Chapter 63 [part 1 of 3]

How Amadis departed from King Lisuarte with ten other knights, who were his friends and family and were the best and most striving of the court. They left for Firm Island, where Briolanja was attempting the tests of the true lovers and the forbidden chamber. And how they decided to free Madasima and her damsels from the control of the King. 

[Vladislav Hall in Prague Castle. Photo by Sue Burke.] 
 
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When Amadis saw the disdain that the King held for him, he brought all the knights he had with him to say farewell. He entered the palace hall, where everyone was because the tables had been set to eat, and when they saw the look on his face, they came to hear what he would say.

Amadis came before the King and said:

“My lord, if ye have wronged me in any way, God and ye know it, and I shall say no more now. Although my services were great, ever greater was my will to repay the honors that I had received from you. Yesterday ye told me to travel around the world and look for someone who would recognize me better than you, giving me to understand that it would be more agreeable for you if I were to leave your court. Since this is what pleases you, I ought to do so. I cannot ask to leave your vassalage, for I was never yours, nor of anyone else but God. But I bid farewell to your great desire to do me honor and mercies when it pleased you to have such a desire, and farewell to the great love I had to serve and repay you.”

And then the other knights bid him farewell: Sir Galvanes, Agrajes, Forestan, Dragonis and Palomir, cousins of Amadis; Sir Bruneo of Bonamar and his brother Branfil; Angriote de Estravaus, his brother Grindonan, and his nephew Pinores.

Sir Cuadragante came before the King and told him:

“My lord, I only stayed with you at Amadis’s request, wishing and desiring his love, since reason found a way around the feeling I had for him that had kept my honor distant. His cause was yours, so I shall not remain here any longer, for my small services would have little hope for reward when his great ones fail.

“Poorly have ye recalled that he took you from the hands of Madanfabul when no one else could save you; and that he gave you a victory in the battle of King Cildadan; and how much blood he and his brothers and family members lost there; and that he removed me from your way, as well as Famongomadan and his son Basagante, the strongest giants that there were in the world; and Lindoraque, son of the giant of the Forbidden Mountain, who was one of the best knights that I knew of; and Arcalaus the Sorcerer.

“All this has been erased from your memory and won a poor prize. If all these whom I named were to be placed in battle against you, and Amadis were not at your side, think about what could become of you.”

The King responded:

“Sir Cuadragante, I understand well from your words that ye do not love me, nor do ye speak to my benefit, nor do ye have such a debt with Amadis that ye ought to wish him good or benefit, but perhaps what ye said is not as certain in your mind as it was in your words.”

Sir Cuadragante said:

“Ye may speak as ye please, as is fitting for the great lord that ye are, but it is certain that ye have not been moved against Amadis with false words, as others may be moved only later to recognize their error. And if I am a good or bad friend of Amadis, I shall soon show it.”

And he withdrew. Then Landin stepped forward and said:

“My lord, I did not find help nor aid in your house but in that of Amadis, and so, I take my leave of you, and I wish to leave with him and my uncle, Sir Cuadragante.”

And the King replied:

“Truly, I think that ye would not be a good friend of ours.”

“My lord,” he said, “I am what they were for you, thus I have no need to leave their command.”

In the palace at that time were Sir Brian of Monjaste, a very esteemed knight, son of King Ladasan of Spain and a sister of King Perion of Gaul; Grandiel; Orlandin, son of the Count of Urlanda; Grandores; Madancil of the Silver Bridge; Listoran of the White Tower; Ledadin of Fajarque; Transiles the Proud; and Sir Gavarte of Valtemoroso. When they saw those knights leaving the King for the love of Amadis, they all came before him and said:

“My lord, we came to your court to see Amadis and his brothers and to win his love, and since this was our main purpose, there is no reason to stay.”

When all these knights had made their farewells, as ye have heard, and no one else remained, Amadis wished to say goodbye to the Queen, but the King did not want that because she had always been opposed to him in this dispute. Instead she sent Sir Grumedan to say goodbye.

Amadis left the palace and went to his lodging, and all those knights went with him, where they found the tables set and were served many fine delicacies. Then they armed themselves and mounted their horses, and they numbered fully five hundred knights, among them the sons of kings and counts and others of high rank, as equal in lineage as in great prowess and skill at arms, and who were known throughout the world for their great deeds. They took the road leading directly to Firm Island and dwelled that night on the seashore three leagues away, where Amadis had ordered tents to be set up.

