Canto 40

TWere long (my Lord) to tell of all that fought,
In that sea fight, and certes all the while,
That I should tell it you, I should be thought,
To beare pots (as they say) to Samos Ile,
Where earthen vessels in great store are wrought.
Or Owles to Athens, Crocodils to Nyle:
For more then can of this by me be told,
Your selfe haue caused many to behold.

Your faithfull people had a long prospect,
When all a day vpon the streame of Poe,
Your men, as your great vallew did direct,
The shipping of your foes assaulted so,
That with their blood the streame they did infect,
And brought vpon them all, a world of woe;
Then both your selfe, and others plaine did see,
How sundry deaths, in fights of sea there be.

It was not then indeed, my hap to see't,
(Sent then to Rome six dayes before in post,
To craue then, at the holy fathers feet,
Reliefe and aid against so great an host)
And in that time your grace with them did meet,
In such a sort, so sorely to their cost,
And so you par'd the Lyons teeth and pawes,
That since that time to feare we had no cause.

But Aifonsin, and M[…]ore that saw the same,
A[…]sranio, Anniball, and Lerbinet,
Albert, and Baygn, and three that beare my name,
Declar'd to me the conquest you did get:
Also their banners, monuments of fame,
Which offerd in the Churches you did set,
With fifteene Gallies tane a thousand botes,
Of that rich conquest, giue vs open notes.

He that had seene the fire and wondrous wreake,
That at that time was wrought vpon your foes,
When for your few, their many were too weake,
He might describe the deaths and diuers woes,
Of Agramantés host, of which I speake,
And of their great and grieuous ouerthrowes,
Then when amids the surging waues and salt,
Stout Dudon in the night did them assault.

When first the fight began, the night was darke,
But when the flame vpon the pitch tooke hold,
The fire gaue light, and did so clearly sparke,
That Agramant might plainly now behold
His enemies, and their great number marke,
Incredible, if any had it told:
Wherefore in season to preuent the worst,
He changd the course he had intended furst.

And chusing out a vessell swift of sayle,
And placing there his things of greatest price,
With Brigliadore (sith all hope now doth fayle)
To steale from thence he closlie doth deuise:
And while that Dudon doth his men assayle,
In all the hast he can, away he flyes,
His men the sword, the sea, the fire destroyes,
And he is fled that caused their annoyes.

And in that Barke, with him Sobrino fled,
Who much complaind and was not little greeued,
That that which he before so truly sed,
Yet then by Agramant was not beleeued:
But tell we now how good Astolfo sped,
And what exploits Orlando had atcheeued,
Who counseld so to raze Biserta towne,
That it might neuer noy th'Imperiall crowne.

And so it was in publicke sort proclaymd,
That the third day th'assault they should expect,
Astolfo had some ships before ordaynd,
(For Dudon had not all) for this effect,
And these same ships with Sansonet remaynd,
A man that could by sea and land direct,
Who rode at anker neare Biserta shore,
But distant from the hau'n a myle and more.

The Brittish Duke, and valiant Palladine,
That like good Christens vsed euermore,
To pray to God for grace and aide deuine,
Proclaymed in the campe, three dayes before,
That to assault the towne they did assigne,
By fast and publicke prayre, Christ to adore,
And craue his aid against that wicked towne,
That they might raze it quite and beat it downe.

And hauing ended that their solemne fast,
And made their vowes, accustomd in such case,
Then frendly they together take repast,
And each his frend, and parent doth embrace,
And spake as if those words should be their last,
The kindly teares, oft trickling downe their face,
And eu'rie one resolued by and by,
Either to win the towne, or in the place to dy.

Also the wretched Priests within the towne,
With sayned show of foolish superstition,
Pray vnto Macon, that he do not frowne
On them: and vow to him on that condition,
Great Holocausts, with cost of many a crowne,
Of him they seeke to haue their sinnes remission,
And as if he the fates could mend or alter,
They offer sacrifices on his alter.

Then when they were by their great Cady blest,
They went (but faintly) to their Citie wall,
Yet did the fayre Aurora take her rest,
And scarce the Esterne coast yet looked pale,
When Sansonet, Astolfo, and the rest,
That had the needfull things prouided all,
The noble enterprise did take in hand,
And did assault the towne by sea and land.

