Canto 45

LOoke how much higher Fortune doth erect,
The clyming wight, on her vnstable wheele,
So much the nigher may a man expect,
To see his head, where late he saw his heele:
Polycrates hath prou'd it in effect,
And Dionysius that too true did feele:
Who long were luld on high in Fortunes lap,
And fell downe sodainely to great mishap.

On tother side the more a man is pressed,
And vtterly ou'rthrowne by Fortunes lowre,
The sooner comes his state to be redressed,
When wheele shal turne and bring the happy houre:
Some from the blocke haue grown to be so blessed,
Whole realmes haue bene subiected to their powre,
As Marius and Ventidius sample is,
In former age, and Lews of France in this.

That Lews of France (the storie well is knowne)
That to Alfonsos sonne, did giue his daughter,
Who was at Saint Albinos ouerthrowne,
And eu'n with much adoe escaped slaughter;
A like misfortune by like danger growne,
Coruino scaped but a little after:
And hauing past that moment by good chance;
One ruled Hungarie, the tother France.

Tis manifest in stories new and old,
That good and ill, each other do succeed,
And worldly blisse hath but a slender hold,
Wherefore a man of wisedome, will take heed;
And on his fortune neuer be too bold,
Although his state and riches farre exceed:
Nor yet in fortune ill, dispaire or doubt,
For euermore her wheele doth turne about.

Rogero, as I lately did repeat,
Now hauing both repulst the sonne and fire,
Grew to such pride therewith, and such conceat,
(Ambition euermore aspiring hire,)
He thinkes by fortune and his force so great,
To kill Don Leon, which was his chiefe desire,
And for that purpose aid he asketh none,
But thinketh sure, to do the fear alone.

But she that cannot suffer nor abide,
That any long should of her fauour bost,
Now in the midst of all his praise and pride,
When in her fauour he affied most,
Did cause him of this knight to be discride;
Who went vnto Vngardo straight in post,
And told him how that man that put to flight
The Greekish host, would lie in towne that night.

He said, twas happend eu'n as one could wish,
If so they mard not all by ill contriuing,
That he was taken now as is a fish,
That to the net approcheth without driuing;
Or rather layes it selfe into the dish,
And makes resistance none, nor any striuing,
Much did the Captaine at these newes reioyce,
And shewd the same by gesture and by voyce.

And presently prouision such he made,
That good Rogero taken was that night,
And kept as prisner now in Nouengrade,
(For so the towne where he was taken hight)
What should he do? when arm'd men did inuade
Him naked and a sleepe, with so great might:
Vngardo straight doth send this ioyfull tyding,
To Constantin, at Beltrich now abyding.

For since his forces late were beaten downe,
He thought it safest, quickly to withdraw
Vnto some strength, or to some walled towne,
(For of the Bulgars now he had such aw)
He doubted they would hazard eu'n his crowne,
Now hauing such a guide as erst he saw,
And this same towne was strong, and did pertaine,
To him, whose sonne was by Rogero slaine.

But when this message of their Captains taking,
By letters and by Post, was brought to him,
He was therewith, in such a ioyfull taking,
He thought he now in seas of milke did swim;
His face that pale, his heart that earst was quaking,
Vpon this newes, it chearfull was and trim;
The Bulgars now he counts as ouerthrowne,
The victorie he iudgeth sure his owne.

As doth the father ioy, so doth the sonne,
Of this good hap, though for a further end,
He hopeth this braue knight may now be wonne
By curtesie, to be his faithfull frend,
He needeth not enuie (if that were donne)
King Charles the great, (he thinks) but eu'n contend,
Both with his Palladines, […]nd all his garrison,
For flowre of Chiualrie, to make comparison.

But Theodora was of other minde,
Don Leons Ant, whose sonne Rogero slew,
For she with choller carri'd headlong blinde,
And for his losse, whose death she most did rew,
To Constantin her Lord, and brother kinde
She went, and at his feete herselfe she threw,
And when she first had made a piteous plaint,
She with her suit, this wise did him acquaint.

I will not rise from these your feete (she seth)
My liege, vntill you grant me powre to wreake
My selfe on him, that brought my sonne to deth,
And did with cruell speare, his bowels breake:
Besides he was your nephew, while his breth
Did dure, you saw his loue, and seruice eake,
Your highnes knowes, it were too great a wrong,
To let his death be vnreuenged long.

You further see, that God of goodnes meare,
Had causd that wretch, the campe thus to forsake,
And come like bird to bayt (the case is cleare)
Whereas Vngardo did him prisner take,
Because my onely sonne, I lou'd so deare,
Might not go vnreueng'd to Stigian lake:
Then giue me him (my Lord) and be content,
I swage my griefe, with his sharpe punishment.

