The roads were broken, and the following day Olindro from all sides was overlaid; And, though he made a brave defence and long, Of wife and life was plundered by that throng.

LVI "Olindro slain, they led his lady fair A captive thence, o'erwhelmed with sorrow so, That she refused to live, and made her prayer, Tanacro, as a grace, would death bestow: Resolved to die, she leapt, in her despair, From a high bank into a vale below; But death was to the wretched dame refused; Who lay with shattered head and sorely bruised.

LVII "She could not to the castle be conveyed In other guise than borne upon a bier: Her (so Tanacro bids) prompt leeches aid; Because he will not lose a prey so dear; And while to cure Drusilla they essayed, Busied about their spousals was the peer: In that so chaste a lady and so fair, A wife's and not a leman's name should wear.

LVIII "He had no other thought, no other aim, No other care, nor spake beside of ought; Saw he had wronged her, and took all the blame, And, as he could, to amend his error wrought: But all was vain; the more he loved the dame, The more be to appease her anger sought, So much more was her hate; so much more will, So much more thirst had she that youth to kill.

LIX "Yet hatred blinded not her judgment so, But what the dame could clearly comprehend, That she, if she would strike the purposed blow, Must feign, and secret snares for him extend.

And her desire beneath another show (Which is but how Tanacro to offend) Must mask; and make him think, that overblown Is her first love, and turned to him alone.

LX "Her face speaks peace; while vengeance inwardly Her heart demands, and but to this attends: She many things revolves, accepts, puts by; Or, as of doubtful issue, some suspends.

Deeming she can, if she resolves to die, Compa.s.s her scheme, with this resolve she ends; And better how can she expend her breath Than in avenging dear Olindro's death?

LXI "She showed herself all joyful, on her part, And feigned that she desired those nuptials sore; Nor only showed an unreluctant heart; But all delay and hindrance overbore.

Painted and tired above the rest with art, 'Twould seem, she of her husband thinks no more: But 'tis her will, that in her country's wise Tanacro shall their wedding solemnize.

LXII "The custom howsoever was not true, Which as her country's use she certified; But, because never thought within her grew Which she could spend on any thing beside, A falsehood she devised, whence hope she drew Of killing him by whom her husband died; And told Tanacro -- and the manner said -- How in her country's fashion she would wed.

LXIII " 'The widow that a husband's bed ascends, Ere she approach the bridegroom (said that fair) The spirit of the dead, whom she offends, Must soothe with solemn office, ma.s.s and prayer; In the holy temple making her amends, Where her first husband's bones entombed are.

-- That sacrifice performed -- to bind their vows The nuptial ring the bridegroom gives the spouse.

LXIV " 'But the holy priest, while this shall be about, Upon wine, thither for that purpose sped, His orisons, appropriate and devout, Blessing withal the liquor, shall have said; Then from the flask into a cup pour out, And give the blessed wine to them that wed.

But 'tis the spouse's part to take the cup; And first that vessel's cordial beverage sup.'

LXV "The unsuspecting youth, who takes no heed What nuptials, ordered in her wise, import, At her own pleasure bids the dame proceed, So that she cut his terms of waiting short; Nor does the miserable stripling read She would avenge Olindro in that sort; And on one object is so sore intent, He sees but that, on that alone is bent.

LXVI "An ancient woman, seized with her whilere, And left, withal, obeyed Drusilla, who That beldam called and whispered in her ear, So as that none beside could hear the two -- A poison of quick power for me prepare, Such as, I know, thou knowest how to brew; And bottle it; for I have found a way The traitorous son of Marganor to slay;

LXVII " 'And me and thee no less can save,' (she said,) 'And this at better leisure will explain.'

The woman went her ways, the potion made, And to the palace bent her steps again: A flask of Candian sweet wine she purveyed, Wherewith Drusilla sheathed that deadly bane; And kept the beverage for the nuptial day; For now had ceased all hindrance and delay.

