in spite of the most moving entreaties which the love sick virgin made use of to detain him.

About this time Gradasso, king of Séricana, having been long desirous to get possession of Durindana, Orlando's sword, and of Bayardo, Rinaldo's horse, passed with a great army into France, and, Orlando being absent, he defeated Charlemain in a general battle, and made him and many of his leaders prisoners. Charle main promised, at the return of Orlando, to give up to him Durindana and Bayardo; but Astolpho, who was at Paris, and in possession of Bayardo, refused to resign him, and challenged Gradasso to the joust, whom he overthrew with the golden lance, when, according to the conditions of their rencounter, Charlemain and all the prisoners were set at liberty: Gradasso then joined himself to Marsilius.

After the return of Angelica to India, Agrican king of Tartary, and father of Mandricardo, demanded her in marriage; but being refused by her, he raised a great army, and besieged her in Albracca, the capital of Ca thay, inviting other nations to join him. Many gallant actions were performed at the siege. Orlando, Brandimart, Sacripant, Marphisa, Astolpho, and many others, took the part of Angelica; but Rinaldo, who at that time hated Angelica, from his having drank of the enchanted fountain, joined himself to her enemies: in consequence of which he had several encounters with Orlando. After various successes on either side, and an infinity of adventures engaged in by the several knights during the siege, Agrican was slain by Orlando in single combat; and Angelica, hearing that Rinaldo, whom she

then loved, was gone to France, persuaded Orlando to accompany her thither; and, after her departure, the enemies of Albracca, taking advantage of the absence of Orlando, and her other brave defenders, entered the city by storm, and reduced it to ashes.

When Angelica, after the taking of Albracca, returned to France with Orlando, she passed again through the forest of Arden, and, in her way, happened to drink of the fountain of hatred, which entirely obliterated her former passion. About the same time Rinaldo, meeting with the contrary fountain, drank of the waters of love.

While the siege of Albracca was carrying on, Agramant, the young king of Africa, only twenty-two years of age, and the bravest knight in the dominons of Africa, except Rodomont king of Sarza, burning with desire to revenge the death of his father Troyano, slain by the Christians, ordered a council to be called in the city of Biserta, the capital of his empire, where two and thirty kings, his tributaries, being assembled, he proposed to them his design of invading the kingdom of Charlemain. After many debates it was at last resolved to transport a powerful force into France, notwithstanding the prophecy of the king of Garamanta, who declared that the expedition would prove fatal to Agramant and his army.

When the king of Garamanta had in vain endeavoured to dissuade Agramant from his designed invasion of France, he told the monarch, that there remained but one expedient by which he might hope to meet with any success against the Christians; this was, to take with him a young hero, named Rogero, who then resided with

Atlantes, the magician, on mount Carena. Agramant having, in consequence of this advice, made many fruitless researches to find the fatal warrior, was directed, by the king of Garamanta, to procure the enchanted ring, then in possession of Angelica, daughter of Galaphron, king of Cathay, without which the retreat of Atlantes could never be discovered. Thereupon Agramant, offering great rewards to any one that would undertake this adventure, Brunello, a person of mean extraction, but well versed in the arts of fraud, engaged to perform it. Accordingly he went to Albracca, stole the ring from the princess, and brought it to Agramant, who, in recompense for his good service, made him king of Tingitana. In this excursion, Brunello likewise stole Sacripant's horse Frontino, Marphisa's sword, Orlando's sword Balisarda, which he had won from the enchantress Falerina, and the famous horn which he had taken from Almontes.

Agramant having got possession of this precious ring, went, with all his court, to the mountain, where Atlantes was said to reside; and the ring having dispelled every mist that enchantment had cast before their eyes, they soon discovered the rock on which was the wonderful dwelling; but the height forbidding all approaches to it, Agramant, by the advice of Brunello, ordered a tournament to be held on the plain at the foot of the rock. Rogero, rouzed with the sound of the warlike instruments, and fired with the sight of horses and armour, which he stood for some time contemplating from the summit of the rock, at last made Atlantes, though with great reluctance, descend with him to the plain. Brunello, who carefully watched the success of his project,

soon espied Rogero with Atlantes, and drawing near them, entered into conversation: Brunello was then completely armed and mounted on Frontino, when observing, that Rogero was struck with the beauty of his orse and armour, he presented them to him, and the young warrior impatiently arming himself, and girding Balisarda to his side, leaped on Frontino, and entered the lists, where he overthrew every opponent, and obtained the whole honour of the day. All the combatants were astonished at the valour of this unknown champion, till Agramant, having at last discovered him to be Rogero, whom he had so eagerly sought for, received him with open arms, conferred upon him the honour of knighthood, and engaged him to accompany him to France, notwithstanding all the arguments used by Atlantes, to dissuade the king from taking Rogero with him in that expedition.

After encountering a variety of dangers and adventures, Orlando and Angelica arrived at the Christian camp, where Orlando and Rinaldo meeting, a dreadful combat ensued between them for the lady; but Charlemain interposing with his authority, put an end to the battle, and delivered Angelica to the care of Namus duke of Bavaria *.

Marsilius, king of Spain, being encamped near mount Albano, to which he prepared to lay siege, was joined by Rodomont, king of Sarza, who had passed from Africa before Agramant, and after having lost great part of his fleet in a storm, landed with the remainder of his forces near Monaco, where he met with a very warm reception from the Christians.

• Here begins the action of Ariosto's poem.

Charlemain, having collected the strength of the empire, marched with Orlando and Rinaldo to attack Marsilius, whose army being now reinforced by some of the bravest warriors, among whom were Rodomont, and Ferrau, was able to make head against him. The battle was fought with great obstinacy on both sides. Orlando and Rinaldo, elevated with the hopes of possessing Angelica, performed prodigies of valour: Rodomont made great slaughter of the Christians, and Bradamant, sister to Rinaldo, signalized herself in a particular manner. In the mean time, Agramant, having embarked his forces at Biserta, was landed, and advanced with speedy marches towards mount Albano, bringing with him the flower of the African chivalry, among which was the young Rogero, who had been with difficulty drawn from the enchanted fortress, in which he had been shut by Atlantes, to avoid the destiny which threatened him, but whose presence, like that of Achilles, had been declared of the highest importance to the expedition. This young warrior was accompanied by Atlantes, who, since he could not divert his charge from the pursuit of glory, was prompted, by his anxiety, to be near him in time of danger.

The whole force of the Saracens being now united, the battle raged with redoubled fury. Rogero, having overthrown numbers of the Christians, at last singled out Orlando, when Atlantes, fearing the event of such an encounter, by his magic art fascinated the eyes of Orlando, who, believing that he saw Charlemain in danger, abruptly left the field, and was made prisoner in an enchanted garden. At this time Mandricardo joined the army of Agramant, when Rogero and Rinaldo being