Canto 10

AMong the mirrors rare of loyall loue,
That present are, or haue bin in time past,
Whose faith no force of fortune could remoue
With fauning cheare, nor yet with frowning blast:
Olympia faire all others far aboue,
By iust desert requireth to be plast:
Whose stedfast loue (to say I dare be bold)
Doth passe the patterns of the new or old.

How could she signes more euident impart,
Vnto Byreno of her louing mind?
No, though she should haue open laid he hart,
Yet could she not haue prou'd her selfe more kind:
And if such loue and dutie, by desart
May looke of due like loue againe to find,
Her faith requires vnto Byreno showne,
That he should seeke her safetie as his owne.

Nor onely not to leaue her in annoy,
Or her reiect for any other dame,
No not for her that bred the bale of Troy,
Or any other of more worthy name,
But her preferre before all worldly ioy,
Before his senses fiue, before his fame,
Or any other thing of greater price,
To be exprest by word or by deuice.

Now if Byreno did her well requite,
If that he shewd to her the like good will,
If he regarded as he ought of right,
To bend vnto her liking all his skill,
Nay if forgetting all her merits quite,
Vngrate, vnkind, he sought her life to spill:
Behold I shall a tale to you recite,
Would make a man his lip for anger bite.

And when that I shall haue declared plaine
His crueltie, her loues vnkind reward,
I thinke you Ladies neuer will againe
Beleeue mens words, your hearts will wax so hard;
For louers loued Ladies loues to gaine,
Do promise, vow and sweare without regard,
That God doth see and know their falshood still,
And can and shall reuenge it at his will.

Their othes but words, their words are all but wind,
Vtterd in hast, and with like hast forgotten,
With which their faiths they do as firmely bind,
As bundels are trust vp with cords all rotten:
Coynesse is naught, but worse to be too kind,
Men care not for the good that soone is gotten:
But women of their wits may iustly bost,
That are made wiser by an others cost.

Wherefore I wish you louely dames beware,
These beardlesse youths, whose faces shine so neate,
Whose fancies soone like strawne fire kindled are,
And sooner quencht amid their flaming heate:
The hunter chaseth still the flying hare,
By hill by dale with labour and with sweate,
But when at last the wished prey is taken,
They seeke new game, the old is quite forsaken.

Euen so these youths, the while you say them nay,
In humble sort they seeke, they serue,
They like, they loue, they honor and obay,
They wait, they watch your fauours to deserue:
A part they plaine, in presence oft they pray,
For lo[…]e of you they mourne, they pine and starue:
But hauing got that erst they sought so sore,
They turne their sailes vnto another shore.

Though this be true, I not perswade you tho,
To leaue to loue, for that were open wrong,
To cause you like a vine vndrest to grow,
Vncared for the brites and thornes among:
But least on youths you should your selues bestow,
That neuer in one fancie tarry long;
The meane is best, young fruites the stomacke gripe,
The elder cloy when they be ouer ripe.

I shewd you in the tale I told you last,
How that Byreno had Cymoscos daughter,
To marry whom a motion late was past,
Because his brother lou'd and greatly sought her,
But his owne mouth was of too lickrish tast,
To leaue so sweet a morsell, hauing caught her:
He thought it were a point of foolish kindnesse,
To part withall, a peece of so rare finenesse.

The damsell l[…]ttle passed fourteene yeare,
Most tender, sweet and louely, fresh and faire,
As when the budding rose doth first appeare,
When sunny beames in May make temprate aire,
[…] likes her face, her sober cheare,
And vsd to her to make to oft repaire,
That eu'n a[…] Brimstone quickly taketh flame,
So […] tooke him to his perpetuall shame.

The streame of teares that for her sire she shed,
A flaming fornace bred within his brest,
The […] she made, and dolefull words she sed,
Doth breed his hope of getting his request,
Thus soule desires with hopes as foule are fed,
As water hote from boiling straight doth rest,
When liquor cold is powred in the pot,
So with new loue his old was quite forgot.

