Chapter 95

About the letter that Princess Oriana sent from Firm Island to her mother Queen Brisena. 

[John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, receiving a letter from the King of Portugal, in the Chronique d'Angleterre (Volume III), late 15th century. Image from the British Library.]
 
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The letter said:

“Mighty Queen Brisena, my lady and mother: I, the sad and ill-fated Oriana, your daughter, with great humility send kisses for your hands and feet. My good lady, ye already know I do not deserve my adverse fortune, which has wished to be more contrary and a greater enemy to me than to any other woman who has lived or who will live. It gave rise to my being exiled from your presence and realms with such cruelty by my lord and father the King, and to so much pain and anguish in my sad heart that I myself am surprised that I can continue even one more day with life. But my great misfortune was not content with merely that, seeing how I would rather die than contradict the orders of my father the King with the obedience that rightly or wrongly I owe him; it gave me a redress much more cruel for me than the suffering and sad life that exile held for me, because if I had died, only a sad damsel would have died, for whom considering her immense ill fortune it would have been much more appropriate and pleasing to die rather than live.

“But from what awaits now, my lady, if after God, ye in your pity for me do not find a solution, not only I but many other blameless people will lose their lives with very cruel and bitter deaths. The reason for that is because either by permission of God, Who knows the great injustice and injury that was being done to me, or because my fate willed it, as I have said, the knights who were at Firm Island destroyed the Roman fleet, leaving many dead and taking many prisoners among those who wished to defend themselves, and I was brought with all my ladies and damsels to that island, where I am treated and held with as much reverence and decency as if I were in your royal household.

“And because they shall send some knights to my lord and father the King with the intention of making peace, if peace may be achieved in some way in what regards me, I decided that before they arrive I would write this letter, by which and by the many tears that with it fell or without it would have fallen, I entreat that with your great nobility and virtue ye beg my father the King to have some pity and compassion for me, giving more importance to the service of God than to the perishable glory and honor of this world, and that he not seek to put at risk the high estate that fickle fortune has until now with great favor given him, since better than anyone else he knows the great violence and injustice that he did to me and that I did not deserve.”

When she finished reading the letter, the Queen ordered Durin not to leave without her answer because first she needed to speak with the King. He said he would do as he was ordered and told her how all the princesses and ladies and damsels who were with his lady sent their greetings. The Queen sent word to the King asking him to meet her alone in his chamber because she wished to speak to him, and he did so. And when they were alone, the Queen knelt before him weeping, and told him:

“My lord, read this letter that your daughter Oriana has sent me, and have pity for her and for me.”

The King raised her up by the hands, took the letter, and read it, and to give her some contentment he told her:

“Queen, since Oriana writes here that those knights are being sent to me, may it be such a mission that with it the dishonor received may receive amends. And if that is not the case, ye should hold it better for my honor to be maintained despite danger than for my reputation be diminished without danger.”

He begged her to leave it all to God, in Whose hands and will it was, and to cease suffering; and with that he returned to his hall. The Queen had Durin called and told him:

“My friend Durin, go tell my daughter that until, as she wrote in her letter, those knights arrive and their mission be known, her father the King will not know how to respond or decide to act. When they come, if a path to concordance can be found, I will use all my power to achieve it. And send my best greetings to her and to all her ladies and damsels, and tell her that now is the time to show who she is: first of all, to guard her reputation, for without it nothing would remain for her of value and esteem; and second, to suffer this anguish and sorrow as befits a person of high estate, for just as God gives people such estate and great realms, He also gives them anguish and concerns very different in size from those of much lower people. And tell her that I entrust her to God to protect her and bring her back to me with great honor.”

Durin kissed her hands and left on his journey, of which nothing more shall be said because he brought no agreement and with the Queen’s response Oriana was left without the hope she had sought.

The story says that one day King Lisuarte, after hearing Mass, was in his palace with his finest men about to eat, when a squire came through the door and gave him a letter, which was his accreditation. The King took it, read it, and told him:

“My friend, what do ye wish, and who sent you?”

“My lord,” he said, “I was sent by Sir Cuadragante of Ireland and I come to you with a message from him.”

“Then say what ye wish,” the King said, “and I will gladly listen.”

The squire said:

“My lord Sir Cuadragante of Ireland and Brian of Monjaste have arrived from Firm Island to your kingdom on orders of Amadis of Gaul and the princes and knights who are with him. Before they enter your court, they wish to know if they can come safely before you and tell you their mission, and if not, they will tell it publicly in many places and return from where they came. For that reason, my lord, tell me what ye wish so that they shall hasten.”

When the King heard this, he did not say anything for a while, which every great lord ought to do to give himself time to think. He considered that missions from the enemy always bring with them more advantage than disadvantage because if what they bring can be put into use, it should be taken, and if otherwise, they are given a serious warning; he also considered the fact it would seem hardly tolerant to refuse to hear them, so he said to the squire:

“My friend, tell these knights that they shall have complete security while they are in my kingdom and they may come to my court, and I will listen to everything that they wish to tell me.”

With that, the messenger left. And when Sir Cuadragante and Brian of Monjaste learned his answer, they left their ship wearing very fine armor, and in three days they arrived at the town, when the King had just eaten. And as they went through the streets everyone stared at them, since they knew very well who they were, and some of them said to each other:

“Accursed be these traitors who with their vile conniving made our lord the King lose so many knights and other men of great value!”

But others, who knew more about what had happened, placed all the blame on the King, who had chosen to let his discretion be overruled by scandalous and envious men. And so they passed through the town until they reached the palace, dismounted in a courtyard, went to where the King was, and greeted him with great courtesy. He received them with good will. Sir Cuadragante told him:

“Great princes ought to hear the messengers who come before them having set aside all emotion, because if the message they carry brings contentment, they should be very happy to have received it graciously, and if it is to the contrary, they should answer with strong wills and firm hearts rather than with disagreeable words. And the messengers must honestly say what they have been charged without fear of any danger it might bring them.

“The reason we have come to you, King Lisuarte, is on the order and request of Amadis of Gaul and the other great knights who are at Firm Island. They would have you know that when they were traveling through foreign lands seeking dangerous adventures, accepting those which were just and punishing those who were in the wrong as the greatness of their virtuous and mighty hearts required, they learned from many people how, following your own whims rather than justice and reason, paying no attention to the admonishments of the great men in your kingdom nor of the many tears of its humbler people, not thinking of what in good conscience ye owe to God, ye wished to disinherit your daughter Oriana, successor to your kingdoms after your life, and to give them to your younger daughter. Despite her great weeping and deep sorrow, without any pity ye delivered her to the Romans to give her as wife to the Emperor of Rome against all justice and against her will, and against the will of all your subjects.

“And as such things come to the attention of God, He may be the one to offer a solution, and He chose to permit that when we learned of it, we supplied the remedy to that thing which had been done with such injury against His service. And so it was done not with the will or intention to cause injury but instead to do away with such great violence and disorder, which we could not ignore without causing ourselves great shame. After we defeated the Romans who were carrying her away, we took her and brought her with great respect and reverence as is proper for her noble and royal estate to Firm Island, where we have left her accompanied by many noble ladies and great knights.

“And because our intention was none other than to serve God and maintain justice, those lords and great knights have decided to ask you if ye would wish to provide some means so that this noble Princess can be returned to your love and that those great affronts be ceased as the truth and good conscience require. And if by chance ye, King, hold some rancor against us, let that be for another time, because it would not be right for what is certain concerning the Princess to be mixed with what is dubious about ourselves.”

After Sir Cuadragante had finished speaking, the King responded in this fashion:

“Knights, because excessive words and untempered responses do not give rise to virtue nor make weak hearts strong, my response will be brief and with more patience than your request deserves. Ye have carried out that which according to your judgment satisfies your honor with greater arrogance than courage, because it should not be recounted as a great glory to attack and defeat those who were peacefully and unsuspectingly traveling, without recalling how I, as God’s lieutenant, to Him and to no one else am obliged to give account for what I might do. And when amends for this are made, then what ye ask for may be discussed, and since anything else would bring no results, no reply is needed.”

Sir Brian of Monjaste told him:

“Now that we know your will and the accounting that we owe to God about what happened, nothing more remains for us than for each of the sides to put into action that which most fulfills their honor.”

