\nmorning embarked for Gaul. They had to pass an arm of the sea which had\nthick woods on either side, and in these woods that devilish Giantess\nAndandona lay in wait for them, and when she saw them on the water,\nshe came close to the shore upon a rock above them, and took the\nsharpest of all her darts and threw it at them with all her force, it\nstruck Don Bruneo and went through his leg into the side of the galley,\nand there brake, but with the force of her aim she overswayed herself\nand fell into the water, with such a sound as if a tower had fallen.\nThey seeing how monstrous she was, and that she was clothed with the\nblack skins of bears, verily believed she was some Devil and began to\ncross themselves and commend themselves to God; but presently they saw\nher swim stiffly towards the shore, and then they shot arrows at her,\nbut she dived till she reached the land, then just as she landed Amadis\nand Cildadan wounded her with their arrows in the shoulder; but she\nquickly ran into the wood, and King Cildadan who saw her flying thus\nwith the shafts in her shoulder, could not forbear laughing. Then they\nwent to help Don Bruneo, and staunched the blood and laid him in his\nbed. Presently the Giantess appeared again upon an eminence, and cried\nout aloud, If you think I am a Devil you are wrong! but I am Andandona,\nwho will do you all the mischief I can, and will not forbear for what\npain or trouble it may cost me; and then she ran along the rocks so\nfleetly that nothing could have overtaken her, so that they were much\namazed thereat, for they thought surely that she would have died of her\nwounds. Then they learnt all concerning her from two of the prisoners\nwhom Gandalin had taken on board the galley because they were natives\nof Gaul; and if Don Bruneo had not intreated them to carry him as\nquickly as possible where he might have help for his wound, they would\nhave returned and hunted the whole island to catch that bedevilled\nGiantess, and have her burnt.\nSo they went on and entered the open sea, talking of many things, and\nAmadis told them all that had passed with King Lisuarte. Full sorrowful\nthereat was Don Galaor, and great grief did he feel in his heart, for\nhe well understood what evils might ensue, and he was placed in great\ntrouble; for though his brother Amadis whom he so dearly loved was\non the other side, yet could not that so influence his heart as to\nmake him refuse to serve King Lisuarte, with whom he had lived as you\nhave heard heretofore. And then he remembered how Amadis had left him\nat the Firm Island, and calling him aside he said, Sir Brother, what\nthing so great or grievous could have happened to you that the love\nand tie between us was not greater; but you concealed it from me as\nfrom a stranger? Good brother, replied Amadis, since it was powerful\nenough to break that tie, you may well ween it was worse than death\nitself. I beseech you ask me no farther now. Galaor then put on a\nbetter semblance, for he had before been somewhat angry, and seeing\nthat his brother would still be secret, said no more. Four days they\ncontinued their voyage, and then took haven at a town in Gaul called\nMostrol, where King Perion and his Queen then sojourned, because it was\nopposite to Britain, and they could better learn tidings of their sons.\nThey when they saw the galley sent to know who was come. Amadis bade\nthe messenger reply that it was King Cildadan and Don Bruneo, but of\nhimself or his brother to say nothing. Right joyful was King Perion at\nthese tidings, for Amadis had sent him word how King Cildadan had been\nwith Galaor in the house of Urganda, and now he thought he should hear\nof his son. He ordered all his company to take horse, and rode out with\nthem to meet the new comers, for Don Bruneo had sometimes been at his\ncourt, and he loved him much, and knew that he was much with his sons.\nAmadis and Galaor clad themselves richly and rode to the Queen's\npalace, and bade the Porter tell her that two Knights of her lineage\nwished to speak with her. She bade them enter, and seeing Amadis, she\nknew Galaor by the likeness, albeit she had never seen him before since\nthe Giant took him away being but a child, and she cried out in one\nbreath, Ah Virgin Mary Lady, what is this! I see my sons before me! And\nshe fell upon the estrado like one bereft of sense. They knelt down and\nkissed her hand, and she rose and descended from the estrado and took\nthem in her arms, and kissed them many times, before any of them could\nspeak, till their sister Melicia entered, and the Queen drew back that\nthey might greet her, and much were they astonished at her exceeding\nbeauty. Who can tell the joy of that noble Queen to see before her her\ntwo sons, how fair Knights they were, and considering the griefs and\nfears wherewith her heart was always troubled, knowing the dangers\nwhich Amadis encountered, and expecting life or death herself as the\nissue might be, and having lost Galaor as you have heard, and now\nbeholding them both restored with such honour and renown; certes none\ncan tell what joy she felt except she herself or one who has been in\nlike case. Then said Amadis, we have brought Don Bruneo de Bonamar\nhere, who is badly wounded; let him be honourably entreated as one\nof the best Knights in the world. That shall he be, my son, replied\nElisena, because you love him and because he has served us well, and\nwhen I cannot attend him, your sister Melicia shall. Lady Sister, quoth\nGalaor, you ought as a damsel to honour him greatly, as one who serves\nand honours all damsels better than any other; happy may she think\nherself whom he loves! for without let he passed under the enchanted\nArch of True Lovers, a certain testimony that he had never been false.\nWhen Melicia heard this her heart leaped, for she well knew that that\nadventure had been atchieved for her sake; and she answered like a\ndiscreet damsel as she was, Sir I shall do my best because you command\nme, and because they tell me he is a good Knight, and one who loves you\nmuch.\nWhile they were thus in talk the Kings Perion and Cildadan came up, and\nwhen Amadis and Galaor saw their father they knelt down and each took\nhim by the hand and kissed it, and he kissed them, and the tears of joy\nran down. King Cildadan bade them remember Don Bruneo, and he having\nspoken to the Queen and her daughter, they all went towards Don Bruneo,\nwho was carried in Knights arms from the galley, and they laid him in a\nrich bed, in a chamber of the Queen's apartments, the windows whereof\nopened into a garden of roses and other flowers. There the Queen and\nher daughter went to visit him, and she shewed great pity for his\nwound, and said to him, Don Bruneo, I will see you the most I can, and\nwhen any thing prevents me, your friend Melicia shall be with you and\nshe shall cure your wound. Elisena then departed, leaving her daughter\nand her damsels. Melicia sate herself opposite his bed, where he could\nsee her fair countenance, and so happy was Don Bruneo that while he\ncould be so attended he did not wish to be healed. She looked at his\nwound and saw that it was a great one, but being open on both sides she\nhoped to heal it speedily; and she said Don Bruneo, methinks I can cure\nthe wound, but you must altogether obey me, else you may bring on great\ndanger. Lady, replied he, God forbid that I should ever otherwise than\nobey you, for sure am I that in that case none could help me. These\nwords she understood as he had meant them, better than the damsels who\nwere present. She then applied an ointment to his leg which allayed\nthe swelling and pain, and gave him food with her own fair hands, and\nsaid to him, compose yourself now, and when it is time I will visit\nyou again. As she left the chamber she met his Squire Lasindo; now he\nknew the secret of his master's love. Lasindo, said she, you are well\nknown here, and do you ask for whatever your master may need. Lady,\nhe replied, God send the time when this kindness may be rewarded! and\ndrawing nearer he said to her in a low voice, She Lady who wishes to\ncure the wounded should take heed to the worst wound; for God's sake\nLady have pity on him, who so needs it, not for the pain which his\nwound gives him, but for what he endures for you. When Melicia heard\nthis she replied, friend I shall remedy the wound which I see, if I\ncan; of the other I know nothing. You know, Lady, replied Lasindo,\nthat the passion he endures for you enabled him to see the statues of\nApolidon and Grimanesa. Ailings like these, Lasindo, she answered, are\noften cured by only Time, so it may be with your Master, and it is\nneedless to ask remedy for him from one who cannot bestow it. With that\nshe left him and went to her Mother. And though Lasindo repeated this\nanswer to Don Bruneo, yet did it nothing trouble him, for he believed\nshe felt otherwise than that, and he often blessed the Giantess\nAndandona for wounding him, because thereby he enjoyed that pleasure,\nwithout which all the world to him was only trouble and solitude.\nThus as you hear King Cildadan and Galaor and Amadis were in Gaul with\nKing Perion, to the great joy of all, and Don Bruneo in the care of her\nwhom he loved so well. One day Galaor led them aside and said, Sirs,\nI believe that though I were to labour much I could not find other\nthree who would love me so well, and therefore I beseech ye advise me\nconcerning that which ought to be prized next to my soul. You Sir my\nbrother Amadis placed me with King Lisuarte, and commanded me to be\nhis with great affection; and now seeing how you are at enmity with\nthe King, and that I am not discharged from his service, certainly I\nam greatly perplexed; for if I should help you, my honour would be\ntainted, and if I should aid him, it is the pain of death to me to do\naught against you. I beseech you give me counsel upon this, which is\nyour cause also, and consider more my honour than your own inclination.\nKing Perion answered, Son you cannot do wrong in following your brother\nagainst a King so thankless and unreasonable, for when you remained\nwith him, it was to do the will of Amadis; and now with just cause may\nyou leave him, seeing that like an enemy he labours to destroy your\nkindred who have served him so well. Sir, replied Don Galaor, I trust\nin God and in your favour whereto I commit my honour, that it never\nshall be said I left the service of that King now when he needs my\nservice so much, not having taken leave of him before. Good brother,\nthen said Amadis, though we are bound to follow the better judgment of\nthe King our father, yet will I now venture by his favour to say, that\nat a time like this you ought not to forsake the King, unless it were\nso that no one could be injured thereby. As for this between him and\nme, there can be no Knights on his side so powerful, powerful as they\nmay be, that the high Lord will not be stronger, who knows the services\nwhich I have wrought for him, and the evil guerdon, which nothing\nmeriting such, I have from him received. It was determined then that\nGalaor should go to King Lisuarte. King Cildadan then said to the two\nbrethren, ye know friends the issue of that great battle, which by you\nwas won, and wherein ye took from me that great glory which I and my\npeople should have gained; and ye know the terms of the battle, that\nthe conquered should serve the conqueror, and this must I fulfill for\nmy honour's sake, though it grieves me to the heart. To-day there came\na summons to me from King Lisuarte to serve him with my full number\nof Knights. I must therefore go with Don Galaor. So the next day\nthey took leave and entered into a vessel, and having landed in Great\nBritain, took their road towards the King.\nGreatly incensed was Lisuarte at what had happened in the island of\nMongaza, and the slaughter of his people. And he resolved without\nwaiting for all the forces which he had summoned to go against it. But\nthree days before he was to embark he told the Queen to take Oriana and\nthe Ladies of the court to sport with him in the forest. So tents were\npitched there, and they enjoyed the chace, but the King's thoughts were\nmore upon the loss of the Firm Island than upon his sport.\n_CHAPTER 3._\nKing Cildadan and Don Galaor hearing that the King prepared to embark\nmade all speed to join him. It chanced that having slept in a forest,\nthey heard a bell ring for mass at day-break, and going to the\nHermitage they saw twelve rich shields ranged around the altar, bearing\ncastles or in a field azure, and in the midst of them was a white\nshield rimmed with gold. Having made their orisons they asked certain\nSquires who were there to whom those shields belonged. They answered\nthat they could by no means tell them, but if they went to the Court of\nKing Lisuarte they would soon know. Presently the Knights who owned the\nshields came in, leading some Damsels, and behind them the new Knight\ntalking with a Dame who was not young. He was of good stature and fair,\nand so strongly made that hardly might another such be seen, so that\nKing Cildadan and Galaor marvelled much to see him, and weened that\nhe came from a far land, because till then they had never beheld him.\nWhen mass was over, the Lady asked them if they were of King Lisuarte's\nhousehold.\u2014Why ask you?\u2014Because if it please you we should desire\nyour company, for the King is in the forest hard by with the Queen\nand a great company hunting and regaling in their tents.\u2014And what is\nyour pleasure with us?\u2014That for courtesy you would request the King\nand the Queen and their daughter Oriana to come hither and make this\nSquire a Knight, for he is such that he merits all the honour that may\nbe done him.\u2014Right willingly Lady will we do this, and we trust the\nKing also will do as you say, according to his wonted courtesy. Then\nthey rode all together to a little hill by the way side to wait for\nthe King, and it was not long before they saw him and the Queen and\ntheir company approaching. The King rode foremost, and beholding the\nDamsels and two armed Knights, he thought they wished to joust, and he\nbade Don Grumedan, who guarded him with thirty Knights, to go and tell\nthem not to trouble themselves to joust, but come to him. Don Grumedan\nrode foremost and the King stopt. When Cildadan and Galaor saw that he\nstopt, they and the Damsels came down the hill and went towards him,\nand when Galaor was near enough to know the old Knight, he exclaimed to\nKing Cildadan, here Sir is one of the good men of the earth.\u2014Who is\nhe?\u2014Don Grumedan who bore the King's banner in the battle against you.\nIn truth then, quoth Cildadan, I can say he is such, for I plucked the\nbanner from him, and could never force it from his hands till the staff\nbroke, and then saw I him do such feats of arms as showed his great\ndispleasure that it had been taken. They then took off their helmets,\nand Grumedan knowing Galaor as he approached exclaimed, Ah my friend\nDon Galaor, you are as welcome as the angels from heaven! and he rode\nup to him as fast as he could. Don Grumedan, quoth Galaor, this is King\nCildadan. The old Knight then kissed the King's hand, who welcomed him\nvery courteously, and then turned to Galaor and they embraced, like\nthose who loved each other at heart. Then rode he back to Lisuarte.\nGood news Sir and joyful! here comes your vassal and friend Don Galaor,\nwho never failed you in time of need, and the other is King Cildadan. I\nam right glad of his coming, replied the King. I well thought that if\nhe were whole and at his own free will, he would not fail to come to\nme, as I would have gone to him if it were to his honour. By this the\nKnights came up, and he received them full graciously. Don Galaor would\nhave kissed his hands, but the King would not permit that, embracing\nhim so as to show how in his heart he loved him. They then told him of\nthe Lady and the boon she begged. The King mused awhile, for he was\naccustomed to knight those only of great worth; and he asked whose son\nhe was. That, replied the Dame, you shall not know yet, but I swear to\nyou that on both sides he is of good and royal parentage. What shall I\ndo, Don Galaor? said the King.\u2014Methinks, Sir, you should consent; for\nthe Child is of rare stature and comeliness, and cannot fail to be a\ngood Knight. Let it be so then! Lisuarte answered. And he bade Grumedan\ntake Don Galaor and King Cildadan to the Queen, and then all follow him\nto the Hermitage. How they were welcomed by the Queen and Oriana it is\nnot necessary to relate, never were others better or more lovingly. So\nthey all followed to the Hermitage, and when they saw those shields,\nand the white one which was so rich among them, they marvelled thereat,\nbut still more at the goodly person of the Child, and they could not\nthink who he was, having never heard of him before. He humbly kissed\nthe hands of the King, and would have kissed the Queen's and Oriana's\nalso, but that they would not permit because of his high birth. The\nKing then knighted him, and said, take the sword from whom it shall\nplease you best. If it please you, he replied, I will take it from\nthe hands of Oriana, for so will that be accomplished which my heart\ndesired. Dear daughter, then said Lisuarte, give if it please you the\nsword to this Knight, who will rather receive it from you than from\nany other hand. Oriana with great shamefastness, as one who thought\nit strange, then took the sword and gave it him, and thus was his\nknighting fully performed.\nThe Dame then said, Sir, I and my three Damsels must be gone, though I\nwould willingly remain with you awhile, but so it is ordered. Norandel\nwhom you have armed Knight and these twelve Knights with him may if\nit like you abide in your service. Well pleased was the King thereat,\ngreatly admiring the young man. The Dame then took her leave, and as\nshe departed slipped a letter into Lisuarte's hand, saying, read this\nin private, and then do as you think best. She then went towards the\nship. He wondering what this might be, bade the Queen go with King\nCildadan and Galaor to the tents, and feast them if he should tarry in\nthe chace. Brisena obeyed, and as soon as he was alone he opened the\nletter.\nLisuarte, most high King of Great Britain, I the Princess Celinda,\ndaughter of King Hegido, kiss your hand. You will well remember Sir\nhow you being only an Errant Knight found me besieged in my Castle of\nthe Great Rosier by Antifon the fierce, because I would not accept him\nin marriage; and how you undertook my cause in single combat and slew\nhim; and how under the rosier I yielded you my love. Then was this\nChild begotten, so fair a one, that it seemeth that sin hath produced\ngood fruit, and will therefore be by the most high Lord forgiven. I\nsend with him this ring which you gave me, as that which witnessed all.\nHonour him and love him my good Lord, and make him Knight like one\nwho on both sides is sprung from Kings, and deriving from you daring\ncourage, and from me that ardent love which I have borne towards you,\nreasonably may we hope that Knighthood will be well bestowed upon him.\nFull well did Lisuarte remember this, and the ring confirmed that\nNorandel was his son. Howbeit, though the young Knight promised so\nfairly by his fair appearance, he resolved to conceal the truth till he\nshould have given proof of his valour. He then went to the chace, and,\nreturning with plenty of game, went to the tent where King Cildadan and\nGalaor lodged, being attended by all the best Knights of his court,\nall richly clad, and before all he praised them for their great feats\nof arms as they deserved, and for the great help he hoped from them in\nthis war, which he now waged against the best Knights in the world.\nThen chearfully he told them of his sport, and said merrily that he\nwould give them none of his game; and he sent it all to Oriana and\nthe Princesses, but he bade them divide it with Cildadan and Galaor.\nSo there he ate with them. After the clothes were removed, he took\nGalaor aside under the trees, and leaning on his shoulder, said, My\ngood friend, Galaor, how I esteem and love you God knows, for your\ncourage and your counsel have always profited me, and I have full\nconfidence in your faith, so much, that I would not say to my own\nheart the thing which I would conceal from you. Look now what hath\nhappened! and he gave him the letter. Glad thereof was Galaor, seeing\nthat Norandel was the King's son, and he said, if you, Sir, went thro'\nthis toil and peril to deliver that Princess, she well repaid you by\nso fair a son. As God shall help me, I think he will be as good as he\nis fair; and however desirous you now are to conceal his birth, you\nwill hereafter be more so to acknowledge him. If it please you, let\nhim be my comrade for a year: thus will somewhat of my great desire to\nserve you be accomplished. Much do I thank you, replied the King, yet\nshall I give you a boy for your companion, who may prove we know not\nwhat? howbeit, as it pleases you, let it be so, for as nothing will be\nsecret, whatever honour is done to him, is done to me. So after they\nhad returned to the tents awhile, Galaor said to the King, Sir, you\nwell know it is the custom of your house, and of the whole kingdom\nof London, that the first boon which Knight or Damsel shall require\nfrom a new made Knight, ought to be granted. Truly so is the custom,\nreplied the King. I am a Knight, rejoined Galaor, and I ask a boon of\nNorandel: it is that we keep company together for one whole year, being\ntrue to each other, and that nothing but death or captivity separate\nus. Norandel marvelled greatly when he heard this, and full joyful was\nhe, for he saw how the King honoured Galaor among so many good and\nesteemed Knights, and he knew his fame, how except Amadis there was\nnone who surpassed him in arms. My Lord Sir Galaor, quoth he, it is\nplain by your great worth and my littleness, that you have said thus\nmore for your goodness than my deserts; but I grant it, and thank you\nfor it, as the thing in the world which next to the service of the King\nmost rejoices me.\nThe King then told them how he would put to sea on the third day, for,\naccording to the tidings he received from the Island of Mongaza, his\ngoing was necessary. In God's name, said King Cildadan, and we will\nserve you in all things that may be to your honour. Sir, quoth Galaor,\nsince you have the hearts of your people so fully, fear you none but\nGod. Even so, replied the King; great as your prowess is, your love and\naffection maketh me more secure. The following day after mass they set\nout to return to the town, and the King told Galaor he might inform\nOriana of Norandel's birth, but in secrecy. So Galaor took her bridle,\nwhereat well pleased was she for the love her father bore him, and\nbecause being the brother of Amadis, it was to her a comfort to see\nhim. In the course of their talk they spake of Norandel. Do you know\nany thing of this Knight, said Oriana, for he came with you, and you\nhave asked him to be your companion in arms; for one of your prowess,\nthis should not be done unless you knew something of his worth, for all\nwho know you say there is no one equal to you, except only your brother\nAmadis. My Lady, replied Galaor, so equal is my prowess to that of\nAmadis as earth is to heaven; and fool would he be who thought to equal\nhis! for God has gifted him above all others in the world in hardihood,\nand in all good customs that beseem a Knight. Oriana became thoughtful,\nand a feeling came upon her,\u2014if ever thou shouldst be without the\nlove of this Amadis! and without this fame of arms and of beauty! but\nshe felt joy and pride, that he who had no peer was her own. But for\nNorandel, added Galaor, it surely seems that he will be a good man,\nand I know that of him which will surprize all whenever it comes to\nbe known. So I believed, replied Oriana, that not without great cause\nyou took him for your companion in arms: if it may fairly be told, I\nshould willingly know it. That would be a dear secret, quoth he, which\nyou wished to know, and I should withhold, but no other must know it:\nhe is son to the King your father! and then he told her all. You have\nmade me right glad, cried Oriana, and I truly thank you, for the near\ntie between us: if he be good by nature, you will make him more so; and\nif otherwise, your example will amend him. Thus they went on till they\nreached the town; there Oriana went with her mother, and Galaor took\nhis comrade Norandel to his lodging.\nOn the following day, the ships being manned, Lisuarte commanded that\nhis dinner should be prepared on board, and he, with Galaor, Norandel,\nand King Cildadan, took leave of the Queen and his daughter, and went\nto the fort of Jafoque, where his fleet lay, and sailed for the Island\nof Mongaza. In five days they reached the port of the town from whence\nthe Island took its name, and there they found King Arban of North\nWales strongly encamped, and learnt from him what had past. There had\nbeen a great battle with the Knights who held the town, and his men\nhad been defeated, and would all have been lost, if King Arban had not\ntaken advantage of some rocks and retired among them; that brave King\nGasquilan, of Sweden, had been sorely wounded by Don Florestan, and his\npeople had carried him away by sea to be healed. Brian of Monjaste had\nadvanced too far to attack King Arban, and was made prisoner. From\nthat time King Arban's army had never ventured to stir from the rocks\nwhere Lisuarte found them, and though the enemy had often attempted,\nthey were never able to attack them. Lisuarte was incensed against the\nKnights of the Island, hearing this, and he landed all his men and\nstores, and pitched his camp.\nIn good time for Oriana had King Lisuarte departed. She felt her pains\ncoming, and dismissing all her other Damsels, went with only Mabilia\nand the Damsel of Denmark to her chamber, and there till midnight\nin great fear and agony she endured, suppressing all cries, till it\npleased God, the Reliever of all, that she was delivered of a fair\nson, who was forthwith wrapt in rich garments; and Oriana bade them\nbring him to her bed, and she took him in her arms and kissed him many\ntimes. Do you see, said the Damsel to Mabilia, what the child has upon\nits breast? No, quoth she, I was too busy to look. Certainly, cried\nthe Damsel, he has something upon his breast which other infants have\nnot. They then lit a candle, and uncovered him, and saw that under the\nright nipple there were letters as white as snow, and, under the left,\nseven letters as red as live coals; but neither one nor the other could\nread them, for the white letters were Latin and very difficult, and\nthe red ones were Greek. Presently, as they had agreed, the Damsel\nprivately went out and came round under the chamber-window with Durin\non horseback. Mabilia had laid the child in a basket, and lowered it to\nthem by a string, and they rode toward Miraflores, where the child was\nto be brought up as the Damsel's own. But soon leaving the right road,\nthey struck into a bye-path through the forest, to go more secretly.\nThey came at last to a fountain, near which was a deep valley, so thick\nwith underwood that none could enter it, where lions and other wild\nbeasts bred. Above this valley there was an old hermitage, where dwelt\nthe Hermit Nasciano, who was a holy man: it was the opinion of the\nneighbouring peasantry, that he was sometimes regaled with heavenly\nfood; and when he went out to beg provision, neither lion nor any wild\nbeast would harm him, but, when they met him on his ass, seemed to\nfawn to him. Near this hermitage there was a cave in the rock, where a\nlioness had whelped, and the good man often went in and fed her cubs,\nand would play with them after he had said his prayers. Now when the\nDamsel came to this fountain she was athirst, and she said to her\nbrother, let us alight, and take the child, for I must drink. Durin\nalighted, took the child and laid him at the foot of a tree; but, as\nhis sister was about to alight, they heard the roaring of a lion in\nthe thicket, which frightened both palfreys, and they started off full\nspeed. The Damsel had no command over hers, and expecting to be dashed\nto pieces among the trees, cried out to God to help her. Durin ran\nafter her, and overtaking her at last caught the reins; but she was in\nsuch plight that she could scarcely speak. He took her off, and said,\nstay here, and I will go on your horse in pursuit of my own. Go for the\nchild first, said she, and bring him to me, lest any thing happen. Hold\nthe reins, then, said he, for if I take the horse I cannot bring him.\nSo he set off afoot, but meantime a marvellous adventure had happened,\nfor the lioness whom you have heard of, and who had roared so loud,\nwent every day to that fountain to get scent of the beasts who drank\nthere; and now, as she was looking about her, she heard the child cry,\nand went to the foot of a tree, and took him up in her keen teeth by\nthe cloaths, without touching the flesh, for so it pleased God, and\ncarried him to her cubs for food: this was about day-break. But that\nLord of the World, who is merciful toward those who implore his mercy,\nand with the innocent, who have neither age nor understanding to\nimplore it, helped him in this guise. That holy Nasciano having sung\nmass, and going to the fountain to refresh himself, for the night had\nbeen hot, beheld the lioness with the child in her mouth, and heard him\ncrying with the voice of a new-born babe. Whereat he crossed himself,\nand said to her, go, evil beast, and leave this creature of God's work,\nwho hath not made him for thee! The lioness came crouching to him, and\nlaid the babe at his feet, and then departed. Nasciano made upon him\nthe sign of the true cross, then took him in his arms, and went towards\nthe hermitage. As he past the cave, he saw the lioness was giving suck\nto her cubs, and he called to her, saying, I command thee on the part\nof God, in whose power are all things, to come feed this child like\nthy own cubs, and to guard him like them. She came and lay down at\nhis feet: the good man placed the infant at her teats, and the child\nsucked, and thenceforth the lioness came fondly to feed him whenever he\ncried. The Hermit then sent his nephew, a lad who assisted him at mass,\nto call his father and mother: they dwelt at the skirts of the forest,\nbut the father was gone from home, and could not come till after ten\ndays, during which time the child was fed by the lioness, and by a\nshe-goat and a ewe, who gave him suck while the lioness was prowling\nabout.\nWhen Durin came to the foot of the tree, and saw that the child\nwas gone, he was greatly dismayed, and he looked on all sides, and\nbeholding only the track of the lioness, thought that surely she had\ndevoured him. When he told his sister this, she beat her face, and\ncried out aloud, cursing her fortune and the hour wherein she was\nborn, and in this passionate grief she continued more than two hours.\nSister, said Durin, this is of no avail, and great evil may rise from\nit to your Lady and her friend. At last she saw that he had reason,\nand she said, what shall we do? We must go to Miraflores, said he,\nsince my palfrey is lost, and stay there three or four days as if some\nbusiness brought us there, and when we return we must tell Oriana that\nthe child is safe; after she is recovered, you must take counsel with\nMabilia what to do. So thus they agreed, and the Damsel put on a good\ncountenance on her return, and told Oriana that the child was taken\ncare of.\nIn ten days the Hermit's sister and her husband arrived, and he told\nthem by what great chance he had found the infant, whom God certainly\nloved because he had so saved him, and he besought them to take charge\nof him till he could speak, and then bring him to him for instruction;\nbut first, said the good man, I will baptize him. When that dame stript\nhim by the font, she saw the white and red letters on his breast, and\nshewed them to Nasciano, who greatly marvelled thereat, and reading\nthem he saw that the white ones said, in Latin, Esplandian, and thought\nthat this was to be the child's name; and so he baptized him by that\nname, Esplandian, whereby he was afterwards so known in the world. But\nthe red letters, though he tried earnestly, he could neither read nor\nunderstand. So his nurse took the child home with a good will, deeming\nthat she and her family should one day be well repaid; and she nursed\nhim diligently, as one in whom she had placed her hopes; and when he\nbegan to speak, she took him again to her brother, and he was then so\ncomely and well grown a child that all who saw him were delighted.\n_CHAPTER 4._\nHeretofore you have heard how King Lisuarte, having landed in the Isle\nof Mongaza, found King Arban among the rocks, whom he commanded to\nraise his camp and join him on the plain. He was now advised that Don\nGalvanes and his companions had departed from the Boiling Lake, and\ncrossed the mountains, with design to give him battle. Forthwith he\nwent to meet them, heartening his army the best he could, for they had\nto deal with the best Knights in the world. So far they marched, that\nthey encamped that night upon the banks of a river, a league apart\nfrom the enemy. When it was day-break, they all heard mass and armed\nthemselves, and the King ordained his forces into three battalions.\nDon Galaor had the first of five hundred Knights, with him were his\ncomrade Norandel, and Don Guilan the pensive, and his cousin Ladasin,\nand Grimeo the valiant, and Cendil of Ganota, and Nicoran the good\njouster of the perilous bridge. The second battalion he gave to King\nCildadan with seven hundred Knights, with him went Ganides of Ganota,\nand Acedis the King's nephew, and Gradasen and Brandoyuas, and Tasian\nand Filispinel, all Knights of great account, and in the midst went\nDon Grumedan of Norway, and other Knights with King Arban of North\nWales, whose charge it was to guard the King. In such order they moved\non, seeming a goodly and well-armed company, and so many trumpets and\nclarions sounded that scarce could voice be heard. They drew up in a\nplain, and Baladan and Leonis kept behind the King with thirty Knights.\nWhen Don Galvanes and his noble friends knew of the coming of King\nLisuarte and his force, albeit that for one of them he brought five,\nyet were they not dismayed, nor though the capture of Don Brian of\nMonjaste was a great loss to them, and the absence of Agrayes, who was\ngone to provide supplies, of which they were in need. But with a good\nheart and great courage Don Galvanes cheared his troops, and formed\nthem into two battalions, the one of one hundred and six Knights, the\nother of one hundred and nine. In the first went Don Florestan and Don\nQuadragante, and Angriote of Estravaus, and his brother Grovadan, and\nhis nephew Sarquiles, and his cousin Gasinan, who bore the banner of\nthe Damsels; and by the banner were Branfil and the good Don Gavarte\nof the perilous valley, and Olivas, and Balays of Carsante, and Enil,\nthe good Knight whom Beltenebros knighted before the battle with King\nCildadan. In the other battalion was Don Galvanes, and there were\nwith him the two good brethren, Palomir and Dragonis, and Listoran of\nthe white tower, and Dandales of Sadoca, and Tantalis the proud, and\nby their battalions there were cross-bow men and archers. With this\ncompany, so unequal to the great numbers of the King, they entered the\nopen field where the enemy awaited them. Florestan and Quadragante then\ncalled Elian the gallant, one of the comeliest Knights that could far\nor near be found, and bade him go with two other Knights, his kinsmen,\nand tell King Lisuarte that if he would withdraw the cross-bow men and\narchers from between the wings, there would be one of the best battles\nhe had ever seen. The three Knights rode forward before the army. Now\nyou must know this Elian the gallant was Don Quadragante's nephew,\nbeing son of his sister and of Count Liquedo, who was cousin to King\nPerion. They having reached the first battalion, demanded of Don Galaor\na safe conduct, who sent Don Cendil of Ganota to secure them. So they\nwent before the King, and said to him, Sir, Don Florestan and Don\nQuadragante, and the Knights who are here with them to defend the lands\nof Madasima, send to say, that if you will consent to withdraw the\narchers and cross-bow men, there will be a good battle. In God's name,\nreplied Lisuarte, withdraw yours, and Cendil shall send away mine. So\nthe three Knights returned, and Cendil informed Galaor what had been\nagreed, and afterward both armies moved on. When they were within three\nbow-shots of each other, Galaor knew Florestan and the two Knights\nwho rode foremost with him by their arms, and he said to Norandel, my\ngood friend, you see there the three best Knights in company whom man\ncan find. He with the white lions, is Don Florestan; he with the dark\nlions and the flower argent in a field azure, is Angriote of Estravaus;\nhe with flowers or, is Don Quadragante; and the foremost of them with\ngreen arms, is Gavarte of the perilous valley, the good Knight who\nslew a serpent, and so won that name. Let us encounter them! they\nthrew their shields before them, and lowered their lances, and those\nKnights rode on to meet them. Norandel spurred his horse and smote\nGavarte, and bore him saddle and all to the ground: this was his first\nessay, and it was held by all for a right good beginning. Galaor and\nQuadragante encountered, and fell man and horses to the ground. Cendil\nran against Elian; their lances brake; both were wounded, but both kept\ntheir seats. And now the armies had joined, and such was the uproar\nof voices and the din of strokes, that the drums and clarions were no\nlonger heard. Then were there many Knights slain and many wounded,\nand many thrown from their horses, and the hearts of all on either\nside were incensed with great anger; but the thickest press was to\ndefend Galaor and Quadragante, who were now foyning at each other, and\ngrappling and struggling, that it was fearful to behold them, and more\nthan an hundred Knights on both sides were dismounted in attempting\nto help horse them, for they were so closely engaged that none could\npart them. Then in that hour what feats Norandel and Don Guilan the\npensive performed by Galaor cannot be told, nor how Florestan and\nAngriote bestirred themselves over Quadragante, for though the Knights\nof Lisuarte pressed on them in far greater number, they so played their\nparts that they lost not one jot. Such efforts were at last made, that\nGalaor and Quadragante were mounted again, and rushed like two lions\ninto the battle. That day King Cildadan did bravely, and sent many a\nKnight to earth; but Don Galvanes came up, and soon made it manifest\nthat the quarrel was his, and that he neither feared danger nor death\nin defending his heritance against these enemies. Don Florestan too,\nholding his brother Amadis to be the chief in this dispute, and feeling\nthat it therefore became all his friends to play the man, and himself\nabove the rest, he raged furiously from side to side, wherever he could\nwork most hurt; and seeing how King Cildadan exceeded all those of his\nown party, he made at him through the press of Knights, maugre the load\nof blows that were laid on him, and came up to him so fiercely, that\nhe could do nothing but seize him in his strong arms, and Cildadan\ngrappled him. Presently they were surrounded by Knights to succour\nthem; their horses drew back, and they fell together, and then fell\nto with swords, driving fierce and mortal blows at each other. But\nEnil the good Knight and Angriote got Florestan to horse again, and\nhe remembering what Amadis would do if he were there present, rode\ninto the thickest of the battle, and did marvellous feats that day.\nNorandel, whose armour was all hacked and red with many wounds, and\nhis sword bloody to the hilt, when he saw King Cildadan on foot, called\nto Don Galaor, let us help your friend King Cildadan, or he will be\nslain. Now show your worth, my comrade, quoth Galaor, and let us horse\nhim and fight by him. So they with toil and much difficulty mounted him\nagain, but he was sorely wounded on the head by a stroke from Dragonis,\nand the blood ran over his eyes.\nIn that hour could not the host of King Lisuarte for all their great\nnumbers keep the field; they turned their backs and fled before the\ngreat hardihood of their enemies, save only Don Galaor and certain\nother good Knights, who went from part to part rallying and heartening\nthem till they came to where the King was. Lisuarte seeing them thus\nreturn discomfited, cried out, now show your worth, good friends,\nand let us preserve the honour of London. And he spurred his horse,\nshouting Clarence! Clarence! for that was his war-cry, and went full\nagainst his enemies. He saw Don Galvanes fighting full valiantly, and\nhe smote him, so that his lance brake, and Galvanes lost his stirrups;\nthen he drew his sword and laid about him on all sides, and his people\ntook heart; but it availed nothing, for Florestan and Quadragante,\nand Angriote and Gavarte, being all joined together, did such feats,\nthat it seemed as if their enemies were all vanquished, and all thought\nthat the field could not be kept against them. King Lisuarte, seeing\nhis people dismayed and so rudely handled, was in all fear of being\nvanquished, and he called Don Guilan, who was badly wounded, and King\nArban of North Wales, and Grumedan of Norway, and said to them, I see\nour people are in an evil plight, and I fear that God, whom I have\nnever served as I ought, will not give me this battle. Now let us do\nthen, for I may be called the King who was defeated and slain to my\nhonour, but never to my dishonour, the living and defeated King. He\nthen spurred his horse onward without fear of death, and turned to\nQuadragante, who was coming against him, and they smote each other two\nsuch blows upon the helmet, that each embraced the neck of his horse;\nbut because the King's sword was far the better, he wounded Quadragante\nin the head. Presently they were succoured by Galaor and Norandel on\nthe one side, and by Florestan and Angriote on the other, and the King,\nwho saw the wonders which Don Florestan worked, made at him, and smote\nhis horse upon the head, so that he fell, but for this he soon paid,\nfor Florestan leaped from the saddle, and made at the King, maugre all\nwho guarded him, yet could he only reach the horse's leg, which he cut\nthrough. The King lightly got on foot, so that Florestan was surprized\nthereat, and gave him two blows with his good sword, against which his\narmour nothing availed him to save the flesh; but Florestan remembered\nhow he had been in his court, and what honour he had once received from\nhim, and forbore to strike him, only he protected himself with the\nlittle of his shield that was left. But Lisuarte, in great fury, smote\nat him as fiercely as he could; still Florestan forbore to strike,\nbut he grasped him in his arms, and would neither suffer him to mount\nagain, nor to get from him. Then was there a great press on both sides\nto the succour, and the King cried out, shouting his name, that he\nmight be holpen. At this Galaor came up, and said, Sir, mount my horse;\nand Filispinel and Brandoyuas were with him, being afoot, and offering\neach his horse. Take mine, Sir, quoth Galaor; but the King would not\nsuffer him to alight, and took Filispinel's horse and turned aside,\nleaving Florestan sorely wounded with his good sword, though Florestan\nwould not harm him; and presently Quadragante brought Florestan a\nhorse. Then Lisuarte called on Galaor and Norandel, and King Cildadan\nand the rest who followed him, and they pressed on, he doing such deeds\nthat the praise of that day was justly given him; for though Florestan\nand Quadragante, and Gavarte and their friends, did what they could and\nmarvellously bestirred themselves, yet they were few in number, and\nfor the most part sorely wounded; and the King's people had now taken\ncourage, and came on with such numbers, that perforce they were driven\nback to the foot of the mountains, where Florestan and Quadragante, and\nAngriote and Gavarte, their arms being hacked to pieces, their horses\nslain and themselves sorely wounded, fell senseless upon the field; and\nPalomir and Elian the gallant, and Branfil and Enil, and Sarquiles and\nMaratros of Lisando, who was the cousin of Florestan, were all taken\nin their defence, and many were there slain on both sides. And Don\nGalvanes would there have been lost if Dragonis had not often succoured\nhim, and at last drawn him out of the press, so badly hurt that he\ncould scarcely sit, being well nigh senseless, and he sent him to the\nBoiling Lake, and remained himself with that small company which had\nescaped, defending the mountains. So thus by the courage of Lisuarte,\nand by the great folly of Florestan, who would not hurt him, having\nhim in his power, it may well be said that day was lost: [70:A]whereby\nwe may understand, that in such danger we should neither show pity nor\ncourtesy to friend nor kin, till the victory be secured.\nWhen King Lisuarte saw how his enemies forsook the field and retired\namong the mountains, and that the sun was going down, he forbade any of\nhis men to advance farther, and he placed guards, because Dragonis had\nalready occupied all the strong passes, and sent for his tents which\nwere pitched beside a stream, at the foot of the mountains. He then\ncalled for King Cildadan and Don Galaor, but it was told him that they\nwere lamenting over Florestan and Quadragante, who were at the point of\ndeath. Hearing this, Lisuarte demanded a horse and rode towards them,\nrather to console Don Galaor than with any wish to give assistance to\nthose Knights who had been against him, albeit he was somewhat moved in\nremembering how in the battle against King Cildadan, Florestan, being\nbareheaded, stept before him and received upon his shield that mighty\nblow from the great Giant Gandacuriel, and how that very day he had for\nvirtue forborne to strike him. So going where they were, he comforted\nthem with gentle words, and assurance that they should be healed, yet\nhad not this such weight, but that Galaor swooned many times upon his\nbrother Florestan. The King made them be carried to a good tent, and\nsent masters to look to their wounds; and taking King Cildadan with\nhim, permitted Galaor to abide with them that night, and he took to the\nsame tent the seven Knights who had been taken prisoners, to be healed\nalso. There, by the help of God chiefly, and of the masters, who were\nright skilful, before dawn they had recovered their senses, and upon\nsight and search made, hopeful signs of recovery were found.