Biserta hath this manner situation,
Two parts thereof with water are enclosed,
Two parts with goodly wall of ancient fashion,
But not so strong, as one would haue supposed:
And though to make new strength and reparation;
The king Bransardo all the towne disposed,
His time and warning were so short and small,
He could do little good, or none at all.

Astolfo did appoint the Nubian king
Such wise to noy the keepers of the wall,
With darts, and Turkish bowes, and many a sling,
That from the battlements he draue them all,
That now he might both horse and footmen bring,
Vpon the ditch in perill none or small;
And each according to his powre and skill,
Brought matter wherewithall the ditch to fill.

Some fagots brought, & some brought store of helme
Some heauy stones, & some light planks and boords
And lest the stream their worke might ouerwhelme,
They turned it away by other foords;
Great store of wood there grew in that same Realme
The which to them great store of stuffe affoords,
And now that Prouerbe see performd you might,
That many hands make heauie works but light.

The Nubians fierce impatient of all stay,
And by desire of gaine all headlong led,
The perill great and danger do not way,
But each man clapps his target on his hed:
And then their battrie to the walls they lay,
With rammes, and engines strongly furnished,
With which to shake the walls they do begin,
Nor were they all vnfurnished within.

Darts, stones, and planks, yea eu'n their houses tyle,
They flang down on thē, whē; they drew more neare
By which they brake and pierced otherwhile,
Their engines huge, so as it might appeare,
Dame Fortune seemd at first on Turks to smilé,
But after soone againe she changd her cheare,
No sooner night was gone, and Sun once vp,
But that they tasted of another cup.

Then on each side they had so hot a charge,
As hardly they were able to sustaine:
Sansonet of the shipping had the charge,
And he by sea assaults them to their paine;
And, for their powre was great, and place was large,
Each Captaine tooke with him a seuerall traine,
Thereby the more to trouble all their foes,
And of their vertue, to make larger shoes.

And for that speciall cause, they do deuide,
Their mightie host into foure seu'rall parts,
To th'end that by that meanes it might be spide,
Which men had stout, and which had fainting harts,
Great towres on mightie wheeles did seeme to ride,
Drawne with great force like ordinary carts,
And Elephants did carrie towres so tall,
As did in height surpasse the Citie wall.

A scaling ladder Brandimart doth beare,
And clymes himselfe and causeth others clyme:
For what man hauing such a guide, could feare;
Each man to stay doth thinke it haynous crime:
The ladders strength was weighd by no man there,
Each roung a man, and some beares two sometime:
Now Brandimart to conquest wholy bent.
Gets to the top, and winnes a battlement.

With hand and foote he clammerd in such sort,
He wan a batlement and did it keepe;
Then with his sword he made them all such sport,
As causd the lookers on, not laugh, but weepe:
The ladder now chargd with too great resort,
Standing aslope, and not vpright and steepe,
Brake in the midst, so that saue Brandimart,
All of them fell, vnto their paine and smart.

Their Captaine though, with this no whit dismayd,
Keepes still his place though he the hap did marke,
Although he saw his men him could not ayd,
Though he alone were all their shooting marke;
His men below cryde out to him, and prayd
Him to retire, but he no whit could harke,
But boldly from the wall into the towne,
Which was thrise ten foote deepe, he leaped downe.

As if the pau'ment had bene straw, not stone,
So lept he downe, so nimble and so light,
And being there, layd so about alone,
He made them all giue place vnto his might:
Of those that fought he killed many a one,
The rest thought best to saue themselues by flight,
But they that saw him leape downe from without,
Within their minds were full of dread and doubt.

Straightwayes about the campe a rumor spred,
From mouth to mouth, & man to man doth come,
And same doth fly, and flying gathers hed,
Of that hard feat, that Brandimart had done;
And comes at last whereas Orlando led
His band, and after to king Otons sonne,
And then to Oliuero, neuer ceasing,
But in her going still her tale increasing.

All these, but chiefe Orlando all among,
That Brandimart in minde did dearely loue,
An[…] hearing it from thence they tarrid long,
It would be hard his danger to remoue;
Vnto the walls set scaling ladders strong,
Resolued now their vtmost force to proue;
And vp they mount, with looks so grim and bold,
As scant their enemies durst them behold.

