Chapter 81 [part 1 of 2]

How King Lisuarte delivered his daughter to the Romans against her will; and the rescue of the very beautiful Oriana by Amadis along with all the other knights of Firm Island, and how they took her to Firm Island. 

 [An early 15th century French depiction of the Greeks attacking Troy from the Histoire Ancienne jusqu’à César. From the British Library.]
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King Lisuarte was determined to deliver his daughter Oriana to the Romans, so firm in his decision that nothing could change his mind, as ye have heard. The time came for her to go, and he spoke with her, trying in many different ways to move her will in the direction that he wished, but in no way could he overcome her weeping and suffering. So he left her, irate, went to the Queen, and told her to calm their daughter, since he had accomplished little, and he had to keep his promise.

The Queen had spoken to him about that promise many times, hoping to find some argument against it, but her attempts had always failed and she found nothing to change his mind, so she did not want to say anything more to him and went to do as he had ordered, although she felt so much anguish in her heart that she could take no more.

She ordered all the princesses and other damsels that were going to travel with Oriana to go immediately to the ships. With her were only Mabilia, Olinda, and the Damsel of Denmark. The Queen also ordered all her clothing and fine attire taken to the ships.

Oriana, when she saw her mother and her sister, went to them in deep sorrow, took her mother’s hand, and began to kiss it. Her mother said:

“Good daughter, I ask you now to be happy, as the King orders, for I trust in the mercy of God that it will be for your own good, and He will not wish to forsake you or me.”

Oriana told her:

“My lady, I believe that this separation between you and me shall be forever because my death is very near.”

And having said that, she fell into a faint, and the Queen as well, so they were both unconscious. But the King, who came immediately, had Oriana taken to the ships just as she was, and Olinda with her. But first Olinda knelt and begged him for mercy’s sake to let her go to her father’s home and not send her to Rome. But he was so infuriated that he would not listen and had her brought immediately after Oriana, and ordered Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark to go with them.

So they were all on the ships, including the Romans, as ye have heard, and King Lisuarte mounted a horse and rode to the port where the fleet was, and there consoled his daughter with the piety of a father, but not in a way that allowed any hope that he would change his intentions. And when he saw that this was not enough to soothe her emotions, he felt a degree of pity, and tears came to his eyes.

He left her and spoke with Salustanquidio, Brondajel de Roca, and the Archbishop of Talancia, and put her in their care to protect and serve her, delivering her as promised. He returned to his palace, and behind him the ships were filled with so much weeping and wailing from the ladies and damsels when they saw him leave that it could not be written nor recounted.

After the King had left, Salustanquidio and Brondajel de Roca, who now had Oriana in their power and all the damsels on board the ships, decided to put her in a chamber that had been richly prepared for her, and placed her there with Mabilia, who they knew was the damsel she loved most in the world, and they secured the door with strong locks.

They kept Queen Sardamira on the ship with her retinue, along with many other of Oriana’s ladies and damsels. And Salustanquidio, who was dying with love for Olinda, had her taken to his ship with a number of damsels, but not without their great weeping to be separated from their lady Oriana. And when Oriana heard from her chamber what was being done to the women and how they came to the chamber door holding Olinda and begging Oriana to save them, she fainted again and again in the arms of Mabilia.

But as everything was ready, the sails were raised to the wind and they went on their way, to the great pleasure of those who saw their lord the Emperor’s wishes fulfilled. They had a large flag of the Emperor raised on the top of the mast of the ship that contained Oriana, and all the other ships sailed around it to protect it. And as they sailed very proud and happy, they looked to their right and saw Amadis’ ships, which were overtaking them and were between themselves and the land where they were headed.

Agrajes, Sir Cuadragante, Dragonis, and Listoran of the White Towers had agreed to attack the Romans before Amadis could arrive and rescue Oriana, and that was why they placed themselves between the fleet and the land. But Sir Florestan, the noble Sir Gavarte of the Fearful Valley, Orlandin, and Imosil of Burgundy with their friends and vassals also meant to be the first in the rescue, and came as fast as they could to reach the Roman fleet before Agrajes’ ship. And Amadis and his ship full of friends and men from Firm Island, came at full speed to be the first to rescue her.

