Amadis of Gaul, Vol. 2

by Vasco de Lobeira

Meantime the King mused much upon that Sarquiles had told him. One day Gandandel and Brocadan came before him and said, Sir, we are grieved to see how little you regard your own welfare; that, quoth Lisuarte, may well be, but why say you this?—Because these Knights who are your enemies are coming to your Court without any fear to defend these Damsels for whom you ought to have the land given up. If you will take our advice you ought to behead them before these champions arrive, and send to forbid the Knights to enter your kingdom; thus would you make them fear you, and Amadis would not venture to offer you any wrong, for if they do not forbear for fear, for nothing else will they; the sooner this is done the better will it be, and the more

terror will it strike. The King then called to mind the words of Sarquiles, and saw how he had spoken truth. You tell me two things, he replied, against all reason: the one that without any form of judgment I should have these Damsels slain, what account could I give to the Lord whose minister I am if I should do this? He has appointed me here in his stead to administer right in his name, and if I did this wrong which you counsel to strike fear into others, it would fall upon my own head at last. Those Kings who follow their own will instead of what is reasonable rely on themselves and not on God, which is the worst error into which they can fall. Their best security is to chuse out good counsellors, and honest ones, and to remember that however evil actions appear at first, the just Judge directs, and the end thereof cannot be good. You tell me also to forbid these Knights from coming to my court; a dishonourable thing would it be to prevent any one from claiming justice before me, much more they being my enemies, for it is to my honour that I have the power and inclination to do what they request. I do not like your counsel! you have done ill to those who deserved no ill at your hands! I have sinned and I have my punishment;

and if you have been false so I trust will you have yours at the end. And with that he went away and left them.

The following day Lisuarte rode forth after mass with a great company, and seeing that the twelve Knights were approaching he rode forward to receive them, for he was a courteous man to all, and they well deserved such honour being what they were. They made obeisance to him, and while their people pitched tents in the field Don Galvanes spake to the King. Sir, confiding in your virtue and in your wonted goodness, we are come hither to request that you will hear Madasima and her Damsels, that they may have their right; we are come to plead their cause, and if by that means we cannot succeed, let it not offend you Sir if we support it by arms, for there is no cause wherefore they ought to die. The King answered, go now and rest yourselves, I will do all that can justly be done. Don Brian of Monjaste then replied, So Sir we hoped, that you would do what behoved your royal dignity and your conscience, and whenever you have failed so to act it has been the work of evil advisers, and that, if it did not offend you, I would prove upon any one who dared gainsay. Don Brian, quoth the King,

if you would listen to your father I know that you would neither forsake me for another, nor come hither to plead against me. Sir, replied Don Brian, my pleading is for you, it is that you should do justice, and not listen to those who would serve you less faithfully than I, and stain your worth. You say Sir, that if I had listened to my father I should not forsake you: I have not forsaken you Sir, for I never was yours, albeit I am of your lineage. I came to your court to seek my kinsman Amadis, and when you were pleased that he should be no longer yours, then I departed with him; in all this I have not erred a single point of duty. The King then returned to the town, and they remained in their tents where they were visited by their friends. But for Oriana I tell you she never left the window, looking at those who so loved her lover, and beseeching God to give them the victory in this appeal.

That night did Gandandel and Brocadan pass in great perplexity, wishing that they could recall what was past, but now perforce must they go on. On the morrow the twelve Knights heard mass with the King, and that done accompanied him to his palace. He then called for Gandandel and Brocadan, and said to them, You must now

support the advice which you have always given me in the affair of Madasima, and make these good men understand why she ought not to be heard, and he bade them stand where all might hear them. Ymosil of Burgandy, and Ladadin of Fajarque then came forward and said, We Sir, and these Knights beseech you of your goodness that Madasima and her Damsels may be heard, for so we conceive it is right. Then answered Gandandel, many talk about the right and few know what it is; you say that of right these Damsels ought to be heard, which of right they ought not, for without any such condition they bound themselves to death, and entered the prison of the King thereupon, that if Ardan Canileo were slain or vanquished, and the whole Island of Mongaza were not then freely surrendered, they and the Knights with them should suffer death. The Knights delivered up the Castles in their keeping, which Gromadaza will not do, therefore there neither is nor can be reason for which they should be excused from death. Ymosil replied, Certes Gandandel, you might have been excused from uttering such reasons before so good a King and such Knights as are here! It is manifest to all who have any knowledge, that man or woman are to be heard, of right in their own defence, in all cases

except in treason and conspiracy; this is the custom in all lands wherein justice is observed, and this is what we require. Gandandel replied, that nothing more was to be said: the King was to decide, so the matter was at issue, and the King remained with certain Knights, all the others leaving the hall.

The King wished his Uncle Argamonte, an honourable Count and of great prudence, to deliver his opinion, but he referred it to the King, saying that none so fully understood what was right as he himself; the other counsellors did the same. Lisuarte seeing this then said, Since you leave the decision to me, I think Ymosil of Burgundy hath spoken to the purpose, and the Damsels should be heard. Certes Sir, quoth the Count, and all they who were present said the same, you have determined justly, for thus it ought to be. They then called in the Knights and said what had been resolved; for this Ymosil and Ladadin of Fajarque kissed his hands and said, be pleased therefore Sir to let Madasima and her Damsels be summoned, and we will save them by fair reason, or by arms if need shall be. Let them come, replied the King, and see if they will commit their cause to you. Presently they came before the

King so modestly and in such fear that not a man could behold them without great pity. The twelve Knights of the Firm Island took them by the hand, and Agrayes, Florestan, Ymosil and Ladadin said to Madasima, Lady Madasima, these Knights come to save you and your Damsels from death, will you commit your cause to us? Sirs, she replied, if the cause of Damsels so forlorn and wretched may be undertaken, we commit it to you, and trust in God and you. Since it is so, quoth Ymosil, let who will come forward against you! if he be one I will defend you by reason or by arms; if more, twelve shall be answered. The King looked at Gandandel and Brocadan, and saw that they looked down, and were dismayed, and did not answer. Return to your lodgings till the morrow, said Lisuarte, and meanwhile those who are to answer you will take counsel. The Knights then conducted Madasima to her prison and went to their tents.