as three nights But this I submit to the iudgement of learned Diuines The colour and embrodery of Bradamants bases in the 47. staffe betokening desperation is there shewed I need not long to stand vpon for as for those hidden misteries of colours with their applications of blue to constancie twanie forsaken white to virginitie and the rest they are very well knowne to all our gallant Gentlemen who often haue more cost in their clothes and wit in their colours then coyne in their coffers or learning in their heads Of the Island Queene that sent the shield of gold to France which Bradamant thought would but breed quarrels Fornarius noteth that mine Author did therein couertly allude to a matter betweene England and France for Ariosto liued in Henry the eight his time and maketh very honorable mention of him But thus it was After the death of Lewes of France Marie the younger sister of K. Henrie the eight remaining his Dowager our King sent for his sister to come into England but Francis the first loth she should go out of France in respect of the great dower she should carry with her which by the custome of that country was a third part of the reuenue of the Crowne and yet fearing to have warres with king Henrie made this offer that if he would send some braue man at armes that could win her in the field he should haue her our King made no dainties to accept the offer and making it knowne to his Court Sir Charles Brandon tooke the matter on him and in fine ouercomming foure French men with the franke consent of both Kings married the Queene Dowager and was here in England as we all know made Duke of Suffolk of whose offspring there remaine yet some most worthy branches but the like to him for armes and cauallary as we terme it is my noble good Lord the Lord Strange whose value and vertue need not this my barren and briefe testimonie The end of the annotations vpon the xxxij booke THE XXXIII BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Faire Bradamant sees grau'n by passing art The future wars of France vpon a screene Bayardos flight the combat fierce doth part Renaldo and the Serican beweene Astolso hauing past the greater part Of all the world and many countries seene Vnto Senapos kingdome last arriues And from his boord the foule Harpias driues 1 TYmagoras Parrhasius Polignote Timant Protogenes Apollodore With Zewces one for skill of special note Apelles eke plast all the rest before Whose skill in drawing all the world doth note And talke of still to writers thanks therefore Whose works and bodies time and death did wast Yet spite of time and death their fames doth last 2 With others that in these our later dayes Haue liu'd as Leonard and Iohn Belline And he that carues and drawes with equall praise Michell more then a man Angell diuine And Flores whom the Flemmings greatly praise And Raphael and Titian passing fine With diuers others that by due desart Do ment in this praise to haue a part 3 Yet all these cunning drawers with their skill Could not attaine by picture to expresse What strange euents should happen well or ill In future times no not so much as guesse This art is proper vnto Magike still Or to a Prophet or a Prophetesse By this rare art the Brittish Merlin painted Strange things with which our age hath bin acquainted 4 He made by Magike art that stately hall And by the selfe same art he could to be Strange histories ingraued on the wall Which as I said the guests desir'd to see Now when they were from supper risen all The pages lighted torches two or three Making the roome to shine as bright as day When to his guests the owner thus did say 5 I would quoth he my guests that you should know That these same stories that here painted are Of future warres the sequels sad do show That shall to Italie bring wo and care Whereas the French full many a bloodie blow Shall take while others they to harme prepare As Merlin here hath layd downe being sent From English Arthur chiefe for this intent 6 King Feramont that was the first that past The streame of Rhine with armie great of France And being in possession quiet plast Of all those parts sturd with so luckie chance Straight in ambitious thought began to cast His rule and scepter higher to aduance Which that he might to passe the better bring He made a league with Arthur English king 7 Informing him how that his meaning was Of Italie the rule and crowne to get And askt his ayd to bring the same to passe Which neuer had atchieued bin as yet Now Merlin that did all men far surpasse In Magike art his purpose sought to let For Merlin had with Arthur so great credit He thought all Gospell was if once he sed it 8 This Merlin then did first to Arthur show And then by Arthur was of purpose sent To Fieramont of France to let him know The cause why he misliked his intent As namely many mischiefs that would grow To all that now or that hereafter ment The like attempt aduising him abstaine From certaine trouble for vncertaine gaine 9 And that he might his courage more appall And quite