Mabilia, who watched them from a window in the Queen’s palace, and saw how they left so handsomely, and how their armor was new and fine, and how the bright sun struck it and made it shine. No one who saw them did not marvel and consider the King unfortunate to have lost such knights as Amadis and those who followed him.

She went to Oriana and told her:

“My lady, stop feeling sad and look at your vassals, and let your heart be content to love such a man. Although he has been serving your father, he always lived as a knight-errant. Now that he is not in your father’s service, he will prove himself to be a great and powerful prince, which will only increase your greatness, my lady.”

Oriana, very consoled by these words, looked at them, and with her great courage and discretion remedied the passion and affliction that tormented her will and desire.

To do Amadis honor, others accompanied him as he left: King Arban of North Wales; Grumedan, the tutor of the Queen; Brandoivas; Quinorante; the King’s nephew Giontes, and Listoran, the good jouster. They went with him apart from the rest, very sad because he was departing from the King. Amadis asked them to remain his friends as much as they could without damaging their honor, for he would always hold them in the same esteem as he had until then. And although the King had disdained him unjustly, they should not disdain the King nor cease to serve and honor him with the loyalty to which they were obligated, nor cease to love him with all their hearts.

Amadis told them:

“I ask you, my lords, to tell the King that what Urganda told me in front of him seems clear now: that the reign won for another would have no other reward than anger and separation against my will, since just when I won the Island of Mongaza for his kingdom, his will was turned against me for no reason, as ye have seen. And often these things are amended by the just Judge, Who puts all things right.”

Sir Grumedan said that he would tell the King everything as he had been instructed, and may Urganda be damned, for she had been so truthful. With that they returned to the town, and immediately Sir Guilan the Pensive came to Amadis and said, weeping:

“My lord, ye know well my situation, and I cannot follow my own will or heart but that of the woman for whom I am put in mortal anguish and pain, and who has forbidden me from going with you. I am very ashamed for that because I wish I could repay the great honors that I have always received from you and your brothers, but I cannot.”

Amadis, who knew of the great and excessive love of this knight, and how he himself loved Oriana and feared her, embraced him and said, laughing:

“Sir Guilan, my great friend, it would not please God that such a good and understanding man as yourself were to do wrong to your lady or disobey her orders, nor shall I advise you to do so, for then I would not be your friend. Instead, serve and fulfill her will and that of your lord the King. I am certain that your loyalty shall remain firm wherever ye may be, and I shall have you as a friend the same as I have always had you.”

“Now, my lord,” Sir Guilan said, “go where ye will, and I trust in God that ye shall always have my service.”

Then he departed from him, and Amadis and his company spent that night on the sea shore, where they lodged. They were all happy, and they gave strength to one another, saying that God had given His Mercy to leave the King, who held their services as so little, and it was better to know about that disappointment sooner rather than to have wasted more time there.

But Amadis’s heart, although it was strong in many other ways, was very weakened by departing from his lady, not knowing or imagining when he could see her again. And so they passed the night very pleasantly with everything they needed. The next day they mounted and got on the road to Firm Island.

The day after Amadis and his companions left, the King, having heard Mass, sat in his palace hall as was his custom. He looked from one end to the other and saw very few of the knights that used to be there. He remembered how in a fit of anger he had turned against Amadis, and he became so lost in thought that he noticed nothing else.

When Gandandel and Brocadan, who had learned what Angriote had said about them, saw the King that way, they were very frightened, thinking that the King would not consider good the counsel that they had given against Amadis. But since it could no longer be taken back, they decided to continue with their evil plan, for great mistakes compound themselves. They schemed to be sure those knights would not return to the King, or else they themselves would be killed. So they came before him at once together, and Gandandel said:

“My lord, starting today ye may relax and rest, for those men who could do you harm have left  your service, for which ye should give God many thanks. We shall take charge of your lands and court with greater care than we would for our own. And, my lord, when ye think of the gifts ye would have given them, from which ye are now free, your spirit will feel much more relaxed.”