I tell you that when the Romans saw the fleet far off in the distance, they thought it was some peaceful fleet going past, but when they saw it separate into three, two in front between them and the land, and the other behind them, they were frightened and raised an uproar, shouting:

“To arms, to arms, for foreigners are coming!”

They immediately armed themselves and placed some very good crossbowmen where they needed to be, and other men in their stations. Brondajel de Roca and many other fine knights who served the Emperor were on the ship where Oriana was, which was where the Emperor’s flag had been raised, as ye have heard.

At that moment the ships came together: Agrajes and Sir Cuadragante with Salustanquidio’s ship, where the beautiful Olinda was on board, and they began to fight bravely. Sir Florestan and Gavarte of the Fearful Valley, who were in the middle of the fleet, attacked the ship that carried the Duke of Ancona and the Archbishop of Talancia, who had many vassals there, well armed and strong, and so the fighting was fierce between them.

And Amadis directed his fleet to the ship that carried the Emperor’s flag, and ordered his men to prepare. He put his hand on Angriote’s shoulder and said:

“My lord Angriote, my good friend, remember the loyalty that ye have always had and still have for your friends, and try to help me in every way you can in this deed. If God wishes me success, all my honor and good fortune and blessings will be fulfilled. Stay by my side as best ye can.”

He replied:

“My lord, I could do no more than lose my life on your behalf and in your aid so that your honor will be upheld, and may God be on your side.”

Then the ships neared each other. So great was the attack with arrows and stones and spears from one side to the other that it seemed like rain, so heavy did they fall. Amadis and his men sought only to bring their ship in contact with their enemy’s, but they could not, for the Romans, although they outnumbered their foes, did not dare to let them come close, and when they saw how determined they were, defended themselves with long iron hooks and many other kinds of weapons.

Then Tantiles of Sobradisa, who was Queen Briolana’s majordomo, standing on the forecastle and watching Amadis’s attempts fail, ordered a large, heavy anchor on a strong chain be brought and launched at the enemy ship from the forecastle. Then he and many others pulled so hard on it that with great effort they brought the ships together against each other, inseparable by any means unless the chain broke.

When Amadis saw this, he urgently ran past everyone else, with Angriote and Sir Bruneo right behind him through the path he had cleared, and when he reached the prow, he put a foot on the edge of his ship and jumped to the other one, and his opponents could not shove him away or stop him. And because the jump was long and he came with great fury, he landed on his knees and was struck with many blows, but he stood up in spite of his fierce attackers and put a hand on his fine burning sword. He saw that Angriote and Sir Bruneo had followed him and were attacking the enemy with mighty and hard blows, shouting, as he had asked them to when they were on the ship:

“Gaul, Gaul, for Amadis is here!”

Mabilia, who was locked in the chamber with Oriana, heard the noise and shouts and then that name, and took Oriana by the arms, who was more dead than alive, and told her:

“Be brave, my lady, for ye are being rescued by that blessed knight, your vassal and loyal lover.”

Oriana stood up asking what was happening, for she was so weak from weeping that she could barely hear or see anything.

After Amadis had stood up and put his hand on his sword, and saw the wonders that Angriote and Sir Bruneo were doing along with the others who had swarmed onto the ship, he went with his sword toward Brondajel de Roca, reached him, and struck such a mighty blow on top of his helmet that he fell at his feet, and if not for the helmet, he would have split his head in two.

Amadis remained where he was because he saw that his opponents had surrendered and were begging for mercy. And he saw that Brondajel wore very fine armor, and he realized that he was the man whom the others were protecting. He took the helmet from Brondajel’s head and struck his face with the hilt of his sword, asking where Oriana was. Brondajel pointed to the locked chamber and said she was there.

