The sixth booke of the Myrrour of knighthood Being the first booke of the third part, immediatly follovving the fourth and fifth bookes printed. Conteining the knightly actions and amorous conuersations of Rosicleer and Rosabel his sonne, vvith diuers other their princely frends and kinsmen. Translated out of Spanish by R.P.

Of the aduenture which hapned to the Prince of Dacia on the Sea.

Cha. 14.

THe worthy Dacian, glad of the happy for∣tunes of Torismund and Andronio his new frends, sayled in his inchaunted boate from France with great swiftnesse, till comming where he might behold part of Sauoy and Spaine, his barke made some small stay, that his kinde eyes might gratifie with their louing lookes the Countries of the faire Dutchesse whom in France he rescued, and his kind Torismund hee so much loued. And being ready to breake foorth in passion to praise their happie Princes, hee was disturbed by a violent whirling of the water: from the middest thereof arose a Sea-nymph, sitting on a Dolphin, who said. The content is great (gentle Knight) which the fight of these daintie Countries doe giue you: but I tell you, their best fortune shall be when the great Lyon of Spaine, shal send his déer and hidden Tyger (who till then shalbe nourished in base clothes) for a scurge to his beloued Countrie, filling the Ausonian lake with strange bloud. This shal be he who in his tender yéeres shall conclude things that shall be more estéemed than those that are past: and so farre he shall ex∣tend his arme, that the destinies with pure enuie shall tri∣umph ouer him, to triumph of the victory due vnto him, at∣tributing to his power that which the rigorous Tyger had got. And this shall not be the last good, which the hea∣uens doth promise vnto Spaine: neither doe they so much forget Sauoy, for the most and the best good of Spaine shal come vnto Sauoy, and that land shall bee equall with the most aduantaged, and may thē be called the fresh flower of Spaine, her good comming by curteous vsing of the ven∣terous Lyon, who being retyred into his little Caue, shall reioyce in the tender little Lambe, who with his méeke∣nes

doth subiect the vntamed nations. This said, the Nimph tuning a harpe, began to sing as followeth.

Not those faire three in Ida that contended, To win the Ball, the Shepheard Venus gaue, Whereat the other two became offended: In all their worths faire Catalinas haue. For it is she alone, and none but shee, Excelles the graces of those gracious three.

Hauing finished her song, she said: by this beautie shal Spaine bee blessed and you shall shortly loose your frée∣dome. Wherewith the Nymph vanished, and the inchan∣ted Barke kept course into the Italian Sea: the Dacian sailing somwhat troubled▪ though neuer perswaded again he should be a louer. The fourth day of his nauigation, the swift Barke ran a shore in Italy: and the Dacian for that he was wearie of the seal, foorthwith caused his in∣chaunted horse Tirio to be taken foorth. With this the war∣like Youth armed himselfe, and mounted vppon his horse desirous to méet some people to be informed what country it was. With this desire he passed till it was mid day, fol∣lowing the current of a brooke, till such time as he came to the head spring: there he washed and refreshed himselfe of the heate, and did eate of that which Fabio brought with him: then returning to his begun Iorney, he heard not far off blowes of a combate, then he tooke his Launce & with a light pace followed the way from whence hee heard the noise, till such time as hee sawe amongst the trées, two knights in battaile, and néere them a Damsell bound vn∣to a knotty Ashe making great lamentation. Not with a little griefe came the pittifull Prince vnto the Damsell, who séeing him so well proportioned, said. Ah Sir knight if there bee in you the strength (which your person shew∣eth) deliuer me from th••se two false knights, who are in controuersie which shall defile me. The Prince was so

