Had call'd, in honour of his noble guest,
His friends and kindred to partake the feast.
Of these none dar'd to speak, but gaz'd with awe,
While mute and sad, the Saracen they saw;
Who sate with head cast down in mournful wise,
As if he fear'd to meet a stranger's eyes.
Thus long he mus'd, till from his bosom broke
A sigh, when sudden as from sleep he woke;
Prepar'd to speak, his drooping lids he rais’d,
And round the board with look compos'd he gaz'd;
Then ask'd his host, and next to each apply'd,
If any there the marriage state had try'd,
And slumber'd with a consort at his side.
He said; the host, and every guest he found
In wedlock's law to female partners bound.
He next inquir'd, if each believ'd his spouse
Had duly kept her matrimonal vows :
When, save mine host, they one and all declar'd,
That none with them their wives' affections shar'd. 990
To this the host---Each, as he will, believes,
But sure am I---that each himself deceives:
For this your credulous, uxorious mind,
I can but call you each with dotage blind;
And so no less must say this noble knight,
Unless he means to tell you black for white.
For as to enrich the world has Fate preferr'd
A single Phoenix (rare and only bird !)
So, is it said, one only man through life:
Is giv'n to 'scape the falsehoods of a wife:
Each will himself that happy mortal call,
That husband sole, who bears the palm from all!
Yet how can each the boasted treasure own,
When through the sex no
Like you I thought, and Worhoste wives are known?
perhaps had deem'd 1005
All women virtuous, that were so esteem'd;
But, that a gentle squire, in Venice bred,
And late for my good fortune hither led,
Such stories told, all which full well he knew,
As from my thought the fond deception drew.
Francis Valerio was he call'd, whose name
Shall ever place in my remembrance claim.
Right was he learn'd in women, and could well
The frauds of marry'd and unmarry'd tell :
Tales new, and tales long since, of every kind,
He told, with these his own experience join'd;
He fully prov'd, of high or low degree,
How vain the hope a virtuous dame to see.
Should ever one seem chaster than the rest,
'Tis that her art can veil her frailties best.
From those (of which such numbers would he tell,
That scarce the third in my remembrance dwell)
One story fix'd within my mind remain'd,
And there engrav'd has still its place maintain'd;
Which, all that hear, shall like myself receive,
And every falsehood of the sex believe;
And if it please thine ear, I, noble knight,
To their confusion will the tale recite.
Ver. 1011. Francis Valerio..-] Gian' Francesco Valerio, a Venetian gentleman, a great enemy to women: he lived in intimacy with the poet, and is mentioned by him with particular kindness at the beginning of the xlvith Book, and is here likewise, by a poetical anachronism, made to live in the time of Charlemain, and from his hatred of women, Ariosto puts into his mouth this severe tale against the sex.
What better (cry'd the Pagan) canst thou find,
To suit the present temper of my mind,
Than stories, where examples may display
That worthless sex, accustom❜d to betray?
Yet ere thou speak'st, against me take thy place,
So shall I better hear thee face to face.
But, in the ensuing book, we see declar'd
What tale for Rodomont mine host prepar'd.
END OF THE TWENTY-SEVENTH BOOK.
RODOMONT hears from his host the tale of Astolpho and Jocundo, a severe satire upon the female sex. The characters of women further discussed. Rodomont leaves his host, and pursues his intended journey for Algiers, but meeting with a pleasing spot, he takes possession of a chapel which the Christians had deserted, and resolves to fix his residence there. The arrival of Isabella and the hermit with the dead body of Zerbino..
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