Her plaints and mone, so well she doth deuise,
So forcibly and heartily she prayd,
Nor would not sturre from thence in any wise,
(Although the noble Emp'ror did, and sayd
Eu'n all he could, to make her thence arise)
That sith she would by no meanes be denayd,
But still renewd her suit, with piteous weeping,
He granteth her the prisner in her keeping.

And thus at last, to make the matter short,
He sendeth for the knight of th'Vnicorne,
And gaue him her, whose chiefe delight and sport,
Was to deuise to worke him woe and scorne;
All common deaths were of too milde a sort,
To haue him hangd, and all in peeces torne,
And on each gate, to set a quartred lim,
She thought it was not plague enough for him.

Chaind hands and feete, and uecke, she lockt him vp
In dungeon voide of light, but full of stinke,
With mouldie bread, she made him dine and sup,
And gaue him puddle water for his drinke:
She shortly meanes, that he a sorrie cup
Shall tast, but till she may herselfe be thinke
The kinde of death, she giueth him a keeper,
Whose rancor was as deepe as hers, or deeper.

Oh had Duke Ammons noble daughter knowne,
Of her Rogeros now distressed state,
Or if it had bene to Marfisa showne,
Who lou'd him deare, though in another rate,
Both tone and tother, thither would haue flowne,
And would not cease to ride be times and late,
To rescue good Rogero, and assist,
Let Ammon and his wife, say what they list.

Now Charles the great, began to call to minde
His promise, by the which himselfe was bound,
That husband none should euer be assinde
To Bradamant, but he in fight were found
Her match, and (as kings vse in such a kinde)
He published the same by trumpets found,
Ou'r all his Empire, sending proclamations,
That soone the same, did flye to forren nations.

Thus much the writing made men vnderstand,
That no man Bradamant to wife should get,
But one that would attempt with sword in hand,
From rising of the Sun, vntill it set,
Her force in single combat to withstand;
Which if that any could, there was no let,
But she agrees, and Charles himselfe allows,
That such a one should haue her for his spouse.

This Article was likewise there set downe,
That they should name the weapon if they list,
For why her vallew was of great renowne,
To fight on horse, on foote, in field, in list,
Duke Ammon now that to withstand the crowne,
Wants force and will, no longer doth resist,
But after long discourses with his daughter,
Compeld in fine, backe to the Court he broughther

Her mother eke, though wroth and malcontent,
Yet both for nature, and for honours sake,
Good store of costly clothes incontinent,
Both gownes and kirtles she for her doth make;
Thus Bradamant with both her parents went,
Vnto the Court, where she small ioy did take,
She scarce esteemed it a Court to be,
When that her louer there she could not see.

As one that saw in Aprill or in May,
A pleasant garden, full of fragrant flowres,
Then when fresh earth new clad in garments gay,
Deckes eu'ry wood and groue, with pleasant bowres
And comes againe on some Decembers day,
And sees it mard, with winters stormes and showres,
So did this Court to Bradamant appeare,
When as she saw Rogero was not heare.

She dares not aske of any man for feare,
Least such a question might her loue accuse,
How beit secretly she lendeth eare,
To others talke, as in such case men vse:
Each man saith gon he is, but none knowes wheare,
For to the Court, of him there came no newes,
And he himselfe, when as he thence departed,
His purpose vnto no man there imparted.

Oh in what feare and rage these newes do set her,
To heare Rogero was in manner fled,
She thinks that sure, because he could not get her,
And that her father nay, to him had sed,
That now he sought of purpose to forget her,
And shunne her sight, that all his sorrow bred;
She thinks that he from thence himselfe withdrawes,
For this alone, and for none other cause.

But more then all, this doubt her heart assayles,
That he was gone to seeke some forren loue,
And sith that of his purpose here he fayles,
To speed some otherwhere he straight would proue
As from a boord men driue out nayles with nayles,
So with new loue he woud her loue remoue;
But straight another thought that thought gainsaith,
She thinketh her Rogero full of faith.

And there-vpon her selfe she reprehends,
That she her louer should so much abuse,
Thus in her minde, one fancie him defends,
And then another, doth him sore accuse,
And she her thought to either fancie lends,
And in great doubt she is, which part to chuse;
But when a while she had her selfe bethought,
She leaneth most, vnto best pleasing thought.

Then chiefe, when in her mind she doth repeat
Rogeros promise, which he bad her trust,
She thinks to him the iniurie is great,
That causlesly she now should him mistrust,
And eu'n as he were present, she doth beat
Her brest that still doth harbor thoughts vniust,
My selfe hath sinn'd (she saith) which now I curse,
But he that caused it is cause of worse.

