Who vests and armour won from chiefs o'erthrown,
Had hung to grace the monumental stone:
She told, how far transcending every thought,
She saw the deeds by mad Orlando wrought,
Who on the bridge engag'd the Pagan foe,
And headlong plung'd him in the flood below.
But Brandimart, who dear Orlando lov'd,

450

With truth by friends, by sons, by brothers prov'd; 455
Resolv'd, through every threaten'd toil, to find

The wretched earl, and heal his frantic mind.
In armour dight, he mounted on his steed,

And took the path his dame prepar'd to lead
To where she late unblest Orlando view'd:
Now near they drew where Algier's monarch stood
To guard the bridge; and now arriv'd in sight,
The ready watchman to the Pagan knight
The wonted signal gave, and lo! with speed

460

470

His squire attending brought his arms and steed: 465
His arms were lac'd, his foaming courser rein'd,
What time good Brandimart the banks had gain'd :
Then with a thundering voice in impious pride,
To Brandimart the ruthless Pagan cry'd:
Whoe'er thou art, by fortune hither led
Through error or design these shores to tread,
Alight---despoil thine arms---and yonder tomb
Grace with the trophy ere I seal thy doom;
And give thy life a victim, for the sake
Of her pale ghost---then shall my fury take
What thou may'st now thy willing offering make.
He ended---Brandimart indignant burn'd,

And answer with his spear in rest return'd:

475

Battoldo spurr'd (his gentle courser's name
Battoldo call) he with such ardor came
To meet the foe, as well his strength proclaim'd
A match for all in lists of combat fam'd;
While Rodomont as swift to battle drew,
And o'er the bridge with hoofs resounding flew.
His steed that oft the narrow pass had try'd,

480

485

And, oft, as fortune chane'd on either side

Had headlong plung'd, now ran without dismay,

Nor fear'd the perils of the downward way.

Battoldo little us'd such path to keep,

Shook in each joint to view the fearful steep:

490

Trembles the bridge, and to the burthen bends;

The bridge, whose sides nor fence nor rail defends.
Alike their beam-like spears the warriors drove,
Such as they grew amid their native grove :
Alike they rush'd, and in the meeting strife,

495

Well far'd each generous steed to 'scape with life;
Yet both at once before the shock gave way,
And on the bridge beneath their riders lay ;
The spur had rouz'd them, but the plank unmeet
No space afforded to their floundering feet:
Plung'd in the stream both equal fortune found,
And with their fall made waves and skies resound,
So roar'd out Po, receiving in his tide

*

The youth that ill his father's light could guide.

500

Prone sunk the coursers with the ponderous weight 505
Of either knight that firmly kept his seat:
While to the river's secret bed they fell,

To search what nymph or naiad there might dwell.

* Phaeton.

Not this the first or second venturous leap
The Saracen had prov'd; hence well the deep,
The shallows well he knew; where roll'd the flood
With bottom firm, where soft with ooze and mud.
Head, breast, and sides, triumphant o'er the waves
He rears, and now at great advantage braves

510

The Christian knight, whose courser whirling round 515
An eddy buries in the sands profound,

Where deep infix'd, and by no strength releas'd
Certain destruction threatens man and beast.
The water, foaming with resistless force,

620

525

Bears to the deepest current knight and horse,
Together roll'd---while Brandimart beneath
His steed lies struggling in the jaws of death.
Fair Flordelis afflicted, from above,
Tears, vows, and prayers, employs to save her love.
Ah! Rodomont, by her, whom dead thy soul
Reveres so high-thy cruel thoughts control:
Permit not here, by such inglorious death,
So true, so brave a knight, to yield his breath.
Ah! courteous lord! if e'er thy heart could love,
Think what for him my bleeding heart must prove; 530
Suffice, that now he bears thy captive chain,

Suffice, with thee his arms and vest remain :
And know of all, by right of conquest thine,
No nobler spoils adorn the virgin-shrine.

She said; and such persuasive prayers address'd 535 As touch'd the Pagan king's obdurate breast;

Then to her lord his saving hand he gave,

Her lord whom buried deep beneath the wave

His courser held; where without thirst he quaff'd · Compell'd from rushing streams the plenteous draught--

But ere the Pagan would his aid afford

He took from Brandimart his helm and sword,
Then drew the knight half lifeless to the shore,
And clos'd, with others, in the marble tower.

Soon as the dame beheld him prisoner led,
All comfort from her tender bosom fled;

Yet less she mourn'd than at the dreadful sight

541

545

550

When late the stream o'erwhelm'd her faithful knight.
Now self-reproach oppress'd her gentle thought;
By her the luckless chief was thither brought;
By her he fell, by her was captive made;
And Flordelis her Brandimart betray'd!

Departing thence she ponder'd in her mind. Some gallant knight of Pepin's court to find: The Paladin Rinaldo far renown'd,

555

Guido, or Sansonetto, fearless found

At all assays, some chief whose matchless hand

Might dare the Saracen by flood or land;

Who though not braver than her own true knight,

With fortune more to friend might wage the fight. 560
Full long she journey'd ere she chanc'd to greet
A champion for such bold encounter meet:
Whose arm in battle might the task atchieve,
T'o'erthrow the Pagan and her lord relieve
From cruel thrall: full many a day she sought
Till chance before her sight a warrior brought
Of gallant mien, whose arms a surcoat bore
With trunks of cypress fair embroider'd o'er :
But who the knight, some future time shall tell,

565

First turn to what at Paris' walls befel,

570

Ver. 569.---some future time shall tell,] Ile returns to Flordelis, Book xxxv. ver. 245.

Where deep destruction crush'd the Moorish bands
From Malagigi and Rinaldo's hands.

580

585

The countless numbers chas'd in speedy flight, Or driven to Stygian realms from upper light, The mantling shade from Turpin's view conceal'd, 575 Else had his page the slain and fled reveal'd. To Agramant a knight the news convey'd, Who lock'd in sleep in his pavilion laid No danger heard; and only wak'd to know Swift flight alone could save him from the foe. He starts from rest, he casts around his eyes, And guideless, disarray'd his soldiers 'spies: Naked, unarm'd, now here now there they yield: No time allows to grasp the fencing shield. Confus'd in counsel, and in thought distrest, The monarch fits his cuirass to his breast; When Falsirones (sprung from boasted race) Grandonio, Balugantes, near the place. Approach'd, his danger to the king betray, That death or slav'ry threats the least delay; And could he thence his person safely bear He well might boast propitious fortune's care. Marsilius thus, alike Sobrino sage With all the peers (whom equal cares engage) Would urge his flight, while by Rinaldo led Destruction pointed at the monarch's head. IIe, with the remnants of his routed train In Arli or Narbona might remain: Both strongly built and both provided well With martial stores could long a siege repel :

590

595

600