The King looked at them angrily and said:

“I am amazed that ye tell me to put my lands and court in your hands as if all the care that I give them is not enough, and ye, in whom I do not see such discretion, think that ye can do better. And even if ye were, it would not make my vassals nor those of my court content to be governed by you. And about this that ye tell me of being able to keep what I would have given those knights, I would wish to know how I could better employ it to my honor and service. Because nothing is well employed except in the power and worth of men, and if anything left my hand and purse for them, my honor was defended by it and my kingdom was increased, and in the end it all returned to my hand. So anything that is employed as it should be remains as a fine treasure that is never lost. I do not wish ye to speak to me about this because I shall never take your advice.”

He arose and left them, and ordered the hunters be called and went to the countryside. The two schemers remained behind, very frightened by that reply, for they had seen that the King now understood the bad counsel they had given him.
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Summary, Chapters 58 to 62

“When the king has a sound mind, receives good counsel, and is wise without malice, he does well for his people — and the contrary is also true.” Medieval saying collected by Sir Juan Manuel in El Conde Lucanor. 

Duratón River Gorges Natural Park near Sepúlveda, Spain. It includes the 12th century hermitage and monastery of St. Fructus. Photo by Txo.

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Chapter 58

King Lisuarte had been challenged months earlier to battle by King Cildadan of Ireland, and the battle is finally about to begin. Amadis, still known as Beltenebros, goes to the site of the battle with his squire, Enil, and volunteers to join the hundred knights who will fight alongside King Lisuarte. Enil begs Beltenebros to knight him so he can join the King’s company.

Among King Cildadan’s men are many treacherous giants, including Madanfabul, who has been ordered to wait on a small hill with ten other knights and attack after the battle is underway to try to kill or capture Lisuarte.

The battle is cruel, and after several hours, more than half the knights on both sides have died. At that point, Madanfabul attacks and drags King Lisuarte from his horse, holding him under his arm, to carry him off as a prisoner. Beltenebros comes to his rescue and cuts off the giant’s arm — and he shouts: “Gaul, Gaul, for I am Amadis!”

This rallies Lisuarte’s men and they win, led by Amadis. But Galaor has been badly injured. Amadis believes he will die, but twelve maidens arrive and ask to take Galaor away and give him medical care. They also ask King Lisuarte for King Cildadan, who is badly hurt. They take the two men to a ship and sail away.

The King embraces Amadis. The surviving knights rest, eat, and get their injuries treated. The dead knights are buried honorably in a chapel erected for them.

Meanwhile, Queen Briolanja comes to Miraflores Castle to meet Oriana, and they instantly become best friends forever.

Chapter 59

Sir Galaor wakes up jailed in a beautiful room in a garden. A damsel comes to treat him, and soon he realizes that the damsel is Urganda the Unrecognized, a powerful sorceress who has helped him in the past. His squire and the dwarf Ardian are brought to serve him. King Cildadan awakes locked inside a tower. He is treated by people who do not talk to him, and he believes he is a prisoner until Urganda tells him otherwise. Two beautiful damsels care for the injured men; the damsels become pregnant, and the sons will become valiant knights, and Galaor and Cildadan will be released, but all that shall be recounted “farther on.”

Amadis meets with Queen Briolanja and Oriana, and after some joking, he urges Briolanja to test the forbidden room at Firm Island to see if she is the most beautiful woman in the world. This hurts Oriana’s feelings until he explains to her that he knows Briolanja will fail but Oriana, when she tries it, will win, but if Oriana did it first, everyone would wonder if Briolanja could have won, so he had urged Briolanja to try it for Oriana’s greater glory.

Sir Cuadragante and Amadis become fast friends, and the court begins to scheme to free King Arban of North Wales and Angriote de Estravaus, who are being held prisoner and tortured at the Island of Mongaza.

Chapter 60

A strange ship with a huge fire in its mast docks and turns out to carry Urganda the Unrecognized; the fire was sorcery. She assures Amadis that his brother Galaor is safe. The King and Queen welcome her, she performs feats of magic. She delivers disturbing prophesies to Oriana and Amadis and about the Kingdom in general before she departs.