Amadis hurried there and called Angriote and Sir Bruneo, and with their combined great strength, they broke down the door and inside saw Oriana and Mabilia. Amadis knelt before her to kiss her hands, but she embraced him and held him by the sleeve of his chain mail, which was stained with the blood of his enemies.

“Oh, Amadis,” she said, “light for all women in distress, now in your great nobility ye have come to rescue myself and these princesses, who have been placed in such bitter tribulation. In all the lands throughout the world ye shall be known and praised.”

Mabilia was kneeling before him and holding the skirt of his chain mail, but since his eyes were only for his lady, he had not seen her. When he did, he raised her up and embraced her with great tenderness, and told her:

“My lady and cousin, I have missed you so much.”

He wished to leave them to see what was happening, but Oriana took him by the hand and said:

“In God’s name, my lord, do not leave me.”

“My lady,” he said, “have no fear, for on this ship are Angriote d’Estravaus, and Sir Bruneo and Gandales with thirty knights to protect you, and I will go help our men, who are facing a great battle.”

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The third book of Amadis of Gaul begins [part 2 of 3]

[How the messages were received at the court of King Lisuarte, especially by Oriana and Mabilia.] 

[Map of Great Britain, drawn in the 13th century by Matthew Paris, a monk at St. Alban’s Abbey.] 

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Ten days later, Sadamon and Gandales arrived at the town were King Lisuarte was in his palace hall with a good number of knights and other noblemen. He received them with goodwill, although he already knew from a messenger that Cendil of Ganota had sent ahead that they came to challenge him. Sadamon and Gandales gave him their credentials, and the King ordered them to say everything they had been told to say.

Sir Gandales told him:

“My lord, Sadamon shall tell you what the high-born men and knights at Firm Island sent him to say, and then I must tell you what Amadis sent me to say, for I come to you with a mission and with a message from Agrajes for the Queen, if it pleases you to let me see her.”

“It would please me greatly,” he said, “and she would be pleased to see you, for ye served her daughter Oriana very well when she dwelled in your lands, for which I thank you.”

“Ye are welcome,” Gandales said, “and God knows it would please me to be able to serve you and how much it weighs on me not to be able to.”

“So think I,” the King said, “and may it not weigh on you to do what ye ought to do for he whom you brought up, because to do anything else would bring you censure.”

Then Sadamon told the King the message just as it has already been recounted, and at the end he challenged him and all his kingdom and all his men, as was his duty. And when he said that there was no hope for peace if the Island of Mongaza were not returned to Sir Galvanes and Madasima, the King said:

“This shall not happen soon, if that is what they hope for. May God help me, I shall not consider myself king unless I conquer their madness.”

“My lord,” Sadamon said, “I have told you what they ordered me to say, and if I were to say anything more, it goes beyond my mission. Responding to what ye said, I tell you, my lord, he who would pride himself in conquering these knights would need great wealth and power, and it would be harder to do that than ye think.”

“This may be true,” the King said, “but now it shall be seen whose power is enough, mine and my men’s, or theirs.”

Sir Gandales told him on Amadis’s behalf everything that ye have heard, leaving out nothing, as one who was well spoken. And when he said that Amadis would not go to the Island of Mongaza because he was the one who had won it, nor to anywhere where the Queen might be to avoid causing affront, all considered that to be good and very loyal, as they agreed among themselves and so did the King.

Then the King ordered the messengers to disarm and eat, for it was meal time. And so it was done, and in the hall where they ate the King ordered a table set opposite his, with his nephew Giontes and Sir Guilan the Pensive and other esteemed knights, who for their great worth he went to extremes to give honor beyond all others. This brought them enhancement, and the others, if they were lesser, were encouraged to be as good as them, so they would all be held equally by their lord the King.

