Canto 46

NOw if my compasse, and my card be trew;
I am not fatre from that desired cost,
Where I shal pay my vow, and promise dew,
Vnto my Saint, of whose great grace I bost.
I looked earst with pale, and chearlesse hew,
For feare in this wide Ocean to be lost,
But now me thinke I see, I now see surely
The hau'n, in which I harbor shall securely.

Harke, harke, what peals of Ord'nance great and Guns,
Are shot in token of congratulation,
Harke how they sound the Trumpets, & the Drums,
To gratulate my happie nauigation:
See how on either shore the people runs,
To see me after my long per'grination,
Behold a crew of peerlesse knights, and dames,
Now I discerne them, now I know their names.

But least my ship should perish in the port,
As oft it doth befall for want of heed,
I will go forward in my first report,
And tell to you how well the prince did speed
That sought Rogero, who in wofull fort,
Did pine and languished, and wisht indeed,
Sith that dame Bradamant he might not marry,
To dye all comfortlesse, and solitary.

But sage Melyssa that had euer sought,
To make that match (as often hath bene fed.)
And euermore did take great care, and thought,
That good Rogero Bradamant might wed,
By her great skill in Magicko art so wrought,
She had continuall notice how they sped;
Two sprites she did imploy for that intent,
And still as one came home, another went.

By them, she quickly had intelligence,
How he had tane so inward griefe and great,
He taryd in a wood with firme pretence,
To pine himselfe away, with want of meat:
Melyssa parteth presently from thence,
And with some secret words she did repeat,
In likenesse of a horse a sprite she tooke,
And to met Leon, that for him did looke.

And thus she said to him, sir, if you be
So gracious, as your semblance makes me weene,
If your good minde with your good lookes agree,
If so you haue not lost all pittie cleene,
Come then, o'come and helpe and ioyne with me,
To ayd the brauest knight, that ere was seene,
Who for one curteous part that he hath done,
(Except you helpe) is like to bevndone.

The noblest, stourest, and the prowest knight,
That euer carryd shield, or blade forth drew,
The seemlyest, and most worthy minded wight,
That euer was in age, or old, or new,
Is like to perish in most wofull plight,
Except he may relieued be by you;
Come quickly then, vnto his aide perdye,
And suffer not so braue a man to dye.

Don Leon straight supposed in his minde,
That this same knight, of whom the stranger spake,
Was he whom long he sought and could not finde,
And be for whom such care himselfe did take:
Melissa leads the way, he close behind
Doth follow her, and so good shift they make,
That in some twaine, at most in three houres ryding
They came there where Rogero was abyding.

Now being at the place to which they hafted,
They both alighted there, with minde to stay.
There saw they how he pinde away and wasted,
For in two dayes before, nor all that day,
No liquor he had drunke, nor meat had tasted,
But in his armor on the ground he lay,
And made a pillow of that noble sheeld,
With th'Vnicorne vpon vermillion feeld.

Here as I said, he lay along and mused
On his owne miserie, and on that wrong,
With which he had his loue so much abused,
And bites for griefe, his hands, and lips, and tong;
And his conceits, and wits were so confused,
To set his thoughts vpon one thing so long,
And hauing on his griefe so firmely fixt them,
He saw not them, although he were betwixt them.

Don Leon harkned to his lamentation,
And heard him often call himselfe vnkind,
And saw him vexe himselfe in such a fashion,
As vnto pittie great his heart inclind:
He finds that loue bred all this molestation,
But yet whose loue it was he did not find,
He heard how sundry times himselfe he blamed,
But all that while his loue he neuer named.

And therefore pitying much his wofull case,
Although awhile he silent stood and mute,
Yet after stood before him face to face,
And with great louingnesse doth him salute,
And with affection great doth him imbrace,
Intreating him, and making speciall sute,
That he would tell him plaine, and make him know,
What cause had bred him so great griefe and woe.

Rogero loth to liue, resolu'd to dye,
Prayes Leon now to trouble him no more,
But he most sweetly doth to him reply,
That God hath made a salue for eu'uie sore,
If men would learne the same how to apply,
And that no one thing may auayle man more,
To cure a griefe, and perfectly to heale it,
Then if he do vnto some frend reucale it.

And sure (said he) I take it in ill part,
Because you trust not me, that am your frend,
Not onely, since with your late frendly part,
You bound me vnto you, to my liues end,
But was eu'n then, when you with hatefull hart,
At Belgrade siege did me and mine offend,
Thinke not but I will still procure your good.
Both with my lands, my frends, and with my blood.

Why should it grieue you to declare your griefe,
To one that may perhaps your losse repayre:
Bad haps are holpe with hope, and good beliefe,
Wherefore a wise man neuer will dispayre:
I hope my selfe shall bring you some reliefe,
By force, by policie, or else by prayre,
When all meanes haue bene tryde, and all hope past
Then dye, at least keepe that vnto the last.

