Chapter 79 [part 2 of 2]

[How the Greek Knight defeated two more Romans but was persuaded by Esplandian to let them live.] 

[A picota, a column used in Spanish civil law since medieval times. This one is located in the town of Presencio near Burgos. Photo by Sanbec.]
 
+ 

The Greek Knight spurred his horse and found it strong and rested, since it had done little labor that day. He hung his shield from his neck and selected a lance with a very handsome pennant. He called the damsel who had brought Grasinda’s message and told her:

“My friend, go to the King and tell him that he knows the agreement: if after the first battle I was in a condition to fight, I would hold the field against two knights who came together against me. And now it falls upon me to comply with that madness, and I ask him the favor of not ordering any of his knights to fight with me, because they are such that they would gain no honor in defeating me. Let me fight the Romans, who began this, and it shall be seen if I, being Greek, fear them.”

The damsel went to the King and told him in French what the Greek Knight had ordered her to say.

“Damsel,” the King said, “I would not be pleased if anyone from my court or reign were to fight him. He has earned his honor today and I esteem him greatly, and if he were to be pleased to remain with me, I would make it worthwhile for him. And I forbid those of my domain and lands to trouble him. Now I must leave, for I have things to do, but the Romans, who are on their own, may do what they please.”

He said this because he had a lot to prepare for his daughter Oriana’s departure and because at that time he had none of his most esteemed knights in the court, for they had left to avoid seeing the cruelty and madness of forcing his daughter to leave. He only had Guilan the Pensive in his court, who was ill, and Cendil of Ganota, whose legs had been pierced by an arrow released by Brondajel de Roca, one of the Romans, when the King had been pursuing a deer during a hunt in the mountains.

After the damsel heard this, she told him:

“My lord, many thanks for your kindness ye have done for the Greek Knight, but know for certain that if he had wished to remain in Greece with the Emperor, he would have fulfilled what was asked of him there, but his will is only to travel freely through the world rescuing ladies and damsels from the injuries they receive, and many others who ask him for justice. Of these things and more he has done so much that ye shall soon hear of them, and then ye, my lord, and others who do not know him now will come to hold and esteem him.”

“So help you God, damsel, tell me whose orders he follows.”

“Truly, my lord, I do not know, but if his mighty heart is subjected by something, I think it can only be some lady whom he loves to extreme and who is in your realm. May ye be commended to God, and I shall return to him with this response. Whoever wishes to meet him in that field shall find him there until midday.”

After hearing the response, the Greek Knight rode slowly toward Grasinda, and he gave one of the majordomo’s sons his shield and another one his lance, but he did not take off his helmet so he would not be recognized. He told the one who took his shield to put it on the column and to say that the Greek Knight ordered it put there as a challenge to the knights of Rome in order to fulfill what he had promised. He took Grasinda’s horse by the reins to converse with her.

Among the Romans was a knight who was held in great esteem at arms, second only to Salustanquidio, named Maganil, and it was truly believed that two knights from Greece would not hold the field against him. He brought two brothers with him, both good knights. When the shield had been placed on the column, the Romans looked to this Maganil as the one from whom they expected honor and vengeance, but he told them:

“My friends, do not look at me with expectation, because I can do nothing in this matter. I have promised Prince Salustanquidio that if he left this fight in a such a way that he could not fight, I would take upon myself his battle with Sir Grumedan with my brothers. And if he and his companions do not dare fight with us because I will be doing it for Salustanquidio, then I shall avenge him.”

As they were speaking, they saw two Roman knights of their company bearing fine arms and riding beautiful horses. One was named Gradamor and the other Lasanor, and they were brothers, Brondajel de Roca’s nephews, sons of his sister, who was as brave and arrogant as her husband and her sons. They were greatly feared by other Romans because of that and because they were Brondajel’s nephews, who was the Emperor’s majordomo.

When they arrived at the field, as ye hear, without speaking or bowing to the King they went to the column. One of them took the Greek Knight’s shield and gave it such a blow against the column that it was smashed to pieces, and he shouted:

“May he be damned who consents to have a Greek’s shield be placed as a challenge to Romans!”

The Greek Knight, when he saw his shield broken, was so angered that his heart burned with rage, and he left Grasinda, took his lance from the squire holding it, and did not bother with a shield, although Angriote told him he could take his. He charged at the Romans, and they at him. He struck his lance against the one who had broken his shield and hit him so hard that the Roman was thrown from his saddle, and when he fell, his helmet flew from his head. He he was so stunned he could not get up, and everyone thought he was dead.