\nThe next day as Norandel and Don Guilan were with Galaor, to console\nhim for the great sorrow which he endured because of his brother and\nhis kinsmen, they heard the trumpets and clarions sound in the King's\ntent, which was a signal for the people to arm. They bound up their\nwounds fast that the blood might not issue, and armed themselves and\nrode thither. They found the King armed in fresh armour and on a fresh\nhorse, consulting with King Arban, and King Cildadan, and Don Grumedan,\nwhether he should attack the Knights who were in the mountain. The\nopinions were different: some said, their own people had been so hardly\nhandled that it was not reasonable till they were recovered to attack\nthe enemy; others, that delay was dangerous, for now the army was hot\nin anger, and if they cooled they would have little will for another\nengagement, and, moreover, Agrayes was expected with stores and troops\nfrom Britanny. The King then asked Don Galaor's advice. Sir, said\nhe, if your people are wounded and fatigued, so also are the enemy,\nand because they are few and we are many, I advise that we forthwith\nattack them. So let it be, said Lisuarte; anon they made ready and\nattacked the passes, Galaor going first and Norandel following him;\nand though Dragonis defended them well, yet so many were the bowyers\nand cross-bow men who annoyed him, that he was compelled to retire\nto the plain beyond, and from thence, after a perilous battle, to\nretreat to the town and castle. Soon the King came up and pitched his\ntents there, and ordered his fleet to besiege the castle by sea; and\nbecause this history is the history of Amadis, and he was not present\nin that war, it is not necessary to relate all that passed. You need\nonly know that Lisuarte besieged them thirteen months by land and by\nsea, so that they could no ways be succoured, for Agrayes was ill, nor\nhad he a force that could attack so great a fleet; and food failing\nwithin, they began to treat with the King, that he and Don Galvanes\nshould mutually release their prisoners, that the Town and Castle of\nthe Boiling Lake should be rendered, and there should be truce for two\nyears. Now although this was to the King's advantage, yet such was his\nconfidence that he would not have granted these terms if he had not\nreceived letters from his Uncle Count Argamonte, how all the Kings of\nthe Islands had risen against him, seeing that he was engaged in this\nwar, and chosen King Aravigo of the Islands of Landas for their chief,\nwho was the most powerful of all; and how all this was occasioned by\nArcalaus the Enchanter, who had gone from Island to Island, telling\nthem they would meet with no resistance, and might divide the land\nbetween them. Wherefore Argamonte besought the King to leave all other\nbusiness, and return without delay. This obliged the King to negociate,\nthough against his will, for his will was to take his enemies by force\nof arms and put them all to death. So the terms being made, the King,\naccompanied by many good men, went to the town and found the gates\nopen, and from thence to the Castle, when Don Galvanes came out, and\nthe Knights who were with him, and the fair Madasima, who was in tears,\ngave him the keys and said, Do Sir herewith what is your pleasure.\nLisuarte took and gave them to Brandoyuas. Then Galaor came to the King\nand said, Sir, gentleness and courtesy are needed now; if I have ever\ndone you service, remember it now. Don Galaor, quoth he, if I were to\nlook to all the services you have done me, the guerdon could never be\nfound though I were worth a thousand times more than I possess: what\nI may do now shall not be reckoned in my debt to you. Then, said he,\nDon Galvanes, this land which you took from me by force, and which\nI by force have recovered, I now willingly, for your own worth, and\nfor the goodness of Madasima, and at the request of Don Galaor, give\nit to you and Madasima; that reserving my Lordship ye and they who\nproceed from ye may possess it as your own. Sir, replied Don Galvanes,\nsince my fortune hath not suffered me to keep it as my heart desires,\nthough I have done my duty, I accept, it as your vassal. All the\nKnights then kissed the hand of Lisuarte for what he had then done,\nand Don Galvanes and Madasima as his vassals. The war thus finished,\nKing Lisuarte remained fifteen days to heal the wounded and refresh\nthe army, and then set sail for his own kingdom, taking with him Don\nGalvanes and the other Knights, who were willing to bear him company.\nThere heard he how those Knights were coming against him, which,\nalbeit it greatly troubled him, yet such semblance did he make, as if\nhe nothing regarded them, but he made ready for defence, not ceasing\nmeantime to enjoy himself, and make merry with the Queen and his\ndaughter.\nFOOTNOTES:\n[70:A] A long simile of Hector and Ajax follows here.\n_CHAPTER 5._\nAfter King Cildadan and Don Galaor had departed from Gaul, Amadis and\nDon Bruneo remained there, but much as they loved each other their\nlives were now far different; for Bruneo being with his Lady Melicia\nall other things were put out of his remembrance, and to Amadis being\nabsent from Oriana, and with no hope of seeing her, all things were\ncause of sadness and solitariness. One day as he rode forth with only\nGandalin, he went upon the cliffs to see if he could espy any vessels\nfrom Great Britain, that he might hear tidings of the land wherein his\nLady dwelt. Presently there was seen a bark coming from the wished-for\nquarter, and as it reached the port he said to Gandalin, go learn what\nnews they bring, and learn it well that you may relate all to me; this\nhe did that he might be free to think upon his Lady, in which Gandalin\nalways interrupted him. So being left alone he alighted and fastened\nhis horse to a tree, then sate himself upon a rock that he might look\nupon Great Britain, and he gazed upon that land remembering how happy\nhe had been there, and the tears fell.\nWhen Gandalin came to the bark he saw Durin, the brother of the Damsel\nof Denmark, among those who came from on board; they embraced as men\nwho well loved each other, and went together towards the Knight. As\nthey drew near him they beheld a form like the Devil, and of giantly\nsize, with the back towards them, shaking a lance at Amadis. Gandalin\ncried out, and that cry saved Amadis, for he turned and the lance past\nclose by his head. Amadis saw that the Devil was aiming another and he\navoided it; he drew his sword but the giant-like Devil ran too fast to\nbe overtaken, and took the horse of the Knight and mounted, crying, Ah\nAmadis, my enemy, I am Andandona the giantess of the dolorous isle; and\nif I have not fulfilled my desire now, there will come a time wherein\nI shall be avenged. He was about to follow her on Gandalin's horse,\nbut seeing she was a woman, he said to Gandalin, mount! and if you\ncan cut off the head of that Devil it will be a good thing. Gandalin\nwent to horse directly and after her full speed; but when Amadis saw\nDurin he embraced him with great pleasure, weening that he brought him\nnews of his Lady. Durin then gave him a letter of Oriana; it was his\ncredentials. Your Lady Sir, said he, is well and salutes you much, and\nbids you not be distressed but take comfort as she doth till God shall\ngive ye other times; and she sends you word that she hath brought forth\na son whom I and my sister took to Adalasta, the Abbess of Miraflores,\nthat he might be brought up as my sister's son; but he told him nothing\nhow the child was lost: and she beseeches you, said he, by the great\nlove which she bears toward you, not to depart from this country till\nyou receive her bidding. Glad was Amadis to hear of his Lady and his\nchild, but that command nothing pleased him, because it might bring his\nhonour in attaint, howbeit let come what would he would not disobey.\nPresently Gandalin returned with the horse of his Master and\nAndandona's head hanging to the poitral by her long grey hair. How\nslew you her? quoth Amadis. She gallopped towards the shore, replied\nthe Squire, where she had a bark ready, but in her haste to dismount\nshe made the horse rear and fell back, and before she could recover\nherself I came up and cut off her head. Amadis then mounted and rode to\nthe town, and sent the head to Don Bruneo that he might see it. When\nDurin was about to depart, he said, Go to my Lady, my friend, and tell\nher that I kiss her hand for the letter and for all that you have told\nme; but beseech her to have regard to my honour, and not make me remain\nhere in sloth, for so would the fair renown which I have attained be\nsoon injured, the cause not being known, and men being more inclined to\nslander the good than keep their evil tongues silent. So Durin went his\nway.\nDon Bruneo of Bonamar was now healed of his bodily wound, but his\nlove was more kindled by the frequent sight of his Lady Melicia; and\nconsidering, that only by performing great feats of arms he could hope\nto attain so high a Lady, he said one day to Amadis, as they were\nhunting, for in that did Amadis now pass his time, my time of life,\nSir, and the little which I have yet atchieved, command me to change\nthis easy way of life for one whereby I may win more praise of prowess.\nIf you are disposed to seek adventures I will keep you company: if\nnot, give me leave to set forth to morrow. Greatly was Amadis grieved\nhereat, for full gladly would he have gone forth with him, but for his\nLady's command. Don Bruneo, replied he, I would willingly go in your\ncompany, whereby much honour might accrue to me, but the King my father\nhas forbidden it, saying, that my presence is needful here, because of\ncertain affairs; I can therefore only say God be with you. That night\nDon Bruneo spake with Melicia, and learnt from her, that if it were her\nparents' will she would cheerfully wed him. He then took leave of her,\nand on the following morning departed after mass, going where fortune\nguided him, and many and great feats did he in arms which would here be\nlong to relate.\nThirteen months and a half, while Lisuarte besieged the Castle of the\nBoiling Lake, Amadis abode thus in Gaul, going to the chase and to the\nmountain, for to this was he chiefly inclined: meantime his fair renown\nwas obscured, and much debased by all, who blessed the Knights Errant,\nbut cursed him for forsaking arms in the best of his life, when God\nhad so gifted him above all others. Dames and Damsels, who went to him\nto seek revenge for their wrongs, now finding him not as before, all\nproclaimed the shame and though he heard these things, and esteemed\nhimself for this cause very unhappy, yet neither for this nor for worse\nthings would he have disobeyed his Lady. Thus he remained losing his\nhonour, till Lisuarte knowing how King Aravigo, and the six Kings, and\nArcalaus the Enchanter, were preparing in the Island of Leonida to\npass over into Great Britain, made ready for his defence. But though\nhis great heart and prudence made semblance to think little of this\ndanger, not so did the Queen, but in great trouble spake to all of the\nloss which the King had brought upon himself, in losing Amadis and\nhis lineage; if they were here, she said, she should think lightly of\nthe peril. Those Knights, however, who had been defeated in the Isle\nof Mongaza, though they bore no good will to the King, yet seeing Don\nGalaor with him, and Don Galvanes, who was now his vassal, and that Don\nBrian of Monjaste, whom the King of Spain, his father, had sent with\ntwo thousand Knights to aid Lisuarte, was to be the leader, resolved to\ngo also to his succour in that battle which would be a full perilous\none. So Don Quadragante, and Listoran of the White Tower, and Ymosil of\nBurgandy, and Madansil of the Silver Bridge, and their comrades, made\nready, expecting when the Kings would come over from the Island.\nOne day Mabilia spake with Oriana, and told her it was ill judged\nnot to consider what Amadis might do at this time, perchance he might\ngo against her father, and that would be evil to both, for if either\nwere conquered he would be slain. Oriana acknowledging the truth of\nthis resolved to write to Amadis, not to go against her father, but to\ntake the other side if he pleased, or else remain in Gaul. This letter\nMabilia enclosed, and sent by a Damsel who had presents from Queen\nElisena. When Amadis received this so glad was he, that certes he could\nnot be gladder, yet was he somewhat troubled, not knowing what to do,\nfor to help King Lisuarte he had no will, and against him he might not\nbe. So with a countenance more chearful than he was wont to show, he\nwent to his father, and they sat together under the shade of some elms\nnear the beach, and talked together of sundry things, but chiefly of\nthe fresh news from Britain. There as they sate they saw a Knight come\nup upon a weary horse, the arms which the Squire carried were so hacked\nthat the device could not be seen, and his harness was so broken that\nit was of no defence; the Knight himself was large and well limbed.\nThey rose to receive him honourably as an Errant Knight, but coming\nnear Amadis knew his brother Don Florestan, and said, Sir, you see\nhere the best Knight next to Don Galaor, whom I know, know that this is\nyour son Don Florestan. Right glad was the King, who had never seen him\nthough he knew his fame; he hastened faster to meet him, and Florestan\nalighted and knelt down, and would have kissed his hand, but the King\nraised him and gave him his hand and kissed his mouth. Then took they\nhim to the palace, and made him disarm and wash, and Amadis gave him\nrich garments which had never been worn; and then it appeared how fair\nhe was, and of how goodly a person, that few were like him; and they\nled him to the Queen and to Melicia, who received him with such love as\none of her own brothers, for not less did she esteem him for his great\nworth in arms. So in their talk they asked him of the news from Great\nBritain. Sirs, quoth he, the power of those Kings is so great that I\nween King Lisuarte can neither help himself nor his kingdom, whereat\nseeing how things have been we need not grieve. Son Don Florestan,\nreplied the King, I hold King Lisuarte by all they tell me of him to\nbe such a one, that he will come off with honour from this danger as\nhe has heretofore done; but if it should be otherwise we ought not\nto rejoice thereat; no King should rejoice at the destruction of\nanother King, unless he have himself destroyed him for lawful causes,\ncompelling him thereunto. When Amadis and Florestan had retired to\ntheir chambers and were alone, Florestan said, I came hither Sir to\nseek you and tell you of a thing which I have heard every where, and\nwhich grieves me to the heart; let it not displease you to be told of\nit. Brother, replied Amadis, whatever you shall say it pleases me to\nhear; if it be a thing to be amended, with your counsel I will amend\nit. Sir, said Florestan, all people speak to your disparagement; they\nsay that you have unhappily forsaken arms, and that for which, above\nall others, you were born. Amadis smiled and answered, they think of me\nas they ought not, henceforth I shall do otherwise, and they shall say\notherwise.\nThat night Amadis could not sleep for thinking on two things: what\nfeats of arms he should perform that year, to clean away his reproach,\nand what he should do in this great battle. To be against Lisuarte his\nLady forbade him, and reason forbade him to be for him, because of the\nwrong which he and his lineage had endured; but at length he resolved\nto go and assist him for two reasons, because his force was much less\nin number than the enemy, and because, if he were conquered, the land\nof his Lady Oriana would be lost. On the morrow Amadis went with his\nbrother to King Perion, and desiring all others to withdraw, said to\nhim, Sir, I have not slept this night thinking of the battle which is\nto be between Lisuarte and the Kings of the Isles; for so famous will\nit be, that all Knights who follow arms ought to be there; and because,\nI having remained so long without exercising my person, have gained\nso ill a fame as you my brother know, I have resolved to be present,\nand on Lisuarte's side; not for any love to him, but for two reasons,\nbecause he is the weaker, whom all good Knights therefore ought to\nsuccour, and because my intention is to die, or to do my utmost;\nand if I should be against him, there would be with him Galaor and\nQuadragante, and Don Brian of Monjaste, all with a like determination,\nand as they could not avoid encountering me their deaths or mine would\nneeds ensue, but my going shall be secret. King Perion answered, Son,\nI am the friend of the good, and knowing this King to be one of the\ngood, it was always my will to aid him when I could, and if I have\nrefrained from it it has been because of your difference. Since this\nis your intention I will go also, and sorry am I that it is so soon\nthat I cannot carry the aid I should wish. Sirs, said Florestan, when\nI remember the cruelty of that King, how he would have let us die upon\nthe field if it had not been for Don Galaor, and of his enmity against\nus without cause, there is nothing in the world should make me consent\nto help him; but now, because you will go, and because I cannot serve\nagainst him during the truce which Don Galvanes has made, I will go\nwith you, and serve him against my will. Full glad was Amadis at this.\nYour person and ourselves Sir, said he, may well be accounted for many,\nand if you took forces our going could not be secret; now then let us\nprovide arms whereby we may know each other and yet not be known by\nothers. Come into my armoury, replied Perion, and let us chuse the most\nforgotten and remarkable that we can find.\nThey went out into a court where there were trees, and there came up\na Damsel richly clad on a goodly palfrey, and three Squires with her,\nand a horse with a bundle. She came up to the King, who received her\nwell, and asked her if she came to the Queen. No, said she, I come to\nyou, and these two Knights from the Dame of the Undiscovered Island,\nfrom whom I bring you gifts; send away all your people, and you shall\nsee them. The King bade them withdraw. Then she made her Squires open\nthe bundle, and she took out three shields, bearing gold serpents in\na field azure, so strangely fashioned that they seemed alive, and the\nrims were of fine gold and precious stones. She then took out three\ncoat-armours of the same device, and three helmets, but they were all\ndifferent; the one white, which she gave with one suit to King Perion,\nand one of purple for Florestan, and one which was gilt to Amadis.\nAnd she said, Sir Amadis, my Mistress sends you these, and desires\nyou will do better in them than you have done, since you entered this\nland. Amadis feared she would reveal the cause, and said, Damsel, tell\nyour Lady that I value this counsel more than the arms, good as they\nare, and with all my strength will endeavour to obey her. Sirs, said\nshe, my Mistress sends you these that you may know and succour each\nother in the battle. How knew she, quoth King Perion, that we should\nbe there when we knew it not ourselves? I cannot tell, replied the\nDamsel, only she told me I should find you all here in this place, and\ngive you the arms. The King then bade them give the Damsel food and\nentreat her honourably, and after she had eaten she departed for Great\nBritain, whither also she was sent. When Amadis saw the arms ready\nhe was impatient to be gone, lest they should not arrive in time for\nthe battle; so the King ordered a ship to be ready in secret, and on\npretence that they went to hunt the mountain, they departed and crossed\nover to that part of Great Britain where they knew that the seven Kings\nwere arrived.\nThey entered a thick wood where these men had pitched tents, and from\nthence sent a Squire to bring tidings of the seven Kings, and when the\nbattle should be; and they sent another messenger to King Lisuarte's\ncamp with a letter to Don Galaor, as if from Gaul, beseeching him to\nsend them tidings of the battle as soon as it was ended: this did they\nfor the greater secrecy. The Squire returned on the next evening,\nand said, that the army of the seven Kings was without number, and\nthat there were strange people among them, and divers languages, and\nthat they were besieging a Castle of certain Damsels, who were sorely\ndistressed, albeit that the place was strong. He had also seen Arcalaus\nthe Enchanter with two of the Kings, and heard him say, that the battle\nought to be within six days, for it would be hard to find food for so\nmany. So these three remained pleasantly in the wood, killing birds\nwith their arrows, who came to a fountain near them, and also beasts of\nvenery. On the fourth day the other messenger returned, and told them\nhow he had left Don Galaor well and in good courage, so that the rest\ntook confidence in him. When I told him your bidding Sir, said he, and\nhow you all three abode in Gaul, the tears came into his eyes, and he\nsighed and said, O Lord, if it pleased thee that these were in this\nbattle on the King's side as they used to be, I should have no fear!\nAnd he bade me say, that if he escaped with life he would inform you\nwithout delay of all that had passed. God preserve him! said they; now\ntell us of King Lisuarte's forces.\u2014He has a good company Sirs, and of\ngood and well known Knights; but they say that it is little against his\nenemies, and he will within two days come up to succour the Damsels\nwho are besieged. And so it was, for King Lisuarte came and encamped\nupon a mountain, half a league from the plain where were the enemies,\nso that the armies were in sight of each other; but the army of the\nseven Kings were twice as many. That night they prepared their arms and\ntheir horses for the battle on the morrow. Now you are to know that the\nsix Kings and the other Chiefs did homage to King Aravigo that night,\nthat they would hold him for their chief in this battle, and obey his\ncommands, and he swore to take no greater share of the kingdom than\neach of them, only he required the honour. Presently he made the people\ncross a river that ran between them and King Lisuarte, and thus placed\nthemselves near his army.\nEarly on the morrow they armed and appeared before King Aravigo, so\ngreat a multitude, and so well armed, that they esteemed the others as\nnothing, and said, that since the King ventured to give them battle,\nGreat Britain was their own. King Aravigo divided his army into nine\nbattalions, each of a thousand Knights, but in his own he had fifteen\nhundred; and he gave them to the Kings and the other Chiefs, and placed\nthem in close array. King Lisuarte appointed Don Grumedan, and Don\nGalaor, and Don Quadragante, and Angriote of Estravaus, to appoint\nthe order of his battle, for they were well skilled in all matters of\narms. Presently he went down the side of the mountain into the plain,\nand as it was now at that hour when the sun was rising, it shone upon\ntheir arms, and they appeared so well disposed, that their enemies, who\nhad before held them as nothing, now thought of them otherwise. These\nKnights, whom I have named, made five battalions of their people. Don\nBrian of Monjaste had the first with one thousand Knights of Spain,\nwhom the King his father had sent to Lisuarte. King Cildadan had the\nsecond with his own people and other troops which were appointed for\nhim. Don Galvanes had the third; and Gavarte, his nephew, who had\ncome there more for love of him and his friends than for the sake of\nthe King's service. In the fourth went Giontes, the King's nephew,\nwith enough good Knights. King Lisuarte led the fifth, in which were\ntwo thousand Knights, and he besought Don Galaor and Quadragante, and\nAngriote of Estravaus, and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley, and Grimon\nthe Brave, to look to him and defend him, for the which cause he had\nappointed them no command. In this array which you have heard they\nmoved slowly over the field one against the other.\nAt this season King Perion, and his sons Amadis and Florestan, entered\nthe plain upon their goodly steeds, and with their arms of the serpents\nwhich shone brightly in the sun; and they rode on to place themselves\nbetween the two armies, brandishing their spears, whose points were so\npolished and clean that they glittered like stars; the father went\nbetween his sons. Much were they admired by both parts, and each would\nwillingly have had them on his side, but no one knew whom they came to\naid, nor who they were. They seeing that the host of Brian of Monjaste\nwas about to join battle, put spur to their horses and rode up near to\nhis banner, then set themselves against King Targadan who came against\nhim. Glad was Don Brian of their help though he knew them not: but\nthey, when they saw that it was time, rode to attack the host of King\nTargadan so fiercely that all were astonished. In that encounter King\nPerion struck that other King so hardily that a part of the spear iron\nentered his breast and he fell. Amadis smote Abdasian the fierce, so\nthat armour nothing profited him, but the lance passed thro' from side\nto side, and he fell like a dead man. Don Florestan drove Carduel,\nsaddle and man, under the horses' feet: these three being the bravest\nof that battalion had come forward to combat the Knights of the\nSerpents. Then laid they hand to sword and passed through the first\nsquadron felling all before them, and charged the second: and when they\nwere thus between both there was to be seen what marvellous feats of\nprowess they wrought with their swords. Such that none did like them\non either side, and they had now under their horses more than ten\nKnights, whom they had smitten down. But when their enemies saw that\nthere were no more than three they charged them on all sides, laying on\nsuch heavy blows that the aid of Don Brian was full needful, who came\nup with his Spaniards, a brave people and well horsed, and rode among\nthe enemy, slaying and felling them, though his own men fell also,\nso that the Knights of the Serpents were succoured, and the enemy so\nhandled, that they perforce gave back upon the third battalion. Then\nwas there a great press and great danger for all, and many Knights died\non either side: but what King Perion and his sons did there cannot be\nexpressed. Such was the uproar and confusion, that King Aravigo feared,\nlest his own men who had given ground should make the others fly, and\nhe called aloud to Arcalaus to advance with all the battalions, and\nattack in one body. This presently he did, and King Aravigo with him,\nbut without delay King Lisuarte did the same, so that the whole battle\nwas now joined; and such was the clang of strokes, and the cries and\nthe noise of horsemen, that the earth trembled and the vallies rung\nagain.\nAt this hour King Perion, going bravely among the foremost, had\nadvanced so far into the enemies ranks that he was well nigh lost, but\npresently was he succoured by his sons, and many of those who struck at\nhim were by them slain; the Damsels who were looking on from the Castle\ncried out, On Knights, on! he of the white helmet does the best. But in\nthis succour the horse of Amadis was slain, and fell with him in the\nthickest press, and the horses of his father and Florestan were badly\nwounded; they seeing him a-foot and in such danger, alighted and placed\nthemselves by him, there came up many to slay them, and others to their\nhelp, but in great peril were they, and had it not been that they dealt\nabout their blows so cruelly they had surely been slain. Now as King\nLisuarte went from one part to another with his seven companions, he\nsaw those of the Serpents in what peril they stood, and he cried out to\nGalaor and the others, Now good friends, let your worth be seen, and\nlet us succour those who have aided us so well. At them! quoth Galaor;\nthey spurred their horses into the hottest of the throng till they came\nup to the banner of King Aravigo, who was crying out and encouraging\nhis men. King Lisuarte went on so fiercely, with that good sword in his\nhand, and gave so many and such mortal strokes therewith that all were\nastonished to behold him, and his comrades scarce could follow him.\nNor for all the enemy could do could they prevent him from reaching\nthe banner, which he plucked from the standard-bearer, and threw under\nthe horses' feet, and shouted aloud, Clarence! Clarence! for I am King\nLisuarte: for this was his cry. So much he did, and continued so long\namong his enemies, that at length his horse was slain and he fell,\nbeing grievously bruised in the fall; and they, his friends, who were\nat hand could not remount him, but presently Angriote came up, and\nArcamon the brave, and Ladadin of Fajarque, who alighted, and with the\nhelp of his comrades placed him, maugre all the enemies efforts, upon\nAngriote's horse. Yet though he was badly wounded and so bruised he\nwould not withdraw from thence till Arcamon and Ladadin had brought to\nAngriote another horse, one of those which he had appointed to be held\nin readiness for those who might want them.\nWhile this was going on, Don Galaor and Quadragante bore the brunt\nof the battle, and there they well displayed their great courage in\nenduring and dealing mortal blows, for know that if they had not\nresisted and kept back their opponents, King Lisuarte and his comrades\nhad been in great danger when he was on foot. The Damsels from the\nTower cried out, that the Knights who bore the flowers did the best;\nbut, notwithstanding all they could do they could not forfend but that\nKing Aravigo's people were getting the better, and bravely recovering\nthe field. The principal reason hereof was, that two fresh Knights had\nentered the battle so valiant, and of such might in arms, that they\nexpected by them to win the victory, weening that there was no Knight\non the part of Lisuarte who could maintain the field against them. The\none was called Brontaxar Danfania, the other Argomades of the Deep\nIsland; he bore white doves upon a green field, the other bore them or\nupon gules. So huge of stature were they that their head and shoulder\nappeared above others in the battle; while their lances endured no\nKnight who encountered them could keep his seat, when they were broken\nthey laid hand upon their huge and uncommon swords. What shall I say?\nSuch blows they smote therewith that scarcely now could they meet with\none to strike they had stricken such fear into all, and then they went\non clearing the field, and the Damsels on the Tower cried, Knights, fly\nnot! for these are men and not Devils! but their own party cried out\naloud, King Lisuarte is conquered. When the King heard this he began\nto encourage his people, saying, I will die here or conquer, that the\nsovereignty of Great Britain may not be lost; the best Knights then\ngathered about him, for there was great need.\nNow Amadis had taken a fresh horse and was waiting for his father to\nmount. When he heard that cry, King Lisuarte is conquered! he said\nto Florestan, who was on horseback, what is this, or why do these\nmisbegotten people shout? He answered, do you not see those two the\nstrongest and bravest Knights that ever were seen, who slay and destroy\nall whom they find before them; and though they have not appeared in\nthe battle before, now by their prowess make their party recover the\nfield. Amadis turned his head and beheld Brontaxar Danfania coming\ntowards him, smiting and overthrowing Knights with his huge sword,\nwhich sometimes he would let hang from his wrist by the chain, and\nseize the Knights with hand and arm, so that none remained in the\nsaddle before him, and all fled as they could. Saint Mary help me,\nquoth Amadis, what is here! then took he a strong lance from the Squire\nwho had given him the horse, and remembering Oriana in that hour, and\nthe loss which she would endure if her father perished, he placed\nhimself right in the saddle, saying to Florestan, guard you our father.\nBy this Brontaxar drew near, and seeing Amadis make ready against him,\nand how he wore the gilded helmet, and remembering what great things\nhad been said of him before he himself entered the battle, he came on\nwith a raging fury to encounter him, and took a strong lance and cried\naloud, now shall ye see a good stroke, if he of the golden helmet will\ndare abide me! and he struck spurs into his horse, the lance being\nunder his arm at rest, and went against him. The like did Amadis; they\nencountered lance against shield, the shields failed, the lances brake,\nand their horses dashed against each other so furiously that each felt\nthe shock as if he had struck against a rock. Brontaxar's head became\nso giddy therewith that he could not keep his seat, he fell upon the\nground like one dead, and falling upon one foot, by the reason of his\ngreat weight, he broke the leg just above it, and a piece of the lance\nremained sticking in his shield. The horse of Amadis staggered back two\narms-length and was ready to fall, but Amadis was so stunned that he\ncould neither give him spur nor take his sword to defend himself from\nthose who struck at him. King Perion, who had seen that huge Brontaxar,\nand the encounter which Amadis had given him was much amazed thereat,\nand he cried, Lord God preserve that Knight! now son Florestan to his\nsuccour. They pushed on so bravely that it was a wonder to behold\nthem, hewing and slicing till they came up to Amadis, and King Perion\nsaid to him, how now Knight? courage! courage! for I am here. Amadis,\nthough he had not wholly recovered his recollection, knew the voice\nof his father, and he took his sword, seeing how many were upon King\nPerion and Florestan, and began to strike at one and at another,\nthough with little force, and here must they have endured great danger\nbecause their enemies were in great strength, and King Lisuarte's men\nhad lost much ground, and many were upon them to slay them, and few\nin their defence, but at this season Agrayes and Don Galvanes, and\nBrian of Monjaste succoured them, who came up with design to encounter\nBrontaxar Danfania, who had made the havoc you have heard. They seeing\nthe Knights of the Serpents in such peril came up like men whose hearts\nnever failed in danger; at their coming many of the enemy were smitten\ndown and slain, and they of the Serpents had room to strike with more\neffect. Now had Amadis recovered, and looking to the right he saw King\nLisuarte with a company of Knights awaiting King Aravigo, who came\nagainst him with a great power of men, and Argomades before them with\ntwo nephews of King Aravigo, both valiant Knights. King Aravigo himself\nwas crying out to encourage his men, for he had heard it said from the\nTower how he of the golden helmet had slain the great Devil. Then said\nAmadis, Knights, let us go help the King who is in need; they moved\non with one accord, and entered through the press till they came up\nto King Lisuarte. He, when he saw near him the three Knights of the\nSerpents was much encouraged, for he had seen how he of the Golden\nHelmet had slain with one blow that so valiant Brontaxar Danfania, and\nforthwith he advanced against Aravigo. Argomades came on sword in hand,\nwielding it to strike at King Lisuarte, but he of the golden helmet\nstept between and their battle was but of one blow. He of the golden\nhelmet raised his shield and met the other's sword; the sword went\nthrough the rim a full palm deep and entered three finger's depth into\nthe helmet, so that a little more and he had been slain. But Amadis\nsmote him upon the left shoulder such a blow that it cut through the\nhauberk, tho' of such thick mail, and through the flesh and bone down\nto the ribs, so that the arm and half the shoulder hung dangling from\nthe body. This was the mightiest sword-blow that was given in all that\nbattle. Argomades fled like a man beside himself, who knew not what he\ndid, and his horse carried him whither he would, and they on the Tower\ncried out, he of the golden helmet has put the doves to flight! One\nof Aravigo's nephews, who was named Ancidel, then made at Amadis and\nstruck at his horse's head, which he cut clean across, and the beast\nfell dead. Don Florestan seeing this attacked him as he was boasting,\nand smote him on the helmet that he bowed down upon his horse's neck,\nthen caught him by the helmet and plucked it from his head with such\nforce that he laid him at the feet of Amadis, but Florestan himself was\nhurt in the side by the point of Ancidel's sword. At this time the two\nKings and their people encountered, and there was a fierce and terrible\nbattle: every one had then enough to do to defend himself, and to\nsuccour those who were smitten down.\nDurin, who had come hither to carry the first tidings of the battle to\nhis mistress Oriana, was upon one of those horses which King Lisuarte\nhad ordered to be led about the field for Knights when they might stand\nin need of them. When he saw him of the golden helmet afoot he said\nto the other pages who were on horseback, I will go help that good\nKnight to this horse, for I cannot do better service to the King;\nand making way where the press was least, though to his own great\ndanger, he came up to him and said, I know not who you are, but for\nwhat I have seen you do I bring you this horse. He lightly mounted and\nsaid to him in a low voice, Ah, friend Durin, this is not the first\nservice that thou hast done me! Durin took him by the arm\u2014I will not\nlet you go till you tell me who you are! He stooped down as low as he\ncould and answered lowly, Amadis! let no one know it except you know\nwho! then rode he forward into the hottest of the fray, doing such\nfeats as if his Mistress were then present to behold, because one was\nthere who would know well how to recount them. King Lisuarte had now\nencountered Aravigo, knowing that he was the head and leader of his\nenemies, and had given him three such blows with his own sword that\nhe withdrew behind his men, cursing Arcalaus the Enchanter, who had\nbrought him there with hope to win the kingdom. Don Galaor engaged\nSarmadan a valiant Knight, and because his arm was weary now, and his\nsword blunted by the blows that he had dealt, he seized him in his\nstrong grasp, plucked him from the saddle, and threw him on his neck\nto the ground, so that he died. But as for Amadis I tell you, that\nremembering in that hour the time which he had lost in Gaul, and how\nhis renown had been diminished and reviled, and that only by great\nprowess it could be recovered, he did such deeds that none durst stand\nbefore him; and with him went his father and Don Florestan, and Agrayes\nand Don Galvanes, and Brian of Monjaste, and Norandel and Guilan the\nPensive, and King Lisuarte, who shewed himself right valiant in that\nhour. So that they smote down so many of the enemies, and pressed them\nso closely, and struck such fear into them, that they could no longer\nendure it; but seeing King Aravigo had fled away wounded, they also\ntook to flight, some toward their ships, some to hide themselves among\nthe mountains. But King Lisuarte and his companions in arms, and they\nof the Serpents before all, still pressed upon them; the most who\nescaped got into a ship with King Aravigo, but many perished in the\nwater or were taken. By this the night closed in. King Lisuarte turned\nback to the tents of his enemies, and lodged there that night, being\nright joyful for the victory which God had given him.\nBut the Knights of the Serpents when they saw that the field was won,\nand that there was no longer any opposition, turned aside from the\nway which the King took, and rode till they came to a fountain under\nsome trees, and there they alighted and drank, and let their horses\ndrink, who had much need after the toil of that day. As they were\nabout to mount they saw a Squire come up on horseback; they put on\ntheir helmets that he might not know them, and then gently called him;\nhe at first hesitated thinking they were of the enemies, but seeing\nthe serpent-arms approached. Good Squire, said Amadis, deliver if it\nplease you our message to the King, say to him that the Knights of the\nSerpents beseech him not to blame them, that they have not spoken with\nhim, because we are constrained to go far from hence to a strange land,\nand put ourselves at the mercy of one who we believe will have none for\nus; for our part of the spoils let them be given to the Damsels of the\nTower, for the losses which they have endured, and take back to him\nthis horse, which I took from one of his pages in the battle, for we\ndesire no other guerdon. The Squire took the horse and departed, and\nthey went their way to their tents in the forest, and there washed the\nblood and dust from their hands and faces, and did the best they could\nfor their wounds, and ate their supper which was well provided for\nthem, and soundly did they sleep that night.\nWhen King Lisuarte was in the tent of his conquered enemies he asked\nfor the three Knights of the Serpents, but all he could learn of them\nwas that they had been seen riding full speed toward the forest.\nPerchance, said he to Galaor, he of the golden helmet might be your\nbrother Amadis, for what he did can be ascribed to no other but him.\nTrust me Sir, replied Galaor, it was not he; for not four days ago I\nreceived tidings that he was in Gaul with my father and our brother\nFlorestan. Holy Mary! quoth Lisuarte, who then can he be? Galaor\nanswered, I know not, but whoever he be God prosper him, for with great\ntoil and peril hath he won the honour and praise of prowess above all.\nAs they thus communed the Squire came up and delivered his message:\nmuch was the King troubled to hear that those Knights went to encounter\nsuch danger; but if Amadis spake this in jest, full truly did it turn\nout, as shall be related. The horse which the Squire brought back dropt\ndown dead at the King's feet with his wounds. That night Galaor and\nAgrayes and their friends lodged in the rich tent of Arcalaus, in the\nwhich they found embroidered in silk the battle that he fought against\nAmadis, and how he enchanted him, and many other things that he had\ndone. The next day the King divided the spoils, giving a great portion\nto the Damsels of the Tower; then gave he licence to all his followers\nto depart whether they would; and he himself went to a town called\nGandapa, where were the Queen and Oriana. The joy which they had at\nmeeting need not be told, for every one, considering what had past, may\nguess what it would be.\n_CHAPTER 6._\nSome days King Perion abode in the forest to rest, then seeing that the\nwind was fair they put to sea, thinking soon to be in Gaul; but the\nwind soon changed and made the sea rage so that after five days the\nstorm obliged them to return back to Great Britain, to a distant part\nof the coast; there, while the weather continued, and while their men\ntook in fresh water, they rode into the country to learn where they\nwere, taking three Squires with them, but leaving Gandalin to wait for\nthem in the galley because he was well known. They rode up a glen and\nreached a plain, and proceeded not far before they came to a fountain,\nwhereat a Damsel was letting her palfrey drink. Richly clad was she,\nand over her garments she wore a scarlet cloak with gold buttons, and\nthe button-holes worked with gold. Two Squires and two Damsels were in\nher company with falcons and dogs for sport. She seeing their arms\nknew that they were the Knights of the Serpents, and went towards them\nwith a shew of much joy, and saluted them courteously, making signs\nthat she was dumb, whereat they were grieved seeing how fair she was,\nand of what courteous demeanour. She went up to him of the golden\nhelmet and embraced him, and would have kissed his hand, and then\nby signs she invited them to be her guests that night, but they not\nunderstanding her signs she tokened to her Squire to explain them. They\nseeing her good will, and that it was now late, rode with her in full\nconfidence, and came to a goodly castle, so that they held the Damsel\nas very rich seeing she was Mistress thereof. When they entered they\nfound enough servants to welcome them, and sundry Dames and Damsels,\nwho all regarded the dumb Damsel as their Lady. Their horses were taken\nfrom them, and they were led up to a rich chamber about twenty cubits\nfrom the ground, and then they were disarmed and rich garments brought\nthem, and after they had talked to the dumb Damsel and with the others,\nsupper was brought and they were well served. The Damsels then retired,\nbut presently they returned with many candles and with stringed\ninstruments to delight them; and when it was time to sleep they again\nretired. The dumb Damsel had ordered three rich and goodly beds to be\nprepared in that chamber, and their arms were laid by the bed side, so\nthey lay down and fell asleep like men who were fatigued.\nNow you must know that this chamber was made with great cunning, for\nthe floor did not fasten into the walls but was supported upon an iron\nscrew like a wine-press, and fitted into a frame of wood, so that it\ncould be lowered or raised from below by turning an iron lever. So when\nthey awoke in the morning they had been let down twenty cubits[109:A]\nlow; and perceiving no light, but yet hearing the stir of people above\nthem, they marvelled greatly and rose from bed and felt for the door\nand windows, but when they found them and put their hands through they\nfelt the wall of the castle, and knew that they were betrayed. Being in\nthis great trouble a Knight appeared at a window above, who was huge of\nstature and limb; and of a sullen countenance, and in his beard and\nhair more white hairs than black; he wore a mourning dress; and upon\nhis right hand a glove of white cloth that reached to his elbow. You\nare well lodged there, cried he, and according to the mischief ye have\ndone me shall be the mercy ye shall find, which shall be a cruel and\nbitter death, and even with that shall I not be revenged for what you\ndid in battle with the false King Lisuarte. Know that I am Arcalaus\nthe Enchanter, if you have never seen me before, learn to know me now;\nnone ever injured me without my taking vengeance, except only one, whom\nI yet hope to have where I have you, and to cut off his hands for the\nhand which he lopt from me. The Damsel was by him, and she pointing to\nAmadis said, good Uncle, that young one is he of the golden helmet.\nBut they hearing they were in the power of Arcalaus were in great fear\nof death, and much were they surprised to hear that dumb Damsel speak.\nThis Damsel was Dinarda, the daughter of Ardan Canileo, who was expert\nin all wickedness, and had come to that land to contrive the death of\nAmadis, and for that cause had feigned herself dumb. Knights, said\nArcalaus, I will cut your heads off and send them to King Aravigo as\nsome atonement for the disservice ye have wrought him! then he drew\nback from the window and closed it, and the chamber remained so dark\nthat they could not see one another. Good sons, then said King Perion,\nthese are the changes of fortune! but we, whose office it is to seek\nadventures, must take the evil as well as the good, exerting ourselves\nto remedy it where we can, and when our strength avails not trusting\nin him who will do what is best. Therefore let us repress the grief\nwhich you feel for me, and I yet more for you, and commit ourselves\npatiently to God. The sons who endured more for him than for their own\ndanger then knelt before him and kissed his hand, and he gave them his\nblessing.