These words so earnestly Don Leon spake,
And with such efficacie him he praid,
Beleeching him, his frendly counsell take,
That tother now, with kindnesse ouerlaid,
Was forst an answer vnto him to make;
But in his answer, sodainly he staid,
And slammerd twise, ere he could bring it out,
Dispaire still mouing him to causlesse doubt.

Good sir (he said) when I my name shall show,
As I do meane, and that eu'n by and by,
You will be then full well content I trow,
To grant me leaue and libertie to dye:
I am Rogero (if you needs will know)
That went from France (and if I shall not lye)
Mine arrant was, your fire and you to kill,
And would haue done it, had I had my will.

And all because indeeed I then supposed,
Your onely life, did let me of my loue,
Man purposes, but all things are disposed,
By that great God, that fits and rules aboue:
Behold it hapst I was in prison closed,
And there I did your noble courtsie proue,
For there you did me such a great good turne,
As all my haued into loue did turne.

And hauing bound me with so great desart,
And ignorant, that I Rogero was,
You did your secrets vnto me impart,
And praid me win for you, that warlike lasse,
Which was all one, as to haue askt my hart;
Yet loe for you, I brought the same to passe,
Now take her to your selfe, and much good do you,
More good then to my selfe, I with vnto you.

But yet withall forbid me not to dye,
As now I trust I shall, ere many houres,
For liue as well without a soule can I,
As without her, that holds my vitall powres:
And sure tis best for your, behoofe, for why
While I do liue, she is not lawfull yours,
For we two are betrotht, and law allowes,
One woman, but of one to be the spouse.

Don Leon with these newes was so accrazed,
He seemed in a traunce, he knew not how,
And on Rogero stedfastly he gazed,
Not euer mouing lip, nor hand, nor brow,
But like an Image long he stood amazed,
That some hath hallowd to performe his vow,
This act of his, so curteous he doth weene,
He thinks the like before had neuer beene.

So that he did not (when he knew his name)
Repent him of the good he had him done,
But rather greatly did increase the same,
Proceeding in the course he had begunne:
Wherefore to shew from how great stocke he came
And that he was indeed an Emperiors sonne:
Although in other things he was inferior,
In courtesie, he meanes to be superior.

And thus (he said) my deare Rogero know,
If I as well had knowne your person, when
As by your meanes I had an ouerthrow,
And that you foyled me and all my men:
Yet that great vertue that you there did show,
Should eu'n in manner like haue mou'd me then;
And so I would all malice haue remoued,
And so I would your vertue great haue loued.

That once I did dislike Rogeros name,
Before I knew you, I must needs confesse,
But that I now continue should the same,
Assure your selfe I purpose nothing lesse:
And if when first I to the prison came,
To set you free from danger and distresse,
I knowne had all the truth, yet then I vow,
I would haue done the same I will do now.

And surely, if I would haue done it then,
When I had reason to haue borne you hate,
Much rather now I ought to do it, when
Not doing it I should be most vngrate,
And most vnthankfull of all other men;
Sith you your loue, your life, and whole estate,
Haue freely giuen for me, but as you gaue it,
Of me againe, so freely you shall haue it.

More due to you then me, the Damzell is,
Whom though I much esteeme of due desart,
Yet not so much, that if I her do misse,
Straightwayes the griefe thereof should kil my hart:
Nor shall your death auantage me in this,
Sith you in her alreadie claime such part,
That lawfully while you abide in life,
She can by no meanes be anothers wise.

As for my part, first I will quite forsake
Both her, and all my worldly ioyes beside,
Then it shall once be said, that for may sake,
A noble knight of so great worth had dide:
This onely thing I could vnkindly take,
That you that had before my kindnes tride,
Would rather chuse to end your daies with griefe,
Then at my hands haue comfort and reliese.

These words Don Leon spake, and many more,
Which now would be too tedious to recite,
Refuting good Rogero euermore,
That in conclusion, being vanquisht quite:
He said, I yeeld, and ile resist no more,
I will not die; but when shall I requite
Your courtesie, that twise to me haue giuen
My life, when I to greatest woe was driuen?

Now had Melissa caused to be brought,
Both cordiall meates, and wines of her puruaying,
And made him take ye same, who now with thought,
And tasting long, was eu'n almost decaying:
His horse likewise (as nature hath them taught)
Came where he heard the other horses naying:
Don Leon cauld his lackies him to get,
And then his saddle on his backe to let.

And so Rogero with Don Leons aid,
With much adoe, did clammer to his feat,
So greatly was his former strength decaid,
With which he ouerthrew an army great:
And lately did withstand that warlike maid,
So weakly weapond, as I did repeat:
And thus with all conuenient speed they might,
They brought him to an Abbey that same night.

Where all the night, and three dayes that ensewd,
They staid, and had of needfull things good store,
Vntill Rogero had his strength renewd,
Which had with fasting long, bene weakned sore:
Then priuily among them they conclude,
To turne to Paris, where the night before,
A few Bulgarians, came with an embassage,
And this was all the substance of their message.

They said how that the people of their Nation,
To whom Rogero late such aid did bring,
Beyond all hope, beyond all expectation,
Had therefore chosen him to be their king:
Reiecting all their owne kings generation,
And all his royall race (no vsuall thing)
So much they loued him, so well they leeke him,
And therefore sent to Charles his court to seeke him.

