Canto 2

O Blind god Loue, why takst thou such delight,
With darts of diuers force our hearts to wound?
By thy too much abusing of thy might,
This discord great in humane hearts is found.
When I would wade the shallow foord aright.
Thou draw'st me to the deepe to haue me dround,
From those loue me, my loue thou dost recall,
And place it where I find no loue at all.

Thou mak'st most faire vnto Renaldo seeme
Angelica, that takes him for a foe,
And when that she of him did well esteeme,
Then he dislikt, and did refuse her thoe.
Which makes her now of him the lesse to deeme,
Thus (as they say) the renders quit pro quo.
She hateth him, and doth detest him so,
She first will die, ere she will with him go.

Renaldo (full of stately courage) cride,
Downe theese from of my horse, downe by and by,
So robd to be I neuer can abide,
But they that do it dearely shall abye,
Also this Ladie you must leaue beside,
Else one of vs in her defence will dye.
A horse so good, and such a goodly dame,
To leaue vnto a theefe it were a shame.

What' me a theefe? thou in thy throat dost lye
(Quoth Sacrapant, that was as hot as he)
Theefe to thy selfe, thy malice I defie,
For as I heare, the name is due to thee:
But if thou dare thy might and manhood trie,
Come take this Ladie, or this hoise from me.
Though I allow in this of thine opinion,
That of the world she is the matchlesse minion.

Like as two mastiue dogges with hungrie mawes,
Mou'd first to hate, from hate to raging ire,
Approch with grinning teeth, and griefly iaws,
With staring eyes, as red as flaming fire,
At last they bite, and scratch with teeth and claws,
And teare themselues, and tumble in the mire.
So after byting and reprochfull words,
Did these two worthy warriets draw their swords.

One was on foote, the tother was one horse,
You thinke perhaps, the horseman vantage had,
No sure no whit; he would haue wisht to sko[…]ce;
For why at last to light he must be glad,
The beast did know thus much by natures force,
To hurt his master were a seruice bad.
The pagan could not nor with spur nor hand,
Make him vnto his mind to go or stand,

He stops, when he should make a full carite,
He runnes or trots, when he would haue him rest,
At last to throw his rider in the n[…]ite,
He plungeth with his head beneath his breast.
But Sacrapant that now had small desire,
At such a time, to tame so proud a beast,
Did worke so well at last by sleight and force,
On his left side, he lighted from his horse.

When from Bayardos ouer furious might,
The Pagan had himselfe discharged so,
With naked swords there was a noble fight,
Sometimes they lye aloft, sometimes aloe,
And from their blowes the fire flies out in sight:
I thinke that Vulcans hammers beat more slow,
Where he within the mountaine Aetnas chaps,
Doth forge for loue, the fearfull thunderclaps.

Sometimes they profer, then they pause a while,
Sometime strike out, like maisters of the play,
Now stand vpright, now stoup another while,
Now open lye, then couer all they may.
Now ward, then with a slip the blow beguile:
Now forward step, now backe a little way:
Now round about, and where the tone giues place,
There still the other presleth in his place.

Renaldo did the Pagan Prince inuade,
And strike at once with all the might he cowd,
The other doth oppose against the blade,
A shield of bone and steele of temper good.
But through the same a way Fusberta made,
And of the blow re[…]ounded all the wood:
The steele, the bone like yse in peeces broke,
And left his arme benummed with the stroke.

Which when the faire and fearfull damsell saw,
And how great domage did ensue thereby,
She looked pale, for anguish and for aw,
Like those by doome that are condemnd to dye:
She thinks it best her selfe from hence withdraw,
Else will Renaldo take her by and by,
The same Renaldo whom she hateth so,
Though loue of her procured all his wo.

Vnto the wood she turnes her horse in hast,
And takes a little narrow path and blind;
Her fearefull looks ofttimes she backe doth cast,
Still doubting lest Renaldo came behind:
And when that she a little way had past,
Alow the vale a Hermit she did find:
A weake old man, with beard along his brest,
In shew deuout, and holier then the rest.