As when the seas are wrought with sturdie wind,
The ventrous vessell tost with many a waue,
Is sometime smote before, sometime behind,
And each surge striues a passage free to haue;
The fearfull Pilot with astonisht mind,
Knowes not which way himselfe he should behaue,
Till at the last one surge the whole possesseth,
And to both Pilot, ship, and all oppresseth.

So when those three, of whom before I spake,
Had got the wall, they did the souldiers teach,
To follow them, and so large path did make,
As thousands of them now the wall did reach:
This while the monstrous rammes the walls did shake
In other places, and made such a breach,
That now in many parts without resistance,
They might to Brandimart bring good assistance.

Looke how that streame surnam'd of streams the king,
With damage great aboue his bankes doth grow,
When some strong wind, or tyde of highest spring,
Makes him beyond accustomd bounds to flow,
And thereby hurt vnto the fields doth bring,
And drowneth flockes, and houses ouerthrow,
Then trees do harbour fish, as new come guests,
Where flying birds were wont to build their nests.

So now Biserta walls were farre too weake,
To saue the Citie from both sword and fire;
The valiant Captaines first the Ice do breake,
To follow whom, the souldiers do aspire;
And what with will their ancient wrongs to wreake
And what with hope of booties, and desire,
They ruind soone that Citie, that had beene
Of Affrica, the sole triumphant Queene.

Now multitudes lay slaine in eu'ry street,
And with the bloud that of their wounds did runne,
The channels flowd vermillion vnder feet;
But when the fire to take had once begunne,
No doubt it was a wofull sight to feet,
What spoile vpon the towne by fire was done:
Such cryes, such plaints were ouer all the Citie,
As might haue moued any hearts to pitie.

Their helples Gods now vnder foot were troden,
Their sacred iewels taken all for pray,
The conquerers come forth of houses, loden,
With gold, with plate, with faire and rich aray;
And though the souldiers flatly were forboden
Foule beastly lust, this was to them no stay,
Young children and old matrones could not scape,
Deflouring forced, nor vngodly rape.

Stout Oliuero with a sound blow slew,
King Bucifer, and brought him to his end,
Bransardo kild himselfe, when as he knew,
The Citie could not now it selfe defend;
Astolfo did in single fight subdew
Fuluo, and tooke him prisner in the end:
These three were those, whom (as before you hard)
King Agramant those countryes left to guard.

But Agramant, who as before I told,
Stole from his men, and so away did sayle,
When as he did these flames from farre behold,
Much did the state of that same towne bewayle;
But when a messenger did plaine vnfold,
How farre his foes in Affricke did preuayle,
He would haue slaine himselfe, of woes to rid him,
Saue that the sage Sobrino did forbid him.

Ah sir said he (in frendly sort him chiding)
Driue from your worthie minde such wretched thought,
What could be to your foes more welcome tiding,
Then that your selfe, your owne destruction sought?
They doubt, while you in safetie are abiding,
But hard to keepe, that they haue easlie caught;
Not one of them but dreads, and greatly feares,
That Affricke while you liue, cannot be theirs.

Your death would all your frends of hope depriue,
(The onely helpe that in our case is left)
All they haue got, while you remaine aliue,
They can but count it robberie and theft:
But if you dye, who shall against them striue?
Both Affricke lost, and we of hope are reft:
Wherefore though for your selfe you life abhord,
Liue for our sake (at least) my soueraigne Lord.

The Souldan sure will helpe your cause t'aduance,
To him you may for men and money send,
Be sure he will be loth the king of France
Should nest in Affricke, being not his trend:
If Norandino knew of your mischance,
He would both men, and horse, and monie send,
The states of Media, Persia, and Armenie,
With Arabia, will helpe you with their menie.

These words then spake the graue wise man and old,
To moue his Prince a better minde to carrie,
And bad him cheare himselfe, and still he told,
What hopes there were (tho sure he thought cōtrary)
He saw and knew their comfort was but cold,
That long they vse to pray, and sue, and tarie,
Who hauing lost their crownes, to sue are faine
To other kings, to helpe them home againe.