Rogeros lackey that had bene their guide,
Told cake his masters frends how he had sped,
As namely how the Greekes he damnifide,
And how the Bulgars hauing lost their hed,
Chose him for king, how he alone did ride,
To Nouengrade, where he was rane in bed,
And vnto Theodora was presented,
Who purposed to haue him sore tormented.

And how, he heard it commonly was spoken,
That he his cruell keeper closely slew,
And that the Prison gates were rent and broken,
And he was gone, but whither no man knew:
Now while Rogeros man such things did open,
Rogero closely out of all mens vew,
Did come to towne, and there that night did stay,
And he and Leon, came to Charles next day.

Don Leon arme in arme Rogero led,
(Thus it was then deuised them betweene)
With that selfe cote, and armes apparelled,
That were of late by all the people seene,
Then when dame Bradamant had combated
With Leon, (as they falsely then did weene)
That batterd sword, that cote, that plume all torne,
That headpeece now, was by Rogero worne.

By which each man eu'n at first fight surmised,
This was that knight that had the Ladie wonne,
Don Leon selfe bare faced, vndisguised,
Came richly clothed, like an Emp'rors sonne,
And with retinue not to be dispised:
And when he had to Charles due reu'rence donne,
Rogero by the hand he then did take,
On whom all eyes were fixt, and thus he spake.

This is that stout and well approued knight,
That did with Bradamant fight hand to hand,
Whom sith she neuer tooke nor put to flight,
But that he did twelue houres her force withstand,
(Most worthy sir) to haue her ought of right,
If your edict we rightly vnderstand:
And therefore now accordingly he commeth,
To lay his claime to her, as best becommeth.

Besides his right by proclamation knowne,
That iustly doth all others claime debarre,
I thinke the vallew that he now hath showne,
Proues his sufficiencie in feates of warre:
If loue may win her, she is sure his owne,
His loue to her doth passe all others farre;
And here he stands prepared to auer,
By law or force, that he hath right to her.

King Charles and all his court did greatly muse
At this, for why till then they little thought,
That he before did them so much abuse,
But that himselfe had that same combat fought:
This while Marfisa, that with flying newes
Of this same strange report was thither brought,
Scant him to end his speech she would permit,
But presently this wife she answerd it

Sith now Rogero absent is from hence,
That might his right against this knight defend,
And proue that this is but a vaine pretence,
Because the strife shal not so easely end:
I that his sister am, in his defense,
And in defence of this same cause intend,
To fight with whomsoeuer in this place,
As shall deny his title or disgrace.

And these last words she spake with such desdaine,
That some that knew her nature (hastie euer)
Did feare she scantly would eu'n then refraine,
But without leaue to kill him straight endeuer:
Now Leon thinks it best no longer faine;
And forthwith pulling of Rogero beauer,
Loe here himselfe now readie prest (he said)
To answer all shall to his charge be laid.

As old Aegeus at his cursed boord
Amazed sat, to finde his spouses wile,
When to his sonne she poyson did affoord,
And if he lingred had a little while,
And had not knowne the handle of his sword,
Had kild his sonne, he gate by Pitheus guile:
So stood Marfisa mazed in the place,
When as she saw and knew Rogeros face.

And straight she runnes, and on his necke doth fall,
And long it was ere from him she could part,
Renald', Orlando, Charles, afore them all
Embraced him, and welcomd from their hart:
Good Dudon, Oliver, with ioy not small,
And old Sobrino, health to him impart,
Eake all the other Lords and knights, and Squyres,
To bid him welcome shew most prompt desires.

Don Leon that in speech was eloquent,
When eu'rie one had done his gratulation,
Begins to tell to Charles incontinent,
And all the rest, Rogeros commendation:
And how he to the Bulgars succour lent,
(To no small damage of the Greekish nation)
And shewd such noble courage and such force,
As him to loue Rogero did enforce.

So as when he was after tane and brought,
To her that vowd with torment him to slay,
Himselfe in spite of her, and all that sought
To hurt Rogero, brought him safe away:
For which kind part of his, Rogero thought
Himselfe so bound to him, that he last day,
Did him that courtesie that sure doth passe,
The greatest courtesie that euer was.

He further doth from point to point declare,
What for his sake, Rogero had atchieued,
But after this, with anguish great and care,
The losse of his belou'd so sore him grieued
As he to pine away did straight prepare,
Had not his sorrow bene in time releiued:
All which so rufully Don Leon sed,
Scarse was an eye, but teares with blindnes shed.

Then spake he to that obstinate old man,
I meane Duke Ammon, that faire Ladies fire,
And with all skill, and Rhetoricke he can,
He wooes his loue, and pacifies his ire:
That by intreatie at the last he wan,
Himselfe to go in person, and desire
Rogeros pardon; praying him in th' end,
To take him for his father-in law and frend.

