XV So those high-minded virgin warriors two, Scowering the field in separate courses, made Huge havock of the Moors; whom they pursue One with couched lance, and one with lifted blade.

Hardly King Agramant his Africk crew From flight, beneath his royal banners stayed: In search of Rodomont, he vainly turned; Nor tidings of the missing warrior learned.

XVI He at his exhortation (so he trowed) Had broke the treaty made in solemn wise, To witness which the G.o.ds were called aloud; Who then so quick vanished from his eyes: Nor sees he King Sobrino; disavowed By King Sobrino is the deed, who flies To Arles, and deems that day some vengeance dread Will fall on Agramant's devoted head.

XVII Marsilius too is fled into the town: So has that monarch holy faith at heart.

'Tis hence, that feebly King Troyano's son Resists the crew, that war on Charles's part, Italians, English, Germans; of renown Are all; and, scattered upon every part, Are mixed the paladins, those barons bold, Glittering like jewels on a cloth of gold;

XVIII And, with those peers, is more than one confest As perfect as is earthly cavalier, Guide the savage, that intrepid breast, And those two famous sons of Olivier.

I will not now repeat what I exprest Of that fierce, daring female twain whilere; Who on the field so many Moors extend, No number is there to the slain or end.

XIX But, putting this affray some while aside, Without a pinnace will I pa.s.s the sea.

To them of France so fast I am not tied, But that Astolpho should remembered be: Of the grace given him by his holy guide I told erewhile, and told (it seems to me) Branzardo and the king of Algaziers Against the duke had mustered all their spears.

XX Such as the monarchs could in haste engage, Raked from all Africa, that host contained; Whether of fitting or of feeble age: Scarce from impressing women they refrained, Resolved his thirst of vengeance to a.s.suage, Agramant twice his Africa had drained.

Few people in the land were left, and they A feeble and dispirited array.

XXI So proved they; for the foe was scarce in view, Before that levy broke in panic dread: Like sheep, their quailing bands Astolpho slew, Charging at his more martial squadrons' head; And with the slain filled all that champaign; few Into Biserta from the carnage fled.

A prisoner valiant Bucifar remained; The town in safety King Branzardo gained;

XXII More grieved as Bucifaro's loss alone, Than had he lost the rest in arms arrayed.

Wide and in want of ramparts is the town; And these could ill be raised without his aid.

While fain to ransom him, he thinks upon The means, and stands afflicted and dismayed, He recollects him how the paladin, Dudon, has many a month his prisoner been.

XXIII Him under Monaco, upon the sh.o.r.e, In his first pa.s.sage, Sarza's monarch took.

Thenceforth had been a prisoner evermore Dudon, who was derived of Danish stock.

The paladin against the royal Moor Branzardo thought, in this distress, to truck; And knowing through sure spy, Astolpho led The Nubians, to that chief the offer sped.

XXIV A paladin himself, Astolpho knows He gladly ought a paladin to free; And when that case the Moorish envoy shows, To King Branzardo's offer does agree.

Dudon from prison loosed, his thanks bestows; And whatsoe'er pertains to land or sea, Bestirs him to accomplish, in accord With his ill.u.s.trious chief, the English lord.

XXV Astolpho leading such a countless band As might have well seven Africas opprest, And recollecting 'twas the saint's command, Who upon him whilere imposed the quest, That fair Provence and Aquamorta's strand He from the reaving Saracen should wrest, Made through his numerous host a second draught Of such as least inapt for sea he thought;

XXVI And filling next as full as they could be His hands with many different sorts of leaves, Plucked from palm, olive, bay and cedar tree, Approached the sh.o.r.e, and cast them on the waves.

Oh blessed souls! Oh great felicity!

O grace! which rarely man from G.o.d receives; O strange and wondrous miracle, which sprung Out of those leaves upon the waters flung!

XXVII They wax in number beyond all esteem; Becoming crooked and heavy, long, and wide.

Into hard timber turn and solid beam, The slender veins that branch on either side: Taper the masts; and, moored in the salt stream, All in a thought transformed to vessels, ride; And of as diverse qualities appear, As are the plants, whereon they grew whilere.

XXVIII It was a miracle to see them grown To galliot, galley, frigate ship, and boat; Wondrous, that they with tackling of their own, Are found as well as any barks afloat.

Nor lack there men to govern them, when blown By bl.u.s.tering winds -- from islands not remote -- Sardinia or Corsica, of every rate, Pilot and patron, mariner and mate.

XXIX Twenty-six thousand were the troop that manned Those ready barks of every sort and kind.

To Dudon's government, by sea or land A leader sage, the navy was consigned; Which yet lay anch.o.r.ed off the Moorish strand, Expecting a more favourable wind, To put to sea; when, freighted with a load Of prisoners, lo! a vessel made the road.

x.x.x She carried those, whom at the bridge of dread, -- On that so narrow place of battle met -- Rodomont took, as often has been said.

The valiant Olivier was of the set, Orlando's kin, and, with them, prisoners led, Were faithful Brandimart and Sansonet, With more; to tell whereof there is no need; Of German, Gascon, or Italian seed.

x.x.xI The patron, yet unweeting he should find Foes in the port, here entered to unload; Having left Argier many miles behind, Where he was minded to have made abode; Because a boisterous, overblowing, wind Had driven his bark beyond her destined road; Deeming himself as safe and welcome guest, As Progne, when she seeks her noisy nest.

x.x.xII But when, arrived, the imperial eagle spread, And pards and golden lilies he descries, With countenance as sicklied o'er by dread, He stands, as one that in unwary guise, Has chanced on fell and poisonous snake to tread, Which, in the gra.s.s, opprest with slumber lies; And, pale and startled, hastens to retire From that ill reptile, swoln with bane and ire.

x.x.xIII But no retreat from peril is there here, Nor can the patron keep his prisoners down: Him thither Brandimart and Olivier, Sansonet and those others drag, where known And greeted are the friends with joyful cheer, By England's duke and Danish Ogier's son; Who read that he who brought them to that sh.o.r.e Should for his pains be sentenced to the oar.

x.x.xIV King Otho's son kind welcome did afford Unto those Christian cavaliers, as said: Who -- honoured at his hospitable board -- With arms and all things needful were purveyed.