From flow to ebbe thus turned was the tide,
His late belou'd Olympia lothsome grew,
To looke on her his heart could scant abide,
His thoughts were all so setled on the new,
Yet till the time might serue he thinks to hide,
His filthy hate with faire and painted hew,
And though in fancie he did her detest,
Yet still great kindnesse he in shew profest.

And if he shewd the other signes of loue,
(Although such loue was worse then any hate)
Yet none there was herein did him reproue,
But tooke his meaning in another rate,
They though some good remorce his mind did moue,
In gracious sort to pitie her estate,
And that to her he charitably ment,
Because she was so yong and innocent.

O mightie God, how much are men mistane?
How oft with fained shewes they are deceaued?
Byrenos wicked meaning and prophane,
For good and godly was of men receaued:
The marriners their oares in hand had tane,
And from the shore the ship was quickly heaued,
To Zeland ward the Duke with all his traine,
With helpe of oares and sailes doth passe amaine.

Now had they lost the sight of Holland shore,
And marcht with gentle gale in comely ranke,
And (for the wind was westerly) they bore
To come within the lue of Scottish banke,
When as a sodain tempest rose so sore,
The force thereof their ships had well nie sanke,
Three dayes they bare it out, the fourth at night
A barren Iland hapned in their sight.

Here faire Olympia from her ship to sand,
From sands he passeth to the higher ground,
Byreno kindly led her by the hand,
(Although his heart another harbour sound)
They sup in their pauillion pitcht on land,
Enuirond with a tent about them round:
The supper done, to bed do go they twaine,
The rest vnto their ships returne againe.

The trauell great she lately did endure,
And had three dayes before her waking kept,
And being now vpon the shore secure,
(Now glad of that for which er long she wept)
And taking her amid his armes secure,
All this did cause that she the sounder slept,
(Ah silly soule) when she was least afraid,
Of her falle husband thus to be betraid.

The trecherous Byreno, whom deceit
And though of leud intent doth waking keepe,
Now hauing time for which he long did wait,
Supposing faire Olympia sound […]leepe,
Vnto his ships he hies with short retrait,
And makes them all lanch forth into the deepe;
And thus with wicked practise and vniust,
He her forsooke that chiefly him did trust.

Now were the sailes well charged with the wind,
And beare him lighter then the wind away,
The poore Olympia now was left behind,
Who neuer waked till that breake of day,
To lightsomnesse had changd the darknesse blind,
And sunnie beames had driu'n the mist away,
She stretcht her armes betweene a sleep and wake,
And thinks Byreno in her armes to take.

She findeth none, and drawing backe againe,
Againe she reacht them out, but findeth none,
Her leg likewise she reached out in vaine,
In vaine for he for whom she feeles is gone,
Feare sleepe expels, her eies she opens plaine,
Nor yet she heares, she sees, nor feeles not one,
With which amazd, the clothes away she cast,
And to the shore she runneth in great hast.

With heart dismaid, and seeing her before
Her fatall hap, vnto the sea she hies,
She smote her brest, her haire she rent and tore,
Now looking (for all lightsome were the skies)
If ought she could discerne, but euen the shore;
But euen the shore, no other thing she spies:
Then once or twise she cald Byrenos name,
Then once or twise the caues resound the same.

And boldly then she mounted on the rocks,
All rough and steepe, such courage sorrow brought,
Her woful words might moue the stones and stocks,
But when she saw, or at the least she thought,
She saw the ships, her guiltlesse brest she knocks,
By signes and cries to bring them backe she sought,
But signes and cries but little now auailes,
That wind bare them away that fild their sailes.

What meanest thou (thus poore Olympia spake)
So cruelly without me to depart?
Bend back thy course, and cease such speed to make,
Thy vessell of her lading lackes a part:
It little is the carkas poore to take,
Since that it doth already beare the hart:
Thus hauing by the shore cride long in vaine,
Vnto the tent she backe returnes againe.

