But swift as lightnings flash along the sky,
With spurning heels Bayardo made reply.
If chanc'd beside him the Circassian, stood,
Else had he mourn'd his rash attempt in blood;
Such dreadful force was in the courser's heel,
The stroke had burst a mount of solid steel.
Then to Angelica with easy pace

520

He moves, and humbly views her well-known face: 525 A Spaniel thus, domestic at the board,

Fawns after absence, and surveys his lord.
The damsel was remember'd by the steed
Wont at Albracca from her hands to feed,
What time Rinaldo, courted by the maid,
With foul ingratitude her love repay'd.

530

Now boldly in her hand she took the rein,
Strok'd his broad chest, and smooth'd his ruffled mane:
While conscious he, with wond'rous sense indu'd,

Still as a lamb, beside her gently stood,

The watchful Pagan leap'd into the seat,

And curb'd, with streighten'd reins, Bayardo's heat.
The palfrey to Angelica reinain'd,

Who gladly thus her former place regain'd.

535

Ver. 529. Wont at Albracca---]· Malagigi, who was made prisoner by Angelica, (see General View, &c.) being released upon his parole, endeavoured to persuade Rinaldo to return her love; but all his arguments proving ineffectual, he, in revenge, by a magical illusion, decoyed his cousin from the Christian camp: Bayardo, being left behind, came into the possession of Astolpho, who, going to the siege of Albracca, in aid of Angelica, was overthrown before the walls of that city, when his horse was seized by Agrican; who being afterwards slain, Bayardo came into the hands of Orlando, who had lost his horse Brigliadoro. Orlando at last having recovered his own, and departing from Cathay on a new adventure, left Bayardo in Albracca with Angelica, who soon after sent him to his master Rinaldo. See Orlando Innam.

Now as by chance she cast her eyes aside,
A knight on foot in sounding arms she spy'd:
When sudden terror on her face was shown,
Soon as the knight for Amon's son was known.
Long had he woo'd, but she detests his love;
Not swifter from the falcon flies the dove.
He hated once, while she with ardor burn'd;
And now behold their several fortunes turn'd.
This cause at first from two fair fountains came,
Their waters different, but their look the same:
Amidst the shade of Arden's dreary wood,
Full in each other's view the fountains stood:
Who drinks of one, inflames with love his heart,
Who drinks the other stream contemns his dart:

540

545

550

Ver. 548.---two fair fountains---] "As many of these specious and

wonderful tales in romance writers are borrowed from Greek or Latin poets, so this story of the two fountains of Ardenna, with their different effects, is borrowed from Claudian, in his description of the gardens of Venus.

Labuntur gemini fontes, hic dulcis, amarus
Alter, et infusis corrumpit mella venenis:
Unde Cupidineas armavit fama sagittas.

Two fountains here, of different nature, rise:
This dulcet draughts; that bitter streams supplies:
While here dire poison flows to taint the heart,
Fame tells that Cupid tempers there his dart.”

Upton, Notes on Spenser, B. iv. C. iii.

Spenser mentions one of these fountains in his Fairy Queen.
Much more of price, and of more gracious power,

Is this, than that same water of Arden,

The which Rinaldo drank in happy hour

Described by that famous Tuscan pen:

For that had might to change the hearts of men
From love to hate,Book iv. C. iii.

VOL. I.

G

Rinaldo tasted that, and inly burn'd;

The damsel this, and hate for love return'd.
Soon as Angelica beheld the knight,

A sudden mist o'erspread her chearful sight;
While with a falt'ring voice and troubled look,
To Sacripant with suppliant tone she spoke;

555

And begg'd him not th' approaching chief to meet, 560
But turn his courser, and betimes retreat.
Does then my prowess (Sacripant replies)
Appear so mean and worthless in your eyes,
That you too feeble deem this slighted hand,
The force of yonder champion to withstand?
Have you forgot that memorable night
When at Albracca I maintain'd the fight?
In your defence, unarm'd, I durst oppose
King Agrican, and brav'd a host of foes.

565

Not so (she said)---nor to reply she knew;

570

As thus she spoke Rinaldo nearer drew,

Ver. 566.---that memorable night.] See note on ver. 326. Concern. ing the force mentioned in Romances to have been set down before Albracca, Milton, to express the idea of a prodigious concourse, alludes to it in the following lines:

"Such forces met not, nor so wide a camp
When Agrican, with all his northern powers,
Besieg'd Albracca, as romances tell,

The city of Galaphron, from thence to win
The fairest of her sex, Angelica,

His daughter, sought by many prowest knights,
Both Paynim and the Peers of Charlemain;

Such and so various was their chivalry."

Parad. Reg. B. iii. ver. 336.

Who now began the Pagan king to threat,

Soon as his eyes the well-known courser met,

And that lov'd face he view'd, whose charms had fir'd His ravish'd bosom, and his soul inspir'd.

But cease we here: the ensuing book shall tell What strife between these haughty warriors fell.

575

END OF THE FIRST BOOK.