whom, doing their duty, they ought to refer the consequence. It would be well for the deciding one of your doubts, to call him here, lady; by speaking with him you may perhaps form some judgment of what cannot be known in his absence. Briolania then re quested King Perion not to depart till she had decided with those knights upon a point which nearly concerned her. Then was Trion brought in; he appeared before the queen with much humility, yet with such a presence as well showed the great lineage of which he came. Trion, said the queen to him, whether I have cause to pardon you, or Amadis to execute vengeance for the wrong you have done, you yourself know; you also well know what your father did to mine; howbeit, as these things are past, and as I know that you are the nearest of my blood, I am moved not only to have pity upon your youth, you having that sense of your fault which you ought to have, but also to place you in that rank and honour, that, instead of an enemy you should become my friend and servant. Speak therefore before these knights what is your choice, and let there come nothing from your lips but that truth which beseems one of such lineage. Trion, who had not expected this, replied, Lady, as to what toucheth my father, I am, by reason of my tender years at the time, acquitted; for myself, certain it is, that by my own good will, as well as the counsel of others, I would have placed you in such straits, and myself in such honour, that I might have obtained the rank suitable to my birth; but fortune, as she was to father and brethren, even so hath she shown herself contrary to me. There remains therefore nothing for my remedy but to acknowledge that you are the my you rightful inheritrix of the kingdom of our forefathers; and also to acknowledge your great mercy and favour towards me, that so I may, by my services and your good pleasure, obtain what my heart sought to gain by force. The queen answered, If you, Trion, will do as you say, and be my loyal vassal, I will be to you not as a cousin but even as a sister, and shall receive such favour from me as shall fully satisfy your honour. Then Trion bent his knee before her, and kissed her hand, and from that time forward he bore himself so loyally in all things, that his authority in the kingdom was almost like her own. You are free then, said she, and I require you to take charge of these my people who are here, and to obey the orders of Amadis. Greatly did the knights praise this action of the fair queen, and greatly did they honour Trion, as in truth he well deserved. King Perion and the knights now took leave, and returned to the camp; they found that Balays of Carsante had just arrived with twenty knights of his lineage, all good men and well armed, to serve Amadis. This Balays was one of those whom Amadis had delivered from the cruel prison of Arcalaus the enchanter, and he it was who cut off the head of the damsel that had engaged Amadis and Galaor in fight to destroy each other; and certes had it not been for this action of Balays, the one or both would then have died. He brought tidings that King Lisuarte was encamped near Windsor, and that, by what he could hear, he had about six thousand horsemen with him, besides footsoldiers; and that the emperor of Rome had arrived with a great fleet, and had landed and pitched his camp near the king's. Gasquilan King of Sweden also had brought eight hundred good knights, and King Cildadan two hundred; but he believed they would not advance for fifteen days, because they were all weary with the voyage. All this Balays of Carsante, could well learn, for he held a good castle in the lordship of King Lisuarte, and it was so situated that he could with little trouble learn news of his forces. Early on the following morning Master Helisabad árrived in the haven with Grasandor's succour, five hundred knights and archers. When Amadis knew his arrival he went with Angriote and Don Bruneo to receive them; the forces were encamped, and Libeo the master's nephew with them as their captain. They then took the master and led him to King Perion, and told who he was, and how he had saved Amadis from death after the combat with the Endriago, and that at this season there could not have been any person whose coming would so profit them. The king courteously welcomed him and said, good friend, after the battle we must decide the question to whom Amadis is most indebted, to me who under God produced him from nothing, or to you who from death recovered him to life. The master kissed his hand, and then said pleasantly, Let it be so, sir, I will not yield the advantage to you till the question has been searched. Then he told the king that he was certainly informed how the Emperor of Rome had set out with his fleet, carrying ten thousand horsemen; and that Gastiles nephew of the Emperor of Constantinople was now on the sea with eight thousand horsemen in aid of Amadis, and would he believed arrive now in three days. CHAP. XXV.-How the Emperor of Rome arrived with his fleet at Great Britain, and what he and King Lisuarte did. HE history saith, that Giontes after he left diligence and that of the emperor, the fleet was soon equipped and the ten thousand knights embarked, and they set sail, and arrived safely in the haven near Windsor. When King Lisuarte heard of his arrival, he rode with the Kings Cildadan and Gasquilan, and many other good men to receive him, and they embraced each other with great joy. King, said the emperor, if you have received any wrong or grievance for my sake, I am here to satisfy your honour with double victory. And as I alone have been the cause of this, I would you would allow that I alone might take vengeance, that the punishment which I inflict may be an example to all, that none may dare offend a man so powerful as I. The king answered, My good lord and friend, you and your people are now weary of your voyage, let them recover from their fatigue; in the mean while we shall learn tidings of our enemies, and when that is known, you shall take what counsel pleaseth you. The emperor would have marched on without delay, but Lisuarte, who better knew what was necessary, detained him, for he was well aware, that on this battle every thing depended. So they remained eight days in the camp receiving the forces who every day came in. One day as the emperor and the kings, and many knights in their company, were riding in the fields near the camp, they saw a knight approach, and a squire with him carrying his arms. If any one asks who this knight was, I answer that he was the good Knight Enil, the nephew of Don Gandales. When he came to the camp, he asked if Arquisil were there, who was kinsman to the emperor; he was answered yes, and that he was then riding with the emperor. Enil then rode up to the company, who were now halting by a brook side and talking about the battle; he humbly saluted them, and they on their part bade him welcome, and asked what he would have. Enil answered, Sirs, I come from the Firm Island, with the bidding of my lord the noble Knight Amadis of Gaul, son of King Perion, to a knight called Arquisil. Arquisil answered, I am he whom you seek. Then said Enil, Arquisil, Amadis of Gaul sends to say, that when he was at the court of King Tafinor of Bohemia, calling himself the Knight of the Green Sword, on the day after his battle with Don Garadan, he entered into the lists with you and your companions, and you were made his prisoner, and by him set at liberty on your promise as a true knight, that you would return and put yourself into his power whenever he required it; he now by me calls upon you to fulfil your word, as so good a man and of so high a lineage ought. Certes, knight, answered Arquisil, what you say is true; it only remains to be assured, that he who called himself the Knight of the Green Sword is Amadis of Gaul. Certain knights who were present said, that without doubt it was so. Then Arquisil said to the empercr, You have heard, sir, what this knight de |