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

 SEVEN CHAMPIONS 6 who thereupon consulting together, framed a letter to the Sultan of Persia, in which was contained his sentence of death, and he 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 ho longer hold, but threw down their images of Mahomet and Apollo, and slew 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 sent 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 fall 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 thereout 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 Hart by Enchanted Mulberries, and how he recovered his shape, and put an end to the Enchantment of Eglantine the Kings Daughter of Thessaly.

AINT 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 to feed upon the berries of a mulberry-tree, which being enchanted by magic art, in an instant transformed his body into the likeness of a hart, (only his natural reason remained) in which condition he remained a long time, bewailing his misfortune, till