This while to Bradamant the ioyfull tiding
Was quickly brought, by more then one report,
Who in her chamber all her sorrow hyding,
Eschewd all solace, shunning all resort:
Whereby the blood about the hart abiding,
Was drawne now thence in such a sodaine sort,
And this vnlookt for ioy so ouerfild her,
That eu'n the suddennes had almost kild her.

Quite speechlesse, liuelesse sinking to the ground,
(So strange a quame her tender heart did feele)
And she in whom such force was lately found,
For want of strength did here and thither reele;
But neu'r did thiefe with hands togither bound,
Condemned to the rope, the axe, or wheele,
And blindfold, looking eu'rie houre to die,
Ioy more to heare some man a pardon crie.

The houses of Mongrane, and Montalbane,
Reioyce at these their branches newly knit,
But by Maganza comfort small is tane,
For in their hearts they sorrie were for it:
Anselmus, Falcon, Gynamus, and Gane,
Dissembling yet their thoughts with craftie wit
But for a time of vengeance they do watch,
As doth the Fox, the hurtlesse hare to catch.

Beside old quarrels and their ancient hate,
New matters done of late did them displease,
Although the king, and wife men of the state,
For common quiet, did the same appease:
The death of Pynabello slaine but late,
And Bertolage, did much their mindes disease:
Yet now in shew they do dissemble deepe,
And close in minde they do their malice keepe,

In this meane time, th'Ambassadors that came,
To Charles his court, by those Bulgarian sent,
Reioycing now that thing so well did frame,
In humble manner to Rogero went:
And did salute him king, as in the name
Of all their countrimen incontinent,
And so accordingly did lowly greete,
Their new made Prince, and kneeled at his feete.

They told him how their Scepter and their Crowne,
Was safely kept, alone for his behoofe,
In Adrianopolis their chiefest towne:
And for they knew by many a former proofe,
That Constantito straue to keepe them downe,
They pray him not to stay so farre allofe;
Affirming boldly that if he were there,
The forces of all Greece they would not feare.

Rogero granteth them their iust request,
And promist to defend them from the Greekes,
And vowes if God permit, to do his best,
To be with them within some thirteene weekes:
But Leon bids them set their heart at rest,
He tels them that their choise so well he leekes,
He on his Princely word will vndertake,
Twixt Constantino and them, firme peace to make.

Thus each thing framed now in so good sort,
As could be wisht by thought, or by deuise,
But neither did Rogeros good report,
Get fauour with ambitious Beatrice,
Nor personage that past the common sort,
Nor feats of armes, in which he wan the prise;
And of the which, all Europe now did ring,
But onely this, to see him made a king.

In royall sort this marriage they prepare,
(Whose charge it was, the state wil make it knowne)
Charles bare the charge, and tooke thereof such care
As if she were a daughter of his owne:
Of her and hers, so great the merits are,
And had to him so many wayes bene showne;
He thought the cost had not exceeded measure,
If he had spent vpon them halfe his treasure.

He kept an open court by proclamation,
Where nine dayes space, who list may freely baunt,
Men of their owne, and men of forren Nation,
To all of them he did safe conduct graunt:
And all that stood vpon their reputation,
That sought their soes in single fight to daunt,
Had license franke, to challenge whom they lists,
For euermore prepared were the lists.

In open fields they pitched tents great store,
Beside with Oken boughes they made such bowres,
Strawing the pauements of them euermore,
With fragrant Roses and sweet smelling flowers;
That neuer bad the like bene seene before,
Nor neuer since, from that same age to ours;
Besides the furnitures of silke and gold,
Was more then can conueniently be told.

Th' innumerable people of each sort,
From Greece, from England, Italy and Spaine,
Th'Ambassadors that thither did resort,
Beside each seuerall Prince, a seuerall traine,
Did cause the citie walls to seeme too short,
To lodge them all, so they in fine were faine,
In houels, boothes, in tents, and in pauillions,
To lodge some thousands, if I say not millions.

Onely Melissas care was to foresee,
The marriage chamber should be well attyred,
Which by her skill she ment should furnisht be;
For long to make the match she had aspired:
Which now that she accomplished did see,
She thought she had the thing she most desired:
For by her skill in Magicke, She did know,
What passing fruit, forth of that branch should grow

Wherefore she place the fruitfull wedding bed,
Amid a faire and large pauillion, which
Was eu'n the sumptuolest, that ere was spred,
Of silke, and beaten gold wrought eu'rie stitch:
And more; from ouer Constantinos hed,
At Thracyan shore, where he his tents did pitch
Fast by the sea, for his more recreation,
She tooke the same to his great admiration.

Were it that Leon gaue consent thereto,
Or that she did the same, her skill to vaunt,
To shew what one by Magicke art can do,
That haue the skill the fends of hell to daunt:
(For what cannot their powre atchieue vnto,
When for our plague, God leaue to them wil grant)
From Thrace to Paris in twelue houres it came,
I trow she sent one in the diuels name.

She causd it to be carrid at noone day,
From Constantino, Emp'ror then of Greece,
The beame, the staues, the cords they brought away,
The pinnes, the hoopes, and eu'rie little peece:
She placed it whereas she meant to lay
Atlantas Nephew, with his new made Neece:
In this pauillion she did place their bedding.
And sent it backe when finisht was the wedding.