He seemd like one with fasts and age consumed,
He rode vpon a slouthfull going asle.
And by his looke, a man would haue presumed,
That of his conscience scrupulous he was.
Yet her young face, his old sight so illumed,
When as he saw the damsell by to pasle:
(Though weake and faint, as such an age behoued?)
That charitie his courage somewhat moued.

The damsell of the Hermit askt the way,
That might vnto some hav'n town lead most neare,
That she might part from France with out delay,
Where once Renaldos name she might not heare.
The frier that could enchaunt, doth all he may,
To comfort her, and make her of good cheare,
And to her safetie promising to looke;
Out of his bag forthwith he drew a booke.

A booke of skill and learning so profound,[…]
That of a leafe he had not made an end,
But that there rose a sprite from vnder ground,
Whom like a page he doth of arrants send.
This sprite by words of secret vertue bound,
Goes where these knights their combat did intend:
And while they two were fighting verie hard,
He enters them betweene without regard.

Good sirs (quoth he) for courtsie sake me show,
When one of you the tother shall haue slaine,
And after all the trauell you bestow,
What guerdon you expect for all your paine,
Behold, Orlando striking nere a blow,
Not breaking staffe, while you striue here in vaine,
To Paris ward the Ladie faire doth carie,
While you on fighting vndiscreetly tarie.

I saw from hence a mile, or thereabout,
Orlando with Angelica alone,
And as for you, they iest and make a flout,
That fight where praise and profit can be none.
Twer best you quickly went to seeke them out,
Before that any farther they be gone;
Within the walls of Paris if they get,
Your eye on her againe you shall not set.

When as the knights this message had receiued,
They both remaind amazed, dumbe and sad,
To […]eare Orlando had them so deceiued,
Of whom before great iealosie they had;
But good Renaldo so great griefe conceiued,
That for the time, like one all raging mad,
He sware without regard of God or man,
That he will kill Orlando if he can.

And seeing where his horse stood still vntide,
He thither goes: such hast he make[…] away,
He offers not the Pagan leaue to ride,
Nor at the par[…]ng once adieu doth say.
Now Bayard felt his maisters spurres in side,
And gallops maine, ne maketh any stay
No riuers, rocks, no h[…]dge, nor ditches wide,
Could stay his course, or make him step aside.

Nor maruell if Renaldo made some hast,
To mount againe vpon his horses backe.
You heard before how many dayes had past,
That by his absence he had felt great lacke.
The horse (that had of humane wit some tast,)
Ran not away for any iadish knacke,
His going onely was to this intent,
To guide his master where the Ladie went.

The horse had spide her when she tooke her flight,
First from the tent, as he thereby did stand,
And followd her, and kept her long in fight,
As then by hap out of his master hand.
(His master did not long before alight,
To combat with a *Baron hand to hand).
The horse pursude the damsell all about,
And holpe his master still to find her out.

He followd her through valley, hill and plaine,
Through woods and thickets for his masters sake,
Whom he permitted not to touch the raine,
For feare lest he some other way should take,
By which Renaldo though with mickle paine
Twise found her out, twise she did him forsake:
For first Ferraw, then Sacrapant withstood,
That by twise finding her he did no good.

Bayardo trusting to the lying sprite,
Whose false (but likely) tale so late he hard,
And doubting not it was both true and right,
He doth his dutie now with due regard.
Renaldo prickt with loue and raging spite,
Doth pricke apace, and all to Paris ward,
To Paris ward he maketh so great shift,
The wind it selfe seemes not to go to swift.

Such hast he made Orlando out to find,
That scant he ceast to trauell all the night,
So deeply stacke the storie in his mind,
That was of late deuised by the sprite:
Betimes and late as first he had assignd,
He rode vntill he saw the towne insight:
Where Charles whose chance all christned hearts did rew,
With the small relikes of his powre withdrew.

And for he lookes to be assaulted then,
Or else besieg'd, he vseth all his care,
To store himselfe with victuall and with men.
The walls eke of the towne he doth repare,
And take aduice, both how, and where, and when,
For his defence each thing he may prepare,
An armie new to make he doth intend,
And for new souldiers into England send.

