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Caput. XIIII.

Argument

The Prince is by this feind furthled
Vnto Philæna's bour
He slayes the Gyant seine by fair
Philena from her tour
Her raige to loue does turne but loue
Disdaint turns meir despight
She seiks his death he's by an
Angell warnd & flies by night.

1

Happie ar they that can eschew deceat
Whoes baits ar beautie glorie flattrie gaine
That vertue pulls frome honors hie estait
Alluring them by what they wold obtaine
Thus hope of vertue glorie praise & fame
Leads them to death destructione foyle & shame.

2

So does the craftie Crocadeill entyse
Beneth the fertile banks of flowing Nile)
The trauellers with murnefull platns and cryes
As if it wer sum wofull wight that feill
The pains of death but when they come to sie
With terrour feir and death tormented be.

3

Suche kynd compassione with Penardo wrought
He goes bot knowes not to his death deuys'd
So was decreid and so Philena sought
So with this false deceat she him entys'd
For tatling Fame had maid it knowne to all
That Prince Euphrasies did before him fall.

4

Whairfore long tyme she murn'd she sigh't she plaind
At last she send (when for reuenge she cryes)
For Arebo a visarde (who sustain'd
And brought her vp in youthe) with him t'aduyse
Whoes airt his wit his will to ill entysde
Ay ill he wrought ill vsde and ill devysde.

5

He told her that the Prince Penardo was
So braue a knight whom heaune so muche did fauour
All slights all straits all daunger could he pas
Except he chanc'd but sword or armis to wauer
In chantment strong his vertue still commands
If mou'd to wraith whole armeis he withstands.

6

Whoes might be then had brought to end (he said)
The fairest rarest wounderfullest warke
That ere be force of magick airt was maid
Yet he the wished end shall not remark
For that shall be vn sein vnfun'd vnknowne
Till tyme place fates and fortuue leaue to frowne.

7

Wheir for now fits the seasone for reuenge
Now fits the tyme to croune thy iust desyre
Now trauells he throw desert montanes strainge
From whence my arte shall mak him heir reteir
For Bramarano send whoes strenth all knowes
To the that Gyaunt great affectione showes.

8

Feid him with showes and shaddowes of delight
Whoes valour strenth and might so weell is knowen
If not by him not by the world that Knight
Mey be orecum or vanquisht or or'e throwen
Yea if he hade his armour sword or sheild
He nor all Europe could not win the feild.

9

Thus did the wiked wisard her entyse
To act this fals deceat and crewell slight
Which was perform'd eune as he did deuyse
And Bramanano brought was to the fight
Whoes furie strength and might so knowne by fame
That all those kingdomes trembled at his name.

10

Thus Arebo ane wicked feind hade sent
(In shape of Mayde) with whom o're that fair streame
Of Danubie, the Prince Penardo went
Not doubting ill deceat disg'race nor shame
But in her louelie looks deceat did loure
So Serpents lurck amidst the fairest floure.

11

When ouer Danubius the Prince was gone
With this foule feind this ladie and this guyde
Such will hast, zeal, and such desyre alone
He had that fast he on his iourney hy'd
Ah happie Prince hade it bene know'ne to the.
Who train'd the, brought the bure the compaine.

12

In fals report no credit nor no hope
Thow wold haue had nor haue beleeud deceat
But mightie Ioue who gaue thy rains the skoipe
His Angell send for to preserue thy staitt
Els furies feinds ghostes Spreitts & fairies all
Had brought shame death & euerlasting fall.

13

Guydit by hell altho preserud by heaun'e
At last Philenas palace he espyde
Vpoun a rock heighe built wer castells seaune
Below a murmuring riuer softlie glyd
Ore whiche the rock with rugged airms furth lay
Threatning his fall her speedie course to stay.

14

Thrie quarters of this rock the riuer folds
And in her asure armes it rude ye taks
A [illeg.]ousie plaine thrusts in betuine which holds
The streame vnmet whoes roaring billowes braks
With surges great vpone the sandie shoare
Yet to the rock the plaine a passage boire.

15

The rugged craiges and clifts that seem'd thus brok
Was cled with tries with hearb's with flours witgrasse
Which garland-wayes bedect'd the mightie rok
Pyns Cedars Oaks Palms Eshes Firs Embrase
The streame below wheire, Caues, walks groaues, and sheds
Erects to Venus chambers galries beds.

16

The Prince with great delight walkd throw the same
At last his ey sight lady sayes Sir Knight
On top of yonder rok abyds my dame
From whence you must releas her by youre might
The gyant by the way will you assail
No longer must I stay for fear farweall.

