Chapter 82

About Queen Sardamira’s anguished mourning over the death of Prince Salustanquidio. 

[Detail from The Mourning of Christ, painted between 1304 and 1306 by Giotto in Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy.]
 
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The third part of this great story has told you how, finally, King Lisuarte, against the will of everyone great and small in his kingdom and of many others who wished to place themselves at his service, delivered his daughter Oriana to the Romans to marry Patin, the Emperor of Rome; and how she was taken at sea by Amadis and his companions who had met at Firm Island; and how Prince Salustanquidio was killed; and how Brondajel de Roca, who was chief majordomo of the Emperor, and the Duke of Ancona and the Archbishop of Talancia were taken prisoner; and how many of their men were killed or taken prisoner and the fleet that carried them was destroyed. Now we shall tell you what happened after that.

Know that when this battle had been won, Amadis with other knights who had fought with him left Oriana, Queen Sardamira, and all the other ladies and damsels with her in a ship, with some knights to guard them. Then he and the others went to another ship to secure the Roman fleet and its spoils, which were many, and the prisoners, which were also many, and most of them of great worth, as were proper to send on such a mission.

When they arrived at the ship where Prince Salustanquidio was dead, they heard loud voices and wailing. And they learned the cause of that, which was that his men, both knights and commoners, had surrounded him and were raising the greatest mourning in the world, recounting his good qualities and grandeur. Agraje’s men, who occupied the ship, could not make them stop or step aside. Amadis ordered them sent to another ship so they would cease their mourning, and he ordered that Salustanquidio’s body be placed in a coffin so it could be given the interment befitting such a lord, for although he had been an enemy, he had died properly in the service of his lord. And that was why they had compassion for him and for the others who had survived and ordered that all of them be kept alive, which is what virtuous knights ought to do once rage and anger has been set aside and reason is free to acknowledge justice and let it follow virtue.

The noise of this wailing was so great that the news reached Oriana’s ship about how the prince’s men were mourning him, which is how Queen Sardamira learned about it. Although she already knew and had seen with her own eyes how the entire Roman fleet had been destroyed and many men killed or taken prisoner, she had not heard the news of the death of that knight. And when she heard it, great sorrow filled all her senses, and she forgot the fear and great dread that she had felt until then, and wishing death rather than life, with great passion and alteration, wringing her hands, weeping mightily, she fell to the floor and said:

“Oh, generous prince of very high lineage, light and example for the entire Roman Empire, what pain and sorrow will thy death be to the many men and women who love and serve thee and await thy great benefits and gifts! Oh, what painful news it will be for them when they learn of thy ill-fated and disastrous end! Oh, great Emperor of Rome, what anguish and pain thou shalt feel to learn of the death of this prince, thy cousin, whom thou lovest so much and whom thou hadst as a mighty pillar and shield for thy Empire; and to learn of the destruction of thy fleet and thy noble knights, and above all thy loss at force of arms in great dishonor the thing that thou most loved and desired in the world!

“It may well be said that if fate had decided that a knight-errant such as thee who sought adventure, from such a minor status would be raised up and placed on such a tall peak as the imperial throne with its scepter and crown; then, with a mighty lash of a whip, fate humbled thy honor until it was placed in the abyss at the center of the earth.

“From such a blow only one of two extremes can come to thee: either to conceal what has made thee the most dishonored prince in the world, or to seek vengeance, placing thy person and grand estate in great anguish and fatigued spirits. And in the end thou shalt have no certainty of success, for truly from what I have seen during my disastrous venture in Great Britain, there is not in all the world such a high emperor or king that these knights and those of their lineage, who are many and powerful, would not wage war and battle against. I believe, although from them so much evil and pain has come to me, that they are the finest of all the knighthood in the world. And now my aching heart weeps more for the living, and for the troubles that await them in this misadventure, than for the dead, who have paid their debt.”

Oriana, who saw her in that state, had pity for her because she considered her very wise and of goodwill, except for the first time when she had spoken to her about the deeds of the Emperor, which had caused her great anger and made her ask her to speak of him no more. She had always found her to be a very thoughtful person with great discretion and who never caused her anger again, and instead said things to give her pleasure.