Two thousand yeare before, or not much lesse,
This rich pauillion had in Troy bene wrought,
By faire Cassandra, that same Prophetesse,
That had (but all in vaine) in youth bene taught,
Of future things to giue most certaine guesse,
For her true speech was euer set at naught
She wrought this same, with helpe of many other,
And gaue it Hector, her beloued brother.

The worthiest wight that eu'r man did behold,
That should proceed forh of his noble line,
She here portrayd, in worke of silke and gold,
Of precious substance, and of colour fine:
Also the time and season was foretold,
Both of his birth, and of his praise diuine:
Don Hector of this gift great count did make,
Both for the worke, and for the workers sake.

But when himselfe by treason foule was slaine,
And Troy was by the Greekes defaced quite,
Who enterd it by Synons subtle traine,
And worse ensewd there of then Poets write:
Then Menelaus did this great relicke gaine,
And after on king Proteus hapt to light,
Who gaue to him dame Helen ere he went,
And for reward receiu'd of him this tent.

And thus to Aegypt that time it came,
Where with the Ptolomeys it long remained,
Till Cleopatra,that lasciuious dame,
As by inheritance, the same obtained:
Agrippas men by seathen tooke the same,
What time in Rome Augustus Casar raigned:
And then in Rome, while Rome was th'Empires seat
It staid till time of Constantine the great.

That Emp'ror Constantine I meane, of whom
Faire Italy for euer shall lament,
Who when he lothed Tibris bankes and Rome,
Vnto the citie of Byzantium went,
A place of more receipt, and larger roome,
And thither this pauillion then he sent:
Of which the cords were golden wire and silke,
The staues and pinnes, were lu'rie white as milke.

In this, Cassandra wrought such diuers faces,
More then Apelles erst with Pensill drew,
A queene in childbed lay, to whom the graces
With pleasant grace perform'd Lucynas dew:
Ioue, Mercurie, and Mars in other places,
And Venus do receiue the babe borne new:
The sweetest babe that to the world came forth,
From mans first age, eu'n downe vnto the fourth.

Hippolito they name him, as appeares
Wrote in small letters on his swathing bands,
And when he is a little growne in yeares,
On one side Fortune, tother Vertue stands:
Then in another picture diuers Peeres,
Clad in long rayments, sent from forren lands,
Vnto the father and the mother came,
To begge the babe in great Coruynos name.

They part from Hercles with great reu'rence then,
And from that infants mother Elinore,
Vnto Danubia ward, and there the men
Still runne to see that infant and adore:
Also the king Coruyno wonders when
He saw in him both wit and iudgement more,
In those his tender childish yeares and greene,
Then many times in older men had beene.

One doth endeuour in his childish hand,
Of the Strigonian Realme to put to the mace,
But euermore the tender youth doth stand,
So high in that same noble Princes grace,
That if he warre in manly Almans land,
Or in the Turkes, or any other place;
Hippolito is euer by his side,
And learneth vertue vnder such a guide.

Another place shewes how he doth dispence,
His youthfull time in Discipline and art,
Fusco instructs him in the hidden sence,
Of ancient writs,and precepts doth impart,
What actions praise, what actions breed offence,
What be reward of good and ill desart:
All which the picture did so well expresse,
That at the meaning eu'rie one might guesse.

Loe where as yet a boy in Vatican,
Among the grauest Card'nals he doth sit,
And speakes so wisely, that they all began,
To wonder at his towardnes and wit;
What manner man (if once he were a man)
Would this man proue? for Peters chaire how fit?
They seeme to say; oh if he thither clime,
What holy age were that? what happie time?

Within another part described were
His youthfull sports, when he more strong did grow
Oft in the mountaines he doth meet a Beare,
Oft-times a Bore, in marrish grounds and low:
He rides his Genet fierce, and void of feare,
He chaseth oft the Buck, the Hart and Roe,
And by his horse swift pace, doth ouer-ride them,
And then doth with his sword in twaine deuide them.

Of Poets then, and of Philosophars.
About him you should see a worthy band,
To make him know the course of wandring starres,
How heau'n doth moue, & why the earth doth stand
Or reading of Elegies, or verse of warres,
Fine Epigrams, Odes hard to vnderstand:
Or sometime instruments of Musicke hearing,
In all his acts a speciall grace appearing.

Then on another part was to bevewd,
His vertues, each one by it selfe distinct,
First Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude,
And Iustice, and afift vnto them linkt
So nye, that who with it is not indewd,
The rest may seeme or blotted, or extinct:
Good bountie, shewd in giuing and in spending,
A speciall grace to all the other lending.

This one place shewes be aids vnluckie Sforse,
Him euermore most faithfully assisting,
Sometime with policie, sometime with force,
Him helping, and his enemies resisting
Of fortunes change he doth but little force,
In woe and weale, in one faith still persisting:
He comforts him when euill haps do grieue him,
In dangers he doth saue, in want relieue him.