remoue him from this enterprise He made by Magicke this so stately hall Adorned as you see in sumptuous wise And drew these histories vpon the wall That what he saw in mind they might with eyes And thereby know that in Italian ground The Flour de luce can near take root profound 10 And how as often as the French shall come As frends to aid and free them from distresse So oft they shall their foes all ouercome And fight with honor great and good successe But be they sure to haue that place their toome If so they come their freedome to oppresse Thus much the owner of the house them told And so went on the storie to vntold 11 Lo first how Sigisbert in hope of gaine And promises of Emperour Mauricius Doth passe the mountaines with a mightie traine With mind to Lombardie to be pernicious But Ewtar driues him backe by force againe When he of such attempt is least suspicious So that his enterprise is quite reuersed Himselfe doth flie and leaue his men dispersed 12 Next after him the proud Clodoueus went And had with him one hundred thousand men But him doth meet the Duke of Beneuent With searse for eu'rie hundred souldiers ten Who doth intrap him in an ambushment So as the French might well be lik'ned then While Lombard wines too greedily they tooke To fish beguiled with a baited hooke 13 Straight Childibertus with a mightie host Doth come with mind to wipe away this blot But of his gainings he may make small bost For of his purpose he preuailed not His enterprise by heau'nly sword is croft The plague doth grow among his men so hot What with the
there with much a do are glad and faine To catch some burning boord and being loth To dye of either death they dye of both 84 Some one for feare of sword or axe or pike Doth all in vaine vnto the sea betake him For why some stone or arrow or such like Ere he be farre from thence doth ouertake him But least the reader haply may mislike My too long tale this motion I would make him That to another season he defarre To heare the sequell of this bloudy warre In Rogeros irresolute fighting may be noted how necessary it is for a man before he go to fight to put on a good and firme resolution and chiefly of the goodnes of his cause In Agramants breach of the oth and promise we may see how odious a thing it is before God and man to be Foedifragi Truce-breakers which maketh them indeed to be forsaken of their frends prosecuted with great malice of their enemies lothed detested and scorned of their owne subiects and in the end breeds their vtter confusion In that Agramants souldiers do mutine against him and reuile him secretly and he notwithstanding thinkes himselfe to be well beloued of them and well thought of we may see in what a lamentable case those Princes are that as is said of them Neuer see lookes but fawningly disguised Neuer heare words but fayningly deuised Of the Historie of this booke first for Sileno that was Virgils Schoolemaster it is written of him he was one day laid to sleep after he had bene made drunke with wine and his schollers merily bound him wherupon he waking said that verse Soluite me pueri satis est potuisse videri Concerning this great battell at Arlie certaine it is as diuers Historiographers haue noted it that there remaine to this home great heapes of bones betokening some great slaughter of men in that place but when it should be done I cannot precisely affirme In that Mehsla by the helpe of the deuill taking vpon her a false image of Rodomont moued Agramant to breake truce the Allegorie thereof is that they be diuels or diuellish persons that will moue Princes to breake their word and their promise Of Orlandos restoring to his wit which indeed is the chiefe Allegorie of all the booke and where-upon the booke taketh thâ— name Orlando Furioso this in briefe is the meaning thereof Orlando a man of noble birth Erle of Auglant nephew to Charles the great falls so farre in loue with Angelica by which as I haue often noted is meant pleasure or honor that he leeseth his wits and becomes mad by which may be meant any sâ—lly that young men fall into with loue with prodigalitie with ambition or vaine studies which are at large recited in the 34. booke Astolfo with the receit he had of S. Iohn makes him wise againe that is by the grace of God and by the Gospell which teacheth vs how to despise all these worldly things and either quite leaue them or turne them to our good and benefite The sea fight which is in the later end of this booke described is like that which Lucan sets forth in the ciuil wars between Caesar and Pompey or rather indeed to that he speaks of in the next book of Cardinal Hippolito against the Venetians Here end the annotations vpon the 39. booke THE XL. BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Great Agramant doth fly and in his flight Would kill himselfe but Sobrin him forbode Biserta being fir'd a wofull sight At last they meet Gradasso in a rode They send a challenge three to three to fight Vnto Orlando where he then abode Rogero fights with Dudon