She called for Mabilia and told her:

“My friend, give aid to the Queen in her grieving and console her, as ye know how to do, and pay no attention to what she may say or do, because as ye see, she is almost beyond her senses and has good reason to complain. But what I am obliged to do is what the victorious must do to the vanquished, having them in their power.”

Mabilia, who had great undestanding, approached the Queen and knelt, took her by the hands, and told her:

“Noble Queen and lady, it is not proper for a person of such high estate as ye to be defeated and subjugated by fate, for although all us women are naturally weak of body and heart, much good can be seen in the ancient examples of those women who, with their strength of spirit, wished to pay their debt to their ancestors by showing in adversity the source of the nobility of their lineage and blood.

“Although now ye may ache at this great blow contrary to your fortune, recall that fortune herself placed you in great honor and height, but ye could not enjoy it for longer than her changeable will granted you. It is more due to her actions and fault than yours that ye have lost it, because she has always been pleased and takes delight in causing reversals and playing these games. And at that, ye must note that ye are in the power of this noble princess who has great love and goodwill for you and compassion for your sorrow, and will thoughtfully offer you the company and courtesy that your virtue and royal estate command.”

The Queen told her:

“Most noble and gracious princess, although the discretion of your words is of such virtue that it could console anyone’s sorrow, however great it might be, my disastrous fate is such that my impassioned and weak spirit can take no more. And if I can think of any hope in my great desperation, it is only to find myself as ye say in the power of this high and noble lady, who through her great virtue will not permit that my honor and fame be discredited, because this is the greatest treasure that any woman must protect and fear losing.”

Then Princess Mabilia offered promises to assure her that whatever she wished, Oriana would order to come true. And she raised her up by the hands and had her sit on the estrado, where many of the ladies there came to keep her company.

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Chapter 81 [part 2 of 2]

[What the knights decided to do to keep Oriana safe.] 

[A detail of a depiction of Ulysses arriving at Crete, from the Histoire ancienne jusqu'à César, made in Naples in 1330-1340. From the British Library.]
 
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Amadis left the chamber where Oriana was and went to see Landin of Fajarque, who had been fighting the Romans on the forecastle. They had surrendered, and Amadis ordered that since they had given themselves up as prisoners, none should be killed.

Then he boarded a very beautiful galley, joining Enil and Gandalin and forty knights from Firm Island, and ordered the galley be brought to where he could hear the battle cry of Agrajes, who had gone to Salustanquidio’s large ship. When he arrived, he saw that Agrajes had already attacked, and Amadis had his galley alongside so he could also board it, helped by Sir Cuadragante.

The press and noise were great because Agrajes and his companions were fighting and killing cruelly. But when the Romans saw Amadis, they jumped into skiffs or the water, where some died and others reached ships that had not yet been defeated. Amadis hurried forward asking for his cousin Agrajes, found him, and saw that he had Salustanquidio at his feet and had given him a large wound on his arm. The Roman was pleading for mercy, but Agrajes, who knew how he loved Olinda, would not stop attacking and trying to kill him, for he despised him.

Sir Cuadragante told him not to kill him because they would get a good ransom for him, but Amadis said, laughing:

“My lord Sir Cuadragante, let Agrajes carry out his will, for if we stop him, all of us he finds will be dead, for he will not leave any man alive.”

And as he spoke, Salustanquidio’s head was cut off. The ship was taken, and the flags of Agrajes and Sir Cuadragante were placed in the forecastle and quarterdeck, both well protected by the many good and brave knights on board. This done, Agrajes quickly went to the chamber where they said his lady Olinda was, who was asking for him.

Amadis and Sir Cuadragante, together with Landin and Listoran of the White Tower, went to see how Sir Florestan and those with him were faring. They boarded the galley Amadis had brought, then they met one of Sir Florestan’s galleys, where there was a knight, a relative on his mother’s side named Isanes, who told them:

“My lords, Sir Florestan and Gavarte of the Fearful Valley want you to know that they have killed or taken prisoner everyone in those ships, and they are holding the Duke of Ancona and the Archbishop of Talancia.”