17

And with the word she glyd's throw shaiples aer
He gaz'd about to sie wheir she was gone
But nought he seis yet nothing could he fear
But forward still he goes and goes alone
By Arebo at last the Prince was knowen
And to Philena from heighe turrets showne.

18

Then from her springs of tears bright flames furth shyn'd
Wher raige reuenge mischeif wraith anger bud
With sorow care, woe, greif'and saidnes pyn'd
Wyldlie she gaiz'd with rolling eyes as wode
Now Bramaran with tears and grones she mou'd
She sigh'd she murn'd she plain'd she pray'd she prou'd

19

She mou'd him prou'd him wisht him tak reuenge
Of that fearee crewel proud disdainfull Knight
Which if he did she promeist to exchainge
Her self for guerdone of his strenth & might
Her croune her wealth her kingdome al efford
All should be his & he should be her Lord.

20

As he who gaizeth one the Sune is seine
To haue a weake a dimm and daizled sight
So blindit was the gyants hungrie eyne
Who all this tyme fed on her beautie bright
Feir not Madame (quod he) be heaune I sweir
His bodie frome his cursed head to tear.

21

His looks from loue now chang'd to wraith & ire
Soone was he arm'd and soone to battel dight
Doune from the rok he goes with great desyre
To feght to vanquish and to slay the Knight
So does a falcone soaring in the skye
Haist doune when as his prey he does espy.

22

By this the Prince was come the rock hard by
Winds birds and streams thrie pairts sang in his eare
When he that mightie g'yant did espy
Lyk Typhon that appeald the gods to weare
Nor had the Prince sword sheild nor armour strong
But choos'd a club the sturdie Oaks among.

23

Wheirwith he martch'd against his mightie foe
Whoes throat send furth a hoarse confused sound
So buls and lyons roir to feght that goe
Ah Gods quod he this simple man confound
Who naiked bear but armour sword or sheild
Dars feght or look or meit me in the feild.

24

Ceas quod the Prince thy threats and babling toung
Vse now thy sword thy hand thy strength thy might
So pleas the heauns ile mak the know er long
T'abaitt thy pryde God has ordain'd a Knight
Then do thy worst or best or what thow may
Heauns be my hope my strength & thy decay.

25

No longer could feirce Bramarano stay
Foame from his mouth fyre sparkled from his eyes
Thy spytfull cursed head (quod he) ile lay
In fair Philenas lape for thy defyes
This sayd together flew the champions bold
Their battell strainge rare woundrous to behold.

26

Penardo was of bodie great and strong
Quick nimble actiue reddie sharpe and light
The gyant lyk a tour as great as long
It seem'd if he but fell vpon the Knight
That he wold crush his bones to peeces small
So Serpents feght with Elephants more tal.

27

Penardo eye his hand his fute goes right
He nimble shuns the gyants mightie bloes
The Gyants spends his force in vaine, so light
And reddie was the Prince who alwayes goes
Trauersing heir and their and oft at neid
Stricks wards reteirs turns And assails with speid

28

Thus long in equall ballance stoode the feild
But farr vnequall in their armes they fall
The Gyant arm'd with mass arm's sword and sheild
Penardo hade no armes sword sheild at all
While thus they stryue to win stout hardy bold
Philena from her tour did them behold.

29

Long gaizd she thus and long she lookt thairone
At last she said vnto the wisard old
Sure wer thy words and sure yone Knight alone
If arm'd gainst mightie armeis might be bold
It fears me now and sure I dreid his strengthe
Shall vnreueng'd my vengeance work at lengthe.

30

This sayde the dame for that she felt her hairt
From raige reuenge and vengeance to Relent
Raige myld became and vengeance did conuert
To pitie, then did crueltie repent
Of ill the sourse dry'd vp the spring did cease
What discord ist that loue can not apaise.

31

But Arebo (who had her words mistane)
Sayd loe Madame I fear our hope shall chainge
If he yone weapine from the Gyant gaine
In vaine our toyle in vaine our wish'd reuenge
Wheirfore me thinks it best thus to preuent
Thy Gyaunts death his lyfe your discontent.

32

In matcheles Macedone their regnes a Queene
To Geraldinus sole and onlye Heyre
At whoes sad birthe the Destanies wer seine
T'ordaine her fate strange wounderfull and rair
Clotho ordaind of all the earth alone
She should be fair and equall vnto none,

33

Nixt Lachesis ordaind and did protest
She should be loud of all that vew'd her face
And Atrepe made her spotles pure and chast
Tho loud of all she nere should loue embrace
O beautie rair O chastitie, O loue
O woundre vertues thrie, thrie vyces proue.