His going, for their sake, the Danish lord Deferred, who deemed his voyage well delayed, To parley with those peers, though at the cost Of one or two good days, in harbour lost.

x.x.xV Of Charles, and in what state, what order are The affairs of France they gave advices true; Told where he best could disembark, and where To most advantage of the Christian crew.

While so the cavaliers their news declare, A noise is heard; which ever louder grew, Followed by such a fierce alarm withal, As to more fears than one gave rise in all.

x.x.xVI The duke Astolpho and the goodly throng, That in discourse with him were occupied, Armed in a moment, on their coursers sprung, And hurried where the Nubians loudest cried; And seeking wherefore that wide larum rung, Now here, now there -- those warlike lords espied A savage man, and one so strong of hand, Naked and sole he troubled all that band.

x.x.xVII The naked savage whirled a sapling round, So hard, so heavy, and so strong of grain, That every time the weapon went to ground, Some warrior, more than maimed, opprest the plain.

Above a hundred dead are strewed around; Nor more defence the routed hands maintain; Save that a war of distant parts they try; For there is none will wait the champion nigh.

x.x.xVIII Astolpho, Brandimart, the Danish knight, Hastening towards that noise with Olivier, Remain astounded at the wondrous might And courage, which in that wild man appear.

When, posting thither on a palfry light, Is seen a damsel, clad in sable gear.

To Brandimart in haste that lady goes, And both her arms about the warrior throws.

x.x.xIX This was fair Flordelice, whose bosom so Burned with the love of Monodantes' son, She, when she left him prisoner to his foe At that streight bridge, had nigh distracted gone.

From France had she past hither -- given to know -- By that proud paynim, who the deed had done, How Brandimart, with many cavaliers, Was prisoner in the city of Algiers.

XL When now she for that harbour would have weighed, An eastern vessel in Ma.r.s.eilles she found, Which thither had an ancient knight conveyed: Of Monodantes' household; a long round To seek his Brandimart that lord had made, By sea, and upon many a distant ground.

For he, upon his way, had heard it told, How he in France should find the warrior bold.

XLI She knowing old Bardino in that wight, Bardino who from Monodantes' court With little Brandimart had taken flight, And reared his nursling in THE SYLVAN FORT; Then hearing what had thither brought the knight, With her had made him loosen from the port; Relating to that elder, by what chance Brandimart had to Africk pa.s.sed from France.

XLII As soon as landed, that Biserta lies Besieged by good Astolpho's band, they hear; That Brandimart is with him in the emprize, They learn, but learn not as a matter clear.

Now in such haste to him the damsel flies, When she beholds her faithful cavalier, As plainly shows her joy; which woes o'erblown Had made the mightiest she had ever known.

XLIII The gentle baron no less gladly eyed His faithful and beloved consort's face; Her whom he prized above all things beside; And clipt and welcomed her with loving grace; Nor his warm wishes would have satisfied A first, a second, or a third embrace, But that he spied Bardino, he that came From France, together with that faithful dame.

XLIV He stretched his arms, and would embrace the knight; And -- wherefore he was come -- would bid him say: But was prevented by the sudden flight Of the sacred host, which fled in disarray, Before the club of that mad, naked wight, Who with the brandished sapling cleared his way.

Flordelice viewed the furious man in front; And cried to Brandimart, "Behold the count!"

XLV At the same time, withal, Astolpho bold That this was good Orlando plainly knew, By signs, whereof those ancient saints had told, In the earthly paradise, as tokens true.

None of those others, who the knight behold, The courteous baron in the madman view; That from long self-neglect, while wild he ran, Had in his visage more of beast than man.

XLVI With breast and heart transfixed with pity, cried Valiant Astolpho -- bathed with many a tear -- Turning to Danish Dudon, at this side, And afterwards to valiant Olivier; "Behold Orlando!" Him awhile they eyed, Straining their eyes and lids; then knew the peer; And, seeing him in such a piteous plight, Were filled with grief and wonder at the sight.

XLVII So grieve and so lament the greater part Of those good warriors, that their eyes o'erflow.

" 'Tis time" (Astolpho cried) "to find some art To heal him, not indulge in useless woe"; And from his courser sprang: bold Brandimart, Olivier, Sansonet and Dudon so All leap to ground, and all together make At Roland, whom the warriors fain would take.

XLVIII Seeing the circle round about him grow, Levels his club that furious paladin, And makes fierce Dudon feel (who -- couched below His buckler -- on the madman would break in) How grievous is that staff's descending blow; And but that Olivier, Orlando's kin, Broke in some sort its force, that stake accurst Had shield and helmet, head and body burst.

XLIX It only burst the shield, and in such thunder Broke on the casque, that Dudon prest the sh.o.r.e: With that, Sir Sansonet cut clean asunder The sapling, shorn of two cloth-yards and more, So vigorous was that warrior's stroke, while under His bosom, Brandimart girt Roland sore With sinewy arms about his body flung; And to the champion's legs Astolpho clung.

L Orlando shook himself, and England's knight, Ten paces off, reversed upon the ground; Yet loosed not Brandimart, who with more might And better hold had clasped the madman round.