The famous, pleasant, and variable historie, of Palladine of England Discoursing of honorable aduentures, of knightly deedes of armes and chiualrie: enterlaced likewise with the loue of sundrie noble personages, as time and affection limited their desires. ... Translated out of French by A.M. one of the messengers of her Maiesties Chamber.

CHAP. VII.

¶ Of the feast was made, after the two Princes Palladine and Manteleo were Knighted, and how they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the aduenture of the Statues, which they could fi••••

SO departed the King from the Chappell, and in the great Hall the Tables were couered for dinner, where wanted no store of choyse and daintie delicates, exceeding the rather at this time, for the honor of the new made Knightes. The Prince Manteleo sate in his wonted place before Marcelina, but vnhappy

was it for her, that her Sister Floraea sate so néere her, who still remained suspitious of their silence, by which occasion, these tormented louers durst not speake to each other, but all dinner time with humble and affectionate regards, they deliuered the secret messages of their hearts. When the Tables were withdrawne, some falling to dauncing, and others to deuise with their Ladyes: by good hap, one of the new Knightes, being one of the chéefest Lords in the Court, intreated the Princesse Floraea to daunce, meane while the Millanois had leysure to courte his mistresse.

Well my good Lord, quoth she, is there no remedie but we must loose your companie within these thrée dayes? beléeue me, little did I thinke you would haue left vs so soone. Assure your selfe Madame, said the Prince, there is nothing can be more displeasant to me, but in respect, I cannot with honestie, and without great impeach to mine honor, gain-say the matter so absolutely promised, let me intreate ye not to misdéeme of any thing. And heere I vow by the religious faith I owe to your excellencie, that hi∣ther will I returne againe so soone as I can possible. Be∣side, if the Knight whome we must accompanie, shall offer to stray farre from this Realme, some sufficient excuse will I finde to forsake his companie. Meane while, let me in∣treate ye to affoord me thus much fauour, to accept me as your Knight and seruant: and if as yet I haue deliuered no desart, whereby I might attaine to such a tipe of hap∣pinesse, I hope such shall be my behauiour heereafter, as you shall haue no cause to repent your gift.

Ah my Lord, quoth she, such soueraigntie haue you gai∣ned ouer my thoughts, as nothing can I refuse, what you with honor request: I accept you then as my Knight (with which words she tooke a rich Diamond from her finger) in signe whereof, take this iewell, and weare it for my sake wheresoeuer you come héereafter. He taking the ring with exceeding reuerence, thus aunswered.

Sweete Madame, most humbly doo I thanke ye for this

fauour, which I will kéepe as mine owne life. And néedlesse is it for you to giue me any thing, whereby I might the better remember ye, for so liuely is your diuine figure im∣printed in my hart, that no fortune, how good or bad so e∣uer can haue power to blemish or deface. As she was a∣bout to aunswere, the King started from his chaire, and comming to the Prince Manteleo, sayd, Better leysure to daunce shall we haue after supper, let vs now go see our yong Knightes in the Listes, to trie if since their order was giuen, their strength is impaired or increased.

Then ceassed the instruments and the dauncing, the Knightes going all to arme themselues, each one verie ioyfull of this occasion, but especially the Prince Manteleo, for the great desire he had to be séene in the Ioust, yet re∣membring the aduenture of the Statues, fame would he trie his fortune there ere he entred the Listes, and mouing the King thereof, his Maiestie liked it very well, who with the Queene, and all the Courtly assistants, came to their wonted Scaffold, when the Prince Palladine was the first that aduentured for the Shéeld, saying. I haue heard that such as laboured to win this Sheeld, haue beene verie sharply repulsed by this Statue, but I thinke it was through want of demaunding licence to take it, therefore will I reason with the kéeper thereof, to knowe if this Sheeld be destenied to me. So aduancing himselfe to the Statue, armed at all points verie brauely, he thus spake. Suffer me (faire Image) to take this Shéeld downe without the Combate, or if I may not haue it otherwise, determine to defend thy selfe. The Statue made in re∣semblance of a sauadge man, thus replied. I will not Combate with one so yong, and a Knight so vnexperien∣ced as thou art, therefore I councell thée to go make proofe of thy bountie else where, then will I deale with thee in Combate, otherwise, neuer thinke to win this Sheeld. I see well said Palladine to Manteleo, that the end heereof is not reserued for me. Try (my Lord) if your fortune be

any better then mine. Héerevpon, Manteleo mounted the steps, thinking to go take downe the Sheeld, but the Sta∣tue thrust his hand before it, saying. Nor is it (as yet) for thée, that thou shouldest attempt to take this Sheeld, it behoues thee to be much more exercised in armes, and therefore content thy selfe. Good reason haue I to thinke, said Manteleo, that I haue not as yet merited so high a guerdon, by reason of my insufficiencie in martiall affaires, therefore I will presume no further: but in the aduenture of Cupid▪ predestinated to the most loyall, after you Sir Palladine will I hazard my selfe.

By my faith, quoth the Prince, I will not meddle with him, for (as yet) I haue nothing to do with the God of Loue, nor know I what puissance he hath ouer humaine creatures, therefore will I stand foorth of his reach. The like may I say, quoth Manteleo, yet will I attempt to win his portrait: so giuing a piercing glaunce on the Prin∣cesse Marcelina, he drew his Sword, and with resolued as∣surance approched the Statue, who presently snatching his fauchion from his side, resisted him in such sort, as be∣twéene them was a long and doubtfull Combate, to the great admiration of the King and all present. Yet maugre the peasant strokes of the brazen Image, he attained to the highest step of all, each one then thinking that Cupid was his owne: but so weightie were the cruell charges of the Statue, as he was enforced to fall downe backward in a swoune, to the great greefe of the King, Queene, and Pal∣ladine, but chéefely of Marcelina, who seeing his Armour broken in so many places, and the blood (as she thought) to issue from him so aboundantly, perswaded her selfe that he had yeelded vp his ghost. Ah gentle Prince, quoth she to her selfe, if thou be dead, I am the onely cause thereof, for well I know, that for my loue thou didst enterprise this aduenture, too deere hast thou bought thy comming into England and the earnest affection thou didst beare to me.

While Marcelina continued these regrets, the Prince

Palladine with other Knightes recouered Manteleo, and vnarming him, perceiued he was not wounded at all, but weary and ouer-trauailed, with so long resisting the cruell blowes of the Image, whereon could none of the Princes strokes be discerned, though the clanching of his weapon made a wonderfull noise. Manteleo finding himselfe fresh and lustie, would haue returned againe to the Statue, but the King stayed him with these words.

Me thinks (my Lord) you haue done inough alreadie, let others now haue time for their triall. At which spee∣ches, the other Knightes followed as their turnes came, each one being as roughly handled as the Prince Mante∣leo: who gréeued that he had not ended the aduenture, thinking that Marcelina would withdraw her affection, reputing him vnworthie her loue, that could deliuer no better proofe of his loyaltie. And in truth at the first she was iealous thereof, but in the end she perswaded her self, that such a hidden vertue could not be discerned in a man, vntill he receiued the swéetes of loue by his Lady, which opinion made her zeale more vehement to the Prince.

The King seeing the day was verie farre spent, referred the rest of the sports till the morrow, when Manteleo had good hope to recouer his honor in the Ioust, to the especiall good liking of his Lady and mistresse. So the King with his Lords returned to the Pallace, and the Knightes ha∣uing vnarmed themselues, came into the Chamber of Pre∣sence, where the Prince deuising with his faire Goddesse, with many perswasions excused his bad successe, which she could not but take in good part, considering that intire loue couers all occasions of dislike.