Then stands he studying at another season,
And for his countries safetie taking care,
He searcheth, and he finds by depth of reason,
And finding, to his brother doth declare
Their most vnnaturall and filthy treason,
That some of his owne blood for him prepare,
By which he doth deserue such name to haue,
As Rome yet free, to tamous Tully gaue.

Fast by he stands all clad in armour bright,
And to relieue the Church he runnes in post,
With sodaine souldiers, raw and armed light,
Against a setled and well ordred host:
Yet did his onely presence so affright,
The aduerse part, that one may rightly bost,
It quencht the fire, ere it to burne began,
So he may say, I came, I saw, I wan.

Here stands he by his natiue riuer side,
And straight encounters with the strongest fleete,
That euer yet Venetians did prouide,
Gainst Greeke, or Turke, but he doth boldly meet,
And vanquisht them; and tooke them at one tide,
And though the bootie and the gaine was sweet,
All (saue the praise) he left vnto his brother,
For onely that, cannot be giu'n another.

Thus this Pauillion, as before I told,
The which Melissa brought so farre from thence,
Did please the knights, and dames that did behold,
The goodly imag'rie, and rich expence:
Although they had not any to vnfold,
The meaning of the same and hidden sence;
But yet by good Melissas wise instruction,
Dame Bradamant did know their whole costruction

Rogero markt likewise with great attention,
Those goodly figures calling to his minde,
That oft his vnckle of that Prince made mention,
Hippolito, the flowre of all his kinde:
But now king Charles, whose care is and intention,
To giue to all men entertainment kinde,
Made playes and feasts, with sundry sports and great,
And euermore the tables fild with meat.

There, men might plainly see and vnderstand,
The courage and the strength of eu'rie knight,
Sometimes in single wise, now band to band,
In iusts, and turnaments resembling fight,
But still Rogero had the vpper hand,
In all his exercise of day and night:
In leaping, running, wrastling, and in dancing,
All men him far aboue the rest aduancing.

But on the last of these dayes festiuall,
Then when to take away they did prouide,
What time king Charles was set amid them all,
Eu'n iust betweene the Bridgrome and the Bride,
Behold they saw a goodly man and tall,
That seemd directly toward them to ride.
Most proudly mounted on a coursers backe,
But yet his horse and he, all clad in blacke.

This was fierce Rodomont, king of Algyre,
Who at his late receiued foile, and I corne
Of Bradamant,inflamd with spight and ire,
All vse of horse and armor had forsworne,
Till one whole yeare, one month, one day expire,
But liue that while an Hermit all forlorne:
For so the knights were wont in ancient times,
Of their owne selues, to punish their owne crimes.

And though this while he oft had notice how,
King Agramant, and how king Charles had sped,
Yet nathelesse, for not breaking of his vow,
Forth of the doores he neuer put his hed:
But when the yeare and month were ended now,
And day beside, himselfe he furnished,
With armor new, new horse, new sword, new lance,
And came therewith vnto the court of France.

Not once alighting nor so much as rising,
For reu'rence sake, to bow his head or knee,
He bare the count'nance of a man despising,
Both Charles, and all those Peeres of great degree:
At this each man amazed stands deuising,
What proud and sawcy fellow this might be,
From talking and from eating each man stayes,
To hearken what this lofire warrior layes.

Now when he was to th'Emp'ror come so nye,
That he Rogero fully did confront,
With stately voice, and with disdainfull crie,
(He saith) I am the king of Sarza Rodomont,
That thee Rogero flatly here defie,
And ere the Sunne go downe make full account,
To proue thou hast bene false vnto thy Prince,
And openly of treason thee conuince.

For though thy treachery be knowne so cleare,
In being Christend, thou canst not deny it,
Yet that to all the world it may appeare,
I offer here in single fight to trie it:
Or if thy courage faile, if any here
Will take on them thy quarrell, to supply it,
I will accept of any one or more,
Yea, not to faile, of six or halfe a score.

Rogero, when he first had licence craued
Of Charles, this wise to Rodomont replide,
(And said) he euer had his honour saued,
And who so said contrarie, lowdly lide:
For he had to his Prince himselfe behaued,
Most loyally eu'n to the day he dide:
And said he there was readie to maintaine,
That yet his faith had neuer sufferd staine.

And that himselfe was bold enough and strong,
With him to buckle hand to hand alone,
And that he hopte to make him feele ere long,
He had enough, perhap too much of one:
Straightwayes Renaldo to auenge this wrong,
Orlando, and the Marquis would haue gone,
Marsisa with the brothers white and blacke,
And Dudon would be on the Pagans iacke.

Alledging, that sith he was newly marrid,
For him to fight, it was against all vie,
But from their speeches his opinion varid,
And swears that that for him was no excuse:
Those armes that erst the famous Tartar carid,
He takes, nor will he make one houre of truse:
To arme him, all those states their aids afford,
King Charles him[…]elie, holpe to put on his sword.