\nThey remained there all that day without food or drink. When Arcalaus\nhad supped and part of the night was gone, he came again to the window\nwith two lighted torches, and with him Dinarda and two old men. You\nKnights there, cried he, I suppose you could eat if you had wherewith!\nWillingly, if you will give it us, answered Florestan. He replied, if\nI have any such will God prevent it! but that you may not be quite\ndisconsolate, instead of food I will give you some news to make amends.\nTwo Squires and a Dwarf have come to the Castle gate since it was dark\nto ask for the Knights of the Serpents. I have had them seized and\nthrown into a prison under you; in the morning I will make them tell\nme who ye are or else cut them limb from limb. Now this which he said\nwas true, for they in the galley seeing that the wind was fair sent\nGandalin and the Dwarf, and Orfeo the King's wardrobe-keeper, to seek\nfor the Knights, and Arcalaus had taken them thus. Much were Perion\nand his sons troubled at these perilous tidings, but Amadis answered,\nsaying, sure am I that when you know who we are you will not use us\nso wrongfully as now; for as you are a Knight yourself, you will\nnot hold that for wrong which we did fairly in battle to assist our\nfriends, as we should have done had we been on your side. If there be\nany worth in you you ought to esteem us for this, and do us the more\nhonour, being now in your power; you show no courtesy in treating us\nthus. Who disputes with you? quoth Arcalaus; the honour I will do you\nshall be as I would do to Amadis of Gaul, who is the man in the world\nthat I love worst, and on whom I most desire to take vengeance. Uncle,\nsaid Dinarda, as you mean to send their heads to King Aravigo, do not\nlet them die of hunger, but just support life for them that they may\nendure more pain. I will niece, replied Arcalaus. Tell me Knights on\nyour faith are you most troubled with hunger or thirst? In truth, said\nthey, though meat is of consequence, we are more desirous of drink.\nTake them a bacon pasty, said he to another Damsel, that they may not\nsay I would not relieve them, and then they all withdrew.\nThat Damsel seeing Amadis how comely he was, and knowing the great\nfeats of chivalry which he had done in the battle, was moved to pity\nfor him and his comrades, and she put a vessel of water and another\nof wine into a basket with the bacon pasty, and lowered it by a cord\nsaying, take this and be secret, you shall not fare ill if I can help\nye. Amadis thanked her much, and she went away; they then supped and\nwent to bed, bidding their Squires who were with them keep their arms\nin readiness where they could find them, for said they if we do not die\nof hunger we will sell our lives dearly.\nNow Gandalin and Orfeo and the Dwarf were cast into a prison underneath\nthe platform whereon their masters lay. They found there a Dame and her\nhusband, and a young Knight their son, who had been there confined a\nyear. Gandalin talking with them told them how coming in search of the\nKnights of the Serpents he had been seized. Holy Mary, replied the\nold Knight! these of whom you speak were well received in this Castle,\nand while they were asleep four men entered this prison, and turning\nthat iron lever which you see lowered down the platform above us, so\nthat they have suffered a great treason. Gandalin then understanding\nthat his master was in danger of death said, let us try to raise it\nthen, else neither they nor we shall ever escape, but if they save\nthemselves we shall be delivered. Then the Knight and his son on one\nside, and Gandalin and Orfeo on the other, began to turn the lever and\nthe platform began to rise. King Perion, who could not sleep for grief\nbecause of his sons presently felt it, and waking them said, the floor\nis rising, I know not for what intent. Amadis answered, let it be for\nwhat it will it is very different to die like Knights or like thieves,\nand they leaped out of bed and bade their Squires arm them. They below\nturned the lever with great labour and difficulty till the floor had\nrisen to its place; then Perion and his sons saw light through the\ncrevices of the door whereby they had entered, and they burst it open\nand rushed out upon the wall where the guards were, and slew and threw\ndown all they met, crying aloud, Gaul! Gaul! the Castle is ours.\nArcalaus hearing this was greatly dismayed, thinking that it was the\ntreason of some of his people who had let in the enemy, and he fled\nnaked into a tower, and drew up the stairs after him which were made\nlike a draw-bridge. He feared nothing from his prisoners thinking they\nwere safe enough, but looking from a window he saw the Knights of the\nSerpents traversing the Castle; then not daring to descend himself, he\ncalled to his men not to fear for there were but three against them.\nSome of those who lodged below then began to arm, but the Knights who\nhad now cleared the walls went down, and soon so handled them that not\na man appeared before them. They in the dungeon, who heard what was\ndoing, cried aloud for help. Amadis knew the Dwarf's voice, for he and\nthe Dame were in the most fear, and went forthwith to release them, and\nwith great force breaking the iron staples they burst open the door\nand set them at liberty, then searching the buildings round the Court\nthey found their horses, and gave two of Arcalaus's to the Knight and\nhis son, and Dinarda's palfrey to the Dame; and having mounted the\nKing ordered them to set fire to the dwellings. It began to blaze till\nall was in one flame, and the fire caught the door of the Tower, and\nthe Dwarf cried out, Sir Arcalaus! take this smoke patiently, as I did\nwhen you hung me up by the leg when you committed that great treason\nagainst Amadis. Much was the King pleased to hear how the Dwarf scoffed\nhim, and they all laughed to see what plight he was now in for all his\nforce and cunning. Then they rode toward their ship, and looking back\nfrom a hill beheld the Castle burning to their great joy. When they\nwere got aboard and were disarmed, the Dame knew the King and fell on\nher knees before him, and he seeing her took her up and embraced her as\none he much loved. Sir, said she, which is Amadis? and when she knew\nshe would have kissed his feet, but he raised her up being greatly\nabashed, and she then told him how she was Darioleta who had thrown him\ninto the sea, and besought his pardon. Dame, quoth he, now know I what\nbefore I never knew, for though my foster-father told me I was found in\nthe sea, I knew not how it had chanced, that do I indeed pardon, for\nyou did no wrong, for all was for the service of her whom I am bound to\nserve while I have life. The King took pleasure to talk of those times,\nand thus chearfully they sailed till they arrived in Gaul.\nYou have heard how Arcalaus was naked in the Tower, and because the\nfire caught the door he could not get out, and the smoke and the heat\nwere so great that he could not help himself, and though he got into a\nstone vaulted chamber still the smoke was so thick that he was in great\nagony. There he remained two days, for the fire continued so fierce\nthat none of his people who survived could enter, but on the third day\nthey could go in, and they went up to him and found him in such plight\nthat his soul was ready to depart from his body; but pouring water into\nhis mouth they made him recover, though in great tortures, and took him\nin their arms to remove him to the town, but when he saw his Castle so\nburnt and ruined, he said in the bitterness of his heart, Ah, Amadis\nof Gaul, what evil hast thou brought upon me! if I catch thee I will\ndo such cruelty upon thee that my heart shall be revenged for all, and\nfor thy sake I swear never more to spare the life of any Knight whom I\ntake, that if thou shouldst fall again into my hands thou mayest not\nescape. Four days he remained in the town, then he set out in a litter\nfor his Castle of Mount Aldin with Dinarda who was so fair and another\nDamsel, and seven Knights to guard them. The second day of their\njourney was far spent, and on that night they were to reach his Castle,\nwhen at the skirts of a forest they saw two Knights by a fountain,\nrichly armed and well mounted. Good Uncle, said Dinarda, here are two\nstrange Knights, for they were waiting to see what came in the litter.\nHe raised his head and said to his Knights, take your arms and bring me\nhither those Knights without saying who I am, if they resist bring me\ntheir heads. Now you are to know that these Knights were Don Galaor and\nhis comrade Norandel; the Knights of Arcalaus came up to them, and bade\nthem leave their arms and go to him in the litter. In God's name, quoth\nGalaor, who is he? or what is it to him whether we go armed or not? We\nknow not, replied the other, but you had better obey him or we must\ntake your heads. We are not come to that point yet, quoth Norandel,\nthat you can do it. Now shall ye see! said they. In the first encounter\ntwo of the Knights fell wounded to death, the other five broke their\nspears and could not move them from their saddles, then drew they their\nswords and began a fierce battle, but three of them being overthrown\nand badly wounded, the other twain durst no longer abide those mortal\nblows, and rode full speed into the forest. The two companions did not\npursue them but rode up to the litter which was now deserted by all\nexcept two men on horseback, and they raised the curtain and said, Sir\nKnight, whom God curse, is it thus you treat Errant Knights? if you\nwere armed we would make you confess that you are a wretch and false\nto God and the world, but as you are sick we will send you to Don\nGrumedan, who shall sentence you as you deserve.\nWhen Arcalaus heard this he was sore dismayed, knowing that if Grumedan\nshould see him his death was come, but being crafty in all things he\nput on a good countenance and said, certes Sir much pleasure would you\ndo me in sending me to my cousin and Lord Don Grumedan, but I hold\nmyself unfortunate that you should complain against me, whose only\nthought and wish is how to serve Errant Knights. I beseech you Sirs for\ncourtesy hear my misfortune, and then do with me as ye please. They\nhearing that he was cousin to Don Grumedan, whom they loved so well,\nrepented them of the harsh words they had used towards him; speak on,\nsaid they, we will willingly hear you. Know then Sirs that one day\nbeing armed I was riding in the forest of the Black Lake, and there I\nfound a Dame who complained to me of wrong which had been done her, I\nwent with her and recovered for her her right before Count Guncestre.\nBut as I was returning to my Castle I met that Knight whom you have\nslain, who God curse him, was a perverse man, and he with two other\nKnights attacked me to win from me my Castle. I defended myself the\nbest I could but was at last taken; he kept me prisoner for a whole\nyear, and all the honour he shewed me was to have these wounds healed;\nthen showed he the scars to them, for being a brave Knight many were\nthe wounds which he had given and received. At length Sirs being in\ndespair of otherwise obtaining my liberty I agreed to give him up my\nCastle, thinking to go afterwards to my cousin Don Grumedan, and to my\nLord King Lisuarte, and demand justice against the robber, which now\nSirs, without my asking it, you have taken for me more fully than I\nexpected; and if I found no help there I resolved to go seek Amadis of\nGaul or his brother Don Galaor, and seek from them that succour which\nthey grant to all who are oppressed. Now because I was so weak as not\nto ride he carried me in this litter to have my Castle yielded, and\nthe reason why he and those other traitors attacked you was that you\nmight not come up to see who was in the litter, and so learn their\nvillainy. Hearing this they besought pardon of him for the threats they\nhad used, and asked his name.\u2014Granfiles, I know not if you have heard\nit heretofore. Yes, quoth Galaor, and I know, as your Cousin hath told\nme, that he shews great honour towards all Errant Knights. God be\npraised that you know me! he replied, now I beseech you take off your\nhelmets and tell me your names also.\u2014This Knight is Norandel, son to\nKing Lisuarte, and I am Galaor the brother of Amadis. God be praised,\nquoth Arcalaus, that I have been succoured by such Knights! and he\nlooked well at Galaor, when they had unhelmed, that he might know him\nagain and do him a mischief if ever he had him in his power. I trust\nin God Sirs that you may one day be where my will towards you may be\nsatisfied! tell me now what I shall do?\u2014Even whatever is your will.\u2014I\nwill proceed then to my Castle\u2014God guard you, said they, and they\nparted. It was night but the moon shone, and he presently struck into a\nbye path.\nThe two Knights resolved to rest by the fountain because their horses\nwere weary. As you will, said Don Galaor's Squire, but there is better\nlodging ready for you than you are aware of.\u2014How so? Two Damsels who\ncame with the Knight in the litter have hid themselves in that old\nbuilding among the briars. They then alighted and washed their hands\nand faces at the fountain, and went towards the place, through the\nthicket and over rubbish. Who is hidden here, cried Galaor aloud,\nbring fire that I may make them come out. When Dinarda heard this,\nshe cried, mercy Knight and I will come out!\u2014Come out then that I may\nsee who you are.\u2014Help me or I cannot. Galaor drew nearer, she held\nout her arms, the moon shone bright so that he saw her distinctly, and\nhe helped her out. She had on a scarlet petticoat, and a white sattin\ncloak, and so fair was she that Galaor had never seen one whom he liked\nso well. Norandel took the other Damsel out, they all went back to the\nfountain, and there regaled upon what the Squires brought, and on what\nthey found upon a sumpter-horse of Arcalaus. Dinarda was in great fear\nof Galaor, lest he should know how she had betrayed his father and his\nbrothers, and take vengeance, and therefore she looked at him with\namorous eyes, and made signs to her Damsel how she admired his beauty,\nand this she did in hope to make him love her, thinking that she might\nbe safe. Galaor was not slow at comprehending these signs, for he\nthought of nothing but how he might have her for his mistress; so such\nwas her ill fortune that she, loth as she was, yet seeming nothing coy,\nyielded that to her enemy which no lover could ever yet attain.\nMeantime Norandel wooed the Damsel with whom he had been beside the\nfountain, but she replied, you shall never have my love unless my Lady\nDinarda bids me yield it. Dinarda? quoth Norandel, what is this the\ndaughter of Ardan Canileo who is come to this land to consult with\nArcalaus the Enchanter how they may revenge her father's death?\u2014I know\nnot the cause of her coming, but this is that Dinarda, and happy may\nhe think himself who wins her love. By this Galaor and Dinarda came\nup, and Norandel taking him apart, asked him if he knew who the Damsel\nwas?\u2014No. Dinarda, Ardan Canileo's daughter, who your cousin Mabilia\ntold us was come to this country to devise the death of Amadis. Galaor\nmused awhile and answered, I know nothing of her heart, but she seems\nto love me dearly, and she is the woman who of all that I have seen has\npleased me best, and I will not part from her yet. But as we are going\nto Gaul I will contrive that Amadis may make her some satisfaction,\nand so be forgiven. Meantime Dinarda learnt from her Damsel what had\npassed with Norandel, and how she was discovered. Friend, said she, our\nwisdom now is not to regard our own wills but to yield to necessity, we\nmust feign love for these Knights, and yield to them till we can find\noccasion to escape.\nThat night Galaor asked his Mistress what was the name of the wicked\nKnight who wanted to slay them. She thought he meant him in the litter\nand answered, how is it that when you went up to him in the litter you\ndid not know he was Arcalaus?\u2014Arcalaus!\u2014Yea, truly.\u2014Holy Mary, and\nhave I let him escape death with his tricks! When Dinarda heard that he\nwas not slain she greatly rejoiced, but dissembling that she answered,\na little while ago and I would have given my life to save his, but now\nthat you have won my love, and I am in your favour, I wish him dead,\nfor I know he hates you and your lineage; may the ill which he designs\nyou fall upon his own head! and she clipped him in her arms as if with\nexceeding love. So they passed that night there in the forest, and on\nthe morrow the Knights took each his Leman and proceeded towards Gaul.\nArcalaus greatly dismayed at what had befallen him reached his Castle\nat midnight, and ordered the gates to be closed, and no person\nadmitted. There had he his sores healed, designing to be worse than\never, and commit greater wrongs, as is the way of the wicked, who,\nthough God is patient with them, strive not to loose the chains in\nwhich the wicked enemy hath bound them, till they are cast with them\ninto the pit of hell, as we ought to believe this Arcalaus was.\nTwo days Don Galaor and Norandel rode with their Mistresses towards the\nport from whence they designed to cross over into Gaul; on the third\nday they reached a Castle where they resolved to lodge that night, and\nfinding the gate open rode in. The Lord of the Castle, when he saw them\nenter, chid his people for leaving the gates open; howbeit he made good\nsemblance to the Knights and did them much honour, though against his\nwill, for his name was Ambades, and he was cousin to Arcalaus, and he\nknew Dinarda his niece, who told him that she was forced by Galaor. The\nmother of this Ambades wept in secret with Dinarda, and said she would\nhave the Knights slain. Let not such folly possess you and my Uncle,\nquoth Dinarda, and she then related how they had discomfited the seven\nKnights. To-morrow I and the Damsel will lag behind, and let them go\nthrough the gate, then the bridge may be drawn up, and we shall be\nsafe. Thus they resolved to do. Ambades feasted the Knights well, and\nlodged them well, but he could not sleep all that night, so much was he\ndismayed at having two such men in his Castle. In the morning he rose\nand armed himself, and said he would accompany his guests some way, for\nthis, said he, is my office to seek adventures. We thank you Host, said\nGalaor. So they armed and placed their Mistresses on their palfreys and\nrode forth, but their Host and the Mistresses remained behind, and as\nsoon as they and their Squires were out, drew up the bridge, so that\nthe scheme succeeded. Ambades immediately dismounted and went upon the\nwall, and saw how the Knights were looking to see any one of whom they\nmight demand their Damsels. Get ye gone ye ill and false guests, quoth\nhe. God confound ye, and give ye as bad a night as ye gave me! your\nMistresses with whom you thought to make merry shall tarry with me. How\nnow Host? said Galaor, have you so well entertained us, and do you now\ncommit this great disloyalty to detain our Damsels by force? More joy\nif it were so, replied Ambades, but it was you their enemies who held\nthem by force, and they stay here freely.\u2014Let them show themselves\nand we shall see if it be so.\u2014They shall, not to satisfy you but to\nshow how they hate you. Dinarda then appeared upon the wall. Dinarda\nmy Lady, said Galaor, this Knight says you remain there willingly, and\nI cannot believe it because of the great love that is between us. If\nI manifested love towards you, Dinarda replied, it was only in fear,\nfor I being the daughter of Ardan Canileo, and you brother to Amadis,\nhow is it possible that I could love you? and especially when you\nwould have carried me into Gaul, into the power of my foes? Go your\nway Galaor, if I have pleased you do not thank me, nor ever think of\nme except as your enemy. Stay where you are, quoth Galaor, with the\nbad fortune which God grant thee! from such a root as Arcalaus, there\ncan only come such shoots. And you, said Norandel in great vexation\nto his Mistress, what will you do?\u2014the will of my Lady. Confound her\nwill, quoth he, and that of the fellow who has deceived us. Such as I\nam, cried Ambades, I should think it no praise to conquer two such as\nye! If you are such a Knight, quoth Norandel, come out and fight, you\non horseback and I afoot; if you kill me you will rid Arcalaus of a\nmortal enemy, if I conquer, you shall give us the Damsels. What a fool\nthou art, Ambades replied, I think nothing of both, and what should I\ndo of thee singly on foot and I being mounted? for what you say of my\nLord Arcalaus, he would not give one straw for twenty such as thee and\nthy comrade, and then he took a Turkish bow and began to let fly at\nthem. They drew back and went their way, saying that the wickedness of\nArcalaus extended to all his race, and laughing at what had passed. On\nthe fourth day they reached a sea-port called Alfiad, and taking ship\narrived in Gaul at a place where Amadis and Florestan were with King\nPerion.\nAmadis and Florestan were walking together when they saw the vessel\nput to land, and they went towards it to learn news. Presently they\nsaw Galaor and Norandel in the boat. Holy Mary, quoth Amadis, here is\nour brother Galaor! Know you who is with him?\u2014Norandel his companion,\nKing Lisuarte's son, a right good Knight, and so he proved himself in\nthe Island of Mongaza, but he was not acknowledged for his son till\nafter the battle with the seven Kings, and then Lisuarte made it known\nbecause of his great worth. Glad was Amadis of his coming, because he\nwas Oriana's brother, and Durin had said how she loved him. By this the\nKnights landed, and they four joyfully embraced, and went forthwith\nto King Perion, who embraced Norandel and led them to the Queen. Now\nAmadis had before resolved to go in quest of adventures that he might\nredeem his lost name, and had fixed the fourth day for his departure.\nAccordingly he spake to the King and his brethren, saying, that it\nbehoved him to leave them, and that he would set forth on the morrow.\nSon, replied Perion, God knows the want of you which I shall feel! but\nnot for that will I prevent you from gaining honour and the praise of\nprowess, as you have ever done. Sir brother, quoth Galaor, if it were\nnot for a quest which I and Norandel have undertaken, we would bear\nyou company, but we must needs accomplish it, or pass a year and a day\nin the pursuit, according to the custom of Great Britain. Son, said\nPerion, what is your quest? if it may be known. Sir, replied Galaor,\nwe publicly undertook it, and this it is. Know Sir that in the battle\nwhich we had with the seven Kings of the Islands, there were on the\nside of King Lisuarte three Knights, all bearing serpents for their\narms all alike, but their helmets were different, the one being white,\none purple, and one golden, and these three did such wonders in arms\nthat we were all astonished, especially he of the golden helmet, whose\ngoodness in arms I think cannot be peered. Certes it is that but for\nthese King Lisuarte would not have had the victory; when the battle\nwas over they left the field so secretly that they could not be known,\nand it is to find them out that we have undertaken. We have heard here\nof these Knights, answered Perion. God give you good tidings of them!\nBut Amadis took his father and Florestan apart and said, Sir, I shall\ndepart early, and I think after I am gone you should discover the truth\nto Galaor that he may not go on a vain search; show him the arms which\nhe will know, for if he learns not the secret from us none else can\ntell him. That night was there great feastings made, but all were heavy\nfor the loss of Amadis, who was going they knew not whither. On the\nmorrow after mass they rode out with Amadis, who would take in company\nwith him none but Gandalin and the Dwarf, to whom the Queen gave money\nenough to suffice his master for a year. Don Florestan requested to go\nwith him, but that he would not grant for two reasons, that he might\nhave more leisure to think of his Lady, and that in attempting great\nadventures he alone might perish or acquire the glory. They rode a\nleague together, then Amadis took leave of his father and brethren and\nwent his way.\nWhen they returned King Perion took Galaor and Norandel aside, and said\nto them, you have undertaken to find out that of which you can learn no\ntidings in the world, except it be only here. I bless God that he has\nguided you thus to save you the labour of a fruitless search! then led\nhe them to a chamber where the arms hung, there said he is the white\nhelmet which I wore, and Florestan's purple one, and the golden helmet\nof Amadis. Well did they remember them, for they bore the dints of\nthat battle, and often had they looked at them on that day, sometimes\nrejoicing that King Lisuarte had such aid, at other times envying the\nprowess of their masters. God and you Sir, said Galaor, have shewn us\ngreat favour in saving us from this search; it was our intent to seek\nthose Knights every where, and if they would not discover themselves\nwe should have fought with them till death, to prove, that though in\nthe general battle they did the best, it would be otherwise in single\nfight. Norandel then begged those arms of the King which he courteously\ngranted, then told he them in what peril they had been at the Castle of\nArcalaus, and by what adventure they had escaped. The tears came into\nGalaor's eyes for grief at that recital, and he in his turn told what\nhad chanced to him and Norandel with Arcalaus, and how the Enchanter\nhad escaped, and of their host Ambades. So Galaor and Norandel abode\nfourteen days with King Perion, then taking the arms of the serpents\nthey embarked for Great Britain, and took those arms to the palace\nto shew how they had atchieved their quest. Well were they welcomed\nby the King and all the Court. Sir if it please you, said Galaor,\nlet me be heard in presence of the Queen, forthwith they all went to\nthe Queen's apartment, and Galaor and his companion kissed her hand,\nand then he said, ye know Sirs that I and Norandel went in quest of\nthe Knights of the Serpents, blessed be God we have accomplished it\nwithout difficulty, as Norandel shall show you. Then Norandel took in\nhis hand the white helmet and said, Sir, know you this helmet well?\nyea, answered Lisuarte, many times did I see it when I wished it to be\nseen.\u2014King Perion, who loves you well, bore it on his head that day;\nthis purple one was Florestan's; here is the golden helmet: he who wore\nit, and who did you such service as none other could have done, is\nAmadis. If I say truth or not you are the best witness, for you were\noften among them in the battle, they enjoying now the fame and you\nthe victory. Then they related all that had happened and concerning\nArcalaus, and how he had escaped by calling himself Grumedan's cousin;\nat that they all laughed, and old Grumedan also, saying he was happy\nthey had found such a kinsman for him.\nLisuarte then enquired much concerning King Perion: trust me Sir, said\nNorandel, there is no King in the world of equal territories who is\nhis peer. He will lose nothing by his sons, quoth Grumedan; thereto\nthe King answered nothing, because he would not praise Galaor to his\nface, and was at that time little pleased with his brethren; howbeit he\nordered the arms to be hung upon the crystal arch of his palace, where\nthe arms of other famous men were placed.\nFOOTNOTES:\n[109:A] Here the author compares the wicked dumb Damsel to this\ndeceitful world, and exhorts sinners to hope by what followed.\n_CHAPTER 7._\nWhen Esplandian was four years old Nasciano the hermit sent for him,\nand when he saw how well grown he was for his age and how fair he\nmarvelled greatly, and blessed him, and the child embraced him as if\nhe had known him. Then the hermit sent his sister home, keeping with\nhim her son and Esplandian, who had been fed with the same milk, these\nchildren remained playing together before the hermitage till Esplandian\ngrew tired, and lay down under a tree and fell asleep. Now the Lioness\ncoming as was her wont to the hermit for food, saw the child and went\nup to him, and after smelling him all round lay down by his side. The\nother boy ran crying to the good man and told him that a great dog was\ngoing to eat Esplandian. The good man went out to see the Lioness, who\ncame and fawned upon him, and the child waking and seeing the Lioness\nsaid, father is this fine dog ours? No, said the good man, he is God's,\nto whom all things belong.\u2014I wish father he were ours!\u2014Do you wish\nto feed him son? yes replied the child; the old man then fetched him\nthe leg of a stag, which some hunters had given him, and the child\ngave it to the Lioness, and played with her ears, and put his hands\nin her mouth. And you must know that from this time the Lioness came\nevery day, and guarded him whenever he walked out from the hermitage.\nAnd when he was grown bigger Nasciano gave him a bow fit for him, and\nanother to his nephew, and they learned to shoot: the Lioness always\nwent out with them, and if they wounded a stag she would fetch him for\nthem. Now the hermit had certain friends who were hunters, and they\nwould sometimes go out with Esplandian, for the sake of the Lioness\nthat she might bring in their game, and thus Esplandian learned to\nhunt, and in this manner he passed his time being taught by that holy\nman.\nAmadis having left Gaul with design to do away by new atchievements the\nill report of his long sloth, entered Germany, and great feats did he\nthere perform, redressing wrongs, passing through great hazards, doing\nbattle sometimes with one Knight, sometimes with two or three\u2014what\nshall I say? he was soon famed as the best Knight that had ever entered\nthat country, though they knew him by no other name than the Knight of\nthe Green Sword, or of the Dwarf, because of Ardian who was with him?\nand thus he passed four years without returning to Gaul, or to the Firm\nIsland, or hearing tidings of Oriana, and no other consolation had he\nthan the certainty that his Lady being as faithful as himself endured\nthe same loneliness. Now having past the whole summer in Germany, when\nthe winter drew nigh he feared the cold, and resolved to go to Bohemia\nto pass it with the good King Tafinor, of whom he heard a fair report,\nand who was then at war with El Patin, who was now Emperor of Rome,\nand whom Amadis hated as you have heard, for pretending to Oriana.\nAccordingly he departed for that kingdom. Now it so happened that\nhaving reached the bank of a river he saw a great company on the other\nside, who had let fly a Ger-falcon at a heron, and the quarry was slain\nnear where he stood. He alighted, and calling out loudly to those on\nthe other side, asked if he should lure the Falcon? they answered yes;\nhe then gave him to eat what was proper, as one who had often done\nso. Now the river was so deep that it could not be crossed in that\npart, and you are to know that King Tafinor of Bohemia was with that\ncompany, and he seeing the Knight asked if any one knew him, but none\npresent could say who he was. Belike, said the King, it may be a Knight\nwho has traversed all Germany, and done such wonderful things in arms,\nthat all speak of him as of a miracle; they call him the Knight of the\nGreen Sword, or of the Dwarf, and because of the Dwarf I think this\nmay be he. A Knight named Sadian, who was Chief of the King's guard,\nanswered, certes this is he for he hath a green sword. The King then\nrode more than apace towards a ford, for the Knight was now riding\nthither to cross, having the ger-falcon on his fist. Good friend, said\nTafinor, you are right welcome to my land.\u2014Are you the King?\u2014I am,\nwhile it pleases God. Then the Knight approached respectfully to kiss\nhis hand, Sir, pardon me, tho' not knowing you I have not offended.\nI come to see and serve you, for they say you are at war with so\nmighty a man that you need the service of all your subjects and of\nstrangers also; but though I am a stranger yet while I am with you you\nmay account me as your natural vassal.\u2014Knight of the Green Sword and\nfriend, how much I am beholden to you for this coming and these words,\nmy heart knows which hath its courage doubled thereby. So they rode\ntogether to the town, and much was that Knight admired by all for his\ngoodly person, and because he was better armed than ever they had seen\nKnight. When they reached the palace the King ordered that he should\nbe lodged, and being disarmed in a rich chamber he clothed himself in\ncostly apparel, which his Dwarf had brought, and went before the King\nwith such a presence as testified to the truth of what had been spoken\nof his prowess; there did he eat with the King, and was served as\nbecame the table of such a man. When the cloths were removed the King\nsaid, Knight of the Green Sword and my good friend, know that against\nmy will I am at war with the mightiest of all the Christians, El Patin,\nEmperor of Rome, who in his great power and great pride would have this\nkingdom, which God gave free into my hands, tributary to him. Hitherto\nby the good faith and strength of my vassals and friends I have well\ndefended myself, and will continue so to do while life shall last; but\ndifficult and perilous it is for the few to defend themselves against\nthe many, and therefore my heart is ever troubled in seeking for some\nremedy. But none other is there except in the worth and courage which\nGod has given to some above others, and as he hath so excellently in\nthis wise gifted you, much hope have I in your aid, if you will help\nto defend this kingdom which shall be ever at your will. Sir, answered\nthe Knight, I will serve you; as you shall see my deeds so judge you my\nworth. Thus the Knight of the Green Sword remained in the house of King\nTafinor of Bohemia, and to do him more honour the King ordered his own\nson Grasandor to be in his company and Count Galtines his cousin.\nIt chanced one day as they were riding out with the King and talking\nof the war, for the truce was to expire in five days, they saw twelve\nKnights approaching, their arms lying upon the horses, and their\nSquires carrying the helmets, shields and lances. The King knew among\nthem the shield of Don Garadan, cousin to the Emperor Patin, who was\nthe best Knight of all the Lordship of Rome, and he said to him of the\nGreen Sword, ah, what evils he hath done me whose is yonder shield, and\nhe pointed to the shield which bore two large eagles or, in a field\nmurrey. Sir, replied he, the more insults you receive from your enemies\nthe more confidence should you have that God will give you vengeance.\nNow seeing they are come into your land, relying upon your courtesy,\nhonour them and accost them well, but make no terms that are not to\nyour own honour and profit. The King embraced him and said, would to\nGod you had been always with me! direct me as you please! So they met\nGaradan and his company, and the King welcomed them with better words\nthan heart, and invited them to enter the town. Don Garadan answered,\nI come for two things which you must know first, and whereon no other\ncounsel is needed than that of your own heart; answer us speedily for\nwe must not tarry, seeing the truce will soon be expired. He then\nproduced a letter of credence wherein the Emperor promised on his faith\nto confirm whatever Don Garadan should conclude with him. Methinks,\nquoth Tafinor, when he had read it, the Emperor places no little\nconfidence in you! now say your bidding. King, then said Don Garadan,\nnotwithstanding the Emperor is of higher lineage and lordship than you,\nyet because he hath other things to attend to, he wishes to put an end\nto this war, in either of these ways which you may chuse. Either that\nyou shall do battle with Salustanquidio his cousin Prince of Calabria,\nhundred to hundred up to a thousand, or twelve to twelve, your Knights\nagainst me and these my companions: on condition that if you conquer\nyou shall be for ever free from this demand, but if you are conquered\nyou shall remain his vassal, as this kingdom was in times past to his\nempire, according to our Roman histories. Now chuse which you will,\nfor should you refuse either the Emperor bids you know, that leaving\naside all other things, he will come against you in person, and never\ndepart till he hath destroyed you. Don Garadan, cried he of the Green\nSword, you have spoken arrogantly enough as well for yourself as for\nthe Emperor, but God oftentimes with a little of his mercy hath broken\ndown such pride; the King will answer you as it may please him. I would\nonly ask if he should accept one of these battles, how shall he be\nsecure that what you promise will be performed? Don Garadan looked at\nhim, wondering that he should have answered without waiting for the\nKing's reply, I know not who you are Sir Knight, quoth he, but by your\nspeech it seems you are of a foreign land; this I shall say, I hold\nyou for one of little discretion to reply without the King's command,\nbut if he hold it good, and will accede to what I demand, I will tell\nyou what you ask. The King replied, Don Garadan, I confirm and warrant\nwhatever the Knight of the Green Sword shall say. When Garadan heard\nmentioned the man of such high prowess his heart leaped for two causes,\nthe one sorrow, that such a Knight should be on the King's side, the\nother pleasure, for he hoped to combat him, and had confidence that\nhe should subdue or slay him, and so acquire all that glory which he\nhad won throughout Germany, and other countries wherein no other Knight\nwas spoken of. Since the King leaves it to you, said he, chuse the one.\nThe Knight answered, let the King do that; all I shall say is, that in\neither I will serve him, if he permit me, and so will I do in war while\nI remain with him. The King put his arm round the Knight's neck saying,\ngood friend, such courage your words give me that I fear not to accept\neither, I beseech you say which is best.\u2014Certes Sir that may I not\ndo; summon you the good men of your counsel and take their judgment,\nand command me wherein I may serve you, else might they with reason\ncomplain that I took upon myself more than I had wisdom to discharge;\nhowbeit Sir at all events see what security Don Garadan will give.\nGaradan then bade a Squire bring him a casket, and he took from it a\nwriting sealed with thirty seals all suspended by silken strings, and\nall were of silver except the middle one which was gold, for that was\nthe Emperor's, and the others were of the great lords of the Empire;\nthis he gave the King.\nThen King Tafinor withdrew with his good men, and finding that he\nmight depend upon the conditions, asked counsel whether he should\nchuse: some said the hundred to hundred, others the combat of twelve,\nbecause for so small a number he could chuse tried Knights, others\nthat it were better to continue the war and not put his kingdom upon\nadventure of a battle; so that the opinions were very different. Then\nsaid Count Galtines, Sir, let us refer it to this Knight of the Green\nSword, who peradventure has seen many things, and hath great desire to\nserve you. Thereto all assented, and the King sent to call him, for\nhe and Grasandor were talking with Don Garadan, and the Knight of the\nGreen Sword seeing of what brave stature he was, and that needs there\nmust be great strength in him, somewhat doubted the battle, yet the\nvain and arrogant words which he had spoken made him hope that God\nwould enable him to confound his pride. He at the King's bidding went\nbefore him, and the King said, Knight of the Dwarf my great friend, I\nbeseech you now do not refuse to give us your advice, and he told him\nat what difference they were. Sir, he replied, this is a weighty thing\nto determine, for the issue is in the hand of God, not in the judgment\nof men. Howbeit speaking as the adventure were my own, I will say Sir,\nthat if I had but one castle and an hundred men, and an enemy with\nten castles and a thousand Knights warring to take it from me, if it\npleased God to make him propose to me an equal battle I should think it\na great mercy. But for all which I have said do not you Knights cease\nto counsel the King that which will be most for his service! with that\nhe would have departed but the King took him by the cloak and made him\nsit by him, and said, good friend, we all agree in your opinion. I\nchuse the combat of twelve, and God who sees the violence done me will\nbe my helper, even as he helped King Perion of Gaul when that mighty\nKing Abies came against him, and was slain by a stripling Knight. In\nthe name of God! exclaimed he of the Green Sword, and this is the best\nchoice, but if you can prevail with Garadan let it be decided by single\ncombat, let he and I do battle, for I trust in God, and in your good\ncause and his pride that I could decide the war.\nWith that they went to Don Garadan, who was impatient of their delay,\nand the King said to him, I chuse the combat of twelve Don Garadan,\nand let it be to-morrow. So help me God, quoth Garadan, as you have\nanswered to my heart's desire, and I am right glad. He of the Green\nSword answered, oftentimes men are glad at the beginning, but when the\nend comes it is otherwise. Garadan beheld him with an evil look\u2014Don\nCavalier, you chuse to speak on every occasion! it is plain enough that\nyou are a stranger, since your discretion is so scanty and strange; if\nI knew that you were to be one of the twelve I would give you these\ngloves! He of the Green Sword took them,\u2014I shall be there, and as I\nnow take your gloves, so will I then take that head which your pride\nand discourtesy have offered me. When Garadan heard this he was besides\nhimself with rage.\u2014Ah, wretch that I am, quoth he, if this were\nto-morrow, and we were in the battle, Don Cavalier of the Dwarf, all\nthese should see how I would chastise your folly! If till to-morrow\nseem so long a time, replied he of the Green Sword, the day is yet long\nenough for one to slay the other; let us arm if you will and begin the\nbattle, on this covenant, that he who survives may aid his comrades\nto-morrow. Certes, Don Cavalier, replied Garadan, if you dare do as\nyou have now said, I forgive you all you have said against me, and he\ncalled hastily for his arms, and the Knight of the Dwarf demanded his\nfrom Gandalin.\nHis companions armed Don Garadan, the King and his son did the same\nto their champion; all then withdrew, and left the twain in the field\nwhere they were to combat. Garadan mounted upon a goodly steed, whom\nhe made prance fiercely over the field, then turning to his friends\nhe said, trust ye that ye shall see this King made subject to our\nEmperor, and ye without striking a blow, remain with much honour; all\nthe hope of our enemies is in this Knight, whom, if he dares abide\nthe encounter, I shall presently conquer, and when he is slain they\nwill not dare enter the lists with us to-morrow. What are you doing\nGaradan? cried he of the Green Sword, you waste the day in boasting,\nand boasting will not do now we are about to be proved. They then\nspurred against each other, their shields, strong as they were, failed,\ntheir lances, thick as they were, splintered, and they dashed helmet\nand shield against each other. The horse of the Green Sword staggered\nback and reeled, but did not fall; Garadan was driven from the saddle,\nand so rudely that he was well nigh stunned. He of the Green Sword,\nwhen he saw him trying to rise and stumbling, would have made at him\nbut his horse could not move, the encounter had so shaken him, and he\nhimself had been wounded in the left arm, but he alighted in great\nwrath and went against Garadan with his burning Sword. Now had Garadan\nrecovered, and stood sword in hand covered with his shield ready, but\nnot so fierce as before. Many a notable blow was then given, and so\nfiercely they foined that all marvelled to behold them. But Garadan\nyet felt his fall, and his enemy in anger prest on him, and laid on\nsuch heavy load so fast that he drew back and said, certes Knight of\nthe Green Sword I now know you better than before, and like you less!\nhowbeit, though much of your worth is now proved to me, mine is not in\nsuch state that it can be known who shall conquer: if you like to rest\na while be it so, if not, again to battle! Truly Don Garadan, replied\nhe, it would please me far better to rest than to fight, but to one\nof your high prowess and courage it must be far otherwise, as I judge\nby your own words; and therefore that so good a man as you may not be\nshamed, I will not leave the battle till it be ended. Right sad was Don\nGaradan for that, for he felt himself weak with his fall and wounds,\nand remembered the proud threats which he had uttered against that\nenemy, howbeit he took courage to do his best and endure the end; then\nagain they engaged with equal fury, but it was not long before Garadan\nfell down with a blow on the helmet, the sword had entered so deep\nthat the Knight could scarce pluck it out, then he hastened and took\noff his enemy's helmet and saw that the brains were cleft. Whereat\ngreatly rejoicing because of the displeasure it would be to El Patin\nthe Emperor, and the service he had done the King, he wiped his sword\nand put it in the scabbard, and knelt down and gave God thanks.\nKing Tafinor immediately dismounted from his palfrey and went up to the\nconqueror, and seeing his hands red with blood, his own as well as his\nenemy's, he said to him, good friend, how feel you? Right well, replied\nhe of the Green Sword, by God's mercy! I shall bear my part to-morrow\nin the battle. So he was honourably accompanied to the town, and his\nwounds were dressed. The Roman Knights meantime carried the dead\nGaradan to their tents, and great dole did they make, for they loved\nhim much, and were sore dismayed at his loss, seeing that his conqueror\nwould be against them on the morrow; so they were greatly troubled,\nbeing afraid to do battle, yet knowing that if they did not the Emperor\nwould be dishonoured, and they themselves therefore in peril of death.