Vasco de Lobeira

“ His armour was all black, helmet and shield and surcoat; except that on the shield he bore the figure of a damsel from her girdle upward made to the likeness of Oriana, well wrought in gold and garnished with pearls and precious stones, and fastened to the shield with nails of gold; and on his black surcoat he had a golden chain-work woven, which device he swore never to lay aside till he had Amadis in chains, and all those who had been with him at the rescue of Oriana. He was on a goodly horse and of great size, and his lance in his hand, and thus he rode out of the camp. ”

“ For so many good Knights were now slain and wounded, that the horses could not set foot to ground without trampling on them. King Lisuarte, like a man who esteemed his life as nothing, thrust so bravely among his enemies, that there was scarcely any man who would dare abide him. King Perion in another part, as he was doing wonders, encountered King Cildadan; but they, because they knew each other, would not engage, but past on, each felling down his opponents. So great was the uproar, that the Emperor thought his friends were in danger, and gave orders to his troops to make their attack. ”

“ Your father, replied Amadis, hath a great heart, and though in secret he may feel otherwise, he appears well satisfied. You know he is to come hither with the Queen and your sister. Oriana answered, I cannot tell you the pleasure which my heart feels, and may it please God that all may be fulfilled as it has been agreed; for you may well believe, my Lord, that next to yourself there is no other person whom I love so well as him, notwithstanding his cruelty. But tell me, what think you of Esplandian? Esplandian, replied Amadis, in his manners and appearance is your son, and more cannot be said. ”

“ When he came to him Arcalaus said, O King Aravigo, if your heart and resolution be answerable to your high estate, and to the prudence with which you ought to govern, Fortune who was once so much your enemy hath now so repented, and is ready to make you such amends, that the loss of your honour shall be repaired with double victory. Your revenge is now in your own hands, our two great enemies King Lisuarte and Amadis of Gaul, are at such utter discord, that there can be no other issue [80] than a great battle, and the destruction of one, or peradventure of both. ”

“ God, who knows all things, sees that we forbear for his sake, for they are all at our mercy. Agrayes, whom Amadis did not see, was near King Perion, and heard all that was said: how, Sir Cousin, quoth he, now that you have conquered your enemies, and are now on the point of becoming the most honourable Prince in the world, would you stay and spare them now? Amadis replied, Sir Cousin, I would spare our own people, lest in the darkness they should slay one another; as for the enemy, I hold them as conquered, for they can make no defence. ”

“ Fear nothing, Lady, Gandalin made answer, he will raise such force that neither King Lisuarte nor the Emperor of Rome will dare attack him. May it please God, quoth she, that it be so! When night came, Norandel said to Don Galaor, Sir, I must now depart, for as your illness is so lingering and I can nothing profit you, it is better that I should attend to other things. You know it is not long since I have been a Knight, nor have I yet gained honour to be esteemed a man of worth by good men. ”

“ Then was the uproar great in the streets, where the King and his Knights obstinately defended themselves; and the women and children, and they who could no way else assist, helped them from the windows. The sword-strokes fell so fast, and the arrows and stones flew about so, and such an outcry was there, as none could have beheld without dismay. As King Lisuarte and his Knights saw that they were lost, and feared more to be taken than slain, no one can tell the feats they performed, and the blows they dealt about ”

“ I have such confidence in her truth and beauty that I doubt not but she will enter without let or hindrance where no woman hath for a hundred years entered; for I saw Grimanesa's image, made with such cunning as she were alive, and her beauty is nothing equal to Oriana's. Our marriage feast shall then be held in the Forbidden Chamber.
Son, replied the King, what you ask is easily done; but I fear lest it should disturb our feast; affection will often delude the eyes, and this may have been the case with you and Oriana. Fear not, quoth Amadis, my heart is assured that it will be as I say. ”

“ The Romans who departed with our daughter have been with all their fleet destroyed, or taken, or slain with their Prince Salustanquidio, and she herself with all her Dames and Damsels made prisoner by Amadis and the Knights of the Firm Island, where they have carried them with triumphs and rejoicings; so signal a thing as this hath never before been perpetrated in the memory of man. Now therefore it behoves us, you prudently as a woman, and I strenuously as a King and Knight, to remedy our honour by deeds and not by idle resentment of sorrow. ”

“ Amadis embraced King Cildadan. Who can tell the pleasure they all felt to see themselves thus united, and the destruction of their enemies!
King Cildadan then said to Amadis, Go you, sir, to the King, and I will remain with my uncle Don Quadragante: thus accordingly they did; but now Brandoyuas came up with much pain, for he was sorely wounded, and said to the King, Sir, the townsmen and your people are killing the enemies, who have fled into the houses; and such slaughter is there, that the streets are flowing with blood; but though their lords deserve this, their people have not. ”

“ Then Don Quadragante and Agrayes each took the Princess by the hand, and Don Florestan and Angriote led Queen Sardamira. Amadis alone led Mabilia, Olinda went between Don Bruneo and Dragonis; and in like manner the other Damsels and Knights proceeded from the vessel. When Oriana came near the end of the bridge, Grasinda alighted and knelt down and took her hand to kiss it, but Oriana drew it back, and embraced her with much love, as one whose nature it was to be affable and nothing proud, where pride beseemed her not. ”

“ With a right good will did they listen to that brave and courteous speech of Amadis, and because in that assembly there were so many who could well reply, all for awhile remained silent, each urging the other to make answer. At length Don Quadragante said, Since ye are all silent Sirs, if it please you I will deliver my advice. Agrayes answered, Sir Quadragante, we all beseech you so to do; for considering who you are, and what great atchievements you have honourably brought to end, it best becomes you of all others to make reply. ”

“ I thank him truly, and would to God there may come a time, when I may with the like honour requite him for it. Much were those Knights pleased to hear how well the Child spake. God make you a good man, quoth Don Bruneo, as good fair Child, as he hath made you fair. I thank you, the Child replied. But if God hath reserved any worth for me; I would it were in me now that I might be able to serve my Lord the King, who now needs the service of all his people. God be with you Sirs! so he and Don Grumedan took their leave, and those Knights proceeded to their ships. ”

“ I see how many Knights and Princes are assembled in aid of this Princess; and I perceive that you my good Sir are he to whom they all look up, so that all their hope and confidence of success is in your courage and wisdom; and you cannot, considering your good heart and high renown, but feel yourself the Chief and Leader in this danger; perforce therefore must you call upon your friends and all who are beholden to you, for their succour, and as one of them do I account myself. ”

“ Sir, quoth King Lisuarte, I wished you to behold me as I am, that you might know in what state I was when Amadis and these Knights rescued me. He then told him how the battle had been. I thank God for it, replied King Perion, and for the peace there is between us; for through all this quarrel it has ever been my wish, that my sons and all their kin should [259] look up to, and reverence you as their lord and father. Lisuarte answered, We will leave this for farther leisure. I trust in God that before we part we shall be connected by a near tie, and by great love. ”

“ Wretch that I am, whichever of these should perish, I must be the most unhappy woman that ever lived! and then she wept and wrung her hands. Mabilia took her hands, For God's sake, Lady, desist from this, and put your trust in God! if evil should come, remember that wrongs like yours cannot be lightly remedied, and thank God that the sin is not yours. Oriana felt the truth of this, and was somewhat consoled.
When King Perion saw all the forces encamped, he took both Grasandor and Agrayes and said he would go visit Oriana, and he bade Amadis and Don Florestan remain with the army. ”

“ At this season I was gone upon a pilgrimage to a very ancient church of our Lady, which stands upon a rock half a league out at sea; there was I informed of their unhappy fortune, and having none other remedy, I resolved to go to the Firm Island to a Knight called Amadis, who is there with many other Knights of great renown, and beseech them to have pity upon those young Princes, and not suffer them to be so wickedly slain; for if there were but some to encourage and lead the people, that traitor would not dare continue there. ”

