XX "Five years my consort's father had been dead, Since to that yoke I stooped, and pledged my vow; When in short time (the manner shall be said) Began the sorrows that I feel even now.

While me with all his pinions overspread Love of the dame, whose praises thus I blow, A n.o.ble townswoman with love of me Was smit; more sorely smitten none could be.

XXI "She, in all magic versed, was of such skill As never was enchantress; by her say Moved solid earth, and made the sun stand still, Illumined gloomy night and darkened day: Yet never could she work upon my will, With salve I could not give, except with scathe Of her to whom erewhile I pledged my faith.

XXII "Not because she right gentle was and bright, Nor because I believed her love so true, Nor for large gift, nor promise often plight, Nor yet because she never ceased to sue, Could she from me obtain one spark of light From that first flame my gentle consort blew: So mates and masters every will in me The knowledge of my wife's fidelity.

XXIII "I in the hope, belief, and cert.i.tude My wife to me was faithful evermore, Should with contempt the beauty have eschewed Of that famed daughter which fair Leda bore; And all the wit and wealth wherewith was wooed The ill.u.s.trious shepherd upon Ida h.o.a.r.

But no repulse withal with her avails, Who me, for ever at my side, a.s.sails.

XXIV "One day that me beyond my palace sees That weird enchantress, who Melissa hight, And where she can discourse with me at ease, She finds a way whereby my peace to blight; And, goading me with evil jealousies, The faith I nursed at heart, she puts to flight.

She 'gan commending my intent to be Faithful to her who faithful was to me.

XXV " 'But that she faithful is, ye cannot say, Save of her faith ye have a.s.surance true; If she fails not withal, where fail she may, She faithful, modest may be deemed by you: But is she never from your side away, Is not permitted other man to view, How does this boldness come, that you would be The warrant of her untried modesty?

XXVI " 'Go forth awhile; go forth come from home alone; And be the bruit in town and village spread That she remains behind, and you are gone; Let lovers and let couriers have their head: If, unpersuaded still by prayer and boon, She does no outrage to the marriage bed; Though doing so she deem herself unseen, Then faithful you the dame may justly ween.'

XXVII "I with such words and such-like words was plied, Till so on me the shrewd enchantress wrought, I wished to see my consort's virtue tried By certain proof, and to the touchstone brought.

-- 'Now grant we (I to that witch-lady cried) She prove what cannot by myself be thought, How by some certain token can I read If she will merit punishment or meed?'

XXVIII " 'A drinking-cup will I for that a.s.say Give you (she said) of virtue strange and rare: Such was for Arthur made by Morgue the fay, To make him of Genevra's fault aware.

The chaste wife's lord thereof may drink; but they Drink not, whose wedded partners wanton are: For, when they would the cordial beverage sup, Into their bosom overflows the cup.

XXIX " 'Below departing, you the test shall try, And, to my thinking, now shall you drink clean; For clean as yet I think your consort, I: The event however shall by you be seen.

Yet will I warrant not your bosom dry, Should you repeat the proof; for if, between The cup and lip, the liquor be not shed, You are the happiest wight that ever wed.'

x.x.x "The offer I accept, the vase to me Is given, and trial made with full success; For hitherto (as hoped) confirmed I see My gentle consort's worth and faithfulness.

'Leave her awhile (Melissa said), and be A month or twain a truant, more or less: Then homeward wend; again the goblet fill; And prove if you the beverage drink or spill.'

x.x.xI "I thought it hard to leave my consort's side; Not as so much about her truth in pain, As that I could nor for two days abide, Nay, not an hour without her could remain.

'-- You in another way (Melissa cried) Guided by me, the truth shall ascertain; Voice, vesture shall you change; and to her sight Present yourself, disguised like other wight.'

x.x.xII "Sir, a fair city nigh at hand, defends Twixt fierce and threatening horns the foaming Po; Whose jurisdiction to the sh.o.r.e extends, Where the sea's briny waters come and go: This yields in ancientry, but well contends With neighbouring towns in rich and gorgeous show: A Trojan remnant its foundations placed, Which scaped from Attila's destructive waste.

x.x.xIII "A rich, a youthful, and a handsome knight Bridles this city with his sovereign sway; Who, following a lost falcon in its flight, Entering by chance my dwelling on a day, Beheld my wife, who pleased him so at sight, He bore her impress in his heart away; Nor ceased to practise on her, with intent To incline the matron to his evil bent.

x.x.xIV "So often she repels the cavalier That finally his courtship is foregone; But her fair image graved by Love will ne'er Be razed from memory; me Melissa won (So well she soothed and flattered) of that peer The face and figure to the sight to don; And changed me -- nor well how can I declare -- In voice and visage and in eyes and hair.

x.x.xV "I, having to my lady made a show As eastward bound and gone, -- like him that wooed, Her rich and youthful lover, altered so, His semblance, attended by Melissa, go, Into a page upon her side transmewed; Who the most costly jewels with her bore E'er brought form Ind, or Erithraean sh.o.r.e.

x.x.xVI "I enter safely, that my palace knew, And with me wends Melissa; and there I So wholly at her ease Madonna view, No woman or attendant squire is by.