And if all kings were like him, they would make the men in their service virtuous, brave, loyal, and loving, and would esteem them more than temporal riches. These kings would recall the words of Fabricius, the famous consul of Rome. The ambassadors of the Samnites, whom he was going to conquer, had brought him generous gifts of gold and silver and fine jewels because they had seen him eating with earthenware vessels, and they hoped to placate him and cause him to abandon what the Senate had sent him to do to them. But he, in his great virtue, rejected the riches that many risk their lives and souls to get, and he said:

“We Romans do not want treasures, we want to conquer and rule over the lords of treasures.”

The force behind these words cannot be executed without knights of exceeding skill and worth, who serve their lords with great love in exchange for the benefits and honors that they may receive from them.

During the meal, the King was very happy and told all the knights to prepare as quickly as they could to go to the Island of Mongaza and that, if it were necessary, he himself would go with them. When the tablecloths were lifted, Sir Grumedan brought Gandales to the Queen, who wished to see him. This pleased Oriana and Mabilia immensely, because they would learn the news they longed to hear about Amadis from him.

When he entered the chamber where the women were, he was received well and with great affection, and the Queen had him sit before her, next to Oriana. She told him:

“Sir Gandales, my friend, do ye recognize this damsel next to you, whom ye served so well?”

“My lady,” he said, “if I have done some service for her, I consider myself blessed, as I do every time that I can serve you, my lady, or her, and so I would do for the King if he were not in opposition to Amadis, whom I raised and who is my lord.”

When the Queen heard this, she told him that he should serve Amadis. “But while ye protect his honor, my good friend, ye may advise him and bring peace better than anyone else, as I shall do as well as I can with my lord the King.”

“I shall do this willingly,” Gandales said, “as much as I can and as my counsel may serve, and may God do what He thinks may be good.”

The Queen told him:

“May what ye have said be done also for my love.”

Gandales told her:

“My lady, I came with message from Amadis to the King, and he also ordered me that if I could see you, to kiss your hands for him as he who is sorry to be separated from your service. And I was also asked by Agrajes to ask for the mercy of sending his sister Mabilia to him. Since he and Sir Galvanes are no longer within the love of the King, she has no reason to be in your house.”

When Oriana heard this, she felt great sorrow and tears came to her eyes. She could not contain herself due to the heart-felt love she had for Mabilia and because without her she did not know what to do at her childbirth, which was drawing near.

But when Mabilia saw her, she felt very sad for her, and told her:

“Oh, my lady, what a great injustice your father and mother would do to take me from you.”

“Do not weep,” Gandales said, “for this issue shall be resolved well, and when ye leave here, ye shall be taken to your aunt, Queen Elisena of Gaul, and other than the Queen we have here, there is none more honored and better attended, and ye shall enjoy the company of your cousin Melicia, who loves you dearly.”

“Sir Gandales,” the Queen said, “I am very sorry over what Agrajes wishes, and I must speak of it with the King. If he takes my advice, this princess shall not leave here until she is wed with someone of equally high estate.”

“Then do so quickly,” he said, “because I cannot wait long.”

The Queen sent for the King to be called. When Oriana saw him, in whose will was her only hope, she went to him and knelt and said:

“My lord, ye know how much honor I received in the court of the King of Scotland, and how when ye sent for me they gave me their daughter Mabilia, and how poor it would be of me if she were not repaid. And besides this she is the only aid I have for my suffering and illnesses. Now Agrajes has been sent for her, and if ye were to take her from me, ye would do me the greatest cruelty and injustice that has ever been done to anyone, unless she were first rewarded for the honors that I received from her father.”

Mabilia knelt next to her and took the hands of the King, weeping, and begged him not to let her be taken away, for she would die of despair. She embraced Oriana.

The King, who was very calm and understanding, said:

“My child Mabilia, do not think that due to the discord between myself and some of your family members that I would forget how ye have served me, and I shall not cease to accept all those of your bloodline who wish to serve me and give them my thanks, for there is no reason to reject some due to others, especially you, whom we owe so much. Until ye receive the reward that ye deserve, ye shall not be removed from my house.”

She wished to kiss his hands, but he would not let her. He rose them up and had them sit on an estrado, and he sat between them.