And lying groueling on her restlesse bed,
Moistning the same with water of her eies,
Sith two on thee did couch last night (she sed)
Why did not two from thee together rise?
Accurst the wombe that false Byreno bred,
Accurst the day that first I saw the skies:
What shall I do? what can I here alone,
Or who (wo me) can mitigate my mone?

I see no man, nor any signe I see,
That any man within this Ile doth dwell:
I see no ship that hence may carry me,
With (at the least) some hope of being well:
I here shall starue, it cannot other be,
And buried how to be I cannot tell;
Ah how if wolues that wander in this wood,
Deuoure my flesh, or drinke my guiltlesse blood?

Alas I doubt, and stand eu'n now in feare,
Lest that some rau'nous wolfe that here abides,
Some Lion, Tyger, or some vgly Beare,
With teeth and clawes shall pierce my tender sides,
Yet what beast could with greater torment teare,
Then thou more fierce then any beast besides?
For they contented are but once to kill,
But thou my life a thousand times dost spill.

But presuppose some vessell here arriue,
And take me from this place for pittie sake,
And so perchance I may be left aliue,
The Beares nor Lions neuer shall me take,
Yet will it be in vaine for me to striue,
Againe to Holland my repaire to make:
Thou keepst by force the place where I was borne,
Whence by deceit thou broughts me (false forsworn)

Thou tookst from me my liuing, by pretence
And colour of thy friendship and alliance,
Thy men of armes were paid by my expence,
I gaue thee all, such was my fond affiance.
Or shall I turne to Flanders? sith from thence
I sold my selfe, and am at flat defiance
With all the nation, whom to set thee free,
I quite forsooke, that now ah wo is me?

Is there for me in Friseland any place?
Where I refusd for thee to be a Queene,
The which refusall ruind all my race,
As by the sequell was too plainly seene?
O cruell hap, ò strange and monstrous case,
The righteous God iudge thee and me betweene,
Was euer Tyger carried heart so hard,
For so firme loue to pay so foule reward?

But what and if some pyrat wanting feare
Of God and man, shall take me as a slaue?
Thou God forbid, let Tyger, Wolfe and Beare,
First carry me a prey into their caue,
And there my flesh in peeces all to teare,
That dying, I my chastitie may saue.
This said, her raging griefe her hands addresses,
To offer force vnto her golden tresses.

And euen as Hecuba fell raging mad,
With griefe of mind and sorrow sore oppressed,
To see her Polydorus little lad,
By kinsmans fraud and crueltie distressed:
So rau'd Olympia faire, as though she had
With twentie thousand diuels bene possessed:
At last she sitteth on the rocks alone,
And seemes as senslesse as the senslesse stone.

And in this state I meane to let her stay,
Till of Rogero I haue talkt a while,
Who traueld in the hot and sandy way,
Full many weary and vnpleasant mile:
And now it was the middle of the day,
When as vpon the South side of the Ile,
He saw three Ladies neare a little towre,
Did sport themselues within a pleasant bowre.

These Ladies faire were of Alcynas crew,
And there refresht themselues a little space,
They had great store of wines both old and new,
And sundry kind of iunkets in like case:
A pretie barke there lay within their vew,
That did attend their pleasures in the place,
And wait when any little gale should blow,
(For now was none) that they might homeward go.

Then one of these that had espide the knight,
At such a time, and in such way to ride,
With courteous speech inuites him to alight:
The second brings him wine on th'other side,
And makes him farre more thirstie with the sight,
But these enticements could not cause him bid[…],
He feares Alcyna prisner so might take him,
If by this stay she hapt to ouertake him,

Euen as salt peeter mixt with brimstone pure,
[…] straight when once it feeles the fire,
Or as the sea with winds and aire obscure,
Doth we […] and swell, and euer riseth hier;
So they that law their words could not allure,
H[…] noble mind to follow their desier,
Tooke high disdaine that they were so contemned,
And him of great discourtesie condemned.

