The famous history of the seven champions of Christendom St. George of England, St. Denis of France, St. James of Spain, St. Anthony of Italy, St. Andrew of Scotland, St. Patrick of Ireland, and St. David of Wales. Shewing their honourable battels by sea and land: their tilts, justs, turnaments, for ladies: their combats with gyants, monsters and dragons: their adventures in foreign nations: their enchantments in the Holy Land: their knighthoods, prowess, and chivalry, in Europe, Africa, and Asia; with their victories against the enemies of Christ. Also the true manner and places of their deaths, being seven tragedies: and how they came to be called, the seven saints of Christendom. The first part.

CHAP. V.

Of the Champions return to Ierusalem, and after how they were al∣most famished in a Wood; and how St. George obtained them Food by his Valour in a Giant's House, with other things that hapned.

The Champions after this Battel of the Golden Fountain ne∣ver rested travelling till they arrived at the holy Hill of Si∣on, and had visited the Sepulchre, the which they found most richly Built of the purest Marble, garnished curiously by cun∣ning Architecture, with many Carbuncles of Iasper, and Pil∣lars of Ieat. The Temple where in it was erected, stood seven Degrees of Stairs down within the Ground, the Gates where∣of were of vurnisht Gold, and the Portals of refined Silver, cut as did seem out of a most excellent beautified Alabasset Rock: But in it continually burned a sweet smelling Taper, always maintained by twelve of the noblest Uirgins dwelling in Judea at∣tending still upon the Sepulchre, clad in silken Druaments, in colour like to Lillies in the flourishing pride of Summet; the which costly Attire they continually more as an evident sign of their pure and unspotted Uirginities: Many days offered up these worthy Champions their ceremonious Devotions to that sacred Tomb, washing the Marble Pavements with their true and unfained Tears, and witnessing their true and hearty Zeal, with their continual Ualleys of discharged Sighs. But at last upon an evening, when Titan's golden Beams begin to descend the western Element, as those princely minded Champions, in

company of these twelve admired Maidens, kneeled before the Sepulchre, offering up their evening Drizons, an unseen Uoice (to the amazement of them all) from a hollow Uault in the Temple uttered these words:

You magnanimous Knights of Christendom, whose true Nobilities hath circled the Earth with Reports of Fame, whose bare Feet for the love of our sweet Saviour, have set more weary steps upon the parched Earth, than there be Stars within the golden Canopy of Heaven, re∣turn, return into the bloudy Fields of War, and spend not the Honours of your time in this ceremonious manner, for great things by you must be accomplished, such as in time to come shall fill large Chronicles, and cause Babes as yet unborn to speak of your honourable Atchievements. And you chast Maidens that spend your time in the Service of God, even by the plighted Promise you have made to true Virginity, I charge you to furnish forth these warlike Champions with such approved Fur∣niture as hath been offered to this Royal Sepulchre, by those traveling Knights, which have fought under the Banner of Christendom. This is the pleasure of high Fates, and this for the redress of all wrong'd In∣nocents in Earth, must be with all immediate dispatch forthwith ac∣complished. This unexpected Uoice was no sooner ended, but the Temple (in their conceits) seemed strangely to resound, like the melody of celestial Angels, or the holy Harmony of Cheru∣bins, as a sign that the Gods were pleased at their proceeding; whereupon the twelve Uirgins arose from their Contemplati∣dus, and conducted the seven Champions to the further side of Mount Sion, and there bestowed frankly upon them, seven of the bravest Steeds that they ever beheld, with martial Furni∣ture answerable thereunto, befi••ting Knights of such esteem: thus the Christian Champions being proud of their good For∣tunes, attyred themselves in rich and sumptuous Corslets, and after mounted upon their warlike Coursers, kindly bidding the Ladies adieu, betook them to the World's wide journey. This Travel began at that time of the Year, when the Summer's Queen began to spread her beautious mantle among the green and fresh Boughs, of the high and mighty Ceda••s, when as all kind of small Birds flew round about, recreating themselves in the beauty of the day, and with their well-tuned Notes making a sweet and heavenly Melody: at which time, I say, these migh∣ty and well esteemed Knights, the seven Champions of Chri∣stendom, took their way from Jerusalem, which they thought to be most used; in which they had not many days travelled through the Desarts, and over many a Mountain-top, but they were

marvelously feeble for lack of their accustomed Uictuals, and could not hide nor dissemble their great Hunger, so that the War which they sustained with Hunger, was far greater than the Battles they had fought against their Enemies, as you heard discoursed in the first Part of this History. So upon a Sum∣mer's Evening, when they had spent the day in great extremi∣ty, and night grew on, they happned into a Th••cket of mighty Trees, when as the silver Moon with her bright Beams gli∣stered most clerly; yet to them it seemed to be as dark as pitch, for they were very so etroubled for lack of that which should su∣stain them, and their Faces did shew and declare the perplexities of their Stomachs. So they sat them down upon the green and fresh Herbs, very pensive of their extream Necessity, providing to take their rests that night; but all was in vain, for that their corporal Necessities would not consen•• the eunro; but with∣out sleeping for that night, till the next day in the morning that they turned to their accustomed Travel and Journey, thinking to find some Food for the cherishing of their Stomachs, and had their Eyes always gazing about to spie some Uillage or House, where they might satisfie their Hunger, and take their Rests. Thus in this helpless manner spent they away the next day, till the closing of the Evening-light, by which time then grew so faint, that they fell to the ground with seebleness: Oh what a sorrow it was to St. George, not only for himself to see the rest of the Champions in such a miserable case, being not able to help themselves? and so parting a little from them, be la∣mented in this manner following:

