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THe next day, no sooner had bright Aurora vnbard her christall gates, and bridgrome like stept foorth, the glorious sunne spreading her siluer raies on old Neptunes face, but that the lusty Duke prickt on with his for∣mer
dayes disgrace, hoping to recouer his lost honour, was all armed, sitting on horseback with his Launce in his hand, causing the trumpets to sound, to summon vnto the battel those, who in defence of their Ladies beauties, would hazard thēselues, to try the doubtfull verdit of angry Mars. The Duke bare in his shield the portrature of a man, with the one hand renting his owne bowels, and with the other presenting his hart to a fayre Lady, which séemed little to regard or to estéeme the same, with this word or motto written ouer their heads, I liue through hope: all the rest of his Armor was set full of flaming harts, which séemed very liuely to burne.
Hee had not long remained on horsebacke, before such time that the King, and most part of the Lords and Prin∣ces, hauing taken their places to behold the issue of his en∣terprise, there entred the listes a gallant young Knight, sonne vnto the Marcus of Ferara, his Armor all gréene, and in his Shield he bare two harts combind in one, with these words, Nil timeo. Hée brought likewise a small chest coue∣red ouer with thinne plates of siluer, in which was inclo∣sed the liuely portrature of his Lady, who was daughter vnto the Duke of Millaine. In this sort comming vnto the Duke, he told him, vnlesse he were misinformed, the con∣tents of his Challenge was, that those Knights that by him were ouercome, should leaue behind them their coate-ar∣mors, and also their Mistrises portrature, to be placed at the féete of the fayre Emilia, and so to depart: but whosoeuer should ouercome him, should likewise haue the desposing of the portratures that there were hanging, and to defend the Challenge the rest of the time, except he hapned likewise to be vanquisht. The Duke aunswered, that the same was his Challenge: but the coate-armors were to be put of pre∣sently if they were vnhorsed, and afterwards, if they would hazard the Combat with him, they should. And as for the portratures, hee hoped his should be the first which should be placed, séeing the difference of their beauties did already manifest it.
Then departing the one from the other, they placed their Launces in theyr rests, and setting spurres to their horses, they met together so fiercely, that their Speares flew into the ayre: and comming together with their bodies, they strake one the other so rudely, that the Duke lost both his stirrups, and was forced to stay himselfe by his horse neck, but the other was ouerthrowne horse & man to the ground, and by chance not able to cléere himselfe, was sore brused by his horse, not beeing able to get vp againe: then ye Duke dismounting, holpe to get him from vnder his horse, which curtesie the other perceiuing, presently put off his coate-ar∣mor and departed the Listes, béeing by reason of his bruse not able to combat. Then the Duke caused his Ladies picture to be placed at the féete of Emilia, and calling vnto him one of his Pages, sent her the Coate-armor, which she receaued, willing him to tell his Maister, hee had doone more then she desired.
Next vnto him of Ferrara, entred the Lists that day, the Lord of Montgomery, bringing with him the picture of the Duke of Poyters daughter, whom he earnestly loued, and was likewise at the second course vnhorsed, to his great so∣row, but yet not minding to hazard the Combat, because the Duke was accounted the best combatter on foote in all Fraunce, departed. After him came diuers others, who were all serued in the same sort, for that day he vnhorsed in all the number of 22. Knights, placing their Ladies Pic∣tures according to their deserts. The next day came into the Listes young Henry of Burbon, very desirous to be re∣uenged, for the disgrace of the Lord Montgomery his cosin, yet also bringing with him the picture of a Damsell whom he somewhat loued: but his comming was more to winne honour on the Duke, then to obtaine his Mistrisses fauor. He bare in his Shield, Paris and the thrée Goddesses, but giuing the Apple to neither, with this motto, Cuique nes∣cio, signifying therby the vnconstancie of his mind in loue. At the first course they brake their Launces to their hands, not so much as once moouing one the other: then taking
new Launces, they met againe so furiously, that Henrie had much to doe to keepe his saddle, and the Duke loosing one of his stirrups, and his raines of his bridle, past on like∣wise, and making an end of their carreare, Henry returned with his sword in his hand, which the Duke perceiuing, drew forth his also, beginning betwéene them a right fierce and dangerous conflict. But the Duke béeing better expe∣rienced fought with the greater aduantage, giuing Henry leaue a while to follow the rage of his furie, thereby the soo∣ner to weary himselfe. Which indéede he did, when the Duke more fiercely then before assaulted him, causing him to séeke how to couer and defend himselfe vnder his shield. At length, béeing wounded in many places, and hauing lost very much blood, he fell from his horse in aswound, to the great griefe of the King, & all the beholders, who great∣ly feared least he had béen slaine. But béeing conuayed out of the field, and his wounds bound vp, and stanched, hee was soone brought to himselfe.
After him, the Duke ouercame twelue other Knights, not any of them béeing able to indure against him, so intol∣lerable were his blowes: which the English Prince percei∣uing, and grieuing to behold, the next day determined vn∣knowne to any one, to enter the Listes disguised, where he did not doubt but hée would soone abate his pride, and re∣soluing hereof, the next morning he armed himselfe, and béeing mounted on a good horse, his Armor séeming all ru∣stie, and his shéeld couered ouer with leather, painted with a Kite and an Eagle flying after a Doue, with this word, Not to obtaine, he entred the lists, euen at such time as the Duke had ouerthrowne an Enlish Knight which put him∣selfe against him.