Having lost his lance, the Greek Knight put his hand on his sword and turned to Lasanor, who was attacking him with great blows. The Greek struck him on his shoulder and cut his armor and flesh down to the bones and made him drop his lance. He gave him another blow on the top of his helmet and made him lose his stirrups and grasp the neck of his horse. Seeing him thus, he quickly switched the sword to his left hand, grabbed the other knight’s shield and pulled it from his neck, and the knight fell to the ground, but he got up quickly in fear of death.

He saw his brother, now on foot, sword in hand, and ran to join him. The Greek Knight, fearing they would kill his horse, dismounted and held up the shield he had taken, and with his sword he headed toward them and attacked so fiercely that the brothers could not hold their positions in the field. Those who watched were startled to see him so valiant, esteeming them so little.

Thus he made the Romans know how skilled he was and how weak they were. He gave Lasanor a blow on the left leg so it could no longer sustain him, and he begged for mercy, but the Greek Knight acted as if he did not understand him and kicked him in the chest and threw him flat onto the field.

Then he turned to the other knight, the one who had smashed his shield, but that Roman did not dare to face him, fearing that death was coming for him, and ran toward the King, begging for mercy and shouting to not let him be killed. But the Greek Knight followed him and stopped in front of him and made him turn back toward the column, and when he reached it, Gradamor ran behind it to protect himself from the blows. The Greek Knight, who was irate, tried to attack him, and at times his sword struck the column, which was of very hard stone, and when he did, sparks of flame flew from his sword.

And when he saw the other knight too tired to move, he took him in his arms and squeezed so tightly that all his strength left him, then he let the knight fall onto the field.

Then he took the shield and struck him such a blow on his head that the shield was smashed to pieces and the Roman lay as if dead. He put his sword point in his face and pushed a bit, and Gradamor shuddered and hid his face in great fear and put his arms around his head, terrified by the sword, and shouted:

“Oh, good Greek, my lord! Do not kill me. Order me to do anything!”

But the Greek Knight acted as if he did not understand him, and when he saw that he was conscious, he grabbed him by the hand, struck him on the head with the flat of his sword to force him to stand up, and motioned for him to climb onto the column. But Gradamor was so weak he could not, so the Greek helped him, and when he was standing still on it, the Greek pushed him so hard that he fell. And as he was large and heavy and fell from a great height, he landed and lay so still that he did not move, and the Greek put the pieces of the shield on his chest, went to Lasanor, grabbed his leg, and dragged him to lie next to his brother.

Everyone realized that he meant to behead them, and Sir Grumedan, who was watching with pleasure, said:

“It seems to me that the Greek has made a fine vengeance for his shield.”

The childe Esplandian, who was watching the battle, realized that the Greek Knight meant to kill the two knights whom he had defeated, and, feeling sorry for them, spurred his palfrey, called to his companion Ambor, and rode toward the knights. When the Greek Knight saw them coming, he waited to see what they wanted, and when they neared, Esplandian seemed to be the most handsome noble childe of all those he had seen in his life.

Esplandian came to him and said:

“My lord, since these knights are in such a state that they cannot defend themselves, and since  your skill is now well known, free them for me, and all honor shall remain with you.”

He gestured that he did not understand. Esplandian began to shout to Count Argamon to come there because the Greek Knight did not understand his language. The Count came immediately, and the Greek asked what the childe had said, and he told him:

“He asks you to give these knights to him.”

“I would savor killing them,” he said, “but I shall grant them to him.” And he told the Count, “My lord, who is this handsome childe, and whose son is he?”

The Count told him:

“Truly, knight, this I cannot tell you for I do not know, and no one in this land knows.” And he told him how the childe had been raised.

“I had heard speak of this childe in Romania, and I think they called him Esplandian. They told me he had some letters on his chest.”

“That is true,” the Count said, “and ye can see them if ye wish.”

“I would appreciate that, and would thank him for showing me them, for it is one thing to hear an amazing thing and another to see it.”

The Count asked Esplandian to show him the letters. He came closer, and he wore a doublet, a French hood embroidered with gold lions, and a narrow gold belt, and his tunic and hood were fastened with gold buttons. He loosened some buttons and showed the letters to the Greek Knight, who was amazed and considered them the most amazing thing he had ever heard. The white letters said Esplandian, but the red letters he could not read, although they were well defined and formed. He said:

“Handsome childe, may God bless you.”

