hopes to conquer it in little space If that his fortune were not ouer hard And that which most assur'd him of this thing He had in hold the daughter of their king 81 Whom he did meane to marrie as men say Vnto a younger brother of his name Orlando shipt himselfe that present day Byreno with him to his shipping came And offerd him a large part of the pray Because his valew cheefly won the same Who nothing tooke but that same engin rare Which we before to lightning did compare 82 Ne tooke he this away because he ment To proue the force thereof vpon his foe Or vse the same when he to battell went His courage would not suffer him do so To hurle away the same was his intent Where it mankinde might neuer damage moe He lets nor powder nor the shot remaine Nor ought that did vnto the same pertaine 83 And when that now the shelues and shallow shore Some twentie leagues or there about was left No land discernd behind nor yet before Vpon the right hand or vpon the left Because said he hereafter neuer more May any knight of life and limb be rest By thee or coward vaunt him with the stout Lye there alow vntill I fetch thee out 84 O curst deuice found out by seme foule fend And framd below by Belzebub in hell Who by thy meane did purpose and intend To ruine all that on the eartâ— do dwell From whence thou camst I thither thee do sâ—nd This said the peece vnto the bottom fell Orlando maketh all the speed he may Himselfe vnto Ebuda to conuay 85 I say the noble Earle in hast him hide Vnto that cruell I le to finde that wight Whom he more lou'd then all the world beside On whom his thoughts were running day night Nor would he by the way one whit abide Lest of new stay might new occasion light And cause him when he had his purpose mist To crie with late repentance had I wist 86 His course he meanes of neither side to bend Nor South nor North such hast he meanes to make But goes as that blinde archer doth him send That deepe with dart of golden head him strake And here a while to leaue him I intend Returning to the match of which I spake For you may thinke I lost it in the carriage If you should heare no more news of the marriage 87 Great feasts were made in Holland and great sport Because of this new match and copulation But greater shall in Zeland by report For which there was great care and preparation Yet would I not you thither should resort Except you knew Byrenos inclination For chaunces fell that spoiled all the cheare As in the booke ensuing you shall heare In Orlando that at the first motion entertained the enterprise of Ebuda we may learne to be prone and readie to aâ— honorable exploites In his comming to succor the distressed Olympia we may note how God sends vnexpected reliefe to the honest afflicted In Olympia we may see a rare mirror of constancy which I doubt too few of her sex will imitate By Cymoscos tyrannie and death all Princes may take a warning that no engins nor stratagems can keepe a tyrant safe in his estate but onely clemency and bountie that to lawfull Princes breedes euermore loue and loyalty in the subiect Concerning the inuention of gunnes he seemeth to insinuate that they haue bene inuented long before the time that our writers speake of in Germany which was about Richard the second his time Virgil hath a verse iu the sixt of the Aeneados that sounds much to this effect and my selfe haue wondered at it many times to see how plainely it expresseth the qualitie of a peece of Ordenance He telles that one Sallomoneus a Gyant had an engin of warre with which he imitated Iupiters thunder lightning surely this he would not haue fained but that he heard of some such thing the verse is this Dum flammas Iouis sonitus imitatur Olympi Some of our far trauelled men tell vs that they of Chyna hâ—d vse of peeces some thousands of yeares which I could be willing to credit saue that they also tell of the records there siâ—ce before Adams creation many yeares Allegorie I finde none but of the I le of Ebuda where women be giuen to monsters to be deuoured of which I will speake in another of the Cantoes that followes of that matter In the monstrous effectes of gunnepowder he alludes perhap to that huge damage done at Venice where their Arsenal or storehouse was blowne vp as a like mishap though not so terrible happened in the Tower my grandfather Sir Iohn Markham being then Lieuteuant of the Tower THE TENTH BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Wicked Byreno fals in loue of new And in an I le his kind Olympia leaues Rogero bids Alcynas realme adew But Logestilla gently him receues She shewes him how to rule the horse that flew He flying in the aire from thence perceaues Renaldos musters after which he found Angelica vnto the rocke fast bound 1 AMong the mirrors rare of loyall loue That present are or haue bin in time past Whose faith no force of fortune could remoue With fauning cheare nor yet with frowning blast Olympia faire all others far aboue By iust desert requireth to be plast Whose stedfast loue to say I dare be bold Doth passe the patterns of the new or old 2 How could she signes more euident impart Vnto Byreno of her louing mind No though she should haue open laid he hart Yet could she not haue prou'd her selfe more kind And if such loue and dutie by desart May looke of due like loue againe to find Her faith requires vnto Byreno showne That he should seeke her safetie as his owne 3 Nor onely not to leaue her in annoy Or her reiect for any other dame No not for her that bred the bale of Troy Or any other of more worthy name But her preferre before all worldly ioy Before his senses fiue before his fame Or any other thing of greater price To be exprest by word or by deuice 4 Now if Byreno did her well requite If that he shewd to her the like good will If he regarded as he ought of right To bend vnto her liking all his skill Nay if forgetting all her merits quite Vngrate vnkind he sought her life to spill Behold I shall a tale to you recite Would make a man his lip for anger bite 5 And when that I shall haue declared plaine His crueltie her loues vnkind reward I thinke you Ladies neuer will againe Beleeue mens words your hearts will wax so hard For louers loued Ladies loues to gaine Do promise vow and sweare without regard That God doth see and know their falshood still And can and shall reuenge it at his will 6 Their othes but words their words are all but wind Vtterd in hast and with like hast forgotten With which their faiths they do
and this for heat to leaue And this we carried in so secret sort As none there was our doings did perceaue For why this window standeth out of sight Where none do come by day nor yet by night 11 Twixt vs this vse continu'd many dayes Yea many months we vsd this priuie traine Loue set my heart on fire so many wayes That still my liking lasted to my paine I might haue found by certaine strange delayes That he but little lou'd and much did faine For all his sleights were not so closely couered But that they might full easly be discouered 12 At last my Duke did seeme enflamed sore One faire Geneura neither can I tell If now this loue began or was before That I did come to court with her to dwell But looke if I were subiect to his lore And looke if he my loue requited well He askt my aid herein no whit ashamed To tell me how of her he was enflamed 13 Not all of loue but partly of ambition He beares in hand his minde is onely bent Because of her great state and hie condition To haue her for his wife is his intent He nothing doubteth of the kings permission Had he obtaind Geneuras free assent Ne was it hard for him to take in hand That was the second person in the land 14 He sware to me if I would be so kind His hie attempt to further and assist That at his hands I should great fauour finde And of the king procure me what me list How he would euer keepe it in his mind And in his former loue to me persist And notwithstanding wife and all the rest I should be sure that he would loue me best 15 I straight consented to his fond request As readie his commandment to obay And thinking still my time emploied best When I had pleasd his fancie any way And when I found a time then was I prest To talke of him and good of him to say I vsed all my art my wit and paine Geneuras loue and liking to obtaine 16 God knowth how glad I was to worke his will How diligent I followd his direction I spar'd no time no trauell nor no skill To this my Duke to kindle her affection But alwayes this attempt succeeded ill Loue had her heart alreadie in subiection A comely knight did faire Geneura please Come to this countrie from beyond the seas 17 From Italy for seruice as I heare Vnto the court he and his brother came In tourneys and in tilt he had no peere All Britain soone was filled with his fame Our king did loue him well and hold him deere And did by princely gifts confirme the same Faire castels townes and lordships him he gaue And made him great such power great princes haue 18 Our Soueraigne much his daughter likt him more And Ariodant this worthy knight is named So braue in deeds of armes himselfe he bore No Ladie of his loue need be ashamed The hill of Sicil burneth not so sore Nor is the mount Vesuuio so inflamed As Ariodantes heart was set on fire Geneuras beautie kindling his desire 19 His certaine loue by signe most certaine found Did cause my sute vnwillingly was hard She well perceiu'd his loue sincere and sound Enclining to his sute with great regard In vaine I seeke my Dukes loue to expound The more I seeke to make the more I mard For while with words I seeke to praise grace him No lesse with workes she striueth to deface him 20 Thus being oft repulst so euill sped I To my too much beloued Duke I went And told him how her heart was fixt alredie How on the stranger all her mind was bent And praid him now sith there was no remedie That to surcease his sute he would consent For Ariodant so lou'd the princely wench That Neptunes floods vnneth his flames cold quench 21 When Polynesso so the Duke we call This tale vnpleasant oftentime had hard And found himselfe his likel'hood verie small When with my words her deeds he had compard Greeu'd with repulse and greeued there withall To see this stranger thus to be prefard The loue that late his heart so sore had burned Was cooled all and into hatred turned 22 Inâ—â—â—ding by some vile and subtil traine To part Geneura from her faithfull louer And plant so great mislike betweene them twaine Yet with so cunning shew the same to couer That her good name he will so foule distaine Alâ—e nor dead she neuer shall recouer But lest he might in this attempt be thwarted To none at all his secret he imparted 23 Now thus resolu'd Dalinda faire quoth he I so am cald you know though trees be topt And throwded low yet sprout yong shoots we see And issue from that head so lately lopt So in my loue it fareth now with me Though by repulse cut short and shrewdly cropt The pared tops such buds of loue do render That still I proue new passions do engender 24 Nâ— do I deeme so deare the great delight As I disdaine I should be so reiect And lest this griefe should ouercome me qâ—ight Because I faile to bring it to effect To please my fond conceit this very night I pray thee deare to do as I direct When faire Geneura to her bed is gone Take thou the clothes she ware and put them on 25 As she is wont her golden haire to dresse In stately sort to wind it on her wire So you her person liuely to expresse May dresse your owne and weare her head attire Her gorgets and her iewels rich no lesse You may put on t' accomplish my desire And when vnto the window I ascend I will my comming there you do attend 26 Thus I may passe my fancies foolish fit And thus quoth he my selfe I would deceiue And I that had no reason nor no wit His shamefull drift though open to perceiue Did weare my mistresse robes that seru'd me fit And stood at window there him to receiue And of the fraud I was no whit aware Till that fell out that caused all my care 27 Of late twixt him and Ariodant had past About Geneura faire these words or such For why there was good friendship in times past Betweene them two till loue their hearts did such The Duke such kind of speeches out did cast He said to Ariodant he marueld much That hauing alwayes lou'd and well regarded him That he againe so thanklesly rewarded him 28 I knâ—w you see for needs it must be seene The good consent and matrimoniall loue That long betweene Geneura and me hath beene For whom I meane ere long the king to moue Why should you fondly thrust your selfe betweene Why should you roue your reach so faire aboue For if my câ—e were yours I would forbeare Or if I knew that you so loued were 29 And I much more the other straight replies Do maruell you sir Duke are so vnkind That know our loue and see it
hate And would not do his friend so great offence Thought as in euill cases is the best Of two great mischiefes to chuse out the left 17 He meanes to leaue Argeos friendship quite And get him home againe from whence he came Or hide himselfe where this most wicked wight Shall neuer see his face nor heare his name This though it grieu'd him as it ought of right He chuseth as a way lesse worthy blame Then yeelding to her lust for to abuse her Or to her louing husband to accuse her 18 Wherfore though of his wound both saint and weake He doth resolue to part with constant mind He gets him thence and not a word doth speake And leaues this filthy minded beast behind But fortune ill his purpose good doth breake And alterd quite the course he had designd Home came her husband finding her alone Complaining grieuously and making mone 19 Her cheekes with teares all blubberd were and red Her lookes did shew her mind was ill apaid Her lockes all torne did hang about her hed With which her louing husband fore afraid Did aske her oft what chance such change had bred Till at the length the wicked wretch thus said With spiteful heart with wicked voice trembling And faind a cause the cause it selfe dissembling 20 Alas quoth she what should I seeke to hide My wicked act and hainous deadly sinne Which though from you and all the world beside I could conceale yet doth the soule within And conscience grudge a burden such to bide So as the inward torment I am in Doth passe the plague or penance far away That mortall man vpon my sinne can lay 21 If so a sinne of right you may it name That one is forst vnto against her will But thus it is your friend that hither came I thinking he had thought nor meant none ill Inforced me to my perpetuall shame Against all lawes all honestie and skill And doubting that I would the fact bewray Forthwith he gate him hence and fled away 22 But though my bodie he haue so desild Yet is my mind from sinne deuoid and cleare Although from sight of men I am exild Nor dare I once in publike place appeare This â—aâ—d with thousand names she him reuild So that Argeo that the tale did heare Beleeued it and straight withall intended To punish him that neuer had offended 23 He taketh horse forthwith and followth post All on reuenge his mind was wholly bent And for he perfitly did know the cost And for my brother faire and softly went He met him in an hower at the most Bidding him stand or elÃe he should be shent My brother would distwade him if he might But all in vaine Argeo needs would fight 24 The tone was strong and full of fresh disdaine The tother weake and lâ—th to hurt his frend So that himselfe defending long in vaine My brother was constraind to yeeld in th' end And thus at last he prisner doth remaine And yeelds himselfe vnable to defend Which seene Argeo doth surcease to strike But speaketh vnto him these words or like 25 God neuer let my heart so farre be moued With rightfull wrath that I thy blood should spill Since once I thee esteemed well and loued Whom once I loued I will neuer kill And though thy act may iustly be reproued The world shall see my goodnesse by thine ill For be â—t loue or be it in disdaine I will be found the better of the twaine 26 Another meane then death to vse I mind In panishing this sinne and soule misdeed This 〈◊〉 with willow bands he there did find He makes a hurdle fit to leâ—ue such need On which my brothers bodie he doth bind That with old hurts and new did freshly bleed And to his castle he doth him conuay In mind to keepe him there a prisner ay 27 Yet though with him a prisner he remaind In other things he felt no lacke nor want Saue that his libertie was him restraind But â—o this wretch that late did him supplant And to her husband so of him complaind Thought she would trie if he would yet recant And â—tor at her commaund she had the kayes She goes to him and thus to him she sayes 28 Now sir quoth she I trust you feele the frute That this your foolish constancie hath wrought Had you not better bene to graunt the sute That I in friendly â—ort so often fought You see us vaine to argue or dispute Say what you can you are a traitor thoughtâ— And he to whom you shewd so great fidelitie Imputes to you treason and infidelitie 29 I thinke both for your ease and reputation You had bene better graunted my request You see you haue a sorie habitation And in the same for euer looke to rest Except you change your first determination And mollifie your stonie hearted brest Which if you yet will do I do assure you Both libertie and credite to procure you 30 No neuer hope no said Filandro neuer So my vnhappie brothers name they call In vaine to change my mind you do endeuer And though Argeo caussesse keepe me thrall Yet I in faith and troth will still perseuer Sufficeth me that he that seeth all Doth know mine innocencie and doth see me And when he list can both reward and free me 31 I care not though the world of me thinke ill I hope another world will make amends Yet let Argeo slay me if he will Or let him as it seemeth he intends Though wrongfully in prison hold me still Yet one day he will find he hurts his frends And know by proofe how he hath bene beguild When truth appears and time brings forth her child 32 Yet for all this this woman void of shame Did cease no whit Filandro still to tempt And oftentimes in vaine to him she came And euer turnes repulst and with contempt And in this frantike fancie she doth frame A thousand sleights to further her attempt And many things in mind she doth reuolue Before on any one she do resolue 33 Sixe months entire she doth her selfe absent Nor euer came Filandro to entice Which made him hope that she was now content To cease her sute and follow his aduice But lo how fortune that is euer bent To further wicked persons in their vice Doth vnto her a fit occasion lend To bring her wicked lust to wofull end 34 There had bene hate and enmitie of old Betweene her husband and another knight Morando cald who often would be bold If so Argeo absent were a night To come with force and to assault his hold Or thereabout to do him some despight But if he were at home then all that whiles He came not neare him by a dozen miles 35 Wherefore to be reueng'd on this his so That often did him wrong and great outrage Argeo giues it out that he will go Vnto Ierusalem on pilgrimage And from his house disguysd he parted so In secret sort
the world so deemd it But yet himselfe of all men most esteemd it 5 He did not of his scepter take such pride Nor that degree that common men are vnder Nor wealth nor frends nor meaner kings beside That there about dwelt neare or far asunder But of his beautie which he would not hide At whole rare worth he thought the world did wonder This was his ioy and all that he intended To heare his comely face and shape commended 6 Among his courtiers one aboue the rest Fausto by name by birth a Romane knight Who hearing oft so praisd as they know best His face and hands and all that praise he might The king did bid him tell at his request Neare or far of if he had seene that wight That in all parts so perfectly was wrought But he was answerd as he little thought 7 My Liege quoth Fausto plainly to declare Both what my selfe doth see and others say But few with your rare beautie can compare And that same few were none were one away Iocundo hight a man of beautie rare And brother mine excepting whom I may Prefer your grace before all other creatures But he doth match or passe you for his features 8 The king to heare such tidings strange it thought As hauing still till that day kept the prise And with a deepe desire straight wayes he sought To know this man and see him with his eies In fine with Fausto so far forth he wrought To bring him to his court he must deuise Although quoth he to bring my brother to it I shall be sure of worke enough to do it 9 The cause is this my brother neuer went Foorth of the gates of Rome scant all his life And such small goods as Fortune hath him lent He hath enioyd in quiet free from strife Left by our sire and them he hath not spent Nor yet increast his gaines are not so rife And he will thinke it more to go to Pauy Then some would thinke to th' Indies in a Nauy 10 But I shall finde it hardest when I proue To draw him from his louing wife away To whom he is so linkt in chaines of loue That all is vaine if once his wife say nay But yet your grace is so far all aboue You shall command me certes all I may Thanks quoth the king and addeth such reward As might haue moued any to regard 11 Away he posts arriuing in few dayes At Rome and to his brothers house he went And with such earnest words his brother prayes That to returne with him he doth consent Also his sisters loue he so allayes That she doth hold her peace as halfe content Beside great thanks laying before her eyes Preferments large that hereof might arise 12 Iocundo now resolu'd to go his way Gets men and horse against he should depart Sets forth himselfe with new and rich aray As still we see nature adornd by art His wife at night in bed at boord by day With watrie eyes to shew a sorrie hart Complaines his absence will so sore her grieue Till his returne she doubts she shall not liue 13 Ay me the thought quoth she makes me so fraid That scant the breath abideth in my brest Peace my sweete loue and life Iocundo said And weepes as fast and comforts her his best So may good fortune ay my iourny aid As I returne in threescore dayes at least Nor will I change the day I set thee downe No though the king would grat me halfe his crowne 14 All this might not asswage this womans paine Two months were long yea to to long she cries Needs must I die before you come againe Nor how to keepe my lite can I deuise The dolefull dayes and nights I shall sustaine From meat my mouth from sleepe will keepe mine eyes Now was Iocundo readie to repent That to his brother he had giu'n consent 15 About her necke a iewell rich she ware A crosse all set with stone in gold well tride This relicke late a Boem Pilgrim bare And gaue her father other things beside Which costly things he kept with no small care Till comming from Ierusalem he dyde And her of all his goods his heire he makes This precious crosse to her goodman she takes 16 And prayes him for her sake to weare that token And thinke on her the man that was most kind Receiu'd it with more ioy then can be spoken Although he needed not be put in mind For why no time nor no state sound nor broken Nor absence long a meane should euer find To quayle his loue not only while his breath Maintains his life but neither after death 17 That verie night that went before the morrow That they had pointed surely to depart Iocundos wife was sicke and sounds for sorrow Amid his armes so heauie was her hart All night they wake and now they bid Godmorrow And giue their last farewell and so they part Iocundo on his way with all his traine His louing wife doth go to bed againe 18 Scant had Iocundo rode two mile forthright But that his crosse now came into his minde Which on his pillow he had laid last night And now for hast had left the same behinde He would deuise to scuse it if he might But no excuse sufficient could he finde But that his loue must needs be much suspected To finde the precious iewell so neglected 19 When no excuse within his minde could frame But that all seemed friuolous and vaine To send his man he counted it a shame To go himselfe it was but little paine He staid and when his brother did the same Ride soft quoth he till I returne againe For home againe I must there is no nay But I will ouertake you on the way 20 Th' affaire is such as none can do but I But doubt you not I will returne as fast Away he spurres as hard as he could hy Alone without or man or page for hast Now had the sunnes new rising cleard the sky With brightest beames ear he the streame had past He hies him home and findes his wife in bed Full sound asleepe such cares were in her hed 21 He draws the curtaine softly without sound And saw that he would little haue suspected His chast and faithfull yokefellow he found Yokt with a knaue all honestie neglected Th' Adulterer though sleeping verie sound Yet by his face was easily detected A beggers brat bred by him from his cradell And now was ryding on his masters sadell 22 Now if he stood amazd and discontent Beleeue it yee to trie that would be loth For he that tries it doubtlesse will repent As poore Iocundo did who was so wroth That out he drew his sword with iust intent For their vngratefull act to kill them both But lo the loue he bare her did withstand Against his heart to make him hold his hand 23 O ribald loue that such a staue couldst make Of one that now was
subiect to thy force He could not breake her sleepe for pitties sake That brake all bonds of faith without remorse But back he goes before they did awake And from his house he gets him to his horse Loue so pricks him and he so pricks his steed He ouertakes his companie with speed 24 His looke is sad all changed is his cheare Full heauie was his heart they well perceiued They see no cause of griefe nor guesse they neare And they that guesse most likely are deceiued They thought he went to Rome but you do heare How at Cornetto he his hurt receiued Each man espide that loue procur'd that passion But none descride the manner nor the fashion 25 His brother deemes that all his griefe doth grow Because his louing wife is left alone But he a cleane contrary cause doth know Her too much companie did cause his mone He bends his browes his looks he casts alow With powting lips and many a grieuous grone In vaine doth Faustus comfort seeke to bring him For why he knowes not where the shoo doth wring him 26 He giues a salue afore the sore is found His plaisters are as poison to the smart He seeks to heale and wider makes the wound He names his wife but her name kils his hart Gone was his tast his sleeps do grow vnsound Nature decayth and little helpeth art And that faire face that erst was of such fame Is now so chang'd it seemeth not the same 27 His eyes are sunke so deepe into his hed It made his nose seeme bigger then it should His flesh doth shrinke his bones do seeme to spred He was so chang'd as more cannot be told At last an agew makes him keepe his bed And bait at Innes more often then he would His faire complexion now is pale and withered Much like the Rose that yesterday was gathered 28 With this mishap was Fdustus sore aggrieued Not onely for his brothers wofull state But fearing of his Prince to be reproued Vnto whose grace he vndertooke so late To shew the goodliest man as he beleeued Now growne vncouth by force of inward bate Yet as they could their way they so contriued That at the last in Pauie they arriued 29 He would not straightway shew him to the King Lest eu'ry one might deeme his iudgement small But sent by letters notice of the thing And what mishap his brother was befall How scant aliue he could him thither bring A secret griefe so greatly did him gall And with an agew puld him downe so sore He seemd not now the man he was before 30 And yet behold this noble King is glad That he is come and meanes to make him cheare As if he were the dearest friend he had So sore he had desird to see him heare Nor would the worthy naturd Prince be sad In praise of beautie to haue found a Peare He knew Iocundos beautie had excelled But that by this disease it was expelled 31 He placeth him to his owne lodging nie He visits him each day and eu'ry houre Great plentie of prouâ—sio nhe doth buy To welcome him he bendeth all his powre But still Iocundo languishing doth lie His wiues misdeeds makes all his sweet seeme sowre No songs no sights which oft he heard or saw One dram of this his dolour could withdraw 32 Fast by his lodging was amongst the rest A faire large roome which very few did vse Here would he walke as one that did detest All pleasing sights and comforts all refuse Here the wide wound he bare within his brest With thousand thoughts vnpleasant he renews Yet here he found which few would haue belieued A remedy for that which had him grieued 33 For at the vpper end of this old hall There was a place of windowes voyd and light Saue that the lime new moulten from the wall Let in a little beame that shined bright Here did he see which some may thinke a tale A very strange and vnexpected sight He heard it not but saw it in his vew Yet could he scant beleeue it should be trow 34 For at the chinke was plainly to be seene A chamber hangd with faire and rich aray Where none might come but such as trusty beene The Princesse here in part doth spend the day And here he saw a Dwarfe embrace the Queene And striue a while and after homely play His skill was such that ere they went asunder The Dwarfe was got aloft and she lay vnder 35 Iocundo standeth still as one amazed Supposing sure that he had seene a vision But seeing plaine when he a while had gazed It was an act and not an apparition Good God said he are this Queenes eyes so dazed To loue a dwarfe more worthy of derision Whose husband is a Prince of worthy fame So braue a man such loue now fie for shame 36 He now began to hold his wife excused His anger now a little was relented And though that she her bodie had abused And to her seruant had so soone consented Not her for this but he the sex accused That neuer can with one man be contented If all quoth he with one like staine are spotted Yet on a monster mine was not besotted 37 The day ensuing he returned thither And saw the dwarfe couragious still and iolly Eke he another day repaired hither And still he found the Queene committing folly He oft returnes he finds them oft together They cease not worke on dayes prophane nor holy Yea which was strange the goodly Queen coÌ„plained That of the dwarfe she found she was disdained 38 One day when in the corner he had stayd He sees her come all sad and malcontent Because the dwarfe his comming still delayd For whom of purpose twise before she sent Once more she sends this answer brings the mayd Forsooth vnto his play he is so bent That for mistrust at Chesse to leese a shilling To come to you the apes face is not willing 39 Iocundo who before had still bene sad Vpon this sight became of better cheare The paines the plaints the cloudie stormes he had Away were blowne the coast began to cleare Most ruddie faire he chearfull grew and glad That angellike his beautie did appeare So as the King and others thought it strange In so short time to find so great a change 40 Now as the King desired much to know The meane whereby his hurt so soone was healed No lesse Iocundo did desire to show And would not haue the thing from him concealed So as his choller might no greater grow Then his had beene when as it were reuealed But first he made him sweare on his saluation Vpon the parties to vse no castigation 41 He made him sweare for ought he heard or saw Wherewith his mind might fortune be diseased Yet from his choller so much to withdraw As that in shew he may not seeme displeased Nor punish it by might nor yet by law Not first nor last but hold himselfe appeased
