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. VI.

A wonderful and strange Adventure that happ'ned to St. George his Sons, in the persuit of their Father, by finding certain drops of Blood, with Virgin's Hair scattered in the Field, and how they were certi∣fied of the injurous dealing of the Knight of the Black Castle against the Queen of Armenia.

MAny and dangerous were the Adventures of the three young Princes in the pursuit of their Father St. George, and ma∣ny were the Countries, Islands, and Princes Courts, that they searched to obtain a wished sight of his Martial Countenance, but all to small purpose, for Fortune neither cast them happily upon that Coast where he with his Famous Champions had their Residence, nor luckily sounded in their Ears the places of their Arrival. In which pursuit I omit and pass over many Noble Adventures that these three Princes atchieved, as well upon the raging Ocean, as upon the firm Land, and only dis∣course upon an Accident that hapned to them in an Island border∣ed upon the Confines of Armenia, near unto the Island where the Knight of the Black Castle remained, as you heard in the last Chapter; upon which Coast after they were arrived, they tra∣velled in a broad and straigh Path, until such time as they came to a very fair and delectable Forrest, whereas sundry creep∣ing Birds had gathered themselves together, to refresh and

shroud themselves from the parching Heat of the golden Sun, filling the Air with the pleasures of their sh••ill-tuned Notes. In this Forrest they travelled almost two hours, and then they w••nt up to the top of a small Mountain which was at hand, from the which they discovered very fair and well-tow••ed Towns, Prince∣ly Palaces, very sumptuous to behold; likewise they discovered from the Hill a fair Fountain wrought all of Marble like unto a Pillar, out of which did proceed tour Spouts running with Water, which fell into a great Cistern, and coming to it, they washed their Hands, refreshed their Faces, and so departed.

After they had looked round about them on every-side, and to∣ward their right hand they espied amongst a company of green Trees, a small Tent of black Cloath, towards which these young Princes directed their Courses, with an easie Pace, but when they had entred the Tent, and saw no body therein, they remained silent a while, hearkning if they could hear any stir∣ring, but they could neither see nor hear any thing, but only they found the print of certain little Feet upon the Sand, which caused them more earnestly to desire to know whose Foot-steps they were, for that they seemed to be some Ladies or Damsels: so finding the Trace they followed them, and the more the Knights followed, the more the Ladies seem∣ed to hast, so long they pursued after the Trace, that at the end they approached a little Mountain, whereas they sound scat∣tered about certain locks of yellow Hair, which seemed like threads of Gold, and stooping to gather them up, they percei∣ved that some of them were wet with drops of Blood, where∣by they well understood, that in great anger they were pul∣led from some Lady's Head: likewise they saw in divers places how the Earth was spotted with spots of crimson Blood: then with a more Desire than they had before, they went up to the top of that little Mountain, and having lost the Foot-steps, they recovered it again by gathering up the Hair, whe••e they had not travelled far upon the Mountain, but towards the Waters-side they ••eard a grievous Complaint, which seemed to be the Uoice of a Woman in great Distress, and the words which the Knights did understand, were these:

O Love! now shalt thou no more rejoyce, nor have any longer do∣minion over me, for Death I see is ready to cut my thred of Life, and finish these my sorrowful Lamentations: how often have I ask'd Re∣vengement at the Hands of Fortune against that wicked Wretch that hath been the causer of my Banishment, but yet she will not 〈◊〉〈◊〉

my Request: how oft have I made my sad Complaints to Hell, ye•• have the fatal Furies stopt their Ears against my mournful Cries. And with this she held her peace, giving a sorrowful Sigh, which being done, the three Christian Knig••ts turned their Eyes to the place from whence they heard this Complaint, and discovered among certain green Trees, a Lady who was endued with sin∣gular Beauty, being so excellent, that i•• almost dep••ived them of their Hearts, and captived their Senses in the snares of Love, which liberty as yet they never lost: she had her Hair aboue her Ears, which hung defusedly down her comely Shoul∣ders through the Uiolence she used against herself, and lean∣ing her Cheek upon her delicate white Hand that was all to be∣spotted with Blood, which was constrained by the scratching of her Nails upon her rosie coloured Face: by her stood another Damsel which they conjectured to be her Daughter, for she was clad in Uirgin-coloured Silk as white as the Lillies of the Fields, and as pleasant to behold, as the glistering Moon in a clear Winter fréezing Night; notwithstanding all this delect∣able sight the three princely Knights would not discover them∣selves, but stood closely behind three Pine trees which grew near unto the Mountain, to hear the event of this sad Accident; whereas they stood cloked in silence, they heard her thus to con∣fer with her beautiful Daughter:

Oh my Rosana (quoth she) the unhappy figure of him, that with∣out pity hath wounded my Heart, and left me comfortless with the greatest cruelty that ever Knight or Gentleman left Lady: How hath it been possible that I have had the force to bring up thee, the Child of such a Father which hath bereaved me of my Liberty! O you Sove∣raign Powers, grant that I may establish in my mind the remembrance of the Love of thy adulterous Father? O Girl, born to a further Grief, here do I desire the guiders of thy Fortunes, that thy glistering Beauty may have such force and power, whereby the shining beams thereof may take revengement of the dishononr of thy Mother: give ear, dear Child, I say, unto thy dying Mother, thou that art born in the Dishonour of thy Generation, by the loss of my Virginity, here do I charge thee upon my Blessing, even at my hour of Death, and swear thee by the band of Nature, never to suffer thy Beauty to be enjoyed by any one, until thy disloyal Father's Head be offered up in Sacrifice unto my Grave, thereby somewhat to appease the fury of my discontented Soul, and recover part of my former Honour.

These and such like words spake the as afflictes Queen, to the wonderful amazement of the thrée young Knights, which as yet

intended not to discover themselves, but still to mark the event, for they conjectured that her woful Complaints were the indual∣on of some strange Accident: Thus as they stood obscurely be∣hind the Trees, they saw the young and beautiful Damsel give unto her dying Mother, Payer, Pen and Ink, the which she pulled from her fair B••som, with which the grieved Queen sub∣scribed certain sorrowful Lines unto him that w•••• the causer of her Bam••tment, and making an end of her Writing, then heard her (with a dying Breath) speak unto her Daughter these sorrowful Words following:

Come Daughter (quoth she) behold thy Mother at her latest Gasp, and imprint my dying Request in thy Heart, as in a Table of Brals, that it never may be forgotten; time will not give longer respite, that with Words I may shew unto thee my deep Affections, for I feel my Death approaching, and the fatal Sisters ready to cut my thread of Life asunder between the edges of their Shears, insomuch that I most miserable Creature do feel my Soul trembling in my Flesh, and my Heart quivering at this my last and fatal Hour, but one thing (my sweet and tender Child) do I desire of thee before I die, which is, That thou wouldest procure that this Letter may be given to that cruel Knight thy disloyal Father, giving him to understand of this my troublesome Death, the occasion whereof was his unreasonable Cruel∣ty: and making an end of laying this, the miserable Queen fell down, not having any more strength to sit up, but let the Letter fall out of her hand, the which her sorrowful Daughter presently took up, and falling upon her Mother's Breast, she replied in this sorrowful manner:

O my sweet Mother, tell me not that you will die, for it adds a Tor∣ment more grievous unto my Soul than the Punishment which Danaus his Daughters feel in Hell: I had rather be torn in pieces by the fury of some merciless Monster, or to have my Heart parted in twain by the hands of him that is my greatest Enemy, than to remain without your company. Sweet Mother, let these my youthful Years and this green budding Beauty encourage you still to revive, and not to leave me comfortless, like an Exile in the World; but if the gloomy Fates do triumph in your Death, and abridge your breathing trunk of Life, and your Soul must needs go wander in the Elizian Shades, with Tru∣la's Shadow, and with Dido's Ghost, here I protest by the great and tender Love I bear you, and by the due Obedience that I own unto your Age, either to deliver this your Letter into the hand of my unkind Father, or with these my ruful Fingers to rend my Heart in sunder; and before I will forget my Yow, the silver streamed Tygris shall forsake

her Course, the Sea her Tydes, and the glistering, Queen of Night her usual Changes, neither shall any Forgetfulnes•• be an occasion to with∣draw my Mind from performing your dying Requests: Then this weak Queen, whose Power and Strength was wholly decayed, and her hour of Dea••h grew near a•• hand, with a feeble Uoice she said. O you sacred and immortal Gods, and all you bright celesti∣al Powers of Happiness, into your divine Bosomes now do I commend my dying Soul, asking no other Revengement against the causer of my Death, but that he may die l••ke me for want of Love.