Sir Gandales, who saw all this, said:

“My ladies, since ye love each other so much and have been together for so long, anyone who separated you would be unreasonable. And my lady Oriana, nor by my will nor my advice shall Mabilia be separated from you except in the way that ye and the King shall order. Now I have delivered my message to the King and the Queen, and I shall give the answer to your uncle Sir Galvanes and your brother Agrajes, and however it may please or trouble them, they shall consider proper what the King may do and what ye, my lady, may wish.”

After that, he told the King and Queen:

“My lords, I wish to go.”

The King told him:

“Godspeed, and tell Amadis that regarding what he had ordered be told to me, that he would not go to the Island of Mongaza since he won it for me, that I think he did so more for his advantage than to advance my honor, and since I understand that, I thank him. And from today on, may each one do as he thinks best.”

And he left the chamber to go to the palace hall.

The Queen said:

“Sir Gandales, my friend, pay no heed to the angry words of the King or Amadis. Instead I beg you to try to make peace between them, as I shall do. Give my warmest greetings to Amadis and tell him I appreciate his courtesy in sending me the notice that he would not do any affront anywhere I may be, and I beg him to honor me when I may send him an order.”

“My lady,” he said, “I shall do all in my power to fulfill your orders.”

He said his farewells to her, and she asked God to protect him and to use His Grace to restore the friendship between the King and Amadis.

Oriana and Mabilia called him, and Oriana told him:

“My lord Sir Galvanes, my loyal friend, I am very sorry that I cannot reward you for the service ye did for me, for the time does not allow it nor do I have what would be required to repay all that ye deserve, but when it shall please God I shall do what I ought and wish to do.”

When Sir Gandales heard this, he said:

“My lady, as my services were small, I get great satisfaction from your deep thanks, since there is no greater reward. And my lady, at any time tell me how I can serve you in any way, for ye know that I am yours and pay no attention to the loss of love now between Amadis and your father. And although he may not love the King, ye, my lady, should not cease to care for him, since he has always served you since his childhood when he was known as the Childe of the Sea and later as a knight with many deeds. Besides the many and well-known services he did for your father the King, and for which he got a poor reward, he freed you from the hands of the vile sorcerer Arcalaus, from whom ye could have only received great dishonor. And so, my lady, it does not seem that he has lost the affection of everyone, for it is well known that he did not deserve what the King did, and for that, my lady, my spirit feels deep pain to see him receive such a bad reward in repayment for his great services.”

Oriana, when she heard this, replied with great humility:

“Sir Gandales, my good friend, all that ye say is very true, and I am quite displeased at this loss of affection, because between their hearts one can hope for nothing but more ill-will and harm that grows each day, if God in His mercy does not send help. But I place my hopes that He shall bring this wrong to an end. Give Amadis my fond greetings and tell him that I beg him to remember the things that happened in my father’s house. May the present and future temper the counsel and orders of my father, who esteems and loves him dearly.”

Mabilia told him:

“Gandales, with thanks I ask you to give my regards to my cousin and lord Amadis, and to my lord and brother Agrajes, and to my virtuous lord Sir Galvanes, my uncle. Tell them that I ask them not to wish nor work to separate me from my lady Oriana, because it would be a lost cause, since I would rather lose my life than leave her against her will. And give this letter to Amadis, and tell him that he will find everything in it about what I am doing, and I think that it will be a great consolation for him to receive it.”

After Gandales heard this, he said his farewells and left them. He took Sadamon, who was with the King, and they armed themselves and took to the road. As they left the town they found many of the King’s men in armor, preparing to go to the Island of Mongaza, which the King had ordered so that the two messengers would see all those fine knights and would tell those who had sent them about it and strike fear in their hearts. And they saw among them the King’s commanders, including the King Arban of North Wales, who was a courageous knight; and Gasquilan the Troublesome, who was the son of Madarque, the brave giant of Sad Island, and a sister of Lancino, King of Suesa.