Thou that hast given me many Victories; thou that hast made me Conquerour of Kings and Kingdoms; and thou by whose invincible Power I have tamed the black fac'd Furies of dark Coritus, that mask abroad the World in Humane shapes; look down sweet Queen of Chance, I say, from thy Imperial Seat; shew me some favour, and do not consent that I and my Company perish for Hunger and want of Victuals; make no delay to remedy our great Necessity; let us not be meat for Birds hovering in the Air, nor our Bodies cast as a Prey for the ravenous Beasts ranging in these Woods; but rather, if we must needs perish, let us die by the hands of the strongest Warriors in the universal World, and not basely lose our Lives with cowardly Hunger.

These and such like Lamentations uttered this valiant Cham∣pion of England, till such time as the day appeared, and the sa∣ble curtains of coal black night were with drawn. Then turned be to the rest of his Company, where he found them very weak

and feeble; but he encouraged them in the best manner he could devise, to take their Horses and try the Chance of their ut••a••t unkind Fortune. Altho St. George as they travelled was ready to Die by the way, and in great trouble of Mind for want of Food, yet rode he first to one, then to another, comforting them and making them ride a-pare; which they might very well do, for that their Horses were not so unprovided as their Masters, by reason of the goodly Grass that grew in these Woods, where∣with at pleasure they filled them every night. By this time the golden Sun had almost mounted to the top of Heaven, and the glorious prime of the Day began to approach, when they came into a Field very plain, where in the midst of it was a little Mountain, out of the which there appeared a great smoak, which gave them to understand that there should be some Habitation in that place. Then the princely minded St. George said to the other Champions: Take comfort with yourselves, and by lit∣tle and little, come forward with an calle pace, for I will ride before to see who shall be out Host this ensuing night; and of this, brave Knights and Champions, be all assur••••, whether he be pleased or no, be shall give us Lodging and Entertain∣ment like travelling Knights; and therewithal he set spurs to his Horse, and swiftly scoured away, like to a Ship with swell∣ing Sa••is upon the marble coloured Ocean; his Beast was so speedy that in a short time he approached the Mountain where at the noise and rushing of his Horse in running, there arose from the ground a mighty and terrible Giant, of so great height, that he seemed to be a big grown Tree, and for hugeness like to a Rock of Stone; but when he cast his staring Eyes upon the English Knight, which seemed to him like two brazen Plates, or two Torches ever flaming, he laid his hand upon a mighty Club of Iron which lay by him, and came with great lightness to meet St. George; out when he approached his presence, he thinking him to be a Knight of but small Ualour and Fortitude, he threw away his Iron Bat, and came towards the Champion, intending with his fists to buffet and beat out his Brains, but the courage of the English Champion so exceeded, that he forgot the extremity of Hunger, and like a couragious Knight raised himself in his stirrops, otherwise he could not reach his Head, and gave him such a blow upon the Fore-head with his keen edg∣ed Fauchion, that he cut his Head half in sunder, and his Brains in great abundance rai••down his deformed Body, so that ama∣zed he fell to the ground and presently died: his fall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to

make the ground to shake, as though a stony Tower had been o∣verturned, for as he lay upon the Earth he séemed to be a great Oak blown up by the Roots with a tempestuo••s Whirle-wind.

At that instant the rest of the Champions came to that place with as much joy at that present, as before they were sad and sorrowful.

And so when St. Dennis with the other Knights did sée the greatness of the Giant, and the deformity of his Body, they ad∣vanced his Ualour beyond imagination, and déemed St. George the fortunatest Champion that ever Nature framed, holding that Adventure in as high Honour, as the Grecians held Jason's Prize, when he turned from Colchos with Medea's Golden Fleece, and with as great danger accomplished as the twelve fearful Labours of Hercules; but after some few Speeches passed, St. George desired the rest of the Champions to go and see what store of Ui∣auals the Giant had prepared for him.

Whereupon they concluded, and so generally entered the Giant's House, which was in the same manner of a great Barn cut out of hard Stone, and wrought out of a Rock: therein they found a very large Copper Cauldron standing upon a Trevet of Steel, the feet and supporters thereof were as big as great Iron Pillers, under the same burned such a huge flaming Fire, that it spark∣led like the fiery Furnace in burning Acheron.