Chapter 61

An exceptionally tall damsel arrives with a message for the King. Amadis had killed the husband and son of a giantess named Gromadaza, who is holding Arban and Angriote de Estravaus prisoner. She has learned that the King wants to free them. She will send the valiant knight Ardan Canileo to fight Amadis. If Amadis wins, Gromadaza will deliver the prisoners and her lands, but if Ardan wins, he will kill Amadis and the lands and prisoners will remain in her hands. And the lady Madasima, daughter of Gromadaza, will come to serve as a hostage to guarantee the proposal.

Amadis accepts the battle and invites the damsel to dine at his lodging to honor her. She accepts, but impolitely. While she is there, she steals the magic sword Amadis had won in a test of his love. She delivers it to Ardan Canileo, who is a mighty but very ugly knight. Madasima has agreed to marry him because her mother is forcing her, but she finds him repugnant.

Amadis greets Ardan and Madasima as they arrive with the customary exchange of insults between the two knights, but as he prepares that night for the battle, he discovers that his sword is missing. He arranges to have it replaced by his father’s sword, which had been left with him when he was abandoned as a baby.

The battle begins, and it is fierce. Oriana watches from a window, and her presence, especially the sight of her hair – women’s hair was sexy in medieval times – gives Amadis great courage. Madasima hopes Amadis will win so she does not have to marry Ardan. But the battle goes badly for Amadis even before his sword breaks. Inspired by Oriana, he makes a bold move that disarms Ardan, and he kills him and wins the fight.

Chapter 62

Sir Bruneo of Bonamar had challenged the brother of the exceptionally tall damsel to a battle. The battle is held, Bruneo wins, and she commits suicide.

Although King Lisuarte has enjoyed great good fortune for many years, he has two scheming old counselors in his court, and they are jealous of Amadis. They begin to tell the King that Amadis is planning to take the Kingdom from him. Foolishly, the King believes them.

Sir Galvanes falls in love with Madasima. When Amadis has recovered from the injuries suffered in his battle with Ardan Canileo, he and Agrajes and Galvanes meet with the King. Amadis proposes giving Madasima’s land to Galvanes as a wedding gift, thus rewarding his outstanding service and keeping the land in the realm. The King refuses, and when the knights complain, he tells them to leave and seek someone who would appreciate them.

That night, Amadis secretly meets with Oriana, and while in bed, explains that he must leave. She is heartbroken but grants permission. The next morning, Amadis calls together many knights and tells them he is departing for Firm Island, explains why, and invites them to accompany him. Many agree to do so.
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Chapter 62 [part 4 of 4]

[How Amadis sadly announced his departure.] 

[From On the Art of Hunting With Birds, from a manuscript commissioned by King Manfred of Sicily in the 13th century.]

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Amadis went to his lodging with more anger and melancholy than his face showed, where he found many good knights who always stayed there with him, and he did not want anything about what had happened with the King to be spoken of until he had talked with his lady Oriana. He took Durin aside and sent him to tell his cousin Mabilia on his behalf that he needed to see Oriana that night, and she should wait for him in the old passageway under the garden, where he had entered on other occasions.

With that, he returned to the knights and ate and enjoyed himself with them as he had on previous days. And he told them:

“My lords, I would very much like all of you to join me here tomorrow because I have to speak about something very important.”

“So it shall be,” they said.

When the day had passed and the night came, after people had supped and gone to bed, Amadis took Gandalin and went to the garden. He entered the underground passage, as he had done before, and arrived in the chamber of his lady Oriana, who was waiting for him with a loyal and true love equal to his own. With many kisses and embraces they were joined without envy for anyone else who truly loves in this world, believing their own to be without equal.

As they lay in bed, Oriana asked him why he had sent word that he need to talk with her. He told her:

“Because something very strange happened to me and my cousin Agrajes and Sir Galvanes with your father.”

Then he told her everything that had happened, and how the King finally told them that the world was exceedingly large and they should seek in it someone who would recognize them better.

“My lady,” Amadis said, “since that pleases him, then we ought to do it, because otherwise all the fame and glory that I have won by keeping your delightful memory in my thoughts would be lost and my honor would be diminished so much that no knight in the world would be as lessened and debilitated as I would be. So I ask you, my lady, not to order me to do anything else, because, since I am more yours than my own, that loss would reach you, and although it would be hidden to all, it would be plain to you, my lady, and it would always put your spirit in great anguish.”

