through ye same path which he had made in the air before, came not yet to the Court before they had done laughing, for there the matter from the beginning to the end was rehearsed. [Footnote 78: Ringrazio (Ital.) = I thank.] CHAPTER XXI _The process to the Combat_ The two days of the truce were passed and the third morning was come, in which time many gallant feats of arms and activity were performed on both parts. Now the time of the combat was come. There was in the River of Danuby a pretty Island of a quarter of a mile long or more, as even as ground might be all the way, in this place were the lists prepared, and a scaffold richly hanged for the Judges to determine in. In the evening about four of the clock (being then reasonably cool) the Christian Emperor issued out with above 100,000 Christians, the rest being above 60,000 were left to defend the City (for both the Christian and especially the Turks were increased) where he entered into the wide plain, and coming to the bank’s side he entered into a broad Ferry boat leaving his whole Army on the other side of the River whilst he laboured to attain to the Island. The Duke of Austria with his attendants Mamri, Simionte, Infeligo, and Wagner, the Dukes of Cleve, Saxony, Campany, and Brabant, with the like number all bravely and gloriously mounted: The Duke of Austria in his bright armour marshalled the field, and of the Christians sat as Judges the kings of Lusitany and Arragon with their Heralds: Now the Emperor is landed in the Island and is mounted into his rich saddle, armed in armour so costly, strong, curious, and resplendescent, that it seemed all the beauty in the world had been gathered together in it, his courser so firm, nimbly jointed, tall and large, such a one might have been the son of Gargantua’s mare for his Giant-like proportion. Then took he his strong and large Ashen lance, bearing in his steel head Iron death, at the top whereof hung a fair and rich pennon, the whole shaft of the spear double gilded over and curiously enamelled, about his neck hung his horn shield, artificially adorned with his own achievements, the belt whereon his sword hung of beaten gold, his caparison of pure cloth of gold, whereon the rich stones were so ordinary that they took away ye glittering of the metal only as if it had been the Sunbeams, trailed along betwixt precious gutters. On his helmet was fixed a rich Crown of the most excellent metal. In brief, for I would fain have made an end of this idle news, there was all the richness in his Empire, in that all the beauty of his richness, in them all ye desire of each eye: when he had saluted ye judges he trotted twice or thrice about the lists, and then lighted at his Pavilion which was there erected of cloth of gold, where he sat with convenient company and refreshed himself. Now in the mean the Turk he set forward with an army double the Christian, and 100,000 and above still left in the Camp. And here