Both Hanniball and Iugurth samples be,
To Princes all, that trust in forren ayd,
With Lodwicke Sforce whom this last age did see,
Vnto a stronger Lodwicke foule betrayd:
Wherefore vnto that sentence I agree,
That Duke Alfonso of Ferrara said,
A greater signe of folly is not showne,
Then trusting others force, distrust ones owne.

Wherefore in that conflict and bitter warre,
In which he found Christs Vicar not his frend,
And that the Venice state with him did larre,
And he that promised him to defend,
From Italie was driu'n and absent farre,
Yet neuer would Alfonso condiscend,
To put himselfe in other mens subiection,
And leaue his state to forren powres protection.

But Agramant of comfort all bereft,
Forsooke the shore, and lanched to the deepe,
To thinke in what estate his Realme was left,
Does make him bitterly to wayle and weepe,
From right hand now they sayld vnto the left,
And Eastward all the night their course did keepe,
Vntill a storme that rose within a while,
Did cause them harbour in a little Ile.

A little Ile voyde of inhabitants,
But full of Hates, and Conies, and of Deare,
With couerts great, of trees and slender plants,
That had not bene cut downe in many a yeare:
Else there was nothing to supply their wants,
Onely some tokens plainly did appeare,
That fishers vsed there their nets to drye,
The while the fish in sea do quiet lye.

Here onely in the harbour they did find,
A ship that had bene weatherbeaten sore,
Gradasso forced by contrary wind,
Came in that ship from Arly late before,
With princely gesture, and behauiour kind,
Each king salutes the tother on the shore;
For well they lou'd together, and were late,
Fellows in arms neare Paris walles and gate.

The king of Sericane with no small griefe,
Did heare the storie of their late distresse,
And which did comfort Agramanté chiefe,
His person offerd these harms to redresse,
But that he shall in Aegypt finde reliefe,
He greatly doubts, and thinketh nothing lesse,
Pom[…]eys example teacheth you (he said)
That banisht men finde there but sorie aid.

But sith the case so stands, and that you say,
English Astolfo with a Nubian host,
And mad Orlando, who this other day
As I did heare, for loue his wit had lost,
Haue done such hurt, I haue bethought a way,
That at this time I thinke will profite most:
I will Orlando challenge hand to hand,
Who (sure I am) in my hands cannot stand.

Were he once dead, the rest I count as straw,
And for the Nubians, though I cannot dreame
How they should come, yet know I how to draw
Them backe again from yours, to their own Reame
Those other Nubians, whom a diuers law
Sunders from these, as well as Nylus streame,
Shall with Arabian and Macrobian forces
Assaile them, (these haue gold, & those good horses,

The king of Affricke praisd this offer kind,
And called it a good and blessed storme,
That causd him such a frend as this to find,
And thanks him for his offer: but the forme
Of it (he said) doth no whit please my mind,
No thought thereby I might all harmes reforme,
And that I might Biletta towne regaine,
I would not do mine honor such a staine.

If any man must challenge him, then I
It is, that am in honor tide vnto it,
And whether I shall kill or else shall die,
I am resolued, surely I will do it:
Nay then sir (said Gradasso) I will trie
Another way, if you assent but to it,
We two will make one challenge thus: to fight
Against Orlando and some other knight.

So I be one (then Agramant replide)
I care not, though I second be or furst,
For in the world is not a man beside,
To trust whose courage more then yours, I durst.
Sobrino that stood all the while aside,
Into such speech, vpon the sudden burst,
Hath age (quoth he) brought me in such contempt,
To be excluded from so braue attempt[…]

Disgrace me not so much, to leaue out me,
Age hath not tane away my vigor cleene,
Skill and experience good companions be,
Age knoweth whatsoeuer youth hath beene;
Wherefore let me be one, and you shall see,
That I am stronger, then perhaps you weene:
To this request of his they soone agree,
And so they send their challenge three to three.

They send a Herald, as it is thevse,
The challenge to Orlando stout to beare,
With number like to meet at Lippaduse,
And so by combat, end all matters theare:
The while each side should grant the other truse,
And all acts of hostilitie forbeare;
This Lippadusa is a little Ile,
Distant from Affricke shore some twentie mile.

The Herald made good hast, and went apace,
And vsd all helpe of oares and sailes he could,
And comming to Orlando with good grace,
His message and the challenge plaine he told:
Amids Biserta in the market place,
He found him parting summes of coyne and gold,
(Of that same sacked towne the many spoiles)
Vnto his men for guerdon of their toiles.