34

For still her beautie praise augments her pryde
The loue of all her heighe disdaine still feids
Pryd and disdaine the ornaments does hyde
That from her spotles chastitie proceids
Nor meik nor myld nor humble is her mynde
Non she regairds non cane her fauour fynde.

35

Thus manie thousands loues and dies for loue
And thousands loues and liues a deing lyfe
And thousands mo (that dar not fortune proue)
Sum kills them self sum kild by Riualls stryfe
Loue breids confusioune warre blood discord death
Al loues few liues and none withstands her wraith.

36

She conquers all and yet her gaine is losse
When she has vanquisht all she wins but shame
These she ore cum's these breids her greattest croce
This crewell Queene Olindo heght to name
Whom by my arte ile mak this Knight to sie
Her shall he loue and loueing her shall die.

37

But fair Philenas ferce reuenge or now
Was ouercome with pitie myldnes loue
Sighes grones and tears wer all that she could dow
True signes wheirby we true repentance proue
At last she sayd shall he depairt ah no
Ile haue his cursed hairt before he goe.

38

For if stout Bramaran he chance to kill
Eune heir will I inveit him for to rest
Then fitts the tyme then must I work my will
Then to my wishe shall my reuenge be best
Loath wold I be that any should bereaue
The lyfe I should I wold and I must haue,

39

This spak the Dame all that her heirs still weining
That she decreit by death to work his smairt
But subtile wemens words hes double meining
Each blow that he receaues lights on her hairt
Oft lookd she doune oft victorie she prayd him
And with her looks her hairt flies furthe to ayd him.

40

And all this tyme still equall stoode the fight
The gyants bloes could neuer do him harme
He was so agill nimble quick and light
At last he lighted on the Gyants airme
Wher his left shoulder band it to his back
Which with his club lyke Hercules he brack.

41

Wheir at proud Bramarano raiging more
Cursd all the Gods and cursd heighe he auns aboue
In vaine his blowes in vaine his masse he boir
In vaine his force his strength his might to proue
Wheirfore in raige his masse away he flong
And drawes a curtlax keine sharpe heauie long.

42

Wheirwith he fearflie did assayle the Prence
Vniting force strength furie raige and wrath
Now gainst his thundring blowes was no defence
He geues not Prince Penardo leaue to braith
For now his club was no defence at al
The Gyant cuts the same in peices smal

43

Nere was the Prince in daunger vntill now
Now lytle could his lightnes him defend
He geues him wound on wound and blow on blow
Wheirfrom the blood in purple streams discend
So does a fontane made with arte and cunning
His streams in sundre oppin pairts furth running

44

Greats shouts and clamours from the castell came
Wheirwith that wicked crew expresse their ioye
But cheiflie Arebo who sayde Madame
Our skill our wit our flight no more employ
Ours is the day the feght the victorie
His be the fall the wrak the in famie.

45

Ah quod the Queene it much torments my mynd
That Bramarano liues if he should die
My loue my self my mariage I assyng'd
To him and deathe (ye know) it wer to me
Him for to wed which he wil haue perforce
Ah deir reuenge ah lait too lait remorce.

46

Ah heauns I wishe yone crewel Knight alyue
Till my reuenge my self should vndertake
If he the Gyaunt of his lyfe depryue
Eune him my thrall and bund slaue wold I mak
No more for greif and sorow could she say
Her tears her sighes her grones the rest bewray.

47

But she disguysd her loue with showes of hate
Altho for loue she tremble pant and quaikt
These words againe did to her self repeat
Eune him my thrall and bond slaue wold I makt
But o sweit loue should be his prisone good
My airms should be his bands my lips his foode.

48

And thus did she this doubtsume feght attend
With torment fear care sorow greif and paine
For eurie drop of blood the Prince did spend
Her hairt a sighe her eyes a teare furth straine
Still when the Gyant stricks she starts she cryes
The wounds impressione in her bosome lyes.

49

Amaizement greif and sorow mixt with dout
Her change of hewes her thoughts confusioune showes
Cold was her blood within but hote without
Trew witnes that her hairt her torment knowes
Now reid now paile now pale now reid agane
Her loue bred fear fear greif & greif bred paine.