Within the Cauldron were boiling the flesh of two fat Bul∣locks, prepared only for the Giant's dinner; the sight of this ensu∣ing Banquet, gave them such comfort, that every one fell to work, hoping for their Travel to eat part of the Meat; one turned the Béef in the Cauldron, another encreased the Fire, and others pulled out the Coals, so that there was not any idle in the hope of the benefit to come.

The Hunger they had, and their desire to eat, caused them to fall to their Meat before it was half rea••y, as though that it had béen over sodden; the two Knights of Wales and Ireland not intending to dine without Bread and Drink, searched in a se∣cret hollow Cave, wherein they found two great L••aves of Bread, as big in compass as the circle of a Well, and two great Flagons full of as good Wine as ever they tasted, the which with great joy and pleasure they brought from the Cave, to the great and exceeding contentment of the other Champions.

Instead of Knives to cut their Uictuals, St. George used his Curtle-axe which had lately been stained with the hateful Gi∣ant's detested Blood, and imbrewed with his loathsome Br••ins.

Thus, and after this manner qualified they the pinching pains and torments of Hunger, whereof they took as joyful a repast as if they had vanqueted in the richest King's Palace in the World.

So being joyful for their good and happy Fortunes, St. George requested the Champions to take Horse, ••nd mounted himself up∣on his Palfrey, and so they travelled from thence thorow a nar∣row Path, which séemed to be used by the Giant, and so with great delight they travelled all the rest of that Day, till Night closed in the beauty of the Heavens; at which time they had got, to the top of a high Mountain, from whence a little before Night they did discover marvelous and great Plains, the which were inhabited with fair Cities and Towns, at which sight these Christian Champions received great contentment and joy, and so without any staying, they made haste onward on their Iourney till such time as they came to a low Ualley lying be∣twixt two running Rivers, where in the mid'st of the way they found an Image of fine Crystal, the picture and lively form of a beautiful Uirgin, which séemed to be wrought by the hands of some most excellent Workman, all to bespotted wich Blood.

And it appeared b•• the Wounds that were cunningly formed in the same Picture, that it was the Image of some Lady that had suffered Tormants, as well with terrible cutting of Irons, as cruel Whippings; the Lady's legs and arms did seem as tho' they had beén martyred, and wr••ng with cords, and about the neck, as though she had been forcibly strangled with a Napkin or Tow∣el. The Crystal Picture lay upon a rich adorned Bed of black Cloaths, under an Arbour of purple Roses: by the curious fair formed Image, sat a goodly aged Man in a Chair of Cypress∣wood; his Attire was after the manner of the Arcadian Sheep∣heards, not curious but comely, yet of a black and sable colour, as a sute sign of some deadly Discontent, his Hair hung down below his Shoulders, like untwisted Silk, in whiteness like Down of Thistes, his Beard over-grown•• dangling down as it were frozen Isikles upon a Hawthorn tree; his Face wrink∣led and over worn with Age, and his Eyes almost blind, bewail∣ing the griefs and sorrows of his Heart.

Which strange and woful spectacle, when the Christian Cham∣pions earnestly beheld, they could not by any manner of means refrain from the shedding some few so••rowful Tents in seeing before them the Picture of a Woman, of such excellent Beauty, which had been oppressed with Cruelty; but the pi••iful English Knight had the greatest Compassion, when he beheld the coun∣terfeit

of this tormented Creature, who taking Truce with his sorrowful Heart, he courteously desired the old Father, sitting by this woful Spectacle, to tell the cause of his Sorrow, and the discourse of that Lady's passed Fortunes, for whose sake he seem∣ed to spend his days in that solitary order, to whom the old Man with a number of Sighs thus kindly reply'd:

Brave Knights, for so you seem by your Courtesies and Behaviours, to tell the Story of my bitter Woes, and the Causes of my endless Sorrows, will constrain a spring of Tears to trickle from the conduits of my aged Eyes, and make the mansion of my Heart rive in twain, in remember∣ing of my undeserved Miseries; as many drops of Bloud hath fallen from my Heart, as there be silver Hairs upon my Head, and as many Sighs have I strained from my Breast, as there be Minutes in a Year, for thrice seven hundred times the Winters Frosts, hath nipt the Moun∣tain-tops since first I made those ruful Lamentations: during all which time I have sat before this Crystal Image, hourly praying that some courteous Knight would be so kind as to aid me in my vowed Revenge, and now Fortune I see hath smil'd upon me, in sending you hither to work just Revenge for the inhumane Murther of my Daughter, whose per∣fect Image lieth here carved in fine Crystal, as the continual Object of my Grief; and because you shall understand the true Discourse of her timeless Tragedy, I have written it down in a Paper-book with mine own Bloud, the which my sorrowful Tongue is not able to reveal. And thereupon he pulled from his bosom a golden covered Book, with silver Clasps, and requested St. George to read it to the rest of the Knights, to which he willingly condescended, so sitting down amongst the other Champions upon the green Grass, he open∣ed the bloudy Written-book, and read over the Contents, which contained these sorrowful Words following: