The two days of the truce were passed and the third morning was come, in which time many gallant feats of arms and activity were performed on both parts. Now the time of the combat was come. There was in the River of Danuby a pretty Island of a quarter of a mile long or more, as even as ground might be all the way, in this place were the lists prepared, and a scaffold richly hanged for the Judges to determine in. In the evening about four of the clock (being then reasonably cool) the Christian Emperor issued out with above 100,000 Christians, the rest being above 60,000 were left to defend the City (for both the Christian and especially the Turks were increased) where he entered into the wide plain, and coming to the bank’s side he entered into a broad Ferry boat leaving his whole Army on the other side of the River whilst he laboured to attain to the Island. The Duke of Austria with his attendants Mamri, Simionte, Infeligo, and Wagner, the Dukes of Cleve, Saxony, Campany, and Brabant, with the like number all bravely and gloriously mounted: The Duke of Austria in his bright armour marshalled the field, and of the Christians sat as Judges the kings of Lusitany and Arragon with their Heralds: Now the Emperor is landed in the Island and is mounted into his rich saddle, armed in armour so costly, strong, curious, and resplendescent, that it seemed all the beauty in the world had been gathered together in it, his courser so firm, nimbly jointed, tall and large, such a one might have been the son of Gargantua’s mare for his Giant-like proportion. Then took he his strong and large Ashen lance, bearing in his steel head Iron death, at the top whereof hung a fair and rich pennon, the whole shaft of the spear double gilded over and curiously enamelled, about his neck hung his horn shield, artificially adorned with his own achievements, the belt whereon his sword hung of beaten gold, his caparison of pure cloth of gold, whereon the rich stones were so ordinary that they took away ye glittering of the metal only as if it had been the Sunbeams, trailed along betwixt precious gutters. On his helmet was fixed a rich Crown of the most excellent metal. In brief, for I would fain have made an end of this idle news, there was all the richness in his Empire, in that all the beauty of his richness, in them all ye desire of each eye: when he had saluted ye judges he trotted twice or thrice about the lists, and then lighted at his Pavilion which was there erected of cloth of gold, where he sat with convenient company and refreshed himself. Now in the mean the Turk he set forward with an army double the Christian, and 100,000 and above still left in the Camp. And here I must needs leave to tell you of his exceeding preparation unless I should make a whole volume, for beside the wondrous furniture of his Soldiers, the most rare choice of ornaments, there was nothing could be devised, nay more than of set purpose could be devised was there. But briefly I will turn to the Turk himself, where if I had art according, I should sooner weary you with delight than words: But 100,000 of his men having marched before to the banks and there embattled themselves by the river all along, with such hideous noise of Trumpets, horns (for so they use), drums of brass, flutes, etc., that there was more heard than seen by far, then approached the great Turk himself, before him rode 4000 Janissaries armed in their fashion, with a long Gown of Scarlet-red laced with gold lace, and long sleeves of a very narrow breadth, which was girt close unto him, under that a good armour, with a long high cap like a milk-pail for all the world, of white Satin or some such-like gear, with a long feather enough to come down to a tall man’s hams, very thick laced in the brims with gold and pearl, in his hand a short Javelin, at his side his Scimitar, at his back a great Quiver of broad arrows, and by a string of silk hung his steel bow, over every one hundred of these is a Boluch Bassa, a Centurion as we call him, and these be of the Turk’s guard, and are called Solaquis Archers, and they rode fifty in a rank, then came following them about two hundred Peicher or Peiclers, all in one livery of very rich tissue after their fashion, and these are of the Turk’s Laqueis[79] which have a sharp teen[80] Hatchet sticking at their girdles, and the haft of Brasil,[81] with this they will stand thirty paces off and cleave a penny loaf or hit it somewhere, they will