continued there is danger lest we slay friends as well as enemies; we had better call back the troops, the enemies have received such loss, that I believe they will not dare abide us on the morrow. The King, who was grieved in his heart to see so many perish who had no fault, replied, Let it be, son, as you have said, that there may be no farther slaughter; God, who knows all things, sees that we forbear for his sake, for they are all at our mercy. Agrayes, whom Amadis did not see, was near King Perion, and heard all that was said: how, Sir Cousin, quoth he, now that you have conquered your enemies, and are now on the point of becoming the most honourable Prince in the world, would you stay and spare them now? Amadis replied, Sir Cousin, I would spare our own people, lest in the darkness they should slay one another; as for the enemy, I hold them as conquered, for they can make no defence. But Agrayes, who well knew what was his intention, exclaimed, Since you will not conquer, you ought not to command, and you deserve always to be an Errant Knight, since at such a time you suffer compassion to overcome you; but do as you please! Then King Perion on one side, with Don Quadragante, who was nothing
sorry for the resolution, because of King Cildadan, with whom he was so nearly connected, and whom he loved so well; and Amadis, and Gastiles, on the other side, began to recall the troops, which they did with little difficulty, for it was now night. King Lisuarte, who had no hope of recovering the field, and was resolved to die rather than be conquered, was greatly astonished to see these Knights withdraw their troops, and well knew that this was not done without some great cause, and he stood still to see what would come of it. Now when King Cildadan beheld what the enemies were about, he said to Lisuarte, I believe these people do not pursue us that they may do us honour; since it is so, let us secure our retreat, and go to rest, for it is time. This accordingly they did, for King Arban of North Wales, and Don Guilan the Pensive, and Arquisil, and Flamineo, brought off the Romans; and thus then this great battle ended, as you have heard.
Now because the beginning of all this great history was founded upon the love of King Perion and Queen Elisena, by whom this Knight Amadis was begotten, from whose love for his Lady
Oriana all this great outcry hath proceeded, although it may appear somewhat from the purpose, yet reasonable it is, that for this reason, and for the excuse of those who love like them, it should be said how the strength of love is above the strength of all other things; seeing that in such an affair as this, so famous in all the world, where so many nations were assembled, and there was so great slaughter, and the honour of victory was so great, love had such power above anger and rage, and pride, and old hatred, that this Knight forewent the glory of the greatest victory in the world, whereby his enemies were saved, as you have heard, for, beyond all doubt, the destruction of King Lisuarte and all his people was then in the hand of Amadis. But it is not reasonable that this should be attributed to any other than that Lord who is the helper of all things; and we may well believe, that it was permitted by him for the sake of the great peace and concord which ensued after this great enmity, as you shall hear.
The armies being thus separated, and having retired to their camps, truce was made for two days, because the dead were so many. What
trouble there was in burying them, and what mourning was made, I may be excused from relating, because the death of the Emperor made all other losses be, as it were, forgotten, and because it would be tedious.
CHAPTER 31.
When King Lisuarte came to his tent, he besought King Cildadan to alight and disarm there, that before they rested they might give order respecting the body of the Emperor; then weary and bruised as they were, they went to the tent where the Emperor lay dead, and found his Knights making dole over him; for albeit, he was so proud, yet was he so liberal of his gifts and favour that that covered many of his faults. The two Kings then besought all these Knights to go rest themselves, saying, that they would see the body disposed of as it ought; and then they gave orders to the officers of his household to prepare the body that it might be carried a day's journey to a monastery near the town of Lubayna, from whence it might be removed at leisure to the chapel of the Emperor at Rome. They then