His wife takes care his Curats well may fit,
Orlando tyes his spurres, Marsisa bold
Doth fast vpon his head his beauer knit,
Asi[…]lf[…] is content his horse to hold:
His […] Dudon; others thinke it fit,
To rid the lysts and driue out young and old;
Renaldo, Namus, Oliuer, take charge
To Martiall it, and make it cleare and large.

Faire dames and dimzels stand with lookes dismaid,
With feare and trembling, like to fearfull Doues,
Whó some black tēpest-bringing cloud hath fraid,
And driu'n from fields, to shrowd in houses rooues:
(Downe fals the haile wc which the come is laid,
And profitlesse vnto his owner proues)
So do they this fierce Pagans forces feare,
Which sure they iugde, Rogero cannot beare.

Not onely do saint people so surmise,
But many knights of worth, the same did weene,
That cald to mind what erst before their eyes,
To their griefe they had in Parish seene:
When he with fire and sword in fearfull wise,
Did welny spoile the towne, and wast it cleene:
Of which the wofull signes did still appeare,
And would remaine yet many a month and yeare.

But Bradamant more feard then all the rest,
Not that she thought in strength or skill well tride
The Pagan past her spouse, nor valiant brest,
Or that he had more reason of his side,
(Which vnto victorie auailes not least,
When men by combat quarels do discide)
Yet still her minde is sad, her lookes vncheatfull,
Nor blame her though, for loue is euer fearfull.

Great suit she makes, great labour to procure,
That vpon her she may the quarrell take,
Yea if to haue bene slaine she had bene sure,
To laue her spouse, but all in vaine she spake:
The champions now their lances put in vre,
And each with couched speare the tother strake:
The staues like Ise in shiners small did flie,
The splints like birds did mount vnto the skie.

The Pagan that his lance did full direct,
Against the middle of Rogeros sheeld,
Did smyte on it to small or none effect,
For Vulcan had the same most firmely steeld:
The tothers Target had no knowne detect,
Yet to the stroke it did a passage yeeld:
Yet was it thicke, a quarter of a foote
Of bone, and linde with plated steele to boote.

And saue the lance sustained not the blow,
But at the first did breake and was dispersed,
So that the peeces of it seem'd in show,
To haue bene featherd foules (as I rehearsed)
That stroke had finished that strise I trow,
And had his Curats and his bodie pearced:
But now it brake, and both gaue strokes so sound,
As made both horses cruppers kisse the ground.

The riders neare the lesse sate firme and stedie,
And laboured so well with spurre and raine,
Their horses were got vp on foote alredie,
The men so fight addresse themselues againe
With swords; their horses both were strong & redie
And each with skill some vantage sought to gaine,
And where they thought their armors were most thin,
With force they straue to pierce & enter in.

Fierce Rodomont had not that Serpents hide
He vsde to weare, nor yet that shauing blade,
That he was wont to carrie by his side,
For Nimrod his great ancestor first made;
He lost those armes, and many more beside,
Then when as Bradamant did him inuade,
At that same church, where he a tweluemonth since,
Entombed Isbell, with that peerelesse Prince.

He had another armor good and sure,
But not like that so passing tough and hard,
But neither this, nor any else could dure,
Against the piercing edge of Ballisard:
No mixture such, no metall was so pure,
No charme so strong, but that this blade thē mard:
Rogero so besturd him with this blade,
More then on hole, in tothers coate he made.

Now though a little while the Pagan clokes
His hurts receiu'd, with vnappaled minde,
Yet when he saw his blood, and felt the strokes
So smart, that still they seem'd the quicke to finde:
To so great wrath and rage it him prouokes,
Eu'n like the sea turmoyld with blustring winde,
He hurles away his shield, and doth endeuer,
With both his hands to cleaue Rogeros beauer.

With force as great he strikes, and as extreame,
As doth that engin in the Riuer Poe,
Borne twixt two shippes, vpon the stately streame,
Enforcing downe with many a heauie bloe,
Some peece of timber, or some sharpned beame:
I say the Pagan smore Rogero so,
Had not the charmed helmet bene of force,
He doubtlesse would haue clou'n him & his horse.

Rogero sitteth staggring in his seat,
His hand the bridell left, his thighes their hold,
Rodomont giues another blow as great,
To maze him more by all the meanes he could:
And last a third, but now he so did beat
His blade of mettall free, it would not hold,
But burst in twaine, with his continuall hammering,
And left the Pagan in no little mammering.

But yet for this the Turke doth not restaine,
But still inuades the knight that wants defence,
So had the blow amaz'd his head and braine,
So dazed had the blow his wit and sence:
The Pagan minds to waken him againe,
First he doth close with him, and so from thence,
Wringing him by the necke with all his force,
To leaue the saddle he doth him enforce.

He fell, but yet the ground he touched seant,
But that he rose, inflamd with wrath and shame;
For looking vp, he saw faire Bradamant,
Whose blush did shew how ill she tooke the same:
Yea eu'n of sounding she did little want,
And still her fainting colour went and came;
Which seene, Rogero with his sword intends,
For this so great disgrace to make amends.

