CHAPTER 11.
Then said Master Helisabad, Sir, you should write to the Emperor and tell him what hath befallen, and we must send to Constantinople for some things needful for you on the way. Master, replied the Knight, I have never seen him and know him not; do you now what seemeth good. So Master Helisabad wrote to the Emperor relating all what had happened, and requesting on the part of the Knight who had recovered the Island for him from the power of that Devil, that he would be pleased to call it thenceforth the Island of St. Mary. This letter he gave to a Squire who was his kinsman, and he forthwith embarked taking with him as many mariners as were needful, and the time being fair in three days they took port at Constantinople. The Squire went straightwaysto the palace of the Emperor, whom he found attended by many good men, as befitted one so great, and falling on his knees before him he said, your servant Master Helisabad sends to kiss your feet, and to deliver to you this letter whereby you will receive great pleasure. When the Emperor had read the letter he was greatly astonished and cried out aloud, Knights, such strange tidings are come to me as till now I never heard spoken of! Then drew near to him his nephew Gastiles, son to the Dutchess of Gajaste his sister, who was a good Knight and young, and Count Saluder brother to the fair Grasinda, and the other Knights. Sirs, quoth the Emperor, the Knight of the Green Sword hath slain the Endriago, and if all the world does not marvel at this what shall surprize us? then he showed them the letter, and made the Squire relate every thing more fully as one who had been present. Certes Sir, said Gastiles, this is a great miracle! for I never yet heard tell of mortal man who fought the Devil except the Saints with their spiritual arms, who with their sanctity might well do it. Since such a man is come into your country it would be against reason not to do him great honour. Nephew you say well, replied the Emperor, do you and Count Saluder prepare vessels and go bring him here, and take with you Masterswho may paint the Endriago to the life, for I will have it cast in metal, and the Knight who fought it, both of their natural size, and I will have these images set up upon the spot where the battle was fought, and the whole manner of it written upon a table of Copper, and the name of the Knight. And I will build a monastery there for religious friars, who shall bring that Island again to the service of God, for the people round about have been greatly hurt by the cursed sight of that wicked one.
Right glad were all they to hear the Emperor speak so honourably, and above all Gastiles and the Marquis because they should see the Endriago. So they took shipping and past over to the Island of St. Mary, as it was now to be called. The Green Sword Knight hearing who were come, adorned his apartment the best he could to receive them, and, for he was now able to walk a little in his chamber, went as far as he could to bid them welcome, and made them be seated on the estrados which he had prepared for them, and when he learnt how Gastiles was brother to Grasinda, he thanked him for all the favours he had received from his sister, and above all for the help of Master Helisabad, without whom he must needs haveperished. So when they had delivered their bidding they said they would go see the Endriago. Sirs, said the Master, ye mast take with ye some defence against its poison. Good friend, they replied, in that you must help us; that shall I do, quoth he, and he gave them certain small boxes to smell to while they looked at it. Gandalin went with them to show the place, but when they saw the Endriago they were more than ever amazed, not thinking that there had been such a monster either on earth or in hell, and Gastiles said, we ought not to praise the courage that dared attack such a monster, for it is so great that it is not to be attributed to man but to God alone. The Masters then painted the Endriago to the life for they were singular in their art. Three days they remained seeing that island which was a fair land; on the fourth day they all embarked, and in short time havened at Constantinople under the Emperor's palace. The windows were soon filled, all being eager to see the Knight of the Green Sword, and the Emperor sent horses to the shore for them. At this time had the Knight greatly recovered his beauty as well as strength; he was right richly apparelled in garments which the King of Bohemia had given him, and round his neck was hanging that strange and beautiful Green Sword which he had won byhis true and perfect love; which, when he beheld it made him remember the time when he gained it, and the happiness in which he then was at Miraflores, and made him oftentimes shed tears that were painful as well as delightful.
The Emperor and his train went out to meet them; then would the Knight have alighted to kiss his hand but the Emperor prevented that, and went to him and embraced him and said, by my faith Knight of the Green Sword and my good friend, although God hath made me so great, and though I am of the lineage of those who have held such dominion, more do you deserve glory than me! for you have gained it by such perils as never other went through, and I possess that which came to me sleeping and without desert! The Knight replied, things that are bounded Sir may be requited, but so cannot this praise which it hath pleased you in your great goodness to bestow. Thus communing they turned to the palace, he of the Green Sword beholding that great city as he went, and the strange and marvellous things therein, and the crowds who came to see him, and humbly in his heart he gave thanks to God for guiding him to such a place where he received so great honour from the greatest of all the Christians. All that hehad seen elsewhere appeared nothing in comparison to what he beheld here, but much more did he marvel when he entered the great palace, for it seemed as if all the riches of the world were collected there. There was an apartment there wherein the Emperor was accustomed to lodge such great lords as came to visit him, the fairest and most delightful in the world, not only for the rich things therein but also for fountains of water, and strange trees, and there he bade the Knight remain and Master Helisabad with him, and Gastiles and the Marquis Saluder to bear him company.
But if he marvelled at seeing the greatness of that city and the number of its dwellers, much more did they wonder to behold how comely he was, knowing what he had atchieved, and never was King or Knight of foreign lands so commended; the Emperor went to the Empress and said, the Knight of the Green Sword is arrived of whom we have heard such wonders, and for the service which he hath done us reason it is that we should do him great honour, now then order that your house may be so set in order, that wheresoever he go he may truly speak in my praise, and let him see your Dames and Damsels all so adorned as becomes those who serve so high a Lady. In God's name,she replied; all shall be done as you command. On the morrow the Knight and Master Helisabad and the Marquis and Gastiles heard mass in the Emperor's chapel, and then all went to visit the Empress, but before they came to her they found the Dames and Damsels all in their best attire who made way for them to pass. That house was so rich and sumptuously filled, that except the Forbidden Chamber in the Firm Island, the Knight had never seen other such; his eyes were even wearied with beholding so many women and so fair, and the marvellous things around. So going to the Empress, who was on her estrado, he knelt before her and said, Lady, I bless God for bringing me where I may see you and your great state, and how far you are above all other Ladies in the world, and I thank you much for desiring to see me; may it please God that I may one day do you some service in requital for the favour! if I err Lady in expressing what my will and my tongue would say, pardon me, for this language is strange to me and I have not long learnt it from Master Helisabad. The Empress then took him by the hand and made him rise and sit by her, and she conversed with him upon such subjects as so great a Lady ought to converse upon with a strange Knight whom she did not know, and he sodemeaned himself in his speech that the Empress, who was a right prudent woman, said within herself, his courage and strength cannot be so great but that his discretion is greater.
Meantime the Emperor was upon his seat talking and laughing with the Dames and Damsels, as one who was greatly beloved by them for showing them great favours and bestowing them well in marriage. Then said he in a loud voice, Honoured Dames and Damsels, ye see here the Knight of the Green Sword your loyal servant! honour him and love him, as he hath you and all like you, in whose service he hath many times been brought to the point of death. God honour and love and requite him, Sir! quoth the Dutchess, the mother of Gastiles; the Emperor then sent two Infantas, children of Barandel King of Hungary, to bring his daughter Leonorina; presently they led her in, and though she was most richly dressed yet was all that as nothing to her exceeding beauty, for there was not a man in the world who could behold her without wonder and delight. She being a little girl of not more than nine years old went and kissed the hand of her mother and then sat down below her. But when the Knight of the Green Sword saw her how beautiful she was, he remembered his ownLady, and how she was of that age when he first saw her, and they first began to love, and then recollecting all, he lost all sense of what was present, and the tears came into his eyes. Howbeit presently recovering and in great shame he wiped away the tears and made good semblance, but all had seen him, and the Emperor became very desirous to know why he had wept, seeing that such a thing in such a place would have been thought wrong even in a woman, and that in such a Knight it could not be without great cause and mystery. What can this mean? said Gastiles. The Emperor replied, I think it must be the force of love.—If you would know none can tell you but Master Helisabad, in whom he puts his confidence. The Emperor then sent for Master Helisabad, and bidding all others withdraw to a distance, asked him if he knew wherefore the Green Sword Knight had wept, and if he stood in any need wherein he could help him. Sir, replied the Master, he is the man in this world who best conceals that which he wishes to be secret. I have often seen him weep and sigh as though his heart were bursting, and verily believe it is with great love, for if it were for other causes sure am I that he would have revealed it to me. Certes, quoth the Emperor, I believe it is as you say; and if it be forlove of woman, would to God she were one in my dominions, for such possessions could I give him that there should be neither King nor Prince who would not joyfully give me his daughter for his wife. This would I willingly do to have him for my vassal, for whatever good I could bestow upon him he could more than requite with his services. I beseech you persuade him to remain with me and I will grant him whatever he may ask; then having mused awhile he said, go to the Empress and whisper to her to persuade the Knight to remain here, and do you advise him so to do for my sake, while I do what hath just occurred to my thoughts. The Emperor then called his daughter Leonorina and the two Infantas and spake to them awhile, but no one heard what he said, and when he had ceased speaking Leonorina kist his hand and went to her chamber.
But neither the Empress nor Master Helisabad could prevail upon the Knight to abide in that court, for though that would be the most honourable course he could pursue during the life of King Perion his father, he could have no rest or peace except in the thought of returning toward that land where his dear Lady Oriana dwelt. The Empress made a sign that she could not succeed, theEmperor then went toward him and said, Knight of the Green Sword, if by any means you could be persuaded to remain with me, there is nothing in my power which you could ask and I refuse. Sir, replied the Knight, such is your goodness that I should not dare to ask what you would grant, but this is not in my power, if I should consent death would not long leave me in your service. The Emperor then verily believed that only love could be the cause of this. At this time the fair Leonorina entered the hall, having a rich crown upon her head and another far richer in her hands, and she came up to the Knight and said, Sir Knight of the Green Sword, I have never yet asked boon of other than my father, and now I ask one of you, tell me that you grant it! He knelt before her and said, good Lady, who is he of so little understanding that he would fail to obey your command, having power to obey it? Now then demand what you will, which even to death shall be performed. Thank you, replied the Princess, I shall ask of you three boons, and with that taking the crown from her head,—this is one; you shall give this crown to the fairest Damsel whom you know, and tell her I sent it her, though I know her not, for such presents as this we use to bestow in our country. Then she took the other crown, which wasright richly set with pearls and precious stones, three of which in particular shone so that they would give light in any chamber how dark soever, and giving it to the Knight said, this you shall give to the fairest Dame whom you know, and say I sent it to her that I might know her; this is the second boon: now before I ask the third tell me how you will obey these? He took the first crown and placed it upon Leonorina's own head—I give this, said he, to the fairest Damsel whom I know, the which, if any one gainsay, I will prove her so to be in arms. At this were all well pleased, and so was Leonorina herself, although shamefaced at hearing her own praise, and they all said that he had fairly acquitted the first demand; but the Empress said, certes Knight of the Green Sword, I would rather have those whom you have overcome by arms than those whom my daughter can overcome by beauty! then was he also abashed at his own praise from so high a Lady, and answered nothing, but turning to Leonorina said, Lady mine, will you ask the third boon? she replied, yes; tell me wherefore you wept, and who is she who hath so great power over you and your heart. But then the Knight's colour changed and his chearful countenance, so that all could see he was distressed by that demand. Lady, said he, if it please you forego thisquestion, and ask something which shall be more to your service. She answered, this and nothing else is what I require! but he hung down his head and mused awhile, so that all knew how unwilling he was to reply. At length he looked up chearfully at Leonorina and said, Lady, since I cannot otherwise acquit myself of my promise I must needs say, that seeing you when you first entered, what you were and at what age, a recollection came upon me of other times that were full happy, but have now past away, and this was what made me weep. But tell me, quoth she, who is she that hath such command over your heart? It is my great ill-fortune, replied the Knight, that your gentle courtesy, which hath never failed towards another is against me now! I must obey greatly against my will. Know then that she whom I love is the same person to whom you send this crown, to my thoughts the fairest Dame of all whom I have ever yet seen, and I verily believe of all in the world, and now for God's sake Lady seek to know no farther from me, for I am acquitted of my promise. You are acquitted, replied the Emperor, but in such wise that we are nothing the wiser. I have said more than ever passed my lips before, quoth the Knight, for the desire I have to obey so fair a Lady. As God shall help me,cried the Emperor, you must be right secret in your loves if you think you have disclosed any thing now, and since my daughter was the cause she must exact pardon for her error. Nay, quoth the Knight, I must rather hold it as a favour of her that being so high a Lady she should so earnestly seek to know the secret of an Errant Knight as I am; but you Sir I do not so lightly excuse! for by the long secret talk you had with her, it is manifest that she did so more by your will than her own. The Emperor smiled at this;—God has made you perfect in all things, for it is as you say, and therefore I will make amends both for my fault and hers! the Knight knelt and would have kissed his hands had he permitted. I receive this promise Sir, said he, to claim it when you perhaps will not think of it. Quoth the Emperor, that cannot be, I shall never fail to remember you, or to make this atonement when you require it. These words were sportively spoken between the Emperor and the Green Sword Knight, but the time came when they were of great effect.
Then said the fair Leonorina, Sir Knight of the Green Sword, though you excuse yet am I not free from fault in having urged you so against your will, in amends you must take this ring. Lady,quoth he, I will kiss the hand that wears it, for no where else can it be placed where it will not have reason to complain of me.—Nay you shall take it to remind you of the snare I laid, from which you so subtilly escaped. She then threw the ring upon the estrado by him. I have another such stone, said she, in this crown which you gave me, I know not with what reason. Good witnesses of that reason, he replied, are those eyes and those locks, and all those other beauties with which God has gifted you! and taking the ring he saw it was the finest stone that ever he had seen, nor was there in the world another such, save that which was in the crown. You must know the history of that stone, said the Emperor, half of it as you see is the finest burning ruby that you can ever have seen, and the other half is white ruby, which belike you never saw till now, far more beautiful and precious than the red; the ring itself is of emerald, such that another like it could not easily be found. The famous Apolidon was my grandfather, I know not if you have heard this. I well know it, replied the Knight, for I have seen his statue in the Firm Island, and you truly appear to be of his lineage. I beseech you, quoth the Emperor, tell me the name of the Knight who, being greater than Apolidon in arms, hath won that Island.—Amadisof Gaul, son to King Perion. What! cried the Emperor, is it he who was exposed in an ark upon the sea, and being called the Child of the Sea slew King Abies of Ireland, fighting him man to man? now am I right glad, and think it no shame that he, exceeding all men that have ever been born, should have exceeded Apolidon; if I could believe that he, being the son of a King, would wander so far from his own country, of a truth I should think that you were he, but this makes me think otherwise, and if it were so you would not do me the discourtesy not to tell me.
At this was Amadis abashed and with good reason: if it please you Sir, said he, tell me how the stone was divided.—Felipanos, who in that time was King of Judea, sent twelve rich crowns to my grandfather Apolidon; all were set with pearls and gems, but in that which you have given my daughter came this stone which was all one. Apolidon therefore seeing that this was the most precious crown by reason of the gem, gave it to my grandmother Grimanesa, and she, in order that Apolidon might have his part, made a master divide the stone, and with the half thereof make this ring; so that for love was this stone divided, and for love given to Apolidon, and I believe that in goodlove my daughter gave it you, and you in still greater love may give it to another; and as the Emperor had said even so it came to pass, till at length it returned to the hand that first gave it, as is recorded in a branch of this history called theSergas, which signifieth the Feats of Esplandian.
Thus was the Green Sword Knight entertained for six days in the house of the Emperor, and then he said that he must needs depart, being in honour bound to appear elsewhere, as Master Helisabad knew. I beseech you, replied the Emperor, since it is so, that you tarry with me yet three days longer. To this the Knight assented, but then the fair Leonorina took him by the cloak—good friend, you have given three days to my father, now then give yet two more to me, that you may be my guest where I and my Damsels dwell, for we would enjoy your company without any others to disturb us, except any two Knights whom you may chuse to be your companions at bed and board! this boon you must freely grant, or else I will bid my Damsels take you prisoner, and that you will little like! with that more than twenty-five Damsels rose and surrounded him, and Leonorina laughed and said, wait till we see what answer he makes:but he right joyful at what that fair Lady had said, and holding it as the greatest honour which had been shown him in that court, replied, fair and fortunate Lady, who would be bold enough to disobey you, especially if threatened with so terrible a captivity? I willingly grant this as I would every service to you and your parents; God grant that there may come a time when you may be recompensed for these favours by me or my lineage! and what he wished fully came to pass afterwards, even according to Urganda's prophecy, when Esplandian succoured this Emperor in his great need. Wisely have you chosen, said the Damsels to the Green Sword Knight, else you could not have escaped from a worse danger than the Endriago. So I believe, quoth he, for worse is it to offend against Angels than against a Devil like that. Much were the Emperor and Empress and their court pleased with his gracious answers, and thereby judged that sure he was of high degree, for low born men often excel in strength but in gentle and debonair manners not, for they pertain to those of pure and generous blood. I do not affirm that all such possess them, but I say they ought to possess them as did this Knight of the Green Sword, who, placing a border of gentleness and courteous dealing round his braveheart, by that means shielded off all pride and anger that they should not harm his virtues.
So he was the guest of Leonorina for the two days, and when the time of his departure arrived she and her Damsels would have given him many rich jewels, but he would only accept six swords which Menoresa Queen of the Island Gadabasta gave him, the fairest woman except Leonorina in all Greece, and these swords she told him to give to his friends, and when he gave them to remember her and those others who loved him so well. Sir Knight, then said the Infanta, I beseech you that in courtesy you return hither to us so soon as you can, if that may not be that you send here one of your lineage to serve us, and talk with us of you, for sure I am that there must be those of your lineage well equal to such employ. Yea Lady, he replied, that may I truly say, and there is one among them who, if I cannot come hither, shall by his services well requite the honours which I have received here, great as I feel them. Thus said he, thinking of his brother Galaor, but it was accomplished by another Knight still nearer to him in blood; then took he leave and they crowded to the windows of the palace, and ceased not to gaze after him till his galley was out of sight.
You have heard heretofore how El Patin sent his cousin Salustanquidio and Queen Sardamira with a goodly company of Knights and Dames to demand Oriana in marriage of King Lisuarte. Now you are to know that by these messengers he sent letters to all the princes and great men, through whose lands they should pass, requiring them to show honour to the Empress Oriana as his wife; the which, though they promised with fair words to do, yet secretly they prayed that so good a Lady, daughter of such a King, might never fall to the lot of one so hated and despised for his overbearing insolence as El Patin. So the Embassadors came to a port called Zamando, opposite to Great Britain, and there they waited till they could find shipping, and meanwhile sent forward to inform King Lisuarte of the Emperor's demand, whereat he was well pleased.