Chapter 68 [part 1 of 4]

In which is recounted how, when Amadis and Sir Bruneo remained behind in Gaul, Sir Bruneo was very happy and Amadis was sad; and how Sir Bruneo decided to depart from Amadis in search of adventure; and how Amadis, his father King Perion, and Florestan agreed to go help King Lisuarte.

[Cochem Castle, Germany. See the full photo here.]
 
+ 
 
After King Cildadan and Sir Galaor left Gaul, Amadis and Sir Bruneo of Bonamar remained behind. But while they truly esteemed each other, they had different lives. Sir Bruneo was with his lady Melicia, and when he spoke with her, he thought about nothing else in the world. However, Amadis was far from his lady Oriana with no hope of seeing her, so everything around him gave him great sorrow and loneliness.

And so it happened that one day as he was riding along the seashore only accompanied by Gandalin, he headed to the top of some rocky hills to see if any ships had come from Great Britain so he could learn news from the land where his lady was. After he had waited there a while, he saw a ship coming from the place he had hoped for, and when it reached port, he told Gandalin:

“Go and learn the news from those who have arrived, and learn it well so thou canst tell it to me.”

He said this mostly so he could be alone and think about his lady, something Gandalin made difficult. When he had left, Amadis dismounted, tied his horse to the branches of a tree, and sat on a peak so he could better see Great Britain. As he sat there, he remembered the delights and pleasures he had enjoyed in that land in the presence of his lady, where everything he did was by her orders. It was far away and he had no hope to return, which made him very sorrowful, and he locked his gaze on that land as abundant tears fell from his eyes.

Gandalin went to the ship and as he watched the arrivals, he saw Durin, the brother of the Damsel of Denmark. He quickly approached and called him aside, and they embraced each other as those who care deeply for each other. Gandalin took him to Amadis. As they neared, they saw the devilish body of a giant with its back to them waving a javelin, which it hurled at Amadis. It passed close to his head but missed because of Gandalin’s shouts. Amadis, who became aware of his surroundings again, saw the great devil throw another javelin, but he leaped aside and it missed. Then he put his hand to his sword and ran to attack, but he saw it run away so fast that there was no way to overtake it.

It reached Amadis’s horse, mounted it, and shouted:

“Oh, Amadis, my enemy! I am Andandona, the giantess from Sad Island, and though I have not achieved my desire now, I shall soon avenge myself.”

Amadis had wanted to chase her on Gandalin’s horse, but when he saw that she was a woman, he stopped and told Gandalin:

“Take your horse and if thou canst cut off the head of that devil, it would be very good.”

Gandalin mounted and hurriedly left to chase her. Amadis, when he saw Durin, went to embrace him with great pleasure, for he thought he would certainly bring news about his lady. He took him to the peak where he had been and asked him about his trip. Durin gave him a letter from Oriana that were his credentials, and Amadis told him:

“Now tell me what thou wert sent to say.”

“My lord, your beloved is well and sends you her greetings. She asks you not to grieve but to be consoled, as she is, until God brings different times. And she wants ye to know that a son was born, which my sister and I took to Dalasta, the abbess of Miraflores, who will raise it as my sister’s son.”

But he did not tell him how they had lost the child.

“She also asks you, for the great love that ye have for her, not to leave this land until she gives you orders.”

Amadis was happy to learn about his lady and the child, but that command to remain in Gaul did not please him because with it his honor would suffer harm from what people would say about him. Still, whatever happened, he would not disobey her orders.

After he had spent a while there learning the news from Durin, he saw Gandalin coming, who had ridden after that devil, and he was bringing Amadis’s horse and the head of Andandona tied to its breast collar by her long gray hair, which gave Amadis and Durin great pleasure. Asked how he had killed her, Gandalin said that as he rode trying to catch her, she was dismounting to get into a boat she had hidden beneath some branches. In her haste, she made the horse rear up and fall onto her, and it struck her down.

“And I arrived and trampled her so she lay on the ground, and I cut off her head.”

Then Amadis mounted and rode to the town, ordered Andandona’s head be brought to Sir Bruneo so he could see it, and told Durin:

“My friend, go to my lady and tell her that I kiss her hands for the letter that she sent me and for what thou hast told me, and ask her to give me some compassion for my honor and not let me remain here resting for long, since I must not disobey her orders. Those who see me here at rest and do not know the reason for it will attribute it to cowardice and a weak heart. Virtue is hard to acquire and can be damaged with a little forgetfulness and time. The great glory and fame I have managed to win thinking of her and her favor will likely become darkened, since all men are naturally more inclined to speak ill and thus harm rather than advocate for what is good, and soon that fame would be so diminished and dishonored that death itself would not be its equal.”

With that, Durin returned to where he had come.

Sir Bruneo of Bonamar’s body had recovered from its injuries, and it was now even more inflicted by his spirit, for he saw his lady Melicia often, which caused his heart to burn in greater pain. He knew he could not achieve what he desired without making great effort and facing greater danger, doing deeds that merited his lady’s love, so he decided to depart from the pleasure of her company and seek that which would bring about what he so much desired to achieve. He felt himself ready to take up arms, and when he was in the hills with Amadis, who had nothing to do with his life but go hunting, he told him:

“My lord, my age and the little honor that I have won urge me to leave this relaxing life and to take up another where I may be extolled with more glory and praise. If ye are disposed to seek adventure, I shall wait for you, but if not, I ask for permission to go, for tomorrow I wish to be on my way.”