LXVIII "On the fixt day she seeks the temple, dight With precious jewels and with goodly gear; Where her lord's tomb, befitting such a knight, Built by her order, two fair pillars rear.

The holy office there, with solemn rite, Is sung, which men and women troop to hear; And -- gay, beyond his usage -- with his heir, Begirt by friends, Sir Marganor is there.

LXIX "When the holy obsequies at last were o'er, And by the priest was blest the poisoned draught, He into a fair golden cup did pour The wine, as by Drusilla had been taught, She drank what sorted with her s.e.x; nor more Than would effect the purpose which she sought: Then to the bridegroom, with a jocund eye, Handed the draught, who drained the goblet dry.

LXX "The cup returned -- Tanacro, blithe and gay, Opened his arms Drusilla to embrace.

Then altered was her sweet and winning way, And to a tempest that long calm gave place.

She thrust him back, she motioned him away; She seemed to kindle in her eyes and face; And to the youth, with broken voice and dread, -- 'Traitor, stand off,' -- the furious lady said; --

LXXI " 'Shalt thou then joy and solace have from me, I tears from thee, and punishment and woe?

Now these mine hands shall make an end of thee.

This, if thou know'st it not, for poison know.

Much grieve I that thou should'st too honoured be By the executioner who deals the blow; Should'st die a death too easy: since I wot, For thee too shameful hand or pain is not.

LXXII " 'In seeing this thy death, it gives me pain, My sacrifice should be completed ill; For could I do by thee as I were fain, Nothing should lack that purpose to fulfill.

May my sweet consort not the work disdain, And for the imperfect deed accept the will!

That, without power to compa.s.s what I would, I have been fain to slay thee as I could!

LXXIII " 'And that deserved punishment, which I Cannot, as I desire, on thee bestow, I hope thy soul shall have; hope to be nigh, To see thee suffer, in the realms of woe.'

Her turbid eyes then raising to the sky, With joyous face all over in a glow, (She cried) 'Olindro, take this victim's life, With the good will of thine avenging wife;

LXXIV " 'And of our lord for me the grace obtain, To be this day in paradise with thee, If he reply, none cometh to your reign, Without desert; say such I bring with me, Who this fell impious monster, in his fane, Offer, as my first-fruits; and what can be A greater merit than to have supprest Such loathsome and abominable pest?'

LXXV "Her life, together with her speech, was spent; And, even dead, her face appeared to glow With joy, at having dealt such punishment To him, that laid her cherished husband low.

If fierce Tanacro's spirit did prevent, Of follow hers, I wiss not; but, I trow, Prevented, for on him that venom rank Yet faster wrought, because he deeper drank.

LXXVI "Marganor, who beheld his only son Fall and expire, his outstretched arms between, Well nigh had with Tanacro died, o'erthrown By that so sudden grief and unforeseen.

Two sons he had, and now was left alone; Brought to that pa.s.s he by two wives had been; This was the cause one spent his vital breath With her own hand, that dealt the other death.

LXXVII "Love, pity, sorrow, anger, and desire Of death and vengeance, all together rend And rack the childless and unhappy sire, Who groans like sea, when wind and waves contend: Towards the dame, with vengeful thoughts afire, He goes, but sees that life is at an end; And, goaded by his rage and hatred hot, Seeks to offend her corse that feels it not.

LXXVIII "As serpent, by the pointed spear pinned down, Fixes his teeth in it, with fruitless spire; Or as the mastiff runs towards a stone, Which has been flung by some wayfaring wight, And gnaws it in his rage, nor will be gone Until he venge himself; 'tis so the knight, Than any mastiff, any serpent, worse Offends Drusilla's cold and lifeless corse.

LXXIX "And, for he venteth not, nor slakes his mood, By foul abuse upon the carcase done, Among the women, a large mult.i.tude, He springs, and there shows mercy unto none.