to set free Seu'n kings whom bound in chaines he chaunst to see 1 T Were long my Lord to tell of all that fought In that sea fight and certes all the while That I should tell it you I should be thought To beare pots as they say to Samos I le Where earthen vessels in great store are wrought Or Owles to Athens Crocodils to Nyle For more then can of this by me be told Your selfe haue caused many to behold 2 Your faithfull people had a long prospect When all a day vpon the streame of Poe Your men as your great vallew did direct The shipping of your foes assaulted so That with their blood the streame they did infect And brought vpon them all a world of woe Then both your selfe and others plaine did see How sundry deaths in fights of sea there be 3 It was not then indeed my hap to see 't Sent then to Rome six dayes before in post To craue then at the holy fathers feet Reliefe and aid against so great an host And in that time your grace with them did meet In such a sort so sorely to their cost And so you par'd the Lyons teeth and pawes That since that time to feare we had no cause 4 But Aifonsin and Mâ—ore that saw the same Aâ—sranio Anniball and Lerbinet Albert and Baygn and three that beare my name Declar'd to me the conquest you did get Also their banners monuments of fame Which offerd in the Churches you did set With fifteene Gallies tane a thousand botes Of that rich conquest giue vs open notes 5 He that had seene the fire and wondrous wreake That at that time was wrought vpon your foes When for your few their many were too weake He might describe the deaths and diuers woes Of Agramantés host of which I speake And of their great and grieuous ouerthrowes Then when amids the surging waues and salt Stout Dudon in the night did them assault 6 When first the fight began the night was darke But when the flame vpon the pitch tooke hold The fire gaue light and did so clearly sparke That Agramant might plainly now behold His enemies and their great number marke Incredible if any had it told Wherefore in season to preuent the worst He changd the course he had intended furst 7 And chusing out a vessell swift of sayle And placing there his things of greatest price With Brigliadore sith all hope now doth fayle To steale from thence he closlie doth deuise And while that Dudon doth his men assayle In all the hast he can away he flyes His men the sword the sea the fire destroyes And he is fled that caused their annoyes 8 And in that Barke with him Sobrino fled Who much complaind and was not little greeued That that which he before so truly sed Yet then by Agramant was not beleeued But tell we now how good Astolfo sped And what exploits Orlando had atcheeued Who counseld so to raze Biserta towne That it might neuer noy th' Imperiall crowne 9 And so it was in publicke sort proclaymd That the third day th' assault they should expect Astolfo had some ships before ordaynd For Dudon had not all for this effect And these same ships with Sansonet remaynd A man that could by sea and land direct Who rode at
calor And alittle after Ea verba locutus Optatos dedit amplexus placitumque petiuit Coniug is infusus gremio per membra soporem I hope they that vnderstand Latin will confesse this is plaine enough yet with modest words no obscenons phrase and so I dare take vpon me that in al Ariosto and yet I thinke it is as much as three Aeneads there is not a word of ribaldry or obscenousnes farther there is so meet a decorum in the persons of those that speake lasciuiously as any of iudgement must needs allow and therefore though I rather craue pardon then prayse for him in this point yet me thinkes I can smile at the finesse of some that will condemne him and yet not onely allow but admire our Chawcer who both in words and sence ' incurreth far more the reprehensioÌ„ of flat scurrilitie as I could recite many places not onely in his Millers tale but in the good wife of Bathes tale many more in which onely the decorum he keepes is that that excuseth it and maketh it more tolerable But now whereas some will say Aâ—iosto wanteth art reducing all heroicall Poems vnto the method of Homer and certaine precepts of Aristotle For Homer I say that that which was commendable in him to write in that age the times being changed would be thought otherwise now as we see both in phrase in fashions the world growes more curious each day then other Ouid gaue precepts of making loue and one was that one should spill wine one the boord write his mistresse name therewith this was a quaynt cast in that age but he that should make loue so now his loue would mocke him for his labour and count him but a slouenly sutor and if it be thus chaunged since Ouids time much more since Homers time And yet for Ariostos tales that many thinke vnartificially brought in Homer himselfe hath the like as in the Iliads the conference of Glaucus with Diomedes vpon some acts of Bellerophon in his Odysseas the discourse of the hog with Vlysses Further for the name of the booke which some carpe at because he called