Then he bid farewell to the Count and mounted his horse, which his squire had brought him, rode to Grasinda, and told her:

“My lady, ye must be annoyed by having to wait over my mad behavior, but blame the arrogance of the Romans, who caused it.”

“May God help me,” she said, “in fact, your good fortune makes me joyful.”

Then they rode toward the ships, Grasinda with great glory and happiness in her soul, and no less so the Greek Knight for having stopped the Romans that way, and he gave many thanks to God. When they arrived at the ships, they had the tents put on board, and they sailed off toward Firm Island.

But I tell you that Angriote d’Estravaus and Sir Bruneo remained at the orders of the Greek Knight in a galley so that they could secretly help Sir Grumedan in the battle he had pledged to fight with the Romans, and he asked them that when that confrontation was concluded, however God willed it, they should try to learn some news about Oriana and immediately go to Firm Island.

And the good childe Esplandian was sincerely thanked by the Roman knights for what he did, saving them from death, to which they had come so close.

+

Chapter 79 [part 1 of 2]

How the Greek Knight and his companions brought Grasinda from the sea and took her and her retinue to the battlefield, where her knight would defend her plight to fulfill her quest.

[A moment in the International Jousting Tournament at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival.]
 
+ 

They took Grasinda from the sea with four damsels and went to hear Mass in the tents, then they mounted, the three knights in their armor on their horses, and Grasinda looking beautiful on her palfrey in clothing of gold and silk, with precious stones and pearls, so fine that the greatest empress in the world would not have worn better jewels. Since she had always been hoping for this day that had finally come, she had prepared by obtaining the most beautiful and finest things she could as the great lady she was, and since she had no husband or children or family to care for, and being supplied with a large territory and income, she only spent it on the things ye have heard of. And her damsels were also dressed in precious clothing.

Since Grasinda was naturally beautiful, these artificial fineries only increased her comeliness. Everyone who saw her marveled at it, and her appearance gave great courage to he who would have to fight for her. On her head she wore only the crown she had won in Romania as a sign that she was the most beautiful of all the ladies there, as ye have heard.

The Greek Knight led her horse by its reins, wearing armor that Grasinda had had made for him. His coat of mail was white as the moon, and he wore a tunic of the same livery and colors as Grasinda’s clothing, held in place with cords woven from gold, and his helmet and shield were painted with the same heraldic markings as his tunic.

Sir Bruneo wore green armor and the shield bore the figure of a damsel, before whom stood a knight whose armor was decorated with spirals of gold and scarlet, and he seemed to be asking a boon from her. Angriote d’Estravaus rode on a mighty and lively horse and wore armor in a vair pattern of silver and gold, and he carried the reins for the damsel who had brought the message to the King, as ye have heard. Sir Bruneo carried the reins of her sister, and they all wore their helmets laced on, as did the majordomo and his sons, who rode with them.

In such a company they arrived at the place at the edge of the town where battles were usually held. In the middle of the field was a marble column as high as a man was tall, and those who came there to seek jousts and battles would place his shield and helmet or a bouquet of flowers or a glove on it as a sign of duel. When the Greek Knight and his companions arrived, they saw the King at one end of the field and at the other the Romans, and between them was Salustanquidio, wearing black armor decorated with gold and silver serpents. He was so large he seemed like a giant, and he rode an amazingly big horse.

The Queen was at her windows with the princesses next to her, as well as Olinda the Lovely, who along with her fine attire wore a splendid crown on her beautiful hair.

When the Greek Knight arrived at the field, he saw the Queen and princesses and other ladies and damsels of high estate, and when he did not spot his lady Oriana as he usually did, his heart trembled with longing for her. He observed Salustanquidio looking brave and strong, and when he turned to look at Grasinda and saw her close to fainting, he told her:

“My lady, do not be frightened by the sight of a man so extraordinarily large, for God will be on your side, and I shall win that which will give your heart contentment.”

“May it please Him in His compassion,” she said.

Then he took the fine crown she wore on her head and slowly rode to put it on top of the marble column, and returned at once to where his squires were, who carried three strong lances with fine pennants in various colors. He took the one that seemed best, put his shield around his neck and went to where the King was, and said, after bowing, in Greek:

“May God save thee, King. I am a foreign knight who has come from the Greek Empire thinking to test myself with thy knights, who are so skilled, and not by my will but by the will of she who can command me in this matter. And now, as my good fortune guides me, it seems that the challenge shall be between myself and the Romans. Order them to put the damsels’ crown on the column as I have placed my lady’s for thee.”