And having been dismissed by the King, they mounted their horses and left the palace, and Sir Grumedan rode with them, for the King had ordered him to guard them until they left the town. When Sir Grumedan found himself with them outside of the presence of the King, he told them:

“My good lords, what I see gives me great sorrow because, knowing the great discretion of the King and the nobility of Amadis and of all of you, and of the great friends that ye have here, I had great hope that these troubles would find a good solution. Now it seems that has all gone completely contrary, and now more than ever I see danger until our Lord is pleased to put these matters into the order that they require. But meanwhile I ask ye to tell me how Amadis found himself at Firm Island at this time, since no news had been heard of him for a long time although many of his friends have looked for him with great effort through foreign lands.”

Sir Brian of Monjaste told him:

“My Lord Sir Grumedan, regarding what ye say about us and the King, whom ye consider so wise, it will not be necessary to give you a very long account, since it is well known the great violence that the King did to his daughter, to which justice obliged us to respond, and certainly, leaving aside both his and our anger, we would have been pleased if some means could have been found regarding him and the Princess Oriana. But since he is pleased to proceed against us with more rigor than with just cause, he will see that the result of it will be much more demanding than it may seem at first. And, my good lord, regarding what ye ask about Amadis, know that we had no news about him until he left this court, where calling himself the Greek Knight, he brought that lady for whom the Romans were defeated and the crown from the damsels was won.”

“Holy Mary save me!” Sir Grumedan said. “What did ye say? Is it true that the Greek Knight who came here was Amadis?”

“Without any doubt he was,” Sir Brian said.

“Now I tell you,” Sir Grumedan said, “that I must be a man of poor discernment, since I should have thought that a knight who did such rare feats at arms greater than all the others, could have been no one other than him. Now I ask you: those two knights that he left here to help me in the battle that I had to fight with the Romans, who were they?”

Sir Brian told him, laughing:

“Your friends Angriote d’Estravaus and Sir Bruneo of Bonamar.”

“Merciful God,” he said, “if I had known that, I would not have feared that battle as much as I did, and now I realize that I won little esteem in it, since with that kind of help it would not have been hard to defeat twice as many knights as there were.”

“May God help me,” said Sir Cuadragante, “I believe that if it had been judged by your courageous heart, ye would have been sufficient for them alone.”

“My lord,” Sir Grumedan said, “whatever I may be, I have great love and goodwill for all of you, and may God be pleased to give some good ending to the concern that has brought ye here.”

And so they spoke until they had left the town and traveled some distance beyond it. And as Sir Grumedan was about to bid them farewell, they saw the handsome young nobleman Esplandian coming from a hunt, with Anbor, the son of Angriote d’Estravaus. Esplandian was carrying a hawk and riding on a beautiful palfrey with the richly decorated saddle and reins that Queen Brisena had given him, and wearing fine clothing. Due both to his extremely pleasing appearance and to what Urganda the Unrecognized had written to King Lisuarte, as the third part of this story has recounted more extensively, the King and Queen had ordered him to be provided with everything he might need. As he passed them, he greeted them, and they greeted him in return. Brian of Monjaste asked Sir Grumedan who that handsome young nobleman was, and he told him:

“My lord, he is called Esplandian, and he was raised in the most amazing fashion, and Urganda wrote to the King about the great deeds he will do in the future.”

“So help me God,” Sir Cuadragante said, “we at Firm Island have heard a lot said about that young man, and it would be good if ye were to call him here and we could hear what he says.”

So Sir Grumedan called to him, since he had already ridden past, and said:

“Good noble youth, come back, so ye may send greetings to the Greek Knight, who treated you so courteously by giving you the Romans that he was about to kill.”

Then Esplandian turned around and said:

“My lord, I would be very happy to know where I could send greetings to that very noble knight, as ye ask and as he deserves.”

“These knights are going to where he is,” Sir Grumedan said.

“He tells you the truth,” Sir Cuadragante said, “and we will take your message to he who was called the Greek Knight and is now called Amadis.”

When Esplandian heard that, he said:

“What, my lords! Is this the Amadis of whom everyone has spoken so highly and recounted his great deeds as a knight, and who is so outstanding among us all?”

“Yes, without a doubt,” Sir Cuadragante said, “he is.”

“I tell you truly,” Esplandian said, “his great courage ought to be highly considered, since he is so famous among so many good knights. And the envy of so many for him gives few the daring to be his equal, since he ought to be praised not less for his great self-control and courtesy. Although I encountered him when he had great ire and rage, he did not fail to do me great honor in spite of that, since he gave me those knights whom he had defeated and from whom he had received great affronts, for which I offer him sincere thanks. And may it please God to bring me a time when I can repay him equally to the great honor that he did me.”

The knights were very happy with what he had said, and they considered his great handsomeness a rare thing along with what Sir Grumedan had told them about him, and above all the grace and discretion with which he had spoken to them. Sir Brian of Monjaste told him:

“Good youth, may God make you as fine a man as he has made you handsome.”

“Thank you very much for what ye have said to me,” he said. “But if God has something good awaiting me, I would wish to have it now to be able to serve my lord the King, who has such a great need for the service of his subjects. And my lords, may ye be commended to God, for I have been gone quite a while outside of town.”

And Sir Grumedan said farewell to them and left with him, and they went to board their ship to return to Firm Island. But now the story shall cease to speak about them, and will return to King Lisuarte.

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Chapter 80 [part 2 of 3]

[How Sir Grumedan – old, handsome, and valiant – faced the Romans, and how he was helped by two foreign knights.] 

[Construction began on Chepstow Castle in Wales in 1067, and it is the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain. Photo by Gwyneth Box.]
 
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So, as ye hear, they passed the night, and the next day they put everything in the ships they would need. Maganil and his brothers appeared before the King, and with great pride said to Sir Grumedan:

“As ye see, the day of your shame is approaching, for tomorrow is set for the battle that ye so foolishly sought. Do not expect that the departure of the ships or anything else can prevent it. If ye do not admit your defeat, ye must pay for the stupid things that you said as a very old man without brains or sense.”

Sir Grumedan, who was almost senseless with rage upon hearing this, stood up to respond. But the King, who knew he was very sensitive in matters of honor, was worried for him and said:

“Sir Grumedan, I beg you not to speak about this as a service to me. Prepare yourself for the battle, since ye better than anyone else knows that such trials consist in deeds rather than words.”

“My lord,” he said, “I shall do what ye order out of respect for you, and tomorrow I shall be in the field with my companions. There the good and evil of each man shall be known.”

The Romans went to their lodgings. The King called Sir Grumedan aside and told him:

“Whom do ye have to help you against these knights? They seem fierce and valiant to me.”

“My lord,” he said, “I have God on my side, and the body and heart and hands that He gave me. And if Sir Galaor were to come tomorrow at the hour of the tierce, I would have him, and I am certain that he would hold my cause to be right, and I would not need a third with him. And if he does not come, I shall fight them myself, one by one if by rights it can be done.”

“But do ye not see that the battle was set for three against three,” the King said, “and since ye agreed to that, they will not agree to any change because it was delivered and sworn that way into the hands of Salustanquidio? And Sir Grumedan,” the King said, “may God save me, I have a great weight in my heart because I see that ye lack the companions that ye will need for such a challenge. I am very afraid about what will happen to you.”

“My lord,” he said, “do not be afraid, for soon God shall have mercy and shall aid those in whom He is pleased. I opposed their arrogance with restraint and good will, and for that, it is to be expected that God will help me. And if Sir Galaor does not come or any other of the good knights of your court, I shall fight with the two of my knights that I deem best.”

“Say nothing of that,” the King said, “for ye shall face strong men experienced in such things, and those companions will not do. But, my friend Sir Grumedan, I shall give you better counsel. I wish to secretly place my body with yours in this battle, since many times ye placed your fate at my service. And my loyal friend, I would be very disgraced if at this time I did not put my life and my honor in your service in payment for all those times ye put yours at the extreme edge of death to serve me.”

And as he said this, the King embraced him, and tears fell from his eyes. Sir Grumedan kissed  his hands and said:

“May it not please God that such a loyal king as yourself were to fall into error over someone who shall always labor to increase your fame and honor. And yet, my lord, I hold this to be one of the highest favors I have ever received from you, and my services cannot be enough to repay you for it, but I cannot accept it because ye are the King and lord and judge who rightly can decide in this case over both foreigners and your own subjects.”

Blessed be the vassals to whom God gives such kings, holding more dear the love they owe them than the services done for them, unmindful of their lives and grandeur, wishing to place their bodies in danger of death like this king wished to do for a knight, who although poor was very richly supplied with virtue.