commonly stick an inch and half deep into a very tough Ashen wood, or a Brasil, or such-like hard wood: there in great triumph upon an Elephant richly trapped, stood a Tower of two yards and a half high of pure silver, in the top whereof stood an Image of beaten gold, representing their Mahomet, round about which upon Mules Azamoglans or Jamoglans, who are children of tribute exacted upon the Christian captives, and contributary, fine, sweet, and the most choice picked Gentlemen brought up to sundry dainty qualities, who with heavenly melody followed this Elephant, the religious men going round about singing sweetly together: afore all these next to the Janissaries went above two hundred Trumpets, and as many followed the great Turk, who then approached, having his Chariot of pure silver of above 20,000 pound weight, drawn with eight milk-white Elephants, round about rode and went bare-headed, Azamoglans Peyclers most gorgeously and resplendescent apparelled, under the Turk’s feet lay a pillow of clear Crystal embossed at the ends with huge golden knobs, on his head a wreath of purple with a most rich diadem as it is commonly known the order of it, the stage can shew the making of it, but other things they differ mightily in. Here you must suppose the exceeding glory of his apparel, there he sat upright in the Chair with such a majestical, proud, severe, war-like countenance, as justly became so high a throne, before him went Aga which is the great Captain of his Janissaries, with the Hali Bassa, the Captain of his naval expeditions, Bianco Bassa, the Captain of his Janissarie Harquebusiers, the Zanfyretto Bassa Captain of his Guard, with others of great authority bare-headed. After his Chariot came sweet melody, and then five Elephants of War (an Elephant is well-nigh as big as six Oxen gaunt and slender like a horse in ye flanks, and of more swift foot than a man would think for, his fashion is like no beast in England, but the ridge of his back is like that of an horse, his feet hath five great horny toes, and a very long snout of above two yards in length, with which he will draw by only snuffing up a good pretty big lad, and deliver him to the Rider; this long trunk falls down betwixt a large pair of teeth or tushes[82] of above an Ell and a half long (as ye may commonly see at the Comb-makers in London) bending like a Boar’s upward, his ears well-nigh from the top to the nether tip of the hanging down above seven feet long). And after these five Elephants, saddled and ordered for a man to ride on, came trumpets, and all in the like manner as before, and then marched 500 in a rank, 100,000 footmen, and by their sides for wings 40,000 horsemen, so that he came to the combat with 240,000 fighting-men, well accomplished in arms: then was the great Turk carried under a goodly canopy upon a black Waggon on men’s shoulders into the Ferry, which was richly prepared, where in the view of both Camps he landed, whilst the war-like instruments echoed wide in the Air. In the Island for Judges sat (in armour as did the others) the king of Rhodes and the king of Pamphilia, now called Alcayr. When the Turk was landed, there was brought to him by the hands of two kings a great Elephant of an Ash colour, white embossed very glitteringly, whereon the great Turk mounted by a short ladder of silver, armed very strongly and most beautifully, then took he his Javelin in his hand and vibrated it in great bravery (as he could handle his weapon well) and hung his quiver of long Darts at his Back, then his Scimitar, etc., and so having saluted the Judges retired unto the uttermost part of the field, then mounted up the brave and puissant Emperor so lightly in his heavy armour, as if either his gladness had lessened his weight, or the goodness of his cause, to the great rejoicing of the Christian and amazement of ye Turk, at whom the Christians yelled so universally and hallooed, and other infinite kinds of gladsome tokens, that the Turk astonished stood stone still till the Christian had done, and then as men new risen to life, with such an horrible shout, that their voice rebounded to the air, at which same time the Christian shouted again with them, as if they would have committed a battle with voices, and surely their voices did fight in the wide coasts and shores of the air. This done the Emperors prepared themselves to the fight.
Footnotes
[79] A kind of foot-soldier.
[80] Keen.
[81] Brazil wood.
[82] Tusks.