no pittie of her wofull case That onely for his lust would her perswade To breake the vow that she to God had made 11 Her heart and eyes oft times to heau'n she lifts And prayes the blessed Virgin and her Sonne To saue her from this Pagans filthy drifts That vnto her no villanie be donne She doth bethinke her of an hundred shifts How she his beastly lust may safely shunne That like an open gulfe on her did gape So as it seemd vnpossible to scape 12 She finds out many scuses and delayes That to prolong which faine she would preuent Sometime in humble manner him the prayes That to release her he would be content But being still repulst at all assayes At last she doth a way and meanesinuent Not onely how to shun that present shame But merit to her selfe eternall name 13 Vnto the cruell Turke that now began From all good course of curtesie to swarue She commeth in the meekest sort she can And faith if he her honor will preserue Which is the part of each true valiant man She would of him that fauour well deserue And giue him such a gift as in due measure Should farre surpasse this momentarie pleasure 14 But if you needs will me defloure I wis She said when you haue done you will repent To thinke how fondly you haue done amisse And lost that might haue bred you true content As for your carnall loue you need not misse More faire then I and fitter for your bent But in ten thousand one you shall not know That such a gift vpon you can bestow 15 I know quoth she an herbe and I haue seene A little since the place where as it grew That boild vpon a fire of cypresle cleene And mixt with elder berries and with rew And after strained harmlesle hands betweene Will yeeld a iuyce that who in order dew Annoint therewith shall neuer domage feele By flame of fire nor yet by dint of steele 16 I say if one therewith annoint him thrise These strange effects thereof will strait ensew Prouided alwayes that in any wise He must each month the liquors strength renew I haue the way to make it in a trice And you shall see by proofe that it is true This thing I thinke should ioy you more to gaine Then if you conquerd had all France or Spaine 17 And now for my reward of you I pray Let me obtaine this fauourable meed To sweare that you henceforth will not assay My chastitie by either word or deed Foll Rodomont thinks this a blessed day And hopes he now shall neuer armor need And sweares he will her honour safe defend Though to performe it he doth not intend 18 Yet till she might this worke bring to effect He doth himselfe against his mind inforce And that she might no violence expect He doth not offer any signe of force But that once doire his oth he will neglect For of an oth he neuer had remorce But specially he thought it least disgrace His oth to violate in such a case 19 He makes to her a solemne protestation And with most damned oaths the same doth bind That he will neuer do her molestation If she procure a iuyce of such a kind This sink so deepe in his imagination Of Cygnius and Achilles runs his mind For by this meanes he doth himselfe assure Such priuiledge as they had to procure 20 Poore Isabella glad of this delay By which a while her chastitie she shields Receiuing this his promise go'th straightway To seeke these herbs amid the open fields In eu'ry bank and groue and hedge and way She gathers some such as the country yeelds And all the while the Pagan walketh by And to the damsell casteth still an eye 21 And least she should want cypresse wood to bunie He with his sword cuts downe whole cypresse trees And in all other things to serue her turne That each thing may prouided be he sees Now with her herbs she made her home returne The caldrons are on fire no time to leese She boyles and perboyles all those herbs and flowres In which he thought there were such hidden powres 22 At all these ceremonies he stands by And what she doth he many times doth looke The smoke and heate at last him made so dry That want of drinke he could no longer brooke Greeke wines there were and those he doth apply Two firkins late from passengers he tooke He and his men by drinking both that night Their heads full heauie made their hearts full light 23 Though by their law they are forbidden wine Yet now that here they did the liquor tast They thought it was so sweet and so diuine That Nectar and that Manna farre it past At that restraint they greatly do repine That did debar them of so sweet repast And at their owne law and religion laffing They spend that night carowsing and in quaffing 24 Now had faire Isbell finisht that confection Which this grosse Pagan doth beleeue to be Against both steele and fire a safe protection Now sir she said you shall the triall see And that you may be sure that no infection Is in these drugs you first shall proue by me I shall you shew thereof so perfect triall As you shall see the proofe past all deniall 25 My selfe quoth she mind first to take the say That you may see I do not faine nor lie Then after on your selfe you proue it may When you haue made a witnes of your eie Now therefore bid your men to go away That none be present here but you and I And thus as with her selfe she had appointed Her neck and brefts and shoulders she annointed 26 Which done in chearefull sort she open layd Her naked necke before the beastly Turke And bad him strike for she was not afrayd She had such skill and trust in this rare worke He vnaduâ—d and haply ouerlayd With wine that in his idle braine did worke Was with her speech so vndiscreetly led That at one blow he quite cut off her head 27 The head where loue and all the graces dwelt By heedlesse band is from the bodie seuered Alas whose heart at such hap could not melt Yea that is more the head cut off endeuered To shew what pleasure of her death she felt And how she still in her first loue perseuered Thrise from the floore the head was seene rebound Thrise it was heard Zerbines name to sound 28 His name to whom so great loue she did beare As she to follow him would leaue her life To whom us hard so say if that she were A truer widow or a kinder wife O soule that didst not death nor danger feare A sample in these latter times not rise To saue thy chastitie and vowed truth Eu'n in thy tender yeares and greenest youth 29 Go soule go sweetest soule for euer blest So may my verse please those whom I desire As my poore Muse shall euer do her best As farre as
fixt On publike good this quarrell much lament And traueld all they can it to preuent 26 And chiefe Marsilio and Sobrino sage Aduise king Agramant to stay the fight And these same champions furie to asswage And to take vp the quarrell if they might Forewarning him when he must battell wage With Charles of France the losse of one such knight Will do him greater hurt and damage then Then would the losse of thousands and other men 27 But Agramant knew all was true they spake And saine he would their counsell wise obay But could not tell his grant how to reuoke Onely he doth in curteous sort them pray That he may strike with them so great a stroke Either to end or to defer the fray And yeeld the rather vnto his perswasion Because it rose vpon so light occasion 28 Or if they did esteeme such toyes so far As though they matters were of true renowne That yet they would the fight so long defar Vntill the sonne of Pipen were put downe And till they conquerd had the Realme by war And tane from him his mantle and his crowne This motion had in likelihood taken place Saue each thought first consent would be disgrace 29 Aboue them all and more then all the rest That in this sort their speech in vaine had spent Faire Doralyce doth Mandricard request That to the kings desire he would assent She doth exhort intreat perswade protest She doth complaine and languish and lament To thinke that by his ouer haftie cholor She still must liue in anguish and in dolor 30 How can I hope said she that ere I shall Liue any houre in solace and in ioy When still I see you readie be to brall With eu'rie man for eu'rie trifiting toy The Sarzans foile doth me no good at all My choyce of you hath bred me more annoy To end that quarrell ah what did it boot Sith straight another quarrell is on foot 31 I simple foole in minde was proud and glad That such a Prince so braue a man as you For loue of me his whole state venterd had But now I finde by this that doth ensew That I had far more reason to be sad Sith each like cause like danger doth renew And not my loue but your owne natiue furie To bide such hard aduentures did procure yee 32 But if your loue be such as in your speech You do professe and in your open show Then by that loue I humbly you beseech And by that fancie which too well I know Doth eu'n my heart and soule with loue bewitch Let not this quarrell any further grow I see not why it should you so molest To see your Eagle in anot hers crest 33 If needs you will attempt this hardie feat And venter life vpon a thing â—o vaine Then hazard that you make must needs be great But none or verie small can be the gaine But if that fortune change her fickle fear Thinke then ô thinke what woe shall I sustaine There neuer yet was Emperor or king Could boast that he had Fortune in a string 34 But if that life be vnto you lesse deare Then is a painted bird vpon a sheeld Yet for my sake whom it doth touch more neare Let me intreat you to this motion yeeld If you were staine what ioy could I haue heare Death sole from wo both could should me sheeld Not feare I death my onely griefe would bee Before my death thy wofull end to see 35 Thus earnestly faire Doralycee delt All that same night as in his armes she lyes And as she spake the teares distill and melt In warrie streames downe from her cristall eyes The Tartar that no little passion felt T'o comfort her faith all he can deuise And wipes her checkes and her sweet lip dothkisse And weeps for company and answers this 36 Ah do not grieue thy selfe so sore my deare Ah do not grieue thy selfe for such a toy Plucke vp thy sprights and be of better cheare There is no cause of feare mine onely ioy No though that all the kings and captains heare Had sworne my death and vowed mine annoy Yet all the kings and captaines I would vanquish Why then should you causles in sorrow languish 37 What did not I with trunchen of a speare You know your selfe whether I say the truth Not hauing sword nor other weapon theare Win you from all your gard and shall a youth A beardlesse boy cause you my safetie feare And breed in you so vnaduised ruth Well might you deeme I were a dastard lout If of Rogero I should stand in doubt 38 Gradasso though vnto his griefe and shame Yet if one aske him can it not gainesay That when he last vnto Sorya came I met and tooke him prisner by the way Yet he is of another manner same Then is Rogero you your selfe will say I had him there a prisner at my will And if I listed might haue kept him still 39 And least I should of this good witnes want Beside Gradasso there be hunderds more As namely Isolyr and Sacrapant Whom I set free and had great thanks therefore Also the famous Grissin and Aquilant That there were taken but few dayes before With diuers more both Turkish and baptised That by my force were taken and surprised 40 Their wonder in those countries still doth last Of that great vallew I that time did show And should I now a doubt or perrill cast Am I in greater danger now you trow Shall one young youth me hand to hand agast Shall I now doubt his force or feare his blow Now hauing Durindana by my side And Hectors armour on my backe beside 41 Why did not I as pointed was by lot With Rodomont first bloudie barrell wage That by his ill successe you might forewot The speedie end of this young sorrie page Drie vp these teares my deare and bring me not Before the combat at such an ill presage Nor thinke an Eagle on a target painted Moues me hereto but doubt of honor tainted 42 Thus much said he but she such answer made him With words expressing such alouing mone As were not onely able to perswade him But might I thinke haue mou'd a marble stone The force was great wherewith she did inuade him In fine so farre she conquers him alone He grants thus farre to be at her deuotion If peace be offerd to accept the motion 43 And so I thinke indeed he would haue done Had not Rogero early in the morne Got vp before the rising of the Sunne And enterd in the lists and blowne his horne To shew that he the battell would not shunne And that Ioues bird by him was iustly borne Which either he will carrie on his shield Or else will leaue his carkas in the field 44 But when the Tartar fierce did heare that found And that his men thereof had brought him word He thinks great shame should vnto him redound If any treatie he of
not thou shalt scape with spoiles so proud Of heart subdued of a silly maid Rogero who to her himselfe had vowd And to offend her greatly was afraid Held vp his gantlet vnto her in token That he with her desired to haue spoken 33 He would her wrath with kind words haue appeased And shewd her how the cause he brake his day Was that with grieuous wounds he lay diseased Which forced him against his will to stay But at this time she was so sore displeased She would not hearken what he had to say But with her speare in rest on him she runneth Who such vnkind encounter greatly shunneth 34 But when he saw she was so rash and headie And that her choler now so great did grow That she was in her full careere alreadie He puts his speare in rest at least for show And forward setâ— but when she was eu'n readie Him to haue giu'n a sharpe disgracefull blow Or that it were that she eu'n then recanted Or that her heart to harme him courage wanted 35 She bare her launce alost quite ore his crest And so of purpose that same course she mist Yet so as by the manner might be guest She could haue hit him furer had she list And wrath and rage still boiling in her brest To bend her force gainst him she did desist But in that mood no little harme she workes Vnto the other souldiers of the Turkes 36 In little time she with her gilded lance Had causd three hundred men on ground to lie So that the conquest to the part of France Was thought to haue bene gained sole thereby Rogero seeks her out and last by chance He speakes to her and faith my deare I die But I may talke with you what haue I done Alas that you my conference should shunne 37 As when the Southerne wind with luke-warme blast Doth breath on hils where winter long had dwelt Resolues the rocks of ice that hung so fast And all the new made mounts of snow doth melt So with this gentle prayre though spoke in hast The damsell such an inward motion felt That sodainly her hardned heart did soften As vnto women kind it chanceth often 38 Yet answer made she none but held her peace She onely turned Rabican aside And hasting to get out of that same prease She beckned him that after her he ride Thus went she thence with mind inclind to peace Vnto a valley where on either side A groue of Cypres so eu'n set was seene As if they all of one false stampe had beene 39 Amid this groue a goodly sepulture Was built which these faire Cypres trees did shade Of Porphyrie and marble white and pure And faire engrau'n to shew why it was made But of the tombe she tooke no care nor cure But there expected in the open glade Vntill Rogero hauing made good hast Approcht the wood and damsel at the last 40 â—ut of Marfisa now I must you tell Who hauing got by this her hor'e againe Her loftie heart with rancor great did swell To be reueng'd of this foule sufferd staine And seeing where she went as it befell And how Rogero followd her amaine She little thinketh that it is for loue But rather that they may the combat prone 41 Wherefore to follow them she thinks it best So as she came almost as soone as they But what a redious and vnwelcome guest She seemd to both one soone coniecture may Much sure it did the Dordon dame molest Who sole to her Rogeros faults did lay She deemd that to come thither nothing mou'd her But that Rogero in ill sort had lou'd her 42 And false Rogero she againe doth name And was it not enough false man said she That of thy falshood I should here by same But that I with these eyes the same should see But sith I find thou dost thy actions frame To driue me with vnkindnesses from thee I am content to die but ere I die yet She that did cause it dearly shall abuy it 43 Thus as a Viper angrie and malicious With mind indeed to do her best to kill Her that was come in manner so suspitious Though she came more for wrath the for goodwil With gilded launce she giues a blow pernicious That quite vnhorsed her for all her skill Backward Marfisa fell and in the durt Her beauer stucke but had no further hurt 44 Duke Ammons daughter that resolues to die Or kill her fo so much her selfe forgetteth That thinking to dispatch her by and by Before her head out of the mire she getteth The golden launce she will no farther trie But throwes it downe as wrath her courage whetteth And to performe the feate her sword she drawes Therewith of feare to cut away the cause 45 But ere she came so neare Marfisa met her Like one with rage with spite and scorne halse mad To thinke that now againe she sped no better And that a while before she sped so bad So that Rogero could by no meanes let her From fighting which to stop great will he had But both of them with choler were so blinded They fought like bedlem folk and desprat minded 46 They came vnto the halfe sword at the first And with their rage forgetting rules of skill Their ouermuch desire to do their worst Was onely cause that they could do none ill Their hearts were readie for despite to burst And either purposing to die or kill Did leaue her sword aside in mind supposing With stab to kill each other at the closing 47 Rogero sunders them and both intreateth To pacifie themselues but all in vaine Then of their daggers he them both defeateth And by perswasions mou'd them both againe Sometime he speaketh faire sometime he threateth Except they wil at his request abstaine But these viragoes wil not thoe desist Though weapons want they fight with feet and fist 48 He steps betweene againe and back he drawes Now one and then the tother by the sleeues And makes them both against their wils to pause At which Marfisa not a little greeues Her selfe too greatly wronged in the cause And him to be too partiall she beleeues Wherefore his friendship she doth quite disclaime And open warres with him she doth proclaime 49 And taking vp her sword in termes most vile She saith he playes the churlish villens part And that he greatly doth himselfe beguile To thinke her fight against her wil to part She sweares she wil within a little while Of his owne folly make him feele the smart And that she wil henceforth so short him curbe He shall not dare her combat to disturbe 50 Rogero still bare all her words as words And sought by speech her to haue pacified But seeing that it needs must come to swords And that with blowes not speeches she replied No longer time to walking he affords But to his weapon he himselfe applied And being moued now with rightfull anger To saue himselfe he oft put her
wise so stout Well shapt as eye can see or heart desire Well borne well qualited of sober carriage They nought esteeme all these in case of marriage 49 Well saith Rogero if that Ammon needs Will make an Empresse of his daughter deare At least this hast he makes is more then needs Let him yet giue me respite but one yeare And if in that same yeare I do such deeds That both the sonne and sire I vanquish cleare When both their crowns I conquerd I haue wonne Then I may worthy be to be his soune 50 But if he straight the marriage do effect With Constantinos heire in so great hast And will Renaldos promise quite neglect And eke his Cosens which so few dayes past Before that blessed man of Gods elect And that good Marquesse they did bind so fast If they shall wrong me so what then shall I What can I do in such a case but die 51 What should I do shall I then be auenged Of him that me contraries in this wise Let me be blamed herein or commended Let me therein be deemd a foole or wise But would my state alas be then amended By th' old mans death no no far otherwise I doubt this would not worke my more content But rather contrarie my first intent 52 My first intention was and yet is still That Bradamant should beare me loue not hate Now then if I her father here should kill Or ought attempt against her brothers state Had she not cause of me to thinke then ill And to refuse me for her spouse and mate What shall I do alas then shall I beare it Ah no perdy first I will dye I sweare it 53 And yet I will not die but I le destroy That Leon that procur'd my harme and wo And is desturber of my chiefest ioy Him and his father I will kill also Faire Helen to the louer lewed of Troy Not cost so deare nor longer far ago Proserpin cost Perythous price so hye As I will cause them this my griefe to buy 54 But were it possible my deare that thou Canst leaue thine owne Rogero for this Greeke Yea though that all thy brothers did allow This match which Ammon doth so fondly seeke Yes yes I feare that thine owne minde doth bow To his desire and could far better leeke When with thy selfe thou dost these offers scan To haue a Caesar then a priuate man 55 Can then the dignitie and glorious name Of pompous shewes and of imperiall seat The noble heart of Bradamant so frame Her vallew rare and vertue to defeat And go from her first promise to her shame Which me she made with many vowes and great No sure I know she will them all forsake Much rather then vnsay that once she spake 56 These words Rogero spake and many such And oftentimes he spake them in such sort That diuers ouerhard him in so much That they were told by more then one report To Bradamant whom they did chiefly tuch Who tooke them not you may be sure in sport But as her priuate griefe was great before So this report of him did grieue her more 57 But most it grieu'd her and aboue the rest That he mistrusted she would him forsake At any mans commandment or request And specially for this same Grecians sake Wherefore to moue this scruple from his brest And this foule error from his minde to take She gate her pen and inke one night full late And to Rogero such like words she wrate 58 My deare as erst I was I still will bide While life shall dure yea eu'n when life is past Though toward me loue shew his grace or pride Or fortune raise me vp or downward cast My stable faith shall neuer faile nor slide For calme nor storme but as a Rocke stand fast Against the surging waues still vnremoueable So shall my faith stand firme and vnreproueable 59 First shall a file or knife of drossie lead The Dyamond to sundrie figures carue Ere any chance by Fortunes frailtie bred Or powre of loue shall cause my course to swarue First shall the streames runne backe vnto their hed Ere I will iustly such a blame desarue Or ere I shall for chances good or ill Giue my consent to change my setled will 60 To thee Rogero mine a good while since Of me and of my heart I gaue dominion I should my selfe of lightnes great conuince If I so sodainly could change opinion As for my true allegeance sure no Prince Is faithfuller belou'd of dearest minnion For me you need no fortresse nor no towre To be defences against forren powre 61 You need no bands of men to entertaine To keepe this fortres strength enough haue I For riches make on me assault but vaine So base a price no gentle heart can buy Nor noble birth nor name of crowne or raigne Which oft doth dase the common peoples eye Nor beautie to the which light minds incline Though greater see I neuer shall then thine 62 No feare not no man powre shall euer haue My heart to other figure to transforme Loue did your shape therein so deepe ingraue As now it can receiue none other forme My heart is not of wax for why Loue gaue When to his worke he did it first conforme An hunderd strokes with cheessell and with male Ere he could fetch therefrom one little scale 63 Pure Iuorie gemmes and eu'rie hardest stone That most withstandeth steele a man may burst But other figure yet receiue they none Then that to which they formed were at furst My heart is not vnlike a precious stone Or Adamant or what so cutteth worst Loue sooner shall it breake in thousand splints Ere other beauties bring it to new prints 64 These words she wrote and many more to these That him with faith with loue with hope so fed Of force to cure each desperate disease Or rather to reuiue him being ded But when they thought them safest from the seas And in the hau'n securely harbored A new and sodaine tempest rose so sore As draue them backe to sea from sight of shore 65 For worthy Bradamant that had assignd To shew her meaning plaine was and direct And calling wonted courage to her minde And quite reiecting womanly respect Came vnto Charles and spake in such a kind My Leige if ere my seruice did effect Ought worth your highnes thanks at your cōmand Let not your grace denie me one demand 66 But promise me vpon your Princely faith And royall word which I may surely trust To grant one suit what ere your handmaid praith And I will promise that it shall be iust Beloued worthy mayd the Emp'ror saith Your many seruices confesse I must Deserue no lesse and frankly here I vow it If of my Realme you aske part I le allow it 67 My suit is that your highnes will not yeeld That I said she may any husband haue That shall not first of all with speare and sheeld Or
minde And now euery part of the body engenders such seeds of concupiscence that nature is become a bastard sister to reason and vsurpes that gouernement that is due onely to her and leaueth her onely one castell which was so strongly situated that it was impregnable so that now reason is retired as it were to her principall fortresse to the head the rest of this kingdome being possessed by Alcyna by pleasure and fond delights Now then what maruell is it if this new Hercules described by mine author do with so great difficultie and through so many impediments claÌ„mer vp to this stately seate of Logestilla built with such rare workemanship and of such pure stuffe that a man may in the walls thereof see euen into his very soule and conscience In these men see the vertue and the vice That cleaâ—eth to their inward soule and minde Who lookes in such a glasse may grow so wise As neither flat'ring praises shall him blind With tickling words nor undeserued blame With forged faults shall worke him any shame As for those gildings and paintings that were in the Pallace of Alcyna though the show of it were glorious the substance of it was drosse and nothing but Alcumie and cosenage but these of Logestilla be precious stones indeed of inestimable vallue The looking glasse and mirrour that will shew vs how our soule and our minde is spotted oh he that would vse such a glasse what a notable Antidoton it would be against the poyson of flatterie You faire Ladies that spend so many houres in looking and prying in a glasse to see if this shadow sit handsomely if your rebatoes be well set if your wyers stand euen vpon your heads and the pendent iust in the middle of your forheads and in the least of these matters you will not beleeue your maids eyes but you will see it your selues why are you so credulous to beleeue lyers and flatterers that tell you your chastities and other womanlie vertues be extolled and praysed and will not looke in that true glasse to see if you deserue it or no It is true that men are no fit iudges of themselues because commonly they are parciall in their owne cause yet is it as true that he that will dispose him to iudge indifferentlie of himselfe can do it better then any bodie else because a man can see further into his owne minde and heart then any one else can But now to come to this faire house of Logestilla to which I would so fayne inuite you all both Lordes and Ladies that reade this discourse here be sweete gardens here be wholesome herbes here is the continuall spring Here that vnbridled horse that bare away Rogero so farre out of Europe is taught to obey the rodde and the rayne and made seruiceable and at commaundement Further by the helpe of the ring as was touched before manie that had bene transformed into brute beastes were restored to their shape againe these were such as were so drowned in vice and in beastlie pleasures that no part of the reasonable man was left in them Astolfo was restored to his shape that had bene turned into a myrtle now the myrtle was said euer to haue bene Venus tree and because he was so entangled in Venerie that he could not get himselfe out of it therefore he is fayned to haue taken roote in the ground as the tree doth and so was fastened that without Melyssas assistance he could not haue stirred from thence Thus as you see mine Authour vnder a prettie fiction hath brought you to behold the whole miserie of the life of man and there in the beginning of the seuenth booke he exhorteth men to consider the meaning of his tale Wherefore to some my tale may seeme a fable Whose wits to vnderstand it are not able But now because there are diuers kindes of errours in this laberinth of loue and as diuers meanes by which men offen as there are diuers sortes of men that offend therefore you may perceiue how my autâ—our hath filled the whole booke with sundry examples both of men and women as beside Orlando of whom I spake before whose madnesse gaue the name to his worke calling it Orlando Furioso there is Sacrapant that followes Angelica from the Indies and is still foded out by her with faire wordes There is Renaldo that is extreamely in loue with her till the water of disdaine draue away and cooled the heat of his affection and the whole booke is full of examples of men and women that in this matter of loue haue bene notable in one kinde or other of which I will touch some speciall ones and omit the rest as not so much worth the standing vpon The ordinarie kindes of loue are set downe to vs of the good and the bad in two couples Angelica and Doralice of the worse kinde and Olympia and Bradamant of the the better sort In Angelica the excellentnesse of her beautie bred such an exceeding pride that disdayning the greatest and worthyest Princes that liued in that age she cast herselfe away at last vpon a poore seruing-man for a iust recompence of her too haughtie conceipt In Doralyce is set downe a patterne of great lightnesse of manners and behauiour that first louing Rodomont and being forciblie taken by Mandricard yet in one night was so well pacified toward him that she was content to tarrie with him and in the end refused Rodomont openlie for him though in so doing one might make a reasonable excuse for her but after when Mandricard was slaine she could haue found in her heart to haue loued Rogero also In Olympia contrarie we see an honest chast loue though very hardly required yet hath it in my opinion some reproofe namely that it was too sodaine and violent But in the worthy Bradamant is a perfect patterne of true honorable loue to Rogero moued first by his value by his courage by his behauiour by his worth which made him worthie of her loue In her you shall finde no rashnesse no want of constancie of faith of all other due regards for neither could her sundry ouerthwart chances neither the expectation and length of time which is wont to breed alterations nor the obstinate couetousnesse of her father nor the vaine ambition of her mother nor the state and Empire of Leon with all the promised riches and treasures his Father and he possessed once withdraw her minde from her first loue Further Bradamant did not rashlie fall in loue as did Olympia but the Prophetesse Melyssa and tokens from aboue did encourage her to her honest loue for showing her of her noble posteritie and of all those blessings that accompanie the same so as indeed in her onely we haue a patterne of honest and commendable loue before marriage Now there are in like manner two payre of marryed women one worthie all reproch the tother meriting all praise The shamelesse Orygilla and her filchie Martano are a patterne of base