“If it is so,” the King said, “I can do nothing else but to pray to God to help you.”

Sir Grumedan went to his lodging, and he ordered two of his knights to prepare to be with him the next day in battle. But I tell you that although he was very courageous and strong and experienced at arms, his heart was broken because those who would accompany him in that battle were not what he needed for such a great feat, yet he was of such a lofty and strong heart that he would neither give nor yield to disgrace before death. So rather than show his true feelings, he did the opposite. He spent the night in the chapel of Saint Mary, and in the morning they heard Mass with great devotion. Sir Grumedan prayed to God to let him finish the battle with honor, but if it was His will that this would be the end of his days, to have mercy on his soul.

Then with great courage he called for his arms. After he put on a strong and very white coat of mail, he wore over it a surcoat of his colors, which were cardinal with white swans. He was not done arming himself when a beautiful damsel entered the door, who had come on orders of Grasinda and the Greek Knight, and with her came two damsels and two squires. She bore in her hand a very beautiful and richly decorated sword and asked for Sir Grumedan, and they pointed him out immediately.

She told him in French:

“My lord Sir Grumedan, the Greek Knight, who esteems you highly for what he heard said about you when he was in this land, and because he knows that the battle with the Romans is set for you today, has sent you two very good knights whom you have seen in his escort. And he sent me to tell you that ye would not wish other knights than these for the battle and that by his faith ye may accept them without fear. And he sends you this beautiful sword which has proven to be very fine, for you have seen it strike great blows against the stone column when he pursued the knight who was fleeing.”

Sir Grumedan was overjoyed when he heard that, considering the need in which he had been placed and how any man would only be in the company of the Greek Knight if he was very worthy. And he told her:

“Damsel, may the good Greek Knight enjoy good fortune, for he is so courteous to someone he does not know, and this is due to his great discretion. May God be pleased to have the time come when I may serve him.”

“My lord,” she said, “ye would greatly esteem him if ye knew him, as ye shall his companions when you have tested them. Now mount, for they are waiting for you to enter the field where ye must fight.”

Sir Grumedan took the sword and noticed that it was very clean and showed no evidence at all of the blows that it had given the column. He made the sign of the Cross over it and placed it on his belt, leaving his own sword behind. He mounted the horse that Sir Florestan had given him when  he defeated the Romans, as ye have heard, and on it he seemed old, handsome, and valiant, and he rode to the knights who were waiting for him.

The three greeted each other joyfully, but Sir Grumedan could not recognize either of them. Thus they entered the field looking so fine that those who supported Sir Grumedan felt great pleasure. The King, who had already come, was amazed by how those knights, for no reason at all or knowing Sir Grumedan, wished to place themselves in such danger. When he saw the damsel, he had her called. She came before him, and he told her:

“Damsel, why have those two knights from your company wished to be in such a dangerous battle without knowing the man for whom they are fighting?”

“My lord,” she said, “those who are good and who are evil are known by what is said of them, and the Greek Knight heard about Sir Grumedan’s courtesy and the battle he faced, and knowing that at this time few of your best knights are here, he thought it good to leave these two companions of his to help him. They are of such great skill and prowess at arms that before midday is over, the great arrogance of the Romans will be even more broken, and your men’s honor will be well protected. And he did not wish Sir Grumedan to know about it until he found them in the field of battle, as ye have seen, my lord.”

The King was very happy over that aid, for his heart had been broken fearing that misfortune would befall Sir Grumedan because no one could help him in that battle. He was very grateful to the Greek Knight although he did not show it as deeply as he felt it.

The three knights, with Sir Grumedan in the middle, rode to one end of the field, awaiting their enemies. And then King Arban of North Wales and the Count of Clare entered it as judges on his behalf, and on behalf of the Romans came Salustanquidio and Brondajel de Roca, all by order of the King.

And soon the Romans arrived to fight, riding beautiful horses and wearing fine new armor, and as they were husky and tall, it seemed that they would present themselves with strength and valor. They brought along bagpipes and trumpets and other instruments to make great noise, and all the knights of Rome accompanied them. And so they came before the King and told him:

“My lord, we wish to take the heads of those Greek knights to Rome, and it would not trouble us to do so, but in the case of Sir Grumedan, your anger would trouble us, so order him to take back what he said and grant that the Romans are the best knights in the world.”

The King did not answer that, and instead said:

“Go fight your battle, and those who win the heads of the others may do with them what they see fit.”

They entered the field, and Salustanquidio and Brondajel placed them at one end of it, and King Arban and the Count of Clare put Sir Grumedan and his companions at the other. Then the Queen came to the windows with her ladies and damsels to watch the battle, and she ordered Sir Guilan the Pensive, who was weak from illness, and Sir Cendil of Ganota, who had not yet fully recovered from a wound, to join them, and said to Sir Guilan:

“My friend, what do you think will happen to my father Sir Grumedan in this?” The Queen always called him father because he had raised her. “Those devils seem so big and strong that they terrify me.”

“My lady,” he said, “everything done at arms is in the hands of God and the righteousness by which the men who take them up conform to God, and not in great courage. And my lady, since I know Sir Grumedan as a very wise knight, Godfearing and justice-doing, and the Romans to be so unreasonable and arrogant, motivated merely by whim, I tell you that if I were where Grumedan is with those two companions, I would not be afraid of those three Romans even if a fourth were to join them.”

The Queen was greatly consoled and heartened by what Sir Guilan told her, and she prayed to God from her heart to help her foster father and deliver him from that danger with honor. The knights in the field spurred their horses to charge, galloping at full speed, and because they were very skilled at arms and riding, both sides looked handsome.

Their shields were struck bravely, and none missed in the encounter, and their lances were broken. And something happened that had never been seen in a fight against equal sides in the court of the King, for all three Romans were thrown from their saddles onto the field, and Sir Grumedan and his companions rode past handsomely without having been moved from their saddles. Then the knights immediately turned back toward them and saw how they were struggling to get up and regroup. Sir Bruneo had a small wound on his left ribs from the lance of the one he had jousted with.

The Romans suffered great anguish from that joust, and everyone else felt great pleasure, both those who despised the Romans and those who loved Sir Grumedan.

The knight in green armor told Sir Grumedan:

“Since we have shown them how well they know how to joust, it would not be right if we were to attack them from horseback while they are on foot.”

Sir Grumedan and the other knight said that he had spoken well. They dismounted and gave their horses to someone to hold, and all three together headed toward the Romans, who now were not as brave as before. He of the green armor said:

“Our lords knights of Rome, ye have left behind your horses. This must only be because ye hold us in little esteem, but while we are not as renowned as ye are, we do not wish ye to take this honor from us, so we have dismounted from ours.”

The Romans, who had been maddened before, were frightened to have been so easily unhorsed, and they did not answer at all. They held their swords in their hands and their shields before themselves. Then they charged bravely and delivered fierce, swaggering blows, and everyone watching was amazed. Soon their valor and ire became apparent on their opponents’ armor, which in many places was cut and blood flowed from it, and their helmets and shields were damaged as well.

But Sir Grumedan, due to the great wrath with which he faced his enemy, moved ahead of his companions so that he was injured by more blows. His companions, of whose skill ye know and who feared shame more than death, seeing how the Romans were defending themselves, gathered all their strength and began to discharge mighty blows like those they had suffered, so the Romans were frightened, believing their strength had doubled. They faced so much danger they were driven back, and now they could do nothing besides protect themselves, and they drew away stunned, unable to regroup.

But the knights helping Sir Grumedan, who were nearing victory, did not let them rest or relax, and instead did amazing feats as if they had not received a blow all day. Maganil, who was the older and the most valiant of the brothers, as he had demonstrated all day, realized that his shield had been cut to pieces and his helmet pierced and dented, and his coat of mail offered no protection, so he hastened as fast as he could toward the Queen’s windows, and he of the vair armor followed him and did not let him rest.

The brother shouted:

“My lady, by God’s mercy, do not let them kill me, for I grant that everything Sir Grumedan said is true.”

“May ye be damned,” the knight of the vair armor said. “This is well known.”

He grabbed Maganil’s helmet and pulled it off his head and acted as if he wished to behead him. The Queen, when she saw this, left the window. Sir Guilan, who was there in the Queen’s windows, as ye have heard, told him:

“My lord Greek knight, do not be so greedy to take such an arrogant head as that to your land. Let it return to Rome, if ye please, where his conduct may be appraised and there he shall be abhorred.”