When Oriana heard this, although her heart broke, she became as strong as she could, and she said:

“My true beloved, for little reason ye ought to complain about my father, because ye have served more me than him, and by my order ye came to his court, and from me ye are and shall always be rewarded while I live. And if any blame could be laid on my father, it is only in believing that things were done in his service when they were secretly done on my orders, and these deeds oblige him not to give you such an insolent reply. Although your departure will be as grave for me as if my heart were broken into ever-smaller pieces, it pleases me to do as ye ask, considering more what is right than my will and my excessive love for you. Due to the reign that I have over you, I have in my hand more the remedy than my pleasure, although I know that by losing you, what that remains for my father will give him great loss and loneliness.”

Amadis, hearing this, kissed her hands many times, and said:

“My true lady, if until now I have received many great gifts from you, from which my sad heart was turned from death to life, this must be considered greater because of the transcendent difference that issues of honor have over delights and pleasures.”

In this and other things they spent the night talking, mixing their great pleasure with their many tears, thinking of the deep loneliness that awaited them. But as day approached, Amadis arose, accompanied by his very beloved cousin Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark. He humbly begged them to console Oriana, and they agreed, weeping, and he left them.

When he arrived at his lodging, he spent the rest of the night and some part of the day sleeping. But when the time came, all the knights ye have heard of arose from their beds and came to him, and after they heard Mass, they gathered together on horseback in a field.

Amadis spoke to them thus:

“As ye all know, my good lords and honorable knights, after I left the Kingdom of Gaul and came to Great Britain, and my brothers and friends followed me, things happened that placed King Lisuarte in greater or lesser honor, and so there is no reason to remind you of them. I only believe that it must rightly be said that ye and I should expect to have been justly rewarded, but due to inconstant Fortune who in her usual way changes and reverses events, or due to bad counsel, or perhaps due to the advanced age that has come over the King, we have encountered a situation much to the contrary of our expectations.

“Agrajes and Sir Galvanes and I had asked the King to give Madasima her land so that when she and Sir Galvanes were married, it would remain in his reign and vassalage. But not considering the great worth and high lineage of this knight, and the other services he had received from him, the King not only did not wish to grant us that, but we were denied by him with an answer so insolent and false from a mouth previously so truthful and with such discreet wisdom that it would be difficult for you to believe me.

“But it cannot be hidden because of how it ended, and so, my lords, know ye that at the end of our conversation, when we said how poorly we were recognized for our services, he told us that the world is large and we should travel through it and look for someone who would recognize us better. And so, because we have been obedient while in agreement and friendship, we should be obedient in discord and enmity, and we should comply with what he thought we should do. It seems to me to be right that ye know, because it involves not only ourselves in particular but everyone in general.”

When those knights heard what Amadis said, many were amazed, and they said to each other that their small services would be would receive a very poor reward if the great ones by Amadis and his brother had been forgotten. Immediately their hearts were moved to serve the King no more and to do him disservice when they could.

Angriote de Estravaus, who wanted to share in whatever good or ill befell Amadis, said:

“My lords, I have known the King for a long time, and I have always seen him as very calm in all his business. He has never become angry except with great cause and just reason, so I cannot believe that what has happened to Amadis and these knights was an act of his own nature or volition. Instead I truly think that deceitful people have overcome all his wisdom and good judgement. For that reason, I cannot blame the goodness and great virtue of the King, and what I truly think has happened is I have seen him speak in recent days with Gandandel and Brocadan more than usual. They are false and dishonest and have forgotten God and the world and think to seek gain to themselves and their sons for what their evil works do not deserve. I think this has caused the change in the King.

“And so that ye may see how the justice of God is executed, I wish to arm myself at once and tell them that they are vile and envious and have done great treason and dishonesty to the King and Amadis, and I will fight both of them. And if their age excuses them, they should send their sons to fight me alone and bear the evil deeds of their fathers.”

He was about to leave, but Amadis stopped him and said:

“My good friend Angriote, may it not please God that your good and loyal body be placed in danger for what is not known to be true for certain.”

He replied:

“I am certain that it is thus, because I have known them for a long time. And if the will of the King were to say the truth, I know that he would say that I have told the truth.”

