possession of two girls, one of whom is perched upon a huge coffer.
Not only does Artegall check this fight, but, on inquiring into its
cause, learns how the twin brothers were awarded neighboring islands,
and how the storms and the sea have carried off half the land of the
one only to add it to the possessions of the other. Thus, one twin has
become richer than the other, and the heiress, who had promised to
marry the poorer brother, has transferred her affections and
possessions to the richer twin. On her way to join him, however, she
suffers shipwreck and arrives at his island penniless. But the chest
containing her treasures is in due time washed back to the smaller
island, where, meantime, the discarded fiancée of the richer brother
has taken refuge. As the wealthy twin declared, when the land was
mentioned, that "what the sea brought he had a right to keep," Sir
Artegall decides he shall now abide by his own words, and that, since
the sea conveyed the treasure-chest to his brother, he has no further
claim upon it. Having thus settled this dispute, Artegall rides on
until he meets a troop of Amazons about to hang an unfortunate man. At
his bidding, Talus delivers this victim,--Sir Turpine,--a knight who
came hither intending to fight the Amazons. Because the queen of these
warrior-women has slain many men, Artegall challenges her to issue
from her stronghold and fight with him.

We now have a brilliant description of Radigonde's appearance and of
the duel, in which, blinding him by her beauty, she manages to get the
better of Artegall. Having done this, she triumphantly bears him off
to her castle, after ordering the execution of Sir Turpine and Talus,
who contrive to escape. But Sir Artegall, being a prisoner, is reduced
to slavery, forced to assume a woman's garb and to spin beside his
fellow-captives, for the Amazon queen wishes to starve and humiliate
her captives into submission to her will.