“I should do so,” he said, “because he asked for mercy from our lady the Queen and because ye wish it so, although I do not know you. I shall let him go. Order him to attend to his wounds, for his madness has been healed.”

Then he returned to his companions and saw how Sir Grumedan had one of the Romans on his back on the ground and his knees on his chest, and was striking him in the face with the hilt of his sword. The Roman shouted:

“Oh, my lord Sir Grumedan! I grant that everything ye said in praise of the knights of Great Britain is true, and what I said was a lie.”

The knight in the vair armor, who took great pleasure in seeing what Sir Grumedan was doing, called the judges to hear what the knight was saying and to see how the knight in the green armor had driven the other knight from the field, which he had left. But Salustanquidio and Brondajel de Roca were so sad and broken to see such an overwhelming defeat, that without speaking to the King, they left the field to go to their lodgings, and ordered that the knights who had retracted their words be brought to them, since their fates had gone very contrary.

Sir Grumedan, seeing that nothing remained to be done, got permission to mount, as did his companions, and went to kiss the hands of the King.

He of the green armor told him:

“My lord, may God always be with you, and we shall go to the Greek Knight, in whose company we are well honored and fortunate.”

“May God guide you,” the King said, “for ye have shown that he and ye are highly skilled at arms.”

And so they bid him farewell.

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Chapter 78 [part 3 of 3]

[How the Romans challenged the Greek Knight, then all the Knights of Great Britain.] 

[Nobles rendering tribute to Jaime the Conqueror of Aragon (1208-1276) in the city of Teruel, as depicted at Plaza de España in Seville. Photo by Sue Burke.]
 
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And now know that, when Grasinda’s messenger-damsel left King Lisuarte and the Queen with the reply that ye have heard, the cousin of the Emperor of Rome, Salustanquidio, rose up along with fully one hundred Roman knights and called out to the King so that all could hear:

“My lord, I and these noblemen of Rome who are here before you wish to ask for a boon that will be to your advantage and our honor.”

“I would be very pleased to give you any boon ye ask,” the King said, “especially one as ye say.”

“Then,” Salustanquidio said, “allow us to take the challenge for the damsels, and we shall do better for them than the knights from this land, because we know the Greeks well. They fear the name ‘Romans’ more than the deeds and accomplishments of the knights from here.”

Sir Grumedan, who was there, stood and came before the King to say:

“My lord, although it may be a great honor to princes to have bold adventures undertaken at their courts, and it may augment their honors and royal estates, very quickly it can turn into dishonor and loss if it is not received and managed with great discretion. I say this, my lord, for the Greek Knight, who has just come to the court with such a quest. And if his great arrogance would give rise to the defeat of those who are in our court and wish to contradict him, although the danger and harm were theirs, your honor would be diminished. And so, my lord, it seems to me that before anything is decided by you, we should wait for Sir Galaor and Norandel, your son, for from what I have learned they will be here within five days. And during that time Sir Guilan the Pensive will be better and can take up arms. These knights can defend the cause of the damsels’ honor, and yours shall be protected.”

“That cannot be,” the King said, “for I have already granted that boon. Those knights are such that they could succeed at even a greater challenge than this.”

“It may be so,” Sir Grumedan said, “but I shall see to it that the damsels will not agree to this.”

“Do not do so,” the King said, “for everything I would do for the damsels in my court has been decided, and besides, this was requested from me.”

Salustanquidio went to kiss the King’s hands, and he said to Sir Grumedan:

“I shall win this battle to my honor and that of the damsels. And ye, Sir Grumedan, if ye hold so highly these knights ye speak of and yourself and believe that they will do better than we would, if I leave that battle able to take up arms, I shall take two companions and they and I shall fight with you and them, and if I cannot, I shall send another in my place who will easily be able to replace me in the fight.”

“In the name of God,” Sir Grumedan said, “I shall accept this battle on behalf of myself and those who wish to fight with me.”

He took a ring from his finger and held it out to the King, and said:

“My lord, ye see here my pledge for myself and for those who wish to enter the battle with me. Since this was demanded by them, ye cannot refuse it rightly unless they concede defeat.”

Salustanquidio said:

“The seas will dry up before a Roman goes back on his word except to his honor. Your old age has taken your mind, and your body shall pay for that if ye place it in battle.”

“Truly,” Sir Grumedan said, “I am not a young man and have passed quite a few days, but I do not think that is to my harm. I hold it as my greatest advantage, for in them I have seen many things, among them that arrogance never comes to a good end, which I expect shall happen to you, for your boasting shows that ye are a captain and master of arrogance.”

King Arban of North Wales stood to answer the Romans, as did thirty knights who sought their fate with him, along with another hundred. But the King, who knew him, extended his scepter and ordered them not to speak of it, and ordered Sir Grumedan to do the same.

Count Argamon told the King:

“My lord, order them all to go to their quarters, for it diminishes you to have this pass in your presence.”

The King did so, and the Count told him:

“How, my lord, does the madness of these Romans seem to you? They dishonor those in your court and pay no attention to you. Then what will they do in their own lands, and how will your daughter be treated? For they tell me, my lord, that ye have already promised her to them. I do not know what trick this is for a man as wise and as blessed as you are in good judgement to play on the wishes of God, for instead of giving Him thanks, ye wish to tempt and anger Him. Be aware that He may cause the wheel of fortune to turn, and when He is angered by those whom He has done great good, He can punish with not just one but many cruel lashes.

“The things of this world are transitory and perishable, and their glory and fame last only as long as they are before men’s eyes, and no one is judged except for how they seem in the present, so all the blessings and heights which are yours now may be forgotten, buried beneath the ground, if fortune goes against you. And if any remembrance of them remains, it will be only to blame you for their loss.

“Remember, my lord, the great error ye did for no reason to expel such an honorable knight as Amadis of Gaul from your court, along with his brothers and all his lineage and many other knights who left for his cause, and how honored and feared in all the world ye were. Ye have not yet recovered from that error, and yet ye wish to enter into another that would be worse?

“This only comes to you from your own great arrogance, and if it were not so, ye would have feared God and taken counsel from those who have served you loyally. My lord, with this I discharge the faith and vassalage I owe you. I wish to go to my lands, and if God wills it, I shall not see your daughter Oriana’s weeping and anguish when ye deliver her, for they tell me ye have ordered her to come from Miraflores.”

“Uncle,” the King said, “do not speak to me of this, for it is done and cannot be undone. I ask you to remain for three days to see these battles brought to an end, and that ye be a judge of them with whatever other knights ye wish. Do this because ye understand Greek better than any man in my realm, since ye spent time living in Greece.”

Argamon told him:

“If it pleases you, I shall do so, but when the battles are over I shall not stay longer, for I could not stand it.”

When he was done speaking, the Count went to his lodging, and the King remained in his palace.

Lasindo, Sir Bruneo’s squire, who had come there on orders of the Greek Knight, saw everything that had happened before the King after the damsel had left. He immediately went to the ships and told how the Romans asked the King to fight in those battles and how he granted that, and the words Grumedan had with Salustanquidio, and how the time of their battle was set, and everything else that ye have heard of that happened. He also told how the King had sent for his daughter Oriana to deliver her to the Romans when the battles were over.

When the Greek Knight heard that the Romans wanted to fight the battles on behalf of the damsels, he was joyful because he had been worried that his brother Galaor would take up that battle for the damsels, and he considered this the greatest challenge he could have faced because Sir Galaor was the knight who had given him more difficulty than any he had fought with, other than the giants, as the first book of this story has recounted.

He truly believed that if Galaor had been in the court, being the most skilled at arms of all, he would have taken up the challenge, and only two things could have come of it: he would die or he would kill his brother Sir Galaor, who would sooner die than suffer anything that would dishonor him. So he was happy to learn that he was not in the court, and in addition he would not have to fight against any of his friends who were in the court.

He told Grasinda:

“My lady, let us hear Mass tomorrow morning in the tent, and let us dress ourselves well and take whatever damsels ye please, also well attired, and we shall go and bring this to an end, and I trust in God that ye shall achieve the honor that ye desire so much and which ye have come to these lands for.”

Then Grasinda retired to her room, and the Greek Knight and his companions went to their ship.

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Chapter 77 [part 1 of 2]

How Queen Sardamira sent a message to Sir Florestan, telling him that because he had defeated her knights and left them injured, she wished him to guard her as far as Miraflores Castle, where she was going to speak with Oriana; and what happened there. 