Hearing this, Amadis was tormented with great anguish for he longed to be on that road, but due to the prohibition by his lady he could not, and he said:

“Sir Bruneo, I would wish to be in your company because I could incur great honor, but the orders of my father the King prevent me, who tells me I am needed for some tasks in his reign. So for the time being I can only ask that God protect you.”

They returned to the town that night, and Sir Bruneo spoke with Melicia, who assured him that if it were the will of her father the King and of the Queen, she would be pleased to marry him. He bid farewell to her, and to the King and Queen, giving them great thanks for their kindness and pledging to be always in their service.

He went to bed, and at dawn heard Mass. Armed and mounted, he left with the King and Amadis, with great humility said goodbye to them, and took the road to where fate would lead him. He did many deeds and feats of arms that would be lengthy to recount, but for now no more will be said about him until the proper time.

Amadis remained in Gaul as ye hear, where he spent thirteen and a half months, during which time King Lisuarte lay siege to the castle at Burning Lake. Amadis went hunting in the forest, to which he was inclined more than to do any other thing.

Meanwhile, his great fame and exploits came to be darkened and despised by all those who blessed other knights who sought adventures at arms. They would curse him and say that in the prime of his life, he had abandoned what God had bestowed on him beyond all others. Ladies and damsels especially, who came to him with great injustices and injuries for him to remedy, found that he was not as he had been, and they left proclaiming on every road they traveled the discredit of his honor. Although all or most of this reached his ears and he held it as a great misfortune, not for that or any other thing did he dare disobey or ignore the orders of his lady.

And so during this time, as ye hear, while he was defamed and scorned by all as he waited for orders from his lady, King Lisuarte learned the fateful news that King Aravigo and six other kings were already at the Isle of Leonida with all their men to travel to Great Britain. Arcalaus the Sorcerer diligently urged them onward, making them believe that they would be lords of Great Britain as soon as they got there, and told them many other things so they would have no other plans except to attack.

King Lisuarte assembled as many men as he could to fight back. And although with his strong heart and great discretion he minimized this threat, the Queen did not. Instead, she told everyone with great anguish about the dire loss the King had suffered from the departure of Amadis and his family, who if they were there, the King’s opponents would be able to do very little against him.

But the knights who had been overcome at the Isle of Mongaza, although they held no good wishes for the King, saw that Sir Galaor was on his side along with Sir Brian of Monjaste, who on orders of King Ladasan of Spain had come with two thousand soldiers sent to help under the leadership and orders of Sir Brian. Sir Galvanes, who was Lisuarte’s vassal, agreed to come to his aid in that battle, where great peril at arms awaited.

Those assembled included Sir Cuadragante, Listoran of the White Tower, Imosil of Burgundy, Madansil of the Silver Bridge, and other companions who for their friendship had stayed there. They all hurried to prepare their arms and horses and everything necessary, expecting those seven kings to depart from the island soon and King Lisuarte to move against them.

Mabilia spoke one day with Oriana and said it was poor judgement in such times not to think about what Amadis ought to do. If by chance he were to oppose her father, peril would befall one of them. If her father’s side were defeated, in addition to the great injury that would come to her, losing the land that ought to be hers, her father would certainly be killed, considering how courageously he would fight in battle. And likewise, if Amadis’s side lost, Amadis would be killed.

Oriana realized that this was true and decided to write a letter to Amadis telling him not to fight against her father but to go anywhere he wished or remain in Gaul if that made him happy. This letter was placed inside another by Mabilia and carried by a damsel who had come to King Lisuarte’s court with gifts from Queen Elisena for Oriana and Mabilia. When the damsel bid farewell and returned to Gaul, she gave the letter with the message to Amadis, and after he had read it he was the happiest he could ever have been, like a man who left gloom and entered bright light.

But he was troubled and uncertain because by his own will he did not wish to be in the battle on the side of King Lisuarte, and he could not fight against him because his lady had prohibited it, so he could not decide what to do. So he went to his father the King with the most happy face he had worn until that time, and they spoke together sitting in the shade of some elm trees in a plaza next to the seashore. They spoke about various things, but most of all about the important news that they had heard from Great Britain concerning the uprising of those kings with great armies against King Lisuarte.

+

Chapter 67 [part 2 of 2]

[In which the war was brought to a close, but not in the way King Lisuarte would have preferred, due to trouble elsewhere.] 

 [Tour San-Nicolas, which guards the inner harbor of the old port of La Rochelle, France, the site of a siege and naval battle between Great Britain and Castile in 1372. Photo by Miles O'Reilly.] 
 
+ 
 
Then the King spurred his horse and entered the fray without fear of death. When he saw Sir Cuadragante come at him, he turned his horse toward him, and they struck each other on the tops of their helmets so hard that they had to grab the necks of their horses. But as the King had a much better sword, it cut so deeply that it caused a head wound. But immediately they were aided: the King by Sir Galaor and Norandel and those who were with him; and Sir Cuadragante by Sir Florestan and Angriote d’Estravaus.