CHAPTER XXII
The Combat
And when they were sworn that neither of them had any magic herb, charm or incantation whereby they might prevail in their fight on their adversary, and had solemnized the accustomable ceremonies in like matters of combat. The Heralds gave their words of encounter, then with loud voice and shrill Trumpets’ courageous blast, whilst all the people were in dead night expecting the demeanour of these renowned Princes. Now we have brought you to behold these two champions, arrived thither with their brave followers, ready to prove their valiance in the face of so great a multitude. Now if you will stand aside lest their ragged spears endamage you, I will give you leave to look through the Lattice, where you shall even now see the two Emperors, with their brave shock, press Doubt betwixt their cruel encounterings. Now you may see the two combatants, or but as yet champions, coming from the ends of the field, the excellent Christian Emperor with incomparable valour, visiting his Horse sides with his spurs, carrying his spear in the rest with an even level, so that the thundering of the brave Steed presaged ye dint[83] of the great thunder-clap. When Ali Chan, gently galloping with his huge beast, came forward with more swift pace still as he drew nearer to the Emperor. All this while you may behold them hastening in their course, like as you see two great waves galloping from the corners of the sea driven by contrary winds, meeting together by long random, to make the neighbours’ shores to quake and dimmed with their boisterous career. The Emperor being now with his greatest fury ready to fasten his lance upon his adversary, and his adversary ready to fasten his Javelin on him, when the Turk suddenly stepped aside, and the Emperor thrusted his void lance into the Air, (for he mought easily do it), for though the Elephant be but low, yet he was higher than his horse by a yard, and yet his horse was the fairest and tallest to be found in all Christendom, so that needs he must lay his spear in an uneven height to break it on him. Suddenly ye Turk stopped and with his nimble Beast followed the Emperor as he had fled, whereat all the whole army of Turks shouted horribly clapping their hands, and the Christian stood still in great silence, struck with just wonder of this strange Quiddity[84] in combat, and ere the Emperor could make his stop with a short turn, the Turk had hit him upon the shoulder with his Javelin, which being denied entrance, for very anger rent itself in forty pieces, and chid[85] in the Air till they broke their necks on the ground: and had not then the Horse started, the monstrous Elephant had over-thrown him with his rider to the earth. But then the Horse incensed with ire for this injury, and his master more hotly burning with disdain and furious gall, leaped, bounded, and sent out at his mouth the foamy arguments of his better[86] stomach, but so fast the vile Turk followed, that he had spent three long Darts upon the barbed flanks of the Horse, which all in vain returned to their Master. The beholding Turks so eagerly pursuing the strokes with shouting, as if with a hidden Sympathy their training[87] had augmented the violence of the blows. At length the good Emperor sorely ashamed came now to make him amends for his pretty falsery: and with great scope thronging[88] his lance forward just upward upon the Turk’s face, and when he was almost by him, the Infidel, as if he but make a sport of the fight, stepped aside very delivery,[89] thinking that he should have made him run in the like order as before, but he, more cautelous marking of purpose which way he meant to decline, turned with him, and his learned Horse could well do it, and indeed desire of revenge had so seated itself in his brave courageous breast, that now he even followed him as he had been drawn with Cart-ropes, the Turk seeing how he was circumvented, fetched a pretty compass and trod a round, the Elephant flying from ye horse and the horse following the Elephant, as you might see Seignior Prospero lead the way in Mile end Green in the ringles,[90] this was a pretty sport to see the matter turned to a play. Now the Christians having like occasion to shew their gladness, gave such an Applaudite as never was heard in any Theatre, laughing so effusedly that they dashed their adversaries clean out of countenance, tickling again with the long loud laughter: When they had run not passing twice about, the Turk, seeing his time, conveyed himself out of the ring, and then got again on his back, spending his cowardly Darts upon his strong enemy’s armour, and so fast he followed and so quickly the good Emperor turned back again, that his horse’s barb of Steel out-sticking in his front, met just upon the outside of the right eye of the Elephant, that it sticking out a foot entered in above an inch, which ye horse perceiving made the rest follow into his head up to the hilts (as to say) laying out his fore feet out straight, and his hinder legs in like manner, went poking, and crowded himself forward still gathering upon the Elephant, so that not so much with the Horse’s force as the great beast’s cruel pain, the Elephant swayed back above one hundred feet. Now was the Emperor glad, and with both his hands lifting himself upon his stirrups, took his lance and struck with the point the Turk full on the vizard so thick and so many times, that some blood followed, with an hue and cry out of the windows of the Helmet, to find the worker of his effusion: till the villian slave drawing his fine sword smote the lance very bravely in two, and casting his shield afore him, received the last stroke on the truncheon of it, which the gentle Emperor with fell fury threw at him, that he made him decline almost to the fall. The Turk sitting on the Elephant’s back could not with his Scimitar reach the Christian, nor he the Turk with his Curtilax,[91] so that now they sat and looked one upon the other, and the people at them, and all at this strange coping.