preassed him very hard to haue his opinion of it aduised the partie to put it into verse the plaine meaning man in the best maner he could he did so and a twelue-month after at the least came with it to Sir Thomas who slightly perusing it gaue it this encomium that now there was rime in it but afore it had neither rime nor reason If any man had ment to serue me so yet I haue preuented him for sure I am he shal finde rime in mine if he be not voyd of reason he shal finde reason to Though for the matter I can challenge no praise hauing but borrowed it and for the verse I do challenge none being a thing that euery body that neuer scarce bayted their horse at the Vniuersitie take vpon them to make It is possible that if I would haue employed that time that I haue done vpon this vpon some inueption of mine owne I could haue by this made it haue risen to a iust volume and if I would haue done as many spare not to do flowne verie high with stolen fethers But I had rather men should see and know that I borrow all then that I steale any and I would wish to be called rather one of the not worst translators then one of the meaner makers Specially sith the Earle of Surrey and Sir Thomas Wiat that are yet called the first refiners of the English tong were both translators out of Italian Now for those that count it such a contemptible and trifling matter to translate I will but say to them as M. Bartholomew Ciarke an excellent learned man and a right good translator saith in manner of a prettie challenge in his Preface as I remember vpon the Courtier which booke he translated out of Italian into Latin You saith he that thinke it such a toy lay aside my booke and take my author in your hand and trie a leafe or such a matter and compare it with mine If I should say so there would be enow that would quickly put me downe perhaps but doubtlesse he might boldly say it for I thinke none could haue mended him But as our English prouerbe saith many talke of Robin Hood that neuer shot in his bow and some correct Magnificat that know not quid significat For my part I will thanke them that will amend any thing that I haue done amisse nor I haue no such great conceipt of that I haue done but that I thinke much in it is to be mended and hauing dealt playnly with some of my plaine dealing friends to tell me frankly what they heard spoken of it for indeed I suffered some part of the printed copies to go among my friends and some more perhaps went against my wil I was told that these in effect were the faults were found with it Some graue men misliked that I should spend so much good time on such a trifling worke as they deemed a Poeme to be Some more nicely found fault with so many two sillabled and three sillabled rimes Some not vndeseruedly reproued the fantasticalnes of my notes in which they say I haue strained my selfe to make mention of some of my kindred and friends that might verie well be left out And one fault more there is which I will tell my selfe though many would neuer finde it and that is I haue cut short some of his Cantos in leauing out many staues of them and sometimes put the matter of two or three staues into one To these reproofes I shall pray you gentle and noble Readers with patience heare my defence and then I will end For the first reproofe etiher it is alreadie excused or it will neuer be excused for I haue I thinke sufficiently proued both the art to be allowable and this worke to be commendable yet I will tell you an accident that happened vnto my selfe When I was entred a prettie way into the translation about the seuenth booke comming to write that where Melissa in the person of Rogeros Tutor comes and reproues Rogero in the 4. staffe Was it for this that I in youth thee fed With marrow c. And againe Is this a meanes or readie way you trow That other worthie men haue trod before A Caesar or a Scipio to grow c. Straight I began to thinke that my Tutor a graue and learned man and one of a verie austere life might say to me in like sort Was it for this that I read Aristotle and Plato to you and instructed you so carefully both in Greek and Latin to haue you now becom a translator of Italian toyes But while I thought thus I was aware that it was no toy that could put such an honest and serious consideration into my minde Now for them that finde fault with polysyllable meeter me thinke they are like those that blame men for putting suger in their wine and chide too bad about it and say they marre al but yet end with Gods blessing on their hearts For indeed if I had knowne their diets I could haue saued some of my cost at least some of my paine for when a verse ended with ciuillitie I could easier after the auncient manner of rime haue made see or flee or decree to answer it leauing the accent vpon the last syllable then hunt after three syllabled words to answer it with facillitie gentillitie tranquillitie hostillitie scurrillitie debillitie agillitie fragillitie nobillitie mobillitie which who mislike may tast lampe oyle with their eares And as for two syllabled meeters they be so approoued in other languages that the French call them the feminine rime as the sweeter and the one syllable the masculin But in a word to answer this and to make them for euer hold their peaces of this point Sir Philip Sidney not onely vseth them but affecteth them signifie dignifie shamed is named is blamed is hide away bide away Though if my many blotted papers that I haue made in this kinde might affoord me authoritie to giue a rule of it I would say that to part them with a one syllable meeter betweene them would giue it best grace For as men vse to sow with the hand and not with the whole sacke so I would haue the eare fed but not cloyed with these pleasing and sweet falling meeters For the third reproofe about the notes sure they were a worke as I may so call it of supererogation and I would wish sometimes they had bin left out and the rather if I be in such faire possibilitie to be thought a foole or fantasticall for my labour True it is I added some notes to the end of euery Canto euen as if some of my friends and my selfe reading it together and so it fell out indeed many times had after debated vpon them what had bene most worthie consideration in them and so oftimes immediatly i set it down And whereas I make mention here and there of some of mine owne frends and kin I
frayd And though she had not late bene in his sight He thought it was Angelica the bright 16 And being both a stout and courteous knight And loue a little kindling in his brest He promist straight to aide her all he might And to performe what euer she request And though he want a helmet yet to fight With bold Renaldo he will do his best And both the one the other straight defied Oft hauing either others value tried 17 Betweene them two a combat fierce began With strokes that might haue pierst the hardest rocks While they thus fight on foote and man to man And giue and take so hard and heauy knocks Away the damsell posteth all she can Their paine and trauell she requites with mocks So hard she rode while they were at their fight That she was cleane escaped out of sight 18 When they long time contended had in vaine Who should remaine the maister in the field And that with force with cunning nor with paine The tone of them could make the other yeeld Renaldo first did moue the Knight of Spaine Although he vsd such curtesie but seeld To make a truce ne was he to be blamed For loue his heart to other fight inflamed 19 You thought said he to hinder me alone But you haue hurt your selfe as much or more You see the faire Angelica is gone So soone we leese that earst we sought so sore Had you me tane or slaine your gaine were none Sith you were ner the nere your loue therfore For while we two haue made this little stay She lets vs both alone and go'th her way 20 But if you loue the Ladie as you say Then let vs both agree to find her out To haue her first will be our wisest way And when of holding her there is no doubt Then by consent let her remaine his pray That with his sword can proue himselfe most stout I see not else after our long debate How either of vs can amend his state 21 Ferravv that felt small pleaâ—ure in the sight Agreed a lound and friendly league to make They lay aside all wrath aud malice quight And at the parting from the running lake The Pagan would not let the Christen knight To follow him on foote for manners sake But prayes him mount behind his horses backe Aud so they seeke the damsell by the tracke 22 O auncient knights of true and noble hart They â—iuals were one faith they liu'd not vnder Beside they felt their bodies shrewdly smart Or blowes late giuen and yet behold a wonder Through thicke and thin suspition set apart Like friends they ride and parted not asunder Vntill the horse with double spurring driued Vnto a way parted in two arriued 23 And being neither able to descrie Which way was gone Angelica the bright Because the tracke of horses feet whereby They seeke her out appeare alike in sight They part and either will his fortune try The left hand one the other takes the right The Spaniard when he wandred had a while Came whence he went the way did him beguile 24 He was arriu'd but there with all his paine Where in the foord he let his helmet fall And of his Ladie whom he lou'd in vaine He now had litle hope or none at all His helmet now he thinkes to get againe And seekes it out but seeke it while he shall It was so deeply sunken in the sand He cannot get it out at any hand 25 Hard by the bâ—nke a tall yong Pâ—pler grew Which he cut downe thereof a pole to make With which each place in feeling and in vew To find his scull he vp and downe doth rake But lo a hap vnlookt for doth ensew While he such needlesse frutelesse paine doth take He saw a knight arise out of the brooke Breast hie with visage grim and angry looke 26 The knight was arm'd at all points saue the hed And in his hand he held the helmet plaine That very helmet that such care had bred In him that late had sought it with such paine And looking grimly on Ferraro he sed Ah faithlesse wretch in promise false and vaine It greeues thee now this helmet so to misse That should of right be rendred long ere this 27 Remember cruell Pagan when you killed Me brother to Angelica the bright You sayd you would as I then dying willed Mine armour drowne when finisht were the fight Now if that fortune haue the thing fulfilled Which thou thyself sholdst haue performd in right Greeue not thy selfe or if thou wilt be greeued Greeue that thy promise cannot be beleeued 28 But if to want an helmet thou repine Get one wherewith thine honour thou maist saue Such hath Orlando Countie Paladine Renaldo such or one perchance more braue That was from Almont tane this from Manbrine Win one of these that thou with praise mâ—st haue And aâ— for this surcease to seeke it more But leaue it as thou promisd me before 29 Ferraâ—â— was much amazd to see the sprite That made this strange appearance vnexpected His voice was gone his haire did stand vpright His senses all were so to feare subiected His heart did swell with anger and despight To heare his breach of promise thus obiected And that Argalia lo the knight was named With iust reproofe could make him thus ashamed 30 And wanting time the matter to excuse And being guiltie of no litle blame He rested mute and in a senslesse muse So sore his heart was tainted with the shame And by Linsusas life he vowd to vse No helmet till such time he gat the same Which from the stout Almont Orlando wan When as they two encountred man to man 31 But he this vow to keepe more firmely ment And kept it better then the first he had Away he parted hence a malcontent And many dayes ensuing rested sad To seeke Orlando out is his intent With whom to fight he would be very glad But now what haps vnto Renaldo fell That tooke the other way t is time to tell 32 Not farre he walkt but he his horse had spide That praunsing went before him on the way Holla my boy holla Renaldo crid The want of thee annoyd me much to day But Bayard will not let his master ride But takes his heeles and faster go'th away His flight much anger in Renaldo bred But follow we Angelica that fled 33 That fled through woods and deserts all obscure Through places vninhabited and wast Ne could she yet repute her selfe secure But farther still she gallopeth in hast Each leafe that stirres in her doth feare procure And maketh her affrighted and agast Each noise she heares each shadow she doth see She doth mistrust it should Renaldo be 34 Like to a fawne or kid of bearded goate That in the wood a tyger fierce espide To kill her dam and first to teare the throate And then to feed vpon the haneh or side Both feare lest the might light
sauage monster to obey his will And though by comurations strange he wrought In other things his fancie to fulfill As cunning men sultrie each strange conclusion Yet in this Griffeth horse was one collusion 15 The Ladie faire protected by the ring Found all his sleights although she seemd not so Her purpose to the better passe to bring And first she seemes to ward a comming blow And then to strike and oft to curse the wing That carride still away her flying so And sith to fight on horsebacke did not boote She seemes as in a rage to light on foote 16 The Necromancer as his manner is Disclosed at the last his shining shield Supposing that the vertue would not misse To make her as it had done others yeeld So haue I seene a craftie cat ere this Play with a silly mouse oâ— house or field And let it go a while for sport and play But kill at last and beare it quite away 17 I say that he the cat the other mise Resembled had in euery former fight But now this ring had made this one so wise That when she saw the strange enchanted light She falleth not of force but of deurie As though she were astoned at the sight And lay like one of life and sense bereaued By which the poore Magician was deceaued 18 For straight he lighted from the flying horse To take her as he had done many mo The shield and booke in which was all his force He left behind him at his saddle bow But thinking to haue found a senslesse corse Amazd and dead he finds it nothing so For vp the starts so quite the case was altred That with the cord he brought himselfe was haltred 19 And when with those selfe bonds she had him tide By which he thought before her to haue snared She strong and yong he witherd old and dride Alas an vnmeet match to be compared Forthwith determining he should haue dide To strike his head from shoulders she prepared Till she was mou'd to mercie with his teares And with the sight of white and hoaty haires 20 For when he saw his force was ouerlaid And that her strength was not to be withstood O pardon life thou heauenly wight he said No honour comes by spilling aged blood Which words to mercie mou'd the noble maid Whose mind was alwayes merciful and good Then why he built the castle she demanded And what he was to tell her him commanded 21 With wosull words the old man thus replide I made this castle for no ill intention For couetice or any sault beside Or that I loued rapine or contention But to preuent a danger shall betide A gentle knight I framed this inuention Who as the heauens hath shewd me in short season Shall die in Christian state by silthy treason 22 Rogero named is this worthy youth Whose good and safetie saine I would aduance My name Atlante is to tell you truth I bred him of a child till his hard chance And valiant mind that breeds alas my ruth With Agramant entist him into France And I that like mine owne child alway lou'd him From France and danger saine would haue remou'd him 23 By art and helpe of many a hellish else This castle for Rogero I did build And tooke him as I meant to take thy selfe But that with greater art I was beguild From daintie fare and other worldly pelse Because he should not thinke himselfe exild For company I brought him worthy wights Both men and women Ladies faire and Knights 24 They haue all plentie of desired pleasure I bend to their contentment all my care For them I spend my trauell and my treasure For musicke clothes and games and daintiesare As hart can think and mouth require with measure Great store for them within this castle are Well had I traueld well my time bestowed But you haue mard the fruits that I had sowed 25 But if your mind be gracious as your looke If stonie heart bide not in tender brest Behold I offer thee my shield and booke And flying horse and grant my iust request Some two or three or all the Knights I tooke I giue thee free let but Rogero rest Whose health whose wealth whose sasty and welfare Haue euer bene and euer shall my care 26 Your care quoth she is very ill bestowne In thraldome vile to keepe a worthy wiglit As for your gifts you offer but mine owne Sith by my conquest you are mine in right Those dangers great you say to be foreshowne And vpon him in time to come must light With figures cast and heauenly planets vewed Cannot be knowne or cannot be eschewed 27 How can you others harmes foresee so farre And not preuent your owne that were so nie I certaine shall suppose your art doth arre And for the rest the end the truth shall trie I now intend your matter all to marre And that before these bonds I will vntie You shall set free and loose your prisners all Whom in this castle you detained thrall 28 When as the poore old man was so distrest That needs he must for feare and dread obay And that this same imperious dames behest Could neither beare deniall nor delay To do as she commands he deemes it best And therefore takes th'inchanted place away He breaks some hollow suming pots of stone And straight the wais and buildings all were gone 29 This done himselfe eke vanisht out of sight As did the castle at that present hower Then Ladies Lords and many a worthy knight Were straight releast from his enchanted power And some there were had taken such delight In those so stately lodgings of that tower That they esteemd that libertie a paine And wisht that pleasant slauery againe 30 Here were at freedome set among the rest Gradasso Sacrapant two kings of name Prasyldo and Iroldo that from th'Est Into this country with Renaldo came Here Bradamant found him she loued best Her deare Rogero of renowned same Who after certaine notice of her had Did shew to see her he was very glad 31 As one of whom he great account did make And thought himselfe to her most highly bound Since stie put off her helmet for his sake And in her head receiu'd a grieuous wound T were long to tell what toile they both did take Both night and day each other to haue found But till this present time they had no meeting Nor giu'n by word nor writing any greeting 32 Now when before him present he beheld Her that from danger had him sole redeemed His heart with so great ioy and mirth was fild The happiest wight on earth himselfe he deemed And cristall teares from her faire eyes distild Embracing him whom she most deare esteemed As oft we see a strong and sodaine passion Bring forth effects quite of another fashion 33 The Griffeth horse the while vpon the plaine Stood with the target at his saddle bow The damsell thought to take him
by the raine But he then mounteth vp and like a crow Ghast by a dog forthwith descends againe And standeth still or soareth very low And when that some come nie in hope to take him He flies away that none can ouertake him 34 But neare vnto Rogero soone he staid Which by Atlantas care was sole procured Who for Rogeros danger was afraid And thinkes his safetie neuer well assured Wherefore he sent this monster for his aid And by this meanes from Europe him allured To his welfare his cares and thoughts he bendeth To succor and preserue him he intendeth 35 Rogero from his horse forthwith alighted The horse he rode on was Frontyno named And with this flying horse was so delighted That though he saw him wanton and vntamed Yet vp he leapt and soone was sore afrighted He finds he would not to his mind be framed For in the aire the Griffeth soard so hie As doth the Faulcon that at sowle doth slie 36 The damsell saire that now beheld her deare Borne farre away by force of monsters wing Was sorowfull and of so heauie cheare That to their course her wits she scant could bring The tale of Ganymed the once did heare Whom Poets saine to tend the heauenly king She doubts may true of her Rogero be That was as comely and as faire as he 37 As long as cysight could at all preuaile So long she viewd him still in all and part But when his distance made the fight to saile At least she followd him in mind and hart To sob to sigh to weepe lament and waile She neuer leaues these chances ouerthwart And seeing plaine her loue and shee were parted She tooke Frontyno and away departed 38 Now was Rogero mounted vp so hie He seemd to be a mote or little pricke For no man could distinguish him by eie Except his sight were passing sine and quicke All southerly this Griffeth horse doth flie Was neuermade that feru'd man such a tricke But let him on his way God speed him well For of Renaldo somewhat I must tell 39 Who all the while with raging tempest striued Borne where himselfe nor no man else did know By cruell stormie winds and weather driued That daye and nights surceased no to blow At last in Scotland weary he arriued Where woods of Callidony first do show A famous wood wherein in times of old Braue deeds were done by ventrous knights bold 40 Here haue those famous knights great honour won At whose rare worth the world it selse did wonder Here were most valiant acts archieu'd and done By knights that dwelt there neare or far asunder And many a man hath here bene quite vndone Whose seeble force his enemie was vnder Here were as proued is by ancient charter The famous Tristram Lancelios and sir Arther 41 At this same wood Renaldo from his fleet Well mounted on his Bayards backe did part He points his men at Barwicke him to meet The while himselfe alone with valiant heart Sometime on horse backe sometime on his feete Doth march in mind to do some worthy part But seeing now the night came on so fast Vnto an Abbey he repaires at last 42 The Abbot and his Monks with comely grace As holy men of humane manners skilled Did welcome him and in a little space With costly rate his emptic stomacke filled 〈…〉 straight enquired of the place What feates of armes had there bene late fulfilled And where a man by valiant acts may show Iâ— his exploits deserue dispraise or no. 43 They said that in that wood and forrest find Aduentures strange and feates of armes he might But as the place so are the actions blind That oft their doings neuer come to light But if say they we may perswade your mind Attempt an action worthy of a knight Where if you passe the perill and the paine Eternall same shall vnto you remaine 44 For if you would performe an act indeed Whereby great name and honour may be wonne Then this would be the best and noblest deed That late or long time past was euer done Our Princes daughter standeth now in need Of great defence a danger great to shunne Against a knight Lurcanio by name That seekes her life to take away and same 45 This knight hath her vnto the king accused I thinke of malice rather then of right That he hath seene how she her selfe abused And closely tooke her louer vp by night Now by the lawes that in this land are vsed Except she haue a champion that by might Within a month Lurcanio proue a lier She shall be straight condemned to the fier 46 The Scottish law that breedeth all this strife Appoints that all of base or better sort That take a man except she be his wife And spends her time with him in Venus sport By cruell torment finish shall her life Except she find some knight that will support That she the hainous fact hath not committed But that in law she ought to be acquitted 47 The King for faire Geneura takes great thought Both for her safetie and her estimation And seeks by all good meanes that may be wrought For her defence and maketh proclamation That by whose helpe from danger she is brought Prouided he be one of noble nation Shall haue the goodly damsell for his wife With huings large to keepe him all his life 48 But if within this month that now ensuth So little time for her defence is left her No knight will come that will defend her truth Then friends and same and life will be berest her This enterprise would much commend your youth The praise whereof would last a great while after And from Atlantas pillars vnto Inde A fairer Ladie you shall neuer finde 49 Now then beside the honour and the praise To haue a state may make you liue content The Princes loue that helpeth many waies Whose honour now is halse consum'd and spent Againe true knights should helpe at all asâ—aies When any harme to Ladies faire is ment The very law of knighthood doth commaund you To grauâ—t this aide that we do now demaund you 50 Renaldo pausd and after thus he spake Why then said he must this faire damsell die That for her true and secret louers sake Did condescend within his armes to lie Accurst be they that such a law did make Accurst be they that meane to liue thereby Nay rather point a punishment and paine For such as do their louers true disdaine 51 If faire Geneura had her friend or no I stand not now the matter to descide Yea I would praise her had she done it so That by her foes it had not bene espide Be as be may my meaning is to go To fight for her if I may haue a guide That will but shew me where is her accuser And I shall quickly proue he doth abuse her 52 I know not if the fact she haue committed Nor can I say in
Ariodant should in some danger go Or that he sought as all desirous are The counsels of his dearest friend to know Close out of sight by secret steps and ware Hard at his heeles his brother followd so Till he was nearer come by fiftie paces And there againe himselfe he newly places 49 But I that thought no ill securely came Vnto the open window as I said For once or twice before I did the same And had no hurt which made me lesse afraid I cannot boast except I boast of shame When in her robes I had my selfe araid Me thought before I was not much vnlike her But certaine now I seemed very like her 50 〈…〉 that stood so farre aloofe Was more deceiu'd by distance of the place Aâ—d strâ—ght beleeu'd against his owne behoofe Seeing her clothes that he had seene her face Now â—et those iudge that partly know by proofe The wofull plight of Ariodantes case When Poâ—â—nessâ— came by faithlesse frend In both their sights the ladder to ascend 51 I that his comming willingly did wait And he once come thought nothing went amisse Embrac'd him kindly at the first receit His lips his cheeks and all his face did kisse And he the more to colour his deceit Did vse me kinder then he had ere this This sight much care to Ariodante brought Thinking Geneura with the Duke was nought 52 The griefe and sorrow sinketh so profound Into his heart he straight resolues to die He puts the pummell of his sword on ground And meanes himselfe vpon the point to lie Which when Iurâ—anio saw and plainly found That all this while was closely standing by And Pâ—â—messos comming did discerne Though who it was he neuer yet could learne 53 He held his brother for the present time That else himselfe for griefe had surely slaine Who had he not stood night and come betime His words and speeches had bene all in vaine What shall quoth he a faithlesse womans crime Cause you to die or put your selfe to paine Nay let them go and curst be all their kind Ay borne like clouds with eu'ry blast of wind 54 You rather should some iust reuenge deuise As she deserues to bring her to confusion Sith we haue plainly seene with both our eyes Her filthy fact appeare without collusion Loue those that loue againe if you be wise For of my counsell this is the conclusion Put vp your sword against your selfe prepared And let her sinne be to the king declared 55 His brothers words in Ariodantes mind Seeme for the time to make some small impression But still the carelesse wound remaind behind Despare had of his heart the full possession And though he knew the thing he had assignd Contrary to Christend knights profession Yet here on earth he torment felt so sore In hell it selfe he thought there was no more 56 Anâ—'eeming now after a little pause Vnto his brothers counsell to consent He froâ— the court next day himselfe withdrawes And makes not one priuie to his intent His brother and the Duke both knew the cause But neither knew the place whereto he went Diuers thereof most diuersly did iudge Some by good will perswaded some by grudge 57 Seu'n dayes entire about for him they sought Seu'n dayes entire no newes of him was found The eight a peasant to Geneura brought These newes that in the sea he saw him drownd Not that the waters were with tempest wrought Nor that his ship was stricken on the ground How then Forsooth quoth he and therewith wept Downe from a rocke into the sea he lept 58 And further he vnto Geneura told How he met Ariodant vpon the way Who made him go with him for to behold The wofull act that he would do that day And charged him the matter to vnfold And to his Princes daughter thus to say Had he bene blind he had full happie beene His death should shew that he too much had seene 59 There stands a rocke against the Irish I le From thence into the sea himselfe he cast I stood and looked after him a while The height and steepnesse made me sore agast I thence haue traueld hither many a mile To shew you plainly how the matter past When as the clowne this tale had told and verifide Geneuras heart was not a little terrifide 60 O Lord what wofull words by her were spoken Laid all alone vpon her restlesse bed Oft did she strike her guiltlesse brest in token Of that great griefe that inwardly was bred Her golden tresses all were rent and broken Recounting still those wofull words he sed How that the cause his cruell death was such Was onely this that he had seene too much 61 The rumor of his death spred farre and neare And how for sorrow he himselfe had killed The King was sad the court of heauy cheare By Lords and Ladies many teares were spilled His brother most as louing him most deare Had so his mind with sorrow ouerfilled That he was scantly able to refraine With his owne hands himselfe for to haue slaine 62 And oftentimes repeating in his thought The filthy fact he saw the other night Which as you heard the Duke and I had wrought I little looking it would come to light And that the same his brothers death had brought On faire Geneura he doth wreake his spight Not caring so did wrath him ouerwhelme To leese the kings good will and all his realmâ— 63 The king and nobles sitting in the hall Right pensiue all for Ariodants destruction Lurcanio vndertakes before them all To giue them perfect notice and instruction Who was the cause of Ariodantes fall And hauing made some little introduction He said it was vnchast Geneuras crime That made him kill himselfe before his time 64 What should I seeke to hide his good intent His loue was such as greater none could be He hop'd to haue your highnesse free assent When you his value and his worth should see But while a plaine and honest way he went Behold he saw another climbe the tree And in the midst of all his hope and sute Another tooke the pleasure and the frute 65 He further said not that he had surmised But that his eyes had seene Geneura stand And at a window as they had deuised Let downe a ladder to her louers hand But in such sort he had himselfe disguised That who it was he could not vnderstand And for due proofe of this his accusation He bids the combat straight by proclamation 66 How sore the king was grieu'd to heare these newes I leaue it as a thing not hard to guesse Lurcanio plaine his daughter doth accuse Of whom the King did looke for nothing lesse And this the more his feare and care renewes That on this point the lawes are so expresse Except by combat it be prou'd a lie Needs must Geneura be condemnd to die 67 How hard the Scottish law is in this case I do not doubt but you haue