He minds to take the field againe ere long,
And trie the hap of warre another day,
And all in hast to make himselfe more strong,
He sends Renaldo Englands ayd to pray.
Renaldo thought the Emperour did him wrong,
To send him in such hast, and grant no stay.
Not that ill will to th'lland he did carie,
But for another cause he faine would tarie.

Yet now although full sore against his mind,
As loth to leaue the Ladie he so loued,
Whom he in Paris hoped had to find,
Because t'obey his Prince it him behoued,
He taketh this embassage thus assignd,
And hauing straight all other lets remoued,
He posted first to Callis with great hast,
And there embarkt ere halfe next day was past.

Against the mariners and masters minds,
(Such hast he made to haue returned backe)
He takes the sea though swelling with great winds,
And threatning ruine manifest and wracke.
Fierce Boreas that himself despised finds,
Doth beate on seas with tempest foule and blacke,
By force whereof the waues were raisd so hie,
The very tops were sprinkled all thereby.

The mariners take in their greater saile,
And by the wind they lie, but all in vaine,
Then backe againe they bend without auaile,
Now they are out, they cannot in againe.
No (said the wind) my force shall so preuaile,
Your bold attempts shall put you to some paine.
It was a folly any more to striue,
Needs must they follow as the wind did driue.

In the foreship sometimes the blast doth blow,
Straight in the poope, the seas breake to the skies.
Needs must they beare a saile, though very low,
To void the waues that higher still did ri[…]e:
But sith my web so diuerse now doth grow,
To weaue with many threds I must deuise,
I leaue Renaldo in this dangerous place,
And of his sister speake a little space.

I meane the noble damsell Bradamant,
Of Ammon daughter, and dame Beatrice,
In whose rare mind no noble part did want,
So full of value, and so void of vice,
King Charls and France of her might rightly vaunt[…]punc;
So chast, so faire, so faithfull and so wise,
And in the feates of armes of so great fame,
A man might guesse by that of whence she came.

There was a Knight enamourd on this dame,
That out of Affricke came with Agramant,
Rogero hight, so was his fathers name,
(His mother was the child of Agolant)
The damsell that of worthy linage came,
And had a heart not made of adamant,
Disdained not the loue of such a knight,
Although he had but seeld bene in her sight.

Long trauell and great paine she had endured,
And rid alone her louer to haue found,
Ne would she thinke her safetie more assured,
If with an armie she were garded round.
You heard before how she by force procured
King Sacrapant to fall and kisse the ground,
The wood she past, and after that the mountaine,
Vntill at last she saw a goodly fountaine.

A goodly fountaine running in a field,
All full of trees, whose leaues do neuer fade,
Which did to passengers great pleasure yeeld,
The running streame so sweete a murmur made,
Vpon the South, a hill the Sunne did shield,
The ground gaue floures, ye groues a grateful shade:
Now here the dame casting her eye aside,
A man at armes fast by the brooke descride.

A man at armes she spied by the brooke,
Whose banks with flowres of diuers hew were clad,
Of which sweet place he so small pleasure tooke,
His face did shew his heart was nothing glad,
His targe and helmet were not farre to looke,
Vpon a tree where tide his horse he had:
His eyes were swolne with tears, his mind oppressed,
With bitter thoughts that had his heart distresled.

The damsell faire entic'd by deepe desire,
That all (but chiefly women) haue to know,
All strangers states, doth earnestly require
The dolefull knight his inward griefe to show.
Who marking well her manner and attire,
Her courteous speech with him preuailed so,
He te's his state, esteeming by the sight,
That needs she must haue bene some noble knight.

Good sir (said he) you first must vnderstand,
I serued Charles against the king of Spaine,
I horsemen had and footmen in my band,
In ambush plac'd the Spanish king t'haue slaine:
I brought the fairest Ladie in this land,
And my best loued with me in my traine,
When sodainly ere I thereof was ware,
There came a horseman that procur'd my care.

Perhap a man, of some infernall sprite,
In humane shape, I cannot certaine say,
But this I say, he tooke the damsel[…] bright,
Euen as a faulcon seaseth on his pray,
So he my louing Ladie did affright,
And so affrighted bare her quite away.
And when I thought to rescue her by force,
Aloft in aire he mounted with his horse.