it Orlando Furioso rather then Rogero in that he may also be defended by example of Homer who professing to write of Achilles calleth his booke Iliade of Troy and not Achillide As for Aristotles rules I take it he hath followed them verie strictly Briefly Aristotle and the best censurers of Poesie would haue the Epopeia that is the heroicall Poem should ground on some historie and take some short time in the same to bewtifie with his Poetrie so doth mine Author take the storie of K. Charls the great and doth not exceed a yeare or therabout in his whole worke Secondly they hold that nothing should be fayned vtterly incredible And sure Ariosto neither in his inchantments exceedeth credit for who knowes not how strong the illusions of the diuell are neither in the miracles that Astolfo by the power of S. Iohn is fayned to do since the Church holdeth that Prophets both aliue and dead haue done mightie great miracles Thirdly they would haue an heroicall Poem aswell as a Tragedie to be full of Peripetia which I interpret an agnition on of some vnlooked for fortune either good or bad and a sudd en change thereof of this what store there be the reader shall quickly finde ' As for apt similitudes for passions well expressed of loue of pitie of hate of wrath a blind man may see if he can but heare that this worke is full of them There follows onely two reproofs which I rather interpret two peculiar praises of this writer aboue all that wrote before him in this kind One that he breaks off narrations verie abruptly so as indeed a loose vnattentiue reader will hardly carrie away any part of the storie but this doubtlesse is a point of great art to draw a man with a continuall thirst to reade ouer the whole worke and toward the end of the booke to close vp the diuerse matters briefly and cleanly If S. Philip Sidney had counted this a fault he would not haue done so himselfe in his Arcadia Another fault is that he speaketh so much in his owne person by digression which they say also is against the rules of Poetrie because neither Homer nor Virgil did it Me thinks it is a sufficient defence to say Ariosto doth it sure I am it is both delightfull and verie profitable and an excellent breathing place for the reader and euen as if a man walked in a faire long alley to haue a seat or resting place here and there is easie and commodious but if at the same seate were planted some excellent tree that not onely with the shade should keepe vs from the heat but with some pleasant and right wholsome fruite should allay our thirst and comfort our stomacke we would thinke it for the time a litle paradice so are Ariostos morals and pretie digressions sprinkled through his long worke to the no lesse pleasure then profit of the reader And thus much be spoken for defence of mine Author which was the second part of my Apologie Now remaines the third part of it in which I promised to speake somwhat for my selfe which part though it haue most need of an Apologie both large and substantiall yet I will run it ouer both shortly and slightly because indeed the nature of the thing it selfe is such that the more one doth say the lesse he shall seeme to say and men are willinger to praise that in another man which himselfe shall debase then that which he shall seeme to maintaine Certainly if I should confesse or rather professe that my verse is vnartificiall the stile rude the phrase barbarous the meeter vnpleasant many more would beleeue it to be so theÌ„ would imagine that I thought them so for this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or selfe pleasing is so coÌ„mon a thing as the more a man protests himselfe to be from it the more we wil charge him with it Wherefore let me take thus much vpon me that admit it haue many of the forenamed imperfections and many not named yet as writing goes now a dayes it may passe among the rest and as I haue heard a friend of mine one verie iudicious in the beautie of a woman say of a Ladie whom he meant to praise that she had a low forhead a great nose a wide mouth a long visage and yet all these put together she seemed to him a verie well fauoured woman so I hope and I finde alreadie some of my partiall friends that what seuerall imperfections soeuer they finde in this translation yet taking all together they allow it or at least wise they reade it which is a great argument of their liking Sir Thomas Moore a man of great wisedome and learning but yet a litle enclined as good wits are many times to scoffing when one had brought him a booke of some shallow discourse and