50

Hard was the stait wheirin Penardo stood
His club now gone long deip and wyde each wound
From whenc flou'd riuers of his purple blood
Which dyed in sanguein all the flourie ground
With weknes now he wearies and he faints
His agill leaps and nimble quicknes wants.

51

Oft sought he with the gyant for to close
Al tho his wounds his strength & lyfe did waist
But all in vaine his trauell did he loose
Such was the gyants wraith his raige his haist
That him now heir now their now out now in
He forcd about the field for to rine.

52

At last he stumbled on the yrone masse
Wheirof as then great neid great help he fand
That he it got the Prince right ioyfull was
Now strength reneu'd into his strengthles hand
Reuenge bred ire wraith furie raige and might
Wheirwith againe he did renew the fight.

53

Feirslie he faught but feble was his strengthe
His might his slight his cunninge all was gone
And onlie wratth manteind the feght at lengthe
The gyaunt breathles brusd with blowes alone
At last eache one so neir to vther drew
That breist to breist and airme to airme they threw.

54

Blood moud the Prence a dreid reuenge to tak
Shame moud the werie Gyaunt vnto wraith
Shame gainst reuenge reuenge gainst shame does wrake
Their ire their will their veangeaunce vnto deathe
Thryce stroaue the gyaunt in his armes to fold
The Prince, but his left airme refusd his hold.

55

Which great eduantage did the Prince espy
And in his armes the gyant stronglie greips
Whill both their feble forces thus they try
Sad night with sable wings their deids eclip's
Whill as her daughter darknes their resorts
To guyde the gyaunts soule to Plutos port's.

56

Thryce gir't the Prince the Gyant in his armes
And thryce againe he's forc'd to let him go
With deip and deidlie wounds the gyant harm's
The back the leggs the theighs of his strong foe
By on vnarm'd so ouercum to be
He loath'd he scorn'd and he disdain'd to die

57

Thus strugling long at last to ground they pas
Of fallis the Gyants helme the Prince up flies
And quicklie with that mightie irone masse
Beats furth his brains & with his brains his eyes
Thus bold disdainfull fearce prow'd full of wraith
He yeelds his soule to hell his lyfe to death.

58

The Prince gaue Ioue his prase his thanks his right
But yet this bluddie conquest hade so muche
Febled his strength his ualour & his might
Tyrd wer his trembling legges his waiknes suche
He falls at last no differ could ye kno
Betuixt the victor and his vanqueist foe.

59

The Queene Philena fair (who all this whyle
Hade weel remark'd the valour of the Prince)
Cheird vp her wofull looks and with a smyle
She haisted doune to bring Penardo thence
Whom when she sawly pale cold bloodles dead
She grou'nd she sigh'd she sank doune at his head.

60

This sight amaz'd her seruants much but more
It troubled Arebo the trueth to fynde
At last his science airte and magik loir
Reueild to him the secreit of her mynd
Wheirfore with cair greif sorow wo & wounder
He fear's least deathe pairt lyfe & loue assunder.

61

Altho eun'e to the deathe he haits the Prince,
Yet for Philenas cause for him did cair
And softlie caus'd them bothe be caired thence
Vp to the rock and lay'd in chambers fair
Wheir soone he brought by skill arte craft ingyne
His lyfe his senses and releif from pyne.

62

When lyfe o're death hade got the uictorie
And feir Philena hade reuiud againe
Loue stroane with shame and shame with in famie
And in famie reuiu'd what loue had slaine
But shame reuenge hait in famie and all
At last by lout was foght foyld bund in thral

63

Wherfore these words she sadlie did rehears
O lawles Loue imperious proud and crewell
Vniust vnteamd vnconquerd strong & fearce
O thow of goode and bad effects the few all
Thow moues mischeif shame dath warr woe despight
And freindsship true true ioy & true delight.

64

And thus thow ar! More wold ye dame haue sayde
But Arebo she seis who did remoue
The Ladies all when she on bed was layde
His cure his spells and mightie charm'e to proue
She that her self bewray'd might now behold
Discoured al, reueild all al she told.

65

So does a craiftie Traitour to a King
Who with his fellowes has conspyrd his death
But fearing once discouerie of the thing
Repentance faynes in looks in words in breath
Discouering all their curs'd, malicious treasone
And still him self condemn's him self with reasone.

66

When Arebo had harde the taill she told
Still interrup't with grones with sighes with tear's
His hairt inclynd to crueltie he wold
And could haue bene content to stope his eares
But that the loue he bore vnto the Dame
Stop'd vp his wraith and quensh'd his furies flamme.