[Statue of Beatriz Galindo (1465-1535) in Madrid. She served as a professor at the University of Salamanca before she became tutor to the children of Queen Isabella. Because of her proficiency in Latin, she was nicknamed La Latina, and the neighborhood in Madrid where she lived is still called La Latina. Photo by Tamorlan.]
 
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So, as you have heard, Sir Grumedan was speaking with Queen Sardamira, who was happy to hear about the journey the Emperor had made back when he called himself Patin. He had been traveling for her love, since he had loved her dearly and had gone to Great Britain hoping to win her love by testing himself against the fine knights there. But he had never told her about what had happened to him with Amadis, and she laughed a lot inwardly over how he had kept it from her.

Sir Grumedan told her:

“My lady, give me the message ye would be most pleased to have sent to Sir Florestan.”

She thought a bit and said:

“Sir Grumedan, you can see that my knights are badly injured and can no longer guard me or themselves, and they ought to stay behind for their health. Given how the knights of this land are, I would wish that Sir Florestan were my guard along with you.”

He said:

“I tell you, my lady, that Sir Florestan is so courteous that a lady or damsel could ask nothing from him that he would not do, and even more for you, for ye are a great lady to whom he must make amends for his error.”

“I am very pleased by what ye say,” she said, “and if ye give me someone to guide this damsel, I shall send her with my message.”

He gave her four squires, and the Queen sent the damsel who had received the horses with a letter of credentials, and told her privately what to say. She mounted her palfrey and with the squires she hurried on her way. When she arrived at the hermitage, she found Sir Florestan, who was speaking with the hermit, and she dismounted. Since she had not veiled her face, he recognized her immediately and received her very well.

She told him:

“My lord, there was a time today when I did not wish to look for you because I thought things would happen differently between you and our knights.”

“My good lady,” he said, “it was their fault, for they asked me to do what I could not refuse without shame. But tell me if your lady the Queen is going to lodge tonight where I left her.”

The damsel said:

“My lord, the Queen sends you her greetings. Take this letter I bring from her.”

He looked at it and said:

“My lady, tell me the order she sent with you, and I shall fulfill it.”

“It would not be unreasonable to do so,” she said. “In fact, it is to your honor and courtesy as a good knight, and I tell you I was ordered to say that the knights who guarded her were left in such a poor state by you that they cannot serve her. And since this trouble is caused by you, she wishes you to guard her until she reaches Miraflores, where she is going to see Oriana.”

“I am very gratified to your lady, for I hold it as a great honor and gift to be able to serve her. Let us leave here at such a time that we arrive at her tent at dawn.”

“In the name of God,” the lady said. “And now I say that ye are well known to Sir Grumedan, who told the Queen that ye would give the answer that ye did.”

The damsel was very taken by the fine words and great discretion of Sir Florestan, and by how he was handsome and debonair, and in every way he seemed like a high-born man, which he was. There they supped together and spoke about many things until well into the night. When it was time to sleep, they made a lodging for the damsel in the hermitage, and Sir Florestan went beneath the trees with his squires and slept that night very peacefully after the day’s labors. But when it was time, the squires awoke him, and he armed himself and brought the lady and the rest of the company with him as he rode, arriving at the tents early in the morning.

The damsel went to the Queen, and Sir Florestan to Sir Grumedan’s tent, who had already risen and was speaking with his knights, and he was about to hear Mass. When he saw Sir Florestan, he was delighted, and they embraced each other with pleasure and immediately went to the Queen’s tent.

Sir Grumedan told him:

“My lord, the Queen wishes you to guard her, and you should, for she is a very noble lady. And it seems to me that she made no bad exchange to lose her knights and win you,” he said laughing.

“May God help me,” Sir Florestan said, “I very much wish to put myself in her service in whatever may please her, especially doing it in your company, since I have not seen you for so long.”

“My lord, God knows how much it pleases me to see you,” he said. “Tell me what ye did with the shields that ye took from here.”

“I sent them last night with my squire to Firm Island and to your friend Sir Gandales, so he can put them where they may be seen by everyone who comes there, and the Romans will know where they are if they wish to come and try to take them.”

“If they do,” Sir Grumedan said, “the island will be well supplied with their shields and weapons.”

So they spoke as they came to where the Queen was, who knew they were coming. Sir Florestan came before her and wished to kiss her hands, but she would not let him and put her hand on the sleeve of his coat of mail as a sign of welcome, and told him:

“Sir Florestan, I am very thankful that ye have come and for the effort ye wish to make in my service. In that way ye have made amends for the injury ye did to my knights, and it is right to forgive you.”

“My good lady,” he said, “it is no effort or labor to serve you. Instead, I am very sorry if I gave you any affront, and I accept this as a great honor and kindness. And I ask ye to order me to do whatever else may be in your service, my lady, and as your knight and servant I shall fulfill it with my deepest devotion.”

The Queen asked Sir Grumedan if everything was ready for travel. He replied:

“My lady, ye may go whenever ye wish, and I shall have these injured knights taken to a town near here where they shall be cared for until they are well. Given their injuries, they cannot travel with us until they are healthy.”

“So shall it be,” she said.

Then they brought the Queen a palfrey white as snow with a fine saddle marvelously decorated with gold, as were the reins. She was dressed in fine clothing with pearls and expensive stones around her neck, which added to her great beauty. Her ladies and damsels, finely attired, immediately mounted, and with Sir Florestan taking the Queen’s horse by the reins, they took the road to Miraflores.

I tell you that Oriana already knew they were coming, which weighed on her, for there was nothing worse in the world for her than to hear speak of the Emperor of Rome, and she knew for certain that the Queen came for no other reason. But she was very pleased that Sir Florestan was coming when she learned that he was traveling with her, because she could ask him for news about Amadis and express her grievances to him about her father the King.

Although she was very upset, she ordered the house be decorated beautifully with fine estrados to receive them, and she wore her best clothing, as did Mabilia and her other damsels.

When Queen Sardamira entered the palace where Oriana was, Sir Florestan and Grumedan escorted her. She impressed Oriana, who thought that if it were not for what she was seeking, she would be very pleased to have her with her. The Queen approached and knelt before Oriana and wished to kiss her hands, but she pulled her up and told her that she was a queen and lady, and herself a poor damsel whose sins had brought her harm.

Then Mabilia and the other damsels greeted her, showing great pleasure to meet the Queen. But Oriana could not, for she had never felt pleasure since the Romans had arrived at her father’s court. But I tell you that she was very delighted with Sir Florestan and Sir Grumedan, for her heart found some rest with them.

All the women sat on an estrado, and Oriana had Sir Florestan and Sir Grumedan sit facing her, and after she had spoken a while with the Queen, she turned to Sir Florestan and said:

“My good friend, it has been a long time since I saw you, and I am sorry for that since I love you dearly, as do all who know you. And great is the loss of you and Amadis and your friends to Great Britain because you used to set right great wrongs and grievances here. May those who caused your estrangement from my father be damned, and if ye were all here together as before, an unfortunate woman, now sadly awaiting to be disinherited and be brought close to death, could have hope for remedy. And if ye were here, you would speak for her and come to her defense as ye have always done, for ye would never forsake those who need your help in their time of troubles. But such as been the ill fortune of she of whom I speak that nothing awaits her but death.”

As she said this, she wept bitterly, and for two reasons: The first because if her father were to deliver her to the Romans, she planned to throw herself into the sea. The other, because of her loneliness for Amadis, whom Sir Florestan reminded her of as he sat before her, looking so much like him.

Sir Florestan, who was very clever, understood that she was speaking about herself, and said:

“My good lady, God in His mercy brings help to those in great troubles, and my lady, place your hope in Him to bring you counsel for your trouble. And of what ye say of Amadis, my lord brother whom I deeply long to see, if in some places they lack his help, in others those who need it find it. Believe, my lady, that he is well and in his free will, traveling in foreign lands doing wondrous feats at arms and helping those who have been done ill, for God has placed his excellence in the world above all others He caused to be born.”

Queen Sardamira, who was near them and heard every word, said:

“Oh, may God keep Amadis from falling into the hands of the Emperor, who despises him mortally. I can only feel sorrow for his hatred at him for being so esteemed, and at you, Sir Florestan, who is his brother.”

“My lady,” he said, “many others love him and wish him well and honor.”