did it the rather because Plutarke in one place speaking of Homer partly lamenteth and partly blameth him that writing so much as he did yet in none of his workes there was any mention made or so much as inkling to be gathered of what stocke he was of what kindred of what towne nor saue for his language of what countrey Excuse me then if I in a worke that may perhaps last longer then a better thing and being not ashamed of my kindred name them here and there to no mans offence though I meant not to make euerie body so far of my counsell why I did it till I was told that some person of some reckening noted me of a little vanitie for it and thus much for that point For my omitting and abreuiating some things either in matters impertinent to vs or in some too tedious flatteries of persons that we neuer heard of if I haue done ill I craue pardon for sure I did it for the best But if any being studious of the Italian would for his better vnderstanding compare them the first sixe bookes saue a little of the third will stand him in steed But yet I would not haue any man except that I should obserue his phrase so strictly as an interpreter nor the matter so carefully as if it had bene a storie in which to varie were as great a sin as it were simplicitie in this to go word for word But now to conclude I shall pray you all that haue troubled your selues to read this my triple Apologie to accept my labors and to excuse my errors if with no other thing at least with the name of youth which commonly hath need of excuses and so presuming this pardon to be granted we shall part good frends Onely let me intreate you in reading the booke ensuing not to do me that iniurie that a Potter did to Artosto AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER BEFORE HE READE THIS POEME OF SOME THINGS TO BE OBSERVED as vvell in the substance of this vvorkâ— as also in the setting forth thereof vvith the vse of the Pictures Table and annotations to the same annexed THere are peraduenture many men and some of those both graue and godly men that in respect they count all Poetrie as meerly tending to wantonnesle and vanitie will at the very first sight reiect this booke and not onely not allow but blame and reproue the trauel taken in letting forth the same in our mother tongue And surely for such censurers as will condemne without hearing the cause pleaded I can be well content to haue them spare the labor in reading which they thinke I haue lost in writing and appealing from them if not to higher at least to more indifferent iudges namely such as wil vouchsafe to heare what can be spoken in defence of the matter and then will yeeld as wise men euer should do to the stronger reason I do to them direct this my short aduertisement which because all that may reade this booke are not of equall capacities I will endeuor to explane more plainly then for the learned sort had haply bene requisite And first if any haue this scruple that it might be hurtfull for his soule or conscience to reade a booke of Poetry as though it might alien his mind from vertue and religion I referre him beside many other excellent mens writings both in defence and praise thereof to a litle briefe treatise in the beginning of this booke written by me generally in defence of Poemes and specially of this present worke which I dare affirme to be neither vicious nor profane but apt to breed the quite contrary effects if a great fault be not in the readers owne bad disposition Secondly I haue in the marginall notes quoted the apt similitudes and pithie sentences or adages with the best descriptions and the excellent imitations and the places and authors from whence they are taken Further where diuers stories in this worke seeme in many places abruptly broken off I haue set directions in the margent where to find the continuance of euery such storie though I would not wish any to reade them in that order at the first reading but if any thinke them worthy the twise reading then he may the second time not vnconueniently vse it if the meane matter betweene the so deuided stories vpon which commonly they depend be not quite out of his memorie Also according to the Italian maner I haue in a staffe of eight verses comprehended the contents of euery Book or Canto in the beginning thereof which hath two good vses one to vnderstand the picture the perfecter the other to remember the storie the better As for the pictures they are all cut in brasse and most of them by the best workmen in that kind that haue bin in this land this many yeares yet I will not praise them too much because I gaue direction for their making and in regard thereof I may be thought partiall but this I may truly say that for mine owne part I haue not seene any made in England better nor indeed any of this kind in any booke except it were a treatise set forth by that profound man master Broughton the list yeare vpon the Reuelation in which there are some three or foure pretie pictures in octauo cut in brasse very workmanly As for other bookes that I haue seene in this Realme either in Latine or English with pictures as Liuie Gesner Alciats emblemes a booke de Spectris in Latine and in our tongue the Chronicles the booke of Martyrs the booke of hauking and hunting and M. Whitneys excellent Emblemes yet all their figures are cut in wood and none in metall and in that respect inferiour to these at least by the old prouerbe the more cost the more worship The vse of the picture is euident which is that hauing read ouer the booke you may reade it as it were againe in the very picture and one thing is to be noted which euery one haply will not obserue namely the perspectiue in euery figure For the personages of men the shapes of horses and such like are made large at the bottome and lesser vpward as if you were to behold all the same in a plaine that which is nearest seemes greatest and the fardest shewes smallest which is the chiefe art in picture If the name of any man woman country towne horse or weapon seeme strange to any I haue made a table where to find it And in the same table a direction for the seuerall tales where to begin and end those that may conueniently be read single of which kind there are many and those not vnpleasant Lastly at the end of euery Book or Canto because the Reader may take not only delight but profit in reading I haue noted in all as occasion is offered the Morall the Historie the Allegorie and the Allusion The Morall that we may apply it to our owne manners
him stand aboue and hold it fast And by the same intending to descend Vpon her armes her whole waight she doth cast But he that to destroy her did â—ntend Doth aske if she would learne to leape a cast And laughing loosd his hands that were together And wisht that all the race of them were with her 76 Yet great good hap the gentle damsell found As well deseru'd a miâ—d so innocent For why the polâ— strake first vpon the ground And though by force it shiuerd all and rent Yet were her limbes and life kept safe and sound For all his vile and traiterous intent Sore was the damsell mazed with the fall As in another booke declare I shall In thiâ— second booke in the combat betweene Renaldo and Sacrapant we may obserue how the passion of loue together with the termes that men stand vpon for their reputation credit are oftentimes occasions of bitter quarels and in their sodaâ—â—e parting and great perplexitie that both of them were stricken into by the false tale that the spirit told them of Orlando we may gather how very apt ielousie is to conceiue and beleeue euery false report By Renaldos obedience to Charles in going on embassage notwithstanding all his priuat affaires and affections we may take example of dutiful obedience to our lawfull Prince And in that Pinnabel seekes to betray Bradamant and to kill her by letting her fall into the caue into the which she trusted he would haue let her downe safely and friendly we may note two speciall things one that it is good to be warie into whose hands we commit the sauegard of our liues and state the other that base minded men being wickedly set on reuenge care not by what treason or villanie they worke the ouerthrow of their enemies For the Historie of this Canto I will not affirme too precisely for I find not in any credible author of Renaldos embassage into England neither is it very likely if the King of England were then in Paris as in another place of this worke is affirmed that a Peere of France should be sent hither and not rather some English noble man sent from the King to his other subiects in England with directions and instructions from him That Paris and Charles himselfe were in some distresse about that time is not vnprobable and that the Turkes at their first arriuall preuailed very farre against the Christians though it lasted but a while As for Rogero whom he toucheth in this booke and that is so much spoken of in this wâ—â—le worke as Aeneas is in Virgil though in both rather in fabulous and in Allegoricall sence then plainly and historicaly yet I find it in very good Authors that a man of that name was indeed the chiefe raiser of the house of Este the now Dukes of Perrara For the Allegorie as I noted in the first booke of Bayardo so the same is still continued or rather repeated namely that the horse by which is meant mans feruent and furious appetite which is more plainly signified where it is said of the horse His going onely was to this intent To shew his master where the damsell went So that still this vnbridled desire figured by Bayardo leades Renaldo on foote whereby is vnderstood sensualitie to pursue Angelica with a base desire of the most base pleasure In the shield whose light amazed the lookers on and made them fall downe astonied may be Allegorically meant the great pompes of the world that make shining shewes in the bleared eyes of vaine people and blind them and make them to admire and fall downe before them hauing indeed nothing but shining titles without vertue like painted sheaths with leaden weapons or like straw without the graine either else may be meant the flaring beauties of some gorgeous women that astonish the eyes of weake minded men apt to receiue such louing impressions as Atlantas shield did amaze their senses that beheld it For the Allegorie of the horse what is meant thereby I reserue to another place where I will follow it more at large then this little space will giue me leaue and in that booke where he is more treated of The Allusion to which