Hither Great Britain's monarch sent the seer, To him, that of King Marcomir was heir: Why hither sent, and why this hall was made, At the same time to you shall be displayed.

VIII "King Pharamond, the first of those that pa.s.sed The Rhine, amid his Franks' victorious train, When Gaul was won, bethought him how to cast On restive Italy the curbing rein; And this; that evermore he wasting fast Beheld the Roman empire's feeble reign; And (for both reigned at once) would make accord, To compa.s.s his design, with Britain's lord.

IX "The royal Arthur, by whom nought was done Without the ripe advice of Merlin sage, (Merlin, I say, the Devils mighty son, Well versed in what should chance in future age,) Knowing through him, to Pharamond made known, He would in many woes his host engage, Entering that region, which, with rugged mound, Apennine parts, and Alp and sea surround.

X "To him sage Merlin shows, that well nigh all Those other monarchs that in France will reign, By murderous steel will see their people fall, Consumed by famine, or by fever slain; And that short joy, long sorrow, profit small, And boundless ill shall recompense their pain; Since vainly will the lily seek to shoot In the Italian fields its withered root.

XI "King Pharamond so trusted to the seer That he resolved to turn his arms elsewhere; And Merlin, who beheld with sight as clear The things to be, as things that whilom were, 'Tis said, was brought by magic art to rear The painted chamber at the monarch's prayer; Wherein whatever deeds the Franks shall do, As if already done, are plain to view.

XII "That king who should succeed, might comprehend, As he renown and victory would obtain, Whene'er his friendly squadrons should defend From all barbarians else the Italian reign; So, if to damage her he should descend, Thinking to bind her with the griding chain, -- Might comprehend, I say, and read his doom -- How he beyond these hills should find a tomb."

XIII So said, he leads the listening ladies where Those pictured histories begin; to show How Sigisbert his arms will southward bear For what imperial Maurice shall bestow.

"Behold him from the Mount of Jove repair Thither where Ambra and Ticino flow!

Eutar behold, who not alone repels, But puts the foe to flight, and routs and quells.

XIV "Where they with Clovis tread the mountain way, More than a hundred thousand warriors trace; See Benevento's duke the monarch stay, Whose thinner files his hostile army face.

Lo! these who feign retreat an ambush lay.

Lo! where through danger, havoc, and disgrace, The Franks, who to the Lombard wine-fat hie, Drugged by the bait, like poisoned mullets die.

XV "Where Childibert the boundary hills has crost, Heading what bands of France and captains, see; Yet shall no more than baffled Clovis boast The conquest or the spoil of Lombardy.

Heaven's sword descends so heavy on his host.

Choked with their bodies every road shall be; So pined with watery flux and withering sun, That, out of ten, unharmed returns not one."

XVI He shows King Pepin, shows King Charlemagne; How into Italy their march they bend; And one and the other fair success obtain, Because her land they came not to offend.

But Stephen one, the other Adriane, And, after, injured Leo, would defend.

This quells Astolpho, and that takes his heir, And re-establishes the papal chair.

XVII A youthful Pepin of the royal line He after shows; who seemed to spread his host, Even from THE KILNS to the Isle of Palestine; And with a bridge, achieved at mighty cost, At Malamocco, to bestride the brine, And on Rialto's sh.o.r.e his battle post.

Then fly and leave his drowning bands behind, His bridge destroyed by wasting waves and wind.

XVIII "Burgundian Lewis ye behold descend Thither with his invading squadrons, where, Vanquishing and taken, nevermore to offend With hostile arms, he is compelled to swear.

Behold! he slights his solemn oath -- to wend, Anew, with reckless steps, into the snare.

Lo! there he leaves his eyes; and his array, Blind as the moldwarp, hence their lord convey.

XIX "You see him named from Arles, victorious Hugh, From Italy the Berengari chase!

Whom, quelled and broken twice and thrice, anew Now the Bavarians, now the Huns, replace.

O'ermatched, he then for peace is fain to sue; Nor long survives, nor he who fills his place; To Berengarius yielding his domains, Who, repossest of all his kingdom, reigns.

XX "You see, her goodly pastor to sustain, Another Charles set fire to Italy; Who has two kings in two fierce battles slain, Manfred and Conradine, and after see His bands, who seem to vex the new-won reign With many wrongs, and who dispersedly -- Some here, some there -- in different cities dwell.

Slain on the rolling of the vesper-bell."

XXI He shows them next (but after interval, 'Twould seem, of many and many an age, not years) How through the Alps, a captain out of Gaul, To war upon the great Viscontis, steers; And seems to straiten Alexandria's wall, Girt with his forces, foot and cavaliers: A garrison within, an ambuscade Without the works, the warlike duke has laid;

XXII And the French host, decoyed in cunning wise Thither where the surrounding toils are spread, Conducted on that evil enterprise By Armagnac, the Gallic squadron's head, Slaughtered throughout the s.p.a.cious champaign lies, Or is to Alexandria captive led: While, swoln not more with water than with blood, Tanarus purples wide Po's ample flood.

XXIII Successively that castellain displayed One hight of Marca, of the Anjouites three.

How "Marsi, Daunians, Salentines," (he said) "And Bruci, these shall oft molest, you see: Yet not by Frank or Latian's friendly aid Shall one delivered from destruction be.

Lo! from the realm, as oft as they attack, Alphonso and Gonsalvo beat them back.

XXIV "You see the eighth Charles, amid his martial train, The flower of France, through Alpine pa.s.s has pressed.