“And I tell you,” the Queen said, “that from what I know, there is no man whom the Emperor hates as much as him, except for a knight who lodged for a time in the court of King Tafinor of Bohemia when the Emperor’s men went to war with him. That knight of whom I speak killed Sir Garadan in battle, who was the best knight in the entire lineage of the Emperor and in the entire dominion of Rome besides Salustanquidio, the very honorable prince sent on orders of the Emperor to your father for your wedding.

“And that knight of whom I speak, the day after he had killed Sir Garadan, through his great skill at arms he killed another eleven knights of the Emperor, among the best in all Rome. And with these two battles that I speak of, that knight brought to an end the Emperor’s war against the King of Bohemia, who otherwise would have had no expectation but to lose all his kingdom. So it was a good day when such a noble knight came to his court to solve all his ills.”

Then Queen Sardamira explained in detail the reasons behind the battles, and how the war was won to the honor and advantage of King Tafinor, just as this book has told. After she was done, Sir Florestan said:

“My good lady, do you know the name of this knight to whom all these things happened to increase his honor?”

“Yes,” the Queen said. “They call him the Knight of the Green Sword or the Knight of the Dwarf, and he answers to either of those names. But everyone knows those are not his real names. He carries a grand sword in a green sheath, and a dwarf accompanies him, so those names come from that. And as with the squire who accompanies him, the dwarf never parts from his side.”

When Sir Florestan heard this description, he was joyful and believed that it was in fact his brother Amadis. Oriana and Mabilia also believed that. Sir Florestan, after some thought, decided that when he left King Lisuarte’s court, he would go look for him. And Oriana, who was dying to speak privately with Mabilia, said to the Queen:

“My good lady, ye have come from far away and must need to relax, and it would be good if ye were to rest in these fine room that ye have here.”

“So it shall be done,” she said, “since ye wish it, my lady.”

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Chapter 76 [part 3 of 3]

[How Sir Grumedan and Queen Sardamira came to know the knight was Sir Florestan, brother of Amadis.]

[A late 15th century parade shield from Flanders or Burgundy depicting an image of courtly love: “vous ou la mort” (you or death). At the British Museum.]
 
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Sir Grumedan said to Sir Florestan:

“My lord, if ye please, tell us your name, for such a fine man as yourself should not go unknown.”

He replied:

“My lord Sir Grumedan, I pray it does not trouble you if I do not say, because due to the discourtesy I did to that lovely Queen for no reason, I do not wish her to know it, and I feel very guilty, although she and her ladies are more guilty. Their great beauty was the cause for my error, for it left me dazzled. And I beg you, my lord Sir Grumedan, that ye seek their forgiveness in exchange for whatever amends I might be able to make, and that ye send me their answer to the round hermitage near here, which is where I shall lodge today.”

Sir Grumedan told him:

“I shall do all in my power to do as ye wish, and I shall send my squire with the response. I think that the answer he shall bring you will be good, as ye deserve.”

The knight from Firm Island told him:

“I ask you, my lord Sir Grumedan, that if ye know any news about Amadis, please tell me.”

And Sir Grumedan, who deeply loved he whom he had been asked about, had tears come to his eyes from longing for him, and said:

“May God help me, good knight, from the time he left Gaul and his father King Perion’s house, I have heard no news at all about him, and I would be delighted to learn anything and tell it to you and to all his friends.”

“I well believe this,” Sir Florestan said, “due to your good will and the great loyalty within you, my lord. If all men were like that, immoderation and disloyalty would find noplace here to lodge, and they would be forced from this world. May God be with you, and I shall go to the hermitage, where I shall wait for the word your squire brings.”

“May ye go with God,” Sir Grumedan said.

He went to the tents, and Sir Florestan to where his squires were. He ordered the horses he had won be brought to the tents, and the peach-colored horse be given to Sir Grumedan on his behalf because it seemed especially fine, and the other four be given to the damsel who had spoken to him to do with as she pleased, and to say that they were sent by Sir Florestan.

Sir Grumedan was very happy with the horse for having belonged to the Romans, and even more to know that the knight had been Sir Florestan, whom he deeply loved and appreciated.

The squires gave the other horses to the damsel and told her:

“My lady damsel, that knight to whom ye spoke derisively today, praising your Romans, sends you these horses to do with as ye please, and asks ye to take them as proof of the truth of the words he said.”

“I am deeply grateful,” she said, “and truly, he won them with great honor and nobility, but I would be even more pleased if he had left his horse here than to receive these four.”

“That may well be,” said one of the squires, “but whoever would win his horse would have to have better knights than the ones who tried to take it from him here.”

The damsel said:

“Do not be surprised if I prefer the honor of those knights than honor from one whose name I do not even know. But however that may be, he has sent me a beautiful gift, and I am sorry to have said something to such a good man that made him angry. I shall make amends however he may ask.”

With that the squires returned to their lord, who waited for them, and told him what had happened, which pleased him. He ordered them to take the Romans’ shields and went to the round hermitage to wait there for word from Sir Grumedan. The hermitage was on the road straight to Firm Island, and he had no desire to go to the court of King Lisuarte. Instead, he wished to go talk to Sir Gandales, who governed the island, to ask him if he had any news about his brother and to deliver the shields.

But I tell ye that Sir Grumedan immediately went before Queen Sardamira and very humbly told her what Sir Florestan had asked him to say, and he told her his name. The Queen listened very carefully and said:

“Would this Sir Florestan be the son of King Perion and the Countess of Selandia?”

“He is, my lady, just as ye say, and I think he is one of the most courageous and courteous knights in the world.”

“I do not know how things have gone for him,” she said, “but I tell you, Sir Grumedan, that the sons of the Marquis of Ancona speak very highly of his great skill at arms, and his fine deeds, and how he is wise and prudent. And this ought to be believed, for they were his companions in the great wars in Rome, where Sir Florestan spent three years when he was a young knight. But of his skill they do not dare speak in front of the Emperor, who disdains him and does not wish to hear him spoken well of.”

“Do ye know,” Sir Grumedan said, “why the Emperor disdains him?”

“Yes,” the Queen said, “because of his brother Amadis, with whom the Emperor is aggrieved because Amadis got to Firm Island first and passed the tests that Patin expected to win. This is why he despises him, because Amadis deprived him of the honor and praise that he meant to gain.”

Sir Grumedan smiled over that and said:

“Truly, my lady, he has no reason to be aggrieved. Instead, I believe that he ought to love him for this because he saved him from the greatest dishonor he could have had, as happened to many other knights who tested their great skill at arms there and could not win. The winner could only be he whom God had raised above all others in the world in strength and every other thing a good knight ought to have. But believe me, my lady, that there is another reason why the Emperor ought to despise him.”

The Queen said:

“By the faith ye owe to God, Sir Grumedan, tell me.”

“My lady,” he said, “I shall tell you, but do not become angered by it.”

Laughing, she told him:

“Whatever it is, I wish to hear it.”

“In the name of God,” he said. Then he told her what had happened to the Emperor with Amadis in the forest one night when the Emperor rode praising love and Amadis rode lamenting it, and everything they said to each other, and how the fight between them was, just as ye have heard in the second book.* The Queen was very taken by the story and had him tell it three times, and said:

“May God help me, Sir Grumedan, from what ye say, it is easy to understand why this knight can serve love when he is happy with it, and do the opposite when love runs contrary. Yet it seems to me this small cause was not enough to create disdain between the Emperor and Amadis.”

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*In Chapters 46 and 47.

Chapter 76 [part 2 of 3]

[How Sir Florestan defeated all the knights but was restrained from killing Gradamor.] 

[Knights fighting with a lance, which was usually made of a single long piece of wood tipped with iron or steel.]
 
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The knight rode across the river and prepared his arms to meet Sir Florestan, who, seeing that the knight had crossed the river and was coming toward him, spurred his horse and charged, and the Roman did the same. The lances missed, horses and shields met each other, and the Roman, who was the poorer horseman, went to the ground immediately. It was such a great fall that his right arm was broken and he was dazed. To those who were watching he seemed dead, for that was how it looked.

Sir Florestan ordered one of his squires to dismount and take the shield and hang it from a tree, and also had him take the horse, and he returned to the place where he had been, obviously unhappy with himself for having missed. He put the tip of the lance on the ground and waited.

Then he saw another knight coming at him and charged as fast as his horse could carry him, but he did not miss this time. Instead, he struck the knight so hard on the shield that it gave way and with such force that he was thrown from the horse with the saddle on top of him. The lance had penetrated his shield and flesh and came out the other side. Sir Florestan rode past him looking handsome and riding well, then turned back to him and said:

“Sir Roman knight, the saddle ye wear may be yours, but the horse is mine, and if ye wish to recount this in Rome, I grant you permission.”

