The ancient, famous and honourable history of Amadis de Gaule Discoursing the aduentures, loues and fortunes of many princes, knights and ladies, as well of Great Brittaine, as of many other kingdomes beside, &c. Written in French by the Lord of Essars, Nicholas de Herberay, ordinarie commissarie of the Kings artillerie, and his lieutenant thereof, in the countrie and gouernment of Picardie, &c.

CHAP. VIII. (Book 8)

How the third day after the Gentleman of the sea departed from king Lan∣guines, the three Knights, came to the Court, bringing with them the wounded Knight in a Litter, and his disloyall wife.

ON the third day after the Prince lest the Court of King Lan∣guines, where hee re∣ceiued the order of Knight-hood, the three Knights came thither, with their wounded brother and his trothlesse wife, of whom the discourse hath beene al∣ready recited. At their arriuall they presented him before the King, letting him vnderstand the cause of their comming, and deli∣uering their prisoner on the new Knights behalfe, to deale with her as he should thinke conuenient. Greatly did the King 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at the womans disloyaltie, not ima∣gining such wickedn•••• could haue •…•…boured in her: notwithstan∣ding,

herthanked the Knight that had sent them to his Courte, yet could he not guesse who it was, for he nor any body else knew that the Gentlman of the sea was Knighted, but the Princesse Oriana, and the Ladies which accompanied her in the Chappell. Full soone was hee aduertised of his absence from the Courte, but he thought hee was gone to visite his father Candales: thē the King turning to the knight in the Litter, said. Me thinkes that a woman so vnfaithful as your wife hath beene, deserueth not to liue. My Lord, quoth the Knight, doe therein as it shal like your maistey: as for me, I will neuer consent that the thing I most loue should die. This said, the Knights tooke their leaue of the King, carying backe a∣gaine with the their brother in the Litter: leauing their sister to re∣ceiue iustice by the Kings appoint mēt, who after their departure cal∣led for her & said. Womā, thy ma∣lice hath bene too great in respect of thy husbands kindnes, but thou shalt be made an example to all o∣ther, that they heereafter offend not in the like: and so he comman∣ded her to be burned aliue. The execution being doone, the King was in greater pensiuenesse then before, because he knew not who the new knight should be, that par∣ting so suddenly from his Court: but the Squire standing by, which lodged the Gentleman of the sea, & afterward conducted him to the Castell, where he deliuered King Perion from death, began to ima∣gine that it was his guest, where∣fore he said to the King. It may be (my Lord) a yong Knight, with whom the Damosell of Denmarke and my selfe were certaine daies, and then we left him when wee came thither. Knowest thou his name? quoth the King. No my Lord, quoth the Squire, but hee is both yong and very beautyfull: be∣side I saw him do such rare deeds of Chiualrie in so little time, as in mine opinion if I liue, he will proue one of the best Knights in the world. Then discoursed he at large euery action, as also how hee deliuered King Perion in the time of great danger. When the King had noted well his taile, his desire to know him increased now more and more. My Lord, quoth the Squire, the Damosell that came hether with me, happily can tel ye more tydings of him, for it was my chance to meet them together. Of what Damosell speakest thou? said the King. Of her, answered the Squire, that lately came from great Brittaine to Madame Oriana. Presently was she sent for, and hee demanded what the Knight was of whom there went such reporte. Whereupon she declared so much as she knew, cheefely the occasion wherefore she rode with him, and in what manner the Launce was giuen him by Vrganda, as to the onely Knight in the world: but in sooth, quoth shee, I know not his name, for neuer could I learne it of him. Ah God, said the King, how may it be? Now was Oriana voyde of all doubting, for shee well knew it was her Gentleman of the sea, but shee was so grieued with the news, which the Damosell of Denmarke had brought her, as shee well knew not whom she might cōplaine to: for the king her father sent her word how she should prepare her self in readinesse to come to him, so soon as his Ambassadours should bee sent for her into Scotland. But much more willingly could she affoord to stay in that Country, then there whether she should now goe a∣gainst