Now when Orlando this braue challenge hard,
He did accept it, and did much reioyce.
And gaue vnto the Herald in reward,
Of many sumptuous gifts great store and choise[…]
He knew before the death of Mandricard,
And heard of Durindan by common voice,
How that Gradasso had it, whom to find,
A voiage vnto th'Indies he assignd.

But knowing that he need not go so farre,
And that his great good fortune so had wrought,
That he should send to offer single warre,
Whom he farre of had purposd to haue sought;
He now doth hope that long they should not barre
Him of his sword, that he so deare had bought,
Eke Brighadore he hopes now to regaine,
That did in Agramantés hand[…] remaine.

He chuseth for hi[…] frends to take his part,
In this so great and dangerous a fray,
His cousin, and that faithfull Brandimart,
Both whom he oft law tride before that day;
Armours and horse, and swords on eu'ry part,
He seekes to get for them the best he may,
For none of them had armour of his owne,
As I before this time haue made it knowne.

Orlando when he first of all fell mad,
Lost both his sword and armour that same howre,
The tothers twaine, the Sarzan taken had,
And now they were safe lockt vp in a towre:
In Affrica their armour was but bad,
The warres in France did dayly theirs deuowre:
They seldome had in those parts any store,
And Agramant what was, had had before

Such as he could, though it were old and rustie,
He caused to be scowrd and furbusht new,
And eu'rie day with his companions trustie,
He talked of the fight that should ensew.
One day, as in a morning fresh and lustie,
They walkt vpon the shore, they saw in vew
A great ship vnder saile with treble top,
Saile to the shore, without all stay or stop.

No saylers, passengers, nor anie guide,
Within the ship to be discouerd were,
But as the tempest draue her and the tide,
She came, and safely so ariued there:
But here a while the emptie ship shall bide,
And these three knights, because the loue I beare
Vnto Rogero and Renaldo both,
To ouerpasse them longer makes me loth.

You heard how they themselues aside did draw,
And of their owne accords their combat cease,
When as they saw, against all right and law,
On either side the battell to increase:
They were so earnest, neither of them saw
Which side was first, that brake their vowed peace:
Wherfore they aske of those that neare them came,
Which king of this foule breach should haue the blame.

Rogero had a valiant trustie man,
That serued him with faithfulnesse and care,
Who neuer since the combat first began,
Had lost the sight of him, and being ware
Of this new breach, with all the speed he can,
He did his masters sword and horse prepare,
And brought it him, and wished him to vse it,
But for that day Rogero did refuse it.

Howbe't from thence he did his course direct,
And promise with Renaldo doth renew,
That if his king were fi[…]st did oath neglect,
And shewd himselfe in promise so vntrue,
That he would leaue him and his wicked sect;
This said, he bad Renaldo then adew,
Demanding all he met, who was in fault,
Of this vngodly and vniust assault.

Of all the world he heares it plainly spoken,
How that of youthfull Agramantés part,
The law of armes, and late sworne truce was broken
Which now was turnd vnto his losse and smart:
Yet thinks he, men would deeme it were a token
In him of faint or of vnfaithfull hart,
To leaue his Master in so great distresse,
Although his falshood had deseru'd no lesse.

The thought thereof draue him to no small muse,
If better twere for him to go or tarrie,
If he do go, he much shall her abuse
Whom he so oft had promised to marrie;
Againe he thinketh that he cannot chuse,
In his returne to Affricke but miscarrie,
He knowes how periurie offendeth God,
How ouer it ay hangs a heauie rod.

On tother side, he feares the great disgrace,
Men would impute to him his Lord to leaue,
And thinke it comes of fearfull heart and base:
What if some men perhaps his scuse receaue,
When they do know, and vnderstand the case?
Yet most will say, he doth his Lord deceaue:
And that a man such promise may forsake,
As at the first, vnlawfull was to make.

All that same day, and all that night ensuing,
He did the matter with himselfe debate,
His loue, his Lord, on either side renewing
The doubtfull question, each in diuers rate:
But noble minde, the greater shame eschewing,
Chose lastly to releeue his masters state,
Much lou'd he Bradamant, much thought he on her,
But more he lou'd his dutie and his honer.

