The day before here taken was the pair, And sent by that proud paynim to Argier: These warriors' arms the martial maid bade lower From that fair tomb, and stored them in the tower.

LIV All others, taken from the paynim train, Bradamant left suspended from the stone; Mid these a king's, that idly and in vain, Had thither, seeking Frontalatte, gone: I say his arms, that ruled Circa.s.sia's reign; Who, after wandering long, by date and down, Here to his grief another courser left, And lightly went his way, of arms bereft.

LV Stript of his armour and afoot, did part That paynim monarch from the bridge of dread; As Rodomont permitted to depart Those other knights that in his faith were bred: But to his camp to wend he had no heart, For there he was ashamed to show his head: Since, in such fashion, thither to return After his boasts, had been too foul a scorn.

LVI Yet still with new desire the warrior burned To seek her, fixed alone in his heart's core; And such the monarch's chance, he quickly learned (I cannot tell you who the tidings bore) She was towards her native land returned.

Hence, as Love spurs and goads him evermore, He bowns him straight her footsteps to pursue: But I to Bradamant return anew.

LVII When she in other writing had displaid How she had freed that pa.s.sage from the foe, To mournful Flordelice the martial maid, She that still held her weeping visage low, Turned her, and courteously that lady prayed To tell her whither she designed to go.

To her afflicted Flordelice replied: "To Arles, where camp the paynims, would I ride.

LVIII "Which bark (I hope) and fitting company, To carry me to Africk may afford; Nor will I halt upon my way, till I Once more rejoin my husband and my lord; All means and measures there resolved to try, That may release him from his jailer's ward; And should the Saracen deceitful prove, Others, and others yet, I mean to move."

LIX "My company (replied the martial fair) For some part of the road, I offer thee, Till we have sight of Arles; then to repair Thither, will pray you, for the love of me, To find King Agramant's Rogero there, Whose glorious name is spread o'er land and sea, And render to that knight this goodly horse, Whence the proud Moor was flung in martial course.

LX "Say thus, from point to point, 'A cavalier That would in combat prove his chivalry, And to the world at large would fain make clear Thy breach of faith with him, that thou may'st be Ready and well prepared for the career, Gave me this horse, that I might give it thee.

He bids thee promptly mail and corslet dight, And wait him, who with thee will wage the fight.'

LXI "Say this and nought beside, and would he hear My name, declare that 'tis to thee unknown."

With wonted kindness cried that dame, "I ne'er In spending life itself, not words alone, Should weary in your service; since whilere You would in my behalf as much have done."

Her Aymon's daughter thanked in courteous strain, And to her hand consigned Frontino's rein.

LXII Through long days' journey, by that river-sh.o.r.e, Together go the lovely pilgrim pair, Till they see Arles, and hear the hollow roar.

Of billows breaking on the sea-beach bare.

Almost without the suburbs, and before The furthest barrier, stops the martial fair; To furnish Flordelice what time might need For the conveyance of Rogero's steed.

LXIII She forward rode, within the enclosure sped, And o'er the bridge and through the gateway wended, And (furnished with a guide, who thither led) To young Rogero's inn; and there descended.

She to the Child, as bid, her message said, And gave the courser, to her care commended: Then (for she waits not for an answer) speeds In haste to execute her proper needs.

LXIV Rogero stands confused; he finds no end To his perplexing thoughts, and cannot see Who should defy him, who that message send, To speak him ill, and do him courtesy.

Who thus as faithless him should reprehend, Or any reprehend, whoe'er it be, Nor knows he nor imagines; least of all On Bradamant the knight's suspicions fall.

LXV To think 'twas Rodomont the youthful peer Was more inclined than any other wight; And wherefore even from him he this should hear, Muses, nor can the cause divine aright; Save him, in all the world the cavalier Knows not of one, that has him at despite.

Meanwhile Dordona's lady craved the field; And loud that martial damsel's bugle pealed.

LXVI To Agramant and King Marsilius flew The news, that one craved battle on the plain.

Serpentine stood by chance before the two, And gained their leave to don his plate and chain, And vowed to take that haughty man; the crew Of people over wall and rampart strain; Nor child nor elder was there, but he pressed To see which champion should bestir him best.

LXVII In beauteous arms and costly surcoat drest, Serpentine of the star to combat sped; The ground he at the first encounter prest; As if equipt with wings, his courser fled.

The damsel flew his charger to arrest, And by the bride to that paynim led, Exclaiming: "Mount, and bid your monarch send A knight that better can with me contend."

LXVIII The Moorish king, that on the rampart's height Stood, with a mighty following, next the plain, Marking the joust, much marvelled at the sight Of the foe's courtesy to him of Spain.