Amadis, who took great pleasure in hearing that, sent him to say that they should bring all their galleys alongside the one he had taken, where Oriana was, and they would hold a council to decide what to do. First they searched everywhere and saw that the Roman fleet had been destroyed. No one on it had escaped, even though they had tried to in some skiffs, but they had been overtaken and captured, so no one could carry the news about the battle to land.

They went directly to Oriana’s ship, where Brondajel de Roca was prisoner. They came on board and took off their helmets and gloves, and washed off the blood and sweat. Amadis asked about Florestan, whom he did not see there. Landin of Fajarque told him:

“He went to Queen Sardamira in her chamber, who was calling for him to be summoned to help her, and now she is at Oriana’s feet begging for mercy and asking not to be killed or dishonored.”

Amadis went there and asked for Queen Sardamira, and Mabilia pointed her out, for she was embracing her, and Sir Florestan was holding her hand. Amadis came before her very humbly and wished to kiss her hands, but she pulled them back. He told her:

“My good lady, fear nothing, for you have at your service and command Sir Florestan, whom we all respect and obey, and everything shall be done as ye wish, to say nothing of our desire, which is to serve and honor all women, each as she deserves. And as you, good lady, among all others are noteworthy and esteemed, so your contentment should rightly be our chief concern.”

The Queen said to Sir Florestan:

“Tell me, my good lord, who is this knight who is so respectful and is your dear friend?”

“My lady,” he said, “this is Amadis, my lord and my brother, with whom we all came here to rescue Oriana.”

When she heard this, she stood up before him with great pleasure and said:

“My good lord Amadis, if I did not receive you as I should, do not blame me, for it was because I did not know who you were. And I thank God that in such tribulation He has placed me in your courtesy and in the protection and aid of Sir Florestan.”

Amadis took her by the other hand and brought her to the estrado where Oriana was and had her sit there. And he sat beside his cousin Mabilia, for he deeply wished to talk with her. But in all the while, Queen Sardamira, although she knew the Roman fleet had been defeated and destroyed, and many of its men dead and the rest prisoners, had still not learned about the death of Prince Salustanquidio, for whom she had good and faithful love and who she considered the greatest and foremost of all the men in the Kingdom of Rome, nor did she learn of this for some time.

And sitting there as ye hear, Oriana said to Queen Sardamira:

“My lady and Queen, although I was angered by the words that you said to me at first because they concerned a matter that I abhorred, I saw how you ceased to speak of that. Due to the kindness and courtesy in everything that has happened between us, I tell you that I shall always love you and honor you with all my heart, for ye could do nothing about what gave me sorrow, and what came to me from your noble and proper virtue gave me contentment.”

“My lady,” she said, “as such is your understanding, I shall not try to excuse myself.”

As they were speaking, Agrajes arrived with Olinda and the damsels that had been made to accompany her. When Oriana saw her, she stood up and embraced her as if she had not seen her for a long time, and she kissed her hands. She turned to Agrajes and embraced him with great love, and she also received in the same way all the knights with him, and she said to Gavarte of the Fearful Valley:

“My beloved Gavarte, ye have fulfilled the promise you gave me, and the Lord of the world knows of the thanks and the desire I have to reward you.”

“My lady,” he said, “I have done what I ought as your vassal, which I am. My lady, as my rightful ruler, when you are far from me, remember me, for I shall always be at your service.”

By then all the most honorable knights had arrived, and they went to one end of the ship to take counsel. Oriana called Amadis to come next to the estrado and very quietly told him:

“My truly beloved, I ask and order you for the true love that you have for me, now more than ever to keep our love secret. Do not speak to me privately but in front of everyone, and if you wish to tell me something in secret, do so through Mabilia. And try to take us from here to Firm Island, because when I am in a safe place, God will help me because He knows I am in the right.”