He spoke loudly enough that the Queen and her ladies and damsels could hear him clearly. And I tell you that Sir Grumedan was especially joyful to hear the knight from Great Britain say and do this to the knight from Rome. He said to Gradamor:

“My lord, if ye and your companions do not show yourself to be better, ye shall have no reason to bring down the walls of Rome to enter when ye arrive there.”

Gradamor told him:

“You think too highly of what happened, but if my companions complete their jousts well, I shall make ye say otherwise, and not with as much satisfaction as ye have now.”

“We are close to seeing that,” Sir Grumedan said, “for it seems to me that the knight from Firm Island can defend his shield well. I am confident in him and doubt we will have to fight the battle that I have set with you.”

Gradamor began to laugh without humor and said:

“When that time comes true, I shall grant you all that ye have said.”

“In the name of God,” Sir Grumedan said, “and I shall have my horse and my arms ready to fulfill what I said, because it seems to you that the knight in the field will not last long against your fellows, but I believe he thinks of you very differently from how you think of him.”

The Queen felt sorrow to hear the mad words of Gradamor and the other Romans. Sir Florestan had the shield and horse taken from the knight, who lay as if dead and senseless on the ground, but when they pulled the piece of lance from him, the knight shouted in a pain-filled voice asking for confession.

Sir Florestan took a lance and returned to the same place where he had been. Soon he saw another knight on a large and handsome horse coming toward him, but with less valor than the first. He charged at Sir Florestan as fast as he could, but the encounter came at an angle and his lance was knocked aside and broken. Sir Florestan struck him on the helmet, broke its laces, and knocked it from his head to roll on the field, and made the knight grab the neck of the horse, although he did not fall.

Sir Florestan raised his lance and came at him with ire, and the knight, who saw him coming, raised his shield. Sir Florestan struck it so hard that the shield hit him in the face, stunning him, and he dropped his reins. When Sir Florestan he was addled, he dropped the lance and grabbed the other knight’s shield so hard that he pulled it from his neck, then struck two blows with it on his head so hard that they made him fall from his horse senseless, and he rolled across the field.

He ordered that the other knight’s horse and shield be taken from him, and he went to the Roman and told him:

“From this day on, if ye lose, ye may return to Rome and praise the Knights of Great Britain.”

He straightened himself in the saddle and charged at the fourth knight, whom he saw coming at him. But the joust was determined at the first encounter, when Sir Florestan met him so hard that he and his horse were thrown to the ground, and the knight had his leg broken near his foot. When the horse stood up, the knight remained on the ground, unable to arise.

Sir Florestan had his shield and his horse taken like the rest.

He took a very good lance from his squire and saw that Gradamor was coming at him wearing handsome new arms and riding a large, beautiful, peach-colored horse, brandishing a lance with the hope of breaking it on him. The threat filled Sir Florestan with anger.

Gradamor shouted:

“Sir Grumedan, do not bother to put on your armor, for before you can mount your horse I shall make this knight before me need your help.”

“Now we shall see,” Sir Grumedan said, “but despite your praise of yourself, I do not know if my help will be needed until I see what happens.”

Gradamor, who had already crossed the river, saw Sir Florestan charging at him as fast as his horse could gallop, well covered with his shield, his lance lowered to attack, and he rode toward him as fast as his horse could go. Both knights were strong and valiant, and Gradamor’s lance passed through his shield a good palm-width deep, and there it snapped off. Sir Florestan’s passed through his shield from right to left and broke the plates on Gradamor’s armor by the force of the blow, which threw him from the saddle into a ditch full of water and mud.

As he passed, Sir Florestan ordered his squires to take his horse. Sir Grumedan, seeing this, told the Queen:

“My lady, it seems to me that ye may rest for a bit while Gradamor dries his armor and seeks another horse on which to fight.”

The Queen said:

“May their madness and arrogance be damned, with everyone becoming irate at each other and then falling into shame.”

Gradamor spent a while struggling in the water and mud, and when he was able to get out, he felt great sorrow over what had happened to him. He took off his helmet and wiped the water and mud from his eyes and face with his hand, shook his hand clean as best he could, and laced his helmet back on. When Sir Florestan saw that, he rode to him and said:

“My lord threatening knight, I tell you that if you do not help yourself better with your sword than with your lance, ye shall not take my shield or my name to Rome.”

Gradamor told him:

“I regret the test of the lances, but I did not bring this sword for any other reason than to avenge myself, and with it I shall soon see if you dare to maintain the custom of this land.”

Sir Florestan, who knew it better than he did, told him:

“And what custom is this that ye speak of?

“Either give me my horse,” he said, “or dismount from yours, and on feet we shall test our swords. The game shall be equal and the one who plays more poorly shall be left without blessing or mercy.”

Sir Florestan told him:

“I well believe that ye would not maintain this custom if ye were victorious, but I wish to dismount because it would not be right if a handsome Roman knight like yourself were to mount a horse only to be knocked from it again.”

Then he dismounted and gave his horse to his squires and put his hand on his sword. He covered himself carefully with his shield and strode toward him with rage, and their swords struck bravely. The battle was fierce and dangerous to all watching due to the anger between the two knights. But it did not last long, for Sir Florestan, who was stronger and more robust in use of arms, knowing that the Queen and her ladies were watching him along with Sir Grumedan, more knowledgeable in combat than them, used all his exertion, delivering such great and weighty blows that Gradamor, although he was valiant, could not withstand them. He retreated from the field of combat in the direction of the Queen’s tent, trusting that Sir Florestan, out of respect for her, would not follow him.

But Sir Florestan stopped him and made him turn back, and soon Gradamor was exhausted and dropped to the ground, having lost all his strength. His sword fell from his hand. Sir Florestan took his shield and gave it to his squires, and grabbed the other knight’s helmet, pulling so hard that he dragged him for a while around the field, took it off, and threw it into the muddy ditch ye have already heard about. He came back to Gradamor and took him by a leg and wanted to throw him into the same ditch as the helmet. Gradamor began to shout to have mercy on him in the name of God.

The Queen, who saw that, said:

“That wretch bargained poorly when he declared that the winner should have no quarter nor mercy on the loser.”

Sir Florestan said to Gradamor:

“A pact that such an honorable knight as yourself proposed ought not be broken, and I shall fulfill it with you completely, as ye shall now see.”

When Gradamor heard this, he said:

“Oh, poor me! I am dead.”

“So it shall be,” Sir Florestan said, “if you do not follow my orders about two things.”

“Give the orders,” he said, “and I shall obey.”

“First,” Sir Florestan said, “by your hand, and with the blood of yourself and your companions, write your name and theirs on the bosses of the shields, and when this is done, I shall tell you the second thing I want you to do.”

As Sir Florestan said this, he waved his sword over Gradamor, who trembled beneath it in fear. He called his scribe and ordered him to empty the ink from his inkwell and fill it with his blood and write his name on his shield, since he could not, and all the names of his companions on the other shields, and to do so quickly because he did not wish to have his head cut off. This was immediately done, and Sir Florestan cleaned his sword and put it in its sheath. He mounted his horse so easily it seemed he had done no labor that day. He gave his shield to his squire, but he kept on his helmet so Sir Grumedan would not recognize him.

The horse he rode was large and handsome and of an unusual color, and the knight was of a size and height so attractive that few could be found that looked as good as he did in armor. He picked up a lance with a fine and handsome pendant and held it over Gradamor, who had by then stood up.

Waving the lance, Sir Florestan said:

“Your life is not safe unless Sir Grumedan asks me not to kill you in front of him.”

Gradamor began to shout, calling on Grumedan to help him in the name of God, for it was a matter of life or death. Sir Grumedan came immediately on foot and said:

“Truly, Gradamor, if you do not deserve mercy or pity, this is proper, for in your arrogance this is what you asked from this lord, but I shall ask him to let you live because in that way he shall please me and serve me.”

“I shall happily do so for you,” Sir Florestan said, “as I would in everything that may be to your honor and pleasure.” Then he said:

“Ye, Sir Roman knight, from this day on, when ye are judged in Rome, if ye go there, ye may tell them of the great arrogant threats that ye declared against the knights of Great Britain, and what happened with them, and of the great praise and honor ye achieved in the short space of a single day. Ye may say so to your Emperor and to his potentates so that they may take pleasure in it. And I shall make it known on Firm Island how the knights of Rome are so generous and giving that they gladly present their horses and arms to strangers. But I do not have to thank you for your gifts, instead I shall thank God, who wished you to give them to me.”