\nHowbeit they resolved not to fight, and to excuse themselves before\nthe Emperor by saying that Garadan had undertaken the combat, wherein\nhe died against the will of all, for his own haughtiness. The most of\nthem were of this mind and the others were silent. But there was among\nthem a young Knight called Arquisil, of the imperial blood, and so near\na-kin to El Patin that he was his heir if he died without a son, and\nfor this reason was he hated by that Emperor. He being so young, for he\nwas yet but twenty, had not before ventured to speak; but now he said,\ncertes Sirs I marvel greatly that good men like you should fall into so\ngreat an error! if any man had advised this you ought to have held him\nas an enemy! for Don Garadan's death, it is better that so insolent a\none should be out of our company, that we may not partake the reward of\nhis insolence; and for that Knight whom you fear, I will take him to\nmy account, and not leave him till death, what then will be the mighty\nodds? eleven to ten\u2014that you should prefer perpetual dishonour to\nthe chance of death! Such weight had these words of Arquisil that his\ncompanions gave him many thanks, and praised his council, and bravely\ndetermined to undertake the combat.\nWhen the Knight of the Green Sword had taken food he said to the King,\nit is time Sir to appoint the Knights who are to do battle to-morrow,\nthat they may prepare and meet at mass in your chapel by day-break,\nthat we go forth together to the field. So let it be, replied Tafinor,\nmy son Grasandor shall be one, and the others such that with God's help\nand yours we shall gain the victory. God forbid, then answered the\nKnight, that while I can bear arms you or your son should wear them!\nand when the others are such that he and even I might be excused. Sir\nKnight of the Green Sword, exclaimed Grasandor, I will not be excused\nwhere your person is exposed, neither in this nor in any other battle;\nif I were worthy to have a boon granted by such a Knight as you I\nwould request you to have me always in your company. In no wise will\nI forbear to be in the combat to-morrow, though it were only to learn\nsomething of your wonders in arms. He of the Green Sword bowed humbly\nto acknowledge that honour; since you will so have it Sir, in God's\nname let it be so. The King then said, my good friend your arms have\nbeen rudely handled, I will give you others which never have been worn,\nand which will please you, and a horse better than which you never have\nseen, and forthwith he bade the horse be brought bridled and saddled\nwith most rich trappings. When the Knight saw the horse how handsome he\nwas, and how well caparisoned, he sighed, thinking that if he was where\nit could be done he should well bestow him by sending him to his true\nfriend Angriote of Estravaus. The arms were very rich, bearing Lions\nmurrey in a field or, and the coat-armour was the same, but the sword\nwas the best that ever he had seen, except King Lisuarte's and his own,\nand after having looked at it he gave it to Grasandor for the battle.\nOn the morrow betimes they heard mass with the King, and armed and\nkissed his hand, then took horse and rode to the field. The Romans were\ncoming forth, their men sounding trumpets to encourage them, Arquisil\namong them in green arms, and on a white horse, and he said to his\ncomrades, remember what we have said, I will perform my promise. They\nthen encountered, and Arquisil met the Knight of the Green Sword; their\nlances brake and Arquisil was driven from the saddle, but he laid hold\nof the crupper, and being active and of good heart lightly recovered\nhis seat. The Green Sword Knight passed on, and with the truncheon of\nhis lance smote off the helmet of the first he met, and he would have\nfelled him if he had not himself been attacked by two Knights at once;\nthe one of which struck his shield, the other his leg, passing through\nthe lappet of his mail, the spear end gave him a wound which he felt\nsorely, and which made him rage with more wrath. He laid hand to sword\nand smote at one a thwart blow which fell upon the horse's neck, and\ncut it clean through, so that the beast fell and broke the rider's leg.\nBy this Arquisil came up and smote him of the Green Sword on the helmet\nso fiercely that sparks flew from helm and sword, and he made him bend\nhis head, but he soon received his guerdon, for the Green Sword struck\nhim on the shoulder, and wounded him so sorely that Arquisil thought\nsurely his arm was lost; then the Knight went on among his other\nenemies, who were now hardly put to by Grasandor and the Bohemians. But\nArquisil still followed him, though with less ardour than at first,\nand foined at him on all parts; he turned and struck him, with no will\nto wound, esteeming him above all of his party for the courage with\nwhich he had singled him out. Arquisil still prest on him, by this the\nRomans were slain, or disabled or had yielded, and the Green Sword\nKnight seeing how Arquisil still pursued him, cried out, will no one\ndeliver me from this Knight? Thereat Grasandor and two others turned\nupon him and plucked him from the saddle, for he was weary and weak,\nand threw him down and would have slain him, but then the Green Sword\nKnight said, Sirs, I have received most hurt from him, leave me to take\namends, and he went up to Arquisil and said, Knight, yield yourself,\nand do not perish by the hand of one who esteems you; then he who only\nexpected death right joyfully yielded himself prisoner, and thanked\nhim for his life, and pledged himself upon the Green Sword to obey his\nbidding. Then went they all to the King, who joyfully received them,\nand the Knight of the Green Sword was laid in the King's chamber, and\nTafinor would have lodged Arquisil with him to honour him because of\nhis high lineage and great worth, but he said, I beseech you Sir, let\nme go help my companions who are yet living, and bear away the dead. I\nam your prisoner, and will come to your command whenever you summon me.\nThe Green Sword Knight embraced him and dismissed him, and he went to\nhis comrades, whom he found in such plight as you may guess, and taking\nwith them the bodies of Garadan, and the others who were slain they\nwent their way. So you will hear nothing more of this Knight till his\ntime comes, and then it shall be told to what his great courage brought\nhim.\nThe Green Sword Knight remained with King Tafinor till his wounds were\nhealed, and then seeing that the war was ended, and thinking that he\ncould better bear the misery of absence from Oriana, when he was\nwandering and enduring difficulty, than in repose and enjoyment, he\nspake to the King saying, Sir, since your war is ended, and the time\nwhen my fortune will not let me rest is come, I must obey the will of\nthat fortune, not my own. I will depart to-morrow, and God grant that\nthere may come a time wherein I may make some return for the great\nhonours and favours which you have vouchsafed me. King Tafinor thereat\nwas sorely troubled,\u2014Ah, Knight of the Green Sword, my true friend,\ntake what you will of my kingdom, power as well as possessions, and do\nnot leave me! Sir, replied he, this I always believed, that knowing my\ngood will to serve you, you would honour me accordingly, but I cannot\nrest till my heart be in that place where its thoughts are always.\nThe King seeing how he spake, and knowing him to be fixed in all his\npurposes, answered then with a sad countenance, my loyal friend, since\nit must be so, I beg of you two things: the one, that if ever need\nbetide you, you will remember me and this my country; the other, that\nyou will hear mass with me to-morrow for I would speak with you.\nHe of the Green Sword then ordered Gandalin to prepare for their\ndeparture. That night he did not sleep, even as though he had been\noverwearied with bodily toil, for trouble and grief of mind so mastered\nhim, for his Lady's sake; many tears did he shed that night; at dawn\nhe rose and armed and went to horse, and Gandalin and the Dwarf\nmounted their palfreys, taking the things necessary for their journey.\nForthwith he went to the King's chapel where they heard mass; King\nTafinor then bidding all others go forth, said to him, my great friend,\nI beg of you one boon, which shall neither be to the hindrance of your\njourney nor to your dishonour.\u2014So Sir I well believe, do you therefore\nask according to your virtue, and I grant it.\u2014Tell me then good friend\nyour name, and whose son you are, and trust me the secret shall be\nkept by me till you divulge it. The Knight remained silent awhile,\nrepenting what he had promised,\u2014Sir, if it please you do not ask this,\nfor it will not profit you.\u2014My good friend doubt not to tell me\u2014I\nwill conceal it like you yourself. He then replied, since it pleases\nyou Sir to know, I am that Amadis of Gaul, son to King Perion, of whom\nyou spake before the battle. Ah, happy Knight, quoth then King Tafinor,\nblessed was the hour wherein thou wert begotten, by whom thy parents\nand kin, and we also have derived such honour and advantage! You have\nmade me right joyful by telling me this, and I trust in God that it\nwill be for your own good, and the means that I may somewhat discharge\nthe great debts I owe you. Now, though the King spake thus from his own\ngood will, and not because of any thing which he could know of that\nKnight's needs, yet was it fulfilled in two ways; the one, because he\nmade be written all the feats of arms which Amadis had done in those\ncountries, and the other when he was a right good ally to him with his\nson and his people, when he had great need of help, as you shall hear\nhereafter. Then he took leave of the King, and being accompanied out of\ntown by Grasandor and Count Galtines, and other good Knights for half a\nleague, they then commended him to God, and he set forth to go through\nthe Islands of Romania, and prove himself in such adventures as he\nmight there find.\n_CHAPTER 8._\nKing Lisuarte, to solace himself and his Knights, resolved to go hunt\nin the forest and take with him the Queen and her daughters and all\nher Damsels, and he bade the tents be pitched by the fountain of the\nSeven Beech Trees, which was a pleasant place. Now you are to know\nthat this was the forest where the hermit Nasciano dwelt, and where he\nwas breeding up Esplandian. There leaving the Queen in her fair tent,\nthe King and his huntsmen went into the thickest part of the mountain,\nwhere, because that ground was kept, they had plenty of sport. It so\nfell out that the King started a stag and followed him down into the\nvalley, and there a strange thing chanced, for he saw a child coming\ndown the opposite hill, a boy of five years old, the prettiest that\never he had seen, leading a lioness in a leash, and when he saw the\nstag he loosed her and hallooed her to the game. Presently the Lioness\novertook him and slew him and began to suck his blood, and the child\ncame running up and with him another somewhat older than himself,\nand they took out their knives and gave the Lioness her share. The\nKing stood in the thicket wondering at what he saw, and his horse was\nfrightened at the Lioness and would not go towards her. Presently the\nboy took a horn which hung from his neck and blew it, and two spaniels\ncame up, the one tawny and the other black, and they had their fees of\nthe game; this done they leashed the Lioness again, and went up the\nhill. By this the King had fastened his horse to a tree, and called\nout to the boy to stop, and when he came up and saw how beautiful he\nwas he marvelled more than before, and he said to him, God bless thee\nmy fine boy, and keep thee for his service; tell me where you are\nbrought up and whose son you are? Sir, replied the child, the holy man\nNasciano the hermit breeds me up and he is my father. The King mused\nawhile how a man so holy and so old should have so young and so fair\na child, and did not believe that it could be so; he then asked him\nwhere the hermit's house was. The child showed him a path but little\ntrodden,\u2014you may go up there, but I must follow that boy who is\ntaking the Lioness to the fountain where we have our game. So he went\nhis way and the King went to horse, and followed the path till he came\nto the hermitage, which was among beech trees and brambles, and he\nsaw no one there; then he alighted and went in, and he found an old\nman kneeling and reading prayers in a book; he was in his habit, and\nhis hair was quite gray. When he had finished his prayers he looked\nround and saw the King, and the King knelt before him and besought his\nblessing, which the good man gave and asked him then what he would\nhave. Good friend, replied Lisuarte, I have met a fair boy in the\nmountain hunting with a Lioness, who told me that you bred him up, and\nbecause he is so beautiful and this thing so strange, I come to ask you\nwho he is, promising you on the word of a King that no harm shall come\nfrom the discovery either to him or you. When the good man heard this\nhe recollected the King's person and knelt down and kissed his hand,\nbut the King raised him up and embraced him saying, friend Nasciano,\nI am very desirous to know this, do not fear to tell me. The good man\nled him out of the chapel and they sat down on a bench in the porch, by\nwhere his horse was fastened, and he said, Sir I believe you, that you\nwill protect the child as it has pleased God to protect him! he then\ntold him how he had found the child, and of the letters on his breast.\nYou tell me such wonders, replied Lisuarte, as I never heard till now:\nit must needs be that the Lioness found him near this place. I cannot\nsay, said Nasciano, nor let us seek to know more of this than pleases\nGod. Then said the King, I beseech you come and eat with me to-morrow\nat the Fountain of the Seven Beech Trees, where you will find the Queen\nand our company, and bring with you Esplandian and the Lioness, and\nyour nephew, to whom I ought to show favour for the sake of Sargil his\nfather, who was a good Knight, and served the King my brother well.\nThe King then returned to his pavilion, he reached it two hours after\nnoon, and there he found Don Galaor and Norandel, and Guilan the\nPensive, who had just arrived with two deer, with whom he talked and\nmade merry, but of his own adventure he said nothing; then bade he the\ncloths be spread, but Don Grumedan came up and said, Sir, the Queen\nhath not yet eat, and she requests to speak with you first, for so it\nbehoveth. Immediately he rose and went to her, and she showed him\na letter sealed with an emerald, through which threads of gold were\npassed, and there were letters round about it saying, this is the seal\nof Urganda the Unknown. Sir, quoth she, as I came along the road a\nDamsel met us, richly attired upon a palfrey, and a Dwarf with her upon\na good horse. She rode by all my company, and close by my daughter,\nwithout vouchsafing a word to them, but when I came up she said, Queen,\ntake this letter, and read it with the King before you dine, and then\nshe and the Dwarf spurred away so fast that there was no time to ask\nher any thing. The King then opened the letter and read thus:\n_To the most high and honoured King Lisuarte._\nI Urganda the Unknown, who love you, advise you to your benefit, that\nat the time when the fair boy who has been nursed by three nurses\nshall appear you love him and cherish him well, for great joy shall he\nbring to you, and shall deliver you from the greatest danger wherein\never you were placed. He is of high lineage, and know O King that from\nthe milk of his first nurse he shall be so strong and fierce of heart\nthat his great feats in arms shall obscure all the worthies of his own\ntime, and from his second nurse he shall be gentle and courteous, and\nhumble, and of all good qualities, and from his third nurse prudent\nand of good understanding, and right catholic, and of fair speech;\ntherefore will he be beloved by all, and no Knight shall equal him. And\nhis great deeds in arms shall all be employed in the service of the\nMost High God, despising that which other Knights of these days follow\nmore for the honour and vain glory of this world than for the sake of\nconscience, so that he shall have God on his right hand and his Lady on\nhis left. And I tell thee moreover good King that this child shall make\npeace between thee and Amadis and his lineage, which shall last all thy\ndays, and which none other could do.\nWhen he had read this, the King blessed himself and said, the wisdom\nof this woman can neither be imagined nor expressed! I have this day\nfound the child of whom she speaks! and with that he told the Queen\nwhat had happened, and how Nasciano and the boy would be with them\non the morrow. Right joyful was Brisena to think she should see that\nchild, and talk with that holy man about her conscience. The King then\nbade her say nothing of all this, and he returned to his tent to take\nfood, there he told his Knights not to go hunt the next day for he had\na letter to read to them from Urganda the Unknown, and he ordered the\nhuntsmen to drive all the beasts into a sheltered valley and keep them\nthere all the day: this did he that they might not be frightened by the\nLioness. So thus as you hear they passed the day regaling themselves in\nthat meadow which was full of flowers and of fresh green grass.\nOn the morrow they all assembled in the King's tent and there heard\nmass. Lisuarte then took them to the Queen's Pavilion, which was\npitched beside a fountain in a fresh meadow, for it was the month of\nMay. The curtains of the pavilion were open, so that the Princesses\nand Dames and Damsels of high parentage were all seen seated on the\nestrados, and there the high-born Knights went and conversed with\nthem. The King then had the letter of Urganda read, whereat they were\nall greatly amazed, marvelling what fortunate child it might be, but\nmost of all Oriana mused thereon and sighed for her son, thinking\nthat perhaps this might be he whom she had lost. What think ye of\nthis letter? said the King. Certes Sir, replied Don Galaor, I doubt\nnot that what she saith will come to pass, as it ever hath done, and\nhow much soever others may rejoice when the child shall appear, with\nreason shall I above all others be glad, seeing that through him shall\nbe accomplished the thing I most desire, which is to see my brother\nAmadis and his kinsmen in your love and service once more, as they were\nheretofore wont to be. Lisuarte answered, all this is in the hand of\nGod, he will do his service, and we must be contented. While they were\nthus communing they beheld the hermit coming and his boys with him.\nEsplandian came first, leading the Lioness in a slender leash and the\ntwo Spaniels coupled, and behind him was the holy man Nasciano; then\ncame Esplandian's foster brother Sargil, and two bowmen who had taught\nEsplandian in the mountain, and they brought upon one beast the stags\nwhom Lisuarte had seen the Lioness slay, and on another two roe-bucks,\nand hares, and rabbits whom the boys and they had killed with their\narrows. When they in the tents beheld such a company, and that great\nand terrible Lioness, they rose hastily and went to place themselves\nbefore the King, but he held out a wand and bade them remain in their\nplaces, saying that he who led this Lioness would defend them. It may\nbe so, replied Don Galaor, but methinks we should have a weak defender\nin the huntsman who leads her if she should grow angry; this is a\nmarvellous thing to see!\nThe boys and the archers now stopt to let the good man go forward.\nFriends, said Lisuarte, this is the holy man Nasciano who dwells in the\nmountain, let us go to him that he may give us his blessing. They then\nwent and knelt before him, and the King said, servant of God and happy\nman give us your blessing! he raised his hand and replied, receive it\nin his name as from a sinner! The King then led him to Brisena; but\nwhen the women beheld that fierce Lioness looking at them and rolling\nher eyes round, her red tongue lolling out, and her teeth showing\nso sharp and strong they were greatly affrighted. The Queen and her\ndaughter and all well welcomed Nasciano, and they were all amazed at\nthe great beauty of the child, who went to the Queen saying, Lady, we\nhave brought you this game. My good boy, said the King, divide it as\nyou like, and this he said to see what he would do. The boy answered,\nthe game is yours, do you dispose of it. Nay, quoth the King, you shall\ndivide it; the boy was abashed, and there came a colour like a rose\ninto his cheek. Sir, said he, take you the stag for yourselves and your\ncompanions. He then went to the Queen, who was talking with Nasciano,\nand kneeling down kissed her hands and gave her the roe-bucks; then\nlooking on his right he thought that none whom he saw appeared more\nworthy to be honoured than Oriana his own mother whom he did not know,\nand he gave her the partridges and rabbits, saying, Lady we have slain\nno other game than this with our arrows. Fair child, replied Oriana,\nGod speed you in your sport and in all else. The King then called him,\nand Galaor and Norandel took him in their arms and embraced him as\nif the force of kin were working in them. Lisuarte commanded silence\nand said to the good man, father and friend of God, say now before\nall these what you related to me concerning this child. The good man\nthen related how he had met the Lioness with this child in her mouth,\ncarrying him home to her whelps, and how by God's mercy she laid the\nbabe at his feet. And how richly he was clothed, and how the Lioness\nhad suckled him first, and then a ewe-sheep, till he had given him to a\nnurse, all as the history hath related it. But when Oriana and Mabilia\nand the Damsel of Denmark heard this they looked at each other, and\ntheir flesh trembled for exceeding joy, for they knew of a truth that\nthis child was the son of Amadis, whom the Damsel had lost. But when\nthe hermit told of the letters on his breast, and uncovered his breast\nthat all might see, then were they certain that this was he, and the\ndelight of their hearts was so great that it cannot be expressed, and\nabove all that of Oriana to behold the child whom she had lost.\nThen Lisuarte asked the boys of Nasciano that he might have them\nbrought up, to the which the good man assented, seeing that God had\nmade them more for such a life than for one he could give them, yet\nwas it with great grief of heart that he consented, and knowing the\nloneliness he should feel in losing them, for he loved Esplandian\ndearly. When the King had them thus at his disposal he gave Esplandian\nto the Queen to serve her, and she soon gave him to her daughter\nOriana, greatly rejoiced thereat as she who had brought him forth.\nThus was that child placed under his mother's care, he who had been\nin the Lioness's mouth. These are the wonders of the Most High God\nthe preserver of us all! other sons of princes are lapt in silks, and\nnursed with all blandishments and delicacies, and so carefully that\nthey who tend them must neither sleep nor rest, and yet with little\nhurt and slight ailing they are taken out of the world; for so God\nwills, and fathers and mothers must receive his allotments as what is\njust, and thank him for doing his own will, which cannot err like ours.\nThe Queen then confessed to that holy man: Oriana did the same, and\ntold him the secret of her love, and how that child was hers, and by\nwhat adventure she had lost him, a thing which till then she had never\ncommunicated, and she besought him to remember it in his prayers; much\ndid the good man marvel to hear of such love in one of so high degree,\nwho was above all others bound to give a good example, and he reproved\nher sharply, bidding her give over so great an error, else he would not\nabsolve her, and her soul would be in great peril. But she weeping told\nhim how when Amadis released her from Arcalaus she had received his\npledged word as husband, as it ought to be; then was the hermit full\nglad, and he was the means whereby many were delivered from cruel death\nthat awaited them, as shall be seen hereafter. Then he absolved her,\nand appointed such penance as was convenient. He then took Esplandian\nto the King, and embraced the boy and wept, saying, child of God,\nwhom he gave me to bring up, may he guard and protect thee, and make\nthee a good man for his holy service! then he kissed him and gave him\nhis blessing, and delivered him to the King, and taking his leave he\nreturned with the archers and the Lioness to his hermitage.\n_CHAPTER 9._\nYou have heard how the Green Sword Knight resolved to go through the\nIslands of Romania: there he went, redressing the oppressed, and\nquelling the proud, and passing through great perils combating Knights\nand Giants, and suffering wounds and sickness at times, gaining great\nrenown, yet neither danger nor toil abating the mortal grief which\nhe endured for Oriana's sake. Thus as he wandered, having no rest\neither of body or mind, he came to a sea-port called Sadiana, opposite\nGreece; the city was fairly situate at the extremity of the land,\nwith gardens and high towers. Now because the day was yet before him\nhe did not enter the city, but went about beholding it, for it was a\ngoodly place, and he delighted to look at the sea, which he had not\nseen since he left Gaul, now more than two years agone. Presently he\nsaw a great company of Knights and Dames and Damsels going along\nshore towards the town. Among them was a Lady most richly garmented,\nover whom they carried a rich cloth upon four rods, to defend her from\nthe sun. The Knight of the Green Sword, who took little pleasure in\nbeholding company, but rather in going alone, and thinking upon his\nLady, turned aside that he might not meet them. Presently there came a\nKnight towards him upon a strong horse, well armed and shaking a lance\nas if he would have broken it; he was strong of body, and large limbed,\nand a good horseman, and with him came a Damsel of that company in rich\nattire. When he of the Green Sword saw that they made towards him he\nstopt, the Damsel came up and said, Sir, the Lady my mistress commands\nyou to come before her at her pleasure, and this she tells you for your\nprofit. He, though the Damsel spake German, understood her well, for it\nwas always his custom to learn the language of the countries which he\npassed through. Damsel, he replied, may God grant honour to your Lady\nand you, but tell me what yonder Knight would have? That matters not,\nshe answered, do what I tell you.\u2014That shall I not till you reply.\u2014I\nmust then answer against my will. When my Lady saw you and the Dwarf\nwith you she thought you might be the strange Knight who has gone\nthrough this country, doing such wonders in arms as had never till now\nbeen witnessed, she therefore wished to honour you, and to disclose to\nyou a secret which hath hitherto been known to none. When yonder Knight\nunderstood her pleasure he said he would make you come to her command\nwhether you would or no, which he can well do, being the mightiest\nman in arms of all this land. I therefore counsel you to leave him\nalone and come with me. Damsel, quoth he, I am ashamed not to obey the\ncommand of your Lady, but I chuse that you should see whether he can\ndo as he hath said. She replied, I am sorry at this, for your courtesy\nhath much pleased me.\nThen she departed and he of the Green Sword rode on as before,\nwith that the other Knight cried out in a loud voice, you Sir\nGood-for-nothing who will not go with the Damsel! alight directly, and\nwith your shield reversed get up the wrong way upon your horse, and\ntake the tail for a bridle, and present yourself in that manner before\nyonder Lady, unless you chuse to lose your head;\u2014take your choice!\nCertes Knight, replied he, it is not my intention to chuse either of\nthese things: I rather chuse you should have the one. Quoth he, I shall\nmake thee, and with that he spurred his horse, thinking at the first\nencounter to bear him from the saddle, as he had done many others,\nfor he was the best jouster far or near. The Knight of the Dwarf had\ntaken his arms, and now went towards him being well covered with his\nshield. That joust was decided at the first meeting, for the lances\nbrake, and the threatening Knight was borne to the ground; he of the\nGreen Sword had his shield and mail pierced, and the lance iron wounded\nhis throat, so that he felt he should suffer much therefrom. He turned\nupon Brandasidel, for so was that Knight called, and seeing that he\nlay like one dead, bade Gandalin take off his helmet and see if he was\nslain. He did accordingly, and then the Knight breathed and attempted\nto recover, but he could not. But then that other placed the point of\nthe Green Sword at his face, You Sir Knight, who threaten and despise\nthose whom you do not know, shall now either lose your head or pass\nthrough your own law! He recovered his senses better with the fear of\ndeath, and hung down his head.\u2014Will you not speak\u2014I shall off with\nthy head? Then he cried, Ah Knight, mercy! I will rather obey you than\ndie in such a state as to lose my soul.\u2014Be it done then forthwith!\nBrandasidel then called his Squires and they placed him backward upon\nhis horse, and reversed his shield round his neck, and put the tail in\nhis hand for a bridle, and in this plight they led him before that fair\nLady, and through the town that all might see him, and that he might\nbe an example to those who insult and despise those whom they do not\nknow. Greatly did that Lady and her company and all the townsmen marvel\nat his overthrow, and the more therefore they praised his conqueror,\nbelieving now the wonders which they had heard spoken of him.\nThis being done the Green Sword Knight went to the Damsel who had\nwitnessed all, and said, now Lady Damsel, if it pleases you I will obey\nyour mistress. It does please me, quoth she, and so it will please my\nLady Grasinda. So they went together, and when he beheld that Lady he\nthought that since he had left his sister Melicia he had seen none\nso fair, and she thought him the comeliest Knight that ever she had\nbeheld. Sir, quoth she, I have heard of your great prowess, for by your\nDwarf and your Green Sword I perceive that you are he who served King\nTafinor of Bohemia so well, and who have since atchieved such wonders\nin arms; now I see you are wounded, and beseech you to be my guest here\nin this very town that you may be healed; you will not in all this\nprovince be so well lodged elsewhere. Lady, quoth he, seeing your good\nwill I would obey you in a thing of toil and danger, how much more in\nthis which is to me so necessary!\nThey then went toward the town; an old Knight who led her bridle gave\nit to him of the Green Sword to lead, and he rode forward to prepare\nthe stranger's lodging, for he was that Lady's steward. When they\nentered the gates the doors and windows were all filled with people\ncrowding to see this Lady, who was greatly beloved, and this Knight of\nwhom they had heard so much; they thought him the handsomest and best\nmade whom they had ever seen, and deemed that he had performed never\ngreater exploit than in discomfiting Brandasidel, so much had he been\nfeared. Thus they arrived at the palace, and there was he lodged in\na rich chamber, such as became the dwelling of such a Lady, and was\ndisarmed, and his hands and face washed from the dust, and they gave\nhim a rose-coloured mantle. When Grasinda saw him thus attired she\nthought him more beautiful than she had believed mortal man could be,\nand she sent for a master to heal his wounds, the best and skilfullest\nin all those parts. He looked at the wound in his throat and said,\nKnight you are hurt in a dangerous part, and you must rest, otherwise\nyou will be in great pain and danger. The Knight answered, Master, I\nbeseech you by the faith you owe to God and to this your Lady, that,\nas soon as I am in a state to ride, you let me know it, for it doth\nnot befit me to rest or be at ease, till it shall please God to bring\nme there where my heart desires to be. And when he said this he could\nnot restrain his tears, whereat he was ashamed, and wiped them hastily\naway, and made semblance of mirth. The Master then drest his wound and\ngave him food such as was fitting. Then said Grasinda, rest now Sir and\nsleep, and we will go to our meal; we will see you when it is time, and\ndo you bid your Squire ask freely for whatever is wanted; with that\nthey left him, and he remained thinking of Oriana, for in that thought\nwas all his pleasure and delight though mingled with such pain.\nBut when Grasinda had eaten and retired to her chamber, and was in her\nbed, she thought upon the beauty of the Green Sword Knight, and of\nthe great feats which he had performed in arms; and though she was of\nsuch high degree, being niece to King Tafinor of Bohemia, and widow\nof a great Knight, with whom she had lived only one year, having no\nissue, and though she believed him to be only an Errant Knight, she\nresolved to have him for her husband. But while she was devising how\nthis might be brought about, she recollected how she had seen him\nweep, and thought that that could only have been because of some woman\nwhom he loved and could not obtain. This made her pause and resolve\nto learn more concerning him. So hearing he was awake she went with\nher Ladies to visit him, as well to show him honour as for the great\npleasure she took in beholding him, and talking with him, nor had he\nless though for a very different cause. Thus she continued to be in\nhis company, devising for him every pleasure that could be, till one\nday being unable to endure this longer she took Gandalin aside and\nsaid, Good Squire, whom God bless and make happy, tell me one thing if\nyou know it, and I promise you it shall never be by me discovered. Do\nyou know any woman whom your master dearly and affectionately loves?\nLady, replied Gandalin, I and this Dwarf have lived with him but a\nshort time, serving him for the great renown which we had heard of his\ngreat feats, and he told us never to enquire his name, nor any thing\nconcerning him, unless we chose directly to be dismissed. But since we\nhave been with him we have seen enough to be assured that he is the\nbest Knight in the world: I know nothing more. The Dame then hung down\nher head and mused greatly. Gandalin beheld her, and suspecting that\nshe loved his master wished to relieve her from a wish which never\ncould be gratified, and he said to her, Lady, I often see him weep, and\nthat so bitterly that it can only be for extreme love, for that is an\nevil which neither strength nor courage can overcome. As God shall save\nme, she replied, I believe you, and thank you for what you have told\nme; go to him now, and God help him in his wishes! She then went to her\nwoman resolving no longer to encourage those thoughts, for seeing how\nstedfast he was in his words and actions she believed he was not one\nwho would be changed.\nThus as you hear was he of the Green Sword attended in the house of\nthat great Lady the fair and rich Grasinda, as though she had known\nhim, instead of a poor Errant Knight, as he seemed to be, son of a\ngreat King, as in truth he was. Now when he felt himself able to\nbear arms he ordered Gandalin to prepare for their departure, and he\nanswered that all was ready. But while they were speaking Grasinda\nwith four Damsels entered the apartment. He rose and led her to an\nestrado, which was covered with a cloth of silk and gold, and said to\nher, my Lady, I am now in a state to travel; if any service of mine\ncan afford you pleasure, willingly will I put it in action, for the\ngreat honour which I have received at your hands.\u2014Certes Sir Knight\nof the Green Sword I believe what you say, and when I ask a return for\nthe pleasure and service you have received here, if any it have been,\nthen will I without hesitation or shame disclose to you that which hath\nhitherto been known to none: meantime tell me I pray you whitherward\nyou design to go.\u2014Toward Greece if it please God, to see the manner\nof life among the Greeks and their Emperor, of whom I have heard good\nthings\u2014Then I must help you in your voyage; I will give you a ship\nmanned with good mariners to be at your command, and victualled for a\nyear; and I will give you Master Helisabad who cured your wounds, for\nsuch another in his art cannot be found far or near, on condition that\nif you be at your own disposal you will be in this town with me within\na year. The Knight was right glad of this good offer; my Lady, quoth\nhe, if I cannot serve you for all these favours I shall hold myself the\nunhappiest Knight in the world, and so in like manner if I should know\nthat you hesitate or shame to ask what you desire. Sir, she replied,\nwhen God shall bring you back from this voyage I will demand that which\nmy heart hath long desired, and which will be to the advancement of\nyour honour, albeit with some peril.\u2014Be it so: and I trust in your\nwisdom that you will ask nothing which I may not rightfully perform.\nDo you then rest five days, said she, while every thing is prepared.\nAt the end of that time the ship was ready, and the Knight embarked\nwith Master Helisabad, in whom next to God he trusted for his safety.\nSo they set sail, not straight to Constantinople, but to those Islands\nof Romania which he had not visited, and to the Islands of Greece,\nand there for a long time did that Knight prove himself in abating\nthe insolence of the haughty and against many Knights who came to try\nthemselves against him, but he still won the victory and the praise\nfrom all; and Master Helisabad always healed his wounds. But at length\nthe mariners were weary of sailing thus from one Island to another and\ncomplained to Master Helisabad of their great fatigue, and he repeated\nit to the Knight, who bade them then steer directly for Constantinople,\nfor by the time he had been to that city and could sail from it, the\nyear would be expired.\nWe told you in the second book how El Patin went to prove himself\nagainst the Knights of Great Britain, and how reckless of his former\nlove to Queen Sardamira of Sardinia, he asked Oriana of her father in\nmarriage, and how falling in with Amadis he was by him sorely wounded\nin the head. That wound brought him oftentimes to the point of death,\nso that he returned forthwith to Rome, where he was soon chosen Emperor\nby reason of his brother's death. But then thinking that he might more\neasily obtain Oriana, of whose love he nothing doubted, he determined\nagain to ask her of King Lisuarte, and for this purpose to dispatch his\ncousin Salustanquidio Prince of Calabria, a famous Knight in arms, and\nwith him Brondajel of the Rock his high steward, and the Archbishop\nof Talancia, and a company of three hundred men, and the fair Queen\nSardamira, with Dames and Damsels in her train to bring home Oriana.\nSo they prepared to fulfil the Emperor's pleasure as you shall hear\nhereafter.\n_CHAPTER 10._\nThe Green Sword Knight sailed with his company toward Constantinople,\nas you have heard, but suddenly the wind changed, and the sea became\nso high, that neither the strength of the ship nor the skill of the\nmariners could withstand it, and they were all in great peril of death.\nEight days they drove about not knowing whither they went, the rain\nfalling so heavy and the wind so violent, and the heaven so dark, that\nthey, drenched in water, and unable to rest, despaired of their lives.\nAt length the vessel was driven ashore, it was night, and they were\nall greatly comforted as men who had escaped from death to life, but\nwhen morning brake the mariners saw they were upon the Devil's Island,\nand began to beat their faces and lament that they were fallen into a\nworse danger than they had escaped, and they came to the Knight of\nthe Green Sword in this guise without telling him more. He enquired\nwherefore they were so terrified. O Knight, said they, we have not\npower to tell you the cause is so great; let Master Helisabad speak! he\nknows why this is called the Devil's Island. The Knight then encouraged\nthe Master, who was in no less fear than they, and he at length shaking\nall over and faltering in his speech, in great seriousness and fear\nsaid, You must know Sir Knight that a Giant called Bandaguido was lord\nof this Island, and he was so mighty that he made all the neighbouring\nGiants tributary. Now he had to wife a Giantess who was gentle and\nwell disposed, who, when her husband was slaying and destroying the\nchristians, always, as far as she could, took pity and relieved them.\nBy this Dame Bandaguido had one daughter, so adorned by nature that in\nall the world there could not be found one of her rank and blood to\nequal her in beauty; but as great beauty is soon joined with vanity,\nand vanity with sin, this Damsel seeing herself so worthy to be loved,\nand that none for fear of her father durst pretend to her, at last as\na remedy took to loving her own father with a most foul and shameful\nlove, so that often when the wife had risen from her husband's side\nthe daughter would lay down by him sporting with him, and clipping\nand kissing him, which he at first received as caresses of a daughter,\nbut at length by long continuance of this, and her great beauty, and\nthe want of all conscience and virtue in him, she accomplished her\nwicked[184:A] will. From this great and abominable sin a worse arose,\nas often happens when men seek to remedy one sin by committing another,\nnot knowing that the physic for sin is repentance, which obtains pardon\nfrom that Most High Lord, who for such sins placed himself upon the\ncross, whereon he died as very man and afterwards rose again as very\nGod. For this unhappy Giant and his daughter, being thus mutually\nenamoured, he was told by the false idols whom he worshipped, that if\nhe married her, the fiercest and strongest thing in the world should be\nby them begotten. Wherefore that unhappy daughter determined to bring\nthis to pass, and one day when her mother, who loved her better than\nherself, was walking in the garden this daughter called to her, saying\nthat she saw something odd in the well and bade her look, and as she\nwas looking, violently pushed her in so that she was drowned. Then she\ncried out that her mother had fallen into the well, whereupon the Giant\nhimself, who knew how it had been done, and all the men of the place\ngathered round, and they seeing their Lady dead whom they loved so well\nbegan to make great sorrow. But the Giant said, make no lamentation for\nso the Gods have willed, and I will take one to wife from whom such a\none shall be born as will give us the mastery over all our enemies;\nso they were all silent for fear, and he that day publicly took his\ndaughter Bandaguida to wife, upon whom in that unhappy night a creature\nwas begotten by the Devil's ordinance, whom she and her husband-father\nbrought up as you shall hear. This creature's face was all hairy and\nits body covered with scales, one lying over the other so hard that no\nweapon can pierce them; its legs and feet thick and strong, and from\nits shoulders there grew two wings so large that they cover it down to\nthe feet, not of feathers but of a shaggy leather, black as pitch and\nshining, and so hard that they resist all arms, and with these wings\nthe monster covers itself as with a shield, and from under them come\nits arms which are as strong as Lion's paws, all covered with smaller\nscales, and its hands are like eagle's claws, and their five talons\nso sharp and strong that there is nothing in the world so hard that\nthey cannot pierce and tear it piece-meal. In each jaw it has two long\nteeth that grow out a cubit long, its eyes are round and huge and red\nlike fire, so that at night they can be seen far away, and all fly\nbefore it. It bounds and runs so fast that no game, how fleet soever,\ncan escape; it seldom eats or drinks, and sometimes goes without food\nfeeling no pain of hunger; all its delight is to kill men and living\nanimals. When it finds any Lion or Bear who resists it, then it grows\nfurious, and sends a smoke like flames of fire from its nostrils, and\nroars so horribly that all living things fly from it as from death, and\nits stench is rank poison, and when it ruffles its scales, and gnashes\nits teeth, and shakes its wings, it is as if the earth shook. They call\nit Endriago, said Master Helisabad, and it is such as I have described;\nmoreover because of the sin of the Giant and his daughter the wicked\nenemy entered it and hath greatly increased its force and cruelty.\nMuch was the Green Sword Knight astonished at this tale. Master, quoth\nhe, how could a thing so monstrous be born of body of woman? I will\ntell you, he replied, as I found it written in a book which the Emperor\nof Constantinople hath, for this island was his till he lost it, not\nbeing able to destroy this Devil. You are to know that Bandaguida,\nfinding herself pregnant told the Giant, who greatly rejoiced thereat,\nbelieving that what his Gods had told him would assuredly come to\npass, and he said that three or four nurses would be necessary for\nthe child as it was to be the strongest creature in the world; but as\nthis unborn creature was the work of the Devil it oftentimes made the\nmother fall sick, and her face and eyes became yellow like poison, but\nshe bore it all as good signs, believing also that the boy was to be\nthe mightiest in the world, and if he should prove so she would then\ndevise how to murder the father and marry him in his stead. When her\ntime came she brought forth with little travail, for evil things alway\ngo on pleasantly till the end. The nurses took the babe, and seeing\na thing so monstrous were fearfully dismayed; however fearing the\nGiant's anger they took and swathed it in the rich cloaths which had\nbeen prepared, and one of them having more hardiness than the other\noffered it the teat, which it caught and sucked so furiously that the\nwoman screamed out, and when they took the child away, fell down dead\nwith the force of the poison. This was presently told to the Giant, who\nthen looking at his child marvelled to behold so monstrous a creature,\nand went to the temple to ask his Gods why they had given him such\nissue. These Idols were three in number, the one like a man, the other\nas a lion, the third after the manner of a griffin. So when he had made\nhis sacrifices he asked why they had sent him such a child, and the\nman-idol answered, so it behoved the child to be, that as its actions\nwere to be strange and marvellous so should itself be, especially for\ndestroying the christians who seek to destroy us, and for this I gave\nit my likeness, in giving it a free will like man, which the beasts\npossess not. The other Idol answered, I gifted it with a strength and\ncourage such as we Lions possess, and the third said, I gave it wings\nand talons such as no other creature in the world hath, and fleetness\nbeyond all others. How shall I feed it, said the Giant, seeing that the\nnurse who suckled it fell down dead? they answered, make the other\ntwo nurses give it the teat and they will die also, but the fourth\nshall suckle it with milk of your flocks for a year, and in that time\nit shall wax as great and as fair as we ourselves are who have made\nit be begotten, but take heed that neither thou nor thy wife, nor any\nother except the nurse, see it during that year. The Giant accordingly\ndid as these Idols commanded, and in this wise was the monstrous beast\nbrought up. When the year was past the Giant, who understood from the\nnurse that it was grown monstrous great, and who heard its strong and\nterrible voice, resolved with his daughter, who was his wife, to go see\nit; so they entered the chamber where it was bounding about, but the\nmonster, as soon as it beheld its mother, leaped at her and with its\nclaws cut her nostrils open, and tore out her eyes, so that she dropt\ndown dead. The Giant drew his sword to slay it but it gave him such a\nwound on the leg as tore it off and he fell and died speedily, then it\nleapt over him, and having poisoned all the people in the Castle with\nits breath, took to wing and fled among the mountains. It was not long\nbefore the Island was dispeopled, they who could, flying by sea, and\nthe rest being by it slain, and thus hath it remained for forty years.