And straight the third as in a raging mood
Said thus, O creature void of all gentilitie,
And borne (no doubt) of base vnworthy blood,
And bred where neuer vsed was ciuilitie,
Ay during life fro thee depart all good,
Nor ma[…]st thou die in quiet and tranquilitie,
But burned ma[…]st thou be, or cut in quarters,
Or driuen to hang thy selfe in thine owne garters.

With these and many bitter speeches mo,
They raile on him, and then they take their barke,
And c[…]ast along vpon the Southerne shore,
That they his passage and his course might marke.
But he that now was gotten farre before,
Did little to their threats or curses harke:
And notwithstanding all that they contriued,
Yet to his ship in safetie he arriued.

The Pilot doth Rogero much commend,
That from Alcyna so himselfe did saue,
And as a wise and well experienc'd frend,
Sound counsell and good precepts him he gaue,
And wisht that he his time would better spend,
And leaue fond toyes, embracing wise dome graue,
And from the good the euill to discerne,
As I […] vsed men to learne.

There is the food that fils and neuer cloyeth,
There is the loue, the beautie and the grace,
That maketh him most blest that them enioyeth,
To which compar'd, all ether ioyes are base:
There hope, nor feare, nor care the mind annoyeth,
Respect of persons, nor regard of place:
The mind still finding perfit contentation,
That rests it selfe in vertuous contemplation.

There are (said he) some better lessons taught,
Then dancings, dallyings or daintie diet,
There shal you learne to frame your mind & thought
From will to wit, to temperance from riet:
There is the path by which you may be brought
Into the perfect paradise of quiet.
This tale the Pilot to Rogero told.
And all the while their course they forward hold.

But […] they see a nauie vnder saile,
Of ships that toward them in hast did bend,
[…] wrathfull striuing tooth and naile.
Doth thinke to fetch againe her fleeting frend:
But all her diligence could not auaile,
[…] to returne doth not intend,
And of her forces he was not afraid,
Because that I […] sent him aid.

For straight a watchman standing in a towre,
So high that all the hils and shore was vnder,
Did ring the larum bell that present houre,
He saw her fleet, though distant farre asunder:
And when that now approched was their powre,
With cannon shot they made them such a thunder,
That though Alcyna threatned much and braued,
Yet was Rogero from her malice saued.

Then at his first arriuall to the shore,
Foure damsels met him sent by Logestilla,
Andronica that wisely sees before,
And Fronesis the iust, and chast Drusilla,
And she that boldly fights for vertues lore,
Descending from the Romane race Camilla:
And straight rusht out of men a worthy band,
Ay prest to meet their foes on sea and land.

Within a large and very quiet bay,
A nauie was of vessels big and tall,
That readie at an howers warning lay,
To go to fight at any little call:
And now there was begun a great affray,
By land and sea the conflict was not small,
Which did the realme in hurly burly set,
Alcyna late did from her sister get.

Tis strange to see of wars the strange successe,
She that of late was counted of such might,
Is now so driu'n in danger and distresse,
That scant she could preserue her selfe by flight,
Rogeros parting brought her griefe no lesse,
Then did the foile, which both bred such despite,
And such despaire, to die she had intended,
(If so she might) to haue her torments ended.

And as her selfe the dame of Carthage kild,
When as the Troyan Duke did her forsake:
Or as her blood the Queene of Aegypt spild,
For that so famous Romaine captaines sake:
Euen to Alcyna with like sorrowes fild,
Wisht of her selfe with like death end to make,
But (either auncient folke beleeu'd a lie,
Or this is true) a fairy cannot die.

But leaue we now Alcyna in this paine,
That from her elder sister fled apace,
And to Rogero let vs turne againe,
That was conducted to a beeter place,
Where finding now that he did safe remaine,
He thanked God that gaue him so much grace,
To see his foes of forces all depriued,
Himselfe within the castle safe arriued.