To her with suppliant prayer forthwith I sue, And next those goads to evil deed apply; Show emerald, ruby, diamond, that might serve; To make the firmest heart from honour swerve;

x.x.xVII "And I declare to her the gift is small To that, which she may hope to make her own; Then of the vantage speak, that from his hall Her husband at the present time is gone; And I how long it was to her recall, Since, as she knew, to her my love was shown; And that my loving with such faith, in the end Might worthily to some reward pretend.

x.x.xVIII "At first she was somedeal disturbed; became Like scarlet; nor would listen to my say; But seeing those bright jewels flash like flame, Her stubborn heart was softened, and gave way; And in brief speech and feeble said the dame What to remember takes my life away: She with my wishes, said, she would comply, If sure to be unseen of watchful eye.

x.x.xIX "Me my wife's words like poisoned weapon thrill, And pierce my suffering spirit through and through: Through bones and veins there went a deadly chill; My tongue clave to my throat: The witch withdrew With that the magic mantle, and at will Transformed me to mine ancient shape anew.

-- Bethink thee of what hue my wife became, Taken by me in such notorious shame!

XL "Of deadly hue we both of us remain; We both stand silent; both with downcast eye.

So feeble is my tongue, that I with pain, So faint my voice, that I with pain can cry; 'Thou wouldst betray me then, O wife, for gain, If there was one that would my honour buy!'

She nought replies; nor save by tears she speaks, Which furrow, as they fall, her woeful cheeks.

XLI "Shame stings her sore, but yet in sorer wise Wrath at the outrage I to her had done; And so without restraint it multiplies, And into rage and cruel hate is run, To fly from me forthwith does she devise; And, what time from his car dismounts the sun, Runs to the sh.o.r.e, aboard her pinnace wends, And all that night the stream in haste descends;

XLII "And she at morn presents herself before Him that had loved her once, the cavalier, Whose semblance and whose borrowed face I wore When, to my shame, I tempted her whilere.

To him that loved, and loves her evermore, Her coming, it may be believed, is dear.

From thence she bade me never entertain The hope she'd love me or be mine again.

XLIII "Alas! with him she swells in mickle glee Even from that day, and makes of me a jest; And of that evil which I brought on me I languish yet, and find no place of rest.

Justly this growing ill my death will be, Of little remnant now of life possest.

I well believe I in a year had died, But that a single comfort aid supplied.

XLIV "That comfort was; of all which harboured were Here for ten years (for still to every guest Beneath my roof I bade the vessel bear) Was none but with the wine had bathed his breast.

To have so many comrades in my care, Some little soothes the griefs that so molest.

Thou only of so many hast been wise, Who wouldst forbear the perilous emprize.

XLV "My wish, o'erpa.s.sing every fitting bound, To know what husband of his wife should know, Is cause, by me no quiet will be found, Whether my death be speedy of be slow.

Thereat at first Melissa joys; but drowned Forthwith is her light mirth; for of my woe Esteeming her the cause, that dame so sore I hated, I would not behold her more.

XLVI "Impatient to be treated with disdain By me, -- of her more loved than life, she said - Where she forthwith as mistress to remain Had hoped, when thence the other was conveyed, -- Not to behold such present, cause of pain, Her own departure little she delayed; And went so far away, no further word By me was ever of that woman heard."

XLVII His tale the mournful cavalier so taught; And when he now had closed his history, With pity touched, somewhile immersed in thought Rinaldo mused, and after made reply: "Right ill advice to thee Melissa brought, Who moved three thus to anger wasps; and I Perceive in thee small wisdom, that wouldst sound A thing which thou wouldst gladly not have found.

XLVIII "If she, thy wife, by avarice was inclined To break her faith and be to thee untrue, Muse not: nor first nor last of womankind, She, worsted, from such cruel war withdrew; And by a meaner bribe yet firmer mind Is even tempted fouler deed to do.

Of men, of how many we hear, that sold Their patrons and their friends for sordid gold?

XLIX "With such fierce arms thou ill didst her a.s.sail, If to behold a brave defence thou sought.

Knowst thou not, against gold of no avail Is stone, or steel to hardest temper wrought?

Meseems that thou in tempting her didst fail More than herself, that was so quickly caught.

I know not, had she tempted thee as much, If thou, thyself, hadst better stood the touch."

L Here ends Rinaldo, and -- the parley done -- Rises and to his rest desires to go: Awhile will he repose; and then be gone, An hour or two before the daylight show.

But little time has Aymon's warlike son; Nor idly will that little time bestow.

To him the mansion's master made reply, He in his house might at his pleasure lie.

LI For bed and bower, within, were ready dight; But -- would he take his counsel for his guide -- In comfort might he sleep throughout the night.

And yet advance some miles; "For thou," he cried, "Shalt have a pinnace, that with rapid flight And without risque shall with the current glide.

Therein shalt thou all night pursue thy way, And on thy journey gain withal a day."

LII Good seemed that proffer in Rinaldo's eyes, And to the courteous host large thanks he paid; Then for the pinnace which that lord supplies, That waits him with her crew, the warrior made.

Here, at full ease reclined, Rinaldo lies, While with the stream his frigate is conveyed; Which, by six oars impelled, flies fast and fair, And cleaves the water, as a bird the air.

LIII As soon as he reclines his weary head, Asleep is Mount Albano's cavalier; Having erewhile that they shall wake him, said, As soon as they Ferrara's city near.

Melara lies left of that river's bed, Sermide to the right; they in their rear Next leave Stellata and Figarolo, Where his two horns are lowered by angry Po.

LIV Of those two horns that which t'ward Venice goes Rinaldo's pilot left, and took the right; Then the Bodeno past. Already shows Faintly the eastern blue, and fades from sight; For now Aurora from her basket throws All her rich flowers, and paints it red and white; When viewing the two castles of Tealdo, Again his head uplifts the good Rinaldo.