“ But who can tell when they were all assembled what Knights and horses and arms were there? Certes you may well believe that never in memory of man were such Knights, and so many, assembled together in behalf of any Prince.
But Oriana did nothing but weep and curse her ill fortune that would occasion so great destruction, unless it pleased God in his mercy to provide some remedy. All those Ladies who were in her company consoled her the best they could, saying that neither she, nor they who served her could stand accused to God or to the world. ”

“ King Lisuarte then said to Cildadan, Good Sir, since we have found such resolution in the Romans, which I did not expect, and since they have now so good a Knight as Arquisil to lead them, we also should lay aside all fear, and take this chance as we ought: for myself, I tell you, that after the truce, there shall be nothing but battle; and if God does not give me victory, I do not wish him to give me life; for death would be more desirable. ”

“ Greatly did the townsmen wonder to see those Knights who had left them that morning, return in such a plight, and in this array were they carried along the street into the square, where the people soon collected, who, when they saw the Prince, they kissed his hand and wept, saying, Sir, if we dared put in execution what our hearts desire, or if we saw any hope, we should be ready to die in your service; but we know of no remedy, for we have no chief or leader. O men of little heart! ”

“ Great deeds in arms did Arcalaus then atchieve, like one who was valiant and strong, and at that hour you might have seen wonders done by King Cildadan, and Norandel, and Don Guilan, and Cendil of Ganota; for they were the shield and rampart of the army; but all would have been of no avail, for the enemies were so many and fresh, if King Lisuarte, who never in any danger, how great soever, failed to do his duty, had not advanced; he, desirous rather to die than fail in his devoir, pricked forward before his men. ”

“ This should be a warning to all Christian Princes to take heed how for their errors they make the innocent perish thus; for peradventure, because of their innocence, they who are slain go to a happy place, and a worse and more perilous death remains for those who caused the destruction, though at the time they escape.
Agrayes, who alway was seeking King Lisuarte, now saw that he had just broke his lance in overthrowing Dragonis, whom he was about to strike with the sword. Upon this Agrayes cries out, At me! at me! King Lisuarte! for I am the man who most hateth thee. ”

“ Oriana should remain with the husband whom she has chosen, and setting aside all animosity, to acknowledge the truth, there is no Emperor or Prince this day in the world who can equal him; and Leonoreta will be Empress of Rome. You must therefore get ready, for I freely promised Amadis to do him honour, that we would go to him in the Firm Island, and there you must put on a chearful countenance, and forbear to speak of what has past. ”

“ Certes none. He is our countryman, brought up among us; we know his good disposition, and that we may ask privileges of him as our right, which a stranger belike would deny. Moreover, thus should we win the friendship of the famous Amadis, who, as when he was our enemy, he had such power to injure us, so being our friend, will he remedy the past with much honour and advantage. Now, then, Sirs, speak as you may think fit, having no regard to our captivity or tribulation, but only as reason and justice shall direct. ”

“ So he went out from the tent and mounted his ass, and Esplandian and Sargil rode each his palfrey, and with this company the good man proceeded to the other camp, and rode directly to the tent of Amadis. Amadis, for he had never seen him, knew him not, and could not divine for what so old and infirm a man should come thither; and he knew Esplandian as little, for though he had spared the Roman Knights at his intreaty, yet had he then seen him for so short a time, that he had forgotten him; but so fair was the Child, that he could scarce believe such beauty could be in a mortal man. ”

“ Now that the Emperor is dead, you are the right heir to the Empire, and I know likewise, that you are well beloved by all the people, and if any one disliked you it was the Emperor, for his envy of your good qualities. So great a thing as this you ought to attend to. You have here the greater part of the best Knights of Rome, and I have in the Firm Island, Brondajel of the Rock, and the Duke of Ancona, and the Archbishop of Talancia, with sundry others who were taken upon the sea. ”