this flying horse is referred and from whence it is taken is from Pegasus the flying horse that Pindar writes of bred of the bloud of Medusa on which beast Bellerophon was wont to ride flying the false accusation of Pretus wife Also the shield it selfe seemes to allude to the fable of Medusas head that turned men into stones THE THIRD BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Faire Bradamant was falne in Marlins caue Melissa meetes her there her ancient friend And there to her she perfite notice gaue Of such braue men as should from her descend She told her where she should Rogero haue Whom old Atlanta had in prison pend And from Brunello how to take the ring That vnto libertie her deere might bring 1 OH that my head were so well storde with skill Of such a noble subiect fit to treat Oh that my wits were equall to my will To frame a phrase fit for so high conceat Ye muses that do hold the sacred hill Inspire my heart with flame of learned heat While I presume in base and lowly verse The names of glorious Princes to reherse 2 Such Princes as excell all Princes far In all the gifts of bodie and of mind Temprat in peace victorious eake in war Themselues most noble come of noble kind And such except my guesse do greatly arre As are by heau'ns eternall doome assignd In wealth in fame in rule and in prosperitie To liue themselues their children and posteritie 3 Nor can I now their seuerall actes most rare Atcheeud by eu'rie one of them recite No though my verse with Virgils might compare Or I as well as Homer could endite With their great praise great volumes filled are With large discourse by them that stories write I onely meane to show what was foreshowne Long er their persons or their deeds were knowne 4 But first of Pinnabel a word to speake Who as you heard with traiterous intent The bonds of all humanitie did break For which er long himselfe was after shent Thus while base minds their wroÌ„gs do basely wreak They do that once that often they repent And curse that time a thousand times too late When they pursude their vnreuenged hate 5 With fainting heart for sin is full of feare By stealing steps from hence he doth depart And as he goes he prieth here and there His fearefull looke bewrayes his guiltie hart Not yet his dread doth moue him to forbeare To heape more sin vpon this ill desart Appald with feare but toucht with no remorse Supposing she was slaine he takes her horse 6 But let him go vntill another time For I do meane hereafter you shall heare How he was dealt with when his double crime In secret wrought most open did appeare Now vnto
In the great praise of Rogero and Bradamant his posterittie noblemen and gentlemen of good houses may take 〈…〉 father vertu us ancestors and thinke themselves beloved of God and blessed with great temporall blessings 〈…〉 not from their worthy sure fathers Also we may note that commonly good parents bring good children 〈…〉 Melyssa brings Bradamant by intricate wayes from the cave and instructs her how to confound Atlantes 〈…〉 good and godly counsel makes men overcome all troubles and enables them to withstand all wicâ—◠〈…〉 that Bradamant dissembles with Brunello we may gather a lesson which in this age we be too apt 〈…〉 nameâ— to dissimble with dissemblers 〈…〉 is diners it diuers and therefore I meane to note the principallest of them as far as my litle reading 〈…〉 and first for Merlin called the English Prophet I know many are hard of beleef and think it a meeresable that is written both of his birth of his life and chiefly of his death for his birth indeed I beleeue not that he 〈…〉 by an Incubus yet the possibilitie thereof might be proued by this place â—rather held with the great clerk Bellarmine that such birth is either impossible or teacher to the great Antichrist when he shall come But concerning his life that there was such a man a great 〈…〉 to King Arthur I hold it certaine that he had a castle in â—shire called after him Merlinsburie now Marl◠〈…〉 likely the old ruines whereof are yet seene in our highway from Bath to London Also the great stones of 〈…〉 and number that he scattered about the place have given occasion to some to report and others 〈…〉 wrought by his great spill in Magicke as likewise the great stones at Stonage on Salisâ—◠〈…〉 which the ignorant people beleeue be brought out of Ireland and indeed the wiser sort can rather maruel at 〈…〉 they were set there But for the manner of his death and place of his buriall it is so diuersly written 〈…〉 countreys chalienged as a man may be bolder to say that all of them are saise then that any of them 〈…〉 will have him buried in Cornewall some in Wales where they say he was borne Ariosto by Poeticall lisence 〈…〉 or him in France and the fiction of the tombe is taken of a former fiction in King Arthurs booke 〈…〉 that Merlin being exceedingly in loue with the Ladie of the Lake to brag of his cunning shewed her one day 〈…〉 deuices of his a 〈◊〉 that he had made of sufficient capacitie to hold him and his wife and withall 〈…〉 a