The King, when he saw the amazing feats of Sir Florestan, went at him and struck such a blow with his sword on the head of his horse that it fell with him on it among the knights. The blow was quickly repaid, for Florestan leaped from his horse and went at the King, and although many men guarded him and he only reached the leg of the horse, he cut it in half and it fell to the ground. The King jumped off it with such agility that Sir Florestan was amazed. Lisuarte gave Sir Florestan two blows with his good sword, and the armor could not stop it from cutting the flesh.

But Sir Florestan, remembering how he had once been Lisuarte’s knight and the honors he had received, let himself be attacked, covering himself with what little remained of his shield. The King, with great anger, did not cease to attack in any way he could. Not even at that did Sir Florestan wish to strike back and instead grabbed him by the arms and would not let him mount a horse or break free. A great fight broke out between one side and the other to help them, and the King shouted his name so his men would recognize him. Galaor came, called by those shouts, reached the King, and said:

“My lord, take my horse.”

Also with him on foot were Filispinel and Brandoivas, who wanted to give him their horses. Galaor told the King:

“My lord, take my horse.”

But to keep Galaor from dismounting, the King took Filispinel’s horse, leaving Sir Florestan badly injured by his good sword, for he had not given a blow that did not cut armor and flesh, while Florestan did not wish to strike back, as has been said. Sir Florestan was put on a horse that Sir Cuadragante brought him.

The King, freely placing his body before every danger, called Sir Galaor, Norandel, and King Cildadan, and the men who followed them, and entered into the thick of battle, attacking and causing devastation to everything he met, so the situation of his side improved due to him. Sir Florestan, Cuadragante, and Gavarte, and other fine knights, resisted the King and his men as best they could, doing wonders at arms, but they were few and many of them were in bad shape and injured. The opponents were a great crowd of men who had taken heart at the courage of the King, and they charged suddenly and so hard that by their blows and the strength of their horses they pushed their opponents from the field against the foothills of the mountains.

There Sir Florestan, Cuadragante, Angriote, and Gavarte of the Fearsome Valley, their armor in pieces, suffering many injuries not only from helping their side but in their attempt to regain lost ground, their horses dead and themselves almost dead, lay on the field under the power of the King and his men. Palomir, Elian the Vigorous, Branfil, Enil, Sarquiles, and Maratros of Lisanda, cousin of Sir Florestan, who had tried to rescue them, were taken prisoner. There were many dead and injured on both sides.

Sir Galvanes would have been lost many times if Dragonis had not rescued him with his men. But in the end they took him from the fray so badly injured that he could not remain on his horse, and so, senseless, they took him to Boiling Lake. He remained there with the small company that had escaped, defending the mountain from their opponents.

Thus it could be said very rightly that by the fortitude of the King and the great foolishness of Sir Florestan in not wanting to strike or harm the King when he had him in his power, this battle was won, as ye have heard.

It should be compared to the mighty Hector’s first battle against the Greeks when they were attempting to disembark in the great port of Troy. After the Greeks were almost defeated and much of their fleet was on fire and their men could fight no more, in the great melee Hector happened upon his cousin Ajax Talamon, son of his aunt Ansiona, fighting with the Greeks. Hector recognized him and embraced him, and Ajax asked him to withdraw the Trojans from the fight and return to the city, relinquishing the victory he held in his hands. Because of that, the Greeks landed, fortified their camp, and with many deaths and fires and great destruction, those mighty men defeated and destroyed that famous city, renowned throughout the world, which shall never be forgotten as long as the world shall last.

Thus it should be learned that in such battles, pity and courtesy have no place neither with friend nor family until victory has finally been achieved, for in such times men often have blessings and good fortune but do not know how to use them properly, and instead give aid to those who were losing, who then take those advantages as their own.

Returning to the matter at hand, when King Lisuarte saw his enemies driven from the field and into the mountains, at sunset he ordered that none of his men advance, and placed guards because Dragonis, who was among the men who had sought safety in the mountains, had taken the most defendable passes. He ordered his tents be brought from where they had been and set up at the bank of a stream that came down the foothills of the mountain.

He ordered King Cildadan and Sir Galaor be brought to him, but he was told that they were in great sorrow because Sir Florestan and Sir Cuadragante were injured to the point of death. Since the King was on foot, he asked for a horse, more to go and console them than with thoughts of getting aid for those knights, for they were his opponents. However, he was moved to pity remembering how Sir Florestan, in the battle with King Cildadan, put his bare head before his own and took a great blow from the valiant Gadancuriel on his shield to it would not reach the King. He also remembered how on that very day Florestan had allowed himself to be injured out of virtue.

He went to where they were, consoled them with heart-felt words, and left them content, having ordered medical care. This had not been enough to keep Sir Galaor from repeatedly fainting over his brother Sir Florestan. But the King had them be brought to a very good tent and his doctors attend to them. He brought King Cildadan with him but gave Sir Galaor permission to stay with them that night. He also had those seven knights who had been taken prisoner, as ye have heard, be taken to the same tent to receive care with the others. And so, as ye hear, those injured and unconscious knights and prisoners were watched over by Sir Galaor. Mostly with the help of God, as well as of the doctors who were very skilled, before dawn they were all conscious, and the doctors promised Sir Galaor that they would all recover and be turned over to him healthy, each according to his wounds.

The next day Norandel and Sir Guilan the Pensive were with Sir Galaor to provide him company in his sadness over the condition of his brother and others in his lineage, they heard bugles and trumpets sound at the tent of the King, which was the signal for the men to arm. They bound their wounds well so they would not bleed, armed themselves, mounted their horses, went there, and found the King with new arms on horseback.