Euen as a rau'nous kite that doth espie
A little chicken wandring from the other,
Doth catch him straight, and carries him on hie,
That now repents he was not with his mother.
What could I do? my horse wants wings to flie,
Scant could he set one leg before the tother,
He traueld had before so many dayes,
Among the painfull hils and stonie wayes.

But like to one that were his wit beside,
I leaue my men to do my first intent,
Not caring of my selfe what should betide,
(So strongly to my fancie was I bent)
And took the blind god Cupid for my guide,
By way[…]s as blind to seeke my loue I went.
And though my sense, my guide, my way were blind,
Yet on I go in hope my loue to find.

A senight space abating but a day,
About the woods and mountaines I did range,
In sauage deserts wilde and void of way,
Where humane steps were rare and very strange.
Fast by the desert place a plaine there lay,
That shewed from the rest but little change,
Saue onely that a castle full of wonder
Did stand in rockes that had bene clou'n asunder.

This castle shines like flaming fire a farre,
Not made of lime and stone as ours are here:
And still as I approcht a little narre,
More wonderfull the building doth appeare.
It is a fort impregnable by warre.
Compacted all of mettall shining cleare.
The fiends of hell this fort of steele did make,
And mettall tempred in the * Stigian lake.

The towres are all of steele, and polisht bright,
There is on them no spot or any rust,
It shines by day, by darke it giueth light,
Here dwels this robber wicked and vniust,
And what he gets against all lawes and right,
The lawlesse wretch abuseth here by lust,
And here he keepes my faire and faithfull louer,
Without all hope that I may her recouer.

Ah wo was me, in vaine I sought to helpe,
I see the place that keepes that I loue best,
Euen as a foxe that crying heares her whelpe,
Now borne aloft into the Eagles nest,
About the tree she goes, and faine would helpe,
But is constraind for want of wings to rest.
The rocke so steepe, the castle is so hie,
None can get in except they learne to flie.

And as I tarri'd in the plaine, behold
I saw two knights come riding downe the plaine,
Led by desire and hope to win this hold,
But their desire and hope was all in vaine.
Gradasso was the first of courage bold,
A king of Serican that held the raine.
Rogero next, a man of noble nation,
Of yeares but yong, but of great estimation.

A little dwarfe they had to be their guide,
Who told me that they came to trie their force
Against the champion that doth vse to ride
Out of this castle on the winged horse.
Which when I heard, to them for helpe I cride,
And prayd them of my case to take remorse,
And that they would, if twere their chance to win,
Set free my loue that there was locked in.

And all my griefe to them I did vnfold,
Affirming with my teares my tale too true:
No sooner I my heauy hap had told,
But they were come within the castles vew,
I stood aloofe the battell to behold,
And praid to God good fortune might ensue.
Beneath the castle lies a little plaine,
Exceeding not an arrow shoote or twaine.

And as they talkt who first should fight or last,
They were arriued to the castle hill,
At length Gradasso (whether lots were cast,
Or that Rogero yeelded to his will)
Doth take his horne, and blew therewith a blast,
The noise whereof the castle wals did fill.
And straight with greater speed then can be guest,
Came out the rider of the flying beast.

And as we see strange cranes are wont to do,
First stalke a while, ere they their wings can find,
Then soare from ground not past a yard or two,
Till in their wings they gatherd haue the wind,
At last they mount the very clouds vnto,
Triangle wise, according to their kind:
So by degrees this Mage begins to flie,
The bird of Ioue can hardly mount so hie.

And when he sees his time, and thinkes it best,
He talleth downe like lead in fearefull guise,
Euen as the faulcon doth the fowle arrest,
The d[…]cke and mallard from the brooke that rise,
So he descending with his speare in rest,
Doth pierce the a[…]re in strange and monstrous wise,
And ere Gradasso were thereof admonished,
He felt a stripe that made him halfe astonished.

