“Thus I have digressed, because his manner liked me well, but when he began to run against Lelius, it had near grown, though great love had ever been betwixt them, to a quarrel. For Philisides breaking his staves with great commendation, Lelius, who was known to be second to none in the perfection of that art, ran ever over his head, but so finely to the skilful eyes, that one might well see he showed more knowledge in missing, than others did in hitting. For if so gallant a grace his staff came swimming close over the crest of the helmet, as if he would represent the kiss, and not the stroke of Mars. But Philisides was much moved with it, while he thought Lelius would show a contempt of his youth: till Lelius, who therefore would satisfy him, because he was his friend, made him know that to such bondage he was for so many courses tied by her, whose disgraces to him were graced by her excellency, and whose injuries he could never otherwise return, than honours. “But so by Lelius’s willing missing was the odds of the Iberian side, and continued so in the next by the excellent running of a knight, though fostered so by the Muses, as many times the very rustic people left both their delights and profits to hearken to his songs, yet could he so well perform all armed sports, as if he had never had any other pen than a lance in his hand. He came in like a wild man, but such a wildness as showed his eyesight had tamed him, full of withered leaves, which though they fell not, still threatened falling. His impresa was a mill-horse still bound to go in one circle; with those words, ‘Data fata secutus.’ But after him the Corinthian knights absolutely prevailed, especially a great nobleman of Corinth, whose device was to come without any device, all in white like a new knight, as indeed he was, but so new, as his newness shamed most of the others’ long exercise. Then another, from whose tent I remember a bird was made fly, with such art to carry a written embassage among the ladies, that one might say, if a live bird, how so taught? if a dead bird, how so made? then he, who hidden, man and horse in a great figure lively representing the Phoenix, the fire took so artificially as it consumed the bird, and left him to rise as it were, out of the ashes thereof. Against whom was the fine frozen knight, frozen in despair; but his armour so naturally representing ice, and all his {235} furniture so lively answering thereto, as yet did I never see anything that pleased me better.