Gradamor was so badly injured that his soul was about to leave him, but when he heard this, the words hurt more than his injuries.

Sir Florestan told him:

“My lord knight, ye make take back to Rome all the arrogance that ye brought from there, for they love and value it there. The knights of this land care not for it, and prefer that which ye abhor, which is courtesy and good will. And if ye, my lord, have a beloved equal to your courage at arms, and if ye wish me to take you to Firm Island, ye may try the enchanted arch of loyal lovers there, where men test their faithfulness to their beloved ladies. With the praise and honor that ye take from Great Britain, your beloved ought to love you more, and if it is true, she shall not leave you for another.”

I tell ye that Sir Grumedan felt great pleasure to hear those words, and laughed heartily to see the Roman’s pride broken that way. But Gradamor did not feel the same. Instead, those words broke his heart, and he said to Sir Grumedan:

“My good lord, by God, order me taken to the tents, for I am badly hurt.”

“It seems that ye are, from your appearance and your armor,” he said, “and it is your own fault.”

Then he had the squires take him away.

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Chapter 76 [part 1 of 3]

How Queen Sardamira and the other ambassadors from the Emperor of Rome arrived in Great Britain, having been sent to bring him Oriana, the daughter of King Lisuarte; and what happened to them in a forest where they had gone for recreation involving a knight-errant insulted by the ambassadors, and how he repaid them for their lack of respect. 

[An illustration from Codex Manesse, a German songbook written and illustrated between about 1304 and 1340. This miniature depicts the Alemannic poet Winli.]
 
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When Emperor Patin’s ambassadors arrived in Lombardy, they hired ships and sailed to Great Britain, landing in Fenusa where King Lisuarte was. He received them with great honors and ordered them to be very well-provisioned and given fine lodgings and everything they might need. At that time, many noblemen were with the King, and he awaited others whom he had sent for to advise him about the marriage of his daughter Oriana. He promised the ambassadors a reply within a month, giving them great hope that his decision would make them happy.

He also decided that Queen Sardamira, whom the Emperor had sent with twenty ladies and damsels to accompany Oriana by sea and serve her, should go to Miraflores where Oriana was and tell her about the grandeur of Rome and the high station she would have with the marriage, reigning over many kings and princes and other great lords. King Lisuarte did this because he knew his daughter’s will was deeply opposed to the wedding, but the Queen, who was very wise, might be able to convince her. Indeed, Oriana was so anxious and anguished that she could not think or speak, believing that her father would deliver her to the Romans entirely against her will, and for her and her beloved Amadis, that would mean death.

So Queen Sardamira left for Miraflores. On orders of the King, Sir Grumedan accompanied her to serve her, and in her guard she had knights from Rome and from Sardinia, where she reigned. It happened that they were on a green riverbank with beautiful flowers waiting for the heat of the afternoon to pass, and her knights, who were esteemed in arms, put their five shields outside the tent.

Sir Grumedan told them:

“My lords, have your shields placed inside the tent if ye do not wish to uphold the custom of this land, which is that any knight who puts his shield or lance outside the tent, house, or hut where he is lodging must joust with any knights who ask him to.”

“We fully understand that custom, and that is why we had them put outside,” they said. “God willing, before we leave, we will be asked to joust by someone.”

“In the name of God,” Sir Grumedan said, “some knights usually travel here, and if they do, we shall see how ye shall fight.”

While they waited, as ye hear, soon came the esteemed and valiant Sir Florestan, who had traveled many lands looking for his brother Amadis but had never learned any news about him, so he rode with great sorrow and sadness. And because he had heard that people from Rome and other places beyond the sea were in the court of King Lisuarte, he was going there to see if any of them had news about his brother.

When he saw the tents near the road he came down, he approached to learn who was there. He arrived at Queen Sardamira’s tent and saw her on an estrado, and she was one of the most beautiful women in the world, and the tent had its side raised, so he saw all her ladies and damsels. To see the Queen better, who seemed so fine and well-attired, he rode on horseback between the ropes of the tent to gaze at her.

And as he did, a damsel came to him and said:

“My lord knight, ye are not very courteous to be on horseback so close to such a good Queen and the other high-born ladies who are here. Ye would do better to study those shields over there, which pose a challenge to you, as do the knights they belong to.”

“Truly, my very good lady,” Sir Florestan said, “what ye say is true, but the blame is in my eyes, wishing to see the beautiful Queen, and that has caused me to fall in such a great error. I ask forgiveness from the good lady and from all of you, and I shall make amends in any way she may order.”

“Ye speak well,” the damsel said, “but before forgiveness, ye must make amends.”

“Good damsel,” Sir Florestan said, “I shall do this right away, if I can, provided that it does not require failing to do what I must about those shields, or else they must be put inside the tent.”

“My lord knight,” she said, “do not believe that the shields were put there by mistake. Before they are removed, their owners in their great courage will have defeated all the knights who have passed here and wished to fight. They will take those knights’ shields to Rome with their owners’ names written on the bosses to show how the skills of the Romans overshadowed those of the knights of other lands. If ye wish to avoid falling into dishonor, turn back toward where ye came from, and your shield and name shall not be taken to where your honor will be declared null.”

“Damsel,” he said, “may it please God, I shall protect myself from the dishonor ye speak of, but I cannot trust in your kindness or take any of your counsel. Instead, I intend to take those shields to Firm Island.”

Then he said to the Queen:

“My lady, may ye be commended to God, and may He, who made you so beautiful, give you great joy and pleasure.” And he rode toward the shields.

Sir Grumedan, who had heard everything he said to the damsel, held him in high regard, especially when he mentioned Firm Island because he immediately thought him to be of the valiant Amadis’s lineage, and he believed the knight would truly be able to do what he had told the damsel and take the shields to Firm Island. He was also happy because he would see how good the Roman knights were at arms. He did not know that the knight was Sir Florestan, but the knight seemed marvelously well-armed and was riding handsomely, and Sir Grumedan considered him very courageous to attempt such a great thing and wished him all the best. He would have thought even higher of him if he had known that he was Sir Florestan, whom he loved and esteemed greately.

When Sir Florestan saw Sir Grumedan before him, knowing that in the entire court there was no knight with greater knowledge of arms than him, his heart grew in ardor until no trace of cowardice could be felt in it. He rode to the shields and put the tip of his lance on the first and second and third and fourth and fifth, and he did this because thus they would have to joust one after the other according to the order in which the shields were touched.

This done, he rode the distance of the flight of an arrow into the field, hung his shield from his neck, took a good, thick lance, sat straight in the saddle, and waited. Whenever he could, Sir Florestan brought two or three squires to be better served so they could carry lances and battle axes, and he knew well how to use them, for in many lands another knight could not be found who jousted as well as he could.

The Romans were also waiting, armed in a tent, and hurried to mount and ride to him. Sir Grumedan told them:

“What is this, my lords? Do all of ye wish to charge together against one? That would violate the custom of these lands.”

Gradamor, a Roman knight who was in charge of the others, asked Sir Grumedan how they ought to do things, since he knew better than anyone. Sir Grumedan told him:

“In the order than the shields were touched, one after the other, the knights must go to joust. And if ye take my word, do not go wildly, for judging by the appearance of that knight, he will not wish to be dishonored.”

“Sir Grumedan,” Gradamor said, “the Romans are not like you, who praise yourselves before the deed. Even after we complete the deed, we let it be forgotten. That is why there are no knights who are our equal. May it please God that our fight with that knight be in accord with that, even if my companions do not lend a hand.”

Sir Grumedan told him:

“My lord, may what happens to that knight be as God pleases, and if he remains free and healthy after these jousts, that shall tell me whether what ye say is true. And if by chance he is impeded from doing so, I shall undertake the battle myself in the name of God. Now go to your joust, and if ye leave it well, we shall come before this noble Queen, so we shall not be able to back out of our agreement.”

Gradamor laughed with disdain and said:

“I wish we had that battle as close as this joust, if that the idiot knight waiting there dares to fight.” Then he said to the knight of the first shield that had been touched, “Go now and fight in a way that frees us from the little praise we would win from defeating that knight.”

“Relax,” the knight said, “for I shall bring you what ye wish, and his name shall be placed on his shield as the Emperor ordered us. And his horse, which looks good, shall be mine.”

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