land is found I meane to tell how that faire Ladie sped That twise before from this Renaldo fled 25 I told you how Angelica the bright Fled from Renaldo in a thicke darke wood How on a hermit there she hapt to light And how her sight reuiu'd his aged blood But she that tooke in him but small delight Whose hoary haires could do her little good With this good hermit made but little stay But turnd her horses rains and went away 26 The hermit seeing he contemned was Whom age long since and loue did newly blind Doth spurre a thousand times his silly asse Who still remained more and more behind And sith he saw he could not bring to passe To stop her course afflicted much in mind In vaine he doth his poore asse beate and curse His trot was very bad his gallop worse 27 And being out of hope of comming nire As hauing almost lost her horses tracke He studies now to compasse his desire With some rare strategeme to bring her back Vnto that art forthwith he doth retire That damned art that is surnamed blacke And by his bookes of magicke he doth make A little sprite the Ladie ouertake 28 And as the hound that men the Tumbler name When he a hare or conie doth espie Doth seeme another way his course to frame As though he meant not to approch more nie But yet he meeteth at the last his game And shaketh it vntill he make it die So doth the hermit trauerse all about At eu'ry turne to find the damsell out 29 What he intends to do full well I wot And meane ere long the same to you to show The damsell traueld still that knew it not The spright to do his office was not slow For straight within the horse himselfe he got As she on sands of Gascoigne seas did go The spright that fully had postest the horse Did driue her to the sea with all his force 30 Which when the faire and fearfull damsell saw Although she tride full oft with rod and raine Her palfrey from his dangerous course to draw Yet seeing plainly she did striue in vaine With colour chang'd for anguish and for aw And casting oft her looke to land againe At last the sitteth still nor further striueth For needs they must go whom the diuell driueth 31 In vaine it was to strike the horse her bare It was not done by that poore palfreys falt Wherefore she tucks her garments taking care Lest they should be bedewd with waters salt Vpon her haire which then all loose she ware The aire doth make an amorous assalt The greater winds were still I thinke of deutie That they acknowledge to so rare a beutie 32 The waters more the land still lesse she sees At last she saw but one small peece of land And that small peece in small time she doth leese Now sees she neither shore nor any sand Then cold despaire all liuely hope did freese When as her horse did turne to the right hand And at the twilight or not long before Did bring her to a solitary shore 33 Here she remaining helplesse and alone Among the fruitlesse trees and senslesse rocks Standing her selfe all like the marble stone Saue that sometime she tare her golden locks At last her eyes to teares her tongue to mone She doth resolue her faire soft breast she knocks And blames the God of heau'n and powre diuine That did the fates vnto her fall incline 34 O fortune fortune thus the damsell cride Fill now thy rage and execute thine ire And take this life that takest all beside And let my death accomplish thy desire I haue and dayly do thy force abide Feare still my mind trauell my limbs doth tire And makes me think in this great storme and strife That death were sweet to shorten such a life 35 Can all thy malice do me further spite Can any state be worse or more vnstedy That am from princely scepter banisht quite A helplesse hap and hurt past all remedy And worse then this mine honor shining bright Is stained sore and eu'n defast alredy For though in act no ill I euer wrought Yet wandring thus wil make men think me nought 36 What can a woman hold of any price If once she leese her honor and good name Alas I hate this beautie and despise And with it neuer had bene of such fame Ne do I for this gift now thanke the skies By which my spoile and vtter ruine came Which cauld my brother Argal shed his blood Ne could his armes enchanted do him good 37 For this the king of Tartar Agricane Sought of my father Galafron the spoile Who whilome was in India cald great Cane And after dide with sorrow of the foile For this I dâ—yly doubting to be tane From place to place do passe with endlesse toile And now to loose alas what hast thou left me Since same and goods and friends are all bereft me 38 If drowning in the sea were not a death Seuere enough to quench thy raging spite Then send some beast out of this desert heath To teare my limbs and to deuoure me quite I shall thee thanke for stopping of my breath If to torment me thou haue no delight These wofull words vtterd the Ladie bright When straight the hermit came within her fight 39 Who all the while had in a corner stood And heard her make this piteous plaint and mone Proceeding from her sad and mourning mood Enough to moue a heart as hard as stone It did the senex fornicator good To thinke that he was there with her alone Yet â—o deuoutly commeth this old carrion As though it had bene Paul or Saint Hillarion 40 When as the damsell saw a man appeare In such a desert solitary place She straight began to be of better cheare Though feare and dread appeare still in her face And with a voice so loud as he might heare She praid him pitie this her wofull case Recounting all her dangers ouerblowne To him to whom they were alreadie knowne 41 No sooner had the hermit heard her out But straight to comfort her he doth begin And shewes by many reasons and deuout How all these plagues were sent her for her sin The while he puts his sawcie hands about Sometime her breasts sometime her neck and chin And more and more still gathering heart of grace He offers boldly her for to embrace 42 But she that much disdaind this homely fashion Doth staine her cheekes with red for very shame Thrust back his carren corpes without compassion Reuiling him with many a spitefull name Who testie with old age and with new passion That did him now with wrath and loue inflame Drawes out a bottle of a strange confection That fleepe procureth by a strong infection 43 With this he sprinkleth both the damsels eies Those eyes whence Cupid oft his arrowes shot Straight sound asleepe the goodly damsell lies Subiected to the will of such a sot Ne
as firmely bind As bundels are trust vp with cords all rotten Coynesse is naught but worse to be too kind Men care not for the good that soone is gotten But women of their wits may iustly bost That are made wiser by an others cost 7 Wherefore I wish you louely dames beware These beardlesse youths whose faces shine so neate Whose fancies soone like strawne fire kindled are And sooner quencht amid their flaming heate The hunter chaseth still the flying hare By hill by dale with labour and with sweate But when at last the wished prey is taken They seeke new game the old is quite forsaken 8 Euen so these youths the while you say them nay In humble sort they seeke they serue They like they loue they honor and obay They wait they watch your fauours to deserue A part they plaine in presence oft they pray For loâ—e of you they mourne they pine and starue But hauing got that erst they sought so sore They turne their sailes vnto another shore 9 Though this be true I not perswade you tho To leaue to loue for that were open wrong To cause you like a vine vndrest to grow Vncared for the brites and thornes among But least on youths you should your selues bestow That neuer in one fancie tarry long The meane is best young fruites the stomacke gripe The elder cloy when they be ouer ripe 10 I shewd you in the tale I told you last How that Byreno had Cymoscos daughter To marry whom a motion late was past Because his brother lou'd and greatly sought her But his owne mouth was of too lickrish tast To leaue so sweet a morsell hauing caught her He thought it were a point of foolish kindnesse To part withall a peece of so rare finenesse 11 The damsell lâ—ttle passed fourteene yeare Most tender sweet and louely fresh and faire As when the budding rose doth first appeare When sunny beames in May make temprate aire 〈◊〉 likes her face her sober cheare And vsd to her to make to oft repaire That eu'n aâ— Brimstone quickly taketh flame So 〈◊〉 tooke him to his perpetuall shame 12 The streame of teares that for her sire she shed A flaming fornace bred within his brest The 〈◊〉 she made and dolefull words she sed Doth breed his hope of getting his request Thus soule desires with hopes as foule are fed As water hote from boiling straight doth rest When liquor cold is powred in the pot So with new loue his old was quite forgot 13 From flow to ebbe thus turned was the tide His late belou'd Olympia lothsome grew To looke on her his heart could scant abide His thoughts were all so setled on the new Yet till the time might serue he thinks to hide His filthy hate with faire and painted hew And though in fancie he did her detest Yet still great kindnesse he in shew profest 14 And if he shewd the other signes of loue Although such loue was worse then any hate Yet none there was herein did him reproue But tooke his meaning in another rate They though some good remorce his mind did moue In gracious sort to pitie her estate And that to her he charitably ment Because she was so yong and innocent 15 O mightie God how much are men mistane How oft with fained shewes they are deceaued Byrenos wicked meaning and prophane For good and godly was of men receaued The marriners their oares in hand had tane And from the shore the ship was quickly heaued To Zeland ward the Duke with all his traine With helpe of oares and sailes doth passe amaine 16 Now had they lost the sight of Holland shore And marcht with gentle gale in comely ranke And for the wind was westerly they bore To come within the lue of Scottish banke When as a sodain tempest rose so sore The force thereof their ships had well nie sanke Three dayes they bare it out the fourth at night A barren Iland hapned in their sight 17 Here faire Olympia from her ship to sand From sands he passeth to the higher ground Byreno kindly led her by the hand Although his heart another harbour sound They sup in their pauillion pitcht on land Enuirond with a tent about them round The supper done to bed do go they twaine The rest vnto their ships returne againe 18 The trauell great she lately did endure And had three dayes before her waking kept And being now vpon the shore secure Now glad of that for which er long she wept And taking her amid his armes secure All this did cause that she the sounder slept Ah silly soule when she was least afraid Of her falle husband thus to be betraid 19 The trecherous Byreno whom deceit And though of leud intent doth waking keepe Now hauing time for which he long did wait Supposing faire Olympia sound â—leepe Vnto his ships he hies with short retrait And makes them all lanch forth into the deepe And thus with wicked practise and vniust He her forsooke that chiefly him did trust 20 Now were the sailes well charged with the wind And beare him lighter then the wind away The poore Olympia now was left behind Who neuer waked till that breake of day To lightsomnesse had changd the darknesse blind And sunnie beames had driu'n the mist away She stretcht her armes betweene a sleep and wake And thinks Byreno in her armes to take 21 She findeth none and drawing backe againe Againe she reacht them out but findeth none Her leg likewise she reached out in vaine In vaine for he for whom she feeles is gone Feare sleepe expels her eies she opens plaine Nor yet she heares she sees nor feeles not one With which amazd the clothes away she cast And to the shore she runneth in great hast 22 With heart dismaid and seeing her before Her fatall hap vnto the sea she hies She smote her brest her haire she rent and tore Now looking for all lightsome were the skies If ought she could discerne but euen the shore But euen the shore no other thing she spies Then once or twise she cald Byrenos name Then once or twise the caues resound the same 23 And boldly then she mounted on the rocks All rough and steepe such courage sorrow brought Her woful words might moue the stones and stocks But when she saw or at the least she thought She saw the ships her guiltlesse brest she knocks By signes and cries to bring them backe she sought But signes and cries but little now auailes That wind bare them away that fild their sailes 24 What meanest thou thus poore Olympia spake So cruelly without me to depart Bend back thy course and cease such speed to make Thy vessell of her lading lackes a part It little is the carkas poore to take Since that it doth already beare the hart Thus hauing by the shore cride long in vaine Vnto the tent she backe returnes againe 25 And
arriuall to the shore Foure damsels met him sent by Logestilla Andronica that wisely sees before And Fronesis the iust and chast Drusilla And she that boldly fights for vertues lore Descending from the Romane race Camilla And straight rusht out of men a worthy band Ay prest to meet their foes on sea and land 45 Within a large and very quiet bay A nauie was of vessels big and tall That readie at an howers warning lay To go to fight at any little call And now there was begun a great affray By land and sea the conflict was not small Which did the realme in hurly burly set Alcyna late did from her sister get 46 T is strange to see of wars the strange successe She that of late was counted of such might Is now so driu'n in danger and distresse That scant she could preserue her selfe by flight Rogeros parting brought her griefe no lesse Then did the foile which both bred such despite And such despaire to die she had intended If so she might to haue her torments ended 47 And as her selfe the dame of Carthage kild When as the Troyan Duke did her forsake Or as her blood the Queene of Aegypt spild For that so famous Romaine captaines sake Euen to Alcyna with like sorrowes fild Wisht of her selfe with like death end to make But either auncient folke beleeu'd a lie Or this is true a fairy cannot die 48 But leaue we now Alcyna in this paine That from her elder sister fled apace And to Rogero let vs turne againe That was conducted to a beeter place Where finding now that he did safe remaine He thanked God that gaue him so much grace To see his foes of forces all depriued Himselfe within the castle safe arriued 49 And such a castle that in starely show And costly substance others all surmounted The value of the wals can no man know Except he first vpon the same had mounted Men haue not iewels of such price below For Di'monds are to these but drosse accounted And Pearles but pelse and Rubies all are rotten Where stones of such rare vertue can be gotten 50 These wals are built of stones of so great price All other vnto these come farre behind In these men see the vertue and the vice That cleaueth to the inward soule and mind Who looks in such a glasse may grow so wise As neither flattring praises shall him blind With tickling words nor vndeserued blame With forged faults shall worke him any shame 51 From hence doth come the euerlasting light That may with Phoebus beames so cleare compare That when the Sunne is downe there is no night With those that of these iewels stored are These gems do teach vs to discerne aright These gems are wrought with workmanship so rare That hard it were to make true estimation Which is more worth the substance or the fashion 52 On arches raisd of porphiry passing hie So hie that to ascend them seemd a paine Were gardens faire and pleasant to the eie Few found so faire below vpon a plaine Sweet smelling trees in order standing by With fountaines watring them in steed of raine Which do the same so naturally nourish As all the yeare both flowres and frutes do flourish 53 No weeds or fruitlesse trees are in this place But herbs whose vertues are of highest price As soueraigne sage and thrift and herbe of grace And time which well bestowed maketh wise And lowly patience proud thoughts to abase And hearts ease that can neuer grow with vice These are the herbs that in this garden grew Whose vertues do their beauties still renew 54 The Ladie of the castle greatly ioyed To see the safe arriuall of this knight And all her care and trauell she employed That honor might be done him in her sight Altolfo in his passage lesle annoyed Doth take in his acquaintance great delight And all the other his good fauour sought That by Melyssa to themselues were brought 55 Now hauing all themselues some dayes reposed In Logestillas house and taken rest And finding all themselues right well disposed To make returne againe into the West The good Melyssa for them all proposed Vnto the mightie Ladie this request That by her leaue without incurring blame They might returne them all frō whence they came 56 To whom dame Logestilla thus replide That after they a day or two had staid She would for them most carefully prouide For all their iourney furniture and aid And first she taught Rogero how to ride The flying horse of whom he was afraid To make him pace or passe a full careere As readily as other horses here 57 When all was ready now for him to part Rogero bids this worthy dame farewell Whom all his life time after from his hart He highly honored and loued well First I will shew how well he playd his part Then of the English Duke I meane to tell How in more time and with far greater paine He did returne to Charles his court againe 58 Rogero mounted on the winged steed Which he had learnd obedient now to make Doth deeme it were a braue and noble deed About the world his voyage home to take Forthwith beginneth Eastward to proceed And though the thing were much to vndertake Yet hope of praise makes men no trauell shunne To say another day we this haue done 59 And leauing first the Indian riuer Tana He guides his iourney to the great Catay From thence he passeth vnto Mangiana And came within the fight of huge Quinsay Vpon the right hand leauing Sericana And turning from the Scythians away Where Asia from Europa first doth draw Pomeria Russia Prutina he saw 60 His horse that hath the vse of wings and feet Did helpe with greater haste home to retire And tho with speed to turne he thought it meet Because his Bradamant did so desire Yet hauing now of trauell felt the sweet Most sweet to those to knowledge that aspire When Germany and Hungry he had past He meanes to visit England at the last 61 Where in a medow on a morning faire Fast by the Tems at London he did light Delighted with the water and the aire And that faire citie standing in his sight When straight he saw that souldiers did repaire To muster there and asking of a knight That in the medow he had met by chance He vnderstood that they were bound for France 62 These be the succors thus the knight him told Renaldo sude for at his comming hither With Irish men and Scots of courage bold To ioyne in hearts and hands and purse together The musters tane and each mans name enrold Their onely stay is but for wind and wether But as they passe I meane to you to shew them Their names and armes that you may better know them 63 You see the standerd that so great doth show That ioynes the Leopard and the Flouredeluce That chiefest is the rest do come below And
will be to trye And how your heart wil faile and hand wil tremble When you shall go about to make one dye That shall Rogeros shape so right resemble But in this case you may not trust your eye But all your sprites and forces all assemble For this assure you if you let him go You worke your owne and your Rogeros wo. 47 The Prouerbe faith one that is warn'd is armd The which old saw doth proue by due construction That they that after warning had are harmd Did ill regard or follow good instruction Now Bradamant rides to the place so charmd And vowd that old Magicians destruction And that they may the tedious way beguile They spend the time in pleasant talke the while 48 And oft Melissa doth to her repeat The names of those that should be her posteritie That should in force and deeds of armes be great But greater in Religion and sinceritie Atchiuing many a strange and worthy feat And vse both head and hand with great dexteritie In ruling iust and bountifull in giuing Cesars in fight and saints in godly liuing 49 Now when Melissa sage such things did show The noble Lady modestly replide Sith God quoth she doth giue you skill to know The things that shall in future times betide And meanes on me vnworthy to bestow An issue such as few shall haue beside Tell me among so many men of name Shall there no woman be of worthy fame 50 Yes many a one said she both chast and wife Mothers to such as beare imperiall crownes Pillars and staves of roiall families Owners of realmes of countries and of townes Out of thy blessed offpring must arise Such as shal be eu'n in their sober gownes For chastitie and modestie as glorious As shall their husbands be in warre victorious 51 Nor can I well or do I now intend To take vpon me all their names to tell For then my speech would neuer haue an end I finde so many that deserue so well Onely I meane a word or two to spend Of one or two that do the rest excell Had you but talkt hereof in Merlins caue You should haue seen the shapes that they shal haue 52 Shall I begin with her whose vertue rare Shall with her husband liue in happie strife Whether his valiant actions may compare Or be preferd before her honest life He fights abroad against king Charles at Tare She staid at home a chast and sober wife Penelope in spending chast her dayes As worthie as Vlysses was of praise 53 Then next dame Beatrice the wife sometime Of â—â—dwickeSforze surnamed eke the More Wise and discreet and knowne without all crime Of fortunes gifts and natures hauing store Her husband liu'd most happie all her time And in such state as few haue liu'd before But after fell from being Duke of Millen To be a captiue fetterd like a villen 54 To passe the famous house I should be sorie Of Aragon and that most worthie queene Whose match in neither greeke nor latine storie Or any writer else hath euer beene And full to perfite her most worthy glorie Three worthie children shall of her be seene Of whom the heauens haue pointed her the mother Istell by name Alfonso and his brother 55 As siluer is to tinne as gold to brasse As roses are to flowres and herbs more base As diamonds and rubyes are to glasse As cedars are to sallows in like case Shall famous Leonora others passe In vertue beautie modestie and grace But aboue all in this she shall excell In bringing vp her children passing well 56 For as the vesseil euer beares a tast Of that same iuyce wherwith it first was filled And as in fruitfull ground the seed growes fast That first is sowne when as the same is tilled So looke what lore in youthfull yeares is plast By that they grow the worse or better willed When as they come to manly age and stature Sith education is another nature 57 Then next her neece a faire and famous dame That hight Renata I may not forget Daughter to Lews the xij king of that name Whom of the Britten Dutches he did get Whose vertue great shall merite lasting fame While fier shal be warme and water wet While wind shall blow earth stand firm sound And heau'nly sphears shall run their courses round 58 I passe all those that passe all these some deale Whose soules aspiring to an higher praise Despising pompe and ease and worldly weale In sacred rytes shall spend their blessed dayes Whose hearts and holy loue and godly zeale To heau'nly ioyes from earthly thoughts shall raise That to good workes to prayre and pure diuinitie Shall consecrate their liues and their virginitie 59 Thus doth Melyssa vnto her discourse Of those should come hereafter of her seed And while they talked oft by entercourse They in their iourney onward do proceed And oftentimes Melyssa hath recourse To will her of Atlanta take great heed And least she should with faint and foolish kindnes Be led vnwares in error and in blindnes 60 Now when they neare approched to the place Then Bradamant departed from her guide And after she had rode a little space She saw one brought with hands togither tide Exceeding like Rogero in the face In voice in stature haire and all beside Bound fast with chaines betweene two gyants led That threttend him er long he should be ded 61 But when the damsell saw within her vew The lamentable state and hard condicion Of him whose face she certaine thought she knew She changeth straight her trust into suspicion Doubting Melyssa of some malice new Or hidden hate had giu'n her such commission To make Rogero for a greater spite Be slaine by her in whom he doth delight 62 Is not this he thus to her selfe she spake Whom stil mine heart and now mine eies do see If my Rogero I can so mistake I neuer shall haue knowledge which is he I either dreame and am not now awake Or else no doubt it can none other be Melyssa what may not Melyssa lye Shall I beleeue her tale and not mine eye 63 Now while that thus she thought and thus she said And in this vnwise doubt did thus perseuer She thought she heard him speake and aske for aid Saying my loue assist me now or neuer What shall I in thy fight be so betraid Doest thou forsake me then farewell for euer These vnkind words her heart so greatly daunted She followes him into the house inchaunted 64 No sooner was she enterd in the gate But that the common error her possest Wandring about the house betimes and late Nor night nor day she taketh any rest The strange inchantment brought her in that state That though she saw the man that lou'd her best And spake with him and met him eu'rie howre To know the tone the tother had no powre 65 But let not now the reader be displeased Although I
retier 100 Thus eu'ry one do clammer vp the wall For value some and other some for feare And some are slaine and some are made to fall Repenting late that euer they came there Fierce Rodomont alone contemning all No paine no place for perill doth forbeare But rusheth on more despratly then stoâ—tly Blaspheming God while others pray denoutly 101 A paire of curats passing hard he ware Made of an vgly Dragons scaly skin This armour his great auncestor first bare He that to build Babel did first begin A towre whose height shold with the clouds coÌ„pare And thought from God the rule of heau'n to win And to the same effect likewise he made Of passing proofe an helmet shield and blade 102 Thus Rodomont that came of Nimrods kind As proud and irreligious as was he Regardeth not a passage safe to find Or where the wall might weakest guarded be But with a heart to mischiefe all inclind Where he the same defended best doth see Protected with his shield he makes no bones To go through fire and water darts and stones 103 When once vpon the battlement he was Where all the wall was broade and largely paued How did he slay the Christens then alas How fierce he vnto them himselfe behaued His blade doth pierce their plates of steele and bras Al were not priests whose crowns that day were shaued He kild alone so many as their blood Did cause the ditch to fill with crimson flood 104 Beside the baser sort these men of name At this same first conflict by him were slanie Orgetto Duke that late from Flanders came Arnold and Hugo two of Charles his traine And Lews that gouernd Prouence with great fame Walter and Denis Hawnce of Satallaine Some were thrust through some had past all releefe Their helmets and their heads clou'n to the teeth 105 And some by force from off the wall he caft Among the which was one Moschino hight That by his will would neuer water tast But still in wine did put his whole delighâ— But lo his lucke was to be drownd at last Within this dirtie dish for further spite And he that neuer water could abide In all his life now here in water dide 106 Thus while that Rodomont did kill and slay All that he found vpon the vtmost wall His band of men the while had found the way To passe the ditch and so the wall to scale But now within another dike there lay The sight whereof their courage did appall For why the Christens sent such store of shot As this same place did seeme to them too hot 107 The dike was drie the bottome eu'n and plaine Both sides were steep but steepest next the towne At this the souldiers curtesie do straine Which of them first shall venter to go downe Within the citizens had made a traine With about great and cost of many a crowne That when the ditch with armed men was filled Wâ—hâ—eat and smother they should all be killed 108 It cubits had in bredth thrise ten and more And in the bottome there were closely plast Barrels of pitch brimstone and oyle good store All matter quicke to kindle long to last The captaine led them all the way before And thousand souldiers followd them as fast But Rodomont as though he had had wings Quite ore the dike like to a grewnd he springs 109 And being placed on the inner side Armd and vnarmed men to him are like No steele there was his forces could abide Death followth eu'rie blow that he doth strike Which when a while to their great cost they tride They do of force abandon quite the dike He follows slaying without all remorse So sharpe his sword so furious is his force 110 But when the souldiers thought the banke to mount With scaling ladders as they did the wall They found themselues deceiu'd of their account For straight the fier works were kindled all Whose sudden flames the clouds theÌ„selues surmount Which sight the Pagans greatly did appall And to increase their terror and their wonder It made a noise like to continuall thunder 111 The Christens do reioyce at this reliefe To see their practise had succeeded well The Pagans plagu'd with heat and smother chiefe In great dispaire do rore alowd and yell Thus twixt the noise of fier and cries of griefe They make an harmonie most meete for hell And here I meane to leaue them in the fire For to repose my selfe I now desire In Mandricardo that after his great exploites atchieued in other countries is still ready to hazard his person for more honor may be obserued that ambition is as vnsatiable as any other humour of man In his woing of Doralice we may see how loue makes men many times not onely valiant but eloquent In the assaulting and defending of Paris is set downe what sundry accidents happen when such populous cities come to so great extremitie In Charles that first makes his praiers to God and after makes all prouident preparation for defence of the towne we see a liuely patterne of an excellent and worthy Prince both for deuotion and policie Concerning the historie I haue quoted many things in the margent as the straightnesse of roome would permit that the simplest reader may vnderstand what is meant by the fourth staffe here onely I will ad a word of Rauenna referring the reader that is desirous to be better informed hereof to Guicciardin who sets it downe at large Rauenna was besieged by the French vnder the conduct of one Fois a notable captaine of so young a man The Spaniards and Pope Iulio tooke vpon them to defend it but in the heat of that assault Fois was slaine yet the souldiers either by force or by parlee gat into the towne and being within they committed the notablest outrages that haue bene heard of neither abstaining from rapes nor sacriledge Concerning the Catalyns whoÌ„ he nameth formost in the musters they are the chiefe house in all Spaine and it is to be noted that Spaine is deuided into fiue kingdomes Nauar Castill Catalogna which is now called Aragon Portugall and Granata For Gallicia is counted none because it had a king but a while The rest of the strange names you may find in the table In the description of Discord and Fraud and finding Silence in the house of sleep being long since banished from philosophers and diuines the allegorie is so plain as it were time lost to spend time to expound it because it expounds it selfe so plainly only I will obserue one thing in which mine Author is thought to keep an excellent decorum For making Discord and Fraud of the feminine gender he still makes Silence the masculine as the like pretie conceit is in our Cambridge Comedie Pedantius at which I remember the noble Earle of Essex that now is was present where the Pedantius himselfe examining the Gramaticall instruction of this verse Caedant arma togae concedat laurea linguae vpon speciall
Thanks gentle Frier the English Duke doth say Yet can I not your counsell follow tho Though danger bids go safest way one may Yet what saith honor honor saith not so Let none retire with shame thus honor seath The worst that can befall one is but death 35 But contrary if I may him intrap As he to do to others doth deuise And take himselfe in his prepared trap The good is great that hereof may arise Well quoth the hermit God grant blessed hap And send his Angell Michael from the skies That may deliuer him into thy hand Or giue thee strength his forces to withstand 36 On 〈◊〉 the Duke blest by the simple Frier Much trusting in his sword more in his sound And being now approcht a little nier The cruell grants gracelesse house he found â—â—â—ond all with marrith ground and mier His chambers all within were furnisht round With skins and skuls of many a wofull hed Or such as euill chance had thither led 37 Ash 〈◊〉 at by forrest wild do dwell Naile by on the heads and pawes of Beares And of their dangers do delight to tell And call to mind their hardly scaped feares So looke who did in strength the rest excell 〈◊〉 grant kept some speciall limbs of theirs The rest in ditches carelesly he throwes To 〈◊〉 and be deuourd by dogs or crowes 38 〈…〉 is this giants name Stands looking at his gate with watchfull eie Reioycing much when any stranger came And namely now the Duke he doth espie Not doubting but by him to do the same He had to others done and make him die But first he seekes behind the Duke to get And thinks hereby to driue him to the net 39 When as the Duke the Giant fierce espide He stand his horse and would not forward go For feare left in the net he might be tide Of which the hermit had forewarnd him tho Then blâ—weth he his horne of vertue tride That in the heaters terror breeds and wo Which to possest his senses altogether As straight he fled and saw not where nor whether 40 〈◊〉 with his heart he lost his eies And still he fled and cares not how nor where 〈◊〉 to the place where that most strange net lies Which he to take the Duke had placed there Thâ—â— has armes and all his members ties Which when Astolfo saw now out of feare He lights and drawes his sword intending then To venge the death of thousand guiltlesse men 41 But finding him so sure and strongly bound He thought it were a base vngentle part To stay a prisner whom in bands he found So as he could not stir nor no way start God Fulcan wrought this net in caues profound Of flaming Aetna with such skill and art That though the wires did seem but smal and weak Yet could no force the same consume nor breake 42 I say this 〈◊〉 net then Vulcan wrought When certaine iealous thoughts his heart inflamed His spouse theâ— with in Mars his armes he caught And openly then made them both ashamed At which prospect though many gods then laught Yet many wisht in like sort to be shamed She Mercury did after steale this net His louely Clora therewithall to get 43 Faire Cloris who flies out before the morne And sprinkleth aire with smell of fragrant flowres That in her louely lap about are borne From whence do fall the pleasant Aprill showres But Mercury sith she his loue did scorne â—ay with his net in waite not many houres Till at the last by Nylus banks he caught her And there to daunce la volta then he taught her 44 The net in Anubs temple he did leaue Where many yeares in safetie it did bide Vntill Calygorant not asking leaue And caring not what should thereof betide Or this great relique did the church bereaue With all the plate and ornaments beside And to this wicked vse the net employed By which the passengers were sore annoyed 45 Now of this net Astolfo tooke a wire And like a theefe behind him tide his hands Who now was meeke as any could desire And like a lambe by him most gently stands At least the waight thereof himselfe might tire First hauing bound his prisner sure in bands He makes him carry that vpon his backe And vsde him like a mule to beare a packe 46 And thus he parteth thence triumphing so And led the giant prisner in a string And all about the country him doth show A sight that to them all great ioy did bring To Memphis Pyramids he then doth go Most famous for the tombe of many a King More hie in height then fiftie times Pauls steeple Then saw he Cayr so huge and full of peeple 47 But not so peopled as they now report That thousands in the streets by night do lie For want of roome yet builded in such sort That eu'ry house is made three stories hie Where runnegates do dwell that make a sport Their saith and their saluation to denie Of which the Sowdan for his owne behoofe Keepes fifteene thousand lodging in one roofe 48 Thence went Astolfo to the banks of Nyle To Damyat a citie thereabout And here he heard within a dozen myle Oryllo dwelt a hardy theefe and stout That robd poore men and kild them other while As trauellers of him stood sore in doubt And that which him with greater wonder filled The common voice was he could not be killed 49 Full many a thrust full many a cruell blow Of many men in fight he had endured And vnto many men great care and wo And death itselfe he often had procured Put his owne bodie was enchanted so As eu'ry wound he had forthwith was cured I thinke some Fayry was his dame or rather I thinke some Incubus had bene his father 50 The worthy knight this wicked creature sought Vntill at last he came vnto the place Where then Orillo with two champions fought The combat hauing held no little space Yet at his hands they both had gained nought Though both of them gaue â—undry blowes apace Their names were these that held this mungrell tack Griffin the white and Aquilant the black 51 The Necromancer fought with vantage great He rode vpon a cruell hideous beast A Crocodile that flesh of men doth eat And birds and beasts and doth them all digest Yet had the brethren throwne him from his seat And â—urther had the Crocodile distrest But him to wound and kill in vaine they striued For still his wounds did heale and he reuiued 52 Sometime they cleft his head by force in twaine As butchers cleaue a bullocks with an axe But straight he ioyneth both the parts againe As if they had bene made of melting waxe Who so hath seene the Alcumists most vaine That work with Mercurie their cunning knacks Which quite disperst reioyneth eu'ry member Would soone by this be made that to remember 53 Fierce Aquilant among so many bloes With one his head from off his shoulders