“My lady,” Amadis said, “I live only with the hope to serve you, and if I did not have that, I would not have life. As you order, so it shall be. And as for going to the island, it would be good if you were to send Mabilia to say that to these knights, so it would seem more like it came from your desire and will than from mine.”

“So I shall,” she said, “and it seems wise. Now go join those knights.”

Amadis left, and the knights spoke about what they ought to do next, but as they were many, their ideas were varied. Some thought they ought to take Oriana to Firm Island, others to Gaul, others to Scotland, which was Agrajes’ home, so they did not agree. At that time Princess Mabilia came with four damsels. They all received her well and had her stand in front of them. She said:

“My lords, Oriana asks you, for the kindness and love that ye have shown by rescuing her, to take her to Firm Island, for she wishes to remain there until she is on more loving terms with her father and mother. And she asks you, my lords, to bring to a fine end that which ye have begun so well, considering her extraordinary fate and the effort made for her, and to do for her what ye have always done for other damsels who are not of such high estate.”

“My good lady,” Sir Cuadragante said, “the fine and courageous Amadis and all the knights who have participated in her rescue are willing to serve her unto death, both ourselves and our families and friends, who can and will be many. We are all united to protect her from her father and the Emperor of Rome, if they do not come to reason and do justice for her. And tell her that if God wills, it shall be done just as I have said. She should hold that firmly in her thoughts, for with God’s help, we shall not fail her. This service has been rendered to her with deliberation and effort, and she shall be aided with even greater effort and agreement until her safety and our honor are satisfied.”

All the knights agreed with what Sir Cuadragante had said, and with great commitment they pledged that they would never abandon that quest until Oriana was free and her reigns were restored, which she was certain to have if she outlived her mother and father.

Princess Mabilia bid them farewell and went to Oriana, who felt consoled when she learned the answer to her message, and she believed that with the permission of the just Judge, she would be guided to the end she desired.

With that agreement, all the knights went to their ships to order the distribution of the prisoners and spoils, which were many. They left Oriana and Queen Sardamira with their damsels and Sir Bruneo of Bonamar, Landin of Fajarque, Sir Gordan, brother of Angriote de Estravaus, his nephew Sarquiles, Orlandin, son of the Count of Urlanda, and Enil, who had suffered three wounds, which he had kept hidden as one who was courageous and able to suffer great travail. These knights were charged with guarding Oriana and the other high-born ladies with her, accompanying them until they were brought to Firm Island, where they had agreed to go.

THUS ENDS THE THIRD BOOK OF THE NOBLE AND VIRTUOUS KNIGHT AMADIS OF GAUL.

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Chapter 81 [part 1 of 2]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oriana told her:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He replied:

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

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

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

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

“Gaul, Gaul, for Amadis is here!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 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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Chapter 74 [part 3 of 3]

[How Amadis spent his final days in Constantinople, and how Emperor Patin's delegation traveled to Great Britain.] 

[Detail of the Hagia Sophia. Photo by Sue Burke.]
 
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So as ye have heard, the Knight of the Green Sword spent six days in the court of the Emperor receiving the highest possible honors from him, the Empress, and the beautiful Leonorina. But he remembered that he had promised Grasinda to be with her within a year, and the date was nearing, so he spoke with the Emperor, saying that he needed to leave. He asked the Emperor by his grace to order him to serve him wherever he might be, for he would never be anywhere in such honor or pleasure or need that he would not leave it all behind to serve him, and if the knight were to learn that the Emperor needed his service, he would not wait for orders but would go where he needed to be.

The Emperor told him:

“My good friend, I am not pleased to have ye leave so soon, but ye may be excused so ye do not fail to fulfill your word.”

“My lord,” he said, “it cannot be avoided without greatly diminishing my honor and word, so as the doctor Elisabad knows, I have to be at a certain place and time as I promised.”

“If that is so,” he said, “I ask ye to rest here for three days.”