Gasquilan the Troublesome had such endeavor and courage at arms that when his uncle Lancino died without an heir, everyone in the kingdom thought he ought to become their king and lord. And when Gasquilan heard about the war between King Lisuarte and Amadis, he left his kingdom and to take part in it and prove himself in battle against Amadis, ordered by a lady whom he dearly loved. This shall be told more fully and completely in the fourth book, where the battle between this knight and Amadis, son of King Perion of Gaul, shall be recounted in detail, and so no more shall be said here to avoid an excess of words.

Sir Gandales and Sadamon observed these knights and continued on their way, concluding that while these were good men, the men of Firm Island would not be frightened by them.
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The third book of Amadis of Gaul begins [part 1 of 3]

In which are told the great discords and troubles that the house and court of King Lisuarte suffered due to the bad counsel that Gandandel gave the King to harm Amadis and his family and friends; at the start of which the King ordered Angriote and his nephew to leave his court and all his lands, and sent them a challenge, which they took up, as shall be told here.

[Opening text to Book III from the 1539 edition of Amadis of Gaul, printed in Seville by Juan Cromberger.] 
 
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The story tells how, after the sons of Gandandel and Brocadan were killed at the hands of Angriote de Estravaus and his nephew Sarquiles, as ye have heard, the twelve knights and Madasima brought the victors to their tents with great joy. But King Lisuarte had left the window so he would not see his advisors’ sons die, not because he cared for them, since he already held their fathers in low esteem, instead because of the honor that any discredit to his court would bring to Amadis.

After several days, when he learned that Angriote and his nephew had begun to recover from their wounds and could mount a horse, he sent them a message telling them to leave his kingdom and not to travel in it anymore; if they did, he would respond. They complained bitterly to Sir Grumedan and the other knights in the court who had done them the honor of coming to see them, especially Sir Brian of Mojaste and Gavarte of the Fearful Valley. They said that since the King had forgotten the great services they had done for him, and had treated them ill and denied them his vassalage, it would be no surprise if they turned against him more for what was to come than for what had happened in the past.

They took down their tents and collected their people and got on the road for Firm Island. On the third day they found Gandeza, Brocadan’s niece and Sarquiles’ beloved, in a hermitage, where she had hidden. When she had learned of the all the evil that her uncle Gandandel was inciting against Amadis, as has been told, she had fled in fear. They were very pleased to find her, especially Sarquiles, who loved her dearly, and they brought her with them as they continued on their way.

King Lisuarte, who had left the window to avoid seeing the good fortune of Angriote and his nephew, entered his palace angrily because things had gone in favor of the honor and esteem of Amadis and his friends. And there he found Sir Grumedan and the other knights who had come from seeing them off to Firm Island, and they told him everything that Angriote and Sarquiles had said and their complaints about the King, which made him much more angry and upset. And he said:

“Although tolerance is highly appreciated and mostly useful, at times it gives occasion to greater errors, as in the answer that these knights have given me. If I had forsworn them the way they forswore me, I would not have shown them any good will or kind gestures and they would not have dared to say what they did to you or to come to my court or even to enter my lands. But as I did what reason obliged me, may God find it good and in the end give me the honor and make them pay for their madness. And I hope to have knights challenge them along with Amadis, who commands them all, so it may be shown what arrogance is worth.”

Arban, King of North Wales, who valued his service to the King, told him:

“My lord, ye ought to consider carefully what ye have said lest it be done. Ye should do so out of consideration of the great worth of those knights, and because God so clearly showed justice to be on their side. If it were not so, although Angriote is a fine knight, he could not have overcome the two sons of Gandandel as he did, who were considered brave and courageous. Nor could Sarquiles have overcome Adamas. So it seems that the righteousness of their cause granted them victory.

“Because of this, my lord, I would hold it well to have them in your service, for it does no king good to wage war against his own people when it can be avoided, and all the harm that it does to one side or the other, and all the men and property that are lost, the king himself loses without winning any honor because he has merely defeated or overcome his own vassals. And often such discords cause greater harm, because they give rise to new plans by the kings and great lords in neighboring lands, who had been subject to the king but now might think to free themselves and to take back much more than they had lost.