loue 72 And sith the way betweene was large and wide And void of fruits for sustenance of man They do good store of bread and wine prouide With needfull things as for the time they can And on the giants shoulders them they tide Who like a sumpter horse them after ran And on this sort with most deuour intent Like pilgrims to Ierusalem they went 73 Sixe dayes they traueld in their weary way Nor seeing man nor beast nor bird aliue The seuenth immediat after breake of day In that most blessed citie they arriue Then visit they the tombe where Iesus lay When with his death he did vs dead reuiue And brought hell sinne and death into subiection With suffring dying and his resurrection 74 Now while the tombe with great heed they behold Bare head and feet in shew of meek submission And with more inward ioy then can be told Yet ioyned with a deepe and sad contrition That strake their hearts in awe and made them cold With true remorse deuoid of superstition And with themselues they still continued musing Each one himselfe in such like words accusing 75 Why then where thou deare Lord didst for our sake With water and with blood the ground distaine Shall not mine eyes some small amends to make Shed teares in memory of so great paine Oh drowsie heart that dost not now awake Oh frozen heart that meltest not in raine Oh stony heart that dost not now relent Lament thee now or else for ay lament 76 Thus with an humble and repentant sprite They tarride at the tombe no little space When so the priest appeared in their sight Whose office was to keepe the holy place Who seeing them so lowly and contrite He doth impart to them this speciall grace Sith to amendment they were now resolued Them of their sinnes forepassed he absolued 77 This done they went about and viewd the towne Held in those happy dayes by Christen hands Who striuing now to keepe each other downe With causlesse warres do trouble sea and lands Or leesing or neglecting that renowne In which Gods honour and their safetie stands But letting this great enemy increase By their seeld making neuer keeping peace 78 A gallant knight whom Sansonet they call This citie gouernd vnder Charles the great Who then intended to repaire the wall And make the towne a strong and stately seat Astolfo gaue to him the Giant tall For strength and stature fit for such a feat To serue his present purpose for the nonce Vnto the walls to carry heauy stones 79 And Sansonet doth eke on him bestow A curious belt and hangers for a blade And spurs of gold in substance rich and show That for that knight were thought to haue bin made That slue the Dragon with a deadly blow Which did the Ladie chast and faire inuade Thus gifts both giu'n and tane on either part Each from the other friendly doth depart 80 Now going from Ierusalem behold They met a Greekish pilgrim by the way That such ill newes to good Griffino told As made him out of temper all the day It was his euill fortune deare to hold And giue his heart vnto her for a pray That had a pleasing hew and faire smooth skin But false vnchast and trecherous within 81 Her name was Origilla whom of late He left at Constans of an Agew sicke And hoping now to find her in good state He heares she hath him seru'd a sluttish tricke As namely she had got a newfound mate Not caring if that he were dead or quicke She thought that for her yong yeares t was no reason To lie alone in that sweet pleasant season 82 This newes his mind doth gripe his heart doth bite He mournes by day by night he takes no rest That breeds him paine that others breeds delight And this torments him more then all the rest He shames and shuns to haue it come to light What was his griefe that did him so molest And this to keepe it close the rather made him Because from her his brother did disswade him 83 But all in vaine for he was wholy bent To follow her although he knew her nought Yet to himselfe he keepeth his intent That secretly his going may be wrought He vowes to makes th' adulterer repent Who now to Antiochia her had brought But in another booke I will expresse Of his departure what was the successe In the beginning of this booke was an excellent morall if you obserued it shewing how hurtfull it is for a captain to be prodigall of his men and rash or headlong in his attempts the former of which faults that worthy and valiant gentleman sir Iohn Smith hath very grauely and iustly reproued in some captains of our time in that treatise that he wrote in defence of the vse of long bowes and indeed it cannot be denied but bloudy conquests are no praise to the conquerour In token whereof the Lacedemonians appointed that he that wan a bloody victory should sacrifice a cocke but he that ouercame by policie without bloudshed an oxe so much they preferred wisedome that is peculiar to man before strength that is common to beasts In Charles is to be noted the prouidence of a wise and valiant Prince In Astolfo that by the power of his horne rids the country of theeues and malefactors we may learne to apply the talents are giuen vs to good vses In Griffin that after all his deuotion at Ierusalem comes againe to Origilla we may note the frailtie of flesh and withall that outward holinesse without inward zeale auaileth nothing The historie set downe here in maner of a prophecie of the prosperous raigne of Charles the fift is too long to stand vpon in this place but Iouius Guycciardin Vlloa Surius and Sleydan himselfe though his enemy do witnes his great conquests his happie discouery of the Indies his notable captains and the great felicitie of his whole life of which authors because two are already in English I imagine there be few that are like to reade this but haue read the one of them and consequently know as much to be true as I do here set downe And for the Indian voyages we need not so much admire the captains of forren nations hauing two of our owne nation that haue both as forwardly aduentured and as fortunatly performed them namely sir Francis Drake whom I touched before and yong Master Candish In that Logestilla giueth Astolfo at his departing a booke to instruct him and a horne to breed terror to his enemies by the booke is signified wisedome whereby all charmes and toyes are discouered and by the horne is vnderstood iustice that indeed brings terror to all misdoers and driues them out of the country Further whereas Logestilla sends Andronica and Sophrosina to safe conduct Astolfo least Aleyna should attempt any new matter against him it is to be vnderstood allegorically that fortitude and temperance are the two most notable guides that
far and neare may carie the report Of these great triumphs vnto eu'rie cost This tale the courteous host did tell his guest Of him that first ordaind the sumptuous feast 50 In this and such like talke they spend the night And then they sleepe vpon their beds of downe But when that once it shined cleare and light The trumpets sounded ouer all the towne And Griffin straight puts on his armor bright Aspiring after same and high renowne His leud companion likewise doth the same To shew a hope as well as he of fame 51 All armed thus they came vnto the field And view the warlike troupes as they did passe Where some had painted on their crest and shield Or some deuice that there described was What hope or doubt his loue to him did yeeld They all were Christens then but now alas They all are Turks vnto the endlesse shame Of those that may and do not mend the same 52 For where they should employ their sword and lance Against the Infidels our publike foes Gods word and true religion to aduance They to poore Christens worke perpetuall woes To you I write ye kings of Spaine and France Let these alone and turne your force on those And vnto you also I write as much Ye nations fierce Zwizzers I meane and Dutch 53 Lo tone of Christen kings vsurps a name Another Catholike will needs be called Why do not both your deeds declare the same Why are Christs people slaine by you and thralled Get backe againe Ierusalem for shame That now the Turke hath tane from you and walled Constantinople get that famous towne That erst belonged to th' Imperiall crowne 54 Dost not thou Spaine confront with Affrike shore That more then Italy hath thee offended Yet to her hart thou leauest that before Against the Infidels thou hadst intended O Italy a slaue for euermore In such sort mard as neuer can be mended A slaue to slaues and made of sinne a sinke And lotted sleepe like men orecome with drinke 55 Ye Swizzers fierce if feare of famine driue you To come to Lombardie to seeke some food Are not the Turks as neare why should it grieue you To spill your foes and spare your brothers blood They haue the gold and riches to relieue you Enrich your selues with lawfull gotten good So shall all Europe be to you beholding For driuing them from these parts and withholding 56 Thou Lion stout that holdst of heau'n the kayes A waightie charge see that from drowsie sleepe Thou wake our realme and bring her ioyfull dayes And from these forren wolues it safely keepe God doth thee to this height of honor raise That thou mayst feed and well defend thy sheepe That with a roring voice and mighty arme Thou mayst withhold thy flock from eu'ry harme 57 But whither roues my rudely rolling peâ— That waxe so sawcie to reproue such peeres I said before that in Damasco then They Christend were as in records appeares So that the armor of their horse and men Was like to ours though changd of later yeares And Ladies fild their galleries and towrs To see the iusts as they did here in ours 58 Each striues in shew his fellow to exceed And to be gallant in his mistris sight To see each one manage his stately steed Was to the standers by a great delight Some praise vnto themselues some shame do breed By shewing horses doings wrong or right The chiefest prize that should be of this tilt An armor was rich set with stone and gilt 59 By hap a merchant of Armenia found This armour and to Norandin it sold Who had he knowne how good it was and sound Would not haue left it sure for any gold The circumstance I cannot now expound I meane ere long it shall to you be told Now must I tell of Griffin that came in Iust when the sport and tilting did begin 60 Eight valiant knights the chalenge did sustaine Against all commers that would runne that day These eight were of the Princes priuate traine Of noble blood and noble eu'ry way They fight in sport but some in sport were slaine For why as hotly they did fight in play As deadly foes do fight in battell ray Saue that the King may when he list them stay 61 Now Griffins fellow was Martano named Who though he were a coward and a beast Like bold blind Bayard he was not ashamed To enter like a knight among the rest His countenance likewise in shew he framed As though he were as forward as the best And thus he stood and viewd a bitter fight Between a Baron and another Knight 62 Lord of Seleucia the tone they call And one of eight that did maintaine the iust The Knight Ombruno hight of person tall Who in his vizer tooke so great a thrust That from his horse astonied he did fall And with his liuely blood distaind the dust This sight amazd Martano in such sort He was afraid to leese his life in sport 63 Soone after this so fierce conflict was done Another challenger straight steppeth out With whom Martano was requird to runne But he whose heart was euer full of doubt With fond excuses sought the same to shunne And shewd himselfe a faint and dastard lout Till Griffin egd him on and blam'd his feare As men do set a mastiue on a Beare 64 Then tooke he heart of grace and on did ride And makes a little florish with his speare But in the middle way he stept aside For feare the blow would be too big to beare Yet one that would seeke this disgrace to hide Might in this point impure it not to feare But rather that his horse not good and redie Did shun the tilt and ranne not eu'n nor stedie 65 But after with his sword he dealt so ill Demosthenes him could not haue defended He shewd both want of courage and of skill So as the lookers on were all oftended And straight with hissing and with voices shrill The conflict cowardly begun was ended In his behalfe was Griffin sore ashamed His heart thereto with double heate inflamed 66 For now he sees how much on him it stands With double value to wipe out the blot And shew himselfe the more stout of his hands Sith his companion shewd himselfe a sot His fame or shame must flie to forren lands And if he now should faile one little iot The same wold seem a foule and huge transgression His mate had fild their minds with such impression 67 The first he met Lord of Sidona hight And towards him he runs with massie speare And gaue a blow that did so heauie light As to the ground it did him backward beare Then came of Laodice another knight On him the staffe in peeces three did teare Yet was the counterbuffe thereof so great The knight had much ado to keepe his seate 68 But when they came with naked swords to trie Which should the honor and the prise obtaine
brest in wofull sort doth bleed The staffe had cut therein so large a vaine And sure he had bled out his life and all But for one rare good hap did him befall 12 For lo a damsell came though meanely clad In shepheards weeds yet fresh and faire of fauour And such a one as in those base clothes had A shew of princely birth and high behauiour She finding him lie there in case so bad Did thinke it charitie to be his sauiour This was if you forget the Ladie faire That of Cataya was vndoubted haire 13 I shewd you by what hap she gat the ring And how the same had fild her with such pride And her into so high conceit did bring That all her suters now she flat denide She careth not for Earle nor Duke nor King Orlando she and Sacrapant defide But chiefly she would blush and be ashamed If she but hapt to heare Renaldo named 14 So great her folly grew so vaine her pride As she esteemed all the world at nought The which when once the blind boy had espide Not blind when any mischiefe may be wrought He will no longer this presumption bide And for a fit occasion long he sought And finding this he thought himselfe now sped And vp he drawes his arrow to the hed 15 Now when this Indian Queene did theâ—â— behold A louely youth lie dying in the place His bodie feeble in a mortall cold A deadly pale amid his liuely face A kind of passion straight on her tooke hold That mou'd her mind to pitie this his case And much the rather when he did declare The wofull cause that bred him all this care 16 She hauing learnd of Surgerie the art An art which still the Indians greatly prise Which fathers to their children do impart Whose knowledge in tradition chiefly lies Which without bookes the children learne by hart I say Angelia doth then deuise By skill she had in iuyce of herbes and flowres For to renew Medoros liuely powres 17 And calling to her mind she late had seene An herbe whose vertue was to stanch the blood As Dittamie or some such herbe I weene That for such purpose wholsome was and good Straightway she seekes this herbe vpon the greene With all the hast and diligence she coud And finding it she takes thereof a branch Whose vertue was the course of blood to stanch 18 Then comming backe againe she met by hap A silly shepheard seeking of his cow That brake out of his ground at some small gap And now was straid he knew not where nor how She prayes him take the herbes were in her lap A seruitor more fit to serue a sow And beare her companie vnto the place Where poore Medoro lay in dang'rous case 19 Then from their horse she and the shepheard light And straight between two tiles those herbs she brused And tooke the iuyce betweene her fingers bright And so into the wound the same infused Whose vertue great reuiu'd Medoros spright To find himselfe so well and kindly vsed That doubt it was which most his wound did salue The precious surgeon or the precious salue 20 And now he had recouerd so much force As what with hers and with the shepheards aid He clamerd vp vpon the shepheards horse Howbeit in the place so long he staid Vntill he saw his loued masters corse Into a graue with Cloridanos laid And then and not before he did agree To do as he by her should pointed be 21 From thence vnto the shepheards house she went And made her patient eke with her to go And there to bide with him she was content Till he were cleerly rid of all his wo But in this while she felt her heart relent With sundry quames that wonted not be so And when his comely personage she saw A secret heate she felt her heart to gnaw 22 For while she heald his wound another dart Did wound her thoughts and high conceits so deep As now therewith was rauisht her proud hart Possessing it although she wake or sleepe Her wound to heale there was no herbe nor art For more and more like flame the same doth creep Yet her chiefe care is him to helpe and cure That all this torment doth to her procure 23 Thus while Medoro better growes and better She feeles her selfe tormented more and more And he that for his loue to her was debter Is he alone that plagueth her so sore Wherefore though modestie â—while did her let Yet now perforce no further she forbore But plainly to Medoro told her griefe And at his hands as plainly askt reliefe 24 O stout Orlando valiant Sacrapant O fierce Ferraw ò hunderds more beside Where are those valiant acts of which you vaunt Where is your pompe your glory and your pride One poore Medore all your desires doth daunt One poore Medore doth all your powre deride And she whom all of you haue woo'd in vaine To woo Medoro doth not now disdaine 25 She suffers poore Medoro take the flowre Which many sought but none had yet obtained That fragrant rose that to that present houre Vngatherd was behold Medoro gained And ouer her to giue him persit powre With sacred rites a marriage was ordained And with the veile of this so sacred order She couers this her folly and disorder 26 Now when the solemne marriage was done Of which god Cvpid askt the banes I trow She going forward as she hath begun Continu'd there with him a month or mo From rising to the setting of the Sunne With him she doth sit talk lie stand and go Forgetting to all maidenly sobrietie That she of him could neuer haue satietie 27 If in the house she staid then would she craue Medâ—râ— in the house with her to stay It in the field she walke then must she haue Mâ—â—â—râ— leade or guide her in the way And by a riuer in the shady caue They oft did vse to spend the heate of day Like to that caue where shunning stormy wether The Troian Duke and Dido met together 28 Amid these ioyes as great as ioyes might be Their manner was on eu'ry wall within Without on eu'ry stone or shadie tree To graue their names with bodkin knife or pin Angelica and Medore you plaine might see So great a glorie had they both therein Angelica and Medore in eu'ry place With sundry knots and wreathes they enterlace 29 Now when she thought in this well pleasing place She had already made sufficient stay And for she longd to do Medore that grace To giue to him her kingdome of Catay From whence she had bene absent so long space From this poore house she meanes to go away Yet minds she ere she go her host to please With whom she found such pleasure and such ease 30 Angelica had since she was a gerle Worne on her arme as for Orlandos sake A bracelet rich of precious stone and perle Which as a token she of him did
he spake and watrie eies My sonne thou shalt not vnreuenged go And while in bed secure Zerbino lyes Not thinking he had bene betrayed so With armed men his lodging was beset He naked tane as is byrd in uet 39 With as great crueltie as could be showne His princely armes were piniond last behind him And to a dungeon deepe he straight was throwne And that vile place to bide in was assignd him Vntill the sentence of his death were knowne In fine Anselmus so did passion blind him Her likely tale his wrath so rashly leading Condemned him and neuer heard him pleading 40 Thus was this worthy Prince without all cause Condemnd to die such is the wo full being Where hests of lawlesse lords must stand for laws Though from all lawes and reason dilagreeing Now neare and neare his execution drawes And gazing people greedie still of seeing In clusters march and follow all confused On horse on foot as at â—uch time is vsed 41 But loe how God that euer doth defend Those innocents that put in him their trust A helpe vnlooked for did thither send And freed him from this doome of death vniust Orlando did eu'n then the hill ascend Orlando is the man that saue him must And at that time there did with him remaine The daughter of Galego king of Spaine 42 This was that Isabell whom he of late Recouerd from the outlawes in the caue And hauing brought her out of that ill state Yet still he promist care of her to haue And whatsoeuer danger or debate To him befell yet her still did saue Orlando all that great assemblie saw That did the knight to execution draw 43 He thither went and aske of him the cause Why he was drawne vnto a death so cruell Forsooth Zerbino said against all lawes I am condemn'd if you the matter knew well Anselmus rage that will admit no pause Vnto this flame doth kindle all the fewell Beleeuing falsely that I flue his sonne Whereas by me God knowes it was not done 44 Thus Zerbin said and said it in such sorr As made Orlando vow him to releeue For verie apt he was each ill report Of any of Maganza to beleeue Each house still thought to cut the the other short Each house still sought the other how to greeue Each house long time had tane a pride and pleasure To worke the tother danger and displeasure 45 Vnloose the knight ye caitiues straight he cride Else looke for death to be your due reward What man is this quoth one that gapes so wideâ— And speakes to soolishly without regard Were he of steele of strength and temper tride And we of straw his sute might hap be hard This said he taketh vp a mighty launce And runnes against the Palladine of Fraunce 46 Orlando ran at him with couched speare And though his armour were both good and sure As namely that Zerbino erst did weare Yet was the stroke too grieuous to endure For though the beauer did it stifly beare Yet did the blow a greater hurt procure For on the cheeke it gaue him such a checke That though it pierced not it brake his necke 47 Nor at that course did all his furie cease Six other of that speare the force then felt Then with his sword among the thickest prease Such store of thrusts and deadly blowes he delt That many in the place did straight decease And eu'n as snow against the Sunne doth melt So melted they and fainted in his fight That in an houre he put them all to flight 48 When they were fled he set Zerbino free Who would haue kist the ground whereon he trod And done him reuerence humbly on his knee But that the Earle such courtsie him forbod But yet he thank him in the high'st degree As one he honourd most excepting God Then did he put his armor on againe Which late was worne by him that there was slaine 49 Now while Zerbino there a little staid Preparing with Orlando to go hence Behold faire Isabell that princely maid That all the while had staid a little thence And sees no farther cause to be affraid Game neare brought greatioy and great offence By diuers passions bred of one desire Some cold as ice and some as hot as fire 50 For where before Zerbino thought her drownd Now certaine he reioyced very much To see her in his presence safe and found And that her misaduenture was not such But weying in whose hand he had her sound A iealous feare forthwith his heart doth tuch And inwardly a greater anguish bred Then late it had to heare that she was ded 51 To see her in the hands of such a knight It greatly did him anger and displease From whom to offer her to take by might It were no honestie now haply ease But for Orlandos sake he ought of right All passions both of loue and wrath appease To whom in thankfulnesse it were but meete To lay his hands vnder Orlandos feete 52 Wherefore he makes no words but on he goth In silent sort till comming to a well To drinke they lighted being thirstie both And each his drought with water doth expell But when the damsell saw and knew for troth That was Zerbino whom she lon'd so well For when to drinke his beuer he vntide Straight she her loue had through his beuer spide 53 With open armes she runs him to embrace And hangs about his necke a pleasant yoke And speechlesse she remaind a pretie space And with her cristall teares before she spoke Surprisd with ioy she all bedewd his face And long it was ere into speech she broke By which the noble Earle did plainly see That this could no man but Zerbino be 54 Now when she had againe her vitall sprites And that she able was her mind to show First she Orlandos great desarts recites That rescude her from place of shame and wo Commending him aboue all other knights That vndefiled had preserud her so And prayd her deare when she had made recitall Of his good deeds to make him some requitall 55 Great thanks were giu'n and profers great there were Of recompence and seruice on each â—â—de But lo a hap that made them speech forbeare For why an armed knight they had espide T was Mandricardo that arriued there Who as you heard these many dayes did ride To seeke this Earle till meeting by the way Faire Doralice a while it made him stay 56 You heard how Mandricard sought out the tracke Mou'd thereunto by enuie and disdaine Of this fierce knight appareld all in blacke By whom the king of Tremysen was slaine And those Noritians all so put to wracke As few of them vnwounded did remaine And now he found him as it came to passe Yet knew he not that this Orlando was 57 But marking well the signes and tokens like To those he heard of such as thence were fled You are quoth he the selfe same man I seeke By
whom so many of my friends are ded I haue he said traueld aboue a weeke To find you out and now at last am sped You are the man that I haue sought I guesse And lure your manly looke doth shew no lesse 58 Sir quoth Orlando though I want your name A noble knight you are it may be guest For sure a heart so thirsting after fame Is seldome bred in base vnnoble brest But if to see me onely now you came I straight herein will graunt you your request And that you may behold me to your fill I will put off mine armour if you will 59 But when you well haue viewd me all about If yet you haue a farther mind to trie Which of vs two can proue himselfe most stout And first in field can make the to ther flie Attempt it when you lift and make no doubt But hereunto right soone agree shall I That quoth the pagan is my mind indeed And thus to fight together they agreed 60 But when Orlando viewd the Pagan king And law no pollax at his saddle bow No sword by side no bow nor dart nor sling But eu'n a speare he needs of him would know When that were burst vnto what other thing He then would trust to giue or beare a blow Tush quoth the pagan prince you need not feare But I will match you onely with the speare 61 I haue quoth he an oath most solemne sworne Since first the noble Hectors armes I wan That by my side should neuer sword be worne Nor other iron weapon till I can Get Durindana by Orlando borne Though how he gate it well I cannot scan But since he gate it great reports do flie That noble deeds of armes he doth thereby 62 No lesse quoth he I saine on him would wreake My fathers death whom falfly he betraid For well I wot my sire was not so weake With any Christen to be ouerlaid At this Orlando could not chuse but speake It is a lie quoth he that thou hast said I am Orlando and I will not beare it This sword is Durindan win it and weare it 63 And though this sword is iustly wholly mine Yet for this time I frankly do agree A while it shall be neither mine nor thine And if in combat you can vanquish me Then tak 't and thereat I shall not repine This said he hangd the sword vpon a tree Indiffrently betweene them both to stand Vntill the strife by combat might be scand 64 Now one at th' other ran with couched speare And on the head-peece each the other strake The staues in sundry peeces rend and teare But by the blowes the men small hurt do take And now the trunchens onely left them were And at foure blowes the trunchens likewise brake Thus when they saw all other weapons mist At last they were inforst to fight with fist 65 So haue I seene two clownes fall at debate About some watercourse or marke of land And either clap the tother on the pate With crabtree staffe or with as crabbed hand Such of this conflict was the present state And each of them doth to his tackle stand And being tyr'd with giuing frutelesse stripes At last they flatly fell to handie gripes 66 The Pagan part by sleight and part by force Thought to haue done as Hercles in time past To fierce Antheus did and th' Earle inforce To yeeld himselfe or leaue his horse at last Orlando that could surely sit his horse With all his strength bestrides the saddle fast Yet did the Pagan heaue him with such strength That all his gyrses broken were at length 67 Downe came the Earle yet kept his saddle still Nor what had happend was he well aware But as he fell intending by his will Vnto the Pagan king to worke some care He meant but his attempt succeeded ill To ouerthrow the horse the Pagan bare But missing hold the horse vnhurt remaines Yet off he puld his head stall and his raines 68 The horse that had at libertie his head Runs ouer ditch and valley hedge and wood As partly feare and partly courage led For nothing was that his mad course withstood But Mandricard still beates him on his head And eu'n as if he speech had vnderstood He threatens him except he stay to beate him And with faire speech somtime he doth intreat him 69 But all was one three mile outright he rode Ere he could make the harebraine horse to stay Or cause him once to make a small abode But more and more he gallops still away At last with hast the horse and eke the lode Fell downe into a ditch and there they lay Both horse and man all foyld and tayd with durt Yet neither horse nor man had any hurt 70 This while Dame Doralice that saw her guide Thus post away against his will amaine She thought it were not safe behind to bide And therfore followd him though with great paine And seeing that he could no farther ride Because his wilfull horse did want a raine She prayes him take her horses raine and bit â—or mine quoth she will go though wanting it 71 Much did the Pagan praise her gentle offer Yet did refuse it as a part too base To let her want and take her bridle of her He thought it were to him a great disgrace But lo good chance a better meane did profer Gabrina came vnwares vnto the place She that betraid of late the Scottish Prince And heard of like of his deliuery since 72 And therefore fearing punishment and blame And clogd with guiltie conscience fled the light Vntill by hap vowares she thither came And on this couple fortuned to light They could not chuse but make great sport game To see so strange and vnagreeing sight As such a witherd old ilfauord hag To ride in purple on an ambling nag 73 He that of right or wrong did little passe Meanes with her store his lacke there to supply Nor once demaunded who or what she was But takes away her bridle by and by She skreecheth out and weepes and cries alas Eu'n ready fearing hurt vnhurt to die Hereafter I shall tell you what became on her Now for a farewell I do wish a shame on her 74 This while Orlando had his girses mended And new prouided what before did lacke And mounting on his horse a while attended To see iflo the Pagan would come backe But seeing that he came not he intended To follow him and find him by the tracke But first as one that well good manners knew He bad Zerbino and his spouse adew 75 Faine would Zerbino with this Earle haue gone And take such part of eu'ry hap as he But that the noble Earle hereof would none And said there could not more dishonor be Then for a knight to shun to fight alone Wherefore he would not thereunto agree Thus Zerbin loth doth from this Earle depart Poore Isbell shedding teares for tender hart 76 But