Then, fiercely blandishing his lance and spurring his horse as fast as he could, he rode to one end of the field. The King did not know what he had said since he did not understand Greek, but he said to Argamon, who was beside him:

“It seems to me, Uncle, that the knight did not wish to do anything to bring discredit to himself.”

“That is true, my lord,” the Count said, “and although ye suffer some shame by having these men from Rome in your court, it would be a joy to see a bit of their arrogance broken.”

“I do not know if that shall be,” the King said, “but I believe a beautiful joust is being readied.”

The knights and other men from the King’s court, when they saw what the Greek Knight had done, were amazed and said that they had never seen such a well-attired and handsome knight in armor except for Amadis. Salustanquidio was near and noted how everyone only had eyes for the Greek Knight and praised him, and he said with great ire:

“What is this, men of Great Britain? Why do ye marvel at a crazy Greek knight who knows nothing except how to play in a field? It seems ye do not know them as well as we do, and how they fear the name ‘Roman’ like fire. It shows that ye have not seen or experienced great feats of arms if this small man frightens you. Well, now ye shall see how that handsome armored man will seem to you when he is cold and dishonored on the ground.”

Then he rode over to the Queen and said to Olinda:

“My lady, give me your crown, for you are the one I love and value above all other women. Give it to my, my lady, and do not hesitate, for I shall return soon with the one on the column, and ye shall enter Rome with it, if the King and Queen shall be content to let me take you with Oriana, for I shall make you lady over myself and my lands.”

Olinda, upon hearing this, wanted nothing to do with his madness. Her heart and flesh shook, and her face grew livid, but she would not give him the crown. When Salustanquidio saw this, he said:

“My lady, do not be afraid to give me the crown, for I shall make you win the honor and that crazy lady shall leave without it, relying on the strength of that cowardly Greek.”

But for all of that, Olinda did not wish to give it to him at all, but the Queen took if from her head and sent it to him. He took it and went to put it on the column on top of the other one. He hurriedly asked for his arms, and three Roman knights immediately gave him them. He placed his shield around his neck, put his helmet on his head, took the thickest lance with a large, sharp iron point, and spurred his horse.

As everyone was gazing at him, so large and well armed, his courage and arrogance grew, and he said to the King:

“Now I want your knights to see the difference between them and the Romans, for I shall defeat that Greek. He said that if he defeated me, he would fight two other knights, so I shall fight with the two best knights he brings, and if they lack courage, let them bring a third.”

Sir Grumedan, who was boiling with anger to hear that and to see the King’s patience, told him:

“Salustanquidio, ye have forgotten about the battle that ye must fight with me if ye survive this one, and now you demand another.”

“It will be easy to carry out,” Salustanquidio said.

And the Greek Knight shouted:

“Ill-formed vile beast, what art thou talking about? Why art thou letting the day go by? Pay attention to what thou ought to be doing.”

When Salustanquidio heard that, he turned his horse and they charged at one another at a gallop, their lances lowered, protecting themselves with their shields. The horses were agile and fast, the knights strong and irate, and they met in the middle of the field and neither failed with his blow. The Greek Knight struck him below the boss of his shield and pierced it, but the lance struck some of the strong plates of his armor and could not pass through them. He hit him so hard he threw him from his saddle, and everyone was amazed. The Greek Knight rode past handsomely bearing Salustanquidio’s lance through his shield and into the sleeve of his chain mail, so everyone thought he was injured, but he was not.

He pulled the lance from his shield and took it in one of his hands and rode to where Salustanquidio was, and saw that he did not move and lay as if he were dead. That was no surprise, for he was large and heavy and had fallen from his horse, which was tall, and the armor was heavy and the field hard. All that caused him to be close to death, which he was. Above all, his left arm had broken when he fell over it just above his hand, and most of his ribs had been dislocated.

The Greek Knight, who had expected him to be more courageous, stopped beside him, still on his horse, and put the iron tip of the lance in his face, since his helmet had fallen off with the force of the fall, and told him:

“Knight, do not be of such ill will that ye refuse to yield the damsel’s crown to that beautiful lady, for she deserves it.”

