Abby Sage Richardson

“ At one glance he saw the mangled steed of the maiden, and descried also her golden girdle lying coiled upon the sand.
As quickly as the red lightning rushes from the clouds on some hoary monarch of the forest, and rives its ancient trunk with its forked darts, so quickly did Sir Satyrane ride upon the horrid monster and fell him to the trembling earth.
But by the witch’s magic arts no sword had power to end his unclean life; and after many blows which would have put an end to him, if it had not been for the charms by which he was protected, the knight sent him howling back to his mistress. ”

“ Within was seated the enchanter Proteus, his white hair and beard flowing to his waist. He hastened on his finny steeds to the maiden’s rescue; and no sooner had he reached the boat than he drew Florimel into his chariot, and with one blow sank the frail shallop. Then seizing the ancient fisher, he belabored him lustily with his forked trident, and lashing him to the back of one of the scaly monster who spouted about him, he sent him to be cast upon the shore, more dead than alive from fear and punishment. ”

“ This fortunate Marinell was passionately beloved by his mother, the sea-nymph, Cymoent. In his infancy she had prayed that he might be an immortal like herself, but the gods had denied her prayer. Then she went weeping to Proteus, the merlin of the sea, and besought him to reveal to her her son’s destiny. Proteus, after much hesitation, bade Cymoent guard her son from all women. “For know, O Cymoent,” said the enchanter, “from a woman shall come all his danger, and his death-blow.” ”

“ Alas that all women were not as hard-hearted as the sea-prince! The lovely Florimel, sweetest and most innocent of maidens, the goddaughter of Venus, who had been reared by the Graces and Muses on Mount Helicon, had beheld the handsome Marinell from the windows of the castle not far distant from the sea, where she now had her dwelling-place. Often, with her attendant maidens, had she ridden near the beach, and often had dismounted to gather pebbles and sea-weed which the waves washed far in to shore. ”

“ Marinell was the son of Cymoent (one of the daughters of Nereus) and an earth-born knight, who had loved the beautiful sea-nymph, and won her to be his bride. Hence the sea and land were equally the home of Marinell, and he could wander at will among the grottoes and fern forests in the depths of the ocean where his mother dwelt. Neptune had given him also, as his birthright, the whole control of the stretch of sandy shore toward which Britomart now set her horse’s head, and all the spoils which the waves threw thereon. ”

“ Thereupon, many gallant gentlemen, from all parts, were making haste to the place appointed, and numberless fair ladies rode with them to see the brave deeds which would be sure to appear. Through the very wood in which the witch’s son roamed with his fair semblance of a woman, rode a boastful knight, called Braggadochio, who was on his way to swell the lists at Sir Satyrane’s tourney. He came upon the clown, walking with his Florimel; and believing her the lady whom all the knights of Faery supposed dead, Braggadochio stopped his horse to challenge her rude guard as to his right to her. ”

“ As Blandamour rode away with his prize, he was joined by a party of knights, all on their way to the meeting-place. Then, by her wicked arts, the sprite who inhabited the semblance of Florimel was able to stir up evil rancor, and breed all sorts of dissensions among them; so that all the time of their journey to the tournament, they were full of quarrelings, and hard words more bitter than blows, and many friendships were uprooted which had stood the buffetings of long years. ”

“ Now it happened that when Sir Satyrane spread abroad the manner in which he had found the girdle of Florimel upon the sand, there was much grief among all the knights of Maidenhood, whom Prince Arthur had stirred up in league to find and rescue the lost maiden. And since Satyrane could lay no claim to her girdle, as he had not won it in any decisive combat, it was deemed fair that it should be put up as the prize, at a tournament, at which all knights, far and wide, should gather, to take part in the contest. ”

“ On the edge of the sea, in a sheltered cove where the water lay still and smooth, she saw a little shallop, in which a fisher, old and poor, lay fast asleep upon a pile of his unmended nets. As soon as she reached the edge, she threw herself from her palfrey, and wading through the shallow water, climbed into the little boat. ”

“ Then the umpires offered Florimel to Britomart, whom they supposed a valiant stranger knight. But she rather preferred to hold Amoret as her lady, and openly esteemed her the most beautiful of all. Then they proffered Florimel to Triamond, the second day's victor. But he had long since chosen the wise Candace to be his lady, and would have no other. Last came the umpires to Sir Satyrane, who eagerly accepted the maiden, and called himself most happy to be her liege and protector. ”

“ Then all the hearts of the ladies fluttered with the hope of possessing so rich a prize, and the good right arm of every knight waxed stronger at the thought of laying the girdle at the feet of the lady whom he most admired. ”