“And what should be most feared is to give vassals the opportunity to lose their dread and respect for their lords, who govern them with careful discretion, subjugating them with more love than fear, and treating and managing them the way a good pastor does his flock. But if they are put under more pressure than they can stand, it often happens that they will all jump at the first opportunity, and when these unfortunate events become known, they are difficult to remedy. And so, my lord, now is the time to remedy the situation before more anger is incited, for Amadis is so humble in all things regarding you that with a little effort you could bring him back, as well all those who left with him.”

The King told him:

“Ye speak well in all things, but I shall not give away that which I gave to my daughter Leonoreta, which is what they seek. And their power, although it is great, is nothing compared to mine. Do not speak about this to me again, but instead prepare your arms and horses to serve me. And tomorrow morning Cendil of Ganota shall depart to challenge the knights of Firm Island.”

“In the name of God,” they said. “May He do what He sees as right, and we shall serve you.”

Then they went to their lodgings, and the King remained in his palace.

Know ye that Gandandel and Brocadan had seen their sons die losing both this world and the next, and had suffered in a way that these days many people like them do not. They hoped that God or His mercy would let them amend themselves or His justice would make them pay for everything, for if they did not atone they would have no redemption. They decided to go to a small island that Gandandel owned that had few residents. They took their dead sons and their wives and their servants, and they filled two ships that would have gone to the island of Mongaza, had Gromadaza the giant not given up her castles. With their many tears and with the curses of those who saw them leave, they went to the port and departed to where this story shall make no more mention of them.

But it may be rightly believed that those whose evil deeds accompany them to old age will bear those sins to the end of their days unless the grace of the Lord on high, more by His holy mercy than by their merits, permits them the time to repent.

The King called all the great lords of his courts and the best knights to his palace, and complained about the insolent way that Amadis and his friends had spoken about him. He asked them to feel as anguished about it as he would feel if it had been said about them. They all said that they would serve him as their lord in anything he ordered. Then he called Cendil of Ganota forward and said:

“Mount your horse and ride with the credentials to Firm Island and present my challenge to Amadis and all those who wish to uphold Sir Galvanes. Tell them to beware of me, for if I can, I shall destroy them in body and possessions wherever I find them, as shall all my lords.”

Sir Cendil took the letter of credentials, armed himself, mounted his horse, and immediately took to the road, as one who sought only to comply with his lord’s orders. The King remained there for several days before going to another of his towns called Gracedonia because it well supplied in all things, which greatly pleased Oriana and Mabilia because it was near Miraflores. The time for Oriana’s childbirth was growing near, and they though that it could be done at Miraflores better than anywhere.

The twelve knights who accompanied Madasima traveled each day without pause until they were two leagues from Firm Island. There at a riverbank they found Amadis, who awaited them with fully two thousand three hundred knights, all well armed and on horseback. He received them with pleasure and showed great love and humility to Madasima. Amadis embraced Angriote many times, for he had already learned by a messenger sent by his brother, Sir Florestan, about the outcome of the battle.

And as they were happily together, they saw Sir Cendil of Ganota, the knight of King Lisuarte who was bringing the King’s challenge, coming down a road from a tall mountain. When he saw so many well-armed men, tears came to his eyes, thinking about how all those knights had left the service of the King, his lord, to whom he was a loyal friend and servant, knights by whom he had been honored and his estate increased.

But he wiped his eyes and put on the best face he could, and he was a handsome knight, well built and strong. He arrived and asked for Amadis, and they showed him where he was with Madasima and the knights who had accompanied her on the road. He rode toward them, and when they recognized him, they received him well, and he greeted them with great courtesy and told them:

“My lords, I have come to see Amadis and all of you with a message from the King, and since ye are all together, it would be well for you to hear it now.”