He was speaking with King Arban of North Wales, King Cildadan and Sir Grumedan about how to attack the knights who were in the mountains. They considered various ideas. Some said that since their own men were in bad shape, it was unreasonable to attack their enemies until they had recovered. Others said that since they all still burned with ire, it would be bad to wait longer, especially if Agrajes were to return from Little Brittany, where he had gone for food and more men, from which their opponents would draw strength. The King asked Sir Galaor what he thought, and he said:

“My lord, if your men are in bad shape and tired, so are your opponents, and since they are few and we are many, it would be good if we attacked immediately.”

“So it shall be done,” the King said.

Then he gathered up his men and attacked the mountain with Sir Galaor in the lead and his companion Norandel following him, and all the rest behind them. Although Dragonis and his men defended the passes and heights in the mountains for some time, so many crossbows and archers fired that many of them were injured and they were forced to give way. The knights rode up, and they fought a very perilous battle. But in the end they could not withstand so many men and were forced to retreat to the town and castle.

The King immediately arrived, and ordered his tent and supplies brought, and surrounded them and set up a siege, and ordered the fleet to come and besiege the castle by sea.

Because it does not serve this story to recount the things that happened there, since the tale is about Amadis, who did not fight in this war, this account will end here. Know only that the King had them under siege for thirteen months by land and sea, and they received no help because Agrajes was ill and did not have the equipment to attack the King’s great fleet.

Since those inside lacked food, both sides began to bargain that the King would release all his prisoners and Sir Galvanes would do the same with his, and that they would deliver the town and castle of Boiling Lake to the King for a ceasefire of two years. Although this was of great advantage to the King, he was in a secure position and would not have agreed except that he had received letters from his uncle, the Count of Agramonte, who had remained on land, telling how all the kings of the islands had rebelled against King Lisuarte, since he was away at war. They had taken as their leader and chieftain King Aravigo, lord of the Landas islands, who was the most powerful among them. All this had been the work of Arcalaus the Sorcerer, who had personally visited all those islands to unite them in the uprising, convincing them they would meet no defense and could divide the Kingdom of Great Britain among themselves. The Count of Agramonte advised the King to leave everything and return to his kingdom.

This news made the King agree to what was not his will, which was to take and kill all his opponents. When the agreement was reached, the King, accompanied by many of his noblemen, went to the town, whose gates were found open, and from there to the castle. Sir Galvanes came out with some knights who were with him, and with Madasima, tears falling down her beautiful cheeks. He came to the King and gave him the keys, and said:

“My lord, do with this as you will.”

The King took them and gave them to Brandoivas. Galaor came to Lisuarte and said:

“My lord, moderation and mercy are called for, and if I have served you, remember it now.”

“Sir Galaor,” the King said, “if I were to consider the services ye have done for me, I could not reward you even if I were worth a thousand times what I am. What I shall do here will not be counted among that which I owe you.”

Then he said:

“Sir Galvanes, ye took this by force against my will, and by force I won it back. I freely wish that by your worth, the goodness of Madasima, and Sir Galaor’s insistence, that this be yours, remaining in my realm, and you remain in my service, as your descendants shall also be.”

“My lord,” Sir Galvanes said, “since fate has not allowed me to have it by the means my heart desired and since I have done everything I should have in every way, I accept your mercy with the condition that as long as I possess this I shall be your vassal, and if my heart desires something else, I shall return it to you freely, and I shall be free to do what I wish.”

Then the King’s knights kissed his hands for what he had done, and Sir Galvanes and Madasima kissed his hands as his vassals.

With the war over, King Lisuarte decided to return promptly to his kingdom, and so he did, after resting for two weeks so that he and all the others who were injured were recovered. He took Sir Galvanes and the others who wished to go with him, and boarded his fleet. They sailed the sea and made port in his lands, where they learned the news that the seven kings were coming for him.

And although this troubled him greatly, he did not let his men know that. Instead he acted as if it were nothing. He left the port and went to where the Queen was, who received him with the same true love that he had for her. He learned there that the news that the kings were coming was true, so he had no time to rest and enjoy the company of the Queen and his daughter. With his knights, he prepared the things he would need for that confrontation.

+

Chapter 67 [part 1 of 2]

In which is recounted the cruel battle between King Lisuarte and his men, and Sir Galvanes and his companions; and the King’s generosity and grandeur after their defeat, giving the land to Sir Galvanes and Madasima, making them vassals for as long as they lived there.

[View of the Castelo dos Mouros in Sintra, Portugal. Photo by Duca696.] 
 
+ 
 
As ye have heard, King Lisuarte disembarked in the port of the island of Mongaza, where he found that King Arban of North Wales and his men had retreated to a camp on some rocky peaks. Lisuarte ordered them to descend immediately and join the men he had brought. He learned that Sir Galvanes and his companions, who had been at Burning Lake, had crossed the mountains, and that they were preparing to do battle.

Lisuarte and all his men immediately began to move toward them as fast as possible, and he encouraged them as much as he could, as he who was accompanied by the best knights in the world. They traveled until they were a league away from their opponents on the bank of a river, and there they stopped to spend the night. When daylight broke, they all heard Mass and armed themselves, and the King split his men into three divisions.