67

Wheirfor this much he promeist her at lenthe
That he so weell his phislik wold apply
His healthe his vigour beautie blood & strenth
Should to his senewes vain & arteirs flie
Which in few dayes he hade performed so
The Prince began to ryse to walk to goe.

68

Whom to Philena euerie day repairs
Her cheifest pleasure was, to dres eache wound
Her snow whyte hand she daintelie prepairs
To dight to dry to dres to rype the ground
Loue smyld to sie his nouish thus allurde
O happie man so drest so heald so cuerde

69

And whill she tuich'd his soft & snow white skin
Which heir and their was staind with purple blood
Tears frome her eyes lyk liquid pearle doun rinne
And on his skin oft trembled rold & stood
To plead for their fair dame & seem'd to moue
His hairt to yeeld to pitie or to loue.

70

Some tyme she ey'd his fair and louelye face
His goldin looks his quick sweet smyling eye:
His weell proportion'd limms & eurye place
She still remarks still feids on what she seis
She looks she vewes admir's & still she gaizeth
And frome each pairt a wound her loue increseth

71

Weell might the Prince behold her passiones strong
Yet seemd he nought to know or not allow
Least by deny all he should do her wrong
Whoes martiall mynd to loue could neuer bow
Yet courteslie her profer'd pains with stands
Which for vnkyndnes she taks at his hand's

72

Oft by her looks yet would she mak him know
The passioune that torments her inwart mynd
Oft hy her prettie speeches would she show
She caird not muche altho he wold be kynd
And often be simlituds would proue
How farr her Sex exceedeth his in loue.

73

But nether speeche similituds nor looks
Could mak him quick or capable at all
He could not sie those baits, allurements hook's
Or seing would not sie nor heir their call
Stil Mars his Sogeour he himself had sworne
For Cupid he was nather bred not borne.

74

Yet fair Philena could not leaue to loue
With new conceats new toyes & questions new
Which in ane vthers persone she wold proue
By parables his sansie to subdue
But seing nother this nor that could moue him
With sighes and tear's she told him she did loue him.

75

Wheirat he stood long silent and amaizd
At last resolud to tak it but in skorne
He sayd Madame i'me glade yow so ar pleasd
To tak your pastyme of a wretche for lorne
Whoes birth whoes merit and whoes poore estate
Your basest hand mayde wold not chuse for mate.

76

By this his simple answere weel she knew
He knew her loue her passione and her mynde
Wheirat she sham'd & chang'd to vermeil hew
Sham brought in wraith, wraith sweir be was vnkynd
Wraith brings in haitt in hait away she flong
And whill she flies disdain chac'd loue along.

77

Penardo left in chamber now alone
Repents him of his answer rashlie sayde
Ah now Philena had yow knowne his mone
And sein the grones, the sighes, ye tears he shade
Once more thy cruell mynd hade now re-ented
And thy mischeif new bred hade new repented.

78

But heaun's deny'd his pace and her content!
So prone and bent her mynd was to mischeefe
Who now with Arebo has geuen consent
To end his dayes and with his dayes her greefe
In throw a priuie posterne they should creep
And in his bed should murder him a sleep.

79

When bright Apollo sank doun vnder ground
And Night look'd vp with manie thousand eyes
Penardo in his bed was sleeping sound
Ane Angell bright discend from heaune he sies
Who sayd vp vp heighe Ioue commands ye flie
Flie then in haist for if yow stay thowle die.

80

Then he awaks and leaps vnto the flure
His birning eyes rold staird & gaizd about
At first he could not think him self secure
To go from thence or stay such was his dout
Not that he feard whole armies their to fynd
But cald Philenas restles sutte to mynd

81

Whill dimme weak hale and feble Cynthia shyne
Her borrowed light she lends to arme ye Prince
With armour bright riche costlie rair and fyne
And with a sword & sheild for his defence
Which fair Philena gaue him long ago
And with them would haue geu'ne her self also,

82

Be chance then to ye dure he did repair
Which to receaue the murtherers oppin stoode
And doune a black deip dark and hollow stair
Which seem'd to lead to hell and Lethes floode
At last benethe the rock wheir waters glyde
Furthe their he come doune be the Riuers syde,

83

And thus along the riuer syde he goes
Throw rocks craigs tries woods groues and paths vnknowne
In silence of the night whill Cynthia shoes
Her pale weak pure cleir syluer Beam's furth throwne
Throw glomie aer tuixt clouds youth Zephyre brings
Vpont his soaring swift & loftie wings.
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