He said he would as he was ordered. At that moment, he was in the presence of the beautiful Leonorina, who took the edge of his cloak and said:

“My good friend, if at the request of my father ye shall be here for three days, I wish that by my request ye spend two with me, and these as the guest of myself and my damsels where I and they dwell, because we wish to speak with you without anyone interfering besides two knights whom ye would choose to give you company as ye eat and sleep. And I ask ye to give this boon with pleasure. If not, I shall have these damsels seize you, and I will not need to thank you for anything.”

Then he was surrounded by more than twenty very beautiful and finely attired damsels, and with pleasure and laughter, Leonorina said:

“Leave him be until he answers.”

He was delighted by what that beautiful lady did, holding it as the highest honor that had been done to him there, and he said:

“Blessed and beautiful lady, who would dare to fail to grant your will, since if he were not to, he would be placed in such a miserable prison? I grant what ye order, in this and any other service your father and mother and yourself may need. And, my good lady, I pray to God and His mercy that the time shall come when my lineage may properly thank and return the honors and gifts I receive from you.”

This would be entirely fulfilled not by the Knight of the Green Sword but by his son Esplandian, who would rescue the Emperor at a place and time when he needed help, as Urganda the Unrecognized will prophecy in the fourth book, and as shall be told in due time.

The damsels told him:

“Ye have made the right decision. Otherwise, ye could not escape a danger greater than the Endriago was.”

“I believe, my ladies,” he said, “that greater harm may come to me by angering angels than the devil, which it was.”

All this gave great pleasure to the Emperor and Empress and all the noblemen who were there, and the answers from the Knight of the Green Sword to everything that was said to him seemed very witty. This, even more than his great courage, convinced them he was high born, because courage and bravery are often found in people of low lineage and common judgement, but honest restraint and exquisite comportment are rarely found there, because this is due those who come from clean and noble blood. I do not affirm that all attain this, but I say that they are obliged to try to reach it, as the Knight of the Green Sword did, who surrounded his mighty heart with a border of great patience and loving kindness, protecting it so arrogance and ire would find no means to harm his high virtue.

So he of the Green Sword rested three days with the Emperor, who had his nephew Gastiles and the Marques of Saluder take him through the city to show him the amazing sites it held as the head and center of all Christendom. In the palace he spent the rest of his time in the chamber of the Empress speaking with her and the other great ladies who accompanied and waited on her.

Then he went to the rooms of the beautiful Leonorina, where he found many daughters of kings and dukes and counts and other great men, with whom he passed the most honored and amusing time he had spent in his life anywhere outside the presence of his lady Oriana. They happily asked him to tell them of the marvels of Firm Island where he had been, especially about the arch of the loyal lovers and the forbidden chamber, and who and how many had been able to see the wonderful images of Apolidon and Grimanesa, and to tell them about the ways of the ladies and damsels in the court of King Lisuarte, and the names of the most beautiful. He told them everything he knew with great discretion and humility, as he who had seen it and been there so many times, as this story has told.

And it happened that as he looked at the great and full beauty of the Princess and her damsels, he began to think about his lady Oriana and how if she were there, all the beauty in the world would be brought together in one place. And he thought about how far away she had been for so long and how he had no hope of seeing her, and he became faint and almost senseless. Thus the ladies realized that he was hearing nothing that they said. He spent some time that way until Queen Menoresa, who was lady of a great island named Gabasta, the most beautiful woman of all Greece besides Leonorina, took him by the hand and made him come back from where he had been lost in thought, which he left moaning and sighing as a man who felt great anguish. But when he was more self-aware, he felt great embarrassment, and realized that he ought to be reprehended by all those ladies.

He said:

“My ladies, do not consider it odd or surprising that he who sees the great beauty and grace, which God has placed in you, may think of some good fortune that he has experienced with great honor and pleasure, and remember its loss in such a way that I do not know when I may recover it either through desire or any labor I might do.”

He said this with the sadness that his tormented heart sent to his face, and all the ladies were moved to pity for him. But with great effort he retained the tears that his heart sent to his eyes and tried to return the lost happiness to himself and to them. In this way and others like it the Knight of the Green Sword spent the time he had promised there, and when he needed to say farewell, the ladies gave him very fine jewels. But he did not wish to take any of them besides the six swords that Queen Menoresa gave him, which were the most handsome and finely decorated that could be found in the world, and she said that she only gave them to him so that, when he gave them to his friends, he would think of her and those ladies and how much they loved him.