Salustanquidio did not respond, so he left him there and rode to the King and said in Greek:

“Good King, that knight, although he is no longer arrogant, does not wish to yield the crown to that lady who waits for it, nor does he wish to defend it or answer me. Grant it to her by your judgement, as is right. If not, I must cut off his head so in that way the crown shall be yielded.”

Then he returned to where knight lay. The King asked what he had said, and his uncle the Count told him and added:

“It would be your fault to let that knight die before you, since he cannot defend himself, and by right ye may judge that the crowns are for the Greek Knight.”

“My lord,” Sir Grumedan said, “let the knight do what he wishes, for the Romans have more tricks than foxes do, and if Salustanquidio lives, he will say that he was still able to continue fighting if you had not been so fast in delivering judgement.”

Everyone laughed at what Sir Grumedan said, and the Romans’ hearts broke. The King, who saw that the Greek Knight had dismounted and meant to cut off Salustanquidio’s head, told Argamon:

“Uncle, run fast and tell him to desist in killing him and take the crowns, for I award them, and he should deliver them where he ought.”

Argamon hurried toward him shouting to listen to the King’s orders. The Greek Knight stepped back and put his sword on his shoulder. By then the Count had arrived, and he said:

“Knight, the King asks you on his behalf to desist in killing that knight, and orders ye to take the crowns.”

“I am pleased by that,” he said, “and know, my lord, that if I were to fight with one of the King’s vassals, I would not kill him if there were another way to end what had been begun, but with the Romans, I would kill and dishonor them as the vile men they are, alike in the false behavior of that arrogant Emperor, their lord, from whom they all learn to be arrogant and, in the end, cowards.”

The Count returned to the King, and told him what the knight had said. The knight remounted his horse and took both crowns from the column and brought them to Grasinda. He put the damsels’ crown on her head, and he gave the other to one of her damsels to keep.

The Greek Knight said to Grasinda:

“My lady, your plight is now in the state you desired, and I, by the mercy of God, have completed the boon I promised you. If ye please, ye may go to the tents to rest now, and I shall wait to see if the Romans enter the field despite their sorrow.”

“My lord,” she said, “I shall not depart from you for any reason, for I can have no greater rest or pleasure than to see your great deeds as a knight.”

“As ye will,” he said.

+

Chapter 78 [part 2 of 3]

[How Grasinda’s challenge was delivered to the court of King Lisuarte, and how it was received.] 

[A corner of the Archbishop’s Palace in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. The oldest parts date back to the 13th century. The statue is of Catalina of Aragón, Princess of Castile and Queen of England, who was born in that palace in 1485. Christopher Columbus had his first meeting with Queen Isabel there in 1486. Photo by Sue Burke.]
+

The Greek Knight and Grasinda and their company hastened to where King Lisuarte was in his town of Tagades. Many grandees and other noblemen of his kingdom were with him, whom he had called to advise him about what to do regarding the marriage of his daughter Oriana, whom the Emperor of Rome had sent an urgent request to wed. They all told him not to do it, for it would be an error against God to take the reign from his daughter and send her to be subject of a foreign man with a changeable and inconstant moods. While he might deeply desire her now, soon he might chase after someone else, for that truly was the way of fickle men.

But the King, annoyed by this advice, remained firm in his resolve. God permitted this because Amadis had secured his kingdom and his life so often with notable services and given the King greater fame and height than any other king of that time, yet from that Amadis received such undeservedly poor thanks. Now the King’s grandeur and honor would be discredited and humbled, as the fourth book shall tell farther on.

Lisuarte would not change his mind, and his stubbornness and rigidity was made clear to everyone. Yet he thought it good to summon his uncle, who was very old and suffering from gout. Although the man did not wish to leave his home because he understood the error of the King’s plans and disagreed with him entirely, when he saw the King’s orders, he immediately left for the court. When he arrived at the palace, the King came out to receive him, took him by the hand to his dias, had him sit next to him, and said:

“Good uncle, I had you called along with these noblemen that ye see here to provide counsel for what I ought to do about the marriage of my daughter to the Emperor of Rome, and I ask you to tell me how it seems to you, and I ask the same of them.”

“My lord,” he said, “it is a very serious thing to provide advice as ye have ordered us because there are two issues here: one, a wish to fulfill your will, and the other, to disagree with it. If we disagree, ye shall become angry as most kings do, who in their great power wish to content and satisfy themselves in their opinions and not be berated and opposed by those whom they command. However, if we agree, ye put us all in a fine condition with God and His Justice and with the world, due to the great disloyalty and treachery that we would commit, since your daughter, being the heir to these reigns after your days, would lose them. She has the same right and even more to them than ye had to be King after your brother.