And such a castle that in starely show
And costly substance others all surmounted,
The value of the wals can no man know,
Except he first vpon the same had mounted:
Men haue not iewels of such price below,
For Di'monds are to these but drosse accounted,
And Pearles but pelse, and Rubies all are rotten,
Where stones of such rare vertue can be gotten.

These wals are built of stones of so great price,
All other vnto these come farre behind:
In these men see the vertue and the vice,
That cleaueth to the inward soule and mind.
Who looks in such a glasse, may grow so wise,
As neither flattring praises shall him blind
With tickling words, nor vndeserued blame,
With forged faults shall worke him any shame.

From hence doth come the euerlasting light,
That may with Phoebus beames so cleare compare,
That when the Sunne is downe there is no night,
With those that of these iewels stored are:
These gems do teach vs to discerne aright,
These gems are wrought with workmanship so rare,
That hard it were to make true estimation,
Which is more worth the substance or the fashion.

On arches raisd of porphiry passing hie,
So hie that to ascend them seemd a paine,
Were gardens faire and pleasant to the eie,
Few found so faire below vpon a plaine:
Sweet smelling trees in order standing by,
With fountaines watring them in steed of raine,
Which do the same so naturally nourish,
As all the yeare both flowres and frutes do flourish.

No weeds or fruitlesse trees are in this place,
But herbs whose vertues are of highest price,
As soueraigne sage, and thrift, and herbe of grace,
And time, which well bestowed maketh wise,
And lowly patience, proud thoughts to abase,
And hearts ease, that can neuer grow with vice.
These are the herbs that in this garden grew,
Whose vertues do their beauties still renew.

The Ladie of the castle greatly ioyed,
To see the safe arriuall of this knight,
And all her care and trauell she employed,
That honor might be done him in her sight.
Altolfo (in his passage lesle annoyed,
Doth take in his acquaintance great delight,
And all the other his good fauour sought,
That by Melyssa to themselues were brought.

Now hauing all themselues some dayes reposed
In Logestillas house, and taken rest,
And finding all themselues right well disposed,
To make returne againe into the West,
The good Melyssa for them all proposed,
Vnto the mightie Ladie this request,
That by her leaue without incurring blame,
They might returne them all frō whence they came.

To whom dame Logestilla thus replide,
That after they a day or two had staid,
She would for them most carefully prouide,
For all their iourney furniture and aid:
And first she taught Rogero how to ride
The flying horse (of whom he was afraid)
To make him pace or passe a full careere,
As readily as other horses here.

When all was ready now for him to part,
Rogero bids this worthy dame farewell,
Whom all his life time after from his hart
He highly honored and loued well.
First I will shew how well he playd his part,
Then of the English Duke I meane to tell,
How in more time and with far greater paine,
He did returne to Charles his court againe.

Rogero mounted on the winged steed,
Which he had learnd obedient now to make,
Doth deeme it were a braue and noble deed,
About the world his voyage home to take.
Forthwith beginneth Eastward to proceed,
And though the thing were much to vndertake,
Yet hope of praise makes men no trauell shunne,
To say another day, we this haue done.

And leauing first the Indian riuer Tana,
He guides his iourney to the great Catay,
From thence he passeth vnto Mangiana,
And came within the fight of huge Quinsay;
Vpon the right hand leauing Sericana,
And turning from the Scythians away,
Where Asia from Europa first doth draw,
Pomeria, Russia, Prutina he saw.

His horse that hath the vse of wings and feet,
Did helpe with greater haste home to retire,
And tho with speed to turne he thought it meet,
Because his Bradamant did so desire,
Yet hauing now of trauell felt the sweet,
(Most sweet to those to knowledge that aspire)
When Germany and Hungry he had past,
He meanes to visit England at the last.

Where in a medow on a morning faire,
Fast by the Tems at London he did light,
Delighted with the water and the aire,
And that faire citie standing in his sight,
When straight he saw that souldiers did repaire,
To muster there, and asking of a knight,
That in the medow he had met by chance,
He vnderstood that they were bound for France.