Amadis said:

“If ye love me, do not try to solve this, so that the King does not receive an affront. And if they are as ye say, presenting themselves as my friends when they have been my enemies, they will get what those lies deserve. When it is discovered and known, ye may more justly and with greater cause proceed against them. And know that then I shall not let ye avoid it.”

Angriote said:

“Although it is against my will, I shall let it go this time, since it pleases you, but it shall remain for the future.”

Then Amadis, turning to the knights, told them:

“My lords, I wish to bid farewell to the King and Queen if they will see me. Then I will go to Firm Island. Those of us who wish to live there together shall receive honor in addition to pleasures because that land is very agreeable, abounding in all good things and good hunting and beautiful women, who are the reason, wherever they may be, that knights are praised and proud. I have many precious jewels there of great worth so that our needs may be fulfilled.

“Many people will come there who know us, as well as strangers, both men and women, who will need our help. There we shall return whenever we please to seek shelter and rest from our labors. And along with Firm Island, during the life of my father, King Perion, and afterward, the Kingdom of Gaul will also be there for us in Little Brittany, for I have letters giving it to me now and after his days. Ye can count on all this without a doubt. But I also remind you that the Kingdom of Scotland is there for my cousin Agrajes, and that the Kingdom of Queen Briolanja neither for good nor ill will be closed to us.”

“My lord Amadis, you may say this with great truth,” said a knight named Tantiles, majordomo and governor of the Kingdom of Sobradisa. “The beautiful Queen whose kingdom ye returned to her shall always be at your command.”

Sir Cuadragante said:

“Now, my lord, bid farewell to the King, as shall those who love you and your company.”

“So it shall be,” Amadis said, “and I hold in esteem those who at this time wish to honor me, but I say that those who stay with the King to their advantage do me no dishonor. Truly, I believe that an equally good lord could not be found anywhere at this time.”

The King rode past with Gandandel at his side and many other knights. He had gone hunting with falcons, and although he rode close by, he did not speak to them nor look at them, and returned to his palace.
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Chapter 62 [part 3 of 4]

[How Amadis angrily decided to leave King Lisuarte’s company.] 

[Detail of a Church in Urnieta, Spain. Photo by Sue Burke.]

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Several days later, Amadis, Angriote de Estravaus, and Sir Bruneo of Bonamar could arise from their beds because their injuries had greatly improved. One morning, in fine clothing, they mounted their horses, and after hearing Mass, they went to the King’s palace, where they were very well received by everyone except the King, who did not look at them or welcome them as he used to, which many people wondered about.

Yet Amadis was not concerned because he did not think that it could have been due to ill will. But the lying Gandandel, who was there, laughed and embraced Amadis and said:

“At times men say the truth and no one wants to believe it.”

Amadis did not reply. Gandandel left him, seeing that Angriote and Sir Bruneo were very annoyed because they had been received so badly. He went to the King and said quietly, so that no one could hear:

“Do ye not see, my lord, the attitude of those knights toward you?”

The King was quiet and did not wish to respond in any way. Amadis, with good will and not suspecting any scheme so falsely woven, came to the King with great humility, bringing Galvanes and Agrajes with him, and said:

“My lord, we wish to speak with you, if you please, in the presence of anyone ye may wish.”

The King said that Gandandel and Brocadan should be there. This pleased Amadis very much because in his heart he considered them good friends. Then they all went to a garden, where the King sat down beneath some trees and they sat near him.

Amadis said:

“My lord, it has not been my fate to abide with you as well as my heart wishes, and although I do not deserve it from you, I have confidence in your virtue and nobility, so I wish to dare to ask a boon from you that will serve you well, and with it ye would do what is wise and right.”

“Certainly,” said Gandandel, “if it is thus, ye ask for a beautiful boon, and it is good for the King to know what it is.”

“My lord,” Amadis said, “what I and Agrajes wish to ask with Sir Galvanes, who has served you well, is that ye give the island of Mongaza, and yet keep it in your reign and vassalage, to Madasima and Sir Galvanes at their wedding. In this, my lord, ye give a great gift to Sir Galvanes, who is of high nobility and has no land of his own, and who has served you well, and ye shall show mercy to Madasima, who by us is disinherited.”