The Mage vpon Gradasso brake his speare,
Who strikes in vaine vpon the aire and wind,
Away he flue without or hurt or feare,
And leaue Gradasso many a pace behind.
This fierce encounter was so hard to beare,
That good Alfana to the ground inclind,
This same Alfana was Gradassos mare,
The fairst and best that euer saddle bare.

Aloft the starres the sorc'rer doth ascend,
And wheeles about, and downe he comes againe,
And on Rogero he his force doth bend,
That had compassion on Gradassos paine:
So sore th'assault Rogero did offend,
His horse the force thereof could not sustaine,
And when to strike againe he made account,
He saw his foe vp to the clouds to mount.

Sometimes the Mage Rogero doth assaile,
Straightway Gradasso he doth set vpon,
And oft they strike againe without auaile,
So quickly he at whom they strike is gone,
He winds about as ships do vnder saile,
His sailes are wings, and rest he giues them none,
But sets vpon them in so sudden wise,
That he amazd and dazeld both their eyes.

Betweene this one aloft, and two alow,
This conflict did no little space endure,
Vntill at last the night began to grow,
With mistie clouds making the world obscure:
I saw this fight, the truth thereof I know,
I present was there at, yet am I sure,
That very few (except the wiser sort)
Will credence giue to such a strange report.

This heauenly hellish warriour bare a shield
On his left arme that had a silken case,
I cannot any cause or reason yeeld,
Why he would keepe it couerd so long space:
It had such force, that who so it beheld.
Such shining light it striketh in their face,
That downe they fall with eyes and senses closed,
And leaue their corps of him to be disposed.

The target like the carbuncle doth shine,
Such light was neuer seene with mortall eye,
It makes to ground the lookers on decline,
Be they farre off, or be they standing nie:
And as it closed their sight it closed mine,
That […] a trance no little space was I.
At last when I awakt and rose againe,
The aire was darke, and voided was the plaine.

The sorcerer hath tane them (I surmise)
Into his castle, as is likely most,
And by this light that dazeld all our eie[…],
My hope is gone, their libertie is lost:
This is the truth, n[…] do I ought deuise,
You heare the same, I felt it to my cost,
Now iudge if I haue reason to complaine,
That haue and do endure such endlesse paine.

When as this Knight his dolefull tale had done,
He sate him downe all chearlesse in the place,
This was the Earle Pinnabel Anselmus sonne,
Borne in Maganza of that wicked race,
Who like the rest so lewd a course did runne,
He holpe the more his linage to deface:
For onely vertue noblenesse doth dignifie,
And vicious life a linage base doth signifie.

The Ladie faire attentiue all this while,
Doth hearken vnto this Maganz[…]ses tale,
Rogeros name sometime doth make her smile,
Sometime againe for feare she looketh pale:
But hearing how a sorcerer base and vile,
Should in a castle so detaine him thrall,
She pitied him, and in her mind she treated,
And oft desir'd to heare the tale repeated.

When at the last the whole she vnderstood,
She said, sir Knight mourne not, but take some pleasure,
Perhaps our meeting may be to your good,
And turne your enemie vnto displeasure:
Shew me this fort, for why it freats my blood,
So foule a prison holds so faire a treasure.
And if good fortune fauour mine intent,
You will right well suppose your trauell spent.

Ah (said the Knight) should I returne againe,
To passe these mountaines hard and ouertwha[…]t?
Though for my selfe it is but little paine,
To toile my bodie hauing lost my hart:
For you to go where as you may be slaine,
Or taken prisner were a foolish pa[…]t:
Which if it hap, yet me you cannot blame,
Because I giue you warning of the same.

This said he riseth vp his horse to take,
The noble Ladie on the way to guide,
Who meanes to venter for Rogeros sake.
Or death or thraldome, or what ere betide.
But loe a messenger great hast doth make,
That comes behind, and (tarry ho) he cride,
This was the post that told to Sacra[…]ant,
How she that foyld him was Dame Bradamant.

This messenger brought tidings in great post,
Both from Narbona and from Mompeleere,
How they were vp in armes along the cost
Of Aquamort, and all that dwelled neere,
And how Marsilias men their hearts had lost,
Because of her no tidings they could beare:
And (for her absence made them ill apayd)
They sent to haue her presence and her ayd.

