Page:Renowned history of the seven champions of Christendom (6).pdf/2

 THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF THE Seven Champions of Christendom. C H A P. I.

The Birth of St. George; how he was stolen away from his Nurses; and how he delivered himself and the other Six Champions, from the Cave of Kalby, the Enchantress.

FTER that this our island (first inhabited by Brute) began to flourish with arts and arms, in the famous city of Coventry lived the renowned Albert, Lord High Steward of England, that took to wife a lady of matchless beauty and virtue, who having been long barren, at last conceived with child; but nightly dreams so tormented her mind, that she was conceived of a Dragon which should cause her death, that she never ceased, but caused her Lord by art to learn what should be the meaning thereof, who condescending to her desires, accompanied only with one knight, repaired to Kalby, the lady of the woods, from whom he received this mysterious Oracle:

Sir Knight, return home to thy Lady, Who hath brought forth a worthy baby, A Champion bold, of courage stout, Whose fame shall ring the world throughout.

Having received this answer, they soon returned, but ere he came home, his Lady, by losing her own life, brought another life into the world, being delivered of a son, upon whose breast was figured a dragon, on his right hand a blood-red cross, and on his left leg a golden garter: his name was given him, George, and three nurses provided to look to him: notwithstanding which, he was stolen away by the enchantress Kalby; which, when his father upon his return found, he left his habitation for very grief, and ended his life in a strange country.