Loue was the cause (quoth she) that in my hart,
Your face and grace ingraued hath so seemely,
And therewith hath set forth each vertuous part,
Beseeming thee so sweetly and so trimly,
That sure no dame, that knowes well what thou art,
Can chuse but fall in loue with thee extreemly,
And therewithall, with all her powre indeuer,
To win thy loue, and make thee hers for euer.

Oh if that loue had grau'd thy thoughts so well,
As it hath grau'd thy visage in my minde,
In how great ioy, and blisse should I then dwell,
For well I know, that they be true and kinde;
Then iealousie, the onely plague of hell,
(To which alas I am too much inclinde)
Should quickly cease, and I should free me from it,
Nor would I in my heart, once thinke vpon it.

But as a miser hoording vp his treasure,
Doth doubt in absence still, that theeues be there,
So I when thou that art mine onely pleasure,
Art absent far from me (I know not where)
I straight suspect, and straight I doubt false measure,
And straight my hope grows lesse, & more my feare
Which though I thinke both bootlesse, and vniust,
Yet still I doubt, and still I do mistrust.

But yet no sooner shall the pelasing light,
Of thy sweet count'nance come vnto mine eyes,
O thou my ioy, ô thou my lines delight,
(Though where thou art I cannot now deuise)
But that true hope, false feare shall put to flight,
And knowledge plaine, all doubts shall satisfie,
Come then my deare, and hasten thy returning,
Ere hope & feare shal wast me quite with mourning

As when the night hath spred her mantle blacke,
Faint harted folke, are wont to be affrayd,
But when againe the day-light doth come backe.
They seeme of better cheare, and well appayd:
So I do faint, when as my deare I lacke,
But in his presence I am vndismayd:
Come then my deare Rogero, come vnto me,
Before that hope and doubt do quite vndo me.

As in the night, each little fierie sparke,
May plainly be discerned with our eyne,
But when the day doth come we then shall marke,
That all are dampt and do no longer shine,
So kindels feare, in minde with doubt made darke,
Vntill my Sunne in my Horizon shine
Turne then my deare, and with thy light illume me,
And driue away this care that doth consume me.

As when the Sun declines to South most low,
The land doth Ieese the beautie that she had,
And winter stormes breed raine, and ise, and snow,
The pleasant birds all silent sit and sad:
So when as thou from me farre of dost go,
O shining Sunne, whose beames do make me glad,
A thousand feares but all vniust and vaine,
Make winter in my heart, to my great paine.

Shine then on me, O my cleare Sun, and bring
Thy beames more nye, this snow and ise to thaw,
Refresh these branches witherd in their spring,
And do no more thy selfe so farre withdraw:
As Philomena dolefully doth sing,
When as her young ones all destroyd she saw,
Or as the Turtle early mourns and late,
When she hath lost her deare beloued mate.

So noble Bradamant still mournes and plaines,
With feare Rogeeo had her loue reiected,
And with salt teares her louely cheeks distaines,
Yet secretly, for feare to be detected:
Oh had she knowne that he was bound in chaines,
And eu'rie houre a cruell death expected,
What griefe of minde thinke you, would she then take,
That was so grieu'd alreadie for his sake!

But loe, the heau'nly goodnes so ordaines,
That Theodoras rage, and cruell spight,
Against her prisner, whom she keeps in chaines,
And means to kil with torture all she might,
Reseruing him aliue for greater paines,
Came to the eare of Caesars sonne one night,
And put into his heart to saue and cherish,
And not to suffer so great vallew perish.

The noble Leon that Rogero loues,
(Not knowing tho that this Rogero was)
Whom his rare vertue, and great vallew moues,
Which he did thinke, all humane farre to passe,
Deuising sundry wayes, this one he proues,
And by the same, he brought the feate to passe,
So that his cruell Ant could not espy him,
Nor once complaine that she was wronged by him.

He speaketh in the secretst sort he can,
Vnto the bloudy wretch that kept the kayes,
And prayth him show him the condemned man,
For why he must examaine him he sayes:
A knight a valiant man that was his man,
He takes with him fit for all bold assayes,
The cruell layler, that no fraud suspected,
In all points did as Leon him directed.

He leads him secretly vnto the den,
Where good Rogero was in prison pent,
Nor tooke he with him any of his men,
But as their guide, the formost of them went:
Who when they saw the time best serued, then
No longer to defer th'occasion ment,
But vnawares they at aduantage catch him,
And with a sodaine stab they do dispatch him.

Then open they the trap doore out of hand,
And downe they let the ladder that was by,
And Leon with a lanterne in his hand,
Of light conceald, went where the knight did ly,
Fast bound vpon a grate with bitter band,
Not in the water, but thereto so ny,
The very dampe was such, that one might guesse,
That […]ole would kill him, in a month or lesse.

