Yet could you not possess the beauteous prize,
For while we linzer here, behold she flies!

1-15
But if the passion you profess is true,
Then let us first Angelica pursuie:
This wisdom bids---be first securi the fair,
And let the sword our tiile then declare;
Else what can all our fond contention gain, 150
But fruitless toil and unavailing pain?

Ferran with pleasure heard the Christian knight,
Then both agreed t'adjourn the bloody fight;
And now so firmly were they bound to peace,
So far did rage and rival hatred (lase,

157
That, in no wise, the Pagan prince would view
Brwe Amon's son on foot his way pursue,
But courttulis bade hinn mount the steed behind,
Then took the track Angelica to find.

O noble minds, by knights of old possess'd! 160 Two faiths they knew, one love their hearts profess'd; And still their limbs the smarting anguish feel, Of strokes inflicted by the hostile steel. Through winding paths, and lonely woods they go, Yet no suspicion their brave bosoms h2ow.

165 At length the horse, with double sparring, drew To where two several ways appear’d in view; When, doubtful which to take, one gentle knight For fortune took the left, and one the right. Long through the devious wilds the Spaniard pass’d, 170 And to the river's banks return'ıl at last: The place again the wandering warrior view'd, Where late he dropp'd his casque amidst the flood;

Ver. 102.

-- the siarting anguish feel,] See note to Book xii, ver. 312,

Since all his hopes to find his love were vain,
Once more he sought his helmet to regain.

175
A tall young poplar on the banks arose;
From this a branch he hew'd, and lopt the boughs :
A stake thus fashion’d with industrious art,
He rak'd the river round in every part:
When, rising from the troubled brook was seen 180
A youth with features pale and ghastly mien :
Above the circling stream he rais’d his breast;
His head alone was bare, all arm’d the rest:
His better hand the fatal helmet bore,
The helmet that in vain was sought before: 185
Full on Ferrau he turn’d with threatening look,
And thus the ghost th’astonish'd knight bespoke.

Wretch! does this helm perplex thy faithless mind, A helm thou should’st have long ere this resign'd ? Remember fair Angelica, and view

190 In me her brother, whom thy weapon slew. Didst thou not vow, with all my arms, to hide My casque ere long beneath the whelming tide? Though basely thou hast fail'd thy plighted word, See juster fortune has my own restor'd :

195 Then murmur not-or if thou still must grieve, Lament that e'er thy falsehood could deceive. But if thou seek'st another helm to gain, Seek one that may no more thy honour stain: Seek one perchance of stronger temper'd charms; 200 Such has Orlando, such Rinaldo arms: Mambrino, this; Almontes, that possess'd; By one of these thy brows be nobler press'd:

Ver. 202. Mambrino, this; Almontes, that possess:d ;] I do not find these actions recorded in Boyardo, but like many others mentioned

205

But what I claim hy sacred faith for mine,
Forbear to seek, and willingly resign.

The Saracen beheld, with wild affright,
The strange appearance of the phantom-knight;
Up rose his hair, like bristles, on his head,
His utterance failed him, and his colour fled.

in the work, Ariosto alludes to them as well-known incidents in the romance writers. In an old romance, in ottava rin, intituled Innamoramento di Rinaldo, apparently much prior to Ario-to, is a long account of a Pagan king, named llambrino, who comes against Charlemain and the Christians with a rast army. Ile is at last killed by Rinaldo, but no particular mention is made of lus helmet. This helmit of Mamh:ino, vaid by Ariosto to be won by Rinaldo, is the same which the reader must recollert to hive seen so frequently mentioned in Don Quixote, and for which the knight of la Mancha took possession of a barber's bason. See Jarvis's Don Quixote, Vol. 1. B. iii. C. vii.

With respect to the death of Almontes, the following account is given in the romance poem of aspramonti.