These be the succors (thus the knight him told)
Renaldo sude for at his comming hither,
With Irish men and Scots of courage bold,
To ioyne in hearts and hands and purse together.
The musters tane and each mans name enrold,
Their onely stay is but for wind and wether,
But as they passe I meane to you to shew them,
Their names and armes, that you may better know them.

You see the standerd that so great doth show,
That ioynes the Leopard and the Flouredeluce,
That chiefest is, the rest do come below,
And reu'rence this according to our vse:
Duke Leonell Lord generall doth it ow,
A famous man in time of warre and truce,
And nephew deare vnto the King my master,
Who gaue to him the Duke dorne of Lancaster.

This banner that stands next vnto the kings,
With glittring shew that shakes the rest among,
And beares in azure field three argent wings,
To […] Earle of Warwicke doth belong.
This man the Duke of Glosters banner brings,
[…] head, except my guesse be wrong,
The sierbrand the Duke of Clarence is,
Thence the Duke of Yorke doth claime for his.

The launce into three sundry peeces rent,
Belongs vnto the worthy Duke of Norfolke:
The lightning longs vnto the Earle of Kent,
The […]phin longs vnto the Earle of Pembroke:
The ballance eu'n by which iust doome is ment,
Belongs vnto the noble Duke of Suffolke.
The Dragon to the valiant Earle of Cumberland,
The garland is the braue Earls of Northumberland.

The Earle of Arundell a ship halfe drownd,
The Marquesse Barkly giues an argent hill:
The gallant Earle of Essex hath the hound,
The bay tree Darby that doth flourish still:
The wheele hath Dorset euer running round,
The Earle of March his banner all doth fill
With Ca[…]dar trees: the Duke of Somerset
A broken chaire doth in his ensigne set.

The Faulcon houering vpon her nest,
The Earle of Deu'nshire doth in banner beare,
And brings a sturdy crew from out the West.
The Earle of Oxenford doth giue the Beare:
The banner all with blacke and yellow drest,
Belongs vnto the Earle of Winchester.
He that the cristall crosse in banner hath,
Is sent from the rich Bishop of the Bath.

The archers on horse, with other armed men,
Are two and fortie thousand more or lesse,
The other […]ootmens number doubles them,
Or wants thereof but little as I guesse:
The banners shew their captains noble stem,
A crosse a wreath, an azure bat, a fesse,
[…] and […], Edward bold and Harry,
Vnder their guide the footmen all do carry.

The Duke of Buckingham that first appeares,
The next to him the Earle of Salibury:
Burga[…] next a man well stricke in yeares,
And Edward next the Earle of Shrewsbury.
Now […] about, and to the Scottish peares,
Braue men, and well appointed you shall see,
Where […] sonne vnto the Scottish king,
Vnto the field doth thirtie thousand bring.

All chosen men from many a shire and towne,
All ready to resist, assaile, inuade,
Their standerd is the beast of most renowne,
That in his paw doth hold a glittring blade,
This is the heire apparant to the crowne,
This is the goodly impe whom nature made,
To shew her chiefest workmanship and skill,
And a[…]ter brake the mould against her will.

The Earle of Otton commeth after him,
That in his banner beares the golden barre:
The spotted Leopard that looks so grim,
That is the ensigne of the Duke of Marre.
Not far from him there commeth Alcubrin,
A man of mightie strength and fierce in warre,
No Duke, nor Earle, nor Marquesse as men say,
But of the sauages he beares the sway.

The Duke of Trafford beares in ensigne bright,
The bird whose yong ones stare in Phoebus face:
Lurcanio Lord of Angus, valiant knight,
Doth giue a Bull, whom two dogs hold in chase;
The Duke of Albanie giue blue and white,
(Since he obtained faire Geneuras grace)
Earle Bohune in his stately banner beares
A Vulture that with clawes a Dragon teares.