With great compassion Leon him imbraced,
And sayd, sir knight, the vertue you haue showne,
With sured knots, my loue hath knit and laced
To you, since first the same to me was knowne,
So as my heart and thoughts are wholly placed,
To seeke your fafetie, rather then mine owne,
Ventring, your welfare and your loue to win,
To leese my fires good will, and all my kin.

To tell you true, the Emp'rours sonne I am,
Leon by name, as yet to you a stranger,
To set you free, of purpose now I came,
And put my person, and my state in danger
That both my father greatly me may blame,
And looke vpon me euermore with anger;
The losse at Belgrade which you wrought him late,
Makes him to beare to you so sharpe an hate.

These sugred words, and many more beside,
Which were for me too tedious to repeat,
He spake, and then his bands he all vntyde,
And secretly he causd him moue his seat:
Rogero in this wise to him replyde,
Your curtesie is such, your gift so great,
To giue me life, that you shall ay command it,
When euer it shall please you demand it.

Thus Leon in this secret sort vnknowne,
Rogero from the prison doth conuay,
And sent him to a castle of his owne,
Whereas he might secure in silence stay,
Vntill this tumult all were ouerblowne,
And till againe for him regaine he may,
His armes and gallant horse, and famous blade,
Kept by Vngardo, Lord of Noueng[…]ade.

The keeper slaine, the next ensuing morne,
The prison gates, from off the hinges heaued,
The chaines, and manicles, in peeces torne
Each man might see, but none by whom perceaued
All thought that Leon had him hatred borne,
Wherefore of him, they no mistrust conceaued,
The cause he had of hate, each man doth know,
By name his late receaued ouerthrow.

At this great curtesie that Leon vsed,
Rogero wonders much, and thinks it strange,
And sore he was in minde and thought confused,
And sodainly he feeles a wondrous change,
His heart relented, and all hate refused,
And turnde it all to loue, by sweet exchange,
What earst malicious, cruell was, and hatefull,
Is turned now to kinde, and milde, and gratefull.

So deepe into his head and heart it sinkes,
That it possessed all his soule and sence,
On this he studies when he wakes or winkes,
How he may do to him some recompence:
To spend eu'n all his future dayes (he thinkes)
Sole in his seruice, and in his defence,
Could not requite, no scarce the twentith part,
Of so great curtsie, and so great desart.

In this meane while, the newes was come from France,
Which Charles had notifide to many a nation,
Of her that would be woo'd by sword and lance,
In single fight (so said the proclamation:)
Don Leon was quite out of countenance,
To heare of this her strange determination,
And as a man that well his owne strength knowes,
Himselfe too weake for her he doth suppose.

And long debating how he might supply,
His want of force and courage, by his wit,
In fine he purposd with himselfe to try,
This new made fréd, whose name he knows not yet,
Although he well could witnesse with his eye,
That for no braue exploit he was vnfit,
He hopeth by his manhood and his aid,
To conquer and to haue that hardie maid.

But two things he must do before he goes,
One is the minde of this same vnknowne knight,
Vnto this hardie enterprise dispose,
The tother is to bring him to the fight
So secretly, as none might it disclose,
And all that while to keepe himselfe from fight;
First then, in earnest sort he doth intreat
Rogero take on him this hardie feat.

Much might the Greeke preuaile by eloquence,
The which he vsd to leade him thereunto,
But more preuayld the bond of recompence,
So firme as no time euer could vndo,
That though the motion bred him great offence,
And seemd a thing vnpossible to do,
With gladder looke then heart he doth reply,
Deare sir, I nothing may to you deny.

Though he no sooner had this word pronounced,
But that he felt such griefe did gripe his hart,
As if damnation were to him denounced,
Such pangs he had, such torture and such smart:
But yet his promise giu'n he not renounced,
Nor from the same once purposd to depart,
For first a thousand deaths he ment to chuse,
Then one request of Leons to refuse.

Dye sure he shall (he thinks) for if he leaue
His loue, he knowes he cannot byde aliue,
For either sorrow will of life him reaue,
Or if that nature shall with sorrow striue,
Of his owne hands he will his death receaue,
And so his soule from hated harbor driue,
Each other thing on earth, to him seems possible,
But missing her, to liue he thinks impossible.

Then die he must, onely he doubts what kinde
Of death, were for his state and fancie best,
Once this conceit did come into his minde,
To lay in fight his naked open brest:
Might she him slay, he deemeth in his minde,
That such a death, in death might make him blest,
But then he sees what follow would of this,
That noble Leon, should his purpose misse.