[92] The good Horse Grauntier by chance being gored a little under the mane betwixt the bendings of the barbs with the sharp tusk of the Elephant, neighed with great stomach, and leasing[93] from the beast which he had well-nigh forced to the lists’ end, being thereto forwarded with the sharp spurs with so exceeding fury, that it was not only a marvel how the good Prince could sit him so assuredly, and also that he spoiled not himself, and with more eager fury began to gallop upon the Elephant again, his mouth wide open, and horrible with the salt fume[94] which in abundance issued from his great heart: for by how much the more a thing is gentle and quiet, by so much the more being moved he is iracund[95] and implacable. But the Emperor turning his reins carried him clean contrary to the lists’ end, where stood lances for the same purpose as the manner is, of which he chose the two stiffest, longest, and rudest for their stature and came softly pacing to the Turk: who stood even there still where he was, the Elephant bleeding in such abundance, that by the loss of so much blood his meekness turned into rage, and began to rise and bray, and stamp, and with an uncertain sway to move, so that with much ado the Slave stayed and appeased him, then the brave Emperor, lifting up his vizor not only to take breath but the more freely that his speech might have passage, he told the Turk that he had in a base cowardly manner by false fraud and unequal fight dishonoured himself and endangered him, for which he told him Malgrado suo[96] he would be gloriously revenged: and now that they had spent a good time in uncertain Fortune, he had brought two lances, choose which he would, and either begin the fight anew or make an end of the old, promising upon his Honour that if he refused so to do, he would fasten one in his beast and another in his heart. And if he dared to do that, he bade him come down on foot and there break a staff with him. The Turk, as he was an Honourable soldier, then presently slipped off his Elephant, bravely answering that he came to conquer him in sport, and not meaning to make a purposed battle, but sith he was so presumptuous as to dare him to his face, he should soon perceive how lightly he weighed his proud words, and then skipping to him straight a Lance out of his hand, and went one hundred paces backwards, so did the Emperor very joyfully, when they were come so far as they thought, they might trust to their breath, holding their Lances in both their hands, began to run very swiftly, and desire brought them together so fast and outrageously, that their Lances somewhat too malapert[97] not suffering them to come together, hurled the Turk above seven feet of the Lances’ length, so that not one there but thought he had been either slain, or his wind dashed out of his belly: the Prince reeled backward above two paces and yet fell down much astonished. The people on both sides exceedingly amazed and affrighted, especially the Turks, who sent out such a doleful Sauntus[98] that it would have moved the stones to ruth, but the dolour of the Christian was not so great, for the moving of the Emperor revived their spirits much. In a cause on which the beholders’ safeties do depend, the ill-success is much feared, for it may be seen by this, that they will with a certain alacrity and Sympathy seem to help or pity as the cause requires. On a sudden the Emperor lifted up his head, at which the Christians gave such an universal shout, as if even now they would have frayed[99] the mountains adjacent. The two courageous beasts having lately heaped up red-hot rancour in their disdainful stomachs, assaulted the one the other with all the weapons of nature, that it had been enough for to have delighted anyone, but the Horse had some small advantage by reason of the Elephant’s right eye was covered with the trailing down of the blood. By this time the Emperors rose again, and the one went to his Horse, the other to his Elephant, having first splintered their spears, and fenced so long as any virtue remained in the slaughtered Lances. When each had gotten to their beasts, they began to forward them, who with equal ire moved needed no encouragement, then did the Emperor coming with full scope upon the Turk, smite the Elephant just upon one of the teeth, while with great rage the Horse had fastened his pike again in the Jaw bone, so that the Elephant still swayed back, but neither of them being able to reach the one the other, the excellent Prince, casting his golden shield before him and drawing his glittering Curtelax, leaped upon the neck of his Horse, and laying one hand upon the one tooth of the Elephant, with the other hand upon the thong, that went across his forehead, vaulted up, and settling his feet upon the tusks and his hand on the head of the beast, cast up himself, and laid his sitting place where his hands were, and there rode by little and a little till he might buckle with the insedent.