her mind, not onely in re∣spect of her gentle vsage there, but because she imagined by being far thence, she should be further from him that had the prime of her af∣fection: beside, she might there hardly afterward heare any newes of him, but continuing in Scotland she could easily compasse it. In these melancholly thoughts was the amourous Princesse, and the King (on the other side) in dayly musing, what he might be that sent the foure Knights, with the wicked woman whom the fire had consumed. But fiue or sixe dayes after these matters were thus pas∣sed, as the King was conferring with his Sonne Agraies, (who now stood vpon departing toward Gaule to succour the king his Vnc∣•…•…le) there entred a Domosell, who falling on her knee before all the assembly, framed her speeches to Agraies in this manner. May it please ye my Lord, that in the pre∣sence of his highnes and this as∣sembly, I deliuer a message of im∣portance to ye; then taking the Helmet from her Squire, she thus proceeded, This Helmet thus bro∣ken and battered as ye see, I pre∣sent ye in place of Galpans head, as a token to you from a new Knight, to whom (in my iudgment) it bet∣ter belongeth to beare Armes then any other: and the cause why hee sends it you, is, for that Galpans vil∣ainously abused a Damosell, that came to you on vrgent affaires. What; quoth the King, is Galpan ouercome by the hand of one man; beleeue me Damosell you tell vs meruailes. Worthy Lord, answe∣red she, he onely of whom I speake hath done him to death, after hee had slaine all the other that resisted him in Galpans Castell and he thin∣king to reueng their foile himselfe, combated hand to hand with the Knight, but such was his bad suc∣cesse, as there with dishonor hee lost his head, which I would glad∣ly haue brought to this Court, yet doubting the corrupt fauour thereof, and being otherwise adui∣sed by him that sent me to my Lord Agraies, as testimony of his vic∣tory this Helmet may suffiise. Vn∣doubtedly, said the king to al there present, ••t it the same Knight of whose name we are ignorant: how say you Lady, cannot you resolue vs. My Lord, quoth she, I obtained it by exceeding importunity, for o∣therwise he would neuer haue told me. Say then good maiden, replied the King, to rid vs of all other doubles He nameth himselfe, said the Damosell, the Gentleman of the sea. When the King heard this, he was greatly abashed, and so were all the other likewise, afterward he thus speake. By my faith, I am assu∣redly perswaded, that whosoeuer Knighted him, needs not be asha∣med thereof, seeing so long time he requested it of me, and I defer∣red it for occasions which I needed not to haue done, seeing Chiualry is in him already so well accompli∣shed. Then Araies taking occasion to speake, demanded of the Da∣mosell, where he might meet with his gentle friend. My Lord, quoth she, he humbly commendeth him-selfe to your good grace, giuing you to vnderstand by me, that you shall finde him at the warres in Gaule if you come thether. Good newes faire Damosell, said Agraies haue you brought me, now am I more desirous to be gone then be∣fore I was: and if I may find him there, with my good will shall I ne-uer leaue his company. You haue reason so to do, answered the Da∣mosel; for he loueth you as becom∣meth

a Gentleman. Great was the ioy for these good newes of the Gentleman of the sea, and if any one receiued displeasure, you must thinke it was Oriana aboue all the rest, yet was it handled so couertly, as the watchfullest eye could not desceme it. Now in meane while the king enquired by diuers meanes, how and by whom the Prince was Knighted, when at length he was aduertised, that the Ladyes attending on the Queene, could tell better then anybody els, which with much a do he obtai∣ned of them. Then may the Gentle-man of the sea, quoth he, vaunte, that he hath found more curtisie in you then in me: but the cause why I prolonged the time of his honor, was that he seemed too yong for so great a charge. In this time Agraies courteously wellcomed the Da∣mosell, who beside the Helmet, de∣liuered him letters from a Lady that deerely loued him, of whome the History hereafter maketh men∣tion. But now for this present oc∣casion, the Reader must imagine, that Agraies (without longer tary∣ing in Scotland) is departed with his Army, trauailing toward Gaule to his Vnckle King Perion.