Mown are we with his impious sword, as strewed Is gra.s.s with scythe, when dried by summer sun.

There is no 'scape; for straightways of our train Are full a hundred maimed, and thirty slain.

Lx.x.x "He of his va.s.sals is so held in dread, There is no man who dares to lift his eyes: The women with the meaner sort are fled, And whosoever can, the temple flies.

His friends against the furious fit make head, At last, with kind constraint and suppliant cries; And, leaving every thing in tears below, Him in his castle on the rock bestow.

Lx.x.xI "His wrath enduring still, to send away The wretch determines all the female band: In that, his will us utterly to slay His people and his friends, with prayer, withstand; And he bids punish, on that very day, An order for us all to leave his land; Placed such his pleasures on these confines: woe To them that nearer to his castle go!

Lx.x.xII "Thus husbands from their wives divided are, Mothers from sons: if hither to resort, Despite that order, any one should dare, Let none know this, who might the deed report!

For sorely mulcted for the transgression were Many, and many slain in cruel sort.

A statute for his town next made the peer: Of fouler law we neither read nor hear.

Lx.x.xIII "It wills, all women found within the vale, (For thither even yet will some descend,) His men with rods shall on the shoulders whale, And into exile from those countries send; But first their gowns shall clip, and parts unveil That decency and natural shame offend; And if with escort of an armed knight Any wend thither, they are slain outright.

Lx.x.xIV "Those that an armed warrior's escort have, By this ill man, to piety a foe, Are dragged as victims to his children's grave, Where his own hand inflicts the murderous blow.

Stript ignominiously of armour, glaive, And steed, their champions to his prisons go; And this can he compel; for, night and day, A thousand men the tyrant's hest obey.

Lx.x.xV "And I will add, moreover, 'tis his will, Does he free any one, he first shall swear Upon the holy wafer, that he still To woman, while he lives, will hatred bear.

If then these ladies and yourself to spill Seem good to you, to yonder walls repair; And put to proof withal, if prowess more Or cruelty prevails in Marganor."

Lx.x.xVI So saying, in those maids of martial might First she such pity moved and then disdain, That they (had it been day instead of night) Would then have gone against that castellain.

There rest the troop; and when Aurora's light Serves as a signal to the starry train, That they should all before the sun recede, They don the cuira.s.s and remount the steed:

Lx.x.xVII And now, in act to go, that company Behind them hear the stony road resound With a long trample, when those warlike three Look down the vale and roll their eyes around; And they from thence, a stone's-throw distant, see A troop, which through a narrow pathway wound: A score they are perhaps in number, who On horseback, or on foot, their way pursue.

Lx.x.xVIII They with them on a horse a woman haul, (Whom stricken sore in years her visage shows,) In guise wherein some doleful criminal Condemned to gallows, fire, or prison goes; Who, notwithstanding that wide interval, Is by her features known, as well as clothes: They of the village, mid the cavalcade, Know her for fair Drusilla's chamber maid.

Lx.x.xIX The chamber wench, made prisoner with his prize, By the rapacious stripling, as I shewed, Who being trusted with that ill emprize, The poisoned draught of foul effect had brewed.

From the others she and those solemnites Had kept away, suspecting what ensued: Yea, this while, from that lordship had she fled, Where she in safety hoped to hide her head.

XC News being after to her foeman brought, That she retired in Ostericche lay, He, with intent to burn the woman, sought To have her in his power by every way; And finally unhappy Avarice, bought By costly presents, and by proffered pay, Wrought on a lord, a.s.sured upon whose lands The beldam lived, to put her in his hands.

XCI He on a sumpter horse the prisoner sent To Constance-town, like merchandise addrest; Fastened and bound in manner to prevent The use of speech, and prisoned in a chest.

From whence that rabble, his ill instrument, Who has all pity banished from his breast, Had hither brought her, that his impious rage That cruel man might on the hag a.s.suage.