These townes and others many to the same,
Betweene the streames of Rodon and of Vare,
The Empror had assignd this worthy dame,
Committing them vnto her trust and care.
Her noble value gat her all this fame,
Because in armes her selfe she brauely bare,
And so the cities vnder her subiection,
This message sent, requiring her direction.

Which when she heard, it made her somewhat pause,
Twixt yea and no she stood a pretie space,
Of one side honor and her office drawes,
On th'other side loue helpes to pleade the case,
At last she meanes t'ensue the present cause,
And fetch Rogero from th'inchanted place:
And if her force cannot to this attaine,
At least with him a prisner to remaine.

In c[…]rteous sort her answer she contriued,
With gracious words, and sent away the post,
She longs with her new guide to haue ariued,
To that same place where both their loues were lost.
But he perceiuing now she was deriued,
From Clarimont that he detested most,
Doth hate her sore, and feareth to the same,
Lest she should know he of Maganza came.

There was betweene these houses auncient hate,
This of Maganza, that of Clarimount,
And each of them had weakned others state,
By killing men in both of great account.
This P[…]n[…]ab[…] (a vile and wicked mate,
That all his kin in vices did surmount)
Meanes with himselfe this damsell to betray,
Or else to slip aside and go his way.

And this same fancie so his head did fill,
With hate, with feare, with anger and with doubt,
That he mistooke the way against his will,
And knew not how againe to find it out,
Till in the wood he saw a little hill,
Bare on the top, where men might looke about,
But Bradamant such amorous passions feeles,
She followeth like a spaniell at his heeles.

The craftie guide thus wandring in the wood,
Intending now the Ladie to beguile,
Said vnto her forsooth he thought it good,
Sith night grew on[…] themselues to rest a while:
Here is, quoth he (and shewd which way it stood)
A castle faire, and hence not many a mile:
But tarry you a little here vntill
I may descrie the countrey from the hill.

This said, he mounted to the higher ground,
And standing now the highest part vpon,
He cast about his eyes and looked round,
To find some path whereby he might be gone.
When vnawares a monstrous caue he found,
And strange cut out and hollowd in the stone,
Deepe thirtie cubits downe it doth descend,
Hauing a faire large gate at lower end.

Such as great stately houses wont to haue,
Out of which gate proceeds a shining light,
That all within most lightsome makes the caue,
And all this while on this felonious knight
This noble Ladie due attendance gaue,
And neuer suffred him go out of sight.
She followd Pinnabel hard at his backe,
Because she was afeard to leese the tracke.

When as this villaine traitor did espie,
That his designements foolish were and vaine,
Either to leaue her, or to make her die,
He thought it best to trie a further traine,
Perswading her for to descend and trie,
What Ladies faire within the caue remaine;
For why (said he) within this little space
I saw a goodly damsell in the place.

Both rich arayd and very faire of hew,
Like one of noble linage and degree,
And this her fortune made me more to rew,
That here against her will she seemd to be.
And when I thought for to descend and vew,
The cause of this her griefe to know and see,
I was no sooner from my horse alighted,
But with infernall hags I was afrighted.

The noble Bradamant that was more stout,
Then warie who it was did her perswade,
Hath such desire to helpe a damsell out,
That straight the caue she meaneth to inuade,
She finds by hap a long bough thereabout,
Thereof a pole of mightie length she made,
First with her sword she hewes and pares it fit,
That done she lets it downe into the pit.

She giueth Pinnabel the bigger end,
And prayes him stand aboue and hold it fast,
And by the same intending to descend,
Vpon her armes her whole waight she doth cast.
But he that to destroy her did […]ntend,
Doth aske if she would learne to leape a cast,
And laughing, loosd his hands that were together,
And wisht that all the race of them were with her.

Yet great good hap the gentle damsell found,
As well deseru'd a mi[…]d so innocent:
For why the pol[…] strake first vpon the ground,
And though by force it shiuerd all and rent,
Yet were her limbes and life kept safe and sound,
For all his vile and traiterous intent,
Sore was the damsell mazed with the fall,
As in another booke declare I shall.