desired to see; and at this time are you more welcome than ever, for great pleasure will the sight of you be to these knights, and yet greater to your friend the Princess Oriana, for I believe there is no other person in the world whose coming would so much rejoice her as yours. She answered, For this reason my good lord have I left my kingdom; chiefly to see you, which was the thing in the world that I most desired. God knows the sorrow which I endured so long a time that I could learn no tidings of you, earnestly as I enquired! And now, as soon as my high steward brought me your letter, I then thought it best to come with all speed to see you and that noble lady of whom you speak, for now is the time that all her friends and servants should manifest the love they bear towards her. But in great danger should I have been had it not been for the succour of these knights, as they will inform you.

By this were all her women and attendants landed, and they placed her on such a palfrey as was becoming such a personage, and proceeded towards the tower where Oriana dwelt. Greatly was that princess delighted to hear of her arrival, and she desired Mabilia and Grasinda and the other princesses to go and meet her in the garden, while she and Queen Sardamira remained to receive her in her apartment. Queen Sardamira seeing how much they were all rejoiced at this news, said to Oriana, Who is this whose coming is matter of so great joy? A queen, replied she, the fairest in her person as well as the goodliest in her fame that lives, as you shall presently see. When Briolania came to the garden gate, and saw so many ladies and in such attire, she marvelled

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much, and thought herself happy that she had resolved to come there, and turning to the knights she said, Good sirs, God be with ye! these ladies will now release ye of your charge; and smiling sweetly she alighted and went in and then the gate was closed. Those ladies then courteously saluted her, and Grasinda was greatly surprized at her exceeding beauty, insomuch that had she not seen Oriana she should have surely thought that no woman in the world could be her peer. So they led her to the tower and when she and Oriana saw each other, they met with open arms and embraced each other with great love. Then Oriana led her to Queen Sardamira, saying, Lady queen speak to the Queen Sardamira, and honour her for she well deserves it; so they with great courtesy saluted each the other, each observing such demeanour as became her high rank; they then seated themselves on the estrado, Oriana being between them, and the other ladies seated around. Good my lady, said Oriana, great courtesy is this that you should come to visit me from so far a land, and much do I thank you, for such a journey would not have been undertaken but for great love. Lady, replied the queen, ungrateful should I deserve to be accounted, if at this time I had not manifested to all the world the desire I have to do you honour and service; especially as the business so nearly concerns Amadis of Gaul, to whom you know how greatly I am beholden. I have left Tantiles to collect all the force of my dominions, and meanwhile believe that I ought to come and bear you company till this business was ended, which may it please our Lord to end as you would desire. May he do so in his mercy! replied

Oriana, I hope Don Quadragante and Don Brian will bring good tidings of some accord with my father! but Briolania knowing that in truth they brought none, did not reply.

Thus they continued in discourse till at length the Damsel of Denmark said, Remember lady that the queen is just come from her voyage, and will be glad to sup and retire to rest; it is time that you should take her to your apartment, as she is to be your guest. Oriana then having asked if all was ready, took leave of Queen Sardamira, and Grasinda, who went to their apartments, and went with Briolania to her chamber. When they were alone Briolania asked who was that goodly lady with Queen Sardamira, and being told it was Grasinda and all that she had done for Amadis, Wretch that I am, she replied, that I should not have known this when she accosted me! now I pray you when we have supt let her be sent for, that I may honour her as she deserves for the good service she rendered Amadis. So after they had supt, the Damsel of Denmark went for Grasinda, and Briolania courteously excused herself that she had not with more kindness saluted her, not knowing the great help which Amadis had from her received; and as they conversed together, Grasinda told them how she had first known Amadis when under the name of the Knight of the Green Sword he had wrought such atchievements in Romania and throughout all Germany. I was so well pleased with him, said she, that though I was so great a lady in that land, and he appeared only a poor errant knight, I should have been well content to take him in marriage, and should have thought no queen in the world equal to me in

good fortune. But seeing him so thoughtful and overcome by so deep a melancholy, I suspected that the cause could be nothing but love, and therefore I asked Gandalin, who knew the drift of my question and at one time denied it, and then told me that he suspected it might be so, this he said to divert me from any farther thought of that which could not be brought to pass, and for that I thanked him much, and from that hour entertained such thoughts no longer. Briolania hearing this smiled at Oriana and said, Methinks lady this knight spreads this disorder farther than we imagine! remember what he told us at the castle of Miraflores. So thus they communed till it was the hour of rest, Grasinda then took leave, and Briolania slept with Mabilia in a bed which was made near Oriana's.

CHAP. XVII. Of the answer which Don Quadragante and Brian of Monjaste brought from King Lisuarte, and what all those knights resolved upon.

N the morrow all the

knights assembled

to hear mass and to learn what answer Don Quadragante and Don Brian brought from Lisuarte. When they were met together after mass, Quadragante said, Good sirs, our answer was so brief that I have nothing to say, except that you ought to thank God that with so great justice and reason you may gain great renown, and prove the virtue of your noble hearts. King Lisuarte will listen to nothing but rigour. He then related all that past and how he knew that the king had sent to the Em

peror of Rome and to all his friends for aid. At this Agrayes answered, who was nothing grieved at this issue, and had so long moderated his anger only in compliance with Oriana, Certes good sirs, I always thought it would be more difficult to obtain security for the princess and maintain our own honours, than to raise help for the war; and for my own part I will now tell you that I am better pleased to have war, than that we should have made accord which might have easily been broken; for King Lisuarte and the Emperor are powerful princes, and can at any time soon collect their force, which we, who derive our succours from many and distant places cannot so easily bring together: better therefore is open war than so dangerous a peace! They all exclaimed at this that what Agrayes said was true, and that they ought to assemble their army without delay and give Lisuarte battle in his own kingdom. Now had Amadis all along been fearful lest accord should have been made with the king, for though his honour would have been secured thereby, yet should he have been obliged to deliver up Oriana, who would in that case have again been where he could have no means to see her, and that to him would have been worse than death; so that what the embassador and Agrayes said, rejoiced him more than if he had been made lord of the world. Sir my cousin, quoth he, your actions have been full chivalrous, and greatly ought we who are of your lineage to thank God that we have among us a knight like you, so able to defend his honour in danger, and to increase it in counsel! as you and these chiefs have so well determined, it only remains for me to follow your will. Angriote of