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. XXX.

¶ How the Aquilean Princes, and the Knight without rest arriued at the Court, and their gracious entertainement by the King, Queene, and faire Nonparelia.

GReat haste made the Princes of Aquilea to the Courte, that they might present the Knight without rest, to the King their Father, and when they drewe neere the Citie, such a multitude of people met thē on the way, to sée the Knight so highly renowmed, as they could not ride on for the prease & throng. At the Citie gates, they were welcommed with many learned Orations, all the stréetes being hanged with cost∣ly Tapistry, as it had béene to entertaine the greatest Mo∣narch in the world. And the good old King, very weake and crazie by reason of his late sicknesse, came in person to the

Pallace gate, accompanyed with all the Princes & Lords of his Court, when his two Sonnes hauing humbly kissed his hand, the Knight without rest would haue done the like, but the King would not permit him, wherefore he em∣braced him in his armes, as though he had béene as great a state as himselfe.

Gentle Knight, quoth he, welcome and frollick in our Court, for such report haue I heard of your vertue and prowesse, as neuer was I more desirous of any thing, then to see that worthie man, who with honorable paines la∣boured in my seruice, hazarding your life and person, for him that neuer deserued such fauour and freendship.

My Lord, answered the Knight without rest, this gra∣cious kindnesse exceedeth all report, in deigning to accept of me so honorably, I being but a poore and simple Knight errant, readie to passe straights of death in your seruice. Ah my Sonne, sayd the King, death hast thou alreadie ad∣uentured for me, for which I cannot returne sufficient re∣compence: yet if I cannot requite you effectually, my good will shall not want wheresoeuer you be, in meane time, aske what you will, and be assured to speede. So taking him by the one hand, and his Sonne Almiden by the other, he went vp into the great Hall, where the Quéene, the Princesse, and all the Courtly Ladies, being choisely tricked in their brauest accoustrements, welcommed them with meruailous kindnesse, especially Nonparelia, who shi∣ned like the morning Starre among the other virgins, her courtesies to the Prince excéeded all comparison.

These Courtly ceremonies ouerpassed, the Knightes were conducted to their chambers, to refresh themselues, and change their habites, while the roiall supper was pre∣paring. Now was the Knight without rest thoroughly set to worke, with consideration of the Princesse supernatu∣rall beautie, and longer would he haue continued in this rauishing studie: but that the Prince Zorian came to ad∣uertise him, that the King stayed onely his comming. So

walked they together into the great Hall, where the King caused the Knight without rest to sit next him at the table, and the Princesse Nonparelia right ouer against him: a thing to her no little contentation, that she might behold the worthie personage, who had gained the onely priui∣ledge of her heart. All supper time, these two louers fed on no other viands, then the one regarding the other with piercing lookes: for their amorous affections so ouer∣maisterd their sences, as they forgot to receiue any suste∣nance. The supper ended, the Lords and Ladies of the Court fell to dauncing: meane while, the Princesse Non∣parelia hauing noted the gracious behauiour of the Knight without rest, took the hardines vpon her to come néere him, and hauing with great modestie saluted him, thus spake.

As I vnderstand Sir Knight, the King my Father and all his are highly beholding to you, in respect of your hono∣rable paines in the late battell against our enemies.

Alas Madame, quoth he, if I had not as then beene pre∣sent, yet doubtlesse you had béene assured of victorie, little then is the glorie that I haue deserued.

Heerein you must pardon me Sir, aunswered the Prin∣cesse, for I haue heard credibly reported, that but for you we had lost the day: yet let me intreate so much fauour, as to tell me of whence you are, and what might be the occa∣sion of this great kindnesse, that for my fathers sake you should so gladly thrust your life into danger.

Madame, quoth he, so long since did your diuine name ouercome me, and such is your present authoritie ouer me, as death shall not make me conceale or disguise the truth to you. Knowe then sweete Lady, and hold it for certaine, that nothing procured me to assist the King your Father in his late warres, but onely your loue, beautie, and good grace: all which I haue heard so generally commended, as now I confesse report hath not feigned.