"He takes him not, although he may of right,"

He cries i' the hearing of the paynim train.

Serpentine comes, and, as the maid commands, A better warrior of that king demands.

LXIX Grandonio de Volterna, fierce of mood, And in all Spain the proudest cavalier, The second for that fell encounter stood, Such favour had his suit obtained whilere.

"To thee thy courtesy shall do no good,"

He threats, "for if unhorsed in the career A prisoner to my lord shalt thou be led: But, if I fight as wonted, thou art dead."

LXX She cries, "I would not thy discourtesy Should make me so forget my courteous vein, But that aforehand I should caution thee Back to thy fortress to return again, Ere on hard earth thy bones shall battered be.

Go tell thy king no champion of thy grain I seek, but hither come to crave the fight With warrior that is worthy of my might."

LXXI Bradamant's sharp and stinging answer stirred The paynim's fury to a mighty flame; So that, without the power to speak a word, He wheeled his courser, filled with rage and shame; Wheeling as well, at that proud paynim spurred Her horse with levelled lance the warlike dame.

As the charmed weapon smites Grandonio's shield, With heels in air, he tumbles on the field.

LXXII To him the high-minded damsel gave his horse, And said, "Yet was this fate to thee foreshown, Instead of craving thus the knightly course, Better mine emba.s.sy wouldst thou have done.

Some other knight, that equals me in force, I pray thee bid the Moorish king send down, Nor weary me, by forcing me to meet Champions like thee, untried in martial feat."

LXXIII They on the walls, that know not who the peer That in the joust so well maintains his seat, Name many a warrior, famous in career, That often make them shake in fiercest heat.

Brandimart many deem the cavalier; More guesses in renowned Rinaldo meet; Many would deem Orlando was the knight, But that they knew his pitiable plight.

LXXIV The third encounter craved Lanfusa's son, And cried, "Not that I better hope to fare, But that to warriors who this course have run, My fall may furnish an excuse more fair."

Next, with all arms that martial jousters don, Clothed him, and of a hundred steeds that were Ready for service, kept in lordly stall, For speed and action chose the best of all.

LXXV He bowned him for the tournay, on his side But first saluted her and she the knight.

"If 'tis allowed to ask," (the lady cried,) "Tell me in courtesy how ye are hight."

In this Ferrau the damsel satisfied, Who rarely hid himself form living wight.

"Ye will I not refuse," (subjoined the dame) "Albeit I to meet another came."

LXXVI -- "And who?" the Spaniard said; -- the maid replied, "Rogero"; and p.r.o.nounced the word with pain.

And, in so saying, her fair face was dyed All over with the rose's crimson grain.

She after added, "Hither have I hied, To prove how justly famed his might and main.

No other care have I, no other call, But with that gentle youth to try a fall."

LXXVII She spoke the word in all simplicity, Which some already may in malice wrest.

Ferrau replied, "a.s.sured I first must be Which of us two is schooled in warfare best, If what has chanced to many, falls on me, Hither, when I return, shall be addrest, To mend my fault, that gentle cavalier, With whom you so desire to break a spear."

LXXVIII Discoursing all this while, the martial maid Spake with her beavor up, without disguise: Ferrau, as that fair visage he surveyed, Perceived he was half vanquished by its eyes.

And to himself, in under tone, he said, "He seems an angel sent from Paradise; And, though he should not harm me with his lance, I am already quelled by that sweet glance."

LXXIX They take their ground, and to the encounter ride, And, like those others, Ferrau goes to ground; His courser Bradamant retained, and cried, "Return, and keep thy word with me as bound."

Shamed, he returned, and by his monarch's side, Among his peers, the young Rogero found; And let the stripling know the stranger knight, Without the walls, defied him to the fight.

Lx.x.x Rogero (for not yet that warrior knows What champion him in duel would a.s.sail) Nigh sure of victory, with transport glows, And bids his followers bring his plate and mail; Nor having seen beneath those heavy blows The rest dismounted, makes his spirit quail.

But how he armed, how sallied, what befell That knight, in other canto will I tell.

CANTO 36

ARGUMENT While with the fierce Marphisa at despite Duke Aymon's daughter wages fierce affray, One and the other host engage in fight.

With Bradamant Rogero wends his way.

With other war disturbs their great delight Marphisa bold; but when that martial may Has for her brother recognized the peer, They end their every strife with joyous cheer.

I Where'er they be, all hearts of gentle strain Still cannot choose but courtesy pursue; For they from nature and from habit gain What they henceforth can never more undo.

Alike the heart that is of churlish vein, Where'er it be, its evil kind will shew.

Nature inclines to ill, through all her range, And use is second nature, hard to change.