The beautiful Leonorina told him:

“My lord Knight of the Dwarf, I ask the courtesy of you that, if ye can, ye must come and see us again soon and be with my father, who esteems you highly. And I know that ye give him and all the nobles of his court great pleasure, and even more to us, because we find ourselves under your protection and defense if anyone were to trouble us. And if this cannot be done, I and all these ladies beg you to send us a knight of your lineage to serve us as may be necessary and whom we may speak to, thinking of you and forgetting some of the loneliness that your departure gives us. We fully believe from seeing you that ye must have relatives who would not cause you much shame.”

“My lady,” he said, “it can be said with truth that in my lineage there are such knights whose excellence makes mine look like nothing, and among them there is one whom I trust that if by the mercy of God he were to come to your service, he would return the great honors and gifts that I have received from your father and yourselves undeservedly, so that wherever I may be, I may believe that I am no longer in your debt.”

He said this thinking of having his brother Galaor come there to increase his honor, where his great skills would be appreciated as much as they ought to be. But that did not happen as the Knight of the Green Sword expected. Instead, in place of his brother, Sir Galaor, another knight of his lineage came there at such a time that he made the beautiful lady suffer so much anguish and worry that it would be hard to recount, because at sea and on land he had such amazing and dangerous adventures that not in his time nor for a long time afterwards could an equal be found, as shall be told in a branch of these books called The Exploits of Esplandian, as ye have already been told.

After the lady Leonorina earnestly begged him to return or send or the knight he spoke of, and he had promised to do so, she gave him permission to go. All the ladies went up to the windows, which they did not leave until they had lost sight of his galley in the sea.

Ye have been told earlier how the Emperor Patin sent his cousin Salustanquidio accompanied by a great many knights, and Queen Sardamira with many ladies and damsels, to King Lisuarte to ask for his daughter to marry. Now know that these messengers, wherever they went, sent letters from the Emperor to the princes and grandees they found on the way that asked them to honor and serve the Empress Oriana, daughter of King Lisuarte, whom he already considered his wife.

Although their words expressed their good will to do so, privately they prayed to God that such a fine lady, daughter of such a king, would not be taken by a man as scorned and despised by all those who knew him. They did that for good reason, for his immoderate behavior and arrogance was so overwhelming that, no matter how great anyone was within his realm or who had been conquered, none of them received any honor from him. Instead, he despised and vilified them, as if in that way he thought he could make himself more safe and lofty.

Oh, how mad is it for any prince to think that if he deserves to be despised by those whom he rules, he may be beloved by God! And if he is despised by God, what can he hope for in this world and the next? Truly, he can hope for nothing in one or the other except to be dishonored and destroyed and his soul forever sent to hell.

The ambassadors arrived at a port facing Great Britain called Zamando, and they waited there until they could find ships to carry them across. Meanwhile they sent word to King Lisuarte that they were coming to him with a message from their lord the Emperor that would please him greatly.

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Chapter 72 [part 2 of 2]

[How Amadis traveled to Greece and then left for Constantinople, and what awaits in the remainder of Book III.] 

 [A portion of the world map by "Henricus Martellus Germanus" (Heinrich Hammer), made in Florence in 1490-1492. It was a mixture of information from Ptolemy, recent Portuguese discoveries, and unknown sources.]
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They arrived at the lady’s palace, where she gave him a very fine room to stay in as was fitting for the house of such a lady, and had him disarm and wash the dust from his hands and face, and gave him a cape of rosy scarlet to wear. When Grasinda saw him thus, she was amazed by how handsome he was, more than she had thought any human man could be. She had a doctor come immediately to care for his wounds, the best and wisest that could be found in the area. He examined the injury to his throat and said:

“Knight, ye are wounded in a dangerous place, and ye must rest. If not, ye shall find yourself in great trouble.”