Their horsemen are with iacks for most part clad,
Their horses are both swift of course and strong,
They run on horseback with a slender gad,
And like aspeare, but that it is more long:
Their people are of warre then peace more glad,
More apt to offer then to suffer wrong:
These are the succors out of Scotland sent,
That with the noble Prince Zerbino went.

Then come the Irish men of valiant harts,
And actiue limbs, in personages tall,
They naked vse to go in many parts,
But with a mantle yet they couer all:
Short swords they vse to carry and long darts,
To fight both neare and farre aloofe withall,
And of these bands the Lords and leaders are,
The noble Earles of Ormond and Kildare.

Some sixteene thousand men or thereabout,
Out of the Irish Ile at this time went,
Beside the other Ilands thereabout,
Sweueland and Island other succors sent;
To good king Charles, for why they stood in doubt,
If he were conquerd they should all repent,
And still their numbers daily did increase,
Of those that better like of warre then peace.

Now while Rogero learnes the armes and name
Of euery Brittish Lord, behold a rout
Of citizens and folke of all sorts came,
Some with delight, and some with dread and doubt,
To see a beast so strange, so strong, so tame,
And wondring much, they compast him about:
They thought it was a strange and monstrous thing,
To see a horse that had a Grissons wing.

Wherefore to make the people maruell more,
And as it were to sport himselfe and play,
He spurd his beast, who straight aloft did soare,
And bare his master Westward quite away:
And straight he was beyond our English shore,
And meanes to passe the Irish seas that day,
Saint George his channell in a little while,
He past, and after saw the Irish Ile.

Where men do tell strange tales, that long ago
Saint Patricke built a solitary caue,
Into the which they that deuoutly go,
By purging of their sinnes their soules may saue:
Now whether this report be true or no,
I not affirme, and yet I not depraue.
But crossing from hence to Island ward he found
Angelica vnto the rocke fast bound.

Both nakt and bound at this same Ile of wo,
For Ile of wo it may be iustly called,
Where peerlesse peeces are abused so,
By monster vile to be deuourd and thralled,
Where pyrats still by land and sea do go,
Assaulting forts that are but weakly walled:
And whom they take by flattry or by force,
They giue a monster quite without remorce.

I did declare not many books before,
If you the same in memory do keepe,
How certaine pyrats tooke her at a shore,
Where that chast hermit lay by her asleepe,
And how at last for want of other store,
Although their hearts did melt, and eyes did weepe,
Mou'd with a helplesse and a vaine compassion,
Perforce they bound her on this wofull fashion.

And thus the caitiues left her all forlorne,
With nothing but the rocks and seas in sight,
As naked as of nature she was borne,
And void of succor, and all comfort quite,
No vaile of lawne as then by her was worne,
To shade the damask rose and lillies white,
Whose colours were so mixt in euery member,
Like fragrant both in Iuly and December.

Rogero at the first had surely thought,
She was some image made of alla blaster,
Or of white marble curiously wrought,
To shew the skilfull hand of some great master.
But vewing nearer he was quickly taught,
She had some parts that were not made of plaster:
Both that her eyes did shed such wofull teares,
And that the wind did waue her golden heares.

To see her bound, to heare her mourne and plaine,
Not onely made that he his iourney staid,
But causd that he from teares could scant abstaine,
Both loue and pitie so his heart assaid,
At last with words to mitigate her paine,
Thus much to her in louing sort he said,
O Ladie worthy onely of those bands,
Wherewith loue binds the hearts and not the hands.

And farre vnsit for these or any such,
What wight was found so cruell and vnkind,
To banish all humanitie so much,
Those polisht iuory hands in chaines to bind,
About that corps whom none can worthely tuch
With hurtfull hands, vnworthy bands to wind?
This said, she blusht, seeing those parts were spide,
The which (though faire) yet nature striues to hide.

Faine would she with her hand haue hid her eyes,
But that her hands were bound vnto the stone,
Which made her oft to breake to wofull cries,
(Sole remedy where remedy is none)
At last with sobbing voice she doth deuise
To tell the knight the cause of all her mone:
But from the sea a sodaine noise was heard,
That this her speech and all the matter mard.

