Page:The venture; an annual of art and literature.djvu/104

 the fury of the gales, the boat sped on without being stayed in Brittany, or Biscay, or Spain, until after twelve days they landed in Barbary, so worn out by the terrors of the sea, and tormented with hunger and thirst, that they rejoiced to find themselves on land, even though it were the land of the infidels, where they could look for nothing but mournful captivity. They came forth from the boat to save their lives, and no sooner were they on land than they were taken and made captive, and my daughter, Princess of this kingdom, became the slave of a Moor, who having learned from those with her who she was, immediately put a price upon her of five thousand crusadoes, which this youth has paid, and brought her with honour to the land of the Christians. All this is set forth in the letters on this linen cloth, which are embroidered in our language, and I pray you to read them." The steward read them, and both wept for joy and grief, he and the King, and when their transport was over they agreed that the steward should go in a King's ship with the youth wheresoever the youth should guide him, and should see the damsel that should be shown him whom the youth should affirm to be she who wrought the linen, and if she were the Princess he should give him in whose house she had been kept, all he should say he had spent upon her, and two thousand crusadoes to boot, and promise him that if he would come with her the King would show him great favour, and to the youth also. And that the youth might be sure of his reward, the King gave him a writing, which the youth kept; and a