After this the d••ing Queen n••v••r spake word more, for at that instant the cruel ••estin••es gave an end unto her Life; but when Rosana pe••ceived her to be Dead, and she left to the World devoid of Comfort, sh•• began to tear the golden Trammels from her Head, and most ••u••iou••ly to beat her where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Breast, filling the empty Air with ••lamours of her M••a••s, making t••e Sk••e•• like an Eccho to resound her Lamentations, and at last taking her M••ther's Letter into her hands, washing it with floods of Tears, and pu••t••ng it next unto her naked Breast, she said▪ Here lie thou, near adjoyning to my bleeding Heart, never be removed until I have performed my dying Mother's Testament. Oh Works, and the last Work of those her dying Hands, here do I swear by the Honour of true Virgins, not to part it from my grieved Bosome, until such time as Love has rent the disloyal Heart of my un∣kind Father; and speaking this she kissed it a t••ousand times, breat••ing forth millions of Sighs, and so with a blu••••ing Coun∣tenance, as red as Aurora's glistering Beams, she ••ose, and said to hersel••, What is this Rosana, dost thou think to recal thy Mo∣ther's Life with ceremonious Complaints, and not perform that which by her was commanded thee? Arise, arise, I say, gather unto thyself Strength and Courage, and wander up and down the World, till thou hast found thy disloyal Father, as thy true heart hath promised to do.

The••e words were no sooner finished, but St. George's Sons like Men whose Hearts were almost overcome with G••ief, came f••o•• the Pine-trées, and discovered themselves to the Damsel, and courteously requested her to discourse the Story of all her p••s∣sed M••series, and as they were true Christian K••ights they pro∣mised her (if it lay in their Power) to relea••e her Sorrows, and to give end unto her Miseries. Rosana when she beheld these courteous an•• well d••meano••'d Kn••ghts, which in her conceit carried relenting Minds, and considering how kind••y they d••si∣red to be pa••tners in her Greifs she stood not ••••en curious Terms, nor upon Exceptions, but most wi••••ingly condescend∣ed

to their Requests; so when they had prepared their Ears to entertain her sad and sorrowful Discourse, with a sober Counte∣nance, she began in this manner:

Lately I was (quoth he) whilst Fortune smiled on me, the only Child and Daughter of this liveless Queen that you behold here lying Dead, and she before my Birth, whilst Fortune granted her Prosperity, was the Maiden Queen of a Country called Armenia, adjoyning near unto this unhappy Island, whom in her young Years when her Beauty began to flourish, and her high Renown to mount upon the wings of Fame, she was so intrapped with the golden Bait of blind C••pid, and ••o in∣tangled with the Love of a disloyal Knight, called the Knight of the Black Castle who after he had flourisht in the spoil of her Virginity, and had left his fruitful Seed springing in her Womb, grew weary of her Love, and most discourteously left her as a Shame unto her Coun∣trey, and a Stain unto her Kindred, and after gave himself to such Lust∣ful and Lascivious manner of Life, that he unlawfully Married a Shep∣herd's Daughter in a Forreign Land, and likewise ravished her own Si∣ster, and after committed her to a most inhumain Slaughter in a desart Wood: this being done, he fortified himself in his Black Castle, and only consorted with a cunning Necromancer, whose skill in Magick is now grown so excellent, that all the Knights in the World can never conquer the Castle, where ever since he hath remained in despight of the whole Earth.

But now speak I of the tragical Story of my unhappy Mother, when as I, her unfortunate Babe, began first to struggle in her Womb, where∣in I wish I had been strangled; she heard news of her Knight's ill de∣meanour, and how he had given himself to the spoyl of Virginity, and had for ever left her Love, never intending to return again, the Grief whereof so troubled her Mind, that she could not in any wise dissemble it; and so upon a time being amongst her Ladies, calling to remembrance her spotted Virginity, and the Seed of Dishonour placed in her Womb, she fell into a wonderful and strange Trance, as though she had been oppressed, with sudden Death, which when her Ladies and Damsels beheld, they presently determined to unbrace her rich Ornaments, and to carry her unto her Bed, but she made Signs with her hands that they should depart and leave her alone, whose Com∣mandment was straightways obeyed, not without great Sorrow of them all, for their Loves were dear unto her; this afflicted Queen, when she saw that she was alone, began to exclaim against her Fortune, re∣viling the Fates with bitter Exclamations.