\nGreat things hast thou told me Master! quoth the Knight of the Green\nSword, and the Lord our God is of long suffering with those who offend\nhim, but if they do not amend at last the judgment waxeth heavier\nlike the sin. Now I beseech you say mass betimes, for I will go see\nthis Island, and if it please God to assist me, restore it to his\nservice. The remaining part of the night the mariners passed in great\nfear, as well of the sea, which was still raging, as of the Endriago,\nthinking that it would come upon them from a Castle hard at hand where\nit sometimes lodged. At morning the Master sung mass, and the Knight\nhaving humbly heard it besought God to help him in this great danger\nwhich he undertook for his sake, or if it was his pleasure that he\nshould then meet his death, to have mercy upon his soul. Then he armed\nhimself and made his horse be landed, and took Gandalin with him,\nsaying to the sailors, friends, I will go into yonder Castle, and if\nI find the Endriago there I will fight it, and if not will see if the\nCastle be in such state that you can lodge in it till the weather be\nabated, and I will then seek this beast among the mountains; if I\nescape from it I will return to you, if I do not come back do ye as\nye shall think best. At this were they all sorely dismayed, for they,\neven where they were, could not endure the fear of the Endriago, and\nMaster Helisabad, who was a man of learning and a priest of the mass,\ndissuaded him all he could, saying that such things were against the\nnature of man, and that he ought to give up the thought lest he should\nfall into the guilt of self-murder; but the Knight of the Green Sword\nreplied, that if he entertained any thought like that he must have\ngiven up the quest of adventures altogether, it became him to kill this\nmonster or die in the enterprize. Then he saw that Gandalin, while he\nwas thus talking, had armed himself to assist him, and was on horseback\nlamenting greatly; and he said to him, who has told thee to do this\nthing? disarm thyself! for if thou dost thus to serve and help me, that\nis not to be done by losing thy own life, but by preserving it that\nthou mayest relate the manner of my death in that place from whence\nchiefly I receive it. So making him disarm he went with him to the\nCastle.\nHe found the Castle desolate, none but birds having their home therein,\nbut there were good dwellings there, albeit somewhat ruinous, and the\ndoors had chains and bars wherewith the men might secure themselves;\nat this being full glad he bade Gandalin call them, and they, though\nin great fear of the Endriago, went into the Castle, for the storm\nstill continued. Good friends, then said the Knight, I shall go seek\nthe Endriago, if it falls out well, Gandalin shall wind his horn, and\nthen be ye assured that the beast is dead and I living; if the chance\nbe against me there will be no need to make any sign; do ye therefore\nbring food from the galley to last ye till the storm abates, and secure\nyourselves here. Then the Knight of the Green Sword departed leaving\nthem all lamenting, but the lamentations and bitter grief of Ardian\nthe Dwarf cannot be expressed, he tore his hair and beat his face, and\ndashed his head against the wall calling himself wretched, that his\nfortune had made him serve such a master, for he had been a thousand\ntimes brought to the point of death in beholding his feats, and now\nhe was about to attempt what the Emperor of Constantinople with all\nhis power could not effect! so he went up upon the walls like one out\nof his senses and looked after his master. Master Helisabad made an\naltar be erected and placed the relics there which he had brought to\nenable him to say mass, and made all the men take each a wax taper in\nhis hand, and kneel round the altar and pray to God to preserve that\nKnight, who for his service and their sakes, knowingly exposed himself\nto death.\nBut the Green Sword Knight rode on and Gandalin followed him weeping,\nfor sure he thought that his Master's days would this day have their\nend. The Knight turned to him\u2014my good brother hast thou so little\nfaith in God and in the sight of my Lady Oriana, that thou despairest\nthus? Not only is her recollection present to me now but her very\nperson, and I see her beholding me and telling me to defend her from\nthis foul monster. What then my true friend ought I to do? for her life\nand death are mine, and the bare memory of her has made me go through\nall that I have yet performed, how then will this actual vision enable\nme? and with these thoughts his courage was so kindled that he thought\nhe was long in finding the Endriago. By this he came to a valley in the\nmountain, a wild and craggy and deep place. Shout Gandalin, said he,\nthat the Endriago may hear thee, and if I should die here I pray thee\nendeavour to carry to my Lady Oriana that which is entirely her own\u2014my\nheart, and tell her I sent it to her that I might not have to give\naccount to God for retaining that which was another's. When Gandalin\nheard this he not only called out aloud but began to shriek and tear\nhis hair, hoping to die himself before he saw the death of his Master,\nwhom he loved so dearly, and it was nothing before they saw the\nEndriago come bounding over the rocks, but fiercer and more terrible\nthan ever; and the reason was, that the Devils seeing how this Knight\nput more trust in his Mistress Oriana than in God had power thereby to\nenter it and make it more terrible than before, thinking that if that\nKnight perished there would be none other so bold as to attack this\nmonster.\nThe Endriago came on breathing smoke and flames of fire in its fury,\nand gnashing its teeth and foaming, and ruffling its scales and\nclapping its wings that it was horrible to see it, and when the Knight\nsaw it and heard its dreadful voice he thought all that had been told\nhim was nothing to what the truth was, and the monster bounded towards\nthem more eagerly because it was long since it had seen living man.\nBut the horses took fright at seeing it and ran away in spite of all\nthe Knight and Gandalin could do, so the Knight dismounted and said,\nbrother, keep you aloof that we may not both perish, and see what\nsuccess God will give me against this dreadful Devil, and pray to him\nto help me that I may restore this Island to his service, or if I am\nto die here to have mercy upon my soul; for the rest do as I have\nsaid before. But Gandalin could not answer for exceeding agony, for\nassuredly he thought his Master's death was certain, unless it pleased\nGod miraculously to deliver him. The Green Sword Knight then took\nhis lance and covered himself with his shield, and went against the\nEndriago as a man already dead but without fear. The Devil seeing him\ncome on snorted out fire and smoke so black and thick that they could\nscarcely see one another, and he of the Green Sword went on through\nthe smoke and drove at the monster with his lance, and by great good\nfortune pierced it in the eye; it caught the lance with its talons and\nbit it into pieces, and the iron and a fragment of the stave remained\ndriven on through its tongue and the skin of the throat, for it had\nsprung on upon it thinking to seize the Knight but he defended himself\nwith good heart seeing his exceeding peril, and the shock of this wound\nrepelled the monster, and the blood ran fast, and with the shrieks it\ngave it ran down its throat and almost choaked it, so that it could\nneither close its mouth nor bite with it, the Knight then drew his\nGreen Sword and struck at it, but the blow fell upon its scales, and\nfelt as though it had fallen upon a rock and it made no impression; the\nEndriago thought then to grasp him, but only caught his shield which\nit plucked so fiercely that he fell upon his hands, but he recovered\nwhile with its talons the monster rent the shield to pieces. He then\nseeing that his shield was gone, and that his good sword availed him\nnothing, knew that he had no hope unless he could strike the other eye.\nNow the Endriago was faint and weak with its wound, and our Lord having\nwrath that the wicked one had so long had the dominion over those who,\nsinners as they were, believed his holy catholick faith, was pleased\nto give the Knight strength and especial grace to perform what else\ncould not by course of nature have been done. He aimed his sword at\nthe other eye but God guided it to one of the nostrils, for they were\nlarge and spreading, and so hard he thrust that it reached the brain,\nthe Endriago itself forcing it on, for seeing him so near it grappled\nwith him and plucked him towards itself, and with its dreadful talon\nrent away the arms from his back, and crushed the flesh and bones to\nthe very entrails, but then being suffocated with its own blood, and\nthe sword being in its brain, and above all the sentence of God being\npassed upon it, its grasp relaxed and it fell like one dead, and the\nKnight plucked out his sword and thrust it down its throat till he\nkilled the monster.\nBut before its soul departed the Devil flew from its mouth and went\nthrough the air with a great thunder-clap, and they of the Castle\nheard it as if close to them, and, though barred and bolted in as they\nwere, they feared greatly for their lives, and if the sea had not been\nso stormy they would have run to their ships, howbeit they prayed\nearnestly to God for the good Knight who was engaged in so terrible a\nbattle. Now he, when the Endriago was dead, drew back and went toward\nGandalin, but he could not bear his wound longer and reeled and fell\nbeside a little brook. When Gandalin came up and saw how he was wounded\nhe verily believed him slain, and fell from his horse and began to\ntear his hair and shriek; the Knight at this somewhat recovered and\nsaid, Good brother and my true friend you see I am slain; I beseech\nyou, by the fostering I received from your parents, and by the true\nlove which I have ever borne you, that so soon as I be dead you take\nmy heart to my Lady Oriana, and tell her to preserve it for his sake\nwhose it was, for in so doing my soul will receive comfort! this was\nall he could say; Gandalin did not stay to answer but went to horse\nand galloped as fast as he could, and coming on the hill-top he wound\nhis horn as loud as he could wind it, in token that the Endriago was\ndead; that sound Ardian the Dwarf, who was on the tower, heard, and he\ncried out to Master Helisabad to go help his Master for the monster\nwas slain. He took what was needful and mounted and galloped that\nway, where presently he met Gandalin who cried, for God's sake help\nmy Master! the Endriago is dead. Right joyfully did he spur onward,\nnot knowing in what plight the Knight was, whom he found senseless\nand giving pitiful groans. How now Sir Knight? quoth he, where is\nyour great courage gone now when you so need it? fear not, for here\nam I your good friend and true servant Master Helisabad to help you!\nthe Knight heard him and opened his eyes and raised his arm as if\nto embrace him. Then the Master took off his cloak and spread it on\nthe ground and he and Gandalin laid the Knight upon it, and disarmed\nhim; but when the Master saw the wound, though he was the best in the\nworld for such needs, and had seen so many cruel wounds before, he was\ndismayed and feared for his life; however he resolved to do his best,\nas one who loved him as the best Knight in the world, and looking more\nclosely he found that the flesh and bones only had suffered, but that\nthe entrails were unhurt. At this he had greater hope, and he set the\nbones and ribs and sewed up the flesh, and placed such salves and\nbandaged the whole body so well that the blood was staunched, and the\nbreath did not come through the wound, so that the Knight recovered\nstrength to speak, and opening his eyes said, O Lord God Almighty, who\nfor thy great mercy didst come into the world and take flesh of the\nVirgin Mary; and to open the gates of paradise which were shut, didst\nsuffer so many injuries and death at last from that cursed and unhappy\nrace, I beseech thee, Lord, as one of the vilest of sinners, to have\nmercy upon my soul, for my body is condemned to the earth! Sir Knight,\nquoth the Master, it pleases me to hear you, for remedy must come from\nhim of whom you ask it in the first place, and in the second from me\nwho am his servant; fear not, for on my life I will answer for yours!\nthen he took a sponge that was steeped in a confection good against the\npoison, and placed it at his nostrils whereby he greatly recovered, and\nGandalin knelt down and kissed the Master's hand beseeching him to save\nhis Lord. He then bade Gandalin ride in speed to the Castle and bring\nmen and a litter to convey the Knight there before the night-fall.\nAway rode Gandalin, and they made a litter the best they could with\nboughs and carried the Green Sword Knight thereon upon their shoulders\nto the Castle, and made for him a bed as well as they could with the\nrich linen which Grasinda had sent aboard, but he was senseless and\nknew not what they did, and groaned all night with the torment of his\nwounds, and had no power to speak. The Master had his own bed placed\nby him to comfort him, and from time to time applied such excellent\nand fitting medicines to draw out the poison of the Endriago that\nby day-break he brought him to a sweet sleep, such good things did\nhe administer, and he ordered all the men to withdraw that no noise\nmight be made to awaken him. After a long sleep the Knight started and\ncried out aloud, Gandalin! Gandalin! take care of thyself or that foul\nDevil will slay thee! The Master went immediately to him smiling, and\nwith a better face than heart, for he still feared for his life; if\nyou took care of yourself as he does Sir, quoth he, your renown would\nnot have spread so over the world. But then he knew the Master and\nsaid, where are we? for he was yet beside himself. That day the Master\ndisplayed his skill so well, as being naturally the best leech in the\nworld, that by vespers the Knight was in his full senses, and knew all\naround him, and the Master then saw by the appearance of the wounds,\nthat through his great cunning, and above all by the great mercy of\nGod, his life was safe. When the men heard this they gave thanks to\nGod with exceeding joy, but above all was the joy of Gandalin and\nthe Dwarf, who loved him from their inmost hearts. They then all came\nround Gandalin beseeching him to tell of the battle how it had passed,\nthat they might be able to relate the manner of so rare a feat of\nchivalry; this Gandalin said he would willingly do, on condition that\nthe Master would first administer an oath to him upon the holy Gospels,\nthat they might believe the truth of what he should say and faithfully\ncommit it to writing, that the remembrance of so signal an atchievement\nmight not be lost. Master Helisabad then administered the oath that\nthe thing might be certainly believed, and Gandalin recounted all the\ncircumstances of the battle. When he had finished they said they would\nall go and see the Endriago, for when they removed the Knight they had\nnot thought of looking for it in the thicket where it had fallen. So\nthe Master gave them all certain confections good against the poison,\nbut when they saw the monster they were more than ever astonished and\ncould scarcely believe that heart of mortal man could have courage to\nattack such a Devil's work. Twenty days the Knight remained in that\nCastle not being able to leave his bed, at length Master Helisabad\nthinking him enough recovered to be removed on board, asked him whither\nhe would go, for some things were necessary for his full recovery\nwhich could not there be procured. Oh my true friend, said the Knight,\nwhat guerdon can I make you for the great service you have done me,\nbeing only a poor Knight with nothing but a horse and these broken\narms! Sir, replied the Master, I expect greater guerdon from you than\nKing or great Lord could give me, the succour that so many distressed\nones will receive from you, whereof I under God shall have been the\ncause! The Knight was abashed to hear himself thus praised. Since the\nweather is changed, said he, let us proceed to Constantinople; great\ndesire have I to see that great Emperor, that if it please God that I\nshould ever return there where my heart desires, I may have strange\nthings to relate, such as can only be seen in such places.\nFOOTNOTES:\n[184:A] De donde devemos tomar enxemplo que ningun hombre en esta vida\ntenga tanta confian\u00e7a de si mesmo, que dexe de esquivar y apartar\nla conversacion, y contratacion, no no solamente de las parientas y\nhermanas, mas de sus proprias hijas, porque esta mala passion venida\nen el estremo de su natural encendimiento, pocas vezes el juyzio, la\nconciencia, el temor, son bastantes de le poner tal freno con que la\nretraer puedan. The moralization is more loathsome than the story.\n_CHAPTER 11._\nThen said Master Helisabad, Sir, you should write to the Emperor and\ntell him what hath befallen, and we must send to Constantinople for\nsome things needful for you on the way. Master, replied the Knight, I\nhave never seen him and know him not; do you now what seemeth good. So\nMaster Helisabad wrote to the Emperor relating all what had happened,\nand requesting on the part of the Knight who had recovered the Island\nfor him from the power of that Devil, that he would be pleased to call\nit thenceforth the Island of St. Mary. This letter he gave to a Squire\nwho was his kinsman, and he forthwith embarked taking with him as many\nmariners as were needful, and the time being fair in three days they\ntook port at Constantinople. The Squire went straightways to the\npalace of the Emperor, whom he found attended by many good men, as\nbefitted one so great, and falling on his knees before him he said,\nyour servant Master Helisabad sends to kiss your feet, and to deliver\nto you this letter whereby you will receive great pleasure. When the\nEmperor had read the letter he was greatly astonished and cried out\naloud, Knights, such strange tidings are come to me as till now I never\nheard spoken of! Then drew near to him his nephew Gastiles, son to the\nDutchess of Gajaste his sister, who was a good Knight and young, and\nCount Saluder brother to the fair Grasinda, and the other Knights.\nSirs, quoth the Emperor, the Knight of the Green Sword hath slain the\nEndriago, and if all the world does not marvel at this what shall\nsurprize us? then he showed them the letter, and made the Squire relate\nevery thing more fully as one who had been present. Certes Sir, said\nGastiles, this is a great miracle! for I never yet heard tell of mortal\nman who fought the Devil except the Saints with their spiritual arms,\nwho with their sanctity might well do it. Since such a man is come into\nyour country it would be against reason not to do him great honour.\nNephew you say well, replied the Emperor, do you and Count Saluder\nprepare vessels and go bring him here, and take with you Masters who\nmay paint the Endriago to the life, for I will have it cast in metal,\nand the Knight who fought it, both of their natural size, and I will\nhave these images set up upon the spot where the battle was fought, and\nthe whole manner of it written upon a table of Copper, and the name of\nthe Knight. And I will build a monastery there for religious friars,\nwho shall bring that Island again to the service of God, for the people\nround about have been greatly hurt by the cursed sight of that wicked\none.\nRight glad were all they to hear the Emperor speak so honourably,\nand above all Gastiles and the Marquis because they should see the\nEndriago. So they took shipping and past over to the Island of St.\nMary, as it was now to be called. The Green Sword Knight hearing\nwho were come, adorned his apartment the best he could to receive\nthem, and, for he was now able to walk a little in his chamber, went\nas far as he could to bid them welcome, and made them be seated on\nthe estrados which he had prepared for them, and when he learnt how\nGastiles was brother to Grasinda, he thanked him for all the favours\nhe had received from his sister, and above all for the help of Master\nHelisabad, without whom he must needs have perished. So when they had\ndelivered their bidding they said they would go see the Endriago. Sirs,\nsaid the Master, ye mast take with ye some defence against its poison.\nGood friend, they replied, in that you must help us; that shall I do,\nquoth he, and he gave them certain small boxes to smell to while they\nlooked at it. Gandalin went with them to show the place, but when they\nsaw the Endriago they were more than ever amazed, not thinking that\nthere had been such a monster either on earth or in hell, and Gastiles\nsaid, we ought not to praise the courage that dared attack such a\nmonster, for it is so great that it is not to be attributed to man but\nto God alone. The Masters then painted the Endriago to the life for\nthey were singular in their art. Three days they remained seeing that\nisland which was a fair land; on the fourth day they all embarked, and\nin short time havened at Constantinople under the Emperor's palace.\nThe windows were soon filled, all being eager to see the Knight of\nthe Green Sword, and the Emperor sent horses to the shore for them.\nAt this time had the Knight greatly recovered his beauty as well as\nstrength; he was right richly apparelled in garments which the King of\nBohemia had given him, and round his neck was hanging that strange and\nbeautiful Green Sword which he had won by his true and perfect love;\nwhich, when he beheld it made him remember the time when he gained it,\nand the happiness in which he then was at Miraflores, and made him\noftentimes shed tears that were painful as well as delightful.\nThe Emperor and his train went out to meet them; then would the Knight\nhave alighted to kiss his hand but the Emperor prevented that, and went\nto him and embraced him and said, by my faith Knight of the Green Sword\nand my good friend, although God hath made me so great, and though I\nam of the lineage of those who have held such dominion, more do you\ndeserve glory than me! for you have gained it by such perils as never\nother went through, and I possess that which came to me sleeping and\nwithout desert! The Knight replied, things that are bounded Sir may be\nrequited, but so cannot this praise which it hath pleased you in your\ngreat goodness to bestow. Thus communing they turned to the palace,\nhe of the Green Sword beholding that great city as he went, and the\nstrange and marvellous things therein, and the crowds who came to see\nhim, and humbly in his heart he gave thanks to God for guiding him to\nsuch a place where he received so great honour from the greatest of\nall the Christians. All that he had seen elsewhere appeared nothing\nin comparison to what he beheld here, but much more did he marvel when\nhe entered the great palace, for it seemed as if all the riches of the\nworld were collected there. There was an apartment there wherein the\nEmperor was accustomed to lodge such great lords as came to visit him,\nthe fairest and most delightful in the world, not only for the rich\nthings therein but also for fountains of water, and strange trees, and\nthere he bade the Knight remain and Master Helisabad with him, and\nGastiles and the Marquis Saluder to bear him company.\nBut if he marvelled at seeing the greatness of that city and the number\nof its dwellers, much more did they wonder to behold how comely he\nwas, knowing what he had atchieved, and never was King or Knight of\nforeign lands so commended; the Emperor went to the Empress and said,\nthe Knight of the Green Sword is arrived of whom we have heard such\nwonders, and for the service which he hath done us reason it is that we\nshould do him great honour, now then order that your house may be so\nset in order, that wheresoever he go he may truly speak in my praise,\nand let him see your Dames and Damsels all so adorned as becomes those\nwho serve so high a Lady. In God's name, she replied; all shall be\ndone as you command. On the morrow the Knight and Master Helisabad and\nthe Marquis and Gastiles heard mass in the Emperor's chapel, and then\nall went to visit the Empress, but before they came to her they found\nthe Dames and Damsels all in their best attire who made way for them\nto pass. That house was so rich and sumptuously filled, that except\nthe Forbidden Chamber in the Firm Island, the Knight had never seen\nother such; his eyes were even wearied with beholding so many women and\nso fair, and the marvellous things around. So going to the Empress,\nwho was on her estrado, he knelt before her and said, Lady, I bless\nGod for bringing me where I may see you and your great state, and how\nfar you are above all other Ladies in the world, and I thank you much\nfor desiring to see me; may it please God that I may one day do you\nsome service in requital for the favour! if I err Lady in expressing\nwhat my will and my tongue would say, pardon me, for this language is\nstrange to me and I have not long learnt it from Master Helisabad. The\nEmpress then took him by the hand and made him rise and sit by her,\nand she conversed with him upon such subjects as so great a Lady ought\nto converse upon with a strange Knight whom she did not know, and he\nso demeaned himself in his speech that the Empress, who was a right\nprudent woman, said within herself, his courage and strength cannot be\nso great but that his discretion is greater.\nMeantime the Emperor was upon his seat talking and laughing with the\nDames and Damsels, as one who was greatly beloved by them for showing\nthem great favours and bestowing them well in marriage. Then said he\nin a loud voice, Honoured Dames and Damsels, ye see here the Knight\nof the Green Sword your loyal servant! honour him and love him, as he\nhath you and all like you, in whose service he hath many times been\nbrought to the point of death. God honour and love and requite him,\nSir! quoth the Dutchess, the mother of Gastiles; the Emperor then\nsent two Infantas, children of Barandel King of Hungary, to bring his\ndaughter Leonorina; presently they led her in, and though she was most\nrichly dressed yet was all that as nothing to her exceeding beauty, for\nthere was not a man in the world who could behold her without wonder\nand delight. She being a little girl of not more than nine years old\nwent and kissed the hand of her mother and then sat down below her.\nBut when the Knight of the Green Sword saw her how beautiful she was,\nhe remembered his own Lady, and how she was of that age when he first\nsaw her, and they first began to love, and then recollecting all, he\nlost all sense of what was present, and the tears came into his eyes.\nHowbeit presently recovering and in great shame he wiped away the tears\nand made good semblance, but all had seen him, and the Emperor became\nvery desirous to know why he had wept, seeing that such a thing in such\na place would have been thought wrong even in a woman, and that in such\na Knight it could not be without great cause and mystery. What can this\nmean? said Gastiles. The Emperor replied, I think it must be the force\nof love.\u2014If you would know none can tell you but Master Helisabad,\nin whom he puts his confidence. The Emperor then sent for Master\nHelisabad, and bidding all others withdraw to a distance, asked him if\nhe knew wherefore the Green Sword Knight had wept, and if he stood in\nany need wherein he could help him. Sir, replied the Master, he is the\nman in this world who best conceals that which he wishes to be secret.\nI have often seen him weep and sigh as though his heart were bursting,\nand verily believe it is with great love, for if it were for other\ncauses sure am I that he would have revealed it to me. Certes, quoth\nthe Emperor, I believe it is as you say; and if it be for love of\nwoman, would to God she were one in my dominions, for such possessions\ncould I give him that there should be neither King nor Prince who would\nnot joyfully give me his daughter for his wife. This would I willingly\ndo to have him for my vassal, for whatever good I could bestow upon him\nhe could more than requite with his services. I beseech you persuade\nhim to remain with me and I will grant him whatever he may ask; then\nhaving mused awhile he said, go to the Empress and whisper to her to\npersuade the Knight to remain here, and do you advise him so to do for\nmy sake, while I do what hath just occurred to my thoughts. The Emperor\nthen called his daughter Leonorina and the two Infantas and spake to\nthem awhile, but no one heard what he said, and when he had ceased\nspeaking Leonorina kist his hand and went to her chamber.\nBut neither the Empress nor Master Helisabad could prevail upon the\nKnight to abide in that court, for though that would be the most\nhonourable course he could pursue during the life of King Perion\nhis father, he could have no rest or peace except in the thought of\nreturning toward that land where his dear Lady Oriana dwelt. The\nEmpress made a sign that she could not succeed, the Emperor then went\ntoward him and said, Knight of the Green Sword, if by any means you\ncould be persuaded to remain with me, there is nothing in my power\nwhich you could ask and I refuse. Sir, replied the Knight, such is your\ngoodness that I should not dare to ask what you would grant, but this\nis not in my power, if I should consent death would not long leave me\nin your service. The Emperor then verily believed that only love could\nbe the cause of this. At this time the fair Leonorina entered the hall,\nhaving a rich crown upon her head and another far richer in her hands,\nand she came up to the Knight and said, Sir Knight of the Green Sword,\nI have never yet asked boon of other than my father, and now I ask\none of you, tell me that you grant it! He knelt before her and said,\ngood Lady, who is he of so little understanding that he would fail to\nobey your command, having power to obey it? Now then demand what you\nwill, which even to death shall be performed. Thank you, replied the\nPrincess, I shall ask of you three boons, and with that taking the\ncrown from her head,\u2014this is one; you shall give this crown to the\nfairest Damsel whom you know, and tell her I sent it her, though I know\nher not, for such presents as this we use to bestow in our country.\nThen she took the other crown, which was right richly set with pearls\nand precious stones, three of which in particular shone so that they\nwould give light in any chamber how dark soever, and giving it to the\nKnight said, this you shall give to the fairest Dame whom you know,\nand say I sent it to her that I might know her; this is the second\nboon: now before I ask the third tell me how you will obey these? He\ntook the first crown and placed it upon Leonorina's own head\u2014I give\nthis, said he, to the fairest Damsel whom I know, the which, if any\none gainsay, I will prove her so to be in arms. At this were all well\npleased, and so was Leonorina herself, although shamefaced at hearing\nher own praise, and they all said that he had fairly acquitted the\nfirst demand; but the Empress said, certes Knight of the Green Sword,\nI would rather have those whom you have overcome by arms than those\nwhom my daughter can overcome by beauty! then was he also abashed at\nhis own praise from so high a Lady, and answered nothing, but turning\nto Leonorina said, Lady mine, will you ask the third boon? she replied,\nyes; tell me wherefore you wept, and who is she who hath so great power\nover you and your heart. But then the Knight's colour changed and his\nchearful countenance, so that all could see he was distressed by that\ndemand. Lady, said he, if it please you forego this question, and ask\nsomething which shall be more to your service. She answered, this and\nnothing else is what I require! but he hung down his head and mused\nawhile, so that all knew how unwilling he was to reply. At length\nhe looked up chearfully at Leonorina and said, Lady, since I cannot\notherwise acquit myself of my promise I must needs say, that seeing you\nwhen you first entered, what you were and at what age, a recollection\ncame upon me of other times that were full happy, but have now past\naway, and this was what made me weep. But tell me, quoth she, who is\nshe that hath such command over your heart? It is my great ill-fortune,\nreplied the Knight, that your gentle courtesy, which hath never failed\ntowards another is against me now! I must obey greatly against my will.\nKnow then that she whom I love is the same person to whom you send\nthis crown, to my thoughts the fairest Dame of all whom I have ever\nyet seen, and I verily believe of all in the world, and now for God's\nsake Lady seek to know no farther from me, for I am acquitted of my\npromise. You are acquitted, replied the Emperor, but in such wise that\nwe are nothing the wiser. I have said more than ever passed my lips\nbefore, quoth the Knight, for the desire I have to obey so fair a Lady.\nAs God shall help me, cried the Emperor, you must be right secret in\nyour loves if you think you have disclosed any thing now, and since\nmy daughter was the cause she must exact pardon for her error. Nay,\nquoth the Knight, I must rather hold it as a favour of her that being\nso high a Lady she should so earnestly seek to know the secret of an\nErrant Knight as I am; but you Sir I do not so lightly excuse! for by\nthe long secret talk you had with her, it is manifest that she did so\nmore by your will than her own. The Emperor smiled at this;\u2014God has\nmade you perfect in all things, for it is as you say, and therefore I\nwill make amends both for my fault and hers! the Knight knelt and would\nhave kissed his hands had he permitted. I receive this promise Sir,\nsaid he, to claim it when you perhaps will not think of it. Quoth the\nEmperor, that cannot be, I shall never fail to remember you, or to make\nthis atonement when you require it. These words were sportively spoken\nbetween the Emperor and the Green Sword Knight, but the time came when\nthey were of great effect.\nThen said the fair Leonorina, Sir Knight of the Green Sword, though\nyou excuse yet am I not free from fault in having urged you so against\nyour will, in amends you must take this ring. Lady, quoth he, I will\nkiss the hand that wears it, for no where else can it be placed where\nit will not have reason to complain of me.\u2014Nay you shall take it to\nremind you of the snare I laid, from which you so subtilly escaped. She\nthen threw the ring upon the estrado by him. I have another such stone,\nsaid she, in this crown which you gave me, I know not with what reason.\nGood witnesses of that reason, he replied, are those eyes and those\nlocks, and all those other beauties with which God has gifted you! and\ntaking the ring he saw it was the finest stone that ever he had seen,\nnor was there in the world another such, save that which was in the\ncrown. You must know the history of that stone, said the Emperor, half\nof it as you see is the finest burning ruby that you can ever have\nseen, and the other half is white ruby, which belike you never saw till\nnow, far more beautiful and precious than the red; the ring itself is\nof emerald, such that another like it could not easily be found. The\nfamous Apolidon was my grandfather, I know not if you have heard this.\nI well know it, replied the Knight, for I have seen his statue in the\nFirm Island, and you truly appear to be of his lineage. I beseech you,\nquoth the Emperor, tell me the name of the Knight who, being greater\nthan Apolidon in arms, hath won that Island.\u2014Amadis of Gaul, son to\nKing Perion. What! cried the Emperor, is it he who was exposed in an\nark upon the sea, and being called the Child of the Sea slew King Abies\nof Ireland, fighting him man to man? now am I right glad, and think it\nno shame that he, exceeding all men that have ever been born, should\nhave exceeded Apolidon; if I could believe that he, being the son of\na King, would wander so far from his own country, of a truth I should\nthink that you were he, but this makes me think otherwise, and if it\nwere so you would not do me the discourtesy not to tell me.\nAt this was Amadis abashed and with good reason: if it please you Sir,\nsaid he, tell me how the stone was divided.\u2014Felipanos, who in that\ntime was King of Judea, sent twelve rich crowns to my grandfather\nApolidon; all were set with pearls and gems, but in that which you have\ngiven my daughter came this stone which was all one. Apolidon therefore\nseeing that this was the most precious crown by reason of the gem,\ngave it to my grandmother Grimanesa, and she, in order that Apolidon\nmight have his part, made a master divide the stone, and with the\nhalf thereof make this ring; so that for love was this stone divided,\nand for love given to Apolidon, and I believe that in good love my\ndaughter gave it you, and you in still greater love may give it to\nanother; and as the Emperor had said even so it came to pass, till at\nlength it returned to the hand that first gave it, as is recorded in a\nbranch of this history called the _Sergas_, which signifieth the Feats\nof Esplandian.\nThus was the Green Sword Knight entertained for six days in the house\nof the Emperor, and then he said that he must needs depart, being in\nhonour bound to appear elsewhere, as Master Helisabad knew. I beseech\nyou, replied the Emperor, since it is so, that you tarry with me yet\nthree days longer. To this the Knight assented, but then the fair\nLeonorina took him by the cloak\u2014good friend, you have given three\ndays to my father, now then give yet two more to me, that you may be\nmy guest where I and my Damsels dwell, for we would enjoy your company\nwithout any others to disturb us, except any two Knights whom you may\nchuse to be your companions at bed and board! this boon you must freely\ngrant, or else I will bid my Damsels take you prisoner, and that you\nwill little like! with that more than twenty-five Damsels rose and\nsurrounded him, and Leonorina laughed and said, wait till we see what\nanswer he makes: but he right joyful at what that fair Lady had said,\nand holding it as the greatest honour which had been shown him in that\ncourt, replied, fair and fortunate Lady, who would be bold enough to\ndisobey you, especially if threatened with so terrible a captivity? I\nwillingly grant this as I would every service to you and your parents;\nGod grant that there may come a time when you may be recompensed for\nthese favours by me or my lineage! and what he wished fully came to\npass afterwards, even according to Urganda's prophecy, when Esplandian\nsuccoured this Emperor in his great need. Wisely have you chosen, said\nthe Damsels to the Green Sword Knight, else you could not have escaped\nfrom a worse danger than the Endriago. So I believe, quoth he, for\nworse is it to offend against Angels than against a Devil like that.\nMuch were the Emperor and Empress and their court pleased with his\ngracious answers, and thereby judged that sure he was of high degree,\nfor low born men often excel in strength but in gentle and debonair\nmanners not, for they pertain to those of pure and generous blood. I do\nnot affirm that all such possess them, but I say they ought to possess\nthem as did this Knight of the Green Sword, who, placing a border of\ngentleness and courteous dealing round his brave heart, by that means\nshielded off all pride and anger that they should not harm his virtues.\nSo he was the guest of Leonorina for the two days, and when the time\nof his departure arrived she and her Damsels would have given him many\nrich jewels, but he would only accept six swords which Menoresa Queen\nof the Island Gadabasta gave him, the fairest woman except Leonorina\nin all Greece, and these swords she told him to give to his friends,\nand when he gave them to remember her and those others who loved him so\nwell. Sir Knight, then said the Infanta, I beseech you that in courtesy\nyou return hither to us so soon as you can, if that may not be that you\nsend here one of your lineage to serve us, and talk with us of you, for\nsure I am that there must be those of your lineage well equal to such\nemploy. Yea Lady, he replied, that may I truly say, and there is one\namong them who, if I cannot come hither, shall by his services well\nrequite the honours which I have received here, great as I feel them.\nThus said he, thinking of his brother Galaor, but it was accomplished\nby another Knight still nearer to him in blood; then took he leave and\nthey crowded to the windows of the palace, and ceased not to gaze after\nhim till his galley was out of sight.\nYou have heard heretofore how El Patin sent his cousin Salustanquidio\nand Queen Sardamira with a goodly company of Knights and Dames to\ndemand Oriana in marriage of King Lisuarte. Now you are to know that\nby these messengers he sent letters to all the princes and great men,\nthrough whose lands they should pass, requiring them to show honour\nto the Empress Oriana as his wife; the which, though they promised\nwith fair words to do, yet secretly they prayed that so good a Lady,\ndaughter of such a King, might never fall to the lot of one so hated\nand despised for his overbearing insolence as El Patin. So the\nEmbassadors came to a port called Zamando, opposite to Great Britain,\nand there they waited till they could find shipping, and meanwhile sent\nforward to inform King Lisuarte of the Emperor's demand, whereat he was\nwell pleased.\n_CHAPTER 12._\nThree years had the Knight of the Green Sword passed in Germany, and\ntwo in Romania and Greece, and in all that time had received no tidings\nof his Lady Oriana, but now was he resolved to go towards the country\nwhere she dwelt, and that thought made him full joyful as he sailed\nwith a fair wind from the port of Constantinople. In twenty days he\narrived at the city of the fair Grasinda, and she having heard of the\nwonders he had wrought in arms went out honourably to welcome him, and\nthey gave the greeting each to other, as those who loved each other\nwell with good love. Sir Knight of the Green Sword, quoth she, God hath\nmade you perfect in all things, for after such perilous adventures you\nare returned within the year of your promise, whereof five days only\nhave yet to run; this makes me think that you will as truly perform\nthe other boon. To this he made courteous and fitting reply. Then were\nhe and Master Helisabad conducted to that apartment in the court of\nGrasinda wherein he had been healed of his wounds, and there were they\nworshipfully served. That night before he slept the Green Sword Knight\ntalked much with Gandalin saying, how rejoiced at heart he was now\nthat he was returning toward Oriana, if indeed this boon which he had\nto perform did not prevent him. Sir, answered Gandalin, take joy as\nit comes, and commit the rest to God, belike this boon may be to your\nhelp and pleasure. So he passed that night with somewhat more than his\nwonted comfort.\nOn the morrow after mass Grasinda took him apart and said, Knight\nof the Green Sword, a year before you came into these parts all the\nfairest Dames were assembled at a marriage feast given by the Duke of\nBasilea, and thither did I also go under the protection of my brother\nMarquis Saluder, whom you know. Then all the Lords of the country\nbeing present, my brother, whether for pride or affection I know not,\naffirmed with a loud voice that my beauty exceeded that of any Dame\npresent, the which he would prove in combat upon any one who dared\ngainsay. I know not whether it were because of his prowess, or if\nindeed it appeared the same to others as to him, but so it was that\nno one answered, and thus was I adjudged to be the fairest of all the\nfair Dames in Romania, whereof my heart is always right joyful and\nproud; but more joyful and proud should I be if you would obtain for\nme what I greatly desire, and for which I would spare neither fatigue\nof my person nor cost of my possessions. Lady, he replied, let it be a\nthing which I can do, and without doubt it shall immediately be taken\nin hand. Sir, quoth she, the boon I require is this: that because the\nfairest women in the world are at the court of King Lisuarte of Great\nBritain, you carry me there, and by arms if otherwise it cannot be,\nobtain for me the praise of beauty above all the Damsels of his court,\nas I have already won it over all the Dames of these parts. You shall\nproclaim that there is no Damsel there so fair as a Dame who is in your\ncompany, and defy all Knights to the proof, and I will take a rich\ncrown which you shall stake on my part, and whatever Knight will combat\nwith you upon this quarrel shall stake another, and the conqueror shall\nhave both. If in this enterprize we come off with the glory, you shall\ncarry me to a place which they call the Firm Island, where they say\nthere is an Enchanted Chamber, into which neither Dame nor Damsel can\nset foot, except she exceed in beauty the fair Grimanesa, who in her\nown days had no peer. When the Knight of the Green Sword heard what she\nsaid, his countenance and his whole feelings changed, and he exclaimed,\nah Lady, you have undone me! and he stood like one bereft of his\nsenses. This trouble came upon him because he thought that if he went\non such an enterprize to King Lisuarte's Court, he should lose his Lady\nOriana, and moreover he knew that many good Knights would undertake the\nquarrel in her behalf, and that as their cause was so just he could\nnot escape without loss of honour or of life. But on the other part\nhis honour was greatly injured if he refused to perform his promise to\nthe Lady to whom he was so beholden, so that he thought himself in the\nworst danger he had ever endured since he left Gaul, and cursed himself\nand his fortune, and the hour wherein he was born, and that ever he\ncame into these lands of Romania. But presently a remedy came into his\nmind, for he recollected that Oriana was no Damsel, and that whoever\nshould undertake the combat for her as such would maintain a wrong\ncause, and how when he saw Oriana he could explain this to her, and\nthe reason wherefore he undertook such a quarrel. Then his good cheer\nreturned and he said, pardon me good Lady for what I said, and I will\nfulfill all you require; the doubt I felt was not from want of will\nbut from my heart which I cannot resist, and which would have directed\nme towards another part; the cause which made me utter those words is\nthe same as that which overrules all my actions. So she laid her fair\narms upon his shoulders and said, you greatly surprized me! when shall\nI see the day that I shall return with the crown won by you from all\nthe Damsels of Great Britain, with the same glory that I have here won\nover all the Dames! Lady, quoth he, if the boon was not promised, and\nmy advice were heard, I should counsel you to be content with that\ngreat fame which you deservedly have gained, for whoso undertakes such\na journey should not lose the thought that it is a way of great toil\nand danger, through many people of diverse tongues. She answered, I am\nbetter pleased with your courage to protect than your counsel to direct\nme; these strange lands we need not traverse for this way is better by\nsea, and we will go with a company befitting such a chief. In God's\nname then so be it, quoth he, and thus their talk was at an end.