An oath she took, whenever call'd, to leave The fort, and each new challenger receive. Struck with her gallant deeds, the castle's lord The new-come guest, where sparkling deepest red, 560 565 570 Her glittering shield, and next her helm unty'd; 575 Her wavy tresses now, no more confin'd, Fell o'er her neck and hung in curls behind: And now to all she stood a dame reveal'd, In beauty first, as in the martial field. 580 As when, the scene undrawn, with sudden light The stage gay rushes on the dazzled sight; Ver. 573. Now to disarm,-] The discovery of Britomartis in Spenser is a close copy of Ariosto. .......when as vailed was her lofty crest, And thro' the persent air shoot forth their azure streams. Book iii. c. ix. st. 20. Where many a sumptuous pile and arch is plac'd, Plac'd round the blazing hearth their moments roll 585 590 While for the board the menial train prepare 595 Their limbs to strengthen with corporeal fare. When Pharamond the sceptre sway'd, his son 600 605 Ver. 607.---from Io went the watchful swain,] Juno having found means to get into her power Io, the mistress of Jupiter, after she was turned into a cow by her lover to conceal her from his wife, gave her in charge to Argus, who had a hundred eyes, and watched her day and night. Here in this lone retreat, which to his care 610 615 Late from his valorous force deliverance found. His evening stage, and here besought to rest, That deeds like this from recreant spirits flow: Such terms propos'd-should he his seat maintain, And Clodio with his warriors press the plain, 620 625 630 Himself would there (though now refus'd a guest) - 635 Abide, and from the gates exclude the rest, Ver. 614.a lovely dame,] Isotta--The loves of Tristram and Isotta are famous in romance. See Note to Book iv. ver. 373. The son of Pharamond, impell'd by shame, At risk of life, essay'd the list of fame, Where, in the joust, he lost his luckless seat, Where all his ten receiv'd a like defeat From conquering Tristram, who the portal clos'd 640 645 650 655 Alone, unpair'd, beneath the open sky; 660 A dame I have, that like a rose new blown In beauty blooms, yet equals not his own, Her will I bid (if such his wish) to wait Without the walls, and soothe his luckless fate. But just it seems the fair of brightest charms 665 Should rest with him who bravest shines in arms. Ver. 654. So well the magic potion-] See Note to Book iv. ver,'$73. The wretched Clodio thus compell'd to stay Than sad reflection of his absent fair: 670 Listening he stood, while jealous fancy brought Full many an image to aistract his thought, The light was ris'n, when to his arms again For though he deem'd his base discourteous mind 675 680 Ver. 682.---beneath unshelter'd skies] Spenser has an imitation of this passage, on which Mr. Upton observes thus: "If the reader takes any pleasure in seeing how one poet imitates or rivals another, he may have an agreeable task in comparing the episode, where the fair company Satyrane, Paridel, Britomart, and the Squire of dames, are excluded, in a tempestuous night, from old Malbecco's castle, with a like disaster in Ariosto, where Bradamant (whom Britomart in many circumstances resembles) arriving at the castle of Sir Tristram, battles it with three knights, and afterwards discovers her sex. Let the reader compare old Lidgate's Canterbury tale, where Polemite and Tydeous arrive at the palace of king Adrastus in a stormy night. Is it worth while to mention here that silly romance, named, the History of Prince Arthur, and his Knights of the Round Table, which has the same kind of adventure? See Part ii. Book i. c. 65. How Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadon came to a lodging, where they must joust with two knights." Upton's Notes on Spenser, Book iii, c. ix. st. 11. |