And then himselfe of promise eke should fayle,
Which was not to dissemble, but indeuer
That Leon in his wooing might preuayle,
And make dame Bradamant his owne for euer:
Thus though that diuers thoughts his minde assayle,
Yet wholy in that thought he doth perseuer,
That moueth him most plaine to deale and trew,
And to all other thoughts he bids adew.

This while Don Leon with his fathers leaue,
With such retinue as his state required,
Of knights and squyres, his natiue soyle did leaue,
And went to see the dame he so desired:
Rogero did of him before receaue,
His armes and horse, and in strange clothes attired,
Day after day they so their iorney frame,
That it the last to Paris walls they came.

Don Leon to the Citie would not go,
But neare vnto the same he pitcht a tent,
And by Ambassage made the king to know,
How he was come, and vnto what intent:
King Charles was glad, and did his gladnes show
With gifts, and vnto him in person went:
Don Leon tels what did his comming breed,
And prayes he may dispatched be with speed.

And that King Charles that noble maid would cause,
To come the day ensuing to the feeld,
That would (against all common wedlocks lawes)
Be wood and wonne, with onely sword and sheeld:
King Charles her cals, and she that askt no pause,
Vnto the motion willingly did yeeld,
And so accordingly next day she came,
Vnto the lists prepared for the same.

That day that went before the day of fight,
Rogero passed with as great content,
As doth a man condemned spend the night,
The which before his execution went,
He chusd to fight all clad in armour bright,
Because as then to be vnknowne he ment,
And (for to hurt her, was not his pretence)
Saue sword, he vsd no weapon of offence.

Lance he would none, not that he feard the lance
Which first Argalia, then Astolfo bare,
Which forced men beside their seat to dance,
And vnto many men procurde great care,
For neither he that vsde it first in France,
Nor any of those other, was aware,
How all those fears were by inchantment donne,
Saue that same king, that gaue it to his sonne.

Likewise Astolfo and the Dordon dame,
That with that speare full many did vnhorse,
Thought not that it from Nigromancy came,
But from their fleight, and their owne proper force,
They thought with any speare to do the same:
But now Rogero did both speare and horse
Refuse, because if he had vsde his owne,
He thought it would by Bradamant be knowne.

Needs must the damsell call to minde the steed,
For why she kept him long at Clarimount,
And vsed him with her owne hands to feed,
And made of him a speciall deare account:
Wherefore Rogero that tooke speciall heed,
To go vnknowne refusd on horse to mount,
Or any other thing by which he may,
Vnto his dearest loue himselfe bewray.

He further needs another sword would take,
For well he knew against his Ballisard,
No steele, nor armor none, defence could make,
Whose edge so keene, whose mettall was so hard,
Of that new sword likewise he (for her sake)
Rebates the edge, so great was his regard,
And thus himselfe both weakning and disguising,
He came into the field at Phebus rising.

And that each one for Leon might him note,
Vntill the controuersie were discided,
He wears vpon his backe Don Leons cote,
The golden Eagle with the head deuided,
(Their making both was like, from foot, to throte)
Thus when all things were readily prouided,
The tone presents him in the open greene,
The tother kept him close, and was not seene.

But Bradamant now farre in other rate,
Herselfe in readines for fight doth set,
And if the knight do his swords edge rebate,
As fast the damsell her swords edge doth whet:
She wisheth with a heart most full of hate,
Her sword a passage to the quicke would get,
Yea comfort her it would and do her good,
If she with eu'rie blow could draw the blood.

Eu'n as a Barbrye horse that runnes a race,
And for the signe thereof hath long expected,
Against his will, doth stay his running pace,
With swelling nostrils and with eares erected:
Eu'n so the noble damsell in like case,
That of Rogeros presence naught suspected,
Did swell with wrath, and burnes like flaming fier,
Vnto the combat, such was her desier.

And as ofttimes vpon some fearfull clap
Of thunder, straight a hurlewinde doth arise,
And lifts the waues aloft, from Thetys lap,
Eu'n in a moment vp vnto the skyes,
The Herdman doubting of some great mishap,
About some tree, or caue, close hidden lyes,
So Bradamant with rage of anger driuen,
Aslayld Rogero when the signe was giuen.

But neuer did a stiffe and aged oke,
Against the Northerne blast more firmely stand,
Nor better doth a rocke, indure the stroke,
Of surging waues, still wallowing to the land,
Then good Rogero, guarded in the cloke
Of Hectors armes, her forces did withstand,
Though she still layd on loade with spite and hate,
Vpon his armes, his sides, his brest, and pate.

Sometimes she giues a blow, sometime a thrust,
According as her vantage most she spide,
And still she watcht, if she could hit him iust
Betweene the plates, or where the same were tide;
Twas well the core was such as one might trust,
For she doth search it still on eu'rie side,
And inwardly she fretteth in her minde,
That nought fell out of that she had assignd.

