The most pleasant history of Tom a Lincolne that renowned souldier, the Red-rose Knight, who for his valour and chivalry, was surnamed the boast of England. Shewing his honourable victories in forraigne countries, with his strange fortunes in the Fayrie land: and how he married the faire Anglitora, daughter to Prester Iohn, that renowned monarke of the world. Together with the lives and deathes of his two famous sonnes, the Blacke Knight, and the Fayrie Knight, with divers other memorable accidents, full of delight.

CHAPTER. 1. How King Arthur loued faire Angellica the Earle of Londons Daughter: and likewise of the birth of Tom a Lincolne.

WHEN as King ARTHVR wore the Emperiall Diadem of England, and by his chiualrie had purchased ma∣ny famous Uictories, to the great re∣nowne of this mayden Land, hee or∣deined the order of the round Table, and selected many worthy Knights to attend his Maiestie: of whose gliste∣ring renowne many ancient Histo∣ries doe record, and witnesse to all insuing ages.

This worthy Prince, vpon a time intending to visit the city of London, with some few number of his Knights, came and feasted with Androgius, being at that time Earle of London; whose house (as then) was not only replenished with most de∣licate fare, but grat••st with a number of beautifull Ladyes: who gaue such a pleasing entertainement to King Arthur and his Knights, that they were rauished with pleasure, and

quite forgot the sound of martiall Drummes, that had wont to summon them foorth to the fields of Honour: Amongst these glorious troupes of London Ladyes, Angellica the Earles daughter had the chiefest prayse for beauty and courtly beha∣uiour: for euen as the siluer-shining Moone in a Winters fr••sty night, surpasseth the brightest of the twinckling Stars: ••o farre Angellicaes sweete feature excéeded the rest of the La∣dyes: whereby King Arthur was so intangled in the snares of loue, that by no meanes he could withdraw his affections from her diuine excellence. He that before delighted to tread a wea∣ry m••rch after Bellonas Drummes, was now constrayned to trace Cupids Measures in Ladyes Chambers: and could as well straine the strings of a Louers Lute, as sound a Souldi∣ers alarme in the field: her beauty like the Adamant, drew his stéeled heart to lodge in the closure of her breast: and no compa∣ny delighted so much the loue-sicke King, as the presence of faire Angellica. So vpon a time as hee stood looking out of his Chamber window, hee espied the Mistris of his soule sitting in a Garden vnder a Bower of Uines, prettily picking the ripest Grapes with her delicate hands, and tooke such pleasant pains in that maydenlike exercise, that the well coloured blood in her face began to ware warme, and her chéekes to obtaine such an excellent beauty, that they séemed like two purple Roses in∣termixt with Hawthorne-buds: whereby King Arthur grew inamored vpon her, and stood for a time sencelesse through the extreame passion he tooke in beholding her be••uty: But at last, recouering his senses, he spake to himselfe in this manner.

Oh most diuine Angellica, Natures sole wonder, thou ex∣cellent ornament of Beauty, thy louely Face painted with a crimson die, thy rosicall Chéekes surpassing Snow in white∣nesse, thy decent Necke like purest Iuory, hath like a Fowlers net intangled my yéelding heart: whereby it is for euermore imprisoned in thy breast. Oh that the golden Dresses of thy dainty Haire which shine like the Rubyes, glittering in the Sunne, had neuer twinckled before my rauisht eyes, then had my heart inioyed his wonted liberty, and my Fancie béen frée from Louers vaine imaginations. Thus, and in like manner, complayned the King vnto himselfe, séeking by all meanes

possible to exclude Loues fire from his breast. But the more hee stroue to abando•• it, the more it increased: and féeling no pollicie might preuaile; but that this burning torment must of force bee quenched with her celestiall loue hee descended from his Chamber, and went bouldly into the Garden; where taking Angellica by the hand as shée sate vpon a bed of Uiolets, which as then grew vnder the Arbour, in this manner began to court her.