The first was of five hundred knights with Sir Galaor, and among them were his companion Norandel, Sir Guilan the Pensive and his cousin Ladasin, Grimeo the Valiant, Cendil of Ganota, and Nocoran of the Fearful Bridge, the very good jouster.

The second division he gave to King Cildadan with seven hundred knights. Among them were Ganides of Gantoa, the King’s nephew Acedis, Gradasonel Fillistre, Brandoivas, Tasian, and Filispinel, all of them well-esteemed knights.

In the middle division went Sir Grumedan of Norway and the knights who had come with King Arban of North Wales, who were charged with protecting the King and no other duties. So they moved through the field, exceptionally splendid and well-armed men, and so many bugles and trumpets sounded that one could hardly hear. They took up positions on a level field, and behind the King rode Baladan and Leonis with thirty knights.

Sir Galvanes and the high noblemen who were with him learned of this and of the state and number of King Lisuarte’s troops, and how there were five of Lisuarte’s men for every one of their own. Their numbers were depleted by the imprisonment of Sir Brian of Monjaste and the departure of Agrajes to bring provisions that they needed. But they were not dismayed by that. Instead, Galvanes inspired his men with great courage, whose numbers were few but they had done great feats at arms, as this story has told.

They agreed to create two divisions, one with one hundred and six knights, and the other with  one hundred and nine. In the first one rode Sir Florestan, Sir Cuadragante, Angriote d’Estravaus, his brother Grovedan, his nephew Sarquiles, and his brother-in-law Gasinan, who carried the pennant of the damsels. Near the pennant rode Branfil and the faithful Gavarte of the Fearful Valley, Olivas, Balais of Carsante, and Enil, the good knight whom Beltenebros brought to the battle with King Cildadan.

In the other division rode Sir Galvanes and with him the two good brothers Palomir and Dragonis, Listoran of the Tower, Dandales of Sadoca, and Tantalis the Proud. Ahead of the divisions came some archers and men with crossbows. With this highly unequal company compared to the King’s great numbers, they rode into the level field where the others were waiting.

Sir Florestan and Sir Cuadragante called Elian the Vigorous, who was one of the best-looking knights and better armed than most of the rest, and told him to go to King Lisuarte with two other knights who were his cousins, and to tell him that if he would order the crossbows and archers to be removed from between the divisions of knights, they would have one of the most beautiful battles ever seen. These three immediately went to fulfill their orders, and when they had ridden ahead of the troops, they seemed so handsome that everyone watched them. And know that Elian the Vigorous was the nephew of Sir Cuadragante, son of his sister and Count Liquedo, first-cousin of King Perion of Gaul.

When they arrived at the first division led by Sir Galaor, they asked for safe conduct, for they were coming with a message for the King. Sir Galaor gave them assurance and sent Cendil of Ganota with them to protect them from the others. When they came before the King, they said:

“My lord, Sir Florestan and Sir Cuadragante and the other knights who are there to defend the lands of Madasima, sent us to you to say that if it pleases you, take away the crossbows and archers between us, and ye shall see a beautiful battle.”

“In the name of God,” the King said, “remove yours, and Cendil of Ganota shall withdraw mine.”

This was done at once, and the three knights returned to their company, and Cendil went to Sir Galaor to tell him why they had come to see the King. Then the divisions moved toward each other so close that there were not three flights of arrows between them. Sir Galaor recognized his brother by the insignia on his armor, as well as Sir Cuadragante and Gavarte of the Fearful Valley, who rode ahead of their men. He said to Norandel:

“My good friend, do ye see there where those three knights are together, the best that a man could find? The one with the scarlet shield with white lions is Sir Florestan, and the one with the indigo shield with golden flowers and purple lions is Angriote d’Estravaus, and the one who has an indigo field with silver flowers is Sir Cuadragante. The one ahead of the others, with the green shield, is Gavarte of the Fearful Valley, the very good knight who killed the dragon, which is how he got his name. Now we shall attack them.”

Then they rode with their lances lowered, covered by their shields, and the three opposing knights prepared for them. Norandel spurred his horse and went straight at Gavarte of the Fearful Valley and struck him so hard that he threw him from his horse onto the ground with the saddle on top of him. This was the first blow that he did, and it was held by all as a very fine beginning.

Sir Galaor met with Sir Cuadragante, and both struck so hard that they and their horses went to the ground. Cendil struck Elian the Vigorous, and although their lances broke and they were injured, they remained on their horses.

At this time all the divisions began to fight each other, and the noise of the shouting and the blows was so great that the bugles and trumpets could not be heard. Many knights were killed or injured, and others knocked from their horses. Great rage and anger grew in the hearts of both sides. But most of the men went to protect Sir Galaor or Sir Cuadragante, who were fighting hard and hand-to-hand, attacking with swords to defeat each other, and they put fear into all who saw them.

By then on one side and the other more than one hundred knights had dismounted to help them and give them their horses, but Sir Galaor and Sir Cuadragante were fighting so closely and so fiercely that they could not be separated. What Norandel and Guilan the Pensive was doing for Sir Galaor could not be told to you, nor what Sir Florestan and Angriote was doing for Sir Cuadragante, and as there were more men on their side, they charged, but the blows were so dangerous that they gave way and did not dare to confront them.