Behold there now appeard the monster great,
Halfe vnderneath and halfe aboue the waue,
As when a ship with wind and weather beat,
Doth hasten to the hau'n it selfe to saue:
So doth the monster hast, in hope to eate
The daintie morsell he was wont to haue:
Which sight so sore the damsell did appall,
Rogero could not comfort her at all.

Yet with his speare in hand, though not in rest,
The vgly Orke vpon the brow he strake,
(I call him Orke, because I know no beast,
Nor fish from whence comparison to take)
His head and teeth were like a bore, the rest
A masle, of which I know not what to make,
He gaue him on the brow a mightie knocke,
But pierst no more then if it were a rocke.

And finding that his blow so small hurt brings,
He turnes againe on fresh him to aslay,
The Orke that saw the shadow of great wings,
Vpon the water vp and downe to play,
With fury great and rage away he flings,
And on the shore doth leaue the certaine pray,
The shadow vaine he vp and downe doth chase,
The while Rogero layth him on a pace.

Euen as an Eagle that espies from hi[…],
Among the herbs a partie colourd snake,
Or on a bank sunning her selfe to lie,
To cast the elder skin, a new to make,
Lies houering warily till she may spie
A vantage sure the venomd worme to take,
Then takes him by the backe, and beates her wings,
Mauger the poison or his forked stings.

So doth Rogero both with sword and speare,
The cruell monster warily assaile,
Not where he fenced is with grizly heare,
So hard as that no weapon could preuaile,
But sometime pricks him neare vnto his eare,
Sometime his sides, sometimes his vgly taile;
But nature had with such strong fences armd him,
As all his blowes but small or nothing harmd him.

So haue I seene ere this a silly flie,
With mastiue dog in sommers heate to play,
Sometime to sting him in his nose or eie,
Sometime about his grizly iawes to stay,
And buzzing round about his eares to flie,
He snaps in vaine, for still she whips away,
And oft so long she dallies on this sort,
Till one snap comes and marreth all her sport.

But now Regero doth this sleight deuise,
Sith that by force he cannot make him yeeld,
He meanes to dazle both the monsters eies,
By hidden force of his enchanted sheeld,
And being thus resolu'd, to land he flies,
And from all harme the Ladie faire to sheeld,
He puts the precious ring vpon her hand,
Whose vertue was enchantments to withstand.

That ring that worthy Bradamant him sent,
When she from false Brunello had it tane,
With which Melyssa into India went,
And wrought his freedome, and Al[…]ynas bane,
That ring he lends the damsel, with intent
To saue her eyes by vertue of the same,
Then takes he forth the shield, whose light so dazed
The lookers o[…], they fall downe all amazed.

The monster now approching to the shore,
Amazd at this, resistance none did make,
Regero hewes vpon him more and more,
But his hard scales no harme thereby did take.
Oh sir (said she) vnloosen me before
Out of this maze the monster do awake,
And let your sword slay me this present houre,
So as this monster may not me deuoure.

These wofull words mou'd so Rogeros mind,
That straight he did vnloose the Lady faire,
And causd her by and by to get behind
Vpon his horse, then mounting in the aire,
He leaues his Spanish iourney first assignd,
And vnto little Brittain doth repaire,
But by the way be sure he did not misse,
To giue her many a sweet and friendly kisse,

And hauing found a solitary place,
A pleasant groue well waterd with a spring,
Which neuer herd nor herdman did deface,
Where Philomela vsed still to sing,
Here he alights, minding to stay a space,
And hither he the Lady faire did bring,
But sure it seemd he made his full account,
Ere long vpon a better beast to mount.

His armour made him yet a while to bid[…],
Which forced stay a more desire did breed,
But now in him it was most truly tride,
Oft times the greater hast, the worse the speed,
He knits with hast two knots, while one vntide.
But soft tis best no furder to proceed,
I now cut off abruptly here my rime,
And keepe my tale vnto another time.