Faire of all faires, (sayd the King) deuine and beautious Paragon faire Flower of London, know that since my aboad in thy Fathers house, thy beauty hath so conquered my affecti∣ons, and so bereaued me of my liberty, that vnlesse thou vouch∣safe to coole my ardent desires with a willing graunt of thy loue, I am like to dye a lan••uishing death, and this Countrey England of force must l••ose him, that hath filde her boundes with many triumphant Uictories: therefore swéet Angellica, if thy hard heart be so obdurate, that the teares of my true loue may nothing molliffe, yet take pitty on thy Countrey, that through thy cruelty, she loose not her wanton glory, and be made vnhappy, by the losse of her Soueraigne: thou séest (my di∣uine Angellica) how I, that haue made Princes stoope, and Kings to humble when I haue frownde, doe now submissiuely yéeld my high honour to thy feete, either to be made happy by thy loue, or vnhappy in thy hate, that in time to come, Children may either blesse, or cu••se thee: Of these two, consider which thou wilt performe either with cruelty to kill mee or with cle∣mencie to pre••eiue mee.

This vnexpected request of the King, so amazed Angellica, that her Cheeks were ••tayned with blushing shame, and like a bashfull Maiden (for a time) stood silent not knowing in what manner to answere him, considering hee was King of England, and she but Daughter to an Earle: But at last, when feare and shame had a while stroue together in her heart, shee replyed in this sort.

Most mighty King (said shee) if your entertainement in my Fathers house hath beene honourable, séeke not the foule disho∣nour of his Daughter, nor proffer to blemish the bud of her virginitie with the least thought of your vnchast desires: the

losse of which swéet Iemme, is a torment to my soule more worse then death. Consider with your selfe (most worthy Prince) the blacke scandall that it may bring vnto your name and honour, hauing a Quéene a most vertuous and loyall Prin∣cesse. Thinke vpon the staine of your mariage bed, the wrongs of your wedded phéere, and lasting infamie of your owne glo∣••ie, for this I vow (by Dianaes bright maiesty) before I will y••••ld the conquest of my virginitie to the spoyle of such vnchast desires, I will suffer more torments, then mans heart can ima∣gine: therefore (most mighty Soueraigne) cease your vnreue∣rend suite, for I will not loose that matchlesse Iewell, for all the treasure the large Ocean containes: And in speaking these words shée departed thence, and left the loue-sicke King in the Arthur, complaining to the emptie ayre: where after hée had numbred many determinations together, this hee purposed; Neuer to cease his suite, till he had gained what his soule so much desired: for continually at the break of day, when ••irans beautie began to shine, and Auroraes blush to appears. would hee alwayes send to her Chamber window the sweetest Mu∣sicke that could bée deuised: thinking thereby so obtaine her Loue. Many times would hee solicite her with rich gifts, and large promises, befitting rather an Empresse then the Daugh∣ter of an Earle, profering such kindnes, that if she had a heart of Iron, yet could shee not choose but relent and requite his curtesies: for what is it that time will not accomplish, hauing the hand of a King set thereunto.

Twelue wearydayes King Arthur spent in woing of An∣gellica, before hee could obtaine his hearts happinesse, and his soules content: at the end of which time, she was as plyant to his will, as is the tender twig to the hand of the Husbandman. But how their secret meaning required a pollicie to keepe their priuie leues both from King Arthurs Quéene, and from old Androgius, Angellicas Father: and that their secret ioyes might long time continue without mistrust of any partie whatsoeuer, this deuice they contriued: that Angellica should desire liberty of her Father, to spend the remaine of her life in the seruice of Diana, like one that a bandoned all earthly vani∣tie, honouring true chastity and religious life: So, with a

den••ure countenance, and a sober grace, shee went vnto her Father, and obtained such leaue at his hands, that he willingly condiscended that shee should liue as a professed Nunne, in a Monasterie that the King before time had builded in the Citie of Lincolne; and so furnishing her foorth with such necessaries as her state required, he gaue her his blessing, and so committed her to Dianaes seruice.