Oh unconstant Queen of Chance (said she) thou that hast wraped such strange Webs in my Kingdom, thou that gaved my Honour to that

Tyrant's Lust, which without all Remorse hath left me Comfortless, it is thou that didst constrain me to set my Life to sale, and to sell my Honour as it were with the Cryer, compelling me to do that which hath spotted my princely Estate, and stained my bright Honour with black Infamy: woe is me for Virginity! that which my Parents gave me charge to have Respect unto, but I have carelesly kept it and smal∣l•• regarded it: I will therefore chastise my Body, for thus forgetting of myself, and be so revenged for the little regard that I have made of my Honour, that it shall be an Example to all noble Ladies and Princes of high Estate in the whole World. Oh miserable Queen! oh fond and unhappy Lady! thy Speeches be too foolish, for although thy desperate Hand should pull out thy despised Heart from thy bleeding Breast, yet can it not make satisfaction for thy Dishonour. O you Clouds! why do you not cast some fiery Thunder-bolt down upon my Head? or why doth not the Earth gape and swallow my infamous Body? oh false and deceived Lord, I would thy loving and amorous Words had never been spoken! nor thy quick-sighted Eyes ever gazed upon my Beauty, then had I flourisht still with Glory and Renown, and lived a happy Virgin of chaste Diana's Train.

With these and other like Lamentations this grieved Queen passed away the time from Day to Day, till at last she felt her Womb to grow Big with Child: at the which she received double Pain, for that it was impossible to cover or hide it, and see∣ing her self in this case, like a Woman hated and abhorted, she determined to discover herself Publickly unto her Subjects, and deliver her Body unto them to be Sacrificed unto their Gods: and with this Determination one day she caused certain of her Nobles to be sent for, who straight-way came, according to her Commandment, but when she perceived her Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen of Honour were come thither before her, she covered herself with a rich Robe, and sat upon her Bed in her private Chamber, being so pale and lean, that all they that saw her had great compassion upon her Sorrow; being all set round about her Bed, and keeping silence, she revealed to them the cause of her grief in this manner:

My Lords (quoth she) I shame to entitle myself your Queen and Soveraign, in that I have desamed the honour of my Country, and lit∣tle regarded the Welfare of my Common-wealth, my glistering Crown me thinks is shaded with a Cloud of black Disgrace, and my princely Attire converted into unchaste Habiliments, in which I have both lost the liberty of my Heart, and withal my wonted Joy, and now am con∣strained to indure perpetual Pain, and an ever-pining Death, for I

have lost my Honour, and reaped nothing but Shame and Infamy. To conclude, I have foregone the liberty of a Queen, and sold myself to a slavish Sin, only mine own is the Fault, and my own shall be the Pu∣nishment. Therefore without making any Excuse, I here surrender up my Body into your Powers, that you may (as an evil Queen) sacrifice me unto our Gods, for now my Lords you shall understand, that I am dishonoured by the Knight of the Black Castle, he hath planted a Vine within my fruitful Garden, and also sown a Seed within my ac∣cursed Womb, that hath made Armenia Infamous; he it is that hath committed hourly Evils in the World, he it is that delights in Virgins Spoyls, and he it is that hath bereaved me of my Honour, but with my Consent I must needs confess, and left me for a Testimony of this my evil Deed, big with Child, by which my Virgin's Glory is con∣verted to a monstrous Scandal: and with this she made an end of her lamentable Speech, and being grievously oppressed with the pain of her burthenous Womb, she fat her down upon her rich Bed, and attended their Wills.

But when those Earls, Lords, and honourable Parsouages that were present, had understood all that the Queen had said un∣to them, like Men greatly amazed, they changed their colours from red to white, and from white to red, in sign of Anger look∣ing one upon another, without speaking any Words, but print∣ing in their Hearts the Fault doue by their Queen, to the great disgrace of their Country, they without any further considera∣tion, deprived her from all Princely Dignity, both of Crown and Regiment, and pronounced her perpetual banishment from Armenia, like Subjects not to be governed by such a defamed Princess, that hath gra••ted the Fruit of such a Tree within her Womb.