“Master doctor,” he said, “by the faith ye owe to God and to your lady who is here, as soon as I am able to ride, let me know, because I wish no rest or repose until God in His mercy sends me to the place where my heart is.”

As he said this, such anguish arose in him that he could not keep tears from coming to his eyes, which made him very embarrassed, and he quickly wiped them away and tried to look happy. The doctor dressed his wound and had him eat what was suitable, and Grasinda told him:

“My lord, rest and sleep, and we shall go to eat. We shall see you again when it is time. And order your squire to ask for everything ye need without hesitation.” With that she bid farewell.

He remained in his bed thinking hard about his lady Oriana, for there was all his joy and happiness mixed with storms and passions battling one another, and as he was tired, he slept.

Of Grasinda I tell ye that, after she had eaten, she retired to her room and lay on her bed and began to think about how handsome the Knight of the Green Sword was and the great deeds he had done. And since she was very rich and beautiful, and of such lineage that she was the niece of King Tafinor of Bohemia, and had been married to a great knight who had lived only one year, without engendering any children, she decided to take him as a husband, although he seemed to be nothing more than a knight-errant.

Wondering how she could do this, she remembered that she had seen him weep, and she thought that it had to have been over a woman whom he loved and could not have. This made her decide to wait until she could learn more about his situation. When she knew he was awake, she took her ladies and damsels and went to his room to honor him and to enjoy the great pleasure that she would feel to see him and speak with him. And it was no less pleasurable for him, although his thoughts were far from hers.

The lady spent time with him, doing everything for his pleasure that she could. But one day, she could suffer no more, and she took Gandalin off to the side and said:

“Good squire, may God help you and bless you, tell me something if ye know it, for I wish to ask you about a concern that I promise I shall never tell anyone else. And it is whether ye know that your lord is deeply and truly in love with another woman.”

“My lady,” Gandalin said, “I have spent little time with him, as has this dwarf, and we came into his service for the great things we had heard about him. He told us not to ask about his name or his affairs, and if we did, we would have to leave for our own fates. Since we have been with him, we have seen many of his great deeds and acts of courage that put terror in us, as he is without a doubt, my lady, the best knight in the world. And of him I know no more.”

The lady lowered her face and eyes and was lost in thought. When Gandalin saw this, he realized she was in love with his lord, and he wished to put an end to that because in no way would she get what she sought, so he told her:

“My lady, I have often seen him weep with such great anguish in his heart that I am amazed that he can sustain his life. And given his great valor, confronting with ease all brave and fearful things, I believe these tears can only come from some extreme and deep love for a woman, because this is the kind of illness where neither valor nor discretion can be of any use.”

“May God help me,” she said, “I believe what ye say, and I thank you for it. Go to him, and may God give him remedy for his cares.”

She went to her ladies having decided not to continue with what she had planned, having seen him so sure in what he did and said that she thought she would not change his mind.

And so as ye hear, the Knight of the Green Sword remained in the house of the great, rich, and beautiful lady Grasinda while his wounds healed, where he received so much honor and pleasure it was as if rather than being a poor knight-errant she had found out he was the son of a very noble king, which he was, of the noble King Perion of Gaul, his father.

When he found himself able to bear arms, he ordered Gandalin to prepare everything that was necessary for the road. He replied that everything was ready. As they were speaking, Grasinda entered with four of her damsels, and he took her by the hand. Then she sat on an estrado covered by a silk cloth embroidered with gold. He told her:

“My lady, I am ready to take to the road, and the honors that I have received from you have given me great concern about how I may serve you. For that reason, my lady, if I may undertake anything in your service, I would put all my will in that work.”

She responded:

“Truly, Knight of the Green Sword, my lord, I believe what ye say, and since there has been some satisfaction and pleasure in how ye were served here, I shall ask for your service, and at that time without any hesitation or shame something about me shall be revealed that up until now no one has known. But for now I ask ye to tell me where it is your will to go.”

“To Greece,” he said, “if God is so disposed, to see how Greeks live and to see their Emperor, of whom I have heard good things.”