In sooth my Lord, quoth she, such vertues as you speake of, are hard to be sound in me, but let it be as you please to

alleadge, yet no one is so much bound to thanke you as my selfe: for if the King my Father had lost the honor of the battell, too late had it beene for me to renew the peace, falling into the subiection of the verie worst man in the world, to whome my selfe denied the request of marriage, and héere hence grew the warre betwéene my Father and the King of Panonia.

So much good Madame, quoth he, did I heare before, by the Gouernour of Enna, and the wise Lady Orbiconte, who intreated me and my companie verie honorably at her Pallace, and if in this action I haue done you any ser∣uice, I account my labour well bestowed, and repute my selfe beyond all other in fortune: hauing disappointed a Prince so contrarie to the vertues and perfections, where∣with your gracious nature is accompanied, for a man of so bad conditions, ought to haue sorted out one like to him∣selfe.

In déede my Lord, quoth she, you haue said the truth, notwithstanding, his euill disposed and deformed bodie made me not refuse him, but his great defect of vertue and honestie: for the gifts of the mind are to be preferred be∣fore those of nature, yet was he acquainted neither with the one or other. Longer would they haue continued in talke, but that the King commaunded to ceasse the daun∣cing, because the Knightes should goe rest themselues in their chambers, wherefore the Princesse (breathing a ve∣hement sigh from her inward soule) gaue the courteous good night to the Knight without rest, who hauing deuout∣ly kissed her faire white hand, followed the King to his lod∣ging, and there committing his highnesse to the fauour of the night, was by the two Princes brought to his cham∣ber, they both louing him as he had béene their brother, especially Zorian the yongest, who determined to accom∣panie him when he left the Court, and to séeke aduentures with him as a Knight errant.

As each one thus departed to his lodging, the Princesse

called Broantine to her, and enquired of him what and of whence the knight without rest was.

Madame, quoth Broantine, at this time I can hardly satisfie you, yet thus much I dare assure ye, as I vnder∣stood by the wise Lady Orbiconte, that he is discended of royall linage, and one that I am especially bound to, ha∣uing receiued vnspeakable fauours at his hands.

In sooth, said the Princesse, he may well be said to pro∣céede of royall parentage, in that his ordinarie behauiour declares no lesse: but doo you knowe the cause of his com∣ming into this Countrey, so slenderly accompanyed, and why he entred a quarrell nothing concerning himselfe?

The cause (as I haue heard) good Madame, quoth Bro∣antine, was the renowme of a Ladies beautie, famed through the world to excell the fairest.

At these words, the Princesse began bashfully to blush, séeing these spéeches agréed with those the Prince himselfe spake, which encreased the amorous fire alreadie kindled in her heart: and that did Broantine very well perceiue, yet he dissembled as though he knew nothing. So depar∣ted the Princesse to her chamber, and Broantine went pre∣sently to the knight without rest, to whome, he reuealed his talke with Nonparelia, aduising him to follow a mat∣ter so well begun, for there was hope of good successe to be expected. The Prince embracing Broantine, gaue him thanks for his freendly tidings: and the next day happened a notable occasion, both to the honor of the knight without rest and to assure him of the Princesse. For Sulbern cousin to the Giant Muzimalde came and challenged the Com∣bate, against him that slew his kinseman: which the knight without rest accepting, in open feeld ouercame his proude enemie, and thereby wonne the especiall good liking of the King and the whole Court. Yet was not this Combate sought without great daunger, in respect Sulbern was a man in stature equall to Muzimalde, and two such mon∣strous aduersaries, would put an approued champion to

his triall: but though the Knight without rest was verie sore wounded, and many times brought in hazard of his life, yet at length he bare away the honor of the féeld, and the head of his enemie as a present to his mistresse. Now doth Venus lighten all her Lampes, and the religious lo∣uers approch her altars, offering vp the incense of sem∣blable affections: she triumphing in the loue of so braue a Knight, and he gloryi••g in the onely Dame for beautie, the successe whereof héereafter ensueth.