Thus they continued in discourse till at length the Damsel of Denmark said, remember Lady that the Queen is just come from her voyage, and will be glad to sup and retire to rest; it is time that you should take her to your apartment, as she is to be your guest. Oriana then having asked if all was ready, took leave of Queen Sardamira and Grasinda, who went to their apartments, and went with Briolania to her chamber. When they were alone Briolania asked who was that goodly Lady with Queen Sardamira, and being told it was Grasinda and all that she had done for Amadis, wretch that I am, she replied, that I should not have known this when she accosted me! now I pray you when we have supt let her be sent for, that I may honour her as she deserves for the good
service she rendered Amadis. So after they had supt, the Damsel of Denmark went for Grasinda, and Briolania courteously excused herself that she had not with more kindness saluted her, not knowing the great help which Amadis had from her received; and as they conversed together, Grasinda told them how she had first known Amadis when under the name of the Knight of the Green Sword he had wrought such atchievements in Romania and throughout all Germany. I was so well pleased with him, said she, that though I was so great a Lady in that land, and he appeared only a poor Errant Knight, I should have been well content to take him in marriage, and should have thought no Queen in the world equal to me in good fortune. But seeing him so thoughtful and overcome by so deep a melancholy, I suspected that the cause could be nothing but love, and therefore I asked Gandalin, who knew the drift of my question and at one time denied it, and then told me that he suspected it might be so, this he said to divert me from any farther thought of that which could not be brought to pass, and for that I thanked him much, and from that hour entertained such thoughts no longer. Briolania hearing this smiled at Oriana, and said methinks Lady
this Knight spreads this disorder farther than we imagined! remember what he told us at the Castle of Miraflores. So thus they communed till it was the hour of rest, Grasinda then took leave, and Briolania slept with Mabilia in a bed which was made near Oriana's.
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.