their
might to vengeance. The new prince, being presently certified by
various other circumstances that it was as they had surmised, summoned
his friends and kinsmen and servants from divers parts and promptly
levying a great and goodly and powerful army, set out to make war upon
the Duke of Athens.

The latter, hearing of this, on like wise mustered all his forces for
his own defence, and to his aid came many lords, amongst whom the
Emperor of Constantinople sent Constantine his son and Manual his
nephew, with a great and goodly following. The two princes were
honourably received by the duke and yet more so by the duchess, for
that she was their sister,[117] and matters drawing thus daily nearer
unto war, taking her occasion, she sent for them both one day to her
chamber and there, with tears galore and many words, related to them
the whole story, acquainting them with the causes of the war.
Moreover, she discovered to them the affront done her by the duke in
the matter of the woman whom it was believed he privily entertained,
and complaining sore thereof, besought them to apply to the matter
such remedy as best they might, for the honour of the duke and her own
solacement.

[Footnote 117: _i.e._ sister to the one and cousin to the other.]

The young men already knew all the facts as it had been; wherefore,
without enquiring farther, they comforted the duchess, as best they
might, and filled her with good hope. Then, having learned from her
where the lady abode, they took their leave and having a mind to see
the latter, for that they had oftentimes heard her commended for
marvellous beauty, they besought the duke to show her to them. He,
unmindful of that which had befallen the Prince of the Morea for
having shown her to himself, promised to do this and accordingly next
morning, having let prepare a magnificent collation in a very goodly
garden that pertained to the lady's place of abode, he carried them
and a few others thither to eat with her. Constantine, sitting with
Alatiel, fell a-gazing upon her, full of wonderment, avouching in
himself that he had never seen aught so lovely and that certes the
duke must needs be held excused, ay, and whatsoever other, to have so
fair a creature, should do treason or other foul thing, and looking on
her again and again and each time admiring her more, it betided him no
otherwise than it had betided the duke; wherefore, taking his leave,
enamoured of her, he abandoned all tho