But now Angellica being no sooner placed in the Monastery and chosen a Sister of that fellowship, but King Arthur many times visited her in so secret a manner, and so disguisedly, that no man suspected their pleasant méetings: but so long tasted they the ioyes of loue, that in the end the Nunne grew great bellied, and bore King Arthurs quittance sealed in her wombe, and at the end of forty wéekes, shée was deliuered; where in presence of the Midwife, & one more whom the King largly recompen∣ced for their secrecy, shee was made a happy Mother of a goodly sonne, whom King Arthur caused to be wrapped in a Mantle of gréene Silke, tying a Purse of Gold about his necke, and so causing the Midwife to beare it into the Fields, and to lay it at a Shepheards gate néere adioyning to the Citie, in hope the old man should foster it as his own: by which means his Angellicaes dishonour might be kept secret from the world, and his owne disgrace from the murmuring reports of the vulgar people.

This his commandement was so spéedily performed by the Midwife, that the very next morning she stole the young Infant from his Mothers kéeping, and bore it secretly to the place ap∣pointed, there laying it downe vpon a turffe of gréene grasse: if séemed prettily to smile, turning his christall eyes vp towards the Elements, as though it foreknew his owne good Fortune. This being done, the Midwife withdrew her selfe some little distance from that place, and hid her selfe closely behind a well growne Oake, diligently marking what should betide the com∣fortlesse Infant: But long shee had not there remained, but there flocked such a number of little Birdes about the young harmelesse Babe, and ma••e such a chirping melody, that it fell into a silent slumber, and slept as swéetly as though it had béen layde in a Bed of softest Silke.

By this time, the golden Sunne began to glister on the

Mountaine top, and his sister Luna to withdraw her waterish countenance: at which time, the pleasant Shepheards began to tune their Morning notes, and to repayre vnto their foulded Shéepe, according to their woonted manner: Amongst which crue of lusty Swaines, old Antonio approached foorth of his Gate with a chearefull countenance, whose Beard was as white as polished Siluer, or like to Snow lying vpon the Nor∣therne Mountaines: this bonny Shepheard no sooner espied Angelic••es swéet Babe lying vpon the gréene Hillocke, but immediatly hee tooke it vp; and viewing circumspectly euery parcell of the rich Uestments wherein it was wrapped, at last found out the Purse of Gold which the King had tyed vnto the Childs necke, whereat the Shepheard so exceedingly reioyced, that for the time, he stoode as a man rauished with pleasure, and was not able to remoue from the place where he stood: but yet at the last, thinking with himselfe that Heauen had sen•• him that good fortune, not onely giuing him Riches, but withall a Sonne, to be a comfort to him in his latter yeares; so bearing it in to his old Wife, and withall the Purse of Gold, and the rich Mantle, with the other things: who at the sight thereof, was as highly pleased as her Husband, when he found it first: so being both agréed to foster and bring it vp as their own, con∣sidering that Nature neuer gaue them in all their life any child, incontinently they caused it to be thristened, and called by the name of TOM A LINCOLNE; (after the Towne where it was found) a name most fitting for it, in that they knew not whom were his true Parents.

But now speake wee againe of the Midwife, that after shée had beheld how kindly old Antonio receiued the young Infant, shée returned backe unto Angelicaes Chamber, whom shee found bitterly lamenting the losse of her tender Babe, thinking that some Fayry Nimph had s••olne it away: but such was the kind comfort which the smooth tonged Midwife gaue her in that extremity, whereby her sorrow seemed the lesse, and her mistrust∣full feare exchanged into smiling hope: yet neither would the King nor the Midwife at any time whatsoeuer, make knowne vnto her what was become of her little Sonne, but driuing her off with delayes and fond excuses, lest hauing intelligence of

his abo••d, she should (through kinde loue, and naturall affection) goe visite him, and so discouer their Loues practises.

Thus liued the most fayre Angelica many dayes in great griefe, wishing his returne, and desiring Heauen that the De∣stinies might be so fauourable, that once againe before the fa∣tall Sisters had finished her life, she might behold her Infants face: for whose presence her very soule thirsted for.

Here will we leaue the solitary Lady comfortlesse and with∣out company (except it were the King, that sometimes visited herby stealth) and report what happened to Tom a Lincolne in the Shepheards house.