Wherefore resolued to depart the Reame,
He sought at Arly, ships him to transport,
But neither at the sea, nor in the streame,
Could he there find a ship of any sort,
For Agramaut in hast and feare extreame,
Had all from thence, or burnd them in the port,
Which when Rogero once did vnderstand,
He went vnto Marsilia-ward by land.

In Arly, nor from Arly all the way,
He saw no liuing Turke, but manie a corse,
He mindeth at Marsilia, if he may,
To get a ship, by faire meanes or by force,
That into Affrica shall straight conuay
Him and Frontino, his well tried horse:
But while such thoughts he in his mind contriued,
Great Dudon with his nauie there arriued.

That Dudon, whom king Agramant on seas
Met to his cost, when erst his men were slaine:
He fled, his frends tane prisners, and in theale
Seauen kings that erst in Affrica did raigne;
A man as then, might hardly cast a pease
Into that streame, or anie little graine,
The Nauie, and the prises, in such number,
Did so the riuer pester vp, and cumber.

But Dudon selfe was newly come on land,
And his chiefe prisners he had set on shore,
And as in way of triumph made them stand,
The chiefe behind, the meaner set before,
With souldiers garded of his choisest band,
Who with their warlicke voices euermore,
Made that same towne, and all the places round,
Of Dudons praise, and Dudons name to sound.

Rogero when he saw these bands appeare,
First thought it was the fleet of Agramant,
But when as he approched now more neare,
He saw how much his guesse of truth did want;
He sees his captiues frends, with heauie cheare,
Bambyrage, Agricalt, and Ferurant,
Balastro, Rimedont, and Manilard,
And Nasamon, that wayle their hap so hard.

Rogero […]ould by no meanes it endure,
To see in miserie his noble frends,
He doubts his prayre no succour can procure,
And therefore he to trie his force intends:
His lance he presently doth put in vre,
With which not few vnto the ground he sends;
His sword he drawes, and therewith in short space,
He doth an hundred hurt, kill, maime, displace.

Now Dudon heares the noise, the harme doth see,
Done by Rogero, yet to him vnknowne,
He sees his men displac't and foyled bee,
And by one onely man their hurt is growne:
He takes his horse, and to that end that he
May venge these harms, or ioyne thereto his owne,
He setteth in his rest, a mightie lance,
To proue himselfe a Palladine of France.

He bids his men in order to retire,
That of the field they two may haue good scope:
Rogero, that to rescue did desire
His frends and now had put them in some hope:
And seeing vertuous Dudon did aspire,
In combat hand to hand with him to cope,
Did deeme he was the Captaine chiefe and guide,
And with great courage toward him did ride.

First Dudon came, but when he nearer came,
And saw Rogero had no speare in sight,
He cast away his owne, as counting shame
To vse aduantages in any fight.
Then saith Rogero to himselfe, this same
Is token of a most braue minded knight;
And sure, except mine aime be much amisse,
One of the Palladines of France he is.

Wherefore he minds, ere any more ensew,
Or any force of either part were donne,
To learne his name: and asking him, he knew
How that he was the Dane Vggeros sonne;
Now (saith good Dudon) let me know of you
Your name, before our combat be begonne:
Rogero in like sort him satisfied,
And so they both each other then defied.

Now Dudon had that Axe or iron Mace,
Wherwith he wonne such fame in many fights,
As proued him to be of that same race
Of Palladines, so braue and worthie knights:
Rogero hath the sword that cuts apace,
And frustrateth all charms, where ere it lights,
So that he had the vantage, had he vsd it,
But for that time, it seemed he refusd it.

The cause was this, he was aseard perchance,
It would offend his louing Bradamant,
For being skilfull in the lines of France,
He knew that Dudons mother washer Ant:
So though this conquest might his name aduance,
He doubts her loue, it may not little daunt:
For Turpin thinks, this was the onely reason,
That Dudon scaped killing at that season.

Rogero neuer foynd, and seldome strake,
But fl[…]tling, and his sword was so good steele,
The backe so thicke, as it no hurt did take,
Yet ost therewith he made good Dudon feele
Such thundring knocks, at causd his head to ake,
And made him readie many times to reele,
But least much reading may annoy your eyes,
To lay this booke aside I you aduise.