“Then look well, my lord, at how ye would have felt when your brother died if what ye ought to have possessed had been taken from you and given to someone it did not belong to. And if by chance your intention is that by making Oriana an empress and Leonoreta the lady of these reigns, both would be very grand and honored ladies, if ye look at it with the utmost rationality, it could turn out to be the contrary. Ye do not have the right to change the order of your ancestors who were lords of this realm and take one away or add another.

“If the Emperor were to have your daughter as his wife, he himself would have the right to inherit them through her. If ye do not agree, he is so powerful he could take them without much effort, and so both your daughters would be disinherited, and this land, so honored and outstanding in the world, would be subject to the Empire of Rome without Oriana having a thing to say except for what the Emperor may permit, so ye would leave her without a realm. And for that reason, my lord, if God wills, I wish to be excused from giving advice to someone who much better than I knows what ought to be done.”

“Uncle,” the King said, “I understand well what ye have told me, but I would rather that ye and those here were to praise me for what I have said and promised to the Romans, since by no means may I go back on my word.”

“Do not hesitate because of that,” the Count said, “for everything consists in how it ought to be done and made certain. In that, ye can protect yourself from shame and keep your word, and yet ye may decline or promote what would be best for you.”

“Ye speak well,” the King said, “and for now it shall not be spoken of more.”

Thus he ended that meeting, and everyone went to their lodgings.

In the ships where the beautiful Grasinda traveled with the Greek Knight, Sir Bruneo of Bonamar, and Angriote d’Estravaus, voyaging in the sea as ye have heard, one morning the sailors spied the mountain named Tagades, where the town called by the same name and King Lisuarte were at the foot of the mountain. They went to the lady, who was speaking with the Greek Knight and his companions, and they said:

“Lords, give us a reward for good news, for if the wind does not change, within an hour ye shall be docked in the port of Tagades, where ye wished to go.”

Grasinda was very joyful, as was the Greek Knight, and they all went to the railing of the ship and happily saw the land they had so much wished to see. Grasinda gave thanks to God for having guided her there, and with great humility she asked Him to direct her affairs so she could leave there with the honors she wished.

But I tell you that the eyes of the Greek Knight took great comfort in seeing that land where his lady was, from whom for such a long time he had been away. He could not hold back his tears, and he turned his face away from Grasinda so she would not see them and wiped them away as secretly as he could.

Putting on a happy face, he turned back to her and said:

“My lady, have hope that ye shall leave this land with the honor ye desire. Your beauty gives me great courage, and I feel certain that right and reason are on my side, and as God is the judge, He shall wish to have the honor be yours.”

Grasinda, who had felt afraid, as one whose moment was arriving, took courage and said:

“Greek Knight, my lord, I have much more faith in your good fortune and blessings than in the beauty of which you speak. Having that in your mind, ye shall cause your praise to be increased in this as in all other great deeds ye have brought to completion, and ye shall make me the happiest of all women alive.”

“Let us leave that to God,” he said, “and let us speak about how it may best be done.”

Then they called Grinfesta, a damsel who was the daughter of the majordomo and was good and wise and knew a good deal of French, which King Lisuarte spoke. They gave her a letter in Latin that had been written earlier to give to King Lisuarte and Queen Brisena. They ordered her not to speak or answer except in French while she was with them, and when she had the answer, to return to the ships.

The damsel took the letter and went to her lady’s chamber and dressed in fine and beautiful clothing, and as she was in the flower of youth and extremely beautiful, she seemed quite lovely to all who saw her. Her father, the majordomo, ordered palfreys and horses to be taken out of the ship and given fine saddles and reins, and the sailors put a boat into the water and took the damsel and her brothers, both knights, and two squires who carried their arms, and quickly brought them to land outside the town.

The Greek Knight ordered another boat put in the water to carry Lasindo, Sir Bruneo’s squire, and told him to go by another route to the town and ask there for news about his lord, saying that he had been ill when Sir Bruneo went to seek Amadis. With this excuse, he should try hard to find out what answer they gave to the damsel, and in any case, to return in the morning in a boat that would be waiting for him. Lasindo left to fulfill his orders.

And I tell you that when the damsel entered the town, everyone found pleasure in looking at her and said that she came marvelously attired and well-accompanied by those two knights. She asked where the King’s palaces were.

