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. XLII.

¶ What answere Palladine sent to the Duchesse Brisalda, and how Caesar returned to his faire Rosamonde, Landa∣stines, and Manteleo likewise into their countreys: and of the birth of Florano the Prince of England, Sonne to Palladine and Nonparelia.

CAesar being thus welcommed in the Court of England, both by the Lords and Ladyes, especially Nonparelia: Palladine feigning to goe vnarme himselfe, tooke the messenger from the Duchesse Brisalda with him, saying. My freend, you must néedes haue a little pacience, and according to your Ladies request, presently you shall haue a bréefe answere from me. Then calling for meke and paper, he went alone into the Warderobe, be∣cause he would not be suspected by any, and answered the Letter in this sort.

The Letter from Palladine, to the Duchesse Brisalda.

MAdame, matters hauing so strangely passed hitherto, yet without any cause of offence, you haue had some occasion to complaine, being ignorant of my hinderance in trauaile: but when you shall vnderstand, who hath beene the cause of all the honors obtained by Palladine, you will alter your conceit of displeasure toward me. I desire ye to comfort your selfe, with the sight of our little Sonne Vnyon: of whose welfare I am no lesse glad, then were I Lord of all the Orcedes. Your bed hath not béene abused, hauing thereby gained so faire a flower, and well may you

thus vaunt of your Palladine, that he is vowed to his Sonnes good fortune, maugre the crueltie of the greatest Tirant in the world. And albeit I haue espoused Nonpa∣relia, she must remaine as my wife, without diminishing any part of the good will, wherein I am indebted to Bri∣salda of the rich Islands.

Your freend for euer, Palladine.

Hauing sealed this Letter with his Seale of Armes, and bound about it a little golden Chaine, whereat he fastened a costly Diamond: he deliuered it to the messen∣ger, saying. My fréend, deliuer this from me to thy noble mistresse, with my continuall dutie to her good grace, de∣siring her to keepe this Iewell for my sake, in that it is the chéefest I make account of. As for your paines, this Chaine of gold from mine owne neck I giue ye, and let it serne as part of a recompence toward your trauaile. Thus is the messenger returned to the Duchesse, who hauing read the Letter from Palladine, qualified her sorrowe•• by good per∣swasions, and afterward maried with the Prince Alf••an of Ireland. Now commeth Palladine into the great Hall, and there renewed his former communication with Caesar, and the euening being spent in Maskes and braue deuises, onely to honor the Emperours Sonne, at length they all betake themselues to their Chambers.

On the morrow, Caesar came to the Ladyes, desiring them to s••e him trie his fortune at the Statues, which he perswading himselfe able to finish, was disappointed with a shamefull repulse, the greefe whereof so offended him, as that day he secretly departed from the Court, net bidding the King or any one adiew. The day following, as Palla∣dine was walking in the Garden with the King, he entred into these speeches.

My gracious Lord and Father, hauing graunted me to marrie with the Lady, whose vertuous qualities deser∣ued

a much better husband, I greatly doubt, least the King her Father, being ignorant of our former contract, will finde himselfe so agréeued heereat, that he will seeke re∣uenge as Kings are wont to doo, which in plainer tearmes, is by the Sword. To preuent the daunger imminent in this case, our fréend Lydiseo being now King of Hungaria, through whose Dominions he must néedes passe: I thinke it not amisse to aduertise him héereof, that he may there offer resistance, while we prouide héere our men and mu∣nition in readinesse. Héereto may my Brethren of Nor∣galles and Millayne be auailing likewise, wherefore with their Wiues they intend to returne home into their coun∣treys, and they being our faithfull allyed freends, will there likewise haue their subiects in readinesse, to giue vs succour if néede shall require.