\nNow when the Knight had sojourned here two days he would go hunt,\nbecause he could have no exercise in arms; there went certain Knights\nin his company, and huntsmen and two dogs well trained to the sport,\nand he took his station in a little valley between the wild part of\nthe mountains and the forest, where the game most frequently was to be\nfound; there he slew two fine Harts, and the huntsmen slew another, and\nit being near night-fall they blew their bugle horns. But as the Knight\nwent towards them another goodly hart sprang from the thicket, and\nhe set the dogs on, the hart being hardly run took to the water in a\ngreat lake thereby, but the dogs came up, and the Knight slew him; then\nGandalin came up, who was right glad to see his Master take pleasure in\nthe sport, for they had been talking of their journey to Great Britain,\nand he alighted and fleshed the dogs. By this the night closed, they\nlaid their venison in the thicket and covered it with green boughs,\nthen having remounted they missed their way, and were soon bewildered\nin the mountains. At length they came to a fountain where their horses\ndrank, and having no hope of better lodging, there they resolved to\nfare that night. While Gandalin took the saddles and bridles from the\nbeasts that they might feed, the Knight walked on towards some fine\ntrees that were near, that he might muse upon his Mistress. When he\ncame up to them he saw a white horse lying dead, having many great\nwounds, and he heard a groan from among the trees, but could not see\nfrom whence it came, the night was so dark. He stopt and listened and\npresently he heard these words. Ah, wretched Bruneo of Bonamar, now\nshall thy mortal desires perish with thee! thou shalt never see thy\nfriend Amadis, whom thou hast sought with such toil through strange\nlands, and who was beloved by thee above all others in the world! here,\nwithout him or kinsman, or friend to console thee, thou must pass from\nlife to cruel death. O my Lady Melicia, the flower and mirror of all\nwomen thy servant will never see the more, he who never sinned against\nthee in word nor deed! Lady thou wilt lose what thou canst never\nrecover, for never will you find another who will love so loyally as I\nhave done. I would never have appeared before thee till I had found thy\ndear brother, and now death has overtaken me. Then having paused awhile\nhe cried again, Angriote, where have you tarried this while, in an evil\nhour of night were we separated! and I have no help in my last hour.\nTrue friend, God reward thee, and receive my soul. But the Knight of\nthe Green Sword weeping bitterly to hear him, went up to him and said,\nmy true friend Don Bruneo of Bonamar take heart! for God has suffered\nme to find you, and if man can be saved by mortal skill be sure that so\nshall you now if it pleases God. Don Bruneo thought it was his Squire,\nwhom he had sent to seek some hermit or religious man. Lasindo, said\nhe, you have tarried long, for my death is come. When you have disposed\nof me go straightways and kiss the Infanta's hand, and give her this\nsleeve of my shirt, whereon I have written seven letters with my blood,\nfor I had no strength to write more. I trust that that pity which she\nwould not show me living she will feel for my death, considering that\nit befell me in her service, seeking through such perils the brother\nwhom she loves so dearly. Dear friend Don Bruneo, quoth the Knight,\nI am Amadis for whom you have undergone such peril! fear not, I will\nhelp you with such a master as shall save you if the soul have not left\nthe body. Don Bruneo, weak as he was, then knew him, and raised his\narms and embraced him, weeping much; the Green Sword Knight embraced\nhim too, and called to Gandalin, and with his help disarmed him, and\nlaid him upon Gandalin's cloak, and covered him with his own, and bade\nGandalin go upon some hill and look out for the town as soon as it was\nlight, and then hasten for Master Helisabad, and he remained holding\nBruneo's head upon his knees and comforting him.\nSo soon as it was dawn Gandalin saw the town and he galloped into it\nwith such speed that all who saw him knew surely that something had\nbefallen his master; and he went to Master Helisabad, and besought him\nto heal one of his Master's dearest friends, and then went and begged\nof Grasinda that she would send such things as were fitting for one,\nas high in lineage and as good in arms as his Master. Master Helisabad\ntook all things that were needful and mounted his palfrey and followed\nGandalin, and when he arrived and saw how the Green Sword Knight held\nDon Bruneo's head upon his knees, and was weeping over him, he knew\nthat of a truth he loved him. He looked at the wounds and found them\nswoln and festering with the cold of the night, but such remedies did\nhe apply that the pain presently abated, so that he fell asleep. When\nthe Knight of the Green Sword saw that the Master thought little of the\ndanger, he embraced him saying, Ah Master Helisabad, my good Sir and\nfriend, in a happy hour was I in your company. I pray God that there\nmay come a time wherein I may repay you, for though you see me now\nbut a poor Knight perhaps ere long you may judge of me otherwise. I am\nmore pleased Sir Knight, he answered, in serving you than you can be\nin requiting me, though well I know your gratitude would never fail;\nbut no more of this, let us eat, for it is time. They then took food\nwith which Grasinda had provided them, and after their meal, as they\nwere saying how those beech trees were the goodliest and largest that\never they had beheld, they saw a man come riding towards them, having\ntwo heads hanging from the poitral of his horse, and an axe in his hand\nall blood. He seeing this company under the trees drew aside, but the\nKnight and Gandalin knew that it was Lasindo, and feared lest he should\ninnocently betray them; the Knight therefore said, stay ye here, and I\nwill go see who this is that seems to fear us, and wherefore he carries\nthose heads; and he mounted and took a lance and went with Gandalin\ntowards him. The Squire at that rode into the forest being afraid, and\nhe of the Green Sword after him, but when they were out of sight, and\nhearing of the others, the Knight called out, Lasindo, stop!\u2014do not\nfear me! When he heard himself named he looked round and knew Amadis,\nand came and kissed his hands.\u2014Ah Sir, you know not the unhappy news\nof my Master, who has undergone such toil in your search! and he began\nto lament greatly. These two Knights told Angriote that they had left\nhim dead in the forest, wherefore he cut off their heads, and bade me\nlay them beside him if he were dead, but if living present them to him\non his part. I have found Don Bruneo, replied the Knight, but in such\nplight that he could tell me nothing; tarry you now here awhile with\nGandalin, as if he had overtaken you, and then come up and tell us\nthis, but remember that you call me nothing but the Knight of the Green\nSword. Then he returned to his companions and told them that Gandalin\nwas in pursuit of the Squire.\nPresently the two Squires came up, and when Lasindo saw the Knight of\nthe Green Sword he alighted, and knelt to him and said, blessed be God\nwho has sent you here to help my Master who loves you so well! Friend\nLasindo! he replied, welcome! and he raised him up,\u2014your Master is\ndoing well: but tell us wherefore you carry those heads? Sir, he said,\ntake me to Don Bruneo, for to him must I relate it. Then went they to\nthe tent which Grasinda had sent for Bruneo, and the Squire knelt and\nsaid, Sir, you see here the heads of those Knights who did you such\ngreat wrong; your true friend Angriote of Estravaus sends them, for\nhe knew their treason, and fought with them both and slew them, and\nhe will be with you presently, for he hath stopt at a nunnery on the\nforest-edge to have a wound in his leg drest, and so soon as the blood\nbe staunched he will proceed here. God reward him! quoth Bruneo, but\nhow could he direct you[234:A] here?\u2014He bade me go to the highest\ntrees in the forest, for there he thought I should find you dead, by\nwhat one of those villains told him before he was slain, but the grief\nwhich he made for you cannot be expressed. Ah God, preserve him from\nharm! quoth the Green Sword Knight, can you guide me to the monastery?\nthen bidding Master Helisabad convey Don Bruneo upon a litter to the\ntown, he armed himself in Bruneo's arms, and went with Lasindo, who\ncarried his shield and helmet and lance.\nWhen they arrived at the place where he had laid his venison, they\nsaw Angriote coming hanging his head like a man who was in grief;\npresently four Knights, all well armed, came riding after him, and they\ncried out, stop Don False One! you must lose your head for cutting off\ntheirs, who were worth more than thee! Angriote turned and took his\nshield and prepared to defend himself, for he had not seen the Green\nSword Knight; but he who had taken Bruneo's arms rode on as fast as\nhorse could carry him, and came up to Angriote before the encounter and\nsaid, good friend, fear not, for God will be with you! Angriote weened\nby the arms that it was Don Bruneo and his joy was exceeding great.\nThe Green Sword Knight met the foremost of the four, who was that\nBrandasidel whom he had made ride with his horse's tail for a bridle.\nHe struck him above the shield on the helmet-mail that hung on the\nbreast, and he drove him to the earth so rudely that he could neither\nmove hand nor foot; the others attacked Angriote, and he them, like a\nfull hardy Knight; but that other laid hand on his Green Sword, and\nthrust himself among them, and with one blow sliced off the arm of one\nat the shoulder. Much was Angriote amazed at that so mighty a stroke,\nfor he did not think there had been such strength in Don Bruneo. By\nthis he had made an end of one enemy, and the remaining one fled before\nhim of the Green Sword, in his fear attempting to pass a river he\nmissed the ford and fell into deep water, the horse escaped, but he, by\nreason of the weight of his armour, was drowned.\nThe Green Sword Knight then gave his shield and helmet to Lasindo and\nturned to Angriote, who stood astonished at his valour, thinking he\nwas Don Bruneo, but coming near him he knew Amadis, and ran to him\nwith open arms, thanking God that he was found. They then with tears\nembraced as men who loved each other well. Now indeed, said the Knight,\ndoth your true love towards me appear in this long and dangerous\nsearch! Angriote replied, you have bound me to more services than I\ncan ever perform, for you have given me her without whom life could\nnot have been endured; but tell me, have you heard the unhappy tidings\nof your good friend Don Bruneo of Bonamar? Then the Green Sword Knight\ntold him all that had chanced. So as they went on they perceived that\none of the conquered Knights was still living, he of the Green Sword\nstopt and said to him, foul Knight, whom God confound, tell me why\nwithout reason you attempted to destroy Errant Knights? or I will\noff with thy head; and if you were at the hurt of that Knight whose\narms I wear? That can he not deny, quoth Angriote, for I left him\nand two others in the company of Don Bruneo, and afterward found the\nother twain boasting how they had killed Bruneo, whom they led away to\nhelp them as they said in the rescue of their sister, who would else\nbe burnt. He went upon this adventure, and I went with an old Knight\nwho had lodged us to deliver his son, who was held prisoner in some\ntents near, the which I accomplished; thus we separated. Now let this\none tell wherefore they committed so great a treason. Descend and\ncut off his head for he is a traitor, said he of the Green Sword to\nLasindo. Mercy for God's sake, quoth the Knight, and I will tell you\nall! We knew that these two Knights were seeking the Knight of the\nGreen Sword, whom we mortally hate, and because they were his friends\nwe wished to kill them; and because we could not think to succeed if\nthey were together, we devised this falsehood. So that Knight went\nwith us to release the Damsel, having his head and hands unarmed. We\ncame to the Fountain of the Beech Trees, and while he was giving his\nhorse drink we took our lances, and I, who was nearest him, snatched\nhis sword from the scabbard, and before he could help himself we threw\nhim down and gave him so many wounds that we left him for dead, as\nin truth I suppose he be. What reason had ye to hate me so much that\nye would commit such villainy?\u2014Are you then the Knight of the Green\nSword?\u2014Here is that Sword, see now if I be not he.\u2014I will tell you:\nit is now a year since you did battle with one of these Knights who\nhere lies dead, and he pointed to Brandasidel. The combat was before\nthe fair Grasinda, and he who was the strongest Knight in all these\nparts, appointed a shameful law for the vanquished, the which you made\nhim undergo, and for this cause he and all his kinsmen mortally hated\nyou, and we fell into this treason; now then kill me or spare me, for I\nhave told you all. I shall not kill thee, quoth the Green Sword Knight,\nfor the wicked die many times while they live, and pay what their\nwicked works deserve. Then he bade Lasindo lay the venison upon one of\nthose Knight's horses, and unbridle the rest and turn them loose into\nthe forest: so they proceeded toward the town.\nThe Knight then earnestly asked news of Great Britain, and Angriote\ntold him all he knew, for it was a year and a half since he and Don\nBruneo had left it in quest of him. Among other things he told him\nthat there was the fairest child in the world at the court of King\nLisuarte, of whom Urganda had prophesied strange things, and he related\nhow the hermit had found him, and what letters there were upon his\nbreast. God preserve him, quoth he of the Green Sword, you tell me of\na wonder. What age hath he?\u2014About twelve years; he and my son Ambor\nof Gandel serve Oriana, who favours them greatly; but they are very\ndifferent, for Ambor seems slow and slothful. Ah Angriote, quoth the\nKnight, judge not of your son yet, for he can yet know neither good nor\nevil. If he were older, and Oriana would give him to me, I would take\nhim with me, and make Gandalin, who has so long served me, a Knight.\nAngriote replied, he well deserves it, and Knighthood would be full\nwell bestowed upon him as one of the best Squires in the world; if\nthis were done, and my son were in your service, then should I lose\nall fear, and be sure that he would do honour to his lineage. In such\ntalk they proceeded to the city, and there was Angriote laid in bed by\nDon Bruneo's bedside, and his leg which was greatly swoln was healed,\nand the Knight of the Green Sword had his bed also placed in the same\nchamber, that they might talk of all that had chanced. And when these\nKnights had heard of the boon which he had promised Grasinda they were\nwell pleased, because having found him whom they sought they were\ndesirous to return to Great Britain. So when they were well healed of\ntheir wounds, and the fleet was ready and victualled for a whole year,\nthey and the Green Sword Knight and the fair Grasinda on a Sunday\nmorning in the month of May went on board, and sailed with a fair wind\ntoward Great Britain.\nFOOTNOTES:\n[234:A] This is an oversight; it is said before that Bruneo had sent\nhis Squire for a Hermit to confess him.\n_CHAPTER 13._\nThe Embassadors of the Emperor Patin having arrived in Lombardy took\nship and passed over to Great Britain, and landed at Fenusa, where King\nLisuarte honourably welcomed them, and gave order that they should be\nwell lodged and served with all things fitting. There were many good\nmen with the King at this season, and he waited for others with whom to\ntake counsel upon this matter of his daughter's marriage; and he told\nthe Embassadors that they should be answered in a month's time, giving\nthem good hope that the reply would be such as they wished; he resolved\nalso, that Queen Sardamira should go to Miraflores, that she might\nrelate to Oriana the greatness of Rome, and the great state whereto\nthis marriage would exalt her: and this he did knowing how averse his\ndaughter was to the proposal, and in the hope that Queen Sardamira, who\nwas a discreet woman, might bring her to consent; for Oriana at this\ntime was in exceeding distress, thinking that her father would give her\nup to El Patin, and thus destroy both her and Amadis. Queen Sardamira\ntherefore set forth for Miraflores, and Don Grumedan went with her by\nthe King's command, and many Knights of Rome and Sardinia, whereof she\nwas Queen, for her guard.\nNow it so happened that, arriving in a green and flowery meadow by the\nriver side, they resolved to wait there till the heat of the noon was\npast, and therefore pitched their tents; and the Knights of Sardamira,\nwho were five in number, placed their shields without; whereon Don\nGrumedan said to them, Sirs, ye should place your shields within the\ntents, unless ye wish to maintain the custom of the country, which\nis, that every Knight who places shield or lance without side of the\ntent or house or hut wherein he himself is, must joust with whatsoever\nKnight requires the combat. We know the custom they replied, and for\nthat very reason have so placed our shields; God send that some Knight\nmay claim it before we depart! In God's name, quoth Grumedan, many\nKnights pass this way, and we may perhaps see your prowess. Long they\nhad not tarried before the good Knight Don Florestan came by, full\nof heaviness, for he had been traversing many lands in quest of his\nbrother Amadis, and now having heard that these Knights of Rome were\nat the Court of Lisuarte was going thither to see if they knew aught\nconcerning him. He, when he saw the tents, went towards them, and\ncoming up to that where the Queen was, he beheld her sitting on the\nestrado, and that she was one of the fair women of the world; the wings\nof the tent were open, and he rode nearer, even within the cords, that\nhe might look at her. Presently there came a Damsel to him and said,\nyou are not over courteous Sir Knight, to sit on horseback and look\nat so good a Queen and ladies of so high birth as are there; it would\nbecome you better to look at those shields that are inviting you, and\ntheir owners. Certes my good Lady, replied Florestan, you say truth;\nbut my eyes, desirous to regard so fair a Queen, led me into this\nfault. I beseech pardon of her and those other Ladies, and will make\nthe atonement ye require. The Damsel answered, you say well, but the\natonement must come before the pardon. That, quoth Florestan, will I,\nif I can, perform, but on this condition: that I shall not be required\nto desist from doing what I ought against those shields, or that they\nbe placed within the tents. Sir Knight, said she, before those shields\nbe removed, the shields of all who pass this way will be won, their\nowner's names written on the rim, that they may be carried to Rome and\nthere preserved in proof that the Roman Knights exceed all others. If\nyou wish not to fall into shame turn back, or else your own shield and\nname will be carried away also. Damsel, quoth he, I do not trust your\nlove enough to follow your counsel; but for those shields, I design\nto carry them to the Firm Island. Then he addressed Sardamira\u2014God\npreserve you Lady, and give you as much happiness as beauty! and with\nthat he went toward the shields.\nDon Grumedan hearing this was well pleased, and because the Knight\nspake of the Firm Island he weened that he was of the good lineage\nof Amadis, and able to perform what he had said; and though he did\nnot know that he was Florestan he saw that he was well armed, and sat\nwell upon his horse, and he wished him good success. Florestan, who\nknew Grumedan, and that no Knight was a better judge of chivalry,\ntook the more courage, and with the blunt end of his lance struck the\nfive shields one after the other, that the Knights might meet him in\nsuccession: then he withdrew about a bow-shot off, hung his shield\nround his neck, took a strong lance, and sate in readiness. Now it\nwas his custom always to take with him two or three Squires that he\nmight be the better served, and have store of lances and battle-axes,\nwhich he knew well how to wield. Presently the Roman Knights armed\nthemselves, and mounted and went towards him. How now Knights? cried\nFlorestan, would ye come all at once and break the custom of the\ncountry? Gradamor, whom the others obeyed, then asked Don Grumedan what\nthey ought to do, as he knew best; and he answered, the Knights must go\none by one in order as their shields were struck, and I advise them not\nto go too rashly, for methinks that Knight is not one who will chuse\nshame for himself. Don Grumedan, answered Gradamor, the Romans are not\nof your condition! ye praise yourselves before the thing be done, and\nwe, when it is done, suffer it to be forgotten, and for this reason\nthere are none equal to us. Would to God our battle were upon this\nquarrel, though my comrades were not to lend hand! Try your fortune\nwith him now, replied Grumedan, and if he remain whole and unhurt after\nthe joust, I will engage that he shall combat you upon that quarrel,\nand if by reason of any harm that cannot be, I will undertake it\nmyself in God's name! go to your joust now. Gradamor laughed at him\nin disdain\u2014I would this battle were so near at hand as the encounter\nwith yonder fool who dares resist us! then he said to the Knight, whose\nshield had first been touched, go on, and let us get rid of the little\nfame we can get from such a victory! The Knight replied, make yourself\neasy! I will bring him to be at your disposal; his shield and name\nshall be done with as the Emperor commanded: his horse is a good one,\nand that I will keep myself.\nWith that he crossed the brook; Florestan was ready and they ran\ntheir encounter; both failed in their attaint, but they met shields\nand bodies, and the Roman, who was the worse horseman, fell and broke\nhis right arm, and lay like a dead man. Florestan bade one of his\nSquires alight and hang the shield to a tree and take the horse of the\nconquered Knight; then he, with a sign of anger that he had missed\nhis blow, took his place again, and sate lance in hand, the blunt end\nresting upon the ground, ready for the second foe. The second came on,\nin that encounter Florestan did not miss, but drove the lance so well\nthat the Knight was driven to the ground and the saddle with him, and\nFlorestan passed on. But presently turning he said, Sir Roman, the\nsaddle which you have carried with you shall be yours, and the horse\nmine; and if you chuse to relate your prowess in Rome I freely permit\nyou: this he said so loud that the Queen and her company could hear\nit. Now I tell you Don Grumedan was right glad to see how the Knight\nof Great Britain spake and acted against the Roman, and he said to\nGradamor, if you Sir and your comrades do not speed better, there will\nbe no need to throw down the walls of Rome for your triumphal return.\nGradamor answered, you think much of this! but if my comrades finish\nthe joust, I shall settle what you appointed differently from what you\nsuppose! We shall see! quoth old Grumedan, that Knight of the Firm\nIsland takes good care of his armour, and I trust he will set aside my\nbattle. At that Gradamor began to laugh without being pleased. When\nit comes to my turn, said he, I shall allow all you say. But Queen\nSardamira was grieved to see the haughtiness of Gradamor and the Roman\nKnights.\nFlorestan had now made his Squire take the shield from this second\nKnight who lay like one dead, for the spear had gone through him, but\nwhen it was drawn out he spake with a dolorous voice, and demanded\nconfession. The third Knight now took his place, and rode full force\nagainst Florestan, but their lances slanted and crossed each other, and\nFlorestan struck his helmet and burst the laces and sent it rolling on\nthe ground, and made him bow to the horses neck, but he did not fall.\nFlorestan then took the lance and with an overhand blow made at him;\nthe Roman lifted his shield, but the blow drove the shield against his\nface and stunned him, so that he lost the reins, and then Florestan\nlet his lance fall, and plucked the shield from his neck and dashed\nit twice on his neck, so that he fell, and lay sprawling, while his\nshield and horse went to keep the others company. The fourth Knight\nthen encountered him, but that joust was soon decided, he and his horse\nwere borne down and the horse's leg was broke. Florestan took another\nlance and made ready to meet Gradamor. Gradamor was in new and goodly\narms, and mounted on a bright bay horse large and strong; he shook his\nlance threateningly, and cried, Don Grumedan arm yourself, for before\nyou take horse this Knight will stand in need of your help! I shall not\ntake that trouble yet, quoth old Grumedan. By this Gradamor had crossed\nthe brook, and Florestan came at him angrily, for he had heard his\nboasts. They met in full career, Gradamor pierced his shield, the lance\nwent through about a palm and then broke, Florestan's spear drove\nthrough the shield, and broke the armour on the left side, and sent him\nout of the saddle into a hollow which was full of water and mire. He\nthen passed on and bade his Squire take the fifth shield and horse.\nLady, quoth Don Grumedan to the Queen, I think I may rest till Gradamor\nhas cleaned his arms, and procured another horse for our combat! Cursed\nbe his arrogance, replied Sardamira, and the folly of those who have\nmade all the world hate them! Now had Gradamor, after rolling about\nin the puddle, got out, and taken off his helm, and having cleaned\nthe dirt from his eyes and face as well as he could, he laced on his\nhelmet again. Florestan seeing this came up to him.\u2014Sir Threatener,\nunless you can help yourself better with the sword than the lance, you\nwill neither take my shield nor my name to Rome. Gradamor answered, I\nonly wear my sword to avenge myself, and that shall I do presently if\nyou dare maintain the custom of this country. And what is that? quoth\nFlorestan, who knew it better than he.\u2014That you give me my horse or\nalight from your own, that the fight may be equal, and he who plays\nworst to receive neither courtesy nor mercy. Florestan answered, I\nbelieve you would not have maintained this custom had you been the\nconqueror! however I will alight, for it would not become so fair a\nRoman Knight as you are to mount a horse which another had won. With\nthat he alighted and they began a most perilous battle, but it did\nnot last long, for Florestan seeing himself in the presence of Queen\nSardamira and her Ladies, and of Don Grumedan, who was a better judge\nof such feats, put forth all his strength, so that Gradamor could not\nendure it, but gave ground, and made back toward the tent, thinking\nthat for courtesy Florestan would not follow him there. But Florestan\ngot between him and the tent and made him turn, and prest him till the\nsword dropt from his hand, and he fell down having no strength left.\nThen Florestan took his shield and gave it to his Squires, and caught\nhim by the helmet, which he plucked off so forcibly that he dragged\nhim some way along the ground, and threw the helmet into that standing\npool, and took the Knight by the leg and was about to cast him in\nalso; but Gradamor began to cry mercy for God's sake, and the Queen\nexclaimed, a bad bargain did that unhappy one make when he proposed\nthat the conquered should show neither courtesy nor mercy. At this\nFlorestan said, a covenant which so honourable a Knight as you have\nmade must not be broken, and you shall have it fully accomplished\nas you shall see. Ah wretch I am dead, quoth the Roman.\u2014You are,\nunless you do two things at my bidding.\u2014Tell me what, and I will do\nthem.\u2014The one is that with your own hand you write your name in your\nown blood upon the rim of your shield, and the names of your comrades\nin their blood, each upon his shield; that done I will tell you what\nthe other thing is: and as he said this he held his sword over him who\nlay quaking for great fear; but Gradamor, because he could not write\nhimself, nor lift up his hand, called for his secretary and bid him\nempty out the ink from his inkstand, and fill it with his blood, and\nwrite his name and the names of his companions. This was forthwith\ndone. Don Florestan then wiped his sword and placed it in the scabbard,\nand mounted his horse as lightly as if he had done nothing, and gave\nhis shield to his Squire, but his helmet he took not off that Grumedan\nmight not know him. His horse was strong and well limbed and of a\nstrange colour, and the horseman of an answerable make and stature,\nso that few were like him in their appearance. Then taking a lance,\nwhereto there hung a rich pennon, he stopt by Gradamor who had now\nrisen, and said to him shaking the lance, your life is no more, unless\nDon Grumedan will beg it! but he cried out aloud to Grumedan to save\nhim for God's sake. The old Knight came up, certes Gradamor, quoth he,\nit would be but right that you should find neither courtesy nor mercy,\nas in your pride you covenanted with this Knight; however I beg him to\nspare you, for which I will greatly thank and serve him. That will I\ndo with a good will for you, replied Florestan, as I would aught else\nto your honour and pleasure. You Sir Roman may relate in Rome when you\nreturn there how you threatened the Knights of Great Britain, and how\nyou maintained your threats, and the great honour which you won from\nthem in the short space of one day, so tell this to your great Emperor\nand his Potentates, because it will please them. And I will make it\nknown in the Firm Island that the Roman Knights are so frank and\nliberal that they readily give their shields and horses to those they\ndo not know! but for these gifts which you have made me I do not thank\nyou, but thank God who gave it me against your will. These words were\nworse to Gradamor than his wounds. Sir Knight, quoth Florestan, you\nshall carry back to Rome all the arrogance you brought from it, because\nthey esteem it there, and we in this land like it not, but like instead\nof it what you abhor, courtesy and gentleness; and if my Lord, you are\nas good in love as in arms, you should go prove yourself in the Firm\nIsland by the Arch of True Lovers, that you might take home that praise\nalso, and then belike our Mistresses may forsake us for you.\nNow I tell you Don Grumedan heard all this with great glee, and laughed\nto see the pride of the Romans so broken; but it was not so with\nGradamor, for his heart was almost breaking to hear these things, and\nhe said to Grumedan, good Sir for God's sake let me be carried to the\ntents for I have been sorely handled. So it seems, replied the old man,\nby your appearance, and it is all your own fault! and then he made his\nSquires remove him. Sir, said he then to Florestan, if it please you,\ntell us your name, for so good a man as you ought not to conceal it. My\ngood Sir, he replied, Don Grumedan, I pray you be not displeased that\nI do not tell it you, for I would not that this fair Queen should in\nany ways know it, because of the discourtesy which I have committed;\nfor though her beauty was the occasion I feel myself greatly to blame.\nI beseech you procure my pardon that she may take from me what amends\nshe will, and send me the tidings to the round Chapel hard by, where\nI shall rest to day. I will send my Squires with her answer, replied\nGrumedan, and if it be after my will it will be such as so good a man\nas you deserve. The Knight of the Firm Island then said, I beseech you\nDon Grumedan if you know any news of Amadis tell me! at that question\nthe tears came into the old man's eyes,\u2014So help me God, as I should\nrejoice to know any news of him, and communicate it to you and all his\nfriends! That I believe, replied Florestan, for such is your nature,\nand if all were like you discourtesy and falsehood would not find\nharbour where they are harboured now. God be with you! I shall expect\nyour bidding at the hermitage.\nFlorestan then bade his Squires take the five horses of the Knights and\ngive the bay one, which was the best, to Don Grumedan, and the others\nto the Damsel with whom he had spoken, and to say that Don Florestan\nsent them. Right glad was Don Grumedan to have that horse because it\nhad been won from the Romans, and still more to know that that Knight\nwas Don Florestan whom he loved so well. The Squires led the other\nhorses to the Damsel and said, Lady, the Knight whom you disparaged to\npraise your Romans sends you these to dispose of as you please, and\nas a sign that his words were true. Much do I thank him, quoth that\nDamsel, and of a truth he hath bravely won them, yet had I rather he\nhad left his own horse than that he should give me these four. You\nmust procure better Knights than these, replied the Squire, if you\nwould gain that. But, said the Damsel, marvel not if I wish well to my\nfriends rather than to a stranger; howbeit, because of the goodly gift\nwhich he has sent me, I repent that I said ought to offend so good a\nman, and will amend it as he may require. With this answer the Squire\nreturned to Don Florestan, who went then to the Round Chapel to wait\nthere for Grumedan's answer, for this chapel was in the way to the Firm\nIsland, and he being resolved not to enter Lisuarte's court, was going\nthither to hang the Roman shields there, and to hear if Gandales knew\nany thing of his brother.\nNow when Don Grumedan had delivered his bidding to the Queen she\nlistened willingly and said, this Don Florestan,\u2014is he son of King\nPerion and the Countess of Selandia?\u2014The same, and one of the best\nKnights in the world.\u2014I tell you then Don Grumedan that the sons\nof the Marquis of Ancona speak wonders of his deeds in arms, and of\nhis prudence and courtesy, and they may well be believed for they\nwere his companions in the wars which he had at Rome, where he abode\nthree years, when he was a young Knight, but they dare not speak\nhis praise before the Emperor, who loves him not. Do you know, said\nGrumedan, why the Emperor does not love him?\u2014Because of his brother\nAmadis, replied Sardamira, of whom the Emperor complains, because he\nwon the Firm Island by arriving there before him, and so deprived\nhim of the honour which he should else have won. Certes Lady, quoth\nGrumedan, he complains without reason, for in that Amadis saved him\nfrom great shame; trust me it is for another adventure that the Emperor\nhates him.\u2014By the faith you owe to God, Don Grumedan, tell me the\nreason.\u2014Do not you be displeased then Lady! and then he told her how\nAmadis and he had met in the forest, and of their battle. Thereat was\nQueen Sardamira well pleased, and she made him relate it three times;\ntruly, said she, the Emperor hath reason enough to dislike him.\n_CHAPTER 14._\nWell pleased was Queen Sardamira to hear how the Emperor had been\nvanquished by Amadis, because that journey which El Patin made to\nGreat Britain, was for her love, as he at that time loved her much,\nand she laughed to think how he had concealed this adventure. Lady,\nsaid Grumedan, tell me what message you will send to Don Florestan.\nShe, after pondering awhile replied, you see in what plight my Knights\nare left, they can neither protect me nor themselves, and must stay\nhere to recover. I would wish Don Florestan therefore to guard me\nwith you. Grumedan answered, I tell you Lady that so courteous is he\nthat whatever Dame or Damsel should ask of him that would he do; how\nmuch more for one like you, to whom he hath to make atonement for\na fault?\u2014Give me then a guard to guide my Damsel. He gave her four\nSquires, and she giving a letter of credence to her Damsel, told her\nsecretly what she should say. The Damsel mounted her palfrey, and rode\nmore than apace till she reached the Round Chapel, where she found\nFlorestan talking with the Hermit. Her face was uncovered, so that the\nKnight knew her, and welcomed her courteously. She gave him the letter\nand said, the Queen hath bade me say that you have left her Knights in\nsuch plight that they are unable to guard her, and therefore as this\nhindrance comes from you she requests you to guard her to Miraflores,\nwhither she goes to see Oriana. I thank your Lady, replied Florestan,\nfor thus commanding me; we will go from hence so as to reach her tent\nby day-break. Well was the Damsel pleased with the gentle demeanour\nof Florestan, for he was comely and debonair, and in all things such\nas beseemed one of such high degree. So there they took their supper\ntogether, and the Damsel was lodged that night in the hermitage, and\nFlorestan slept under the trees with his Squires, and soundly did\nhe rest after the fatigue of the day. When it was time his Squires\nawakened him, and they and the Damsel accompanied him to the tent where\nthey arrived full early. She went straight to the Queen, and Florestan\nto Grumedan's tent, who was preparing to hear mass, and he seeing\nFlorestan embraced him joyfully. The Queen, said he, desires you for\nher guard, and methinks she has made no bad bargain in losing her own\nKnights and gaining you in their stead. In truth, replied Florestan,\nI am right glad to serve her, and the more so since it will be in\nyour company, whom I had not seen so long. God knows, replied the old\nKnight, how I rejoice to see you. What have you done with the shields\nwhich you won?\u2014I have sent them to the Firm Island, that your friend\nDon Gandales may hang them where they may be seen by all comers, and\nwhere the Romans may seek them, if they are disposed to recover them.\nIn that case, said Grumedan, the Island will soon be well stored with\ntheir shields and arms.\nThey now came to the Queen's tent. Florestan would have kissed her\nhand, but she laid it on the sleeve of his mail, to show how gladly\nshe welcomed him. Don Grumedan then sent the wounded Knights to the\nnearest town that they might be healed of their wounds; this done Queen\nSardamira mounted her palfrey, which was as white as snow, the saddle\nand trappings were all wrought with gold, she herself was most richly\nhabited, and about her neck were pearls and jewels of great value,\nwhich were the more set off by her own exceeding beauty. Florestan\ntook her bridle, and then she and her company went their way toward\nMiraflores. Now I say unto you that Oriana greatly grieved at her\ncoming, knowing for what purpose she was coming; yet did she rejoice\nthat Florestan was coming also, that she might enquire of Amadis from\nhim, and complain to him of the King her father; but disturbed as she\nwas she ordered the house to be made ready, and rich estrados prepared\nfor the guests, and she apparelled herself in her best attire, and so\nalso did Mabilia and her other Damsels. When the Queen entered she came\nin between Florestan and Don Grumedan, and Oriana liked her well, and\nthought that she should have been full glad to welcome her had she come\nthither on other errand. Sardamira would have kissed her hand, nay said\nOriana, you are a Queen and I but a poor Damsel, who am suffering for\nmy sins! Mabilia and the Damsels then saluted her with great pleasure\nas being a Queen, but that did not Oriana, who could show no sign of\npleasure since the Romans had arrived, but she did welcome Florestan\nand Grumedan from her heart. They then all seated themselves upon one\nestrado, and Oriana having placed the two Knights before her, after\nshe had spoken awhile with the Queen turned to Florestan and said, good\nfriend, long is it since I have seen you, and that grieved me for I\nloved you much, as do all who know you. Great is the loss which we in\nGreat Britain feel by the absence of you and Amadis and your friends,\nwho used to redress all wrongs! and cursed be they who were the cause\nof driving you from my father! if ye were here now as formerly, a\npoor wretch who expects to be disherited and brought to the point of\ndeath, might have some hope of help, for ye would defend her as ye\nhave done, for ye never forsook the helpless in their need; but such\nis her fortune that all have failed her except death! and then she\nwept bitterly, having two thoughts in her mind: the one, that if her\nfather gave her up to the Romans she would cast herself into the sea;\nthe other was the want of Amadis, which she remembered more livelily\nbecause of the likeness which Florestan bore to him. Florestan well\nunderstood that she spake of herself. My good Lady, said he, God in\nhis mercy will relieve great sorrows, and do you trust in him; as for\nmy brother Amadis, if his aid be wanted here, there are others who\nexperience it elsewhere, for trust me he is well and at his own free\ncall, and is going about redressing wrongs, as the one whom God hath\ngifted above all others in the world. Queen Sardamira hearing this\nexclaimed, God keep Amadis from falling into the hands of the Emperor\nwho hates him mortally! there is no other Knight in the world whom he\nregards with such deadly hatred except it be one, who abode sometime at\nthe Court of King Tafinor of Bohemia, and slew in battle Don Garadan,\nthe best Knight except Salustanquidio of all his lineage. She then\nrelated how that battle had past, and in what manner the kingdom of\nBohemia was by him delivered from El Patin's claim. Florestan said,\nknow you the name of the Knight who atchieved all this so greatly to\nhis honour?\u2014They called him the Knight of the Green Sword, or of the\nDwarf, not that these were believed to be his true names, but because\nof the green scabbard and belt of his sword, and of a Dwarf, who,\nthough he had another Squire in his company, never leaves him. When\nFlorestan heard this he mused awhile, resolving to go seek him, so\nsoon as this business was over, for he doubted not that this Knight\nwas his brother Amadis. Oriana knew this also, and was dying to speak\nwith Mabilia; she said therefore to Sardamira, you come from far Lady,\nand must need rest, and then she led her to her apartments, which were\nfull pleasant with trees and fountains. So having left her there she\nretired with Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark, and told them she\nverily believed that the Knight, of whom Queen Sardamira had spoken,\nwas Amadis. They answered, that they believed so also, and now said\nMabilia, the dream is out which I dreamt this night, for methought we\nwere all fastened in a chamber, and there arose a great uproar without\nwhich put us in fear, and your Knight burst the doors, and called aloud\nfor you, and I showed him where you were lying upon an estrado, and\nhe took us by the hand and carried us away, and placed us in a tower\nmarvellously strong, and said, remain here and fear nothing! with that\nI awoke, and this hath encouraged my heart, and he will succour you. At\nthis Oriana was rejoiced, and she threw her arms round her friend, the\ntears running down her fair cheeks\u2014Ah Mabilia my good Lady and true\nfriend, how do you comfort me! God grant that your dream may come to\npass! or if this be not his will, that Amadis may come and we may die\ntogether, neither surviving the other. Think not thus, replied Mabilia,\nfor God, who hath so prospered him in the affairs of others, will not\nforsake him in his own; but do you speak with Florestan, and beg him\nand his friends to endeavour that you may not be carried away from this\ncountry, and let him request this of Don Galaor in his own name and in\nyours.\nBut I must tell you that Don Galaor, though no one had so counselled\nhim, was resolved so to advise the King, and you shall hear how it fell\nout. Lisuarte had been hunting, and when their sport was done, as he\nwas leading the King's palfrey along a valley he let the rest pass and\ncalled to Galaor, and said to him, my good friend and loyal servant, I\nnever yet asked your council that good did not come of it. You know the\ngreat power of the Emperor of Rome, who has sent to ask my daughter for\nhis Empress, wherein I see two things greatly to my advantage; the one,\nthat I shall wed my daughter so honourably, and have that Emperor to\nassist me whenever need shall be; the other, that my daughter Leonoreta\nwill remain heiress of Great Britain, and upon this matter I wish to\nconsult with my good men whom I have called together for that end.\nMeantime now we are thus alone do you deliver to me your opinion, for\nI well know you will advise me to my good. Galaor remained thoughtful\nfor a while, and then replied, Sir, I am not so used to these things\nthat I should advise you. I pray you hold me excused.\u2014Nay, tell me\nyour opinion Galaor or you will offend me, and I shall be greatly\ngrieved thereat, never having received aught from you but pleasure and\ngood service.\u2014Since you will put my weakness to the proof, I must say,\nthat, if you think by this marriage to place your daughter honourably,\nand in greater power, it will be quite otherwise than you think; for\nshe being the heiress of this land you cannot do her greater wrong than\nto deprive her of that inheritance, and deliver her to the subjection\nof a stranger; for she will have no rule in that strange land; and\nallowing that she could attain that which is the utmost in such cases,\nthat she should have sons, and see them married, then will her state be\nworse than before, seeing another made Empress. But as to what you say,\nthat he will help you in your need,\u2014considering your high rank and\npower, it would be shame to think, that you could ever need his help.