It happened that the handsome young childe Esplandian and Ambor of Gadel, son of Angriote, who by orders of the Queen were to serve her as long as the people from foreign lands were there, were both on their way to hunt with goshawks, and they met the damsel. When they learned that she was asking about the King’s palace, Esplandian gave the goshawk to Sargil and went to her, seeing that she wore foreign clothing, and spoke to her in French:

“My good lady, I shall guide you, if ye please, and I shall identify the King to you, if ye do not recognize him.”

The damsel looked at him carefully and was impressed by how handsome and charming he was, so much so that it seemed to her she had never in her life seen a man or woman so attractive, and she said:

“Gentle childe, may God make you as blessed as handsome. I thank you very much for what ye say to me, and I thank God for meeting such a good guide.”

Then her brother gave the reins of her horse to the childe, who took them and led them to the palace. At that moment, the King was in the courtyard under some finely worked porticos, and with him were many noblemen and all the men from Rome. He had just promised them they could take his daughter Oriana to the Emperor, and they had promised to accept her as their lady.

The damsel, who had dismounted, entered the gate with Esplandian leading her by the hand, followed by her brothers, and when they arrived at the King, she knelt and wished to kiss his hands, but he would not give them to her because he only did that as a sign of granting a great favor to a damsel.

She gave him the letter and told him:

“My lord, it is necessary for the Queen and all her damsels to hear it, and if by chance the damsels become angered when they hear what it says, they may wish to have a fine knight represent them, as my lady does, and by whose orders I come here.”

The King ordered King Arban of North Wales and his uncle, Count Argamon, to go to the Queen and bring with her all the princesses and damsels that were in her palace. This was done, and the Queen came with such a company of ladies, all of such beauty and fine apparel as would be hard do find in all the world, and she sat near the King, with the princesses and all the other women around her.

The damsel bearing the message kissed the Queen’s hands and told her:

“My lady, if what I seek seems strange, to not be surprised, since for such things God made your court excel over all others in the world, and the excellence of yourself and the King are the cause of this. Since only here can be found the remedy that in all other places is lacking, hear this letter and grant what is asked in it, and a beautiful lady shall come to this court with the valiant Greek Knight who protects her.”

The King ordered her to read it, and it said:

“To the noble and honorable Lisuarte, King of Great Britain: I, Grasinda, the most beautiful lady of all the damsels of Romania, send my greetings and would have ye know, my lord, why I have come to your land under the protection of the Greek Knight. The reason for it is that I was judged to be the most beautiful lady of all Romania, and to follow that glory which made my heart so delighted, I wish to be judged more beautiful than any of the many damsels in your court, because having defeated them first in one place and then in another, I shall have achieved the joy that I desire so much.

“And if there be a knight who wishes to contradict that on behalf of one of your damsels, he shall have to do two things: first, fight with the Greek Knight, and second, to place in the field of battle a fine crown, such as I bring, for the winner to take as a sign of having won that victory and give to she for whom he fought.

“And, most high King, if what I propose pleases you, order safe passage for all my company and the Greek Knight, who shall only fight those who wish to fight him. And if a knight fighting for the damsels is defeated, let there be a second fight, and a third, and he in his great skills shall hold the field against all.”

After the letter was read, the King said:

“May God save me, I believe that the lady is very beautiful and the knight esteems himself quite a bit at arms, but however that may be, they have embarked on a great fantasy that could have been avoided without harm to them. But people’s will comes in many ways, and people put their hearts in them and do not consider the fate that may result. And ye, damsel, may go, and I shall order the safe passage proclaimed as your lady asks, so she may come when she pleases. And if no one is found who contradicts her quest, her will shall be satisfied.”

“My lord,” she said, “your reply is as we had hoped, and she can come to your court without complaint. And since the Greek Knight is coming with two companions in search of jousts, they require the same safe conduct.”

“So be it,” the King said.

“In the name of God,” the damsel said, “then tomorrow ye shall see them in your court. And ye, my lady,” she said to the Queen, “order your damsels to be where they can see how their honor is increased or decreased by their protectors, as my lady shall do. And may ye be commended to God.”

Then she bid them farewell and they went to the ships, where they were received with great pleasure. She told them how her message had been delivered, and they immediately ordered their arms and horses be taken ashore, where they put up a fine tent and two smaller tents on the seashore, but that night only the majordomo and some servants came to the shore to protect them.

+