When Brocadan and Gandandel heard this, they looked at the King with expressions on their face to not grant it. But the King spent some time in silence, thinking of the great worth of Galvanes and how he had served him, and how Amadis had won that land with so much danger to his life, and he recognized that Amadis had asked for a reasonable, just, and honest thing.

But as his will was injured, he did not make use of virtue, as he was obligated, and he answered as if it were not within his ability to do it:

“It is not advisable to ask for what cannot be done. I say this to you because ye ask for something that I gave to the Queen for her daughter Leonoreta fully five days ago.”

He meant this answer more as an excuse than as the truth. Gandandel and Brocadan were very pleased with it, and made expressions on their faces to show he had responded well. But Agrajes, who had a stormy heart, when he heard such an unsavory response, had little moderation with which to hide it. He could not be quiet and with great ire said:

“Ye have given us well to understand, my lord, that we are worth little, and our services, given these thanks, have hardly done us any good. In fact I think we could have spent our lives otherwise.”

“Nephew,” Sir Galvanes said, “services are worth very little when they are done for those who do not know how to appreciate them, so men ought to look for places where they can be well employed.”

“My lords,” Amadis said, “do not complain if the King has not done what we ask, for he has already given it. But I must ask that he give you Madasima and keep the land, and I shall give you Firm Island, where ye may be with her until the King has something else to give you.”

The King said:

“I shall keep Madasima in my prison in exchange for her land, and if it is not given, I shall order her head cut off.”

Amadis said:

“Surely, my lord, ye ought to respond with more moderation, if ye please, and do no injury if ye wish to show greater appreciation.”

“If I do not appreciate you,” the King said, “the world is exceedingly large. Travel through it and seek someone who might appreciate you.”

Oh, what infamous words! And even yesterday, we could say, the knight Amadis was so loved and so appreciated by King Lisuarte, who had believed that with Amadis and his brothers and family he could quickly and easily become lord of the world. The King had watched with tears in his eyes the devotion with which Amadis placed his life in danger when he battled Ardan Canileo, as Lisuarte had arranged. He knew at the time that Amadis had lost his exceptional sword, and contrary to the pledge he had made in front of his court to give his own sword to no knight, he had begged and urged Amadis to take it. He thought about the great services he had received from him and how they had saved his life and kingdom.

And now his deep love and his outstanding judgement and discretion were not enough to protect him from a few inconstant words said by a man of ill fate and ill works. He did not see the evidence that would have made him doubt those words and prevent him from becoming upset and darkening his memory to all that which had been done in the past. To me it seems a great and noteworthy thing, for neither the weapons of an enemy nor cold poisons can place kings and great lords in such danger and surround them with such harm as mere ears. Everything good and evil that enters through them moves the heart and guides the will to either greater justice or dishonesty.

And so, great lords, to whom such power is given to satisfy your appetites and wills, protect yourself from evil men who care little for themselves or their souls. Ye must rightly believe that they care much less for yours.

Returning to the issue at hand, when Amadis heard that dishonest and unsavory reply from the King, he told him:

“Truly, my lord, to my thinking up until now I did not think that another king or great lord in the world could come close to you in wisdom, but now, to my sorrow, ye have shown yourself very distant and contrary. It behooves us to look for new lives with this new advice and edict.”

“Do as ye will,” the King said, “and so shall I.”

Then he arose with great anger and went to see the Queen, with Brocadan and Gandandel, who praised him highly for having dispatched and freed himself from those who could have done him great harm. Lisuarte told the Queen what he had said to Amadis and how that had made him happy.

But she said that she received his happiness with sadness because, ever since Amadis and his brother and family members had joined his court, the King’s affairs had always advanced and improved, and none of them had done anything contrary to him. If they had left only at his decision, then his wisdom must have decreased, and if it had been at the counsel of others, they must have acted out of envy of them and their good works. And not only had the present been harmed but also the future, for others would see how the grandeur of these knights was discarded and unrecognized although their great services deserved much honor and many gifts. Soon other knights would have little hope for their own reward, although it would be so much less, and they would rightly decide to leave and look for another lord who would give them better recognition.

But the King told her:

“Speak no more of that, for I know what I am doing. And say what I told you, that ye asked for that land for Leonoreta and I gave it to you.”

“I shall say so, as ye order,” the Queen said, “and may God wish it to be for the best.”
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