The Project Gutenberg eBook of Amadis of Gaul, Vol. IV. of IV., by Vasco Lobeira.

CHAPTER 15.

After those Knights had departed, King Lisuarte sent to summon King Arban of North Wales, and Don Grumedan, and Don Guilan the Pensive, and he said to them, Ye know my friends how I stand with the Knights of the Firm Island, and the great insult which I have received at their hands, and certes if I did not take such amends as should break their great pride, I should not hold myself a King, nor should I think that others would as such esteem me. Therefore that I may render such account of myself, as behoves a prudent man, and that all may be done with due advice and deliberation, I have now sent for you to know your counsel.

Then King Arban who was a good Knight, and prudent, and greatly desired to promote the King's honour, replied, these Knights Sir, and I, have thought much upon this matter, and consulted together, as you required us. And we have concluded that since it is not your pleasure to come to any terms of concord with these Knights, that you ought with all diligence to prepare the means whereby they may be represt and their haughtiness curbed. For the Knights of the Firm Island are many and right powerful in arms, as you Sir well knew, when by the grace of God they were all so long in your service; and more than this, we are assured that they have sent on all sides to demand succour, the which besure they will find, being of high lineage, sons and brethren of Kings and of other great personages, and likewise they have in their own persons made many friends, so that when people come from so many parts to their help, there will be a great host presently raised. But on the other hand Sir, we see that your Court and Household is more destitute of Knights now than we ever remember it to have been; and the greatness of your power hath made you many enemies who will now discover their ill will, for troubles will break out in times of need like these which are hushed in calm seasons. It is therefore expedient that all your servants and friends should now be called upon, especially the Emperor of Rome, whom as the Queen hath said, this business more nearly touches than it doth you; then when you have seen the power which you can bring together you may better judge whether to proceed rigorously, or come to such accord as is proposed.

King Lisuarte thought himself well advised by this speech, and bade Don Guilan prepare to go to the Emperor, for for such an Embassy such an Embassador was meet. Don Guilan answered, in this Sir, and in far more than this I am ready to do you service, and God grant it may be to the advancement of your honour; let therefore the dispatches be made ready, that you may be obeyed without delay. There needs nothing more than your letters of credence, said the King. Tell the Emperor that in compliance with his demand, I gave my daughter to his Embassadors to be his wife, and tell him what hath befallen her, and that the Knights have sent to me preferring certain terms, which I, knowing the insult concerned him more than me, would not accept. And say to him that what will satisfy me is that we should surround the place where they detain my daughter and make all the world know that we like great princes as we are have punished these thieves and robbers for the insult and injury which they have offered us. Tell him then your own opinion and say that wrongs of this nature grow worse, the longer the remedy is delay'd. Don Guilan then received his credentials and went on board. The King then called for Brandoyuas and bade him go to the Island of Mongaza and summon Don Galvanes with all his people, and then pass over with the like bidding to King Cildadan of Ireland; and he sent Filispinel to Gasquilan King of Sweden, to tell him in what state he was, he being a Knight who delighted in all occasions wherein he could show his great hardihood and prowess. In like manner he sent to all his other friends and vassals, and ordered all his people to make ready, and set about preparing arms and horses, to have the greatest force of horsemen that he could raise.

Now the History saith that Arcalaus the Enchanter being in one of his castles, and always devising how he could do some mischief, as he and all wicked ones like him are accustomed to do, the tidings came to him of this great quarrel between King Lisuarte and Amadis. Whether he was pleased or no need not be said, for they were the two men in the world whom he most hated, and whose destruction he never ceased to have at heart, and the uppermost thing in his thoughts. At such a time as this he thought he might wreak his will, and because he could not in his heart prevail upon himself to assist either of them, he in his subtlety resolved to raise a third army of those who were enemies both to Lisuarte and to Amadis, and so dispose of them that if a battle should take place, they might fall on the survivors, and with little peril utterly destroy them. Incontinently he went to horse, and with such a train as was needful set forth travelling by land and by sea till he came to King Aravigo, who with the six Island-Kings had been hardly handled by Amadis and King Lisuarte, as you have heard in the third book of this history. When he came to him Arcalaus said, O King Aravigo, if your heart and resolution be answerable to your high estate, and to the prudence with which you ought to govern, Fortune who was once so much your enemy hath now so repented, and is ready to make you such amends, that the loss of your honour shall be repaired with double victory. Your revenge is now in your own hands, our two great enemies King Lisuarte and Amadis of Gaul, are at such utter discord, that there can be no other issue than a great battle, and the destruction of one, or peradventure of both. Now if you will hearken to my advice, you will not only recover the loss, which by following my counsel heretofore, you have suffered; but your kingdom shall be greatly increased, and the possessions of all us who desire your service. Friend Arcalaus, replied King Aravigo, the length of way which you have travelled, and your manifest fatigue make me well believe what you tell me; but let me hear it more at length, for never was it in my will because of adversity to desist from such enterprizes as become the greatness of my person.

Then Arcalaus related how Amadis had taken Oriana from the Romans, and carried her to the Firm Island. And I would give you to know, said he, that this Amadis was one of those Knights of the Serpent who were against us in the battle against the other six Kings; he it was who wore the golden helmet, and who by his great prowess wrested the victory from your hands. Now as Amadis on the one hand and King Lisuarte on the other, will gather together all the force they can, and as the Emperor himself will come in person to revenge the great insult which he hath received, you may well judge what destruction there will be in the battle between them. If therefore you will summon your companions I will bring you for allies Barsinan, Lord of Sansuena, the son of that Barsinan whom King Lisuarte put to death in London, and moreover all the great lineage of that good Knight Dardan the Proud, whom Amadis slew in Windsor, and they will be a company of right good Knights. Moreover I will bring the King of the Deep Island, who escaped with thee from the battle. We will station ourselves so that after they shall have fought their battle, we may fall upon them and destroy them all, the conquerors as well as the conquered, without difficulty or danger; so that by this great victory all Britain will be subjected to you, and your royal power shall be raised above the power of any Emperor upon earth. Look to it now King! whether for so little toil and peril you will forego such glory and such dominion.

To all this King Aravigo lent a willing ear. Friend Arcalaus, he replied, you tell me great things, and though I had resolved to tempt Fortune no more, great folly would it be to reject so fair an opportunity. I will prepare my friends and vassals, do you therefore do as you have said. Forthwith Arcalaus departed for Sansuena, and spake with Barsinan, bidding him remember the death of his father, and also of his brother Brandolot, who, being conquered by Don Guilan the Pensive and carried prisoner to King Lisuarte, was, by his command, thrown headlong from the Tower, at the foot of which his father had been burnt. He told him likewise that the former enterprize had succeeded, and that his father would have been King of Britain, he having made both Lisuarte and his daughter prisoners, when all was recovered from him by that traitor Amadis. Now Barsinan was young and haughty by nature, and in his evil disposition resembled his father. Arcalaus therefore lightly prevailed on him to join in this confederacy. With small persuasion too, in like manner, did he win the King of the Deep Island, and all the lineage of Dardan the Proud: this did he as secretly as he could, and exhorted them to have their force ready for the occasion.