The Pagan with his horse would ouer-runne him,
And iustles him, but he with little paine,
Doth step aside, and warily doth shunne him,
And with his left hand takes the horses raine:
(So as the Turke thereby no hurt hath done him)
The while he puts in vre his sword againe,
And with two thrusts, he did the Pagan harme,
One in his thigh, another in his arme.

The Turke with whom a peece did yet remaine,
Of that same blade that was in peeces flowne,
Smote on Rogeros headpeece so againe,
As had wel-ny againe him ouerthrowne:
But good Rogero now perceiuing plaine,
His vantage that was erst to him vnknowne,
Takes him by his left arme with all his force,
And (will he nill he) puls him from his horse.

Were it his strength or sleight, I cannot tell,
But so he fell, no ods was them betweene,
My meaning is that on his feete he fell,
For in the swords, Rogeros odds was seene:
Rogero that did know his vantage well,
To keepe him now at bay his best doth weene;
It is not best for him he doth suppose,
With such a strong, and big bon'd man to close.

He further saw what store of blood he spilt,
So now he hopes by warily proceeding,
To force his foe to yeeld, and leane the tilt,
Whose strength decaid, stil more & more with bleeding:
The Turke then takes the pomell and the hilt
Of his owne sword, and with force so exceeding
Did hurle the same, he smote the knight so sore,
He stund him more then eu'r he was before.

It strake him twixt the shoulders aud the head,
And gaue to him a blow so firme and sound,
That good Rogero there with staggered,
And scant could keepe his feete vpon the ground;
The Turke to close with him then hast'ned,
But loe his foote did faile with former wound,
So that his too much hast (as oft we see)
Did hurt, and made him fall vpon his knee.

Rogero lost no time in manfull wise,
To strike fierce Rodomont in brest or face,
And holds him short, and so his force applies,
He laid him on the ground, but in short space,
In spyte of him, the Pagan doth arise,
And with small kindnes he doth him embrace:
And then they striue, heaue, shoue, thrust to and fro,
And either seekes the tothers ouerthrow.

Each striues with all his skill, and his abilitie,
By force to lay the tother on the ground,
Now Rodomont was growne to some debilitie,
By meanes of more then one receiued wound,
Rogero had great practice and agilitie,
And vsdeto wrastle, and he quickly found
His vantage, which he did not ouerslip,
But on his weakest side his foe doth trip.

The Turke most full of wrath and of despight,
Vpon Rogeros necke tooke stedfast hold,
Now drawing toward him with all his might,
Now thrusting him backe from him all he could:
And by and by he heau'd him quite vpright,
As strong Antheus was in time of old:
Rogero notwithstanding sure doth stand,
And labord still to haue the vpper hand.

Full ost the valiant knight his hold doth shift,
And with much prettie sleight, the same did slippe:
In fine he doth applie one speciall drift,
Which was to get the Pagan on the hippe:
And hauing caught him right, he doth him list,
By nymble sleight, and in such wise doth trippe:
That downe he threw him, and his fall was such,
His head-peece was the first that ground did tuch.

The Turke with such an hard and heauie fall,
Was sore perplext, and brused in such wise,
His wounds fell fresh on bleeding therewithall,
And make the place Vermillion where he lyes.
Rogero giues him respite verie small,
But keepe's him downe and will not let him rise:
And presently presents his dagger point
Vnto this throat, and to his chiefest ioynt,

As those that digge and search for golden ore,
Within Pannonian, or Iberian hills,
Not vnderpropping sure the ground before,
Oft for a plague of their too greedie wills,
With sodaine ruine, are surprisde so sore,
As to get forth againe, doth passe their skills:
So was the Turke held downe, and pressed so,
By braue Rogero his triumphant so.

Who now his naked dagger did present,
Vnto the tothers vizer at his eye,
And with sharpe words he told him that he ment,
Except he yeeld. to kill him by and by:
But Rodomont, that rather then relent,
Or shew base mind a thousand deathes would dy,
No word doth speake, but straue himselfe to sunder
From him, or if he could to get him vnder.

Eu'n as a Mastiue fell, whom Grewnd more fell,
Hath tyrde, and in his throat now fastned hath
His cruell fangs, yet doth in vaine rebell,
Though vnder him, and seekes to do some skath:
For still the Grewnd preuailes, and doth excell
In force of breath, though not in rage and wrath:
So doth the cruell Pagan striue and straine,
To get from vnder him, but all in vaine.

But with long striuing and with wondrous paines,
He freed his better arme, and void of aw,
His dagger that in his right hand remaines,
Which in this later bick'ring he did draw,
He seekes to stabbe into Rogeros raines;
But now the valiant youth the perill saw,
Then for his sasties sake he was constrained,
To kill the cruell Turke that grace disdained.

And lifting his victorious hand on hie,
In that Turks face he stabd his dagger twise
Vp to the hilts, and quickly made him die,
And rid himselfe of trouble in a trise:
Downe to the lake, where damned ghosts do lie,
Sunke his disdainful soule, now cold as Ise,
Blaspheming as it went, and cursing lowd,
That was on earth so lostie and so proud.