“Then,” she said, “I wish to help you with your travels, and to do that I shall give you a very good ship with a crew who shall be under your command, and enough provisions to last a year. And I must give you the doctor who treated you, who is named Elisabad, for it would be hard to find anywhere someone as good at him at his work. I shall do this on the condition that if ye can, ye must be in this town with me within a year.”

He was very happy for the help, which he badly needed and had been very concerned about where he would find it, and told her:

“My lady, if I did not offer some recompense for these gifts that ye give me, I would count myself as the most unfortunate knight in the world, and I would hold myself as such if by shyness or shame ye were fail to ask what ye may.”

“My lord,” she said, “when God brings you back from this trip, I shall ask for what my heart has desired for a long time, and it shall be to increase your honor, although with some risk.”

“So be it,” he said, “and I trust that in your great prudence ye shall not ask of me anything but what I ought rightly to grant.”

“Then rest here five days,” Grasinda said, “while the things necessary for the trip are prepared.”

He agreed, although he had hoped to leave the next day. In that passage of time the ship was stocked with everything it needed to carry. The Knight of the Green Sword got on board with the doctor Elisabad, in whom, after God, he placed his health. After he said farewell to the beautiful lady, the sails were raised and the oars were employed, and he went on his trip, not directly to Constantinople, where the Emperor was, but to the islands of Romania he had not visited and others in the Kingdom of Greece. There the Knight of the Green Sword spent some time doing great feats at arms fighting with foreign men, some for the great purpose of correcting their arrogance, and others who having heard of his great fame had come to test their strength against his.

Thus he underwent many encounters of great danger and suffered many injuries, achieving victory and honor in all of them which brought him glory, and his wounds were healed by the great doctor that he brought with him.

As he traveled from one to another of these great battles, sailing from one island to another, and from there to others, the sailors became very tired and complained about it to the captain. He told that to the Knight of the Dwarf, reminding him that although his plans had been to visit all those islands, it was growing tiresome, and he should go straight to Constantinople. In the trip there and back, if God did not intervene, they would arrive to see Grasinda at the end of the year as promised. With that agreement and to the pleasure of everyone on the ship, they turned toward Constantinople with a good and direct wind.

In the second book we told you how Patin was a knight without land, but he expected to have it after the death of his brother Suidan, who was emperor of Rome and who had no son to inherit the empire. He had heard of the great fame of the knights in Great Britain in service to King Lisuarte at that time, and decided to go there to test himself against them.

Although he was very much in love with Sardamira, queen of Sardinia, for whom he undertook the trip, when he arrived at the court of King Lisuarte, where he was well received due to his high lineage, he saw the very beautiful Oriana, the King’s daughter, who had no equal to her beauty in the world. He was so taken by her that he forgot his old love in favor of this new one and asked her father for her hand in marriage. While the answer allowed Patin some hope, the King’s will was very much against that union, but Patin thought he had achieved what he wanted and wished to show off his strength, believing that this would make his lady love him more. He traveled through the land looking for knights-errant with whom to fight.

His misfortune guided him to the forest where Amadis at that time was desperate over his lady, weeping painfully. After Patin first praised love and Amadis then complained about it, they fought, and Patin went to the ground in the joust. Afterwards, back on his horse, by a single blow of a sword on his head he was so badly injured that he almost died several times.

As a result, without resolving the issue of his wedding with Oriana, he returned to Rome, where his brother the Emperor soon died, and he became Emperor. He did not forget the passion that Oriana had placed in his heart, and believing that with his higher position he could take her more easily, he decided to ask again for her in marriage from King Lisuarte.

To do that, he sent his cousin Salustanquidio, Prince of Calabria and a knight with fame at arms, and with him sent his principal majordomo, Brondajel de Roca, and the Archbishop of Talancia, along with three hundred men, and the beautiful Queen Sardamira with an abundant number of ladies and damsels to escort Oriana when they brought her. As it was the will of the Emperor, they began to prepare what they would need for the trip, which farther on and in more detail shall be recounted.

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