ere they went this Earle Zerbino praid If first he hapt on Mandricard to light To tell him how long time for him he staid And meant to seeke him out againe to fight Now that his comming was so long delaid He meant to Paris ward to go that night To Charls his camp where if he wold enquire of him At any time he should be sure to heare of him 77 Thus much be praid and thence away he went To seeke out Mandricard but found him not And for the day now more then halfe was spent The Sunne and season waxing somewhat hot A shadie groue he found and there he ment To take some ease but found small ease God wot He thinks his thirst and heate a while to swage But found that set him in worse heate and rage 78 For looking all about the groue behold In sundry places faire ingrau'n he sees Her name whose loue he more esteemes then gold By her owne hand in barkes of diuers trees This was the place wherein before I told Medoro vsd to pay his surgeons fees Where she to bost of that that was her shame Vsd oft to write hers and Medoros name 79 And then with true loue knots and pretie poses To she how she to him by loue was knit Her inward thoughts by outward words discloses In her much loue to shew her little wit Orlando knew the hand and yet supposes It was not she that had such postes writ And to beguile himselfe tush tush quoth he There may be more Angelicas then she 80 Yea but I know too well that pretie hand Oft hath she sent me letters of her writing Then he bethinks how she might vnderstand His name and loue by that same new inditing And how it might be done long time he scand With this fond thought so sondly him delighting Thus with small hope much feare all malcontent In these and such conceits the time he spent 81 And ay the more he seekes out of his thought To driue this fancie still it doth increase Eu'n as a bird that is with birdlime caught Doth beate her wings and striues and doth not cease Vntill she hath her selfe all ouerwrought And quite intangled in the slimie grease Thus on went he till him the way did bring Vnto a shadie caue and pleasant spring 82 This was a place wherein aboue the rest This louing paire leauing their homely host Spent time in sports that may not be exprest Here in the parching heate they tarrid most And here Medore that thought himselfe most blest Wrote certaine verses as in way of bost Which in his language doubtlesse sounded prittie And thus I turne them to an English dittie 83 Ye pleasant plants greene herbs and waters faire And caue with smell and gratefull shadow mixt Where sweet Angelica daughter and heire Of Galafronne on whom in vaine were fixt Full many hearts with me did oft repaire Alone and naked lay mine armes betwixt I poore Medore can yeeld but praise and thanks For these great pleasures found amid your banks 84 And pray each Lord whom Cupid holds in pray Each knight each dame aud eu'ry one beside Or gentle or meane sort that passe this way As fancie or his fortune shall him guide That to the plants herbs spring and caue he say Long may the Sun and Moon maintaine your pride And the faire crew of Nymphs make such purueyance As hither come no heards to your annoyance 85 It written was there in th' Arabian toong Which toong Orlando perfect vnderstood As hauing learnt it when he was but yoong And oft the skill thereof had done him good But at this time it him so deeply stoong It had bin well that he it neuer coud And yet we see to know men still are glad And yet we see much knowledge makes men mad 86 Twise thrise yea fiue times he doth reade the time And though he saw and knew the meaning plaine Yet that this loue was guiltie of such crime He will not let it sinke into his braine Oft he peruled it and eu'ry time It doth increase his sharp tormenting paine And ay the more he on the matter mused The more his wits and senses were confused 87 Eu'n then was he of with welnigh bestraught So quite he was giu'n ouer vnto griese And sure if we beleeue as proofe hath taught This torture is of all the rest the chiefe His â—prite was dead his courage quaild with thought He doth despaire and looke for no reliefe And sorrow did his senses so surprise That words his toong and teares forsooke his eyes 88 The raging pang remained still within That would haue burst out all at once too fast Eu'n so we see the water tarry in A bottle little mouthd and big in wast That though you topsie turâ—y turne the brim The liquor bides behind with too much hast And with the striuing oft is in such taking As scant a man can get it out with shaking 89 At last he comes vnto himselfe anew And in his mind another way doth frame That that which there was written was not trew But writ of spite his Ladie to defame Or to that end that he the same might vew And so his heart with iealousie inflame Well be 't who list quoth he I see this clearly He hath her hand resembled passing nearly 90 With this small hope with this poore little sparke He doth some deale reuiue his troubled sprite And for it was now late and waxed darke He seekes some place where he may lie that night At last he heares a noise of dogs that barke He smels some smoke and sees some candle light He takes his Inne with will to sleepe not eate As fild with griefe and with none other meate 91 But lo his hap was at that house to host Where faire Angelica had layne before And where her name on eu'ry doore and post With true loue knots was ioyned to Medore That knot his name whom he detested most Was in his eye and thought still euermore He dares not aske nor once the matter tuch For knowing more of that he knowes too much 92 But vaine it was himselfe so to beguile For why his host vnasked by and by That saw his guest sit there so sad the while And thinks to put him from his dumps thereby Beginneth plaine without all fraud or guile Without concealing truth or adding lie To tell that tale to him without regard Which diuers had before with pleasure heard 93 As thus how at Angelicas request He holpe vnto his house to bring Medore Who then was sorely wounded in his brest And she with surgery did heale his sore But while with her owne hands the wound she drest Blind Cupid wounded her as much or more That when her skill and herbs had cur'd her patient Her curelesse wound in loue made her vnpatient 94 So that admit she were the greatest Queene Of same and liuing in those Easter parts Yet so
And fau'd thee from the Biskins wicked will First hauing thee preseru'd from salt sea waue Liue then my deare and trust in him aboue And while you liue be mindfull of my loue 69 These latter words his lips had scantly past When death vnto his heart was softly crept And as the lampe go'th out when oyle doth wast So quietly the noble Zerbin slept What tongue can tell how sore she was agast How she lamented wailed mournd and wept To her owne eyes and faire haire doing force When as she saw her deare a senslesse corse 70 And griefe had set her in so great a rage With Zerbins sword she thinks an end to make Of her owne life her sorrow to asswage Neglecting those last words Zerbino spake But lo a certaine saintlike personage That sword from hand that thought from hart doth take A certaine godly hermit and deuout That was by hap abiding thereabout 71 Who came and said oh damsell leaue despaire Mans nature weake and womens sex is fraile Feare him that rules both heau'n and earth and aire Who saith the word and his word cannot faile That those that vnto him for helpe repaire And put their trust in him shall neuer quaile Then shewd he her to proue his saying true Examples out of Scriptures old and new 72 Of saintlike women that in time of old Their liues and prayre in chastitie had spent And further to the damsell faire he told And prou'd and shewd by reasons euident That worldly things are vaine and haue no hold Alone in God is ioy and true content In fine he makes to her this godly motion Her future life to spend in true deuotion 73 His godly speech by helpe of heau'nly grace Pourd in her heart by hie diuine infusion Wrought such effect and found so great a place She ceast to seeke or worke her owne confusion But leauing the profession of her race Profest her selfe a Christen in conclusion She gaue her selfe to prayre and pure diuinitie And vowd to God her life and her virginitie 74 Yet did she not remoue out of her thought The feruent loue Zerbino had her borne But by the hermits helpe the corse she brought And thinks it sin to leaue it so forlorne And in some village thereabout she bought Sweet balmes to fill the flesh all cut and torne Then in a Cypres coffin she doth close it Not being yet resolu'd where to dispose it 75 That aged fire though being wise and staid Yet would not trust in his owne stay so well To carry such a faire and goodly maid To soiourne with him in his little cell T were perill great thus to himselfe he said That fire and straw should nie together dwell Wherefore he meanes to Prouince her to carie And there to place her in a monestarie 76 But as he thitherward with Isbell went And by the way deuoutly did her teach All things vnto religion pertinent And of the same most learnedly did preach Behold a Pagan fierce with soule intent This purpose and their iourney doth impeach As I shall shew more largely afterward Now back I must returne to Mandricard 77 Who hauing ended that same cruell fight In which the worthist Prince aliue was slaine Soone after by a shadie banke did light And turnd his horse a grazing on the plaine Dame Doralice in whom he tooke delight Alone with him in that place did remaine When looking sodainly by chance aside An armed knight come toward them she spide 78 She guest but yet she knew not by the view Who it might be vntill she spide her page That came with him then certainly she knew T was Rodomont full of reuenge and rage Wherefore vnto her knight she nearer drew And said my Lord mine honour I dare gage That yon is Rodomont mine ancient louer Who thinks by fight from you me to recouer 79 Looke how the Falcon in the aire doth mount When she espies a Bittor or a Herne So when this Prince espied Rodomount And by his hast his furie did discerne Like one that made of conquest full account He starteth vp with visage grim and sterne Straight armd and horst he is his foe to meete In hand the raynes in sterops are his feete 80 When as the tone the tother came so neare As each might harken what the tother sed Fierce Rodomont spake lowd as he might heare With threatning gesture both of hand and hed And sayd be sure I le make thee buy it deare That with a short vaine pleasure hast bene led To do to one so foule and open wrong That can and will it wreake on thee er long 81 The Tartar Prince that for him little cared Made answer thus in vaine you me do threat Poore boyes with words or women may be scared Not I that fight as willingly as eat Proue when you please I am not vnprepared At any time for any warlike feat On horse on foote in field or in the list I shal be readie trie me when you list 82 Thus words bred wrath and wrath engendred blowes And blowes encreast their sharpe auenging will Eu'n as the wind that first but calmely blowes But after more and more increasing still At last it trees and houses ouerthrowes And seas and lands with tempest it doth fill So cruell grew the fight them two betweene Whose match might hardly in the world be seene 83 Their hearts were stout so were their bodies strong Desire to win in both a like was great One doth maintain tother would venge his wrong And loue their furie equally doth whet In equall paise the fight endured long Nor each of tother any gaine could get But each of them so firmely kept his ground As if each inch thereof had cost a pound 84 Among an hundred blowes the Tartar smit Of which small hurt to Rodomont did rise Yet one at last so heauily did hit Vpon his helmet ouer both his eyes His senses all were so amazd with it He thought he saw more starres then are in skies And almost downe he was eu'n in her fight For whom he first began this cruell fight 85 But as a strong and iustly temperd bow Of Pymount steele the more you do it bend Vpon recoile doth giue the bigger blow And doth with greater force the quarrell send Eu'n so the Sarzan king that stoupt so low As highly to reuenge it doth intend And to acquite himselfe of this disgrace He striketh at the Tartar Princes face 86 So fierce he strake in this so furious mood An inch or little more aboue his fight That saue those armes of Hector were so good No doubt that blow had finisht all the fight But so astond therewith the Tartar stood He could not tell if it were noone or night And while in this amazment he abode The tother ceaseth not to lay on lode 87 The Tartars horse that saw the glittering blade That Rodomont about his head so tost Did start aside and with a
are often ouermastered with loue The speech of Isabella to Zerbino wishing to die at the same instant with him alludes to the wish of good Baweis and Philemon Quomam concordes egimus annos Auferat hor a duos eadem nec coniugis vnquam Busta meae videam nee sim tumulandus ab illa Here end the notes of the xxiiij booke THE XXV BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Rogero saueth to his fame and glorie His spouses brother that had else bene ded Who doth recount to him the wofull storie That so great danger vnto him had bred His cousin cheares them though himselfe were sorie Next morne they arme them all from foote to hed Good Malagige and Vivian to releeue Whose thraldome did their kinsmen greatly greeue 1 THe strife is great that grows in youthfull minde When honor falls at variance with affection Nor could it yet be known or well definde Which passion keeps the tother in subiection For both allure both do our iudgements blinde And both corrupt the heart with strong infection Yet lo sometimes these hurts procure our weale Eu'n as one poyson doth another heale 2 For here you see these princes that of late Straue fiercely tone the tother to subdew Agreed to respit this their sharpe debate And to repaire vnto the Turkish crew To succour Agramants distressed state To whom thâ—y ought in dutie to be trew And vet herein loue claimeth halfe the praise For she commanded them to go their wayes 3 And on they went without more disagreeing Faire Doralice with these her seruants twaine The tone in suit one in possession being And yet as then in concord they remaine At last they came vnto a place where seeing Foure knights themselues did solace on a plaine Or which two were vnarmd two armour bare With them a Ladie was of beautie rare 4 With these a while they staid but who these weare And what they did and whither then they went A little while to tell I do forbeare For to Rogero now my tale is ment Who would no more the shield enchanted beare But in the well did drowne it with intent That men might know his valiant deeds of armes Were done by force of vertue not of charmes 5 He scant had gone a mile or little more From this same well but that he met a post From Agramant of which there went good store The Captaines to recall vnto the host He told him how the king besieged sore And like if succour come not to be lost Commanded him as his true Lord and leege To come without delay to raise the seege 6 Much was Rogero with the message moued And diuers passions straue within his minde He faine would haue his Princes seege remoued Yet loth he was to leaue his loue behinde But be his doing praised or reproued He was so to the present cause enclinde First with his guide he goes to stay the slaughter Of him that had deflowrd Marsilios daughter 7 They came vnto the place an houre er night Where this same execution should be done A castle that belongd to Charles of right But late the Spanish king the same had wonne And kept it in the mids of France by might By count'nance of the great Trainos sonne Rogero commeth in and none denyde him Because they knew the damsell that did guide him 8 There first he saw prepard a flaming fire In which they meant to burne the wofull youth He thought so small a sinne did not require Such punishment no more it doth in truth But when he markt his face and his attire And heard and saw the manner of his ruth Now sure I know quoth he I am not I Or this is Bradamant that here should die 9 T is certaine she I see which way it went Belike while I at yonder castle staid She hither came afore me with intent To bring vnto the prisner here some aid For which poore soule her self should now be shent Yet I am glad and very well apaid That I am hither come in so good season To saue her that should die against all reason 10 And euen with that most furiously he files With naked sword vpon the gazing rout Who ouer standeth in his way he dies With so great force he hurles his blade about Then straight the prisners fetters he vnties Nor was there one so hardie or so stout That once durst make resistance or forbid it No not so much as aske him why he did it 11 As fearfull fowle that in the sunshine bright Sit pruning of themselues vpon a banke When as a Faulcon doth among them light Flie without care of order or of ranke So when these caitiues saw this noble Knight Forthwith they from his manly presence shranke So did their fearfull hearts and courage faile them When as they felt Rogero once assaile them 12 No maruell tho for why Rogeros force Was not as mens that now borne later are The strength of Lion Beare or bull or horse Were nothing if with his they do compare And chiefe sith now he doth himselfe inforce To do as much as he or can or dare Hereby from danger thinking to recouer Her vnto whom he was professed louer 13 Now when the youth from danger quite was freed And all that sought his death away were fled He thanks the author of this worthy deed And thanketh her that had him thither led Then when of helpe he stood in greatest need When otherwise he doubtlesse had bin dead And executed like a malefactor Agnizing him his Lord and benefactor 14 And furthermore he doth Rogero pray To let him vnderstand his name and nation Rogero musing to himselfe doth say What meaneth this so strange congratulation In face in shape in gesture in array This is my loue I see no alteration Yet strange it is her voice should be so changed More strange that she from me is so estranged 15 It doubtlesse is not she for if it were Could she within three houres my name forget Wherefore to tell his name he doth forbeare Vntill he may more perfect notice get And thus he said I haue I know not where Seene you ere this and I bethinke me yet Where it might be for sure I know your face Though now I haue forgot the time and place 16 Most noble sir said tother I agree You may haue seene me though I know not when I rather iudge it should my sister be That fights and carries armes as well as men My mother at one birth bare her and me And we be both so like that now and then Our seruants yea our father and our mother Haue tane vs in exchange the tone for tother 17 Chiefly since in her head she had a wound For which she was constraind to cut her haire T were long the circumstances to expound How she was hurt and heald by whom and where Since that betweene vs diffrence none is found Saue sex and names that from our birth we beare She
mist And that so vnprepard he could him take And much more grieu'd it him that this disgrace Was offerd him in such an open place 50 Wherefore to be aueng'd of so great wrong He steppeth backe and out his sword he drawes The tother doth no farther time prolong Though in respect of order there was cause Nay which was more he thought himselfe so strong To fight with all at once he askt no pause But to them both at once he makes defiance In his owne strength he had so great affiance 51 This man is mad but let me with him trie it Gradasso said I le make him wise againe Nay softly quoth Rogero I deny it For this same combat doth to me pertaine Stand backe saith tone saith tother nay not I yet Backe you yet both still in their place remaine Thus do these three with mallice great and spite Strangely begin a combat tripartite 52 And sure to much confusion it had growne Had not some men more stout perhap then wise Themselues among them vndiscreetly throwne With courage great but yet with small aduise To succour others danger with their owne Yet could no force them part nor no deuise Till Agramant himselfe their dreaded Lord In person came their quarrell to accord 53 The reu'rence great that vnto him they beare Made them forthwith their forces to restraine Who straight the causes of these broiles did heare And to compound them sought but all in vaine For scant Gradasso could be made forbeare The sword so long with tother to remaine Vntil the fight were ended now in hand Of which the sequell could not yet be scand 54 Scarse had the king with words of great perswasion This quarrell new begun a while appeasd But that another strife by new occasion In Rodomontes tent them all diseasd An hurlyburly and a fierce inuasion There grows betweene two Princes sore displeasd Betweene stout Sacrapant and Rodomount As I to you will presently recount 55 King Sacarpant as late before I told Helping to arme the cruell Sarzan king With those selfe armes that Nimrod ware of old From whom this Prince his pedigree did bring Whiles he I say did curiously behold His furniture and eu'rie other thing That to his horse or vnto him belong To see they might be sure and firme and strong 56 While he that stately steed Frontino vewd That proudly champing stood vpon his bit And all his raines with snowlike some be dewd Without regard whose hands embroderd it A thought vnpleasant in his mind renewd And to his heart did seeme full neare to sit He thinks this horse was verie like in sight To one of his that Frontlat whilom hight 57 And more and more with heedfull looke still eying The markes and shape and colour of the steed After his long and verie curious prying He saw and knew it was his horse indeed Which horse from him then at Albracca lying Brunello stale for want of better heed And shewed him an vnusuall cunning knacke To steale his horse while he sate on his backe 58 Brunello stale that time more things beside By name Orlandos sword hight Balisard Angellicas faire ring of vertue tride Which she recouerd as before you heard Likewise a sword eu'n from Marfisas side This done he gaue Rogero afterward Orlandos sword and this horse to the same But to Frontino first he changd his name 59 Now then I say when Sacrapant was sure This horse was Frontlat that sometime was his And that the markes he saw did him assure That he therein tooke not his marke amis To hold his peace he could not long endure But said good sir know mine Frontino is Stolne late from me as I can make good proofe Although I trow mine owne word is inough 60 One at Albracca stale from me this steed Yet for our late acquiantance I consent Because I see that now you stand in need That you shall vse him now I am content Conditionally that first it be agreed You shall acknowledge him not yours but lent Else here I claime him as my goods and chattell And will defend my right in open battell 61 The Sarzan king that past I thinke in pride All kings and knights that euer carrid sword And past I thinke in strength and courage tride All samples that old stories vs afford Made answer thus if any man beside Durst vnto me haue spoken such a word He should haue found I tooke it in such scorne He had bin better haue bin speechles borne 62 But for our late begunne acquiantance sake I am content this at your hands to beare So as you this do as a warning take The like attempt hereafter to forbeare And if you will but harke what end I make With Mandricardo then I do not feare But you shall see such sample of my force Shall make you glad to pray me take your horse 63 Then villany is courtesie with thee Saith Sacrapant inflamd with high disdaine When you be offerd faire you cannot see Wherefore my purpose is I tell you plaine My horse shall seruice do to none but mee And with these hands I will my right maintaine And that is more if these same hands should faile I will defend my right with tooth and naile 64 Thus galling speech betweene them multiplying Till each last word the former worser made At last they sell to acts of flat defying And tone the tother fiercely doth inuade Rodomont on his strength and armes relying Yet tother so defends him with his blade And makes it so about his head to houer That seemes alone his body all to couer 65 Eu'n as a charter wheele that runnes apace Seemes to the eye all solyd firme and sound Although twixt eu'rie spoake there is a space Concealed from our sights by running round So Sacrapant seemd armed in that place Though armour then about him none was found So dextrously himselfe he then besturd As well it stood vpon him with his sword 66 But quickly Serpentino and Ferraw With naked sword in hand stept them betwixt With others more that present were and saw As friends of either part togither mixt Yet them no force nor prayre could once withdraw Their lostie hearts were on reuenge so fixt And wrath had quite so put them out of frame Till Agramant to them in person came 67 Vpon the sight of him their soueraigne Lord They both agreed their furie to withhold Who straight perswaded them to good accord And much good counsell to them both he told But peace and good perswasions they abhord And either on his manhood made him bold Their king doth but among them leese his winde For more and more he froward them doth finde 68 By no meanes Sacrapant will be intreated Vnto the Sarzan king his horse to lend Except that he as I before repeated To borrow it of him would condiscend The tother at this verie motion freated And sweares nor heauen nor he should make him bend To seek to haue by
his absence to endure Yea when his dayes of promise quite were spent Yet still she lookt for him you may be sure And many a time that way she came and went Till by the way at last such news she hard That all the hope she had before was mard 28 For she by chance did meet a Cascoigne knight That in the warres of Africa was caught One that was taken captiue in that fight Then when fore Paris the great field was fought What she requires to know he could recite But carelesse of the other news he brought Of her Rogero chiefly she enquires To heare of him is all that she desires 29 Of whom the knight could let her vnderstand For in that Court he late his life had led How Mandricard and he fought hand to hand And how much blood on either part was shed And though by wounds himselfe in perrill stand That he subdewd his foe and left him ded Now if with this his storie he had ended Rogeros scuse had verie well bin mended 30 But he proceeds to tell how one was theare A Ladie hight Marfisa in the feeld Whose fame for martiall acts did shine most cleare Whose beautie rare to few or none did yeeld Rogero her she held Rogero deare They neuer were asunder or but seeld And that they two as eu'rie one there saith The tone the tother plighted haue their faith 31 And if Rogero once were whole and sound Their wedding should be celebrate with speed That such a paire as yet was neuer found And happie they should come of such a seed How much it ioy'd the Pagan Princes round To thinke vpon the race they two should breed Which likely were all others to excell In feats of arms that erst on earth did dwell 32 The Gascoigne knight of all that he had sed Himselfe had reason to beleeue was sooth So generall a fame thereof was spred There were but few but had it in their mouth Some little kindnesse she did vse had fed Their foolish humors of this false vntrowth Still fame will grow if once abrode it flie Although the ground be troth or be a lye 33 They came indeed together to this fight And many times together they were seene For he was warlike stout and worthy knight And she a gallant faire and daintie Queene By which suspition neuer iudging right Did gather straight they had assured beene And specially because when she departed To visite him she was so soone reuerted 34 Of iust suspect their reason was put slènder If they had weighed well their vertues rate Though of his wounds she seemd to be so tender And of his danger had so great a care Against bad tongues no goodnes can defend her For those most free from faults they least wil spare But prate of them whom they haue scantly knowne And iudge their humors to be like their owne 35 Now when the knight auowd the tale he told And yet in truth you know t' was but a tale The damsels heart was toucht with shiuering cold The little hope she had away it stale Almost in sound her seate she scarce could hold With mourning cheare and face both wan and pale She said no more but mad with griefe and ire Her horse she turnd and homeward did retire 36 And all in armour on her bed she lyes She wisht a thousand times she now were ded She bytes the sheets to dampe her sobs and cries The Gascoigns news still bearing in her hed Her heart is swolne and blubberd be her eyes With trickling teares bedewed is her bed When griefe would be no longer holden in Needs out it must and thus it doth begin 37 Ah wretched me whom might a maiden finde In whom she might be bold to put her trust Since you Rogero mine become vnkinde And tread your faith and promise in the durst You only you mine eye so farre did blinde I still esteemd you faithfull true and iust Ah neuer wench that loued so sincerely Was in requitall punisht so seuerely 38 Why my Rogero why do you forget Sith you in beautie passe each other knight And do in feats of armes such honor get As none can match your chiualrie in fight This golden vertue with the rest to set By which your glorious name wil shine more bright If as in other graces you abound So in your promise constancie were found 39 This is the vertue breeds most estimation By which all other vertues shew more cleare As things most faire do loose their commendation Which by the want of light can not appeare What glorie was it by false protestation Her to deceiue whose Saint and God you were Whom your fair speeches might haue made beleeue That water would be carride in a seeue 40 From any haynous act wouldst thou restraine That murdrest her who beares thee so good will How wouldst thou vse thy foe that thus in paine Dost let thy frend to be tormented still Thou that with breach of faith thy heart dost staine No doubt thou dost not care for doing ill Well this I know that God is euer iust He will er long reuenge my wrongs I trust 41 For why vnthankfulnesse is that great sin Which made the Diuell and his angels fall Lost him and them the ioyes that they were in And now in hell detaines them bound and thrall Then marke the guerdon thou art like to win For why like faults like punishment do call In being thus vnthankfull vnto me That alwayes was so faithfull vnto thee 42 Besides of theft thy selfe thou canst not quit If theft it be to take that is not thine The keeping of my heart no that 's not it That thou shouldst haue it I do not repine Thy selfe thou stalst which I can not remit Thy selfe thou knowst thou art or shouldst be mine Thou knowst damnation doth to them belong That do keepe backe anothers right by wrong 43 Though thou Rogero do forsake me so I can not will nor chuse but loue thee still And since there is no measure of my wo Death is the only way to end mine ill But thus to cut of life and thou my fo It makes me do it with a worser will Yet had I dyde when best I did thee please I should haue counted death no death but ease 44 When with these words she was resolu'd to dy She tooke her sword in hand for that intent And forst her selfe vpon the point to ly Her armour then her purpose did preuent A better spirit checkt her by and by And in her heart this secret reason went O noble Ladie borne to so great same Wilt thou thus end thy dayes with so great shame 45 Nay rather if thou beest resolu'd to dy Vnto the campe why dost thou not repaire Where bodies of braue knights in heaps do ly Lo there to honor the directest staire The losse of life with glorie thou mayst buy To die in thy Rogeros sight were faire And happily by him thou