angry that without remembring to vnloose her, he retur∣ned against them, saying. Backe Knights, for so vniust a cause you should not make battaile: more iustly eyther of you should help women, and not séeke to dishonor them. Much lesse care hast thou of her (they answered) that with out any more consideration leauest her to the mercy of our swoords: and without any more respect, they both returned against the Dacian, mallice making thē quickly frends. The Dacian wold not with the point of his Speare, take reuengement of such people, but with the end hee had in his hand, he stroke one such a blow vpon his harnes, that he buckled it to his brest in such sort that it tooke away his vitall breath, where with he fell dead to the ground: and returning to the second he stroke him so on the head, that he made his braines flye in the field, therewith quenching the desire they had vnto the Damsell. In the meane time Fabio his Page had vntyed her, who greatly maruelled at the valiantnes of the knight, and came vnto him saying. The heauen (Sir Knight) reward you for this you haue done for me. For from thence commeth the reward of them that giue such succours, which with my life likewise I will repay. I giue you thankes faire Damsell said the prince: but I pray you tell mee what was the occasion that these Knightes did thus misuse yee, as also what Countrie this is where I am? The Damsell hum∣bling her selfe, said: most valiant Knight, for euill per∣sons to put in execution their kankred will, little or no occasion at all serues. So it is, as I walked on my way in this Forrest, I met with them, and laying hold vpon me, without any other occasion, they put me in that sort as you found me, and by and by began their battaile to try who should first make spoile of my honor. And to the ••est touching this Countrie; you shall vnderstand wor∣••hy Knight, that you are verie nigh vnto the great ••ittie of Rome, for in two daies iourney you may ••••me thether.

The gentle Dacian was ioyfull to bee in that famous Countrie, so praised thoroughout al the world: with many thankes he departed, leauing the Damsell much bound to his seruice, and verie ioyfull that she had séene so warlike a knight, she went onwards on her way. The Dacian took his way towards Rome, and came that night vnto a faire and delightfull groue of poplers, where he intended to passe away the night, being sommer: so there he alight∣ed from his horse, and made his Target his pyllowe: but about aleuen a clocke at night he was waked by the noise of two shepheards, who not farre from him were a talk∣ing: but he imagining it to be some other thing, buckled on his helme, & went by little and little amongst the trées to sée who they were y^• talked, til by the light of the Moone he saw two shepherds set downe vnder a huge pine trée talking together. And as one that was frée from the grief of amorous cares, he receiued content to heare their talke, the one who séemed to be yonger then the other, with some shew of anger said. It is not to be doubted, frend Lisio that the brauerie of my shepperdesse excéedeth, for onely with her beautie, hath nature atchiued the name of famous. Which causeth Aliano to affirme his shepperdesse is she that deserueth Apollo for her shepherd. If he receiue con∣tent to come forth it is onely to behold her, but not to giue her light, for hee doth well know the eyes of my shepher∣desse excéedeth his beames brightnes. And this will I de∣fend, against them that be honored for Goddesses in the great Tinacria. And therewith taking foorth his wel tuned rebecke, he began this song with great swéetnes.

My Loue is of the Heard beloued, Yet by his teares she is not moued. In the sand his words she writeth, And rends the songs that heinditeth O this she me with scornes requireth:

If I say I will not loue her, My eyes teares my griefes discouer, I must loue though she doe hate, Sue though she disdaine my state, And sing in teares; this life me best delighteth.

At the end of this song, thus answered the other Shep∣heard. Aliano thou dost loue, and takest it for the best life: I doe not condemne thée, but rather conceiue as thou de∣sirest the fame due to thy Shepheardesse. For this is the course of euerie louer, to say that his Shepheardesse is a Phenix, and for such a one doth hold her, his crow must néedes be a swan who euer gainsaie it: and yet there can be but one excellent, and if yours be she, whome doe all o∣ther Shepheards praise, especially Poncenio. The cho∣lar of the amorous shepheard would not let him procéede any farther, but he said. It is sufficient frend Lisio, I can with my rough crooke make knowne that Poncenio is an heryticke, in affirming that his Shepheardesse deserueth the merit of mine: and being ouercome with cholar, at two leapes he put himselfe nigh vnto Poncenio with his knot∣tie crooke in one hand, and in his other his Ierkin, and said. Defend thée shepheard, for it is time to sée, if thou hast hands to maintaine that which thou hast so falsely published. Poncenio was not a shepheard, that would take such reprochfull words: so with the swiftnes of a hawke hee put himselfe in the same order as his contrarie was, where you should haue séene one of the prettiest contenti∣tions in the world: for as the shepheards did estéeme thē∣selues to be louers, they did not forget to be valliant. The Dacian Prince reioyced in beholding them, and greatlie wondred at the power of Loue, that amongst shepheards shewed this rigor: but he suffered them not to procéed for∣wards, for that the contention would be perilous. And so with a quicke pace, came amongst them saying: giue way gentle Shepheard, it is not iust that this contention shuld