Almontes, son of Agolant, and brother to Troyano, having embarked from Africa to revenge the death of Garnieri king of Carthage, his grandfather, killed by Milo, futher of Orlando, hac performed many great actions and stain Milo. lle one day came to a fountain called Sylvestra, which was said to be made by St. Silvester, and that by tasting these waters Constantine was converted. Almontes here fell asleep, and wa: soon after surprised by Charlemain. These two warriors then engagerli a dreadful combat, and Charlemain was very near being detected, when Orlando, seeking Almontes, in order to revenge the death of his father, was met by a herinit, who incited him to go to the assistance of Charlemain, Orlando, having losi his sword, took an enormous mace or club from a dead Turk, and coon reached the fountain, where he attacked Almontes, who had just overpowered the emperor. Orlando, after an obstinate battle, killed Almontes, v?10, bere his death, recollected the prophecy of his siter Galcella, that he should die by a fountain. Orlando then took possesion of the armour of Almontes, which was inchanted, and of his horn, together with his horse Brigliadoro, and his sword Durindana, both so celebrated in Ariosto. See Aspramonte, Cant. xix.

But when he heard Argalia, whom he slew, 210
(Argalia was the name the warrior knew)
Reproach his tainted faith and breach of fame,
His haughty bosom glow'd with rage and shame.
Then by Lanfusa's life, a sacred vow
He made, to wear no head-piece o'er his brow, 215
But that which in fam?d Aspramont of yore,
From fierce Almontes' head Orlando tore.
And to this oath a due regard he paid,
And kept it better than the first he made.
Thence with sad steps in pensive mood he went, 220
And long remain'd in sullen discontent.
Now here, now there he seeks the Christian knight,
And in his panting bosom hopes the fight.

225

Rinaldo, who a different path had try'd,
As fortune led, full soon before him spy'd
His gallant courser bounding o’er the plain-
Stay, my Bayardo, stay--thy fight restrain:
Much has thy want to-day perplex’d thy lord-
The steed regardless of his master's word,

Ver. 210.---Argulia ,---) For an account of the death of Argalia, see General View of Boyardo's Story.

'Ver. 214.---Lanfusa's life, a sacred vow---] Lanfusa was the mother of Ferrau. Such kind of vows were common with the knights in romance: thus Don Quixote, in imitation of these, swears he will not rest till he has won a helmet by conquest. Don Quir. Part i, B. ii. C.ii.

Ver. 223---hopes the fight.] We hear no more of Ferrau till the xiith book, ver. 169, where he is introduced as one of the kughts confined in the enchanted palace of Atlantes,

Q30

Through the thick forest fied with speed renew'dl,
While, fir'd with added rage, the knight pursu'd.

Vow turn we to Ingelica, who speeds
O'er savage wilds, and unfrequented meads;
Nor thinks herselt secure, but swiftly scuds
Through the deep mazes of surrounding woods;

235

Ver. 230.-- Ingetica, who speails] Tasso seems to have had a reference to this, and the former Diennage, ver. 15, widencribing the flight of Erninia.

Mean while Erminia's rpid cour(! strayil
Thurough the thick covert of the woodland shade;
ller trembling hand therein no longer guides,
And through her veins a chilling terror gliden.

Jurus. Del. B. vii, ver. 1.
Still lies the damsel tu her feal's resign',
Nor dare's to Cut a transient look bewad :
All night she fel, am all tl' ensuing day, &c.

Ver. 13 But our countrymm Spenser more impiediately follows Ariosto, in his account of Fierinci, on a like oceanion, in his Fairy Queen,

Like as an hindi forth singled from the heri,
That hath escaped from a ravenous beast,
Yet flies away, of her own feet affear,
And every leaf, that sheketlı with the least
Murmur of wind, her terror hath encreast :
So fed fair Flormel from her vain fear,
Long atter she froin peril was releast :

Each shade she saw, anil cach noise she did hear,
Did seem to be the same, which she escap'd whyleare.

All that same evening she in flying spent,
And all that night her course continuerl;
Ne did she let dull sleep once to relent,
Nor weariness to slack her haste, but Med
Ever alike, as if her former dread
Were hard hehun, her ready to arrest:
And her white pallrey having conquered

The maistring seins out of her weary wrist,
Perforce her carried wherever he thought best.

B. ii. C. vii,