[100] No sooner came he within the reach of the Turk, but he smote the Turk so freely, who was ready prepared for him, that he made him decline a little, there they fought so long that the Elephant driven through pain was thrust up to the lists, hereupon all the people Christian in a more free manner than ever at any time before, all the while their hard-metalled swords played upon each other’s shield, so that the glory of their rare fight was so wonderfully pleasing to the eye, and so honourable to the combatants, that if they had jested, one would well have been contented to view all the long day: but the good Prince was too hard for the other, for with his ready blows he urged the great Slave out of his cell, and made him sit behind the arson[101] of the saddle, and if this chance had not happened, he had surely made him sit behind the arson of his Elephant’s Tail. For as soon as the Elephant had but touched the lists, the Christian Marshals of the field came galloping and parted the Combatants, holding the Turk as vanquished, whilst betwixt the contrary and adverse part there was four Negatives,[102] so that well-nigh they had fallen to blows, for ye case seemed to the Christian plain, to the Turk unjust. That because the Beast whereon he rode went to the Lists’ end, therefore the stopper should be blamed. Well, Heralds whose office it is to deal in such royal matters, had the discussing of it, and it was deferred to arbiters, with this condition, that if the Turk was found vanquished, he should be yielded as recreant (and miscreant he was). So the matter was posted off whilst it never was concluded, and both the parties departed, the one to ye camp, the other to the city, in no less solemn pomp than they entered accompanied into the sands, where so rare a chance fortuned betwixt so puissaunt Emperors. And because the matter was as strange as true, I have sojourned a little too long in it. But in the next Inn you shall have a better refreshment or a newer choice.
Footnotes
[83] Force.
[84] Subtlety, trick.
[85] Applied to sounds suggesting angry vehemence.
[86] Bitter?
[87] Enticing.
[88] Forcing, pressing.
[89] Nimbly.
[90] Ring, or circle.
[91] Cutlass.
[92] Encounter.
[93] Releasing.
[94] Smoke, vapour.
[95] Irascible.
[96] In spite of himself; reluctantly (Ital.)
[97] Impudent.
[98] A form of sanctus; an outcry.
[99] Frightened.
[100] A person sitting on something (in this case, the elephant’s rider).
[101] Saddle-bow.
[102] i.e. The Turkish umpires.
CHAPTER XXIII
By chance a Knight smote Faustus a box on the ear in the presence of a great company of brave Ladies, wherefore he swore to be egregiously revenged on him, giving him the Field, which the Knight refused not, so the weapons, the place, the time were ordained, and Faustus went out to the field, and no sooner was Faustus gone out of the presence but Signior di Medesimo, who was well-known to be a valorous and courageous man in his kind as any was about the Court, on a sudden fell down on his knees before all the Ladies, shaking and quivering, with a face as pale as him which was new risen from a month’s burying, desiring them if ever they tendered any Gentleman’s case, to entreat Monsieur Infeligo to forgive him his trespass. At this the whole assembly burst out into a loud laughter, to see the man that was even now in his brave terms and vaunting words to come in all submissive manner to entreat for a pardon so ridiculously. He yet not desisting with many a salt tear and hands lifted up towards the Heavens, from whence his pity came, when Faustus came blowing in like a swashbuckler with his Rapier by his side and his hand on his Poynard, swearing all the cross row over.[103] But when he saw the Knight in such a pickle, he sat himself against a wall and laughed so loud and so heartily, that all the whole rout could not choose but laugh with him, and here was laughing, and here and there and everywhere. At length two Ladies rose, to whom perhaps this Knight owed some particular service, and desired Don Infeligo with very mild sermon to be friends with Medesimo again, he told them that they could not demand the thing which he would not readily fulfil, marry he requested this, that as the disgrace which he had received was too great to be forgotten without some such equal revenge, that he might use some like injury, whereby he might be satisfied and he might again come into his grace: which they granted. Faustus came to Medesimo and reared him up upon his feet, and then got upon his back, and so rid twice about the Chamber, and when he had done he took him by the chin, who had not yet forgotten how to weep, shaking worse then any school-boy when he fears to climb the horse, and gave him a good box on the ear and went his way. So the Knight was utterly disgraced, and for shame durst not be seen all that day after. They which were there had sport abundance, and Faustus was feared for his brave valour and with his continual delight in knavery got him foes enough too.