So at the time appointed, like a Woman forlorn and hated of all Companies, she stored herself with sufficient Treasure and betook herself to her appointed Banishment. After whose departure, the Armenians elected themselves another Prince, and lest their lustful Queen wandring in unknown Islands, big with Childs d••void of Succour and relief, where inflead of her princely Bed covered with Eanopies of Silk, the took her night∣ly Reposes upon the green Grass, shadowed with the fable Eur∣tains of the Skies, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that were provided against her Delivery were Nymphs and Fayries dancing in the night by Proserpine's Commandment. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in great Gr••ei continued s••e many days, contenting her self with her appointed Banishment, making her Lamentations to wispering Winds, which seemed

in her conceit to re-answer her Complaints: at length the glist∣ering Moon had ten times borrowed light of golden Phoebus and the nights that Candle was now almost ex••inguished, by which time approached the hour of her laboursome Travel, where without hel•• of a Woman, she was delivered of me her unhap∣py Daughter, where ever since I have been nourished in these unfrequented Woods, and many times when I came to years of Discretion, my woful Mother would discourse unto me this Ia∣mentable Story of both our Miseries, the which I have most tru∣ly declared unto you.

Likewise she told me, that many times in my Infancy, when she wanted Milk in her Breasts to nourish me, there would come a Lyoness, and sometimes a she-Beat, and gently give me suck, and contrary to the Nature of wild Beasts, they would many times sport with me, whereby she conjectured that the immortal Powers had preserved me for some strange For∣tune: Likewise at my Birth Nature had pictured upon my Breast directly betwixt my two Paps the lively form of a pur∣ple Rose, which as yet doth beautifie my Bosom with a Uermi∣lion colour, and this was the cause that my Mother named me Rosana, answerable to my Natures Mark. After this we lived many a year in great Distress, Penury and Want, intreating Time to redress our Woes, more often then we had lived Hours; the abundance of our Tears might suffice to make warry Seas, and our Sighs counterhall the Stars. But at last, the fatal Sisters listning to my Mother's Moans, and to my great Sor∣rows deprived her of Life, where now I am left a comfortless Orphan to the World, attending the time until I find some courteous Knight that may conduct me to the Black Castle, where my disloyal Father hath his Residence, that I may there perform my Mother's dying Will.

These words being finished, Rosana stood silent, for that her extream Brief hindred the passage of her Tongue, and her Eyes rained such a shower of pearled Tears upon the liveless Body of her Mother, that it constrained St. George's Sons to express the like Sorrow: where after they had le•• fall a few salt Tears down from their sad Eyes and had taken te••ce for a time with Brief, they took Rosana by the hand (which before that time never touched the hand of any Man) and protested never to de∣part from her cont••any till they had safely conducted her to the Black Castle. Thus after this when the Christian Knights had pitifully bewailed the Misery and untimely Death or her

Mother, they took their Daggers and digged a Grave under a Bay-tree, and buried her Body therein, that hungry Ravens might not seize upon it, nor furious Bears tear it in pieces, nor ravenous Harpies devour it, and after with the point of their Daggers, they engraved this Epitaph in the rinde of the Bay∣tree; which words were these that follow:

The Epitaph over the Grave of the unfortunate Queen of Armenia.

Here lies the Body of a helpless Queen, Whose great Good-will to her small Joy did Bring; Her willing Mind requited was with Teen, Though she deserv'd, for love, a Regal King: And as her Corpse inclosed here doth lie, Her luckless Fate, and Fame should never die.

So when they had made this Epitaph and covered her Grave with green Turfs, they departed forward on their Iourney, towards thee Black Castle, where we will leave them in their Travels, and return to the disloyal Leoger, and how he fortified his Castle by Magick Art, according to the learned skill of a ••unning Necromancer, and of the Adventure that hapned to St. George with the other three Christian Champions in the same Castle; therefore grant you immortal Powers of invention, that my Pen may be dipt in the Water of that learned Foun∣tain, where the nine Sisters do inhabit, that by the help of that sweet Liquor my Muse may have a delightful Uein, so that mixing the speech of Mercury, with the prowess of Mars, I may discourse the strangest Accident that ever hapned to wandring Knights.