So shall you see some men besiege a towne,
Wel walld, and strongly flankt with rampiers mayne,
Assault it oft, and striue to batter downe
Some towres or gates, with perill great and payne,
And wast their time, and spending many a crowne,
To loose their men about the same in vayne,
No more the damsels force did now preuayle,
To pierce a plate, or to vnriuet nayle.

Sometime foorth of his helmet and his sheeld,
She made the sparks of fire fly out in sight,
Still smiting him with blowes not soft, nor seeld,
Sometime at rear demaine, and oft downe right,
As thicke as haylstones that vpon the feeld,
Or on the tyled houses do alight:
But still Rogero close lyes to his ward,
And not to hurt her, still he hath regard.

Oft standing still, now turning, then retiring,
He makes his foote accompanie his fist,
With sword, with shield, with slip (cause so requiring)
He wards the blowes, or shunnes them as him lift;
And euer not to damage her desiring,
When he might hit, of purpose still he mist,
Yet in such wife, that she her selfe was ware,
And all the rest, that he the same forbare.

But Bradamant when she her selfe bethought,
What was containd in th'Emperors Edict,
That whosoeu'r with her a whole day fought,
Should haue her at the end of such conflict,
With all her force endeuord still and sought,
To gall her aduersarie and afflict;
And now the more she troubled was in minde,
To see the Sun to West so low declinde.

And as her hope still lesse and lesser grew,
So her desire increast still more and more,
Her louing aduersarie to subdew,
That she had fought with all the day before:
As laborers whose worke by taske was dew,
That loyterd haue and now are sad therefore,
When night drawes on bestur their lasie bones,
Vntill their strength, and light fayle both at once.

Alas good Bradamant, if thou didst know,
The man to whom thou wishest so much ill,
That in this fight hath bene thy frendly foe,
And winneth thee (perhaps against his will)
Thou wouldest first haue kild thy selfe I trow,
Then of his blood one little drop to spill,
Thou that distst now so curse him and beshrow him
Wouldst neither of them do, if thou didst know him

But Charles and all his Lords, with full perswasion
That this so valiant champion, Leon was,
To praise him highly now they take occasion;
And sith his strength did hers so greatly passe,
They thinke for her, there now was no cuasion,
The matter brought to such a narrow passe,
Each man esteems this match for her most fit,
Each man allowes, each man commendeth it.

Now gan Don Phebus dip his golden rayes,
(To swage their burning) in the Westerne seas,
When Charls himselfe comes to them both & prays
The damsell now her furie to appease,
And giueth sentence, that without delayes,
Don Leon may her marrie when he please:
Rogero doth himselfe no whit di[…]close,
But armed full backe to the tent he goes.

Don Leon, brotherly doth him imbrace,
And then he holpe him to vntie his beauer,
And with great kindnes kissed all his face,
And said that he was bound to him for euer,
And that no time, such merit could deface,
Which to reward he would for aye indeuer,
Affirming frankly of his owne meere motion,
That all he had, should be at his deuotion.

I neuer can such curtesie requite,
Scant in this life (he saith) or in the next,
No though I should surrender all my right
Vnto my crowne, and all thereto annext.
Rogero, that in speech tooke small delight,
And was with inward passion so perplext,
Restord to him his armes, that he had worne,
And tooke againe his sheeld of th'Vnicorne.

Pretending (as he truly might pretend)
He wearie was, and would himselfe repose,
And therefore to his tent vnto that end,
All p[…]iuat vnaccompanyd he goes;
At midnight horse to take he doth intend,
At midnight priuily from bed he rose.
And armd, and mounted thence away departed,
But why nor whither, he to none imparted.

And thus away he secretly doth ride,
And giues Frontino leaue to chuse the way,
Now neare a wood, then by the riuer side,
(He neuer looking to what coast it lay)
He faine would die, and still come death he cride,
He thought death onely could his paine allay,
He onely wished death, to end his griefe,
That while he liues, is sure past all reliefe.

Ah wretch (said he) of whom can I complaine,
For sodain reauing me of all my blisse?
Shall I so great an iniurie sustaine?
Of whom else shall I be […]ueng'd for this?
I did the fault, and now I feele the paine,
Nor can I say, but iust the torment is,
For punishment doth properly belong,
To him that is the author of the wrong.