Castill Lisbon and Galicia are And Cordoue neare and Siuill see he might Which diuers crownes now ioyned in on raigne Are gouernd by the mightie king of Spaine 89 There saw he Gades where erst by Hercles hand Two pillars markes for Marriners were plast Then ouer Atlant sea to Egypt land And ouer Affrica forthwith he past And saw where Balearick Iles do stand Then traueld to Euiza with like hast And to Arzilla ward he thence departeth Quite ore that sea that it from Spagna eparteth 90 Oran he saw Ippon Marocco Fesse Algier Buzea and those stately townes Whose Princes with great pompe and pride possesse Of diuers Prouinces the stately crownes He saw Byserta and Tunigi no lesse And flying ouer many dales and downes He saw Capisse and Alzerbee I le And all the Cities to the flood of Nyle 91 Tripolie Bernick Tolomit and all Betweene the sea and Atlas woodie sides Then on the Cereneys he right doth fall And past Carena mounts and more besides Then crossing ou'r the barren fields and pall Where sands with wind do eb and flow like tides The tombe of Battus he doth leaue behind And Ammons temple now worne out of mind 92 Then came he by another Tremisen That followes eke of Mahomet the law Vnto another Ethyopia then He went the which before he neuer saw That differs both in language and in men From thence he toward Nubia then did draw Dobada and Coallee iust betweene Of which these Christend and those Turkish beene 93 The bord'rers still are armd in heate and cold Senapo yet of Ethyop is the chiefe And hath great store of iewels and of gold And much he varies not from our beliefe For he those principles most firme doth hold That can defend from euerlasting griefe Here is it if mine author be no her Where they do vse to be baptizd with fier 94 The Duke here lighted after trauell long And to Senapos stately Court was led The castle was more sumptuous then strong And admiration more then terror bred The locks barres chaines and all that did belong Vnto the bridge and gates from foote to head Which we make here of iron to endure Was there faire wrought in massie gold most pure 95 And though they haue great store of mettals fine Yet were the chambers and the lodgings here Borne vp with cristall collumns that did shine All ou'r the stately court most bright and cleare A stately border causd vnto the eine Red white greene blew and yellow to appeare Enriched with diuisions for the nones Of Rubie Smarag Zaphyr Topas stones 96 Most orient pearls and gems of passing price Were sprinkled on the pauements here and there Hence balme doth come hence other precious spice Which from Ierusalem men wont to beare Hence commeth muske for odours sweet and nice And amber pure that some in bracelets weare And finally all things grow there in plentie That in this country are esteemd most deintie 97 Most true it is else some haue written lies The Sowdan to this King doth tribute pay For that in this Kings powre alone it lies Great Cayre and fertile Egypt to decay Because that by those meanes he may deuise He may turne Nyle from them another way This Prince Senapo there is cald of many We call him Prester Iohn or Preter Iany 98 Of all the Kings that euer there did raigne This King exceld in riches and in treasure But losse of sight made all his comforts vaine And bard him eu'ry tast of worldly pleasure And this did much increase his care and paine And grieued him indeed beyond all measure That all his wealth and treasure not preuented But that with famine he was ay tormented 99 For when this Prince as hunger meere him drew Did but prepare himselfe to drinke or eate Straight of Harpias came a cursed crew With mightie wings huge pawes and bellies great And all the dishes quite they ouerthrew And greedily deuoured all the meate And that they left they did so file and slauer As few could brooke the sight but none the sauer 100 The cause was this why his great plague was such Because in youth when men most carelesse are Finding himselfe to be extold so much And passing other Kings in wealth so far So foule a pride his loftie heart did tuch Against his maker he would needs moue war To which intent a mightie powre he led Vnto that mount whence Nylus hath his hed 101 He had bene told and did it firme beleeue That on that mount whose top did touch the skie Was that same place where Adam dwelt and Eue Before their fall did cause them thence to flie He hoping some rare conquest to atchiue A mightie host prepared by and by With mind so hie his heart with pride did swell To make them tribute pay that there did dwell 102 But high Iehoua their foule pride represt And downe he sent his Angell that same night Who slue an hundred thousand for the least And him condemnd for ay to loose his sight Then sent he monsters vile him to molest Those vgly monsters that Harpias hight Which so deuoure and so spoyle all his meate Scarce they permit him once to drinke or eate 103 And that which draue him into meere despaire Was that one told by way of prophecie How those foule creatures euer should repaire Vnto that place till time they might espie A gallant knight all armed in the aire Vpon a winged beast aloft to flie And for that this vnpossible he deemed Past hope of helpe himselfe he then esteemed 104 Now when the people saw from eu'ry wall And from each towre the strangely flying knight He happie thought himselfe that first of all Could tell the king of this vnused sight Who straight the prophecie to mind did call And with the sudden ioy forgetting quite His trustie staffe went groping with his hand To welcome him that now came downe to land 105 Astolfo being lighted nearer drew And as he was the great court entring in Behold the King stood ready in his vew And kneeling downe to speake did thus begin O heau'nly Angell ô Messias new Though I deserue not pardon for my sin Yet thinke to vs is proper to offend To you to pardon those that wil amend 106 My guilt so heauie on my conscience lies I dare not sue thou shouldst my sight restore Though wel I wot that thou couldst heale mine eies That art of those that ay stand God before Let then this plague my want of sight suffice And let me not be steru'd thus euermore At least from me these filthy monsters driue And let me eate with quiet while I liue 107 And I do vow a temple vnto thee Of marble faire to build here in this place Whose gates and couer all of gold shall be Adornd with costly iewels in like case Nam'd by thy name and grau'd that men may see Thy miracle which no time shall deface Thus
His naked dagger and did me intreat To stab him with the same into his hart To take iust vengance of his lewd desart 31 Now when I saw him at this passe I thought To follow this great conquest to his end And straight a little hope to him I brought Of fauour if his errour he would mend And if my fathers freedome might be wrought And state restord and he continue frend And not attempt hereafter to constraine me But with his seruiceable loue to gaine me 32 He promised hereof he would not misse And backe vnto my sire me safe did send Nor once presumed he my mouth to kisse Thinke you how he vnto my yoke did bend I thinke that loue playd well his part in this And needed not for him more arrowes spend Hence straight vnto th' Armenian king he went Whose all the winnings should be by consent 33 And in the mildest manner that he could He prayeth him to grant his good assent That my poore sire might Lydia quiet hold And he would with Armenta be content The king Alcesté sharply then controld And in plaine termes he told he neuer ment To cease that bloodie warre at any hand While that my father had a foot of land 34 What if said he Alcestes wau'ring braine Is turnd with womans words his damage be it Shall I therefore loose all a whole yeares gaine At his request I neuer will agree it Againe Alcesté prayes him and againe But all in vaine he sees it will not be yet And last he waxed angrie and did I sweare That he should do it or for loue or feare 35 Thus wrath engendred many a bitter word And bitter words did breed more bloody blowes Alcesté in that furie drew his sword And straight the guard on each side him inclose But he among them to himselfe besturd He flew the king and by the helpe of those Of Thrace and of Cilicia in his pay Th'Armenians all he put to flight that day 36 And then his happie victorie pursuing First he my fathers frends did all enlarge And next the Realme within one month ensuing He gat againe without my fathers charge And for the better shunning and eschuing Of all vnkindnesse with amends most large For recompence of all harmes he had donne He gaue him all the spoiles that he had wonn 37 Yea fully to content him to his asking In all the countries that did neare confine He raisd such summes of coyne by cursed tasking As made them grieue and greatly to repine The while my hate in lous faire vizer masking In outward show I seemd to him incline Yet secretly I studied to annoy him And many wayes deuised to destroy him 38 In steed of triumph by a priuie traine At his returne to kill him we intended But from such fact feare forst vs to refraine Because we found he was so strongly frended I seemed of his comming glad and faine And promist when our trobles all were ended That I his faithfull yokefellow would be In wo or weale to take such part as he 39 Wherefore I prayd him first that for my sake He would subdue some of our priuat foes And he each hard exploit doth vndertake And now alone and then with few he goes And safe returnes yet oft I did him make To fight with cruell Giants and with those That past his strength oft with som monstrous beast Or Dragon fell that did our Realme molest 40 Don Hercles neuer by his cruell Aunt Nor by the hard Euristeus was so wrought In Lerna Thrase in Nemea Eremaunt Numid Etolia Tebrus where he fought Not Spaine nor no where else as I might vaunt With mild perswasion but with murdring thought I made my louer still to put in vre In hope hereby his ruine to procure 41 But as the Palme the more the top is prest The thicker do the vnder branches grow Eu'n so the more his vertue was opprest By hard attempts the brighter it did show Which when I found forthwith I thought it best Another way to worke his ouerthrow A way by which in deed I wrought the fear Which yet I shame and sorrow to repeat 42 Against all such as bare him best affection I secretly did still his minde incense And euer one and one by my direction I made him wrong till all were driu'n from thence So was his heart and soule in my subiection So had my bewtie blinded all his sence Had I but winkt or vp my finger hild He had not car'd whom he had hurt or kild 43 Now when I thus had foyld my fathers foes And by Alcesté had Alcesté wonne And made him for my sake forsake all those That for his sake no high attempt would shunne I then began my selfe plaine to disclose And let him know what wise threed he had sponn◠With bitter spitefull words I all to rated him And told him plaine that in my heart I hated him 44 And that I wisht his life and dayes were ended And would haue kild him if I could for shame Saue then I should of all men be condemned Because his high deserts were of such fame Yet him and them I vtterly contemned And loathd to see his face or heare his name And sware I would wish him thenceforth no better Nor heare his message nor receiue his letter 45 At this my cruell vsage and vngrate He tooke such griefe that in a while he died Now for this sinne he that a I sinne doth hate Condemns me here in this smoke to be tyed Where I in vaine repent my selfe too late That I his suite so causlesllie denyed For which in smoke eternall I must dwell Sith no redemption can be had from hell 46 Here Lidia this her wofull tale doth end And faded thence now when her speech did cease The Duke a farther passage did intend But this tormenting smoke did so increase That backward he was forst his steps to bend For vitall sprites alreadie did decrease Wherefore the smoke to shunne and life to saue He clammerd to the top of that same caue 47 And least those woman faced monsters fell Might after come from out that lothsome ledge He digd vp stones and great trees downe did fell His sword suffising both for axe and fledge He hewd and brake and labourd it so well That gainst the caue he made a thicke strong hedge So stopt with stones and many a ragged rafter As kept th'Harpias in a great while after 48 But now the Duke both with his present toyle That did with dirt and dust him all to dash And with the smoke that earst did him so foyle As blacke as foot was driu'n to seeke some plash Where he himselfe might of his cloths dispoyle And both his rayment and his armour wash For why the smoke without and eake within Did taint his cloths his armour and his skin 49 Soone after he a christall streame espying From foote to head he washt himselfe therein Then vp he gets him on
three warriers had ado not small To keepe him now from killing in the place Not that they car'd to haue his life preserued But vnto greater paines they him reserued 92 They gaue him bound vnto that woman aged That erst vpon Drusilla did attend And to those three whose minds were yet inraged Whom whipt and stript he lately thence did send These with sharp goads and kniues his body gaged And to torment him all their wits did bend Now some cast stones and some with needels pricke him Some scratch some bite with feet some spurn kick him 93 Eu'n as a brooke new swolne with rage of raine Or with a sodaine thaw of melting snow Ort bears down rocks and trees with force so maine As heards do'h drowne and houses ouerthrow A drouth doth come and then that brooke againe Abates his pride and is at last so low A woman yea a child with small adoe May passe the same and neuer wet their shoe 94 So Marganor that erst in pompe and pride Made hearts of men to quake when he was named To lowest ebb now turned sees his tyde His combe now cut his furie now is tamed Now kennel-rakers scorne him and deride To looke men in the face he is ashamed Small children yea the babes be not afteard To pill away his haire from head and beard 95 The while Rogero with those champions twaine The castle summond that did gladly yeeld Here Vllanie recouered againe Which lately she had lost her golden shield Here met they those three kings which to their pain Dame Bradamant had twise ou'rthrowne in field At the same castle where before I told She wan their lodging and made them lie cold 96 Since which on foote vnarmd they vowd to go Which want faire Vllanie from death did saue For all that went with armd men garded so Were sacrificed on Tanacros graue Yet better of the twaine it was to show The parts that modestie conceald would haue For why both this and eu'ry other shame Is halfe excusd if force procure the same 97 Marfisa straight a Parlament did call Of all the towne and made them take an oth Of high and low rich poore and great and small Although they were content or else were loth That to their wiues they should be subiect all That in their houses and the Citie both The women should haue rule such powre such graces As men are wont to haue in other places 98 She further made this notable decree That lodging meate and drinke should be forbode To trauellers of whatsoere degree Admit they go on foote or that they rode Within that towne except they first agree To sweare by some great Saint or else by God That they should euermore be womens frends And foe vnto their foes to their liues ends 99 And whatsoever stranger there arriues Must further sweare before they go their way If or they haue or meane to marry wiues That euermore they shall their wils obay This must they keepe on perill of their liues For why she vowes to come ere twelue-months day And if she find her law broke in that Citie To lacke and burne the same without all pitie 100 This done the warriers three did hasten hence But yet their going they so long deferred Vntil Drusillas corse was tane from thence Where as it seemd it was but homely berred And order tane with cost and good expence Her spouse and she might nobly be interred With Epitaphs by which was signified In how great honour they both liu'd and died 101 Marfisa made her law in marble faire Vpon a pillar to be written downe And then Rogero with the warlike paire Of damsels tooke their leaues of all the towne But Vllanie her garments doth repaire And stayes to make some new and costly gowne She thinks to come to Court were great dishoner Except she had some sumptuous clothing on her 102 Therefore she staid behind and in her powre Was Marganor by those same warriers giuen Who had new torments taught him eu'ry howre And was at last by his sharpe iudges driuen To leape downe headlong from a mightie towre Where all his bones and flesh were broke and riuen Of him nor these I haue no more to say But of those three that went the tother way 103 The rest of that same day together riding And halfe the next in companie they spent Vntill they found a way in twaine diuiding One to the campe tother to Arlie went Here oft they take their leaues yet still abiding For euer parting makes friends ill content In fine the knight the way to Arlie tooke They to the campe and thus I end this booke In this xxxv ij booke the praises of women are set downe to the encouragement of all vertuous minded yong Ladies and likewise the miserable end of Marganor and his two sonnes for their vnbridled lust and crueltie to the terrifying of all great men that dispose themselues to lawlesse and tyrannous behauiour Lastly in the law made for women we may see that that sex is capable of rule and gouernement and not to be excluded from the highest degree thereof as a noble learned and learned noble man hath most amply and excellently proued in a discourse of his which I happened by fortune to light vpon though as yet I thinke imparted to few Concerning the historie of this booke first it should seeme that the whole booke it selfe was incerted into the rest of the worke by mine author to take occasion thereby to speake in praise of women and specially of the Ladie Vittoria wife to the famous Francis of Pescard but concerning the famous women by him briefly touched I will here set downe as briefly as I can their storie Arpalice or Harpalice a woman of Thrace whose father being taken prisoner by the Geties a nation of Scythia with great courage and expedition recovered him from their hands of whom Virgil speakes in his Aeneads Vel qualis equos Threissa fatgat Harpalice volucremâ— suga prâ—euertitur Haebrum Tomeris Queene of the Massagetians Cyrus became a suter to her to marry her but she thinking as it was most likely he wooed not her but her kingdome refused him hereupon Cyrus made warre on her Tomeris sent her son against him who was taken by Cyrus with an ambushment and slaine But she faining as though she fled for feare drew Cyrus to the straits of the hils where they write she slue his whole army being two hundred thousand men and left not a man aliue to carry newes and after in reuenge of her son she put Cyrus head into a great boule of bloud vsing that wel knowne speech Satia te sanguine quisanguinem sitijsti Fill thy selfe with bloud that didst thirst for bloud In the 5. staffe With those that did Turnios and Hector ayd Those two were Camilla and Pentheselea of both which Virgil writes in the Aeneads Pentheselea surens medijsque in millibus ardet Bellatrix ardétque viris
they plainly saw â—heir combat that all quarrell should descide Disturbd against all promise and all law They cease all force and lay all wrath aside And by consent themselues they do withdraw Vntill it might more plainly be descride In whether Prince of faith were found such want In aged Charles or youthfull Agramant 9 And each of them of new doth vow and sweate That vnto him that first did cou'nant breake They will for euer endlesse hatred beare And ioyne together such offence to wreake The while the hosts of neither side forbeare To make quicke triall who be strong or weake For lightly at the first conflict they shoe Their hearts if they be resolute or no. 10 Euen as a grewnd which hunters hold in slip Doth striue to breake the string or slide the coller That sees the fearfull Deare before him skip Pursewd belike with some Actaeons scholler And when he sees he can by no meanes slip Doth howle and whine and bites the string for choler In such like case within the tents did stay Marfisa with dame Bradamant that day 11 All that same day vnto that present howre They had beheld with great despite and paine Such tempting baites yet had they not the powre To set their foote in that forbidden plaine But now they do the field on each side scowre Though erst for duties sake they did abstaine Now finding such a true and iust excuse That Agramant had lewdly broke the truse 12 Marfisa ran the first quite through the brest And made the speare come forth a yard behind Then with her sword she flies among the rest There chiefe where most resistance she doth finde And Bradamant puts Goldélance in rest With like effects but of another kind For all she toucht therewith she ouerthrew And yet not one among them all she slew 13 Thus these two warriours euer as they went Subdewd their enemies and kept them vnder Who euer met them surely should be shent And each of them at tothers force did wonder But being both to sharpe reuengement bent At last they part themselues and went asunder Each by her selfe such high exploits performing As gaue the Turks long after cause of mourning 14 As when the Southerne winds do melt the snow Congeald on tops of mountaines many dayes It often happens that two streames do flow And taking in their course two sundrie wayes At last so violent and furious grow That bearing downe and breaking vsuall bayes They wast the fields and seeme on vye to runne By which of them most damage may be donne 15 Eu'n so these twaine incenst with rage and wrath And each in seu'rall acts their forces trying Do worke the Turks no little woe and â—cath And leaue them ouerthrowne or maymd or dying Scarse Agramant the powre by this time hath Say what he list to keepe his men from flying Himselfe not shrinking though nor once retiring But euermore for Rodomont enquiring 16 By onely his aduise and exhortation For so the vnaduised Prince doth thinke He broken had his solemne protestation He maruels now to find him so to shrinke Likewise Sobrino with great lamentation Religion in his mind so deepe did sinke Retyrd to Arly euermore protesting His faultlesse mind that periurie detesting 17 Marsilio eke vnto his countrie fled The shamefull promise breach of Agramant Strake in his mind such superstitious dred He leaueth him to beare the brunt who â—cant Against the Christen souldiers could make hed That no supplies of forren powres did want With Palladines among them fierce and bold Mixt like rich gemmes in faire embroderd gold 18 But now a while I linquish this conflict And passe beyond the seas without a barke For to this tale I am not tyde so strict But that I will repeat if you will harke Astolfos acts who forward dayly prickt With new made horsemen as if you did marke I told you erst and did all Affrike wast Vntill three kings resisted him at last 19 The king of Algazer and stout Bransard Did leuy powres such as in hast they could And put them all in armes without regard That some to young were found and some to old Yea from the musters women scant were spar'd For Agramant as hath before bene told With hope of vaine reuenge without aduise Of able men vnpeopled Affrike twise 20 Thus few were there and of those few were theare So quite his countrie weale he did neglect The greater part vnskilfull armes to beare As was more plainly proued in effect For at first brunt they fled from thence for feare In hope Biserta walls should them protect Braue Bucifer was taken in the fight Bransardo scapt and sau'd himselfe by flight 21 For Bucifer alone he tooke more griefe Then all the rest he did him so esteeme Because Biserta asked great reliese For which this Bucifer most fit did seeme Who was in all those parts of credit chiefe Wherefore Bransardo faine would him redeeme He many wayes doth cast but none conclude on Till at the last he did remember Dudon 22 This Dudon was by blood and birth a Dane But yet esteemd the Palladins among He lately at the Bridge was prisner tane Where Rodomont the sturdie Turke and strong Brought many worthy men vnto their bane To Affrike Dudon then he sent ere long Now Bransard thinkes nor was his thought amisse Stout Bucifer by change to get for this 23 He perfect notice had by true espiall The Nubians leader was an English Lord Who loue a Dane there can be no deniall And once were Danes as writers do record Wherefore he sends a messenger for triall Vnto Astolfo who doth soone accord To free his kinsman whom he lou'd so dearly And ioyned was in blood to him so nearly 24 Thus Dudon by the English Duke was freed Who afterward his seruice did employ Now as Saint Iohn had wild him to proceed He sought to worke the Turks some more annoy And that he might set Prouence free with speed Which Agramant and his did then enioy He maketh of his men a new election Whom he may â—â—nd to free them from subiection 25 And hauing chosen forth some men of these As best from his huge armie might be mist Whose number was so great as he at ease With halfe of them three Affricks might resist He causd them to be trained for the seas And praying God his purpose to assist That night was shewd Astolfo in a vision How he of ships might make a large prouision 26 Next day the weather being faire and calme Astolfo walketh to the salt sea shore And holding in his hands in either palme Great store of leaues that he had tane before Of Bayes of Cedar trees of Oke of Palme Into the sea he flang them in great store O metamorphosis beyond all credit O admirable powre diuine that bâ—ed it 27 No sooner had the water wet the leaues But presently they chang'd their former hue The veines that were in them each man perceaues
To grow to ribs and posts in order due And still at each end sharpe each lease reccaues Eu'n of a sailing ship proportion true And of the ships as many sorts there weare As there were trees that those same leaues did beare 28 A miracle it was to see them growne To ships and barks with gallies hulks and crayes Each vessell hauing tackling of their owne With sailes and oares to heipe at all assayes The Duke prouided when it once was knowne Both marriners and masters in few dayes For with his present pay he soone allured From Sard and Corsie men to â—eas inured 29 Those that tooke shipping then were counted more Then six and twentie thousand strong of hand Great Admirall was Dudon who before Had learnd the seruice both of sea and land Now while they lay at anker nigh the shore To wait when wind would for their purpose stand It fortuned a man of warre came by them Full lode with prisners and cast anker nie them 30 These were those prisners whom fierce Rodomount As oft I haue declard did dayly get When at the bridge he did them so dismount And sometime backward in the riuer set Here were among some more of good account Braue Brandimart and worthy Sansonet With Oliuer and some I now not tutch Both French Italian Gascoigne knights and Dutch 31 The master of the barke had first assignd His prisoners at Algier to vnlode But being driu'n by ouer blowing wind Farre past the place he thought to make abode Neare great Biserta where he thinks to find None but his countrimen within the rode To which he thinks himselfe as welcome guest As Progne is vnto her chirping nest 32 But after when th' Imperiall bird he saw Conioyned to the Pard and flowre of France He was abasht and looked pale for aw Much like to him that waking new doth chance On poisond serpent tred and same would draw Himselfe from thence for feare of more mischance He quakes and from the serpent doth retire Whose poison swels and eyes do flame like fire 33 But now the wretched Pilot could not flie And lesle could keepe the prisners he had caught For both himselfe and all they by and by Vnto the place against his will were brought Whereas the Duke and Dudon then did lie Who welcomd well the Christens as they ought And he that brought them thither for his paines Was made a gally slaue and bound in chaines 34 Thus were the knights most friendly entertained And greatly welcomed by Otons sonne Who horse and furniture for them ordained And causd to them great honor to be donne Eke Dudon with these knights some days remained And thinks the time so spent not lost but wonne His iourney purposely three dayes deferring To spend the same with these braue knights conferring 35 By their relation he doth vnderstand In what estate King Charles and th' empire stood What are the hau'ns where he may safely land And where they thought the same would be withstood Thus while discreetly on each point they scand And each man told what he thought ill or good There suddenly rose in the campe alarme The cause vnknown but ech man cride arme arme 36 The Duke Astolfo with his noble crew That at that time conferring were together Straight armd themselues and out their swords they drew And went enquiring hither still and thither To learne of whence this sudden tumult grew But yet no cause they could suspect or gether At last they saw a madman stare and stampe That nakt alone did trouble all the campe 37 Those that had seen him first belike did flout him But when some few vnto their cost had found That with a bat he so did play about him His blowes made many fall in deadly sound They now began so much to dread and doubt him That they had giu'n to him no little ground And none of them to meet him had the harts They onely shot at him or cast some darts 38 The noble Duke and those with him did see The wondrous force and most stupendious wracke The madman wrought and marueld much that he Alone could driue so many souldeirs backe When lo a Ladie of no meane degree Rode towards them attyred all in blacke And vnto Brandimart she came in hast And claspt her arms about his necke full fast 39 I know you know without my further showing This was the spouse of noble Brandimart Who euer since his wofull ouerthrowing By Rodomont did with a pensiue hart Seeke his release till at the last she knowing As I before did more at large impart How he beyond the seas was prisner sent Her selfe at Arly to take shipping ment 40 But while that louing purpose she pursewth Bardino met with her an Easterne knight Who brought vp Brandimart in tender youth And kept him at a Castell Siluan hight He hearing at her mouth at large the truth And how in Africa they find him might They soone agreed no long time ouerslipping To seeke him out and so forthwith tooke shipping 41 No sooner they on Affrike shore did land Bardino sage and faithfull Fiordeliege But first the people let them vnderstand Astolfo great Biserta did besiege With many a Captaine braue and gallant band Likewise a brute of Brandimart their liege Was spred that he was there ariued newly But none was able to confirme it truly 42 Vntill so long they traueld on the cost At last she found and saw him with her eyes Among those Lords amid the Nubian host With which such ioy did in her thoughts arise As vitall sprites did faile in her almost Not any word to speake could she deuise But hangd about his necke a burden sweet And he as louingly his spouse did greet 43 Full glad was he to see her and as glad To see his ancient tutor and his frend And further talke with them he would haue had But he was forst to make a speedie end By meanes the man that naked ran and mad Did keepe such rule as did them all offend Faire Fiordeliege that lookt with eye more curious Cride ah my deare this is Orlando furious 44 Astolfo eke when as he did behold him And saw how madly he about did range And no man durst him meet nor none could hold him He wonderd greatly at the sight so strange And by the marks that erst Saint Iohn had told him He knew it was the man but such a change There was in all his shape from top to toe He rather seemd a beast more then a man in show 45 Astolfo straight did call vnto the rest And said my Lords this man that you had vewd Orlando is at this themselues they blest And eu'rie one his wofull pickle rewd Well said the Duke to helpe our frend is best And not to wayle and therefore to conclude Come ioyne your force to mine and let vs take him And I do hope ere long I le sober make him 46 To this they soone