\nMore likely is it, by what all say of his arrogance, you should for his\nsake, incur great danger, and waste of treasure without profit; but\nthe worst is, that doing service to him, you must become subject, and\nas such, be recorded for ever, in his books, and chronicles; and this,\nSir, I hold to be the worst dishonour that could befall you. That you\nwould make your daughter Leonoreta heiress of Great Britain is a still\nworse error, and so it is that many errors proceed from one; that you\nwould dispossess such a daughter, to endow another, who has no right\nto her inheritance! God forbid that I should counsel such a thing, not\nonly when your daughter is concerned, but were it the poorest woman\nin the world. I say this for the faith I owe to God, to you, to my\nown soul, and to your daughter; for being your vassal, I hold her as\nmy liege Lady. To-morrow I must set out for Gaul; because the King my\nfather has sent for me. I know not for what cause; if it please, I will\ngive this, my opinion, in my own hand-writing, that you may shew all\nyour good men what I have said; and if there is any Knight who gainsays\nme, I will do battle with him upon that point, and make him confess it\nto be true.\nThe King was little pleased at this. Don Galaor, said he, since you\nmust go, leave me this writing. This he asked with no design to produce\nit, unless there should be great need. So the next day Galaor left\nthis writing with the King, and took his leave, and departed for Gaul.\nNow it was his wish to prevent the marriage, because it was not for\nthe King's honour, and because he suspected the love of Amadis and\nOriana; and when he found the King was determined upon it, he wished\nto be absent. But Oriana knew nothing of this and therefore besought\nFlorestan to request Don Galaor's aid. Thus as you have heard, that\nday passed at Miraflores. Greatly was Queen Sardamira pleased with\nOriana, and much did she marvel at her exceeding beauty; albeit it was\nimpaired by long sorrow, and the dread of this marriage: nor would the\nQueen speak at first concerning the Emperor, but rather of such news as\npleased her. But when on another day, she did speak on that subject,\nshe received such answers from Oriana, that she never dared renew it.\nWhen Oriana knew Florestan was about to depart, she led him under some\ntrees, where there was an estrado placed, and making him sit before\nher, she covertly explained to him her will. Her father, she said,\nwished to disinherit her, and send her into a strange land, and she\nbesought him to pity her, for she expected nothing but death; she\ntherefore besought not only him whom she loved so well, and in whom she\nhad confidence, but she complained to all the Nobles of the realm and\nto all Errant Knights, and she called upon them to pity her, and change\nher father's purpose; and do you my good friend Don Florestan, said\nshe, counsel him thus; and make him sensible of the great cruelty, and\nwrong which he would do me. Florestan answered, Good Lady, believe you,\nthat I will serve you with the same earnest desire, as I would serve\nthe King my father. But I cannot say this to King Lisuarte, because I\nam not his vassal, nor would he have me in his council, knowing that\nI hate him for the wrong which he hath done to me, and to my lineage.\nWhat services I and my father have since done him, was for the love\nwe bore to Amadis, and because if this land had then been lost, the\nloss would have been yours, whom my father esteems as one of the best\nPrincesses in the world, and if he knew your wrongs, believe me Lady\nthat he and all his friends would make ready to redress them, which\nhe would do for the poorest woman living; do you therefore good Lady,\ntake good hope, for yet if it please God I trust to bring you help. I\nwill not rest, till I arrive at the Firm Island, there I shall find\nAgrayes, who greatly desires to serve you, because you were brought up\nby his parents, and we will consider together what may be done. Are you\ncertain that Agrayes is there? cried Oriana.\u2014Don Grumedan told me so,\nto whom he had sent a Squire.\u2014God be praised! salute him dearly from\nme, and tell him I have in him that true hope which reasonably I ought\nto have, and if meantime he know any tidings of your brother Amadis,\nlet him send me the news, that I may tell them to his cousin Mabilia\nwho is dying for want of him; and God direct you, and grant that you\nand Agrayes may come to some good result for my succour. Florestan then\nkissed her hand, and departed.\n_CHAPTER 15._\nThe Knight of the Green sword, and Don Bruneo of Bonamar, and Angriote\nwent sailing on with Grasinda, sometimes with fair wind, sometimes with\nfoul, as it pleased God to send it, till they came into the ocean-sea\nwhich is by the coast of Spain; and when he of the Green Sword saw\nhimself so near Great Britain, he gave thanks to God, that, after\nescaping so many perils, he was at last, in sight of the land wherein\nhis Lady dwelt. Then called he the vassals, and desired that no one\nwould call him by any other name, than the Greek Knight, and bade them\nstrive to reach Great Britain. He then bade Gandalin bring him the six\nswords, which Queen Menoresa had given him in Constantinople. Two of\nthem he gave to Bruneo and Angriote, who marvelled at the richness of\ntheir accoutrements, and one he took himself, bidding Gandalin place\nhis own Green Sword where none might see it, lest he should be known in\nKing Lisuarte's Court.\nThis was between nones and vespers, and Grasinda being aweary of the\nsea, was led on deck, that she might be refreshed by the sight of\nland, and so sate talking with the three Knights, when it was about\nsun-set, they saw a ship, and the Greek Knight bade the sailors steer\ntowards her, and when they were within hearing, Angriote hailed them\ncourteously, and asked whence the ship was going, and who were in\nher? answer was made, the vessel belongs to the Firm Island, and two\nKnights of the Island are on board, who will tell you what you please\nto ask. When the Greek Knight and his comrades heard this, their hearts\nrejoiced, that they should now hear, what they so much wished to hear.\nFriend, said Angriote, I pray you for courtesy, request your Knights\nto come up, that we may ask news of them, and if it please you, tell\nus their names. That, they answered, we will not do, but we will say\nwhat you desire. Presently the two Knights came on deck, and Angriote\nasked them, if by chance they knew where King Lisuarte then was. We\nknow all concerning him, they replied, but first we would enquire a\nthing for which we have undergone great toil, and will yet go thro'\nmore. Know you any tidings of a Knight called Amadis of Gaul? in quest\nof whom his friends are perishing, and wandering all over the world.\nWhen the Greek Knight heard this, the tears ran down his cheek for\npure joy, to think how true his friends and kinsmen were to him; but\nhe continued silent. Tell me who you are, said Angriote, and I will\nthen relate to you, what we know concerning him. The one answered,\nknow that my name is Dragonis, and this my companion is Enil; and we\nare going over the Mediterranean Sea, to seek him in all its ports\nof either shore. God give you good tidings, cried Angriote; in these\nvessels we have mariners from sundry parts, and I will enquire among\nthem if any one have heard of him. This said he by the Greek Knight's\nbidding. Now tell me where King Lisuarte is at present, and what you\nknow of Queen Brisena, and of his court. Dragonis answered, he is in\nthe town of Tagades, which is a sea port opposite to Normandy; and\nthere he holds a court, to consult with the chief men of the land, if\nhe shall give his daughter Oriana to the Emperor of Rome, who hath\ndemanded her in marriage; many Romans are come to escort her, among\nwhom are Salustanquidio, Prince of Calabria, and with them Queen\nSardamira is arrived to accompany Oriana, whom El Patin already calls\nEmpress. The heart of the Greek Knight failed him, and he stood like a\nman dismayed; but when Dragonis came to relate the bitter lamentations\nwhich Oriana made, and how she had appealed to all the high-born men\nof Great Britain; then was his heart comforted, and he took courage,\nthinking that as the thing displeased her, the Romans could neither be\nso many, nor so mighty, but that he would rescue her from them, by sea\nor land. This would he do for the poorest Damsel in the world, how much\nmore for her, of whom if he had lost all hope, he could not endure to\nlive! and then he gave God thanks for directing him, at such a point\nof time, to the place where he might serve his mistress, and somewhat\nrequite her for the love she bore him, and win her, and have her his\nown, even as his heart desired, without fault. These thoughts made\nhim full joyful, and he bade Angriote ask Dragonis, how he had learnt\nthis news. It is four days, replied the Knight, since Don Quadragante\narrived at the Firm Island, which we have so lately left, and with him,\nhis nephew Landin, and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley, and Mandacil\nof the silver bridge, and Helian the haughty. These five came to\nconsult with Florestan and Agrayes, how they should proceed in search\nof Amadis, whom we are seeking. Don Quadragante would have sent to the\nCourt of King Lisuarte, to know if any among the strangers there, knew\naught of that excellent Knight, but Don Florestan told him, that they\nknew no tidings of Amadis there, for he had been at Miraflores with the\nPrincess Oriana, as the guard of Queen Sardamira, all whose Knights he\nhad overthrown; and then he related the manner of his combat.\nGlad was the Greek Knight, and his companions, to hear of Florestan's\ngood fortune; but when he heard Miraflores mentioned, his heart leaped,\nand immediately he took Gandalin apart, and said to him, my true\nfriend, you hear how it is; that if Oriana be thus given to another,\nboth she and I must pass through death. Now I beseech you, very\ncarefully perform what I shall bid thee. Do you and Ardian the Dwarf,\ntake leave of me, and of Grasinda, saying you will go in that vessel,\nin quest of Amadis; and there tell my cousin Dragonis, and Enil, all\nthe news of me, and bid them return to the Firm Island, and when you\narrive there beseech Quadragante and Agrayes not to leave the Island,\nfor, in fifteen days I will be with them: and tell them to collect all\nthe Knights, and bid Florestan, and your father Gandales, prepare all\nthe shipping they can find, and store them with food, and arms, for I\nmust go with them to a place appointed, which they shall know when I\ncome. Be careful in all this, for you know how it concerns me. Then\nhe called the Dwarf, and said, Ardian go you with Gandalin, and do\nas he shall direct you. They obeyed their bidding, and took leave of\nGrasinda, and Angriote said to the Knights in the other vessel, Sirs,\nhere are a Squire and Dwarf, who would go in your company in quest of\nAmadis. But when Dragonis and Enil saw Gandalin and Ardian, they were\nfull joyful, and the more, when they heard the truth from them. So they\nmade sail for the Firm Island, and Grasinda with her company sailed on\ntowards Tagades.\nKing Lisuarte was at this time in his city of Tagades, taking council\nwith the good men of his land concerning the marriage of his daughter,\nbut they all advised him against the resolution he had taken, saying\nhe would sin against God, if he dispossessed his daughter of her\nlawful inheritance, and gave her to a stranger, a man of so evil a\ndisposition, and so fickle, that in as much as he desired her so much\nwould he soon dislike her, as is the manner of such men. But the King\nremained firm in his intentions, God permitting that his greatness\nand honour should be abased by that very Amadis, who had so greatly\nexalted it, and so often secured his kingdom and his life. This King\nnot to change his purpose, but that his obstinacy and rigour might be\nmore manifest to all, thought proper to summon to that council his\nUncle Count Argamon, who was very old and gouty. Yet he knowing the\ndesign of the King, did not wish to leave his house, and advise him in\nvain. But when the summons came for him, he obeyed. Lisuarte met him\nat the palace door, and led him to his seat saying, Good Uncle, I have\nconvoked you, and these Good Men, to counsel me upon my daughter's\nmarriage with the Emperor. Tell me now your opinion. Sir, replied Count\nArgamon, it is a grievous thing to answer you, in whatever manner I\nshall do it; to contradict you will be to displease you, as all Kings\nare offended when their inclinations are opposed; and to agree with\nyou would make us guilty of falsehood and disloyalty in the sight of\nGod and of the world. The same right which you had to this kingdom\non your brother's death, the same and even stronger right hath your\ndaughter Oriana after you. But you think by making Oriana Empress, and\ninheriting Leonoreta in Great-Britain, to increase the rank of both. If\nyou will look well to this, you will perceive that the contrary must\nhappen; for you cannot set aside the right order of succession to these\nkingdoms, and the Emperor having your daughter Oriana to wife, her\nright will become his; and with his power after you are gone he will\neasily win the land; and thus will both your daughters be disherited,\nand this land which is so honoured and famous in the world will become\nsubject to the Emperors of Rome, and Oriana will have no other power\ntherein than it shall please her husband to permit; so that instead of\nSovereign she will herself be a subject. Uncle, replied Lisuarte, I\nwell understand what you say, but I had rather you had approved of the\npromise which I have made to the Romans, for I cannot recall it. The\nCount answered, it is on the terms and confirmation that that depends,\nand then you may preserve your honour and your word, and confirm or set\naside as shall be best. You say well, replied the King, and with that\nhe broke up the assembly.\nGrasinda and her company sailed on so long that the sailors one\nmorning saw the mountain of Tagades, from whence the city at its foot\ntook its name. They immediately went to Grasinda, who was talking\nwith the Knights, and said, Sirs, give us our _albricias_,[278:A] for\nif the wind hold but one hour longer, you will be in your port. Full\njoyful was Grasinda, and they all went on deck to see the land which\nthey had so desired to see, and Grasinda gave thanks to God who had\nsafely guided her, and with great humility besought him to prosper her\nenterprize and give her the honour which she desired. But I tell you\nthat when the Greek Knight beheld that land wherein his Lady dwelt,\nand which he had so long longed to behold, he could not suppress his\ntears; he turned his face away that Grasinda might not see him weep,\nand having recovered, said to her with a cheerful countenance, take\ngood hope, my Lady, that you shall depart from this land with the\nhonour which you desire, for seeing your beauty sure I am that our\ncause is right, and since God is the judge, that the honour will be\nours also. But she, who, seeing herself so near the trial, was somewhat\nfearful, replied, I have more confidence in your prowess, than in my\nown beauty; do you remember that, and do as heretofore you have done,\nand you will make me the most joyful woman alive. Then they called\nGrinfesa one of her Damsels, who understood a little French, which King\nLisuarte understood also, and they gave her a writing in Latin to give\nto Lisuarte and Queen Brisena, and then return on board with their\nanswer. The Damsel forthwith arrayed herself in rich attire, and her\nfather, who was Grasinda's steward, prepared horses and palfreys, which\nwere lowered into a boat; and the Damsel with her two brothers, who\nwere good Knights, and their Squires, left the vessel, and put to land.\nThe Greek Knight then bade Lasindo go ashore in another boat, and to\nthe city by another road, and ask if there was any news of his master\nDon Bruneo, feigning that he had been left behind sick when that Knight\nwent in quest of Amadis; under this pretext he bade him learn what\nanswer the Damsel received, and return on the morrow. Now I tell you\nthat when the Damsel entered the town, all were delighted to see her,\nhow richly she was arrayed, and how well accompanied by those Knights.\nIt so befell that Esplandian and Ambor de Gandel, Angriote's son, were\ngoing hawking, and met the Damsel, who was enquiring the way to the\npalace. Hearing this, Esplandian gave his merlin to Sargil, and went\nup to her, saying in French, my good Lady, I will guide you, and shew\nyou the King, if you do not know him. The Damsel marvelled at his\nbeauty and gentle demeanor, thinking that she had never beheld man nor\nwoman so fair. Fair Child, said she, whom God make as happy as he hath\nmade handsome, I thank God for such a guide. Her brother then gave\nEsplandian her bridle and he led her to the palace.\nThe King was at this time out in the court under a porch, talking with\nthe Roman Knights, and had just given them his final promise to deliver\nto them his daughter, and they had bound themselves to receive her as\ntheir Lady. The Damsel alighted, and was led towards him by Esplandian.\nShe knelt down and would have kissed his hand, but that the King never\npermitted, save only when he conferred a favour upon a Damsel. She gave\nhim then the letter, and said, Sir, the Queen and all her Damsels must\nhear my bidding, that if peradventure the Damsels should be displeased\nthereat, they may procure a Knight to defend their cause. King Arban\nof North Wales then went to Brisena, and brought her and her Ladies,\nso fair a company, that hardly could the like be found, and she seated\nherself by Lisuarte, and the Damsels ranged themselves around her.\nThe Damsel Embassadress kissed Brisena's hand and said, Lady, if my\nerrand shall appear strange, do not you marvel at us, for your court is\nremarkable above all others for such things, because of your worth and\nthe King's. Hear this letter, and grant what is requested therein. The\nKing then ordered the letter to be read, which was thus.\nTo the most high and honourable Lisuarte, King of Great Britain, I,\nGrasinda, the Lady of beauty above all the Dames of Romania, kiss your\nhand, and make known to you that I am come into your dominions with the\nGreek Knight, and the reason of my coming is this. Having been judged\nthe fairest Dame of all the Dames in Romania, so would I in pursuit of\nthat glory which hath made my heart glad, be judged fair above all the\nDamsels in your court, that having won this victory also, I may rest in\nthe happiness which I so much desire. If there is any Knight who will\nundertake the quarrel for any of your Damsels, he must prepare himself\nfor two things, to do battle with the Greek Knight, and to place in the\nfield a rich crown, such as I bring, that the conqueror may present\nboth in token of victory to her for whom he hath conquered. If this\ndemand please you, most noble King, do you give me security for myself\nand my whole company, and for the Greek Knight, save only from him with\nwhom he shall combat; and if the Knight who fights for the Damsels\nshall be conquered, let a second, and then a third come on, for he in\nhis worth shall keep the lists against all.\nAs God shall help me, quoth Lisuarte, the Lady must be a full fair one,\nand the Knight must think not a little of himself! a great fancy have\nthey taken up, which they might safely have avoided! howbeit, Damsel\ntell you your Mistress that she may come safely, and if there be none\nto gainsay her, her will will be satisfied. Sir, replied the Damsel,\nyou answer even as we expect, for from your court none can depart\nwith just complaint, but because the Greek Knight brings with him two\ncompanions, who require to joust, they must have the same safe conduct.\nSo be it, answered Lisuarte. In God's name then, quoth she, to-morrow\nyou shall see them in your court; and do you my Lady, said she to the\nQueen, command your Damsels to be present, that they may see how their\nhonour is increased or lessened by their champion. Then took she leave\nand went her way to the ship, where her tidings were joyfully heard;\nforthwith the arms and horses were landed, and one large tent, and\ntwo lesser ones were pitched on shore, howbeit, only the steward and\ncertain men as a guard left the ship to sleep in them that night.\nNow you must know that so soon as the Damsel had departed,\nSalustanquidio, the cousin of the Emperor of Rome, rose up, and with\nhim a hundred Roman Knights, and he spake aloud that all might hear\nhim. Sir, I and these good Romans ask of you a boon, which will be to\nyour profit, and our honour. Lisuarte replied, I shall willingly grant\nwhatever boon ye ask. Let us then, said Salustanquidio, answer this\ndefiance for the Damsels, we shall render them a better account than\nthe Knights of their own country can, for we and the Greeks know one\nanother, and the Greeks will fear the name of the Romans more than the\ndeeds of those of this land. Don Grumedan hearing this immediately rose\nand said, Sir, although it be a great honour to Princes, that strangers\ncome to seek adventures at their court, it soon becomes a shame and\na reproach, if they be not discreetly received and restrained. This\nI say because of the Greek Knight's challenge, if his pride should\nbe satisfied, and he should conquer those who are to oppose him, the\ndanger would be theirs indeed, but the shame and loss of honour yours;\ntherefore methinks Sir, you should wait till Don Galaor and your son\nNorandel arrive, who will be here within five days, and by that time\nDon Guilan the Pensive will be recovered enough to bear arms, and these\nthree will undertake the quarrel, and thus maintain your honour and\ntheir own. Lisuarte replied, this cannot be, I have granted the boon to\nthe Romans, and they are such that they could bring greater adventure\nto a good end. That may be, quoth Grumedan, but I will prevent the\nDamsels from granting it, and to them this matter appertains. No more,\ncried the King; what I do, I have done.\nSalustanquidio then kissed the King's hand, and said to Grumedan, I\nshall end this battle to my own honour and to the Damsel's; and since\nyou Don Grumedan think so much of these Knights and of yourself that\nyou say they would perform the battle better than we shall; if after\nthe combat I am able to bear arms, I and two companions will do combat\nwith them and with you, or if I am unable I will bring another in my\nstead, who shall well supply my place. In God's name, replied old\nGrumedan, I accept the challenge for myself and for those who will\nbear a part with me! and taking a ring from his finger he held it\ntoward the King, saying Sir, here is my gage for myself and those whom\nI shall produce with me, nor can the battle be refused since they\ndemanded it, unless they confess themselves vanquished. Salustanquidio\nreplied, sooner shall the seas be dry, than a single word of Rome be\nunsaid, unless it be to her honour! if old age hath bereft thee of thy\nsenses thy body shall pay for it, if thou darest risk it in the battle.\nCertes, answered Don Grumedan, I am not such a boy but that I have\nyears enough; but this which ye think against me, is to my help, for\nI have seen many things, and one of them is that pride never comes to\na good end; so will it happen to you, who are the captain and head of\nall pride. King Arban of North Wales then rose to answer the Romans,\nand with him full thirty Knights to take up the quarrel, and an hundred\nothers rose also, but the King held a wand and bade them be silent, and\nDon Grumedan also. And Count Argamon then said, order them to their\ndwellings Sir, all of both sides, for such disputes are not to your\nhonour.\nThe King accordingly dismissed them, but the Count then said, what\nthink you Sir, of the arrogance of this people? and yet you will give\nyour daughter to them! how is it that one so wise as you will thus\nventure to tempt God? remember how you made Amadis of Gaul and all\nhis lineage forsake you, for your pride, and now you would commit yet\nanother worse error! Therefore Sir, I discharge myself of my fealty\nand homage due to you, and will go to my own lands, that I may not\nwitness the tears and wretchedness of your daughter Oriana, when she is\ndelivered up, for I am told that you have sent to Miraflores for her.\nUncle, replied the King, say no more upon this subject, for what is\ndone cannot be undone, and I pray you tarry yet three days longer to\nsee the issue of these combats, of which you shall be judge, with such\nother Knights as you shall appoint, because you understand the Greek\ntongue better than any other man of my realm, by reason of your long\nabode in Greece. Argamon answered I will do this to please you, but\nlonger I will not tarry, for I cannot endure these things.\nLasindo the Squire of Don Bruneo, as the Greek Knight had enjoined him,\nlearnt all that passed after the departure of the Damsel, and returned\nto the ship to acquaint him, and he told him also how the King had sent\nfor Oriana from Miraflores, to deliver her to the Romans, so soon as\nthis combat was over. When the Greek Knight heard that the Romans were\nto fight for the Damsels, he was full joyful: for what he most feared\nwas, that his brother Galaor might be in the court, and take up their\ncause against him, in the which case either he must have died or have\nslain his brother, for Galaor was the Knight who had put him in greater\ndanger than any with whom he had done battle, even though a Giant:\ntherefore was his heart now at rest, and the more so knowing that he\nwas not to fight against any of his friends. Lady, said he to Grasinda,\nlet us hear mass betimes to-morrow in the tent, and do you prepare\nyourself, for by God's help we shall bring this adventure to such issue\nas you desire.\nFOOTNOTES:\n[278:A] The reward of good tidings.\n_CHAPTER 16._\nOn the morrow Grasinda with four Damsels heard mass in the tent, the\nthree Knights being armed mounted, and Grasinda mounted her palfrey,\nshe and her palfrey being arrayed in cloth of silk and gold, with\npearls and jewels, that the greatest Empress in the world could not\nhave been more richly adorned. This day had she long looked for,\nand therefore had prepared the ornaments, the costliest that could\nbe procured, for having great possessions, and neither husband\nnor children, nor people, she thought of expending her wealth no\nother way than this. Her Damsels also were in rich array, and she\nherself appeared so well, that all who beheld her thought her beauty\nmarvellous. Great confidence did her champion feel in beholding her\nappearance that day; she wore nothing upon her head, except the crown\nwhich she had won as the fairest among all the Dames in Romania. The\nGreek Knight led her bridle: the armour which he wore Grasinda had\nprovided for him; the breast plate was white as snow, the surcoat\nwas of her colours and laced with threads of gold, and his helmet\nand shield were of the same colour as the surcoat. Don Bruneo wore\ngreen armour, and he bore a Damsel in his shield, and before her a\nKnight whose arms were waved with gold and murrey, as if he had been\nsupplicating her. Angriote of Estravaus rode a mettlesome horse, his\narms were or and argent, he led the Damsel Embassadress, and Bruneo\ntook her sister's bridle; the three Knights had their helmets closed,\nthe steward and his sons went with them, and in this array they reached\nthe place where combats were performed. In the middle of this place\nwas a marble pillar of the height of a man, whereon they who came to\ndemand battle were to place shield, or helmet, or garland of flowers,\nor glove, as their gage. When the Greek Knight and his company arrived,\nthey saw the King at one end of the field, and the Roman Knights at the\nother, and among them Salustanquidio in black arms, bearing serpents or\nand argent; so huge of stature was he, that he seemed like a giant;\nand the horse he rode was of growth marvellously great. The Queen was\nat her window, and the Princesses near her, and among them was the fair\nOlinda wearing a rich crown. But when the Greek Knight beheld the Queen\nand her Damsels, and saw not Oriana whom he was wont to see among them,\nhis heart trembled with the want he felt of her; howbeit beholding\nSalustanquidio how stern and strong he seemed, he turned to Grasinda\nwhom he perceived to be dismayed, and said to her, be not affrighted\nLady to behold a man of such disproportionate body, for God will be for\nyou, and I will make you win that, which will gladden your heart. May\nit so please him in his mercy, she replied.\nThen he took the rich crown from her head, and riding gently to the\nmarble pillar, placed it thereon, and returning to his Squires who held\nthree lances, each with a pendant of a different colour, he took the\nstrongest, and threw his shield round his neck, and rode to the King,\nto whom he said in Greek, having forgotten himself, O King, God be with\nyou! I am a foreign Knight who come hither from Greece to prove your\nKnights, who are so good, not at my own will, but at the will of her\nwho has power in this instance to command me; but, my good fortune\nit should seem so ordering it, the trial will be between me and the\nRomans; bid them therefore place the crown of the Damsels upon the\npillar, as was covenanted. He then brandished his lance and rode to one\nend of the lists. The King did not understand what he said, because he\nhad spoken in the Greek tongue, but he said to Argamon, it seems Uncle\nthat Knight will not chuse dishonour for himself. Certes, Sir, replied\nthe Count, although you would partake some because these Romans are\nin your court, I should be right glad to see their pride humbled. I\nknow not how that will be, said Lisuarte, but methinks we shall see a\nfair encounter. Now the Knights, and all they of the King's household,\nseeing how the Greek Knight rode and appeared in arms, marvelled at\nhim, and said they had never seen so promising a Knight, except it\nwere Amadis. But Salustanquidio who heard these praises and saw how\nall eyes were fixed upon the Greek Knight, exclaimed angrily\u2014What\nis this ye men of Great Britain? why do ye marvel to behold a Greek\nKnight, who can do nothing but manage his horse in the field? this is\na sign that you can never have performed any worthy feats of arms when\nthis surprizes you. You shall see him who is so fair on horseback,\nheartless and dishonoured upon the ground!\nThe Roman then went where the Queen was, and said to Olinda, Lady give\nme your crown, for you are she whom I prize above all others; do not\nfear to give it me, for I will return it presently with the other, and\nyou shall enter into Rome with it; for the King and Queen will consent\nthat I shall take you hence with Oriana, and make you the Lady of me\nand my land. Olinda hearing this, despised his presumption, but her\nheart and limbs trembled, and a lively colour flushed over her cheeks,\nand she did not give him the crown. Salustanquidio repeated, do not\nfear, the honour shall be yours, and that foolish woman shall go hence\nwithout her crown which she hath trusted to yonder cowardly Greek. Yet\nwould not Olinda give it, till the Queen herself took it from her head\nand gave it him, and he placed it by the other on the marble pillar,\nand hastily demanded his arms. Three Roman Knights brought them to him;\nhe hung on his shield and helmed himself, and took a strong lance with\na long and sharp iron head; then seated himself on his horse; he now\nseeing that all were looking with admiration at his great size, grew\nmore confident, and said to the King, I will let your Knights see\nwhat difference there is between them and the Romans. I shall conquer\nthat Greek, and as he said that if he conquered me, he would combat\nother two, I will combat the two best whom he can bring, and if their\ncourage fail, let a third come on! Don Grumedan, who was swelling with\nanger to see the arrogance of the Roman and the patience of the King,\nexclaimed, Salustanquidio, have you forgot the battle which you are to\nwage with me if you escape from this, that you demand another? This is\nan easy business, replied Salustanquidio. With that, the Greek Knight\ncried aloud, Mishapen Beast, what are you talking about, and letting\nthe day run on? remember what you have to do! The Roman at this, turned\nand ran at him. They ran at each other full speed, their lances laid\nin rest, and being covered with their shields; the horses were both\nfleet, the Knights both strong and mutually enraged. They met in the\nmiddle of the lists, and neither failed in his blow. The Greek Knight\nstruck him on the edge of his shield and pierced it, and struck the\nstrong plates of iron beneath, with so rude a blow that though it did\nnot pierce them, it bore him from his saddle. The Greek Knight passed\non, carrying the lance of Salustanquidio hanging in his shield and in\nthe sleeve of his mail, so that all thought he was wounded, but it was\nnot so. He drew out the lance, and raised it with an overhand grasp and\nturned to Salustanquidio and saw that he did not move, but lay as if he\nwere dead; this was no wonder for he was a large man and bulky, and had\nfallen from a high horse, and his armour was heavy and the ground was\nhard, and moreover the left arm upon which he had fallen, was broken\nnear the wrist, and the greater part of his ribs put out. The Greek\nKnight who thought him stronger than indeed he was, stopt his horse,\nand held the lance point at his face, for his helmet had fallen off\nwith the shock, and said to him, Knight you will not be so discourteous\nas not to award the crown to that fair Dame, because she merits it! but\nthe Roman made no reply.\nThe Greek Knight left him and went up to the King. Sir, quoth he,\nthough yonder Knight is free from pride now, he will not award the\ncrowns to the Dame who is waiting for them, nor defend them, nor yet\nanswer me; do you therefore decree that they are hers, as by right they\nare, otherwise I will strike off his head, and so decide it; this he\nsaid in Greek, and then rode back to Salustanquidio. The King asked\nArgamon what he had said, who having interpreted it, added, it will\nbe your fault if you suffer the Knight to be slain before you, for you\nmay lawfully award the crowns to the Conqueror. Sir, quoth Grumedan,\nlet the Greek Knight do what he will, for these Romans have more tricks\nthan a fox, and if this one lives he will say that he was able to\nmaintain the battle, if you had not hastily given judgement against\nhim. All laughed at this except the Romans, whose hearts were bursting.\nBut the King seeing that the Greek Knight had alighted and was going\nto cut off Salustanquidio's head, said to Count Argamon, haste uncle,\nand bid him spare him, for I judge the crowns to be his. Count Argamon\ncried out aloud to him to hold his hand and hear the King's request:\nhe drew back and resting his sword upon his shoulder waited to hear\nthe Count's bidding, which having heard he replied, I am content, and\nknow Sir, that if I had fought with any of the King's vassals I would\nnot have slain him, if by any other means the combat could have been\ndecided; but for the Romans I would kill them or dishonour them as\nwretches that they are, following the bad example of their arrogant\nEmperor, to be boasters first, and cowards when put to the proof. He\nthen mounted again and took the two crowns from the pillar, and placed\nthe crown of the Damsels upon Grasinda's head, giving the other to one\nof her Damsels to keep, and he said, Lady, your wish is accomplished,\nand I by the grace of God am discharged of my promise! go now if it\nplease you and rest in your tent; I will remain to see if any of\nthe Romans will take the field to revenge this shame that they have\nreceived. Sir, she replied, I will not leave you yet, for I can receive\nno greater pleasure than in beholding your rare chivalry.\nHe then examined his horse, and found him fresh, for he had had little\nlabour that day, so he threw the shield round his neck, and took\nanother lance with a fair pendant, and said to the Damsel Embassadress,\ngo my friend to the King, and tell him that as I promised if I was able\nafter this first battle, to combat with two Knights at once, I must now\nmake good that vaunt, but say that I beseech him not to send any of his\nKnights against me, for they are of such renown that they would gain\nno honour in conquering me; leave that to the Romans, and let them see\nif I fear them because I am a Greek. The Damsel delivered her bidding\nin French, and Lisuarte answered, it would not please me that any of\nmy household should go against him; he has done enough to day for his\nhonour, and if it might please him to remain with me I would recompense\nhim well. I forbid all my subjects to challenge him, for I have other\nthings to attend to; the Romans may do as they like. This he said, for\nhe had much to arrange about his daughter's departure, and likewise\nbecause at that time none of his good Knights were present, they having\nall departed that they might not see the cruelty and injustice which he\nwas about to commit against Oriana, only Guilan the Pensive remained\nbeing sick, and Cendil of Ganota who had been shot through the leg with\nan arrow by the Roman Brondajel of the Rock, when hunting with the\nKing. The Damsel answered, many thanks Sir for your gracious offer, but\nthe Greek Knight's choice is to go about the world redressing wrongs;\nif he would have remained with the Emperor of Constantinople he might\nhave been rewarded with whatever he would have asked. I pray you, quoth\nthe King, tell me by whom is he commanded?\u2014Certes Sir, I know not; but\nif by any one, it must be by one whom he greatly loves. I must bear him\nback your answer, whoever will seek, may find him in the lists till\nnoon.\nWhen the Greek Knight heard this reply he gave his lance to one of\nthe Steward's sons, and his shield to the other, and bade him place\nthe shield upon the pillar to see if any of the Romans would challenge\nhim; his helmet he did not take off lest he should be known, and thus\nhe stood talking with Grasinda, and holding her bridle. There was\namong the Romans a Knight called Maganil, who was the best next to\nSalustanquidio, and his countrymen surely thought that no two Knights\nin Great Britain could stand against him, and he had two brethren both\nof great worth in arms; to him the Romans all looked for vengeance, but\nhe seeing this, said to them, I cannot take up this challenge, for I\npromised Salustanquidio that if he was not able I and my brothers would\ndo battle for him against Don Grumedan; if he and his companions should\nrefuse it, then may I undertake this. While they were thus speaking two\nbrethren well armed and mounted rode up, by name Gradamor and Lasanor,\nthey were nephews of Brondajel of the Rock, the sons of his sister,\nwho was a fierce and haughty woman, by the Emperor's High Steward.\nThey without speaking or making obeisance to the King, went into the\nlists, and the one taking the Greek Knight's shield dashed it against\nthe pillar so violently that he brake it to pieces, and exclaimed\nfoul befall him who would permit the shield of a Greek to be placed\nthere against the Romans! At this the Greek Knight was so enraged that\nhis heart burnt for anger; he left Grasinda and caught his lance, and\nheedless of a shield though Angriote called to him to take his, he rode\nfull against the two Romans, and they at him; the one who had broken\nhis shield he smote so rudely that he bore him from his seat, and his\nhelmet came off in the fall: he himself lost his spear; he drew his\nsword and turned upon Lasanor who was assailing him fiercely; him he\nsmote upon the shoulder and cut him to the bone, and made him drop\nhis lance, and with another blow upon the head, he made him lose his\nstirrups, and bow down upon the horse's neck. Then lightly passing the\nsword to his left hand he caught Lasanor's shield and tore it from his\nneck, and with the force brought him to the ground. The Roman presently\nrose, being in fear of death, and went up to his brother who had now\nrecovered himself. The Greek Knight fearing lest they should kill his\nhorse, alighted, grasping the shield he had won, and went towards them\nsword in hand. But then all were amazed to see his great prowess, and\nhow little he cared for these enemies! he had so prest them that\nLasanor cried out for mercy, and while he was crying, the Greek Knight\nlifted up his foot and kicking him in the breast, felled him; then he\nturned to the other who had broken his shield, but he could not endure\nhis might and ran towards the King that he might save him. The Greek\nKnight turned him, and drove him towards the pillar, and then he ran\nround the pillar, avoiding the blows which his enemy aimed at him in\nexceeding wrath, and which fell sometimes on the stones and struck\nfire there, till at last being sorely wearied, the Greek Knight caught\nhim in his arms, and squeezed him till all his strength was gone, then\nlet him fall, and took his shield and dashed it upon his helmet so\nthat he broke the helmet, and he made him mount upon the pillar, and\nthen thrust him down, and placed the fragments of the shield upon his\nbreast; next he took Lasanor by the leg and dragged him beside his\nbrother, and all who were present thought he meant to behead them.\nAnd Don Grumedan cried out, methinks the Greek hath well revenged his\nshield!\nBut Esplandian seeing this was moved to pity for the Knights, and\ncalling out to Ambor, clapt spurs to his palfrey, the Greek Knight\nseeing them approach, and that he was the fairest child that ever\nhe had seen, waited to know what he would say, and Esplandian said,\nSir, I beseech you grant me their lives, for they are conquered, and\nthe honour is already yours. The Knight made semblance as though he\nunderstood him not. Count Argamon then came up and interpreted; and\nhe replied, I should have had a pleasure in killing them, but I spare\nthem for his sake. Who is this fair child Sir, and whose son? No one\nin this land, replied the Count, can tell, and with that he related\nthe manner how the child was found. I have heard mention of him in\nRomania, cried the Knight, is he not called Esplandian, and hath he\nnot certain letters on his breast? Would you see them? said Count\nArgamon. Willingly, and should thank you and him to show them to me,\nfor it is a marvellous thing to hear, and more to see. Esplandian then\ndrew nearer. He had on a coat of mail, and a French hood, wrought with\nlions of gold, and was girt with a golden girdle; the hood and coat\nwere fastened together with gold broaches, a few of them he opened,\nand showed the letters. Much was that Knight amazed, for it was the\nstrangest thing that ever he had seen. The white letters made the word\nEsplandian, but the coloured letters could he not read, though they\nwere sharp and well made. God prosper you fair child! said he, and\ntaking leave of the Count, he mounted and rode to Grasinda.\nLady, quoth he, you must have been displeased at witnessing my follies,\nbut impute you the fault to the pride of these Romans who provoked\nthem. Nay Sir, she replied, it rejoiced me to see your good fortune:\nthen went they to their ships, both full joyful, she for the crown\nwhich she had won, and he that he had shown himself to the Romans. They\ntook their tents aboard, and went towards the Firm Island. But Angriote\nand Don Bruneo remained on board one of the galleys, by his desire, to\nhelp Don Grumedan secretly in his combat, the which being past, they\nwere to hasten to the Firm Island with tidings of Oriana.\n_CHAPTER 17._\nYou have heard how King Lisuarte sent Queen Sardamira to Miraflores\nto talk to his daughter of the greatness of the Roman Emperor, and\nthe high rank whereto she would be exalted by this marriage. Now you\nmust know that he sent for her, that she might depart, bidding Giontes\nhis nephew take an escort for her, and suffer no Knight to speak with\nher on the way. Giontes took with him Ganjel of Sadoca and Lasanor\nand other guards, and went to Miraflores, and having placed Oriana in\na litter, for she could not go in any other manner by reason of her\nexceeding affliction and continual tears, they and Queen Sardamira\nand her company took the road to Tagades. On the second day of their\njourney what you shall now hear befell them. Under some trees near\nthe road side there sate an armed Knight upon a grey horse beside a\nfountain. He wore a green surcoat over his breast-plate, fastened with\ngreen strings and eye-loops of gold, which appeared marvellously well.\nAs soon as he saw them he hung the shield round his neck and took a\nlance having a green pendant, and brandishing it awhile, said to his\nSquire, go and say to the guards of Oriana that I request their leave\nto speak with her; it will be neither to their hurt nor to hers; if\nthey will permit me I shall thank them, if not, sorry as I shall be,\nthey must try my strength. They laughed at his message, and replied,\ntell your Master he shall not see the Princess, and that when he has\ndone all he can do, he will have done nothing. But Oriana hearing this,\nsaid to them, how does it concern you if this Knight wishes to speak\nwith me? perchance he may bring tidings which I should rejoice to hear.\nLady, replied Giontes, the King your father has ordered us to suffer\nnone to speak with you. With this answer the Squire returned, and\nGiontes prepared for battle.\nHe of the Green Arms immediately rode towards him, they met with a\nbrave encounter, both brake their lances, but the horse of Giontes\ndislocated his foot in the shock and fell, and Giontes having one foot\nin the stirrup could not rise; the Knight passed fairly by him, and\nthen turning said, I beseech you let me speak with Oriana! you will\nnot fail for my guarding her, replied Giontes, but the fault was in my\nhorse. Ganjel of Sadoca then cried out to him not to touch that Knight,\nor he should die for him. I shall have you anon in the same condition,\nreplied the Knight of the Green arms, and taking another lance, ran at\nhim, but he missed his blow. Ganjel smote him full on the shield and\nbrake his own lance without moving him; he turned upon Ganjel who was\nnow sword in hand, and drove at him with his spear and sent him from\nthe saddle. Lasanor then came on, the Green Knight dexterously avoided\nhis lance, and made him lose that advantage; they dashed against each\nother, shield to shield, and Lasanor's shield-arm was broken with the\nshock; he of the Green Arms had drawn his sword, but seeing how Lasanor\nwas disabled would not wound him, but he cut the bridle of his horse,\nand smiting him with the side of his sword, sent him gallopping away\nwith his rider, at which he could not forbear laughing. Then he took\nout a letter, and went up to Oriana's litter. She, seeing how he had\ndiscomfited three such good Knights, thought he was Amadis, and her\nheart panted, but he humbly saluting her, said, Lady, Agrayes and Don\nFlorestan send you this, wherein you will receive news that will give\nyou great pleasure. God be with you! I must return to them, for certes\nthey will need me, little worth as I am. Nay, quoth Oriana, you are not\nso! that have I now seen. I beseech you tell me who you are, who have\ngone through such danger for my sake.