But in the end so many were fighting each other that Sir Galaor and Sir Cuadragante had time to mount their horses. Then they attacked like enraged lions, knocking down and injuring all those before them, and each one helping his side.

At that moment King Cildadan attacked with his division so bravely that many knights went to the ground on both sides, but Sir Galvanes immediately came to the aid of his men and attacked his opponents so fiercely that it was understood that the fight was his and the battle had been called because of him. He feared neither death nor danger, which he held as nothing compared to the chance to do harm to those who had disdained him and had come to take what was his. Those in his division followed him into the fight, and as they were all select and very brave knights, they did great harm to their opponents.

Sir Florestan came with great wrath because he thought the contention was really about his brother Amadis, although he was not present, and if the knights on his side, moved by their great valor, ought to do amazing deeds, he ought to do even more, so he charged like a rabid dog looking to do the most harm it could. He saw King Cildadan, who was fighting bravely and doing great harm to his opponents, so much that at that time his deeds surpassed those of his men. Sir Florestan charged at him through the knights, who for all the blows they gave him could not stop him. He reached the King so violently and so eager to attack that he could do no other thing but grab him in his strong arms, and the King grabbed him.

They were immediately aided by the many knights that protected them, but they both lost their horses and fell onto the ground on their feet, put their hands on their swords, and gave each other mighty and mortal blows. But the good knight Enil and Angriote d’Estravaus, who protected Sir Florestan, were able to get him his horse, and when Sir Florestan mounted, he entered the fray doing wonders at arms, thinking of what his brother Amadis could do if he were there.

Norandel, whose armor was damaged and who was bleeding in many places, thrust his sword as deep as the hilt in many of the blows he gave with it. When he saw King Cildadan on foot, he called to Sir Galaor:

“My lord Sir Galaor, look to how your friend King Cildadan is. Let us help him. If not, he is dead.”

“Now, my good friend,” Sir Galaor said, “your excellence is shown. Let us give him a horse and stay with him.”

Then they entered the fight, attacking and knocking down whomever they could reach, and with great effort they got him on a horse, for he was badly injured by the blow of a sword that Dragonis had given him to the head, and blood ran freely into his eyes. And at that moment King Lisuarte’s men could do no more against the great strength of their opponents and would have been driven from the field unable to return the blows of the swords, if Sir Galaor and other distinguished knights had not come to help and regather them until they had reached King Lisuarte. When he saw them arriving defeated, he shouted:

“Now, my good friends, with your great skill, we shall defend the honor of the Kingdom of London!”

He spurred his horse, shouting, “Clarence, Clarence!” which was his surname, and charged his enemies at their strongest point. When he saw how bravely Sir Galvanes was fighting, the King struck him so hard that his lance flew in pieces and he lost his stirrups and grabbed the neck of his horse. He put his hand on his sword and began to attack on all sides. Thus he displayed the better part of his strength and courage, and his men shared his spirit and fought bravely with him.

But it all came to naught, for Sir Florestan, Sir Cuadragante, Angriote, and Gavarte, who found themselves together, did such deeds at arms that by their great strength it seemed is if their enemy would be defeated, and everyone thought that King Lisuarte’s men were going to be pushed from the field. The King, who saw his men retreating and in poor condition, felt great shame at losing. He called Sir Guilan the Pensive, who was badly injured and who came to him, along with King Arban of North Wales and Grumedan of Norway, and he told them:

“I see our people suffering, and I fear that God, Whom I have never served as I should, shall not give me honor in this battle. Let us do what we can, so that I could be said to be a king defeated and killed honorably, but never defeated alive with dishonor.”

+

Chapter 66 [part 2 of 2]

[How the King arrived at Mongaza and how Oriana gave birth, and the astonishing fate of her son.] 

[Detail from a scene in the Smithfield Decretals, early 1300s, illustrating a popular legend about a human child suckling from a lion. From the British Library Medieval Manuscripts Blog.] 
  
+ 
  
They enjoyed that day there, and the next day, having heard Mass, they all mounted to return to town. The King told Sir Galaor and Grumedan to go with the Queen, and he took Sir Galaor aside and give him permission to tell Oriana the secret that Norandel was her brother, and that she should also keep it secret. Then he left to ride with his hunters and went to the Queen, who had already mounted.

Sir Galaor came to Oriana and took her horse by the reins and spoke with her. She was very pleased by this both because of the great love her father the King had for him and because, being her beloved Amadis’s brother, he resembled him, so his presence was a great relief.

As they were speaking of many things, they came to speak of Norandel, and Oriana said:

“Do ye know something of the circumstances of this knight? I saw him traveling in your company, and now ye have taken him as a companion. Given your great worth, this would not happen unless ye knew something about him, since everyone who knows you cannot think of an equal to you besides your brother Amadis.”

“My lady,” Sir Galaor said, “there is as much distance between my courage and that of Amadis as there is between the earth and sky, and so it would be great madness for anyone to think I am his equal, because God placed him so much higher than all others in the world in strength and everything else good that a knight should have.”

Oriana, when she heard this, began to think, and she said to herself:

“Oh, Oriana, what if such a day were to come in which thou findest thyself without the love of someone like Amadis, who for thee is so famous both for his skill at arms as for his handsomeness!”

And because this would never happen, she felt very happy and satisfied to have such a beloved that no one else could resemble.

