〈…〉〈…〉 may note in Bradamant a worthy example of deuotion, that in her sodaine mishap, had recourse 〈…〉〈…〉. In the great praise of Rogero and Bradamant his posterittie, noblemen and gentlemen of good houses may take 〈…〉〈…〉 father vertu us ancestors, and thinke themselves beloved of God, and blessed with great temporall blessings, 〈…〉〈…〉 not from their worthy sure fathers. Also we may note, that commonly good parents bring good children.
〈…〉〈…〉 Melyssa brings Bradamant by intricate wayes from the cave, and instructs her how to confound Atlan∣tes 〈…〉〈…〉 good and godly counsel makes men overcome all troubles, and enables them to withstand all wic∣•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 that Bradamant dissembles with Brunello, we may gather a lesson, which in this age we be too apt 〈…〉〈…〉, name••, to dissimble with dissemblers.
〈…〉〈…〉 is diners, it diuers, and therefore I meane to note the principallest of them, as far as my litle reading 〈…〉〈…〉: and first for Merlin (called the English Prophet) I know many are hard of beleef, and think it a meeresable that is written both of his birth, of his life, and chiefly of his death: for his birth, indeed I beleeue not that he 〈…〉〈…〉 by an Incubus, yet the possibilitie thereof might be proued by this place: ••rather held with the great clerk Bellarmine, that such birth is either impos∣sible, or teacher to the great Antichrist when he shall come. But concerning his life, that there was such a man, a great 〈…〉〈…〉 to King Arthur, I hold it certaine: that he had a castle in ••shire called after him Merlinsburie, (now Marl∣••, 〈…〉〈…〉 likely, the old ruines whereof are yet seene in our highway from Bath to London. Also the great stones of 〈…〉〈…〉 and number, that he scattered about the place, have given occasion to some to report, and others 〈…〉〈…〉 wrought by his great spill in Magicke, as likewise the great stones at Stonage on Salis∣••••, 〈…〉〈…〉, which the ignorant people beleeue be brought out of Ireland: and indeed the wiser sort can rather maruel at, 〈…〉〈…〉 they were set there. But for the manner of his death, and place of his buriall, it is so diuersly written 〈…〉〈…〉 countreys chalienged, as a man may be bolder to say that all of them are saise, then that any of them 〈…〉〈…〉 will have him buried in Cornewall, some in Wales (where they say he was borne,) Ariosto by Poeticall li∣sence, 〈…〉〈…〉 or him in France, and the fiction of the tombe is taken of a former fiction in King Arthurs booke, 〈…〉〈…〉, that Merlin being exceedingly in loue with the Ladie of the Lake (to brag of his cunning) shewed her one day 〈…〉〈…〉 deuices of his, a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he had made of sufficient capacitie to hold him and his wife, and withall 〈…〉〈…〉 a charme, which being pronounced in an order that he shewed her, the toombe would close, and neuer againe be opened. She having no mind to him, or rather indeed flatly hating him, grew on the sodaine very gamesome with him, 〈…〉〈…〉 him some extraordinary kindnesse, and in the end for want of better pastime would needs perswade him to 〈…〉〈…〉 would hold them both, and so offered her selfe to go in with him: he suspecting nothing lesse then her malicious purpose, went imply in, and straight she shut him in with the couer, and bound it so fast with the charme, as it will ne∣uer 〈…〉〈…〉. This I thought good to set donne for expounding the II. Staffe of this booke the plainer, not that any matter here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 worth the noting, without it be to warne men not to tell such dangerous secrets to women, except they 〈…〉〈…〉 to imitate the wisedome of Cato in repenting it after. And thus much for Merlin. The rest of the booke 〈…〉〈…〉 a true historie, and is a repetition of the pedegrue of Alfonso Duke of Ferrara, with some briefe touches 〈…〉〈…〉 of their great exploits in Italie: the exposition of all which, I will not pursue at length, as being 〈…〉〈…〉 the learned this haue read those stories, and not very pleasant to the ignorant, nor familiar to our nation. 〈…〉〈…〉 some very few of them, such as I thinke most necessary, and omit the rest, or referre those 〈…〉〈…〉 to informe themselues to some authors where they may reade it more at large.
Rogero 〈…〉〈…〉 Bradamant, and this Rogero so much spoken of in this whole booke, came with Charles the great into 〈…〉〈…〉, where among other Venetian captaines that holpe to suppresse Desiderius king of Lombardie: this Rogero 〈…〉〈…〉 so good seruice, that the Emperour in reward gaue him and his heires the honors of Calaon and Este, neare 〈…〉〈…〉.
The ••r••me came to be the crest of the Vicounts of Millaine by this occasion: Otho a valiant man of that family, in the 〈…〉〈…〉 that Gedfrey of Bullen made to Ierusalem, called the holy warres, did fight at the siege of Ierusalem hand to hand with Voluce, 〈…〉〈…〉 of the 〈…〉〈…〉, and sue him, whose to make himselfe more terrible, did carry on his crest a huge vi∣per deucuring of a 〈…〉〈…〉. Euer since in memory hereof that house carries the viper.
Betingats 〈◊〉〈◊〉 name there were three, but the chiefe man (meant here) was nephew to the first, and came after the death of 〈…〉〈…〉 grandfather into Italie, and preuailed so farre that he was proclaimed Augustus, and made his sonne King of I 〈…〉〈…〉 with title King of Romanes: but Agapitus then Bishop of Rome, called in Otho King of the Almaines I deliuer Italie from the ••••ranny of the Beringars, who ouercame them, and used them after with great clemency, till afterward the feeling b••he••••e fan usurping Pope t••t••rannize as before, the same Otho came againe, and in fine desir 〈…〉〈…〉, in which it seemes Albertazzo did some great seruice.
Of Fruderike Barbarossa Sabellicus a riteth, that he maintained Octauius Antipapa (or vsurping Pope) against Alexander, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great in Italy in Italy, and much bloodshed, and that the Romanes were so crushed in one battel that he 〈…〉〈…〉 they would neuer be able againe to hold up their heads. But after this, Barbarossa both prosecuted by his enemies, and 〈…〉〈…〉 with the plague in his camp, was glad to fly into Germany: and comming back with new forces, 〈…〉〈…〉, the confederats unquished and 〈…〉〈…〉, and driuen in the end to craue Pope Alexanders fauour. Of this Alexander 〈…〉〈…〉 make great bo••••t how they restored him, and haue the story ingrauen or painted in one of their 〈…〉〈…〉 Churches for the Pope saying that her in disgussed aparell, and lining closely in the towne like a poore Priest, 〈…〉〈…〉 Crano discouered him, and made him, be greatly honoured by the whole city, by whom as is a aforesaid 〈…〉〈…〉.
〈…〉〈…〉 Guelss and Ghebellines is spoken of (though it would ask a long discourse to tel the original