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

CHAPTER 17.

On 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 Emperor 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 Estravaus who was a brave Knight and of good heart, and who truly loved Amadis, rightly judged that though he said nothing of his opinion, yet was he well pleased that no accord had been made: and this he thought proceeded from his love of danger and arms, not suspecting the true cause; he therefore said, Sirs, ye ought all to be well contented with the result of this embassy, for war is not only safer than peace, but more to our honour, and we shall leave a fame behind us in this world, as immortal as our souls will be in the next! let us then lose no time in summoning all our force. So having thus determined they all went to their meal.