“And regarding what ye said, my lady, about taking Norandel as a companion, I fully believe that he is a nobleman, given his disposition and the honorable way he has behaved. But I knew something else about him, and if it were known, it would surprise everyone, and it was the reason for what I did.”

“So I thought,” Oriana said. “Being as ye are, ye would not have been moved to take him as your companion without a good reason, and if ye can tell it without damaging your honor in any way, I would be pleased to know it.”

“It would be very dear to me, my lady, if ye were to have the pleasure to know what I have kept quiet,” he said. “I know it and shall tell you, but it is essential that no one else may know by any means.”

“Since ye are certain and sure,” she said, “so it shall be done.”

“Then know, my lady,” Galaor said, “that Norandel is the son of your father.”

And he told her how he had seen the letter from Princess Celinda and the ring, and everything that her father the King had said.

“Galaor,” she said, “ye have made me happy to tell me this, and I thank you for it, because I could not have known otherwise, and I am happy for the great honor ye have done to this knight with whom I have such a great debt. Surely he ought to be good, and by a great degree that shall be due to you, otherwise, your great goodness shall make him so.”

“I consider the honor ye give me a great favor, my lady,” he said, “although it may be to the contrary, but in any case, my honor shall always be at your service, and of your father the King and your mother.”

“I believe so, too, Sir Galaor,” she said, “and may God’s favor be pleased that they and I may reward you.”

And so they arrived at the town, where Oriana stayed with her mother the Queen and Galaor went to his lodging, bringing his companion Norandel with him.

The next day, immediately after the King heard Mass, he ordered food be taken to the ships, for all the people who would be traveling with him were already on board with their arms and horses. He brought King Cildadan and Galaor and Norandel with him, said farewell to the Queen and his daughter and the ladies and damsels, leaving them all weeping, and went to the port of Jafoque, where his armada was.

Once he was on board, it departed for the Island of Mongaza, where at times with good weather and at times with bad, it arrived after five days at the port of the town from which the island got its name. He found a fortified camp there with King Arban of North Wales and the men ye have already heard about, and he learned how there had been a great battle with the knights in the town and how his men had been driven from the field and all would have been lost if King Arban of North Wales had not taken advantage of some tall, steep peaks where they were protected from their enemies.

He learned how the very courageous Gasquilan, King of Suesa, was badly injured by Sir Florestan, and Gasquilan’s men had taken him away by sea to recover. He also heard how Brian of Monjaste had been taken prisoner when he tried to attack King Arban of North Wales among the enemy troops. And after this fight they had not dared to leave the peaks where King Lisuarte found them, because no matter how many times the knights of the Island of Mongaza had tried to attack, they could never do any harm because the site was so well protected.

After the King had learned this, he felt great anger toward the island’s knights, and he ordered all his men, tents, and other necessities be unloaded from the ships, and settled into the camp to learn more about the enemy.

Oriana was very pleased when her father the King left because the time was coming when she would give birth. She called Mabilia and told her that her fainting and other things she felt had to mean that she was about to give birth, and she ordered all the other damsels to leave her, and went to her chamber with Mabilia and the Damsel of Denmark, who had earlier gotten everything ready for childbirth.

Oriana suffered some pains until nightfall, which left her tired, but then they became more frequent, and so she suffered great worry and anxiety, since this was something she had never needed to know about. But her great fear in being discovered in the trouble she was in gave her such strength that she endured without complaint.

At midnight it pleased the Lord on High, who remedies all things, that a son was born, a very fine child, leaving her free. He was wrapped in rich clothes, and Oriana asked that he be brought to her bed, and taking him in her arms, she kissed him many times.

The Damsel of Denmark said to Mabilia:

“Did ye see what this boy has on his body?”

“No,” she said. “I have been busy with so much to do to help him and his mother to give birth that I have not looked at anything else.”

“Well, indeed,” the Damsel said, “he has something on his chest that other children do not have.”

Then they lit a candle, unwrapped him, and saw beneath his right nipple some letters white as snow, and under the left nipple seven letters so red they were like living coals. But they could not read either one or know what they said because the white ones were in a very obscure Latin and the red ones in difficult Greek. After they had seen this, they wrapped him up again and laid him next to his mother, and agreed that he would be immediately taken to where he would be raised, as they had planned.

To do that, the Damsel of Denmark secretly left the palace and, on horseback with her brother Durin, circled outside to the window of the chamber she had left. Meanwhile Mabilia had put the boy in a basket and tied a cloth over it, hung it from a cord and lowered it into the hands of the Damsel. She took it and left on the way to Miraflores, where she would have the boy raised secretly, claiming he was her own child.

But soon, they left the road and took a path that Durin knew about and guided her through a very thick forest where they could travel more secretly. Durin rode in front and she followed, and soon they arrived at a spring in an open field. But beyond that was a valley with thick trees and so frightening that hardly anyone would enter because of the wild and forested mountains on either side where lions and other fierce animals raised their young.

At the head of this valley there was a small old hermitage where the hermit Nasciano dwelled, considered by all to be a very holy and devote man, and because of this the people of the area believed that he was sometimes provided with manna from Heaven. When he needed food, he would go to search for it in those lands, and no lion or other animal would do him harm, although as he rode on his donkey, he continuously encountered them. Instead, they would bow before him.