But had I done my selfe the wrong alone,
I might perhap forgiue my selfe the same,
Though surely cause, nor reason there is none,
To pardon such a fact, so worthie blame:
But now I haue to her bene cause of mone,
To suffer that, it were perpetuall shame;
So though I should no iust reuengement take
For mine owne cause, yetmust I for her sake,

This wrong reuenge I may, I will, I must,
By onely death, sith this offence was such;
To dye, I soone shall finde the way I trust,
The care thereof, my minde no whit doth tuch:
Oh that I had long since bene layd in dust,
Ere that I iniured my deare so much,
I would I had bene put to death before,
When I was prisner vnto Theodore.

If I had then bene martyrd and tormented,
With all the plagues her mallice could deuise,
At least my deare, my death would haue lamented,
With teares, from out her christ all streaming eyes:
Now when she knows, that I haue thus consented
To Leon, to betray her in this wise,
My part of her, vnto a stranger giuing
She will haue cause to hate me dead and liuing.

Now while the knight did thus lament and plaine,
The Easter parts of heau'n, with light were cleared,
And Phebus from his golden house againe,
Lift vp his head, wherewith all creatures cheared,
Betake them to their ordinarie paine:
And then vnto Rogero it appeared,
That he was in a wood, a most fit place,
For one of such a minde, in such a case.

He lights, and off he takes Frontinos sadle,
And giues him libertie, and thus he sayes,
My gallant beast so good, so seruiceable,
As I haue found thee still at all assayes,
Go, heare I set thee free, and were I able,
As I am willing, to set forth thy prayse,
Thou doubtlesse shouldst not need that horse enuie,
That was tane vp from earth vnto the skye.

Nor should Arions prayses make thee sory,
Nor Cillarus that Castor did bestryde,
Nor any praisd in Greeke, or Latin story,
For why (thy shape and readines beside)
Of all these famous steeds not one can glorie,
As thou maist do, it cannot be denide,
Of them none passeth thee in commendation,
Nor iustly challenge can such reputation.

Thou hast bene cherished and loued deere,
By such a Nymph, so faire and so diuine,
As all the world can hardly show her peere,
She hath thee fed, with that fayre hand and fine,
I meane my loue, but ah why liue I heere,
Sith now I may no longer call her mine?
No longer mine she is, ah cruell word,
Why end not I my dayes by mine owne sword?

Now if Rogero thus himselfe tormented,
And cauld the birds and beasts, to mone his plaint,
For none but birds and beasts, the place frequented,
Whom he with his great sorrow might acquaint;
No doubt the damsell was as ill contented,
And made a greater, or as great complaint,
Sith for her selfe she nothing hath to say,
Why she to Leon longer should say nay.

Yet all meanes possible she meanes to trye,
Before that she will her Rogero leaue,
And make king Charles and all his Lords to lye,
And Leon of his promise to deceaue:
Or if the worst shall hap, she meanes to dye,
And with her hands of life her selfe bereaue,
For present death she rather ment to chuse,
Then her belou'd Rogero to refuse.

How commeth it to passe (said she) my deare,
That at this time thou art so farre from hence?
How can a thing which all the world did heare,
So strangely be concealed from thy sence?
If thou hadst heard it, sure thou wouldst appeare;
For that my drift, that was my sole pretence,
Ah my ill fortune euermore accurst,
What can I deeme, but eu'n the very worst.

Why then Rogero mine, can you alone,
Not know that all the world doth know beside,
For had you known it straight you woulst haue flown
Of purpose hither combat to haue tride;
Thou sure art tane, or slaine, for third is none:
It may be, Leon that thy praise enuide,
Hath like a traytor, set for thee a trap,
And thou art tane therein by some mishap.

I gat this grace of Charles to marry none,
But one that were in fight for me too hard,
A slured thou shouldst be that onely one,
For no mans force but thine I did regard;
I thought none else could vanquish me alone,
But loe how God doth this my pride reward,
That he that neuer erst in all his life
Did manly deed, hath wonne me for his wife.

If I be wonne and vanquished, because
He matched still my force at all assayes,
But Charles doth not iudge rightly of the cause,
And therefore I must seeke some new delayes;
Ah if I now put in some caffling clause,
I shall be cald vnconstant all my dayes,
But ficklenes in maids is seldome wonderd,
Nor am I first that vide it, by an hunderd.

Suffiseth me that in the being trew
Vnto my loue, I others all excell,
And passe the patterns either old or new,
Or neare or far, eu'n wherefon't they dwell:
Then will I bid that constancie adew,
That may be hindrance to my doing well,
So I and Leon may not match together,
Let me be deemd as wau'ring as the wether.

This Bradamant vnto her selfe doth say,
And olt she breaks her speech with sighs and tears,
And that night that ensu'd that lucklesse day,
To sleepe or close her eye lids she for beares,
But when Apollos beames had driu'n away
Nocturnus shades,then lo supernall spheares,
By which all humane actions are directed,
Brought helpe to her, when least it was expected.

