Page:Famous history of Valentine & Orson (1).pdf/16

 Saracen’s arms, he by mistake ran him quite through the body with his spear. Orson, seeing his father slain, began to weep, and knowing Valentine by his armour, said to him, Alas! brother Valentine, here is small comfort in this, for you have slain your father. Valentine hearing this, broke out in such a grievous lamentation, that it grieved all his followers to hear him. Alas! quoth he, what an infamous deed have I done! what a wicked act have I committed! I have spent my life in trouble, and now have added murder to my other sins. Orson seeing him thus lament, comforted him, and desired him to go with his army to the battle, for the Pagans in his absence had prevailed. And he desiring a horse, mounted thereon; and intending to lose his life, rushed into the thickest of the battle, and meeting a Pagan prince, ran his sword through his body, overthrowing all that opposed him, till he came where the giant Brandiffer was making havock among the chieftains who when hohe [sic] saw him, encountered him so fiercely, that he fell to the ground, and Valentine giving him a stab in the groin, sent him to visit his false prophet Mahomet.

The Pagans seeing their king lie dead, threw down their arms and ran, the Christians pursuing them with great slaughter. At last the pursuit being over, they returned to Constantinople, where Orson acquainted the empress of the death of his father, but would not discover by whom it was done: upon which it was concluded that ValentinoValentine [sic] and Orson should govern the empire by turns, together with their wives, ladies Fezon and Clerimond, whose brother, the Green Knight, was crowned king of the great mountains; the people of which were greatly rejoiced in having for their king so illustrious a warrior.