Near this hermitage was a cave among the rocks where a lioness was raising her little cubs, and often the good man would visit them. If he had food, he would feed them without fear of the lioness. Instead, when she saw him coming, she would go away until he left. After having said his hours of prayers, he would pass his time with those lion cubs and enjoy watching them play in the cave.

When the Damsel of Denmark and her brother arrived at the spring, she was very thirsty from her night spent working and traveling, and she said to her brother:

“Let us dismount, and take this child, for I wish to drink.”

He dismounted, took the boy wrapped in its rich clothes, put him on the trunk of a tree that was there, and was about to help his sister dismount when they heard the great roar of a lion in that valley. Their palfreys were so frightened that they began to flee too fast for the Damsel to stop her horse. She thought she might be killed amid the trees and called out to God for help, and Durin raced behind her to try to grab the reins and stop the palfrey. He ran so fast that he pulled ahead and stopped it, and found his sister so shaken and beside herself that she could hardly speak.

He helped her dismount and said:

“Sister, wait here, and I will go on this palfrey to get mine.”

“Get the child,” she said, “and bring him to me, so nothing happens to him.”

“I shall do that,” he said, “and hold this palfrey by the reins, for I am afraid that if I were to ride it, I could not make it go to the spring.”

So he left on foot. But before he arrived, an amazing thing happened. The lioness who was raising her cubs as ye heard and who had roared, was accustomed to going to the spring every day to search for tracks of deer that came there to drink. When she arrived there, she walked around the spring looking for tracks from one side to the other, and as she was walking, she heard the boy cry in the trunk of the tree. She went for him and took his clothes in her mouth using those very sharp teeth without touching his body, for such was God’s will. Thinking he was food for her cubs, she left with him.

It was sunrise, and the Lord of the world, merciful toward those who asked for His pity and with the innocents too young or unaware to ask for it, helped him this way: the blessed Nasciano had sung Mass at sunrise and went to the spring to rest there, for the night had been very warm, and saw how the lion carried the child in her mouth. The child was crying weakly, since he had been born that night. The hermit realized it was a baby, and he was very frightened about how she had gotten it. He immediately raised his hand and blessed it, and said to the lioness:

“Go, vile beast, and leave behind the child of God, who was not made for you to reign over.”

The lioness twitched her ears as if she were happy, came to him very tamely, put the boy at his feet, and then she left. Nasciano made the sign of the true cross over him, then took him in his arms and brought him to the hermitage. As he passed the cave where the lioness was raising her cubs, he saw that she was letting them suckle, and he told her:

“I order you in the name of God, in Whose power all things are, to take those teats from your cubs and give them to this child, and like them, protect him from all harm.”

The lioness lay down at his feet, and the good man placed the child at the teats and put milk in his mouth and had him take the teat, and he suckled. And from then on she came very tamely to suckle him as often as was necessary.

But the hermit immediately sent the boy who helped him with Mass, who was his nephew, to hurry and call on his mother and father, and have them come right away alone with him, because they were urgently needed. The boy hurried to the place where they dwelled, which was at the edge of the forest, but the father was not there, so they did not return until ten days later, during which time the child was well fed with milk from the lioness and a goat and a sheep who had just given birth to a lamb. These animals fed him when the lioness went to hunt for her cubs.

When Durin left his sister, as ye have heard, he went on foot as fast as he could to the spring where the child had been left. When he did not find him, he was very frightened, and he found the trail of the lioness, so he truly believed she had eaten him, so with great sorrow and sadness he returned to his sister.

When he told her, she struck her face with her palms and wailed, cursing her fate and the hour of her birth, and having lost everything, she did not know how she could come before her lady. Duran consoled her, weeping, but she would not be consoled because her emotions and sadness were too great, and for more than two hours she was as if senseless.

Durin told her:

“My good lady and sister, what you are doing is of no use, and it could result in great harm to your lady and her beloved if others were to know something of what happened.”

She saw that he was telling the truth and said:

“Then what shall we do? I am not able to know.”

“It seems to me,” he said, “that since my palfrey is lost, we should go to Miraflores and spend three or four days there to make it understood that some reason had brought us there, and when we go back to Oriana, to say only that the child is in a safe place until she is well. And then ye can ask Mabilia’s advice about what to do.”

She said she thought that was wise, and they rode together on their palfrey to Miraflores, and three days later they returned to Oriana. The Damsel wore a happy face and told her everything had been done as planned.

At the hermitage where the child was being raised, know that after ten days the hermit’s sister and her husband came, and the hermit told them how by fate he had found the child, and God loved the boy so much that He protected him. He begged them to raise him in their home until he could speak, and then bring him to him to be taught. They said they would do as he asked.

“Then I wish to baptize him,” the good man said.

And so he did, but when the lady unwrapped him next to the fount, she saw the white and red letters on his chest, and showed them to the good man, and he was very amazed. He read the white ones in Latin, which said “Esplandian,” and thought that should be his name, but although he tried hard, he could not read the red ones or understand what they said.

And then the baby was baptized with the name of Esplandian, by which he would be known in many faraway lands for the great deeds he would do there, as shall be told farther on.

When this was done, the stepmother happily took him to her home with the hope that not only her home but all her family would be protected, and with diligence she raised him, having great expectations for him. And when the time came, as the hermit had asked, they brought him back, very handsome and well raised, and everyone who saw him enjoyed looking at him.

+