Then everyone came close to hear what he would say, and Cendil told Amadis:

“My lord, have this letter read.”

And when it was read, Amadis told him:

“Those were the credentials, now tell us the message.”

“My lord Amadis, my lord the King sends a challenge to you and all those in your family, and all those here, and those who plan to go to the Island of Mongaza. He tells you that from here on ye should protect your lands and estates and bodies, for he intends to destroy all he can; and he tells you to refrain from traveling in his lands, for anyone he captures he shall kill.”

Sir Cuadragante said:

“Sir Cendil, ye have said what ye were ordered to say to us, and ye have done so rightly. Since your lord threatens our bodies and estates, these knights may say what they wish, but tell him from me that although he is a king and the lord of great lands, I love my poor body as much as he loves his rich one, and I am no less noble than he, for he has no more royalty on both sides of his lineage than I, and if I must protect myself, he should protect himself and his lands from me.”

Amadis would have preferred a more conciliatory response, and told him:

“My lord Sir Cuadragante, let this knight get the responses of you and all those who are here, and since ye have heard the message, let the response be from all of us as our honor demands. And ye, Sir Cendil of Ganota, may tell the King that it will be very hard to do what he has said. Now come with us to Firm Island and test the arch of the loyal lovers, because if ye pass the test, ye shall be better loved and appreciated by your beloved and ye shall find her more disposed toward you.”

“If it pleases you,” Sir Cendil said, “I shall do so, but when it comes to love, I do not wish share what my heart knows.”

Then they all went to Firm Island, and when Cendil saw its high peak and large fort, he was astounded, even more when he came inside and saw the land so abundant. He realized that the whole world working together could not take that island. Amadis took him to his lodgings and did him great honors because he was high born.

The next day all those lords met and agreed to send a challenge to King Lisuarte, and to have it be delivered by a knight who had come with Dragonis and Palomir who was named Sadamon. The two brothers were the sons of Grasugis, King of Lower Germany, who was married to Saduva, sister of King Perion of Gaul, for these two, like all the rest, were of high lineage, sons of kings and dukes and counts, and had brought their father’s men and many ships to travel with Sir Galvanes to the Island of Mongaza.

They gave Sadamon a letter of credentials they had all signed, and they told him:

“Tell King Lisuarte that since he has challenged and threatened us, he should protect himself from us and all the harm we can do, and when the weather is favorable, we shall go to the Island of Mongaza. Although he is a great lord, we shall be there, where he will come to know how his strength compares to ours. And if he says anything to you, respond like a knight and say that we shall hold firm in what we say if it pleases God, so there shall be no path to peace because peace shall not be granted until Sir Galvanes is given the Island of Mongaza.”

Sadamon said he would do everything he as he had been ordered.

Amadis spoke with his foster-father, Sir Gandales, and told him:

“It would serve me if ye went to King Lisuarte and told him, without any fear, that I consider his challenge and threats to be minor, even less than he thinks. And if I had known how little he would appreciate the many services I did for him, I would not have put myself in such danger for him, and the arrogance and high rank with which he threatens me and my friends and family he holds by the blood of my body. I trust in God, Who knows all things, that his ingratitude will be remedied more by my efforts than by his affection. And tell him that although I won the Island of Mongaza for him, it shall not be lost because of me, nor shall I cause affront anywhere the Queen may be out of the respect she deserves. If he wishes my gratitude, he shall have it as long as I live in the same way that he has forgotten the past.”

Agrajes told him:

“Sir Gandales, try hard to see the Queen, and kiss her hands for me, and tell her that I order my sister Mabilia to return to me, for it is no longer necessary for her to be in the King’s house given the situation in which we find ourselves with him.”

These words by Agrajes weighed heavily on Amadis, because he knew Princess Mabilia would do all she could for his lady, and he did not want to see them separated any more than he would have separated his heart from his body. But he did not dare to say so because his secret love might have been discovered.

When this was done, the messengers left in the company of Sir Cendil of Ganota, and lodged pleasantly in towns along the way.
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