express unto him, and once at such a time as she was overheard by this black-a-moor King, whose love she derided in respect to the English Knight’s, proffering to forsake her parents and idol-gods, and to travel with him wheresoever Fortune would guide their steps; all which was by Almidor made known to king Ptolemy, who thereupon consulting together, framed a letter to the Sultan of Persia, in which was contained his sentence of death, and be made the messenger to carry his own condemnation, which he very innocently undertook to do; and coming to Persia, near the Sultan’s palace, observing their monstrous idolatry, he could no longer hold, but threw down their images of Mahomet and Apollo, and flew those who offered to withstand him; insomuch, that the rumour thereof being noised at the court, great forces were sent against him, whom he opposed in single self, and feat many of them to the Stygian river; but multitudes overcoming valour, his numerous enemies so wearied his arm, that his never daunted courage was forced to yield, and let his weapon fail to the ground. There was he taken and carried before the Sultan, to whom he delivered Ptolemy’s letter, who thereat much enraged, commanded St. George to be laid in a deep dungeon, vowing he should never return there out, unless it was to execution ; where now we must leave our English Champion, to relate the deeds of the other six. And first what befel St. Dennis of France.
CHAP.III.
How St. Dennis was transformed into a bart by enchanted
mulberries, and how he recovered his shape, and put
an end to the enchantment of Eglantine the King's
Daughter of Thessaly.
SAINT Dennis the worthy Champion of France, after he parted from the other six Champions at the brazen pillar, travelled till he came Into the desart country of Thessaly, inhabited only by wild beasts, where being almost famished with hunger, he chanced