My Sonne, answered the King, séeing the marriage is accomplished, it is too late to be blamed, or now to vse spée∣ches in this behalfe, which are but friuolous and vnprofi∣table. I pray thée therefore, reserue to thy children (if thou happen to haue any) a future peace, without any cause of warre or mol••station: and well hast thou aduised vs, as concerning our beloued Brother the King of Hungaria, to whome within these ten dayes, I will send mine▪ Ambas∣sadour. Meane while, our Sonnes of Norgalles, and Millayne, shall haue all things readie to depart when they please, as loth to hinder their good determination, or any thing that may be for thy quiet and suretie. Manie other matters were that day dispatched in Councell, all of as great importance as this, which I will passe ouer with silence, because the secrets of Kings are not to bée made common.

The Ambassadour for Hungaria being dispatched, con∣duded Manteleo and his Lady to Millayne, where he left this married couple so combred with prouision for warre, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they not forgetting any part of their amorous desires, are ten monethes were past, Marcelina was deliuered

of a goodly Sonne, named Hector of Millayne, imitating his Father in déedes of chiualrie, yet beeing the first of that name that euer wan honor in the feeld.

If Manteleo was welcomed with great ioy by his Fa∣ther and his Subiects, Landastines was not inferiour to him when he entred Norgalles, where the old King Harfron his Father woorthely entertained him, being so glad of his good fortune, as hauing embraced and kissed the Princesse Floraea, the teares tricled downe his white beard with in∣ward conceite of ioy. Ah my Sonne, quoth he, how much are we bound to thanke the God of heauen, for this espe∣ciall signe of his grace and fauour? how am I and mine likewise continually to reioice, that our tribute to the Crowne of England is thus fréely forgiuen vs? in happie houre was this mariage concluded, that not onely brin∣geth a continuall league of peace, but disburdeneth vs of a paiment troublesome to our whole countrey. Now dare no enemie vexe vs with warre, séeing we haue the King of England our fréend: wherefore my Sonne, for bringing this comfort to thy Fathers hart, whose age makes him now vnfit to gouerne any longer: heere I deliuer the Crowne into thy hands, not doubting but thou wilt rule as thy Father hath doone before thee. Landastines being thus honored, and put into y^e full possession of the Crowne of Norgalles, soone after made the King his Father a Graundsire, by the birth of Don Celidon his Sonne, to the no little ioy of all his Subiects. The like good hap had the Prince Palladine, to honor the aged King Milanor withall: Nonparelia being deliuered of the yong Prince Flerano at whose birth were many good fortunes progno∣sticated, for which, the Citizens of London in signe of their reioycing, caused bonefires to be made in the streetes, and the Belles were rung day and night during the space of a sennighte.

All things being come to so good effect, and the maryed Louers in their owne Countreys, the wise Orbico••te

would now likewise take her leaue: for a mightie Griffon as red as blood, came flying from the aire into the Pal∣lace, which she laying hold vpon, came before the King Milanor and the Quéene, and to Palladine framed her sp••e∣ches in this manner.

My noble nephewe, I beséech ye as you loue your honor and renowme, and are desirous to make it immor∣tall, that you will cause your yoong Sonne to be carefully nourished: assuring you, that his deedes shall be correspon∣dent to his name, floorishing aboue all the Knightes of his time, he being the onely flower that euer grew in England. And not onely shall he be famous for deedes of Armes and Chiualrie, but vertue and loyaltie he shall haue in such commendation, as no Lady in the world shall be found woorthie of his loue, but Pamphilia Daughter to the Emperour of Greece, as yet vnborne. Florano shall loue loyally this Lady. In his loue he shall be so secret, sure, and well aduised, and she like to him in all these giftes. a•• through the world they may not be equalled. To him and her, are the aduentures of the Statues reserued, let none therefore séeke before that time to obtaine them. And now will I to Aquilea, to confirme your peace with the King my Brother, and lay downe order for his reuolt to Chri∣stianitie. Her spéeches thus ended, and fréendly embra∣cings passed on all sides: she cast her selfe on the Griffons back, and mounting into the aire, left England, and is gone toward Aquilea. With this meruailous acci∣dent we meane to pause, and héere conclude our long labour, according to the appoint∣ment of Polismar and Palnocid, aunci∣ent Historiographers of woorthy memory, who first deliuered this Historie in the Brit∣tish toong.