not the sword for that himselfe doth weare The horse that was of shape and goodnesse rare Had Brandimart and thus deuided were Among these three in guerdon of their paines An equall share and portion in the gaines 30 Now each prepard against the day of fight Braue furniture with cost of many a crowne Orlando on his quarter bare in sight High Babels towre with lightning striken downe His cosin had a Lyme hound argent bright His Lyme laid on his backe he couching downe The word or Mot was this vntill he commeth The rest was rich and such as him becommeth 31 But Brandimart who as I erst made mention Had heard his fathers death went all in blacke Of braueries he now had no intention Left men might thinke he did discretion lacke He ear'd for no deuice nor new inuention Nor 〈…〉 clothing on his backe He 〈…〉 one border richly set 〈…〉 but darkned ouer with a net 32 A net that Fiordeliege his dearest Queene With her owne hands against that day did make But neither then nor all the time betweene That first she vndertooke it for his sake Till she had done it was she euer seene To laugh or smile or any ioy to take Her heart still heauie was her looke still sad And yet herselfe did know no cause she had 33 But still in feare and still in doubt she is Her spouse by death shall now from her be sunderd Oft times herselfe hath seene him be ere this In greater fights an hunderd and an hunderd Yet neuer did her heart so giue amisse Wherefore at her owne feare she greatly wonderd And eu'n that reason made her feare the more Because she was not vsd to feare before 34 Now when each thing in order fit was set The chāpions three were shipped with their horses Vnto Astolfo and to Sansonet The charge was left of all those Christen forces But dolefull Fiordeliege although as yet To hide her sorow she herselfe inforces Yet when the wind away the vessell beares She bursteth out to open cries and teares 35 With Sansonet Astolfo tooke much paine To bring her to her chamber from the shore Who lying on her bed she still doth plaine That she hath lost her spouse for euermore To seeke to comfort her it was in vaine For talking made her feare increase the more But now the worthie champions in this while Were safe arriu'd at Lippadusa I le 36 No sooner set they foot vpon the land But on the Easterne side they pitcht a tent Because perhap that part was nearest hand Or else vpon some politicke intent On tother side with such an equall band Came Agramant but sith this day was spent They all agreed all fight to be forborne Vntill the verie next ensuing morne 37 A watch was charged then on either part That neither side the tother may deceaue But ere it yet was darke king Brandimart Though not without Orlandos speciall leaue Doth meane a wondrous fauour to impart To Agramant if he the same receaue For why the tone the tother oft had seene As frends and had in France together beene 38 Now after ioyning hands and salutation The noble minded Brandimart begun To vse vnto the Turke an exhortation That with Orlando he the combat shun Affirming vnto him with protestation Would he beleeue but in the Virgins sonne That he both present peace would then assure him And all his Realmes in Affricke safe procure him 39 Because you are and haue bene deare to me Therefore he saith this counsell you I geeue And sith I follow it my selfe you see Thereby you may be sure I it beleeue Christ is my God a God indeed is he An Idol Mawmet is that doth not liue Wherefore deare Sir I do desire to moue From errors foule your selfe and all I loue 40 This is indeed the way of truth and life All other wayes but this do leade astray Why should you liue in error and in strife When in true peace and knowledge liue you may Tempestuous cares this world hath euer rife And if your present state you would but way You plainly may perceiue your venter such As you to win but little hazard much 41 What if you could the sonne of Milo kill Or vs that come with him to win or die Thinke you that then you shall haue all you will Thinke you your state you can restore thereby No sure the state of Charles is not so ill But that he quickly can our lacke supply Wherefore deare Sir vnto my counsell listen All would be well if you would be a Christen 42 Thus much said Brandimart and more beside He would haue said to peace him to exhort Saue that with scornfull speech and full of pride Fierce Agramant this wife did cut him short A madnesse meere it is thus he replide In you or any man that in such sort Will counsell and aduise men what to do Not being cald of counsell thereunto 43 And where you say to this loue mou'd you chiefe That you haue borne and still do beare to me Herein you pardon must my hard beliefe While in Orlandos companie you be I rather thinke dispaire and spite and griefe Hath mou'd you hereunto because you see Your soule is damned to eternall fire To draw vs thither with you you desire 44 What victories or else what ouerthrowes I shall hereafter haue God onely knoweth Not you nor I nor yet Orlando knowes God onely where he lift the same bestoweth◠But as for me no feare nor foolish showes Shall daunt my courage how so ere it goeth Die first I will with torment and with paine Much rather then to yeeld my stocke to staine 45 Now when you list depart from hence you may As little thankt as slenderly rewarded And if to morrow you the Champion play No better nor no more to be regarded Then you haue plaid the Orator to day Orlando sure will be but weakely guarded And these last words in manner such he said As that thereby much choller he bewraid 46 Thus parted they and rested all that night But readie they were all by breake of day All armd and readie for the future fight Small speech was vsd no lingriug nor no stay They couch their spears run with all their might But while I tell you of this bloody fray I doubt I do vnto Rogero wrong To leaue him swimming in the sea so long 47 The gallant youth had labourd many an howre To swim and saue himselfe from being drownd The surging waue still threats him to deuowre But guiltie conscience more doth him confound He thinks that God will of his mightie powre Sith he foreslowed when he was on ground To be baptizd in waters fresh and fitter To sowse him now in waues both salt and bitter 48 He now remembers he had plighted troth To Bradamant nor done as he had spoken How to Renaldo he had made an oth And that the same by him was fouly broken Most
for Orlando being a known and approved warrior giues a more terrible deuice yet referring the honor to God in most Christian manner of striking down and confounding his enemies with lightning Oliuero whose deuice is the spaniell or lyam hound couching with the word fin che vegna doth with great modestie shew therby that the spaniell or hound that is at commandement waiteth till the fowle or deare he stricken and then boldly leapeth into the water or draweth after it by land so he being yet a young man waited for an occasion to shew his valew which being come he would no longer couch but shew the same In this kind we haue had many in our time as the happie 17. day of Nouember can witnesse that haue excelled for excellencie of deuice of which if I should speake at large it would aske a volume by it selfe My selfe have chosen this of Oliuero for mine owne partly liking the modestie thereof partly for I am not ashamed to confesse it because I fancie the spaniell so much whose picture is in the deuice and if any make merrie at it as I doubt not but some will I shall not be sorrie for it for one end of my trauell in this worke is to make my frends merrie and besides I can alledge many examples of wise men and some verie great men that haue not onely taken pictures but built cities in remembrance of seruiceable beasts And as for dogges Doctor Caynes a learned Phisition and a good man wrote a treatise in praise of them and the Scripture it selfe hath voutchsafed to commend Tobias dogge Here end the annotations of the 41. booke THE XLII BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Orlando of his conquest takes small ioy Which caused him his dearest frend to want Loues diuers passions breed no small annoy To stout Renaldo and good Bradamant She wishing her Rogero to enioy He th' Indian Queene but soone he did recant Taught by disdaine at last in Latian ground The Palladine kind entertainment found 1 WHat iron band or what sharpe hard mouthd bit What chaine of diamond if such might be Can bridle wrathfulnesse and conquer it And keep it in his bounds and due degree When one to vs in bonds of frendship knit And dearly lou'd before our face we see By violence or fraud to suffer wrong By one for him too craftie or too strong 2 And if before we can such pang digest We swarue sometime from law and run astray It may be well excusd sith in ones brest Pure reason at such time beares little sway Achilles when with counterfaited crest He saw Patroclus bleeding all the way To kill his killer was not satisfide Except he hal'd and tare him all beside 3 So now a little since when in his brow Alfonso wounded was with cursed stone And all his men and souldiers thought that now His soule from earth to heau'n had bene vp flone They kild and spoild they car'd whom nor how Strong rampiers walls to them defence were none But in that furie they put all to wracke Both old and young and all the towne to sacke 4 Our men were so enraged with this fall To thinke they had their Captaine lost for ay That to the sword they put both great and small That happend then to come within their way And so their fortune did preuaile withall That they the Castle did regaine that day In fewer houres to their great fame and praise Then had the Spaniards got it erst in dayes 5 It may be God ordained as I guesse That he that time should wounded be so sore To punish that same sinne and foule excesse His foes committed had a while before When Vestidell forlorne and in distresse Did yeeld and should haue had his life thereforâ— Yet was he kild when they had him surprised By men whose greater part were circumcised 6 Wherefore I iustly may conclude thus much That nothing can more hotly kindle wrath Then if one shall the life and honor tuch Of our deare frend or do him wrong or scath Now as I said Orlandos griefe is such And such occasion of iust griefe he hath He sees his frend for lacke of better heeding Lye flat on ground and almost dead with bleeding 7 As the Nomadian Shepherd that a Snake Along the grasse and herbes hath slyding seene Which late before with tooth most poysond strake His little sonne that plaid vpon the greene Doth bruse and beat and kill him with a stake So goes this Earle with blade most sharpe and keene And yet far more with wrath an choller whet And Agramant was then the first he met 8 Vnhappie he that in his passage stood His sword was gone as I declard before Himselfe besmeared all with his owne blood Braue Brandimart had wounded him so sore Orlando comes and in his wrathfull mood With Ballisard that payes home euermore He strikes by fortune were it or by art Iust where the shoulders from the head do part 9 Loosd was his helmet as I erst did tell That like a Poppie quite fell off his hed The carkas of the Lybian Monarke fell Downe to the ground and lay a long starke ded His soule by Charon ferrie-man of hell To Plutâ—s house or Stigian lake was led Orlando staid no whit but straight prepard To finde Gradasso eke with Ballisard 10 But when Gradasso plaine beheld and saw Of Agramant the wofull end and fall He felt and vnaccustomd dread and aw Who neuer wonted was to feare at all And eu'n as if his owne fate he foresaw He made the Palladine resistance small Feare had so maz'd his head and daz'd his sence That for the blow he quite forgat his sence 11 Orlando thrust Gradasso in the side About the ribs as he before him stood The sword came forth a span on tother side And to the hilt was varnisht all with blood By that same thrust alone it might be tride That he that gaue it was a warriour good That with one thrust did vanquish and subdew The stoutest champion of the Turkish crew 12 Orlando of this conquest nothing glad Doth from his saddle in great hast alight And with a heauie heart and count'nance sad He runnes vnto his deare beloued knight He sees his helmet cut as if it had Bene clouen quite with axe a wofull sight And eu'n as if it had bene made of glasse And not of steele and plated well with brasse 13 The Palladine his helmet then vnties And finds the scull clou'n downe vnto the chin And sees the braine all cut before his eyes Yet so much breath and life remaind within That he is able yet before he dyes To call to God for mercie for his sinne And pray Orlando ioyne with him in praying And vfe to him this comfortable saying 14 My deare Orlando see that to our Lord Thou in thy good deuotions me commend Likewise to thee commend I my deare Fiorde And liege he would haue sayd but there did end Straight Angels voyces with
cosin so much more presume Vpon his reconcilement and true loue And promist to assist him if he may And for his answer he prefixt a day 34 And straight from thence he go'th vnto the place Where he was wont the spirits to coniure A strong vast caue in which there was great space The precepts of his Art to put in vre One spright he calls that of each doubtfull case Of Cupids court could giue him notice sure Of him he askt what bred Renaldos change By him he heard of those two fountaines strange 35 And how Renaldo by misfortune led First happend of that hatefull spring to drinke Which his dislike of that faire Ladie bred And made her loue and profferd seruice stinke And how againe by some ill starre misled He drank of th' other spring which causd him thinke Her onely to be loued and admired Whom erst he hated more then cause required 36 Moreouer he to Malagigis showd How that same famous Indian Queene nay quean Had on a Pagan youth herselfe bestowd Of parentage of state of liuing meane And how from Spaine they in a galley rowd All Christendome and Spaine forsaking cleane And passing both with safetie and with ease In ventrous barks of Catalyn the seas 37 Now when Renaldo for his answer came His learned cosin seekes him to perswade Vnto some better thought his minde to frame Nor further in this gulfe of loue to wade Alledging what a slander and a shame It was to fancy one her selfe had made Not like a Queene but like a vile maide Marian A wife nay slaue vnto a base Barbarian 38 In fine he said she was to th' Indies gon With her Medoro and was welnie there Renaldo not a little musd thereon Yet all the rest he could with patience beare And for the paine he counts it small or none So he at last might finde her any where Wherefore of it he had no care not keepe Nor could that make him once to breake his sleepe 39 But when he heard that one of birth so base Had with his mistres laid his knife a boord It seemd this strake him speechles in the place He was not able to pronounce a word His heart did quake within his lips like case So trembled answer he could none afford But ouercome with anguish of the passion He flang away from thence in carelesse fashion 40 And much lamenting this her foule abuse He vowes to follow her what ere insue But yet to Charles he faineth this excuse That sith Gradasso of his word vntrue Had tane his horse contrary to the vse Of valiant Knights he meanes him to pursue Alledging that it were his great dishoner To let Bayardo haue a forren owner 41 And that a Turke should bost another day That he by fight did him thereof bereaue King Charles though loth yet could not say him nay To such an honest sute but gaue him leaue Which tane alone from thence he goes his way And all his frends in Paris he doth leaue With Guidon Dudon stout to him do proffer Their company but he refusd their offer 42 Away he goes alone yet not alone Griefs teares and plaints still his companions are And oft in heart he bitterly doth grone To thinke that erst he should so little care For her great loue which wilfully forgone He now esteemes at rate so high and rare He could haue wisht thus was his mind perplext But one day to enioy and die the next 43 Then he bethinkes with no lesse griefe nayrage How she could finde in that her lofty hart To set her loue on such a sorry page The merites all and seruice put apart Done vnto her eu'n from her tender age By men of high renowne and great desart Thus with a fired hart and watred eyne He rode vntill he toucht the bankes of Rhyne 44 Ere long into Ardenna woods he enters Soone after he Basylea quite had past Ardenna woods whence many come repenters And in that forrest haue bene sore agast To trauell through the same Renaldo venters When suddenly the skie did ouercast And there arose a blacke and hideous storme And then appeard a monster of strange forme 45 She seem'd of womans shape but in her hed A thousand eyes she had that watch did keepe As many eares with which she harkened Her eyes want lids and therefore neuer sleepe In steed of haire her crowne snakes ouerspred Thus marched she foorth of the darknesse deepe Her tayle one Serpent bigger then the rest Which she with knots had tyde about her brest 46 This fight Renaldos mind appald so sore He feeles his heart alreadie gan to fayle him And sith it neuer had done so before He maruels what the goody eare now should aile him Yet still his minde misgaue him more and more To see the monster comming to assaile him He nathlesse countersets his wonted boldnesse Though quaking hāds bewraid his inward coldnesse 47 The monster straight assaulted him much like To one that parfet was and skild in fence And when againe he with his sword did strike He misled and could doe her none offence Much doth Renaldo this ill match mislike And little wants to quite distract his sence Right blowes and reardemaine he striketh many But yet he cannot hit her right with any 48 The monster stickes a Serpent in his brest That strake his heart in to a freesing cold Another fixed is below his crest And on his necke and shoulders taketh hold Renaldo thinkes to get him gone is best And spurres away with all the speed he could But that vile monster was not lame to find him But ouertooke him and leapt vp behind him 49 And whether he go straight or go he wide The monster fitteth sure and holds him fast He knowes not how to be from her vntide Nor any meane within his mind can cast His heart eu'n quakes within him and beside That he was with this hideous plague agast He sorrowd so not knowing how to mend it He loth'd his life and did desire to end it 50 He spurres amaine and purposely he takes The rugged wayes the worst that he could find By craggie Rocks and hils through bryers brakes Through copsies thicke by narrow paths and blind But sure the knight the matter much mistakes He cannot from the monster him vnwind And like it was great harme had him betyded Had not for him bene helpe in time prouided 51 For loe a knight vnto his succour went All armd in shining steele and on his shield He bare a yoke in sundry peeces rent And flames of fire all in a yellow field So weaponed he was as if he ment To make all that encountred him to yeeld A sword and speare he had and to the same A Mace from whence he threw continuall flame 52 His Mace was stor'd with euerlasting fire That euer burned and did neuer wast No other weapon needed one desire To make good way with wheresoeu'r he past And sure
of that same stocke descended right That had their ofspring from the serpents iaw From whence the Fairy eake that Manto hight And built our Citie doth her lynage draw This knight that was Adonio cald by name Was much enamord on the louely dame 70 And that he might attaine this Ladies loue He doth begin to spend beyond all measure In clothes in feasts his calling far aboue In showes in playes to do his mistres pleasure To beare the charge thereof it would behoue To haue that Emperour Tiberius treasure So as I weene ere winters twaine were past His lands were quite consum'd he spent so fast 71 Wherefore compeld to strike his loftie sayles He sodainly surceast his stately port The house now that the Lords reuenue fayles Stood solitarie quite without resort There were no Feasants Partriges nor Quayles His pittance now was growne but bare and short And he that earst was king of all this feasting Playd least in sight now doubting of arresting 72 And therefore lothing to be knowne or seen He purposd in this place not long to tarrie But with a minde to leaue his country cleen He stale away fro thence all solitarie Her onely loue that of his heart was Queen In all his woes he still with him doth carrie But lo when as his Ebb did seeme most low Good fortune made his tyde most high to flow 73 For as he wanderd here and there abroad He saw how that a sturdie clowne and stout With sturdie staffe layd on no little load Vpon a bush still beating there about Adonio in the place makes some aboad And ask the cause of that same country lout Who told him that a monstrous snake and huge Had taken that same bush for a refuge 74 And told him further he that stir did make With minde to finde and kill it ere he part Adonio for his crest did giue the Snake And therefore lou'd and fauord Snakes in hart As from whose kinde he did his gentrie take Wherefore vnto the clowne he doth impart His minde so farre at last he him perswaded To let alone the Snake he so inuaded 75 This done he went as he was bent before Farre from his country where he was vnknown And so indur'd till seu'n whole yeares and more Of woe and want quite ore his head were blown But that great loue he to his mistres bore Him forst though now all out of fashion grown With bushie beard leane cheekes ragged cloths To turne vnto the place that most he lothes 76 In this meane time our towne had cause to send Some sage Ambassadour vnto the Pope That must vpon his Holynes attend And for his suit to take a whole yeare scope The Iudge by lot was chosen to that end O cursed lot that killed all his hope To shunne this office he tryes many shifts By scuses promises by prai'rs and gifts 77 But finding that he straue against the streame At last against his will he takes the place Though to depart into another Reame It seemed vnto him a grieuous case His iealousie there with grew most extreame Misdoubting his wiues truth so long a space Yet nath'les her in graue and frendlesse speech To haue great care thereof he doth beseech 78 He saith a woman cannot take vpon her With bewtie riches nor with high Nobillitie To clayme the true diserued prayse of honer If chastitie do faile by her fragillitie This is the vertue that defends her owner And now she may he saith with great facillitie Attaine great praise and show thereof great proofe While he is forst to stay so farre aloofe 79 These words he spake and many such as thease Thereby to moue her to continue true And she poore soule yet free from such disease His parting thence did much lament and rue She swears that sooner men should draine the seas Then draw her mind so to forget her due Yea first she will eu'n dye the death she saith Much rather then to falsifie her faith 80 The Iudge appeased with this her protestation Began to haue of her the lesse mistrust But yet his fond and iealous inclination So moues him that search further needs he must He had a friend that could by coniuration Foretell of future matters true and iust That were it skill in Magicke or in starres His guesse was such as that it seldome arres 81 He speaketh to that friend to this effect That he his wiues natiuitie would cast To learne if he did right or wrong suspect That she would in his absence liue vnchast The man thus praid the figure doth erect And in their place the Planets all he plast Anselmus leaues him busie and next day Doth come to heare him what he hath to say 82 T was long before th' Astronomer would speake As loth to speake that would the Iudge offend With many scuses friuolous and weake He shifts him off but vrged by his frend He told him flatly she would wedlocke breake And that she would to him proue false in th' end Not mou'd by bewty not by suit desired But eu'n for lucres sake directly hyred 83 Now when Anselmus former bad beleefe Was newly reconfirmd by Spheares supernall It doubtlesse did so much augment his greefe I thinke his torture past the paines infernall And more then all the rest this greeu'd him cheefe And to his heart a corsiue was eternall To thinke that Auarice should her entise Vpon her chastitie to set a price 84 Yet to preuent all that such minde might breed Most earnestly he bendeth all his powre For as they say man is compeld by need To rob the Church and hallow'd things deuowre His iewells plate and stocke that did exceed He put all in her hands that present howre And made it all her owne by deed of gift And told her plaine what was herein his drift 85 He saith he giues it her on this condition Not that she should striue to increase or mend it For why he said she should haue free commission To sell to giue cast it away and spend it But onely that she should auoyd suspisition Of wedlocke breach and by no meanes offend it On this condition all he then bequeaths her That he may find her such as now he leaues her 86 He further doth her earnestly exhort That presently when he is gone away She should for more eschuing of resort Not any longer in the Citie stay But at his countrey house where in good sort Till his returne the season passe she may Belike he thought in tillers of the ground And country swaines entisements none are found 87 His louely wife Argia all this space Still hanging on his necke while he did speake With kindly teares bedewed all his face And much it greeu'd her to be iudgd so weake And to be deemed so deuoyd of grace That in his absence she would wedlocke breake Her manners haue not bene so light and vicious She saith to moue him to be thus suspitious
else with sword in hand him so behaue As that he can withstand me in the feeld Behold the onely fauour that I craue I would be his that proues himselfe so stout The rest may be content to stand without 68 Most noble maid the Emp'ror straight replide Thy stout demand well to thy minde doth sute Wherefore by me it may not be denyde It is so noble and so iust a sute Now for she sought not this her suit to hide All they that heard thereof sure were not mute But eu'n ere night it publisht was so rise As it was knowne to Ammon and his wife 69 And thereupon they presently conceaued Against their daughter great disdaine and wrath For by such motion plainly they perceaued She to Rogero most deuotion hath Wherefore to th' end she might be quite bereaued All hope to follow that forbidden path From out the court they traind her by a slight And sent her to their castle that same night 70 This was a fortresse that but few dayes past The Prince had giu'n to them vpon request Betweene Perpignan and Cirtasso plast And neare the sea not of importance least Here as a prisner they did keepe her fast With minde to send her one dâ—y vnto th' East They purpose will she nill she she must take Don Leon and Rogero quite forsake 71 The Damsell though not kept with watch or guard Yet bridled with the Parents awfull raine Did keepe her close with good and due regard And of their rigor did no whit complaine But yet to this her thoughts were full prepard To bide imprisonment or any paine Or death it selfe by torture or by racke More rather then from promise to go backe 72 Renaldo finding that his suttle fire Had tane his sister thus from out his fist Nor able as his promise did require Rogeros suit to further and assist Forgets he is his sonne and in his ire Rebukes his Parents but say what he list They are content to giue the words to loosers But in their daughters match they will be choosers 73 Rogero hearing this and greatly fearing Least Leon should by loue or by constraint Possesse his Lady by his long forbearing He minds but none he doth therewith acquaint To giue a speedie death to Leon swearing That he of Caesar will make him a saint And that he will except his hope deceiue him Of scepter life and loue and all bereaue him 74 And in his minde resolued full thereon Don Hectors armor that from Mandricard He late had wonne forwith he putteth on Frontino cake he secretly prepard But Eagle on his sheeld he would haue none I cannot tell you well in what regard In steed thereof an argent Vnicorne In field of Gewls by him as then was borne 75 One onely trustie seruant and no mo He takes with him his purpose to conceale He giueth him in charge where ere he go That he his name to no man do reueale Thus Mosa Rhyne he past with pace not slow And Austria to th'Vngarian common weale And vpon Isters banke such speed he made That in a while he came vnto Belgrade 76 Where Saua doth into Danubia fall And all along that streame he might discouer Ensignes and banners all Imperiall That nye the streame in numbers great did houer Great was their multitude and Grecians all Who with a hope that citie to recouer Which late before from them the Bulgars wonne Were thither brought by th' Emperor and his sonne 77 Twixt Belgrade and the streame in warlike rankes The Bulgars stood eu'n to the monntaines ridge Both armies waterd at the riuers bankes The Greekes endeuord there to cast a bridge And for that end prepared boats and plankes The Bulgars sought their purpose to abridge Scarse had Rogero vewd them wel and seene them But that there fell a skirmish hot betweene them 78 The Greeks were foure to one beside they haue Good store of boats with many a planke and boord And to the place a sharpe assault they gaue And mean to passe although there were no foord But this was but a policie and braue For Leon so this while himselfe besturd That with a compasse that about he fet Both he and his the streame past without let 79 With little lesse then twentie thousand men Along the banks he secretly doth ride And gaue to them a fresh alarum then Vnlooked for vnwares and vnespide No lesse the Emp'ror Constantino when He saw his sonne on land on tother side By ioyning planke to planke and boat to boat With all his powre an easie passage got 80 The Bulgar Captaine that Vatrano hight And was a valiant warrior and a wise Endeuord both by policie and fight To beare the bront but nothing could suffice For Leon both by multitude and might Vnhorsed him and ere he could arise Sith he to yeeld him prisner did disdaine Among a thousand swords he there was slaine 81 Till then the Bulgars valiantly made hed But when they saw their king and Captaine slaine So great a terror in their minds was bred In their faint hearts no courage did remaine Rogero seeing how the Bulgars fled And none to stay or bring them backe againe To helpe the weaker part resolueth briefly For hate of Constantine but Leon chiefly 82 He spurres his horse that like the winde doth runne And makes them stand that fled with fainting brest And hauing spide one brauer then the Sunne A gallant youth more forward then the rest This same was Constantinos sisters sonne At him Rogero runnes with speare in rest He brake his shield and coat like brittle glasse And through his bodie made the speare to passe 83 He leaues him dead and Ballisard he drawes And with that blade he shewd himselfe so stout Who meeteth with him to repent haue cause He presseth in among the thickest rout Ones skull he cleaueth to the verie iawes Heads leggs and armes flew all the field about The streame that erst did run as Christall cleare Vermillion now doth to the sight appeare 84 No man that saw much lesse that felt his blowes Dare once make head against them or resist them Rogero in the field triumphant goes The Bulgars now march freely where it list them Nor was there one amongst them all that knowes What wight it was that did so well assist them This change they saw procur'd in little space Who lately fled now held their foes in chase 85 The young Augustus standing on a hill A place aboue the rest much eminent Seeing one man his men to slay and kill And that their losse and flight was euident He wonders at his courage and his skill And thinks that God had sure some Angel sent To plague the Grecians for their old offences And for the Bulgars succours and defences 86 He sees both by his armes and Vnicorne That sure he was a knight of forraine Nation And where as some more hate wold him haue born He rather held him in more admiration His heart whom