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. XXVII.

¶ How the Knight without rest arriued in Aquilea, where he was deliuered from danger by a Knight named Broan∣tine, who brought him into the fauour of the Gouer∣nour of Enna. And of an aduenture that happened at dinner time, which Broantine and Liboran the well adui∣sed brought to end.

AFter long and dangerous sailing on the Sea, at length they are come to the Realme of Aquilea, where the Knight without rest landing with his companie, left the Pilote, dire∣cting their iourney vp into the coun∣trey. By the way, the Knight with∣out rest slew a hidious Serpent, pre∣seruing the life of a yong Damos••ll readie to be deuoured: and comming to the Citie of Enna, tooke vp his lodging where he might most conueniently. The name of a Christian being highly hated among the men of this countrey, the Knight without rest was care∣full to kéepe himselfe vnknowne, being able to speake the

language and Lycelio likewise: but Lyboran to preserue his life, counterfeited himselfe to be dum, accounting any shift good to escape daunger.

The Gouernour vnderstanding that strangers were entred the Citie, sent one of his Captaines named Broan∣tine, to enquire of whence and what they were. Broantine comming to their lodging, immediatly knew the Knight without rest, being the Knight that accompanyed him into Bulgaria▪ when Dardalon defended the Iousts for the Du∣chesse Brisalda, and brought him to the Citie of Varne, as you heard before. Sir Palladine, quoth Broantine, you are hartely welcome hither: what cause hath drawne you into this farre Countrey? long it is since I was last in your companie. The Knight without rest amazed at this ac∣quaintance, especially in a heathen countrey, where he ne∣uer was before, aunswered. Good Sir, I must desire ye to pardon me, for I doo not remember that euer I saw ye till now: and it may be you take me for some other body. No my Lord, sayd Broantine, I knowe ye well inough, for I trauailed in your companie to the Court of the Duchesse Brisalda▪ at what time you slew the prowd and cruell Dar∣dalon. I thanke ye gentle Sir, quoth the Knight without rest, for your freendly remembrance: but may I request the cause of your being in this Countrey? In sooth Sir, answered Broantine, such enemies I haue in the Realmes of Dace and Bulgaria▪ for the death of a Knight whome I vnhappily slew, as I am constrained to absent my selfe from thence, yet do I hope in time to conquer my troubles, and to returne home againe in safetie. May I then, quoth the Knight without rest, desire this fauour at your hands, to enstruct me how I shall gouerne my selfe among these people, for I would not willingly be knowne that I am a Christian, in respect of the danger may happen to me there∣by: and therefore haue I changed my name, calling my selfe the Knight without rest, hauing determined to rest in no place, till I haue found one I earnestly séeke for. Re∣ferre

your selfe to me, said Broantine, you shall not be knowne, but both you and they that came with ye, shall be courteously entreated, and the rather, because you can speake this countrey language. I vnderstand it in deede, said the Knight without rest, and speake it indifferently, as my Squire can doo also: but this Gentleman (meaning Liboran) is ignorant therein, and therefore counterfeiteth himselfe dumbe, that he might not be knowne, nor we by him. A good deuise, answered Broantine: stay héere (if you please) till I returne, I will goe make report of you to the Gouernour, and by my spéeches you shall be freendly wel∣commed. So went Broantine to the Gouernour, to whome he said, that the Knight without rest was of his acquain∣tance, a man valiant, hardy, and couragious, professing the same lawe that he did. The Gouernour thinking Broan∣tine was a Pagan, and the Knight without rest in like ma∣ner, was glad of his arriuall, and hoping to haue his assi∣stance in the warres, which the King had with the King of Panonia, sent Broantine to him againe, intreating him to dine with him the next day. According to the Gouernours request the next day, the knight without rest came to the Pallace, where he was entertained verie honorably, the Gouernour vsing these words to him.

Sir Knight, our Captaine Broantine hath made such report of your forwardnes in Armes, as while I liue you must account me your fréend: and I will let the King vn∣derstand of your being heere, that he may accept of you as men of vertue deserue. My Lord, answered the knight without rest, I beséech ye thus to aduertise his Maiestie, that there is no Gentleman more readie to his seruice, then I will be, and happie doo I account my selfe, if I can doo any thing worthy his good liking. In this warres a∣gainst the King of Panonia will I shew my selfe, and this Gentleman (pointing to Liboran) who long since lost his spéech, by a catharre that bred within his throate: yet is not his vertue or prowesse any thing diminished, for good

experience haue I had of his noble chiualrie. Liboran ga∣thering by countenance of the knight without rest 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the vsed these words on his behalfe: with reuerence to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Go∣uernour, gaue a signe with his head and hands, that he was likewise willing to make one in the Kings seruice, which he courteously accepting, embraced them both, being sorie that Liboran had such an imperfection, so that long after he was called the dumbe Knight. The Gouernour walking with them in the great Hall, declared the whole cause of the warre, betwéene the King his maister, and the King of Panonia, and how within two or thrée dayes he meant to bid him battell.

As for the matter of their discord, it grew by this occa∣sion: that the King of Aquilea refused to giue his daugh∣ter Nonparelia in marriage to the King of Panonia, nor the yong Princesse her selfe could not be perswaded to like of him, by reason of the many bad qualities he was endued withall, as also he was a man verie much defourmed. In déede my Lord, answered the knight without rest, I haue oftentimes heard, that the Princesse Nonparelia is the flower of the world for beawtie, an ill match were it then, that so sweete a Lady should haue a husband so hard fauoured. And the onely cause of my comming into this Countrey, was to defend her honor in this enterprised warre, as the Lady beyond all other in rare perfections. Soone after they sate downe to dinner, where wanted no store of costly delicates: and the Tables were no sooner withdrawne, but there entred the Hall a comely aged La∣die, her face all besprent with teares, and her sorrowfull lookes bewraying the anguish of her spirit. A good while she stoode viewing all the Lords, not speaking one word, till the Gouernour moued with pitie, thus spake. Faire Lady, full well doth your countenance bewray, that something hath happened scant to your liking: boldly deliuer the cause of your sadnes, and may I in any thing giue you re∣dresse, be you assured I will perfourme it.

Alas my Lord, quoth she, my case requireth present as∣sistance, for my husband comming with his Sonne to this Citie, onely to aide the King in his warres, foure Knights set vpon them in the Forrest neere at hand, and binding them both hands and feete, haue forcibly caried them a∣way, threatning in most cruell sort to murther them, for some priuate displeasure conceiued against them. The knight without rest presently offered himselfe, desiring the Gouernour that he might redresse the Ladyes wrong: and hauing obtained leaue for his departure, with Libo∣ran, Lycelio, and Captaine Broantine, went immediatly to horssebacke. So riding with the Lady, at length they ouertooke the foure Knightes, who with great cudgels cruelly did beate the Ladies Husband and Sonne: where∣at, the knight without rest highly offended, gaue y^t spurres to his horsse to encounter w^t them. But Liboran by signes, and Broantine by intreaties, perswaded him to suffer them deale with the foure Knightes, which they did verie vali∣antly, and killing them all foure, deliuered the Knight and his Sonne safely to the Lady. Afterward they rode to the Knightes Castell, where their wounds receiued in fight being searched and bound vp, they were estéemed as their vertues deserued, the good Lady vsing all the meanes she could deuise, to expresse her thankefulnes for this noble courtesie. But the knight without rest still minded Nonpa∣relia, thinking each houre a yéere, till he might sée her: and therefore practised as much as in him lay, the speedie reco∣uerie of Broantine, and Liboran, that he might set forward to the mistresse of his thoughts.