Who Liris fords, and takes all Naples' reign, Yet draws not sword nor lays a lance in rest: All, save that rock which -- Typheus' endless pain -- Lies on the giant's belly, arms, and breast: By Inigo del Guasto here withstood, Derived from Avalo's ill.u.s.trious blood."

XXV The warder of the castle, who makes clear To beauteous Bradamant that history, Says, having shown her Ischia's island, "Ere I lead you further other things to see, I'll tell what my great-grandfather whilere -- I then a child -- was wont to tell to me.

Which in like manner (that great-grandsire said), As well to him his father whilome read;

XXVI "And his from sire or grandsire heard recite; So son from sire; even to that baron, who Heard it related by the very wight, That these fair pictures without pencil drew, Which you see painted azure, red, and white.

He when to Pharamond (as now to you) Was shown the castle on the rocky mount, Heard him relate the things I now recount.

XXVII "Heard him relate, how in that fortilage From that good knight should spring, who, 'twould appear, Guards it so well, he scorns the fires that rage, Even to the Pharo, flaming far and near, Then, or within short s.p.a.ce, and in that age, (And named the week and day, as well as year,) A n.o.ble warrior, unexcelled in worth By other, that has yet appeared on earth.

XXVIII "Nereus less fair, Achilles was less strong, Less was Ulysses famed for daring feat; Nestor, that knew so much and lived so long, Less prudent; nimble Ladas was less fleet; Less liberal and less prompt to pardon wrong, Caesar, whose praises ancient tales repeat.

So that, compared with him, in Ischia born, Each might appear of vaunted virtues shorn;

XXIX "And if ill.u.s.trious Crete rejoiced of old In giving birth to Coelus' G.o.dlike heir; If Thebes in Hercules and Bacchus bold, If Delos boasted of her heavenly pair, Nought should as well this happy isle withhold From lifting high her glorious head in air, When that great Marquis shall in her be born, Whom with its every grace shall Heaven adorn.

x.x.x "Sage Merlin said -- and oft renewed that say -- He was reserved to flourish in an age, When most opprest the Roman empire lay, That he might free that holy heritage: But as some deeds of his I must display Hereafter, these I will not now presage.

So spake that wizard, and renewed the story, Which told of Charlemagne's predestined glory.

x.x.xI "Lewis, (so learned Merlin said,) is woe To have brought to Italy King Charlemagne, Whom he called in to hara.s.s, not o'erthrow That ancient rival of his goodly reign; At his return declares himself his foe, And, leagued with Venice, would the king detain.

Behold that valiant monarch couch his spear, And in his foes' despite a pa.s.sage clear.

x.x.xII "But his new kingdom leaving to his band, Far other destiny awaits that throng: For, with the Mantuan's friendly succour manned, Gonsalvo to the war returns so strong, He leaves not in few months, by sea or land, One living head, his slaughtered troops among.

But then, because of one by treason spent, In him appears the joy of triumph shent."

x.x.xIII So saying, to his guests the cavalier Alphonso, of Pescara hight, displayed: "Who in a thousand feats will shine more clear Than the resplendent carbuncle," he said.

"Behold, deceived by faithless treaty, here, Mid snares by the malignant Aethiop laid, Transfixt with deadly dart the warrior lies, In whom the age's worthiest champion dies."

x.x.xIV Under Italian escort next they see Where the twelfth Lewis o'er the hills is gone; Has by its roots uptorn the mulberry, And in Viscontis' land the lilies sown: "Treading in Charles's steps, by him shall be Bridges athwart the Garigliano thrown.

Yet after shall he mourn his army's slaughter, Dispersed and drowning in that fatal water."

x.x.xV (The lord pursues) "with no less overthrow, Broken in Puglia, see the Gallic train.

In him who twice entraps the routed foe, Gonslavo you behold, the pride of Spain.

Fortune to Lewis a fair face shall show, As late a troubled mien, upon that plain, Which even to where vext Adria pours her tides, Po, between Alp and Apennine, divides."

x.x.xVI The host reproved himself, while so he said, And pieced his tale, as having left untold Things first in order; next to them displayed A royal castle by its warder sold.

A prisoner by the faithless Switzer made, He shows the lord who hired him with his gold: Which double treason, without couching lance, Has given the victory to the king of France.

x.x.xVII That warder then shows Caesar Borgia, grown Puissant in Italy, through this king's grace; For all Rome's peerage, and all lords that own Her sway, he into exile seems to chase: Then shows the king, that will the saw take down, And papal acorns in Bologna place: Then Genoa's burghers, by this monarch broke, And rebel city stooping to his yoke.

x.x.xVIII "You see," (pursued that warder,) "how with dead Covered is Ghiaradada's green champaign.

It seems each city opes her gates through dread; And Venice scarce her freedom can maintain.

You see he suffers not the Church's head, Pa.s.sing the narrow confines of Romagne, Modena from Ferrara's duke to reave; Who would not to that prince a remnant leave.

x.x.xIX "Nay he Bologna rescues from his sway; Whither the Bentivogli them betake.

You next see Lewis siege to Brescia lay, And the close-straitened city storm and take; Felsina almost at the same time stay With succour, and the papal army break; And next, 'twoud seem, that either hostile band Lies tented upon Cha.s.sis' level strand.

XL "On this side France, upon the other Spain, Extend their files, and battle rages high; Fast fall the men at arms in either train, And the green earth is tinged with crimson dye.

Flooded with human gore seems every drain; Mars doubts to whom to give the victory; When through Alphonso's worth the Spaniards yield, And the victorious Franks maintain the field;