For why Marfisa, that braue minded dame,
The next day came and sowd new seeds of strife,
Alledging that it was great wrong and shame,
A forrener should haue her brothers wife;
And swears her selfe could not endure the same,
And that she would by combat gage her life,
According as the law of armes allows,
To proue Rogero was her lawfull spouse.

And if dame Bradamant would it deny,
She faith, she will it to her face auer,
As hauing witnes bene with eare, and eye,
That good Rogero was aslur'd to her
With words, as folkes in mariages apply;
And adding she would vnto law refer,
If so the damsell to her noble brother
Affianced, might iustly take another.

Now whether this she spake were false or trew,
I know not, but she spake it with intent,
To stop the mariage likely to ensew
With Leon, which she studi'd to preuent:
Some thought perhaps that Bradamant it knew,
And that twas done in part by her consent,
As hauing no more safe nor honest way,
Vnto her left, to lay Don Leon nay.

In euill part these newes the Emp'ror tooke,
And called for the damsell by and by,
And told her what Marfisa vndertooke,
(And loe by hap, Duke Ammon then stood by)
She fixed on the ground her silent looke,
And to the question, said nor no nor I,
That by her gesture, eu'rie one did take,
That that was true, that earst Marfisa spake.

This made Orlando and Renaldo glad,
In hope that this might proue a lawfull meane,
To make the match which they forepromist had,
And hinder this new match, and dash it cleane:
For sith Duke Ammon those first banes for bad,
And vnto Leons side did wholy leane,
To vse pretence of law, they both had rather,
Then take by force, the damsell from her father.

For if that this pretence may stand for good,
The necke of Leons match it then would breake,
And moue no cause of warre, or shedding blood:
But Ammon in great wrath, thus wise doth speake;
This is a tale indeed of Robinhood,
Which to beleeue, might show my wits but weake,
But thinke not that I will be so belotted,
Though this were true, that you haue vainly plotted.

For presuppose, which yet I not confesse,
My daughter was by folly so alluted,
And that they are, which none of wit could guesse,
Each vnto other, man and wife assured:
I pray you yet, the time more plaine expresse,
When this was done, how long it hath indured,
This (sure I am) tis but a tale deuised,
Except it were before he was baptised.

And if twere done before his Christen state,
To stand vnto the same I am not tyde,
Wherefore this caueat is put in too late,
Her owne desire she hath not had denyde:
Now tis not fit, a Prince of such estate,
As for her sake, aduenterd to haue dyde,
Should your Emp'rours promise be deluded,
And by such craft, be from his right excluded.

You should haue spoken then of this contract,
Before our king had sent his proclamation,
I meane not thus to haue my credit crackt,
For more then so, I weigh my reputation:
Thus pleaded he against that precontract,
The which to breake was his determination,
To either part his eare the Emperor lends,
Yet partially, to neither side he bends.

Looke what a murmure winds do make in woods,
When Zephyrus mild blasts among them are,
Or when one heats from far the saltish floods,
When Eolus and Neptune are at square:
So did the common people in their moods,
Talke of these matters, and the same compare,
And as the manner is (for nine dayes space)
This was the newes and talke in eu'rie place.

This man Rogero, Leon that defends,
According to the fancies of the men,
But yet it seemd Rogero had most frends,
Scarse had the stranger one, for tothers ten,
But as I said, the king to no side bends,
And hauing duly weighd the matter then,
He points the mariage day to be deferred,
The case vnto his Parliament referred.

Next day Marfisa made another offer,
Sith that none could, during her brothers life,
Wed Bradamant, and be assured of her,
Her brother should (for ending of the strife)
To Leon hand to hand, the combat proffer,
So she might be the last suruiuers wife;
And he that tother could in battell kill,
Enioy her might alone at his owne will.

Charles vnto Leon doth impart these newes,
As he before the other did impart,
That offer Leon ment not to refuse,
But saith he take it would, with all his hart,
He minds againe the matter so to vse,
The knight of th'Vnicorne should play his part,
He little knew that in great care and anguish,
The noble knight did now consume and languish.

But missing him, he quickly did repent,
That he accepted had that stout defiance,
And therefore straight to seeke the knight he sent,
In whose tryde force he put his whole affiance;
Him to Rogero to oppose he ment,
And all his frends and all his strong alliance:
Wherefore to shun both danger great and scorne,
He sent to seeke the knight of th'Vnicorne.

To all the Cities, and the the townes he sends,
And all the villages were there about,
And mounting on his horse himselfe intends
To go in person and to seeke him out,
But neither he nor all Regeros frends,
In France, had euer light on him I doubt,
Had not Melissa holpe him at his need,
As in the booke insuing, you may reed.