goe forwards. Valiant knight answered Poncenio, it is not so small a matter as you thinke, if you haue fasted loue, you can say it is the greatest and most iust quarrell and rather to choose death, than in this case to leaue off con∣tention: yet for all this, for my loue (said the Dacian) I will that ye would be frends. Of truth gentle Knight (an∣swered Poncenio) many daies past haue I procured thys frendship with all plainnes in y^e world, and I beleeue be∣cause it was so simple, it hath bin occassion that this shep∣heard doth thinke I doe it of necessitie, he knowing which all the world shall know, that if he loue, I liue by louing a shepheardesse, who in beautie, discreation and proporti∣on, equalleth the most excellent. I cannot (said Aliano) but acknowledge the many good parts of your shepheardesse brother Poncenio: yet for all this you know, that my shep∣heardesse hath caused her to yéeld. These are passions (sir knight) said Lisio, so long time past, that it would be tedi∣ous to declare them: But since you haue taken the matter in hand, I pray you perswade them to leaue off contenti∣ons past and become frendes: for frendship doth ease the sower troubles of this amorous euill. And therewith the Dacian Lord went directly vnto the Shepherds, very ioy∣full that he had séene that controuersie, and he tooke them perforce by their hands, and made them frends, which en∣dured vnto death. And the more to binde their frendship, they all foure together sate downe on the gréene and fresh grasse, making a signe vnto Fabio, to bring the horses, and likewise to inioy the frendship of the shepheards. The gal∣lant Youth did pull off his helme, and shewed foorth his faire countenance, but he had not so soone pulled it off, whē as the shepheard Lisio fel down at his féete, saying. O war∣like Prince of Dacia, what a happy day hath this béen vn∣to me? wherein I haue séene that which I so much desired euer, him whom the gallant countrie of Tinacria worship∣eth for their God, as a restorer of their lost content. The prince caused him to arise, wondring how he was known

in those parts: and demaunding of him, howe hee knewe him. The Shepheard answered, Worthy warrier, I am a naturall Tinacrian, and haue there fed and kept Cattle, and came many times vnto the Citty, whereof the whole Country beareth the name, there I haue séene in the Pal∣lace portrayed your figure, and the Emperour Alphebos of Trapisond, vnto whome those of Tinacria are so much bound. And your figure and his I so earnestly printed in my hart, that I desired aboue all things in the world to sée the substances. I giue you great thankes (said the Prince) for the good will which you haue shewed vnto the Empe∣rour and mee, and in any thing I may, commaund mee. Great pleasure I shall take if you declare vnto mee any newes from those partes, for since I departed from Rosi∣cleer the Prince of Grecia, I haue not heard any thing thence for trauelling in strange Countries. That which I can say (answered the shepheard) is the ioy which the Emperor of Constantinople your Vnkle hath, for the ac∣knowledging of the Princes of Trapisonde to be the sons of the mighty Alphebo, although I beléeue it will bee no lesse ioy to know the Prince of Tinacria, Poliphebo, who they say is equall in valor to all the rest of the brethren: for being called the knight of the siluer branch in al parts whereas he hath trauelled, hee hath left the world full of his fame. The Dacian curteously thanked Lysio, and was ioyful at his newes: and after some earnest perswa∣sions of them to continue frends, he prepared to ride to∣wards Rome, the Shepheards bringing him on his way within the sight of the Common way, and were grieued to part with him. Which he séeing, promised if occasi∣on serued hee would againe sée them▪ at which reioy∣cing, they returned to their Foldes: where wee will leaue them, to tell what hapned to the Prince on his way to Rome.