\u2014Gavarte of the Perilous Valley,\nwho grieves to see what your father purposes against you; but I trust\nin God he will find it difficult to accomplish, so many of this land\nand of other lands shall perish first, that all the world shall hear of\nit.\u2014Ah, Don Gavarte my good friend! God grant there may come a time\nwhen I can reward your loyalty!\u2014You are my natural Lady, and it was\nalway my desire to serve you, and now is it more so in this injustice.\nI will be in your succour with those who serve you.\u2014I beseech you my\nfriend, think then as you do now! That shall I do as loyally I ought,\nreplied Gavarte, and with that he took his leave.\nOriana then went up to Mabilia who was with Queen Sardamira. Methinks,\nsaid the Queen, we are equal in our defenders, I know not if it be\ntheir fault or the ill luck of the road, that your Knights should be\ndefeated where mine were. At this they all laughed, but the Knights\nhad such shame that they durst not appear before them; then they waited\nawhile till the Knights had holpen themselves, and till Lasanor's horse\ncame back. Meantime Oriana went aside with Mabilia and read the letter,\nin which Agrayes and Don Florestan and Don Gandales informed her that\nGandalin and Ardian the Dwarf had arrived in the Firm Island, and that\nAmadis would be with them in eight days, and had sent to bid them\nprepare a great fleet. This tidings they knew would comfort her, and\ngive her hope that God would be on her side. At this were they greatly\ncomforted as with hopes of life, for before they had only looked for\ndeath, and Mabilia comforted Oriana, and besought her to eat, but she\nwho had not eaten food before for great affliction, could scarcely eat\nnow for very joy.\nAs they drew near the town, King Lisuarte with the Romans and many\nothers went out to meet them, but then Oriana began to wail aloud, and\nshe alighted from her litter, and all her Damsels alighted also, and\nwhen they saw her make that dolorous lamentation, they also lamented,\nand tore their hair, and kissed her hands and her garments, as if\ndeath was come upon them, so that all present were moved to great\ncompassion. The King beholding this was greatly displeased, and he said\nto King Arban of North Wales, go to Oriana and tell her, I feel the\ngreatest pain in the world to see her thus; and command her from me,\nto return into her litter, and bid her Damsels remount their palfreys,\nand let her make better cheer and go to her mother, for I will tell\nher news that shall rejoice her. King Arban did accordingly as he was\ncommanded; but Oriana answered, O King of North Wales! my good Cousin,\nsince such is my ill fortune, that you and they who go through many\nperils to assist unhappy Damsels, cannot assist me with your arms,\nnow help me with your words! and beseech my father not to do me this\nwrong, and not to tempt God who hath favoured him so long! persuade him\nto come to me my Cousin, and with him Count Argamon and Don Grumedan,\nfor I will not stir from hence till they come. King Arban hearing her\nspeak thus, could not reply for weeping: he went back to the King and\nrepeated what Oriana had said, but King Lisuarte was full loth to\nexpose himself to public view with his daughter, for the more notorious\nher repugnance and grief should be, the greater would be his fault.\nHowbeit Count Argamon entreated him to grant her request, and Don\nGrumedan coming up, they went together towards her.\nWhen Oriana saw him approaching she went on her knees towards him, and\nher Damsels with her but he alighted and took her up and embraced her.\nMy father and Lord, said she, have pity on your[309:A] own child, and\nhear me before these good men. Daughter, said he, say what you please;\nI will hear you as I ought, with fatherly love. Then she fell upon the\nground to kiss his feet, but he drew back and raised her again; and she\nsaid, My Lord, it is your pleasure to send me to the Emperor of Rome,\nand to separate me from you and from the Queen my mother, and from this\nland of which God has made me a native; from this departure I expect\nnothing but death, either that it will come to me, or that I shall give\nit to myself, so that in neither way can your will be performed, and\nyou will incur great sin. I shall be disobedient, and that upon your\naccount, or I shall die and by your fault. But to prevent all this and\nto serve God, I will enter into religion and so pass my life, leaving\nyou to dispose of your Kingdom as it may please you; and the right\nwhich God hath given me, I will renounce to my sister Leonoreta, or to\nwhomsoever else you may chuse, and better Sir, could you give her to\nthe Emperor of the Romans than me, for should he obtain me, he will\nbecome your mortal enemy; all that he covets being the possession of\nthis Kingdom. Daughter, replied the King, I understand what you say,\nand will answer you before your mother: go into your litter and proceed\nto her.\nThey then placed her in her litter, and conducted her to the Queen,\nwho received her with great love, but weeping, for that marriage was\nagainst her will. But neither she, nor the nobles, nor the people of\nthe realm could make Lisuarte change his resolution; and for this\nreason, Fortune, who was weary of favouring him, now shewed herself\ncontrary to him, more to the advantage of his soul than of his honour.\nCount Argamon perceiving that his advice was of no avail, requested\nleave to go to his own land, and he departed. The King then after he\nhad taken food, and the cloths were removed, called for Brondajel of\nthe Rock, and said to him, you see my friend how much this marriage is\nagainst the will of my daughter and of my vassals, who dearly love\nher, but I will not for that depart from my promise: make ready your\nvessels, and on the third day I will deliver her into your charge; but\nwhen you have her on board, see that ye do not permit her to quit her\ncabin, lest some evil should happen. Brondajel answered, all shall be\ndone Sir as you command; and though it be now grievous to my Lady the\nEmpress, to depart from this land, where her friends are, yet when she\nbeholds the greatness of Rome, and how Knights and Princes will then\nhumble themselves before her, she will soon be well satisfied, and ere\nlong Sir, we shall write to you such tidings. The King smiled, and\nembraced him, saying, I believe that ye are such as will soon make her\nregain her chearfulness. Salustanquidio who was now recovered, besought\nhim to send Olinda with his daughter, and he being a King promised to\ntake her to wife when she arrived: at this the King was well pleased,\nand praised Olinda, saying, that for her virtues and great beauty, she\nwell deserved to become a Queen.\nThe next day they stored their ships, and Magalin and his brethren\npresented themselves before the King, and said to Don Grumedan, the day\nof your shame is come, for to-morrow is the term which you in your\nfolly appointed for the combat; hope not to avoid it, for that can only\nbe done by your confessing yourself conquered; you shall now pay for\nyour insolence, as one who have more years than wisdom. Don Grumedan\nwho was almost beside himself at this menace rose up to answer, but the\nKing who knew his temper, when his honour was concerned, said to him,\nI beseech you Don Grumedan, for my sake say nothing in reply, but make\nready for the battle; you know better than any one else, that these\nmatters are not to be decided by words, but by deeds. Sir, said he, I\nwill obey you; to-morrow I will be in the field with my companions,\nand then shall the worth or the no-worth of each be known. The Romans\nthen retired, and the King calling Don Grumedan apart, asked of him,\nwho have you to help you against these Knights? for they appear to me\nstrong and courageous. Sir, quoth the old man, I have God to help me,\nand this body, and this heart, and these hands, which he hath given\nme. If Don Galaor should arrive before tierce to-morrow, I shall have\nhim, for I know he will maintain my cause, and then I care not for a\nthird; if he does not come, I will fight them all three, one after\nanother, if that may be allowed. The King replied, do you not see that\nthe challenge was three against three? and they will not alter it: as\nGod shall help me, I grieve to see that you have no comrades such as\nyou need in this great danger. Sir, cried the old Knight, fear not for\nme; God will help whom he pleases; I go against pride with courtesy\nand fair dealing, and that which is pleasing to God will bear me out.\nIf Don Galaor should not come, and none other of your Knights should\noffer themselves, I will take the two best of my own. Nay, replied\nLisuarte, such assistants could not avail you; I will advise you better\nmy friend: I will secretly adventure my body with you in the battle,\nfor you have often thrust yourself into extreme perils for me, and\nungrateful should I be, if I did not risque my life and honour for you\nin return; and while he said this he embraced the old Knight and wept.\nDon Grumedan kissed his hand and answered, this is indeed the greatest\nfavour I ever received from you, and more than any services can ever\nhave deserved; but this must not be, and God forbid that a King like\nyou should commit such a fault, for you are King, and Lord, and Judge,\nand must deal by strangers in this case, even as by your own subjects.\nSince it is so then, said Lisuarte, I can only pray to God to help you.\nDon Grumedan then went to his lodging and ordered two of his Knights\nto prepare to assist him in this battle; but I tell you that courageous\nand practised as he was, his heart was bursting, for these men were\nnot such as were needed in such a combat; yet so good a heart had he,\nthat rather would he have died, than have done or said any thing that\nmight shame him; and he shewed no fear. That night he passed in St.\nMary's Chapel, and on the morrow heard mass there with great devotion,\nbeseeching God that he might perform this battle to his honour, or if\nit was his pleasure, that his days should then come to an end, to have\nmercy on his soul. Then with a good courage he called for his armour;\nhe put on his breast-plate which was strong and white, and over it a\ncoat-armour of his own colours, which were murrey with white swans:\nbefore he had finished arming himself, there came in the fair Damsel\nwho had been Embassadress to Grasinda and the Greek Knight, and with\nher two other Damsels and two Squires. She bore in her hand a goodly\nsword, with rich accoutrements, and enquired for Grumedan, to whom she\nsaid, Sir, the Greek Knight, who loves you for what he has heard of\nyou since he came into this land, and because he knows you have to do\nbattle with the Romans, has left two right good Knights, those whom\nyou have seen in his company, and requests you to take no others as\nyour comrades in this combat, but accept them on his faith without\nfear; and he sends you also this good sword, which has been tried as\nyou beheld, when he struck the stone pillar with it, chasing that\nRoman. A joyful man was Don Grumedan at hearing this, knowing his own\ndanger, and that they who were in the company of the Greek Knight, must\nbe good men. Damsel, said he, God prosper the Greek Knight, who is thus\ncourteous to me, whom he knows not; and God grant that I may one day\nrequite him. She replied, Sir, you would truly esteem him if you knew\nhim, and so will you these his comrades, when you have tried them. Go\nnow forth, for you will find them waiting for you at the lists.\nDon Grumedan drew the sword which had been sent him; and he saw how\nbright it was, and that it bore no mark of the mighty blow it had\ngiven, and he blest it, and girded it on instead of his own. And he\nmounted the horse which Florestan had given him when he won it from\nthe Romans, and rode out, appearing like a comely and brave old man.\nHe and the two other Knights courteously greeted each other, but he\ncould not discover who they were, and then they entered the lists\nto the great joy of all who loved Don Grumedan, to see him in such\ncompany. The King marvelled much that these Knights having no cause,\nand not knowing Don Grumedan, should place themselves in such danger;\nand seeing the Damsel Embassadress he sent for her, and said, Damsel\nwhy have these Knights of your company taken up the quarrel of one whom\nthey know not? Sir, she replied, the good as well as the worthless are\nknown by their feats: and the Greek Knight having heard of the worth of\nDon Grumedan, and how this battle was appointed, and that few of your\ngood Knights were at this time present, left here his companions to\nbe his help-mates; such men are they, that before noon be passed, the\narrogance of the Romans shall yet be humbled lower, and the honour of\nyour Knights well maintained. Glad was the King at this, for he feared\ngreatly for Don Grumedan, and in his heart he thanked the Greek Knight\nmore than he in words expressed.\nThe three Knights entered the lists, and placed themselves at one end,\nDon Grumedan being between the other twain: presently King Arban of\nNorth Wales and the Count of Clara came in as judges on their part; and\nSalustanquidio and Brondajel of the Rock, on the part of the Romans.\nEre long the Roman Knights appeared on goodly horses, and armed in new\nand rich armour; and being of great stature and large limb'd, they had\nthe semblance of valiant men: they came with bag-pipes and trumpets,\nand other loud instruments; all their countrymen accompanied them, and\nin this array they went before the King, and said, Sir, we will carry\nthe heads of those Greek Knights to Rome, and let it not displease you\nif we do the same with Don Grumedan, for your displeasure would grieve\nus: bid him therefore unsay what he has said, and confess that the\nRoman Knights are the best in the world. The King, instead of replying\nto this speech, said, go do your battle, and let them who shall win\ntheir enemies' heads, do with them as they please. They then entered\nthe lists, and the two Roman judges placed them in their places, while\nKing Arban and the Count of Clara, did the same by Grumedan, and his\ncompanions. The Queen now came with her Dames and Damsels to the\nwindow, to behold this combat; and she sent for Don Guilan the Pensive,\nwho was still weak with his sickness, and for Cendil of Ganota, whose\nwound was not yet healed; and she said to Don Guilan, my good friend,\nwhat think you of this point wherein my father Don Grumedan is\nplaced? for she called him father, because he had fostered her; those\nDevils terrify me, they are so huge and fierce. Lady, replied Guilan,\nthe event of arms depends upon God and a good cause; were I yonder\nwith those two Knights, in the stead of Grumedan, I should not fear\nthe Romans, though a fourth were added to them. Much was the Queen\nconsoled at that saying, and she prayed to God in her heart to help her\nfoster-father.\nThe Knights now moved on to their encounter; they were all practised\nin arms and in horsemanship, and neither missed his encounter: their\nlances all brake, and then happened what never before had been seen in\na combat of so many before the King, that the three Romans were borne\nfrom their saddles, and Don Grumedan and his comrades kept their seats\nunmoved. Presently they turned their horses, and saw that the Romans\nhad risen, and stood together. Don Bruneo who had received a slight\nwound in his left side, said to Grumedan, since we have shewn them\nthat we know how to joust, it would not be reasonable now they are on\nfoot, to attack them on horseback; the three then alighted, and went\nup to their antagonists. Sir Knights of Rome, said Bruneo, you must\nhave left your horses to shew how little you regard them; but though\nwe are not so renowned as ye are, we will not permit you to make this\nboast, and therefore have also forsaken ours. The Romans, whose pride\nwas somewhat quelled by their fall, made no reply, but fell to with\ntheir swords. Then was there a fierce battle, and its marks were seen\nin broken shields and helmets and streaming wounds. But Don Grumedan,\nwhose enmity against the Romans was very great, chafed himself with\ngreat choler, and pressing on before his comrades was sorely hurt: but\nat that the other twain who had hitherto kept back their strength while\nthey bore the heat of their enemies fury, now showed themselves, and\npressed on the Romans with such might that the most they could do was\nto defend themselves, and that hardly. Maganil, who was the bravest\nof the Romans, being no longer able to endure Angriote's blows, gave\nway before him, and drew as near to the Queen's window as he could,\nand cried out Mercy, Lady, for God's sake! and I confess all that Don\nGrumedan has said. Shame on thee, cried the conqueror, that is already\nmanifest. And he plucked off his helmet and lifted his arm as if to\nbehead him, but at that the Queen withdrew; and Don Guilan then cried\nout, Sir Knight of Greece, do not carry so proud a head as this to\nyour country, but let him carry his sweet odours where they will be\nliked. So be it then, replied Angriote, for the Queen's sake and for\nyour's whom I know not. I leave him to you, see you that his wounds\nbe cured, for I have cured him of his arrogance. Then he turned back\nand saw that Don Grumedan had smote his enemy, and was kneeling on\nhis breast, and pummelling his face with the hilt of his sword, but\nthe Roman cried out aloud, Ah! Don Grumedan, spare me! I confess what\nyou have said is truth, and what I said is a lie. Angriote full glad\nat this, called the judges, to hear what the Roman said, and shewed\nthem how the other one had fled out of the lists from Don Bruneo. But\nSalustanquidio and Brondajel were so cast down, that they retired to\ntheir lodging, and could not appear before the King.\nDon Grumedan then rode before the King, and kissed his hand: and\nBruneo said, God be with you Sir, we must return to our friend the\nGreek Knight. God be with you, replied Lisuarte, ye have truly shewn\nyourselves to be good men in arms. The Damsel Embassadress then said\nto Lisuarte, be pleased Sir to hear me a while in private, before I\ndepart: the King then bade all present withdraw, and then she said to\nhim, Sir, hitherto you have been the best of all Christian Kings, and\nhe to whom all Damsels looked with the most assured hope, to have their\nwrongs redressed. How is your noble condition altered, that you use\nthis cruelty and this sin against God and your own daughter and your\nnatural subjects! you who as King are bound to observe right to all,\nand as father to protect her though she were by all the world forsaken.\nNot only to all the world is this an ill example, but her tears and\nlamentations rise up to God against you. Look to it, and let the end\nof your days be like the beginning. Now God prosper you!\u2014God be with\nyou. Damsel, replied Lisuarte, of a truth I believe you are good and of\ngreat discretion.\nShe went to the two Knights, and they embarked on board their galley,\nand made such speed that in two days and nights they rejoined their\nfleet. Joyfully were they welcomed, and right glad was the Greek\nKnight to hear how they had succoured Don Grumedan in his need. Know\nyou what the King will do with his daughter? said Grasinda.\u2014In four\ndays she will be delivered to the Romans; but to see Lady, the grief\nwhich she and her Damsels and all the people make! no tongue can tell\nit. Tears came into Grasinda's eyes, and she prayed God to send that\npoor Princess some help in this so great and undeserved a calamity.\nBut the Greek Knight was a happy man hearing this, for he had resolved\nto rescue her; he neither regarded the power of King Lisuarte nor of\nthe Emperor of Rome, for he could give them enough to do, and as by\nno other way could he hope to gain possession of his beloved, so also\nin thus winning her, she would be his without any fault or breach of\nduty; these thoughts possessed him, when at the hour of tierce they\nreached the port in the Firm Island. The Islanders, who daily expected\nhim, had seen the fleet afar off and knew his signals; then was there\ngreat joy, for they all loved him well, and they crowded down to the\nshore, and with them his kinsmen and friends. When Grasinda beheld\nsuch a multitude awaiting them, she was greatly amazed, and the more\nso hearing them shout Welcome! Welcome our Lord, who has so long been\nabsent from us! Sir, quoth she, how is this that they greet you thus?\nHe replied, pardon me Lady that I have so long concealed myself, for\notherwise I could not have done without danger. I am master of this\nIsland, and that Amadis of Gaul of whom you have sometimes heard. These\nKnights are all my kinsmen and friends, and that multitude my vassals,\nhardly will you find Knights in the world to equal their valour. I did\nnot know you, replied Grasinda, and I treated you as a poor Errant\nKnight! howbeit some consolation is it to think that what honours you\nreceived from me, were paid to your own valour only, not to your rank\nor power. Lady, said Amadis, the honours I received from you, are more\nthan either I, or those who are better than me, can ever repay.\nNow had they reached the shore. Don Gandales was ready with twenty\npalfreys for the Damsels, but for Grasinda her own palfrey was landed,\nwhose trappings were worked with gold and silver. She clad herself in\nrich attire; planks were laid from the boat for their landing, and\non the shore Agrayes stood to welcome them, and Don Quadragante, and\nDon Florestan, and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley, and the good Don\nDragonis, and Orlandin, and Ganjes of Sadoca, and Argamon the brave,\nand Sardonan the brother of Angriote, and his nephews Pinores and\nSarquiles and Madansil of the Silver Bridge, and above thirty other\ngood Knights, and the good Knight Enil was already in the boat talking\nwith Amadis, and Ardian the Dwarf and Gandalin with the Damsels of\nGrasinda. Then Amadis took Grasinda by the arm, and led her on shore,\nand Agrayes and Florestan placed her on her palfrey, and she and her\nDamsels were conducted to the rich palace whereof you have formerly\nheard. Then was there great feastings made by Gandalin, and Ardian the\nDwarf, who was steward of the hall, saw that all was well ordered, and\nmany things did he say of merriment whereat they all laughed. Amadis\ntook Master Helisabad by the hand, and told all the Knights that to him\nnext to God he was indebted for his life, and he placed him at table\nbetween himself and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley. Yet could not all\nthis festival, nor the joy at seeing again so many and so dear friends,\nso cheer Amadis that he was not sorely troubled, fearing lest the\nRomans might escape him on the sea, so after the cloths were, removed,\nhe besought all the Knights to remain and hear him. They were all\nsilent, and he began.\nSirs, since I left you last I have traversed many strange lands, and\natchieved many adventures whereof it would be long to tell; but what\nmost occupied me was to redress the injuries of Dames and Damsels, for\nas they are born to obey and as their strongest arms are tears and\nsighs, so are we bound to protect them against all who would do them\nwrong, and fight their battles even as the Greeks and Romans did in old\ntimes, whereby they have obtained such glory as shall last while the\nworld endures. But now since my return to these countries I have heard\nhow King Lisuarte will deprive his daughter Oriana of the kingdom which\nis her lawful inheritance, and give her in marriage to the Emperor of\nRome, against the consent of all his people, and against her own will,\nfor she cries aloud to God and to the whole world, complaining of this\ngreat cruelty. If this indeed be true that Lisuarte will commit this\nwickedness fearing neither God nor man, in an ill hour were we born if\nwe do not remedy it! Now tell me each of ye your judgement, for ye know\nmine. The Knights looked at Agrayes to speak for them. Your coming my\ngood Cousin, quoth he, hath doubled our strength and courage, yet when\nwe had little hope of that, we had determined to prevent this wrong,\nand die ourselves or destroy these Romans. This did they all affirm,\nand cried out that there should be no delay. Then Amadis left Grasinda\nin the care of Ysanjo the Governor, and he would have left Master\nHelisabad also, but the Master said, Sir, if ever I can serve you it\nmust be in adventures like these, wherein you may perchance stand in\nneed of my skill. Ah, good Master, and my good friend, cried Amadis,\nGod grant that I may live to give you a fit guerdon. Then bade he all\nthe roads be guarded, that no tidings might be carried from the Island:\nand that night they all embarked and made sail towards that part of the\nsea, whereby the Romans must needs pass.\nFOOTNOTES:\n[309:A] Aved piedad desta hija que en fuerte punto de vos fue\nengendrada.\n_CHAPTER 18._\nThe day was now come whereon King Lisuarte had promised to deliver his\ndaughter to the Romans; he having in vain again attempted to win her\nconsent, left her in great anger, and went to the Queen whom he bade\ngo and soothe her daughter's distress. Brisena had often attempted in\nvain to change the King's resolution; she now made no reply but obeyed\nhim, but when Oriana saw her mother and sister approach her, she went\nto her sobbing aloud and kissed her hand and said, this parting will\nbe for ever! for my death is at hand, and with that she swooned away.\nThe King then had her, senseless as she was, carried on board, and he\nmade Olinda go with her, though that Princess on her knees besought\nhim to send her home to her father, he in his rage would not listen,\nbut had her forced on board, and Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark\nhe made embark also. All having thus embarked he mounted and rode to\nthe port, and then he consoled his child with a father's pity, yet\ngave he her no hope that his intention was changed, but he himself\nwas moved nevertheless, and wept after he had left her, and besought\nSalustanquidio and Brondajel and the Arch-bishop of Talancia to protect\nher and serve her well, then he returned to his palace leaving in the\nship the greatest grief and lamentation that heart can think.\nSalustanquidio thus having the Princesses in his power, put Oriana\nand Mabilia into a cabin which had been richly fitted up for her\nand fastened them in with strong bars and bolts, and he left Queen\nSardamira and her company, and many of Oriana's Damsels in the ship.\nBut Olinda of whom he was so passionately enamoured he resolved to\ncarry to his own ship, though she struggled and besought him not to\nseparate her from Oriana, and clung to the door of Oriana's cabin,\nmaking such piteous moan that Oriana at hearing it, swooned away in\nMabilia's arms. Thus having disposed of the Damsels they spread their\nsails, and departed, being full joyful that they had accomplished their\nMaster's desire, and they hoisted the great flag of the Emperor, upon\nthe mast of the vessel wherein Oriana was, and all the other ships\nkept round about that to protect it. Thus merrily were they sailing\non, when looking to the right they beheld the fleet of Amadis, coming\non full speed, to cut them off from the land toward which they went.\nAgrayes and Don Quadragante, and Dragonis and Listoran of the White\nTower had agreed to attack the Romans and attempt the rescue of Oriana\nbefore Amadis could come up, and for this purpose they and their ship\ngot between the Romans and the shore. But Florestan and Gavarte of the\nPerilous Valley, and Orlandin and Ymosil of Burgundy had the same wish,\nand they sailed up between Agrayes and the enemy. And Amadis came on\nfull sail straight after them, that he might be the first in Oriana's\nsuccour.\nNow I tell you that when first the Romans beheld this fleet, they\nthought they were crossing the sea in peace; but seeing how they\ndivided into three squadrons, that two cut off their landing, and\nthat the third made right toward them in pursuit, they cried out, to\narms!\u2014to arms! for strangers are coming against us! presently they ran\nto arms: the cross-bowmen were placed in their station, the others with\nBrondajel of the Rock, were in the vessel with Oriana, which carried\nthe Emperor's flag. At this season the fleets encountered. Agrayes and\nDon Quadragante hailed the ship of Salustanquidio, who had with him the\nfair Olinda, and then began a brave battle; and Florestan and Gavarte\nsailing through the middle of the fleet, attacked the ships of the Duke\nof Ancona, and of the Arch-bishop of Talancia who had a great force\non board, so that the battle between them was obstinate. But Amadis\nsteered right for the ship that bore the imperial standard: and he\nlaid his hand on Angriote's shoulder, and said, Sir Angriote, my good\nfriend, remember now the loyalty you have ever manifested toward your\nfriends, and help me manfully in this enterprize. If it please God that\nI succeed, well now shall I here fulfil my honour, and my good fortune!\nAngriote replied, Sir, I am ready to die for you! your honour shall\nbe maintained, and God will be with you. The Ships were now near each\nother, and such a discharge was there, of arrows and stones and lances,\nthat they fell as fast as though they were rained down. Amadis aimed\nat nothing but to grapple with the other vessel; but they who were\ntherein, though far more in number, durst not adventure that, seeing\nhow fiercely they were attacked, and defended themselves with iron\nhooks, and sundry other weapons. Now when Tantiles of Sobradisa, who\nwas the Queen of Sobradisa's high-steward, and was now in the Castle,\nsaw that Amadis could not bring this to effect, he ordered a great\nanchor to be brought, fastened to a long chain; and from the Castle,\nthey threw it into the Enemy's ship, and then pulling at the chain with\nall their might, they brought the ships together, and held them so,\nthat they could by no means separate, unless the chain should break.\nThen Amadis made way through his own people who were somewhat dismayed,\nand setting foot on the edge of his own ship, leaped into the other; it\nwas a great leap, so that he fell upon his knee, and they laid on him\nmany blows before he could rise. Howbeit maugre their efforts he rose\nand laid hand to his good sword. Angriote and Don Bruneo had followed\nhim, and they all laid on manfully and shouted Gaul, Gaul, for Amadis\nis here! Mabilia heard that cry, and exclaimed to Oriana\u2014comfort!\ncomfort! you are succoured by the blessed Knight, your true servant\nand constant friend! but Oriana more dead than alive, recovered only\nenough to ask what she said, for she had heard nothing, and her sight\nwas almost gone. When Amadis beheld the wonders which his two comrades\nwere performing, and how his men were now fighting beside him, he made\nat Brondajel, whom by his rich arms, he knew to be the chief, and with\none blow felled him: then seeing that the rest terrified at that, had\nceased to resist, he tore off Brondajel's helmet, and striking at his\nface with the pummel of his sword, demanded where Oriana was; the Roman\npointed to the chamber that was fastened. Amadis called upon Angriote\nand Don Bruneo; they joined all their strength, and burst the door,\nand saw Oriana and Mabilia within; he fell on his knees before his\nLady to kiss her hand, but she embraced him, and then caught him by\nthe sleeve of his mail which was all bloody,\u2014Ah Amadis! light of the\noppressed! you have saved me! Mabilia was on her knees before him,\nholding by his skirts, for he had not seen her, but then he raised her\nand embraced her, and called her his dear cousin. Then would he have\nleft the cabin, but Oriana took his hand\u2014for God's sake do not leave\nme! fear not, he replied; for Angriote, and Don Bruneo, and Gandales\nare in the ship, with thirty of our Knights, and I must go elsewhere,\nfor we are engaged in a great battle.\nThen Amadis went out of the cabin, and seeing that Ladadin of Fajarque\nhad made them in the castle cry for mercy, he commanded them to cease\nfrom farther slaughter. He then got into the galley where Enil and\nGandalin were with forty Knights, and bade them steer towards where\nthey heard the cry of Agrayes; when they came up, they found that he,\nand Quadragante had boarded Salustanquidio's ship; and when Amadis got\non board, the Romans began to leap over, some perishing in the water,\nothers escaping to the other vessels. He went on, seeking his cousin,\nwhom he found, with Salustanquidio wounded at his feet, and begging\nfor mercy. Agrayes knew his love for Olinda, and would shew him none:\ndo not slay him, said Quadragante, he is a good prize: Sir Quadragante,\nsaid Amadis with a smile, let Agrayes do his will, for else this Roman\nwill not leave one of us alive; and while they thus spake, the head of\nSalustanquidio was smitten off. Now the ship was their own, and the\nbanner of Agrayes and Don Quadragante hoisted on her castle. Agrayes\nforthwith went into the chamber where Olinda was confined; but Amadis,\nand Don Quadragante, and Ladadin, and Listoran of the White Tower,\nwent in Enil's galley, to see how Florestan fared. On the way they met\nYsanes, a kinsman of Florestan by the mother's side, who told them\nhow he had won all the ships, and taken the Duke of Ancona and the\nArch-bishop; they then looked round, and saw that the Romans were every\nwhere put to the worst, so that not one ship or boat escaped to carry\ntidings of their defeat.\nWith that they went on board the vessel of Oriana, and there disarmed\ntheir heads and hands, and washed off the blood. Amadis asked where\nFlorestan was, and was told, that Sardamira had cried out to him to\nsave her, and that she lay fallen at the feet of Oriana, beseeching her\nto save her from death or dishonour. Amadis went into the cabin, and\nsaw that the Queen was embracing Oriana, and that Florestan held her\nby the hand, he went before her courteously, and would have kissed her\nhand, but she withdrew it: fear nothing, Lady, said he, Don Florestan\nis at your service, and we shall all obey him, even though it were\nnot our will to honour all womankind. Good Sir, said Sardamira to\nFlorestan, who is this Knight so courteous, and so much your friend?\nLady, said he, it is my Lord and brother Amadis, with whom we are\nall come to succour Oriana. She then rose and said, Good Sir Amadis,\nblame me not, if I have not received you as I ought, for I knew you\nnot. God be praised, that in such a calamity, I am placed under your\ncourtesy, and the protection of Don Florestan. So Amadis seated her\nbeside Oriana; now all this while, Queen Sardamira knew not the death\nof Salustanquidio, whom she greatly loved. Queen, said Oriana, if I\nhave hitherto heard your words with pain and dislike, now shall I ever\nhonour and love you as you deserve, for what you did to my injury,\nwas not your own will, but in whatever was your own will, you were\never courteous and gentle. While they were thus communing, Agrayes and\nOlinda came in, and affectionately did Oriana embrace them, and thank\nthe other Knights as she knew them. Ah, friend Gavarte, said she, to\nhim of the Perilous Valley, well have you fulfilled your promise, God\nknows how truly I thank you, and how I wish to reward you! Lady, he\nreplied, I have done my duty, for you are my natural Lady. Whenever\ntime shall be, remember me as one who will be ever at your service.\nAt this time were all the chief Knights assembled on board this vessel,\nto take counsel how they should proceed. Then Oriana took Amadis aside\nand said. Dear friend I beseech and command you now more than ever to\nconceal our love! order it so, now that they may resolve to carry me\nto the Firm Island, that being safe there, God may dispose of me as\nhe knows best and as ought to be. Amadis replied, do you then send\nMabilia to propose this, that it may appear to proceed from your will\nand not from mine. Accordingly he went among the Knights, and they\nwere of divers opinions, for some proposed to take Oriana to the Firm\nIsland, others that she should go to Gaul, others that she should go\nto Scotland, the country of Agrayes. But presently Mabilia came to\nthem with four other Damsels, and said, Sirs, Oriana beseeches ye to\ncarry her to the Firm Island, till she be reconciled to her parents,\nand she implores ye as ye have begun so well, that ye would bring this\nenterprize with the same good courage to good end, and do for her what\nye have ever done for other Damsels. Quadragante answered, good Lady,\nthe good and brave Amadis and we who are with him in her rescue, are\nof one will to serve her till death, and we will protect her against\nher father and against the Emperor of Rome, if they will not be brought\nto reason and justice. That answer all the Knights approved, and\ndeclared that they should not hold themselves acquitted of that promise\ntill Oriana was restored to her own free will, and made sure of her\ninheritance.\nWith this accord they departed each to his ship, to give order\nrespecting the prisoners. Don Bruneo, and Ladadin, and the brother\nof Angriote and Sarquiles, and Orlandin were left in the vessel with\nOriana and Queen Sardamira, and Enil the good Knight who had received\nthree wounds, but had concealed them like a brave man, and one who\ncould endure all difficulty. These Knights were left to guard Oriana\ntill they should arrive at the Firm Island.\n_Here endeth the Third Book of the noble and virtuous Knight Amadis of\nGaul._\nEND OF THE THIRD VOLUME.\nVOL. III.\n  _Here beginneth the third Book of Amadis of Gaul, wherein\n  are related the great discords and jealousies which were\n  occasioned in the Household and Court of King Lisuarte,\n  by the evil counsel which Gandandel gave the King, for\n  the sake of injuring Amadis and his kinsmen and friends.\n  Wherefore the King sent to Angriote and his Nephew,\n  commanding them to leave his court and his kingdom,\n  and how he sent to defy them, and they returned the\n  CHAPTER 2.\n  _How Amadis asked of his fosterer Don Gandales the news\n  of the court, and how he and his companions departed\n  for Gaul, and of the adventures which befell them in an\n  Island where they delivered Don Galaor and King Cildadan\n  CHAPTER 3.\n  _How King Cildadan and Don Galaor going their way toward\n  the court of King Lisuarte, met a Dame, who had in her\n  company a fair Child accompanied by twelve Knights, and\n  how the Dame asked them to ask the King to make him a\n  Knight, the which was done, and afterward the King knew\n  CHAPTER 4.\n  _In which is recounted the cruel battle between King\n  Lisuarte and Don Galvanes and their people. And of the\n  liberality and greatness which the King showed after his\n  victory giving the land to Don Galvanes and Madasima,\n  they remaining his vassals as long as they should dwell\n  CHAPTER 5.\n  _How Amadis and Don Bruneo abode in Gaul where Don Bruneo\n  was well content and Amadis sorrowful, and how Don Bruneo\n  resolved to leave Amadis and go seek adventures; and how\n  Amadis and King Perion and Florestan agreed to succour\n  CHAPTER 6.\n  _How the Knights of the Serpents embarked for Gaul, and\n  fortune led them where they were placed in great peril\n  of their lives by treachery, in the power of Arcalaus\n  the Enchanter and how being delivered they embarked and\n  continued their voyage; and also how Don Galaor and\n  Norandel came by chance that way seeking adventures, and\n  CHAPTER 7.\n  _Showing how Esplandian was brought up by Nasciano the\n  Hermit, and how his father Amadis went to seek adventures\n  having changed his name to the Knight of the Green\n  Sword, and of the great adventures which he found_       134\n  CHAPTER 8.\n  _How King Lisuarte going to the chace with the Queen\n  and his daughters came to the mountain where the hermit\n  Nasciano dwelt, and by what strange adventure he met a\n  fair Child, who was the son of Amadis and Oriana, and how\n  he took the child, not knowing him_                      157\n  CHAPTER 9.\n  _How the Knight of the Green Sword after he had left King\n  Tafinor of Bohemia, to go to the Islands of Romania, met\n  a great company with the Lady Grasinda, and how one of\n  her Knights called Brandasidel would have made him come\n  CHAPTER 10.\n  _How the noble Knight of the Green Sword going to\n  Constantinople was driven upon the Island of the Devil,\n  where he found a fierce monster called Endriago_         182\n  CHAPTER 11.\n  _How the Knight of the Green Sword wrote to the Emperor\n  of Constantinople to whom the Island belonged, telling\n  him that he had slain the monster, and also of what\n  things he was in need; the which the Emperor diligently\n  procured for him and repaid him with much honour and love\n  for the service he had done him in recovering that Island\n  which had been so long time lost_                        203\n  CHAPTER 12.\n  _How the Knight of the Green Sword departed from\n  Constantinople to perform his promise made to the fair\n  Grasinda, and how being about to go with her to Great\n  Britain to fulfil her will, he chanced to find Don Bruneo\n  of Bonamar badly wounded; and also of the adventure\n  whereby Angriote of Estravaus found them, and they went\n  together to the house of the fair Grasinda_              223\n  CHAPTER 13.\n  _How Queen Sardamira arrived in Great Britain with the\n  other Embassadors whom the Emperor of Rome had sent to\n  bring Oriana, and of what happened to them in a forest\n  with a Knight Errant whom they treated with rude\n  words, and the payment which he gave them for their\n  CHAPTER 14.\n  _How Queen Sardamira sent to Don Florestan requesting\n  that, since he had left her Knights in such plight, he\n  would be her guard to Miraflores whither she was going to\n  speak with Oriana, and of what passed there_             257\n  CHAPTER 15.\n  _How the Knight of the Green Sword who was now called\n  the Greek Knight, and Don Bruneo of Bonamar and Angriote\n  of Estravaus came with the fair Grasinda to the Court\n  of King Lisuarte, who had resolved to send his daughter\n  Oriana to the Emperor of Rome to be his wife, and of\n  what happened when they made their demand_               270\n  CHAPTER 16.\n  _How the Greek Knight and his companions led Grasinda and\n  her company to the place of battle, where her Knight was\n  CHAPTER 17.\n  _How King Lisuarte sent for his daughter Oriana to\n  deliver her up to the Romans, and of what happened with\n  a Knight of the Firm Island, and of the battle which Don\n  Grumedan and the companions of the Greek Knight fought\n  against the three Roman Challengers, and how after the\n  Romans were conquered the companions of the Greek Knight\n  went to the Firm Island, and of what they did there_     303\n  CHAPTER 18.\n  _How King Lisuarte gave up his daughter greatly against\n  her own will, and of the succour which Amadis with all\n  the other Knights of the Firm Island brought to the fair\nBiggs, Printer, Crane-court, Fleet-street.\nTRANSCRIBER'S NOTES\nThe following corrections have been made to the original text:\n    Page 1: the niece[original has \"neice\"] of Brocadan\n    Page 6: now speak your[original has \"yonr\"] embassy\n    Page 9: you are bound, in[original has \"In\"] the service\n    Page 14: they saw a great[original has \"gaeat\"] force\n    Page 19: and Madansil[original has \"Madancil\"] of the Silver\n    Bridge\n    Page 21: part of the Castle-tower[original has \"Caftle-tower\"]\n    Page 23: found Count Latine and[original has \"end\"] Galdar\n    Page 25: the[original has \"teh\"] turmoil had been so great\n    Page 25: sometimes fair,[comma missing in original] at other\n    times foul\n    Page 56: Damsel had no command over hers[original has \"her's\"]\n    Page 77: giant-like Devil ran[original has \"run\"] too fast\n    Page 77: Andandona the giantess[original has \"giantness\"] of\n    the dolorous isle\n    Page 94: and Florestan[original has \"Floreston\"] were badly\n    wounded\n    Page 96: one was called Brontaxar Danfania[original has\n    \"Domfania\"]\n    Page 103: being right joyful[original has \"loyful\"] for the\n    victory\n    Page 116: she would have kissed[original has \"kisssed\"] his feet\n    Page 132: forthwith[original has \"forthwth\"] they all went\n    Page 134: the hermit[original has \"theher mit\"] sent his sister\n    Page 136: he then gave him to eat what[original has \"what\n    what\"] was proper\n    Page 137: that you[original has \"yon\"] need the service\n    Page 137: hath its courage doubled thereby.[period missing in\n    original]\n    Page 150: and how well caparisoned[original has \"aparisoned\"]\n    Page 165: rose into his cheek.[original has a comma]\n    Page 167: delight of their hearts was so great[original has\n    \"greats\"]\n    Page 181: with him Brondajel[original has \"Broncadel\"] of the\n    Rock\n    Page 183: wherefore they were so terrified.[original has a\n    comma]\n    Page 185: unhappy daughter determined[original has\n    \"dedermined\"] to bring\n    Page 209: On[original has \"on\"] the morrow the Knight and Master\n    Page 211: What can this mean? said Gastiles.[original has a\n    comma]\n    Page 227: their talk was at an end.[period missing in original]\n    Page 243: quoth Florestan, will I,[original has \"will, I\"] if I\n    can\n    Page 248: he shook his lance[original has \"ance\"] threateningly\n    Page 251: bid him empty[original has \"empt\"] out the ink\n    Page 254: discourtesy and falsehood[original has \"falshood\"]\n    would not find\n    Page 274: and Madansil[original has \"Mandacil\"] of the silver\n    bridge\n    Page 275: here are a Squire[original has \"8quire\"] and Dwarf\n    Page 279: Ambor de Gandel,[comma missing in original]\n    Angriote's son\n    Page 292: said to the King,[comma missing in original] I will\n    let\n    Page 300: And Don Grumedan[original has \"Grudeman\"] cried out\n    Page 305: he humbly saluting her, said,[comma missing in\n    original] Lady\n    Page 313: I can only pray[original has \"pra\"] to God\n    Page 315: when you have tried them.[period missing in original]\n    Page 315: and[original has \"aud\"] that it bore no mark\n    Page 316: Don Grumedan being between[original has \"beween\"] the\n    other twain\nThere is an Errata page at the end of Vol. IV. listing the following\ncorrections:\nVOL. III.\n  Page  Line\n    9    21   \u2014for a full stop, place a comma.\n    9    22   \u2014for a comma, place a semicolon.\n   17    23   \u2014to continue by sea\u2014\u2014to continue _thus_ by sea\n   39     6   \u2014She Lady who wished\u2014\u2014She, Lady, who _wishes_.\n   79     8   \u2014beseech\u2014\u2014beseech _her_.\nThe listed corrections have been made to this text.\nEnd of Project Gutenberg's Amad\u00eds of Gaul, Vol. III. of IV., by Vasco Lobeira\n*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMAD\u00cdS OF GAUL, VOL. III. 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