very bravely, but
Esplandian, standing, as I told you, in presence of the Infanta, whom he
prized so much, gave the Sultan such hard pressure with such heavy
blows, that, although he was one of the bravest knights of the Pagans,
and by his own prowess had won many dangerous battles, and was very
dexterous in that art, yet all this served him for nothing; he could
neither give nor parry blows, and constantly lost ground. The Queen, who
had joined fight with Amadis, began giving him many fierce blows, some
of which he received upon his shield, while he let others be lost; yet
he would not put his hand upon his sword, but, instead of that, took a
fragment of the lance which she had driven through his shield, and
struck her on the top of the helmet with it, so that in a little while
he had knocked the crest away."

We warned those of our fair readers who may have occasion to defend
their rights at the point of the lance, that the days of chivalry or the
cavaliers of chivalry will be very unhandsome in applying to them the
rules of the tourney. Amadis, it will be observed here, does not
condescend to use his sword against a woman. And this is not from
tenderness, but from contempt. For when the Queen saw that he only took
the broken truncheon of his lance to her, she fairly asked him why.

"'How is this, Amadis?' she said; 'do you consider my force so slight
that you think to conquer me with sticks?'

"And he said to her,--

"'Queen, I have always been in the habit of serving women and aiding
them; and as you are a woman, if I should use any weapon against you, I
should deserve to lose all the honors I have ever gained.'

"'What, then!' said the Queen, 'do you rank me among them? You shall
see!'

"And taking her sword in both her hands, she struck him with great rage.
Amadis raised his shield and received the blow upon it, which was so
brave and strong that the shield was cut in two. Then, seeing her joined
to him so closely, he passed the stick into his left hand, seized her by
the rim of her shield, and pulled her so forcibly, that, breaking the
great thongs by which she held upon it, he took it from her, lifting it
up in one hand, and forced her to kneel with one knee on the ground; and
when she lightly sprang up, Amadis threw away his own shield, and,
seizing the other, took the stick and sprang to her, saying,--

"'Queen, yield yourself my prisoner, now that your Sultan is conquered.'

"She turned her head, and