charme which being pronounced in an order that he shewed her the toombe would close and neuer againe be opened She having no mind to him or rather indeed flatly hating him grew on the sodaine very gamesome with him 〈…〉 him some extraordinary kindnesse and in the end for want of better pastime would needs perswade him to 〈…〉 would hold them both and so offered her selfe to go in with him he suspecting nothing lesse then her malicious purpose went imply in and straight she shut him in with the couer and bound it so fast with the charme as it will neuer 〈…〉 This I thought good to set donne for expounding the II. Staffe of this booke the plainer not that any matter here 〈◊〉 worth the noting without it be to warne men not to tell such dangerous secrets to women except they 〈…〉 to imitate the wisedome of Cato in repenting it after And thus much for Merlin The rest of the booke 〈…〉 a true historie and is a repetition of the pedegrue of Alfonso Duke of Ferrara with some briefe touches 〈…〉 of their great exploits in Italie the exposition of all which I will not pursue at length as being 〈…〉 the learned this haue read those stories and not very pleasant to the ignorant nor familiar to our nation 〈…〉 some very few of them such as I thinke most necessary and omit the rest or referre those 〈…〉 to informe themselues to some authors where they may reade it more at large Rogero 〈…〉 Bradamant and this Rogero so much spoken of in this whole booke came with Charles the great into 〈…〉 where among other Venetian captaines that holpe to suppresse Desiderius king of Lombardie this Rogero 〈…〉 so good seruice that the Emperour in reward gaue him and his heires the honors of Calaon and Este neare 〈…〉 The â—râ—me came to be the crest of the Vicounts of Millaine by this occasion Otho a valiant man of that family in the 〈…〉 that Gedfrey of Bullen made to Ierusalem called the holy warres did fight at the siege of Ierusalem hand to hand with Voluce 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 and sue him whose to make himselfe more terrible did carry on his crest a huge viper deucuring of a 〈…〉 Euer since in memory hereof that house carries the viper Betingats 〈◊〉 name there were three but the chiefe man meant here was nephew to the first and came after the death of 〈…〉 grandfather into Italie and preuailed so farre that he was proclaimed Augustus and made his sonne King of I 〈…〉 with title King of Romanes but Agapitus then Bishop of Rome called in Otho King of the Almaines I deliuer Italie from the â—â—ranny of the Beringars who ouercame them and used them after with great clemency till afterward the feeling bâ—heâ—â—e fan usurping Pope tâ—tâ—rannize as before the same Otho came againe and in fine desir 〈…〉 in which it seemes Albertazzo did some great seruice Of Fruderike Barbarossa Sabellicus a riteth that he maintained Octauius Antipapa or vsurping Pope against Alexander 〈◊〉 great in Italy in Italy and much bloodshed and that the Romanes were so crushed in one battel that he 〈…〉 they would neuer be able againe to hold up their heads But after this Barbarossa both prosecuted by his enemies and 〈…〉 with the plague in his camp was glad to fly into Germany and comming back with new forces 〈…〉 the confederats unquished and 〈…〉 and driuen in the end to craue Pope Alexanders fauour Of this Alexander 〈…〉 make great boâ—â—t how they restored him and haue the story ingrauen or painted in one of their 〈…〉 Churches for the Pope saying that her in disgussed aparell and lining closely in the towne like a poore Priest 〈…〉 Crano discouered him and made him be greatly honoured by the whole city by whom as is a aforesaid 〈…〉 〈…〉 Guelss and Ghebellines is spoken of though it would ask a long discourse to tel the original how it first grew yet somewhat I must needs say of it the faction first rose of a 〈…〉 between two Dutchman in Italie being naturall brothers though unnaturally falling out and either drawing parties it grew in the end to such a faâ—tion as neither Sylla and Marius or Caesar and Pompey in Rome nor ours of Lancaster and Yorke in England nor any other growne of religion or what cause soeuer besides hath bene more violent Essellino a notable tyrant whom one
this the certaine sure But this I say it ought to remitted Much rather then she should distresse endure I further say they were but meanly witted That did so straight a statute first procure I also say this law they ought recall In place thereof a better to enstall 53 Sith like desire the fancies doth possesse Both of the male and of the female gender To do that thing that fooles count great excesse And quench the flame that Cupid doth engender To grant the men more scope the women lesse Is law for which no reason we can render Men vsing many neuer are ashamed But women vsing one or two are blamed 54 This law I say is partiall and naught And doth to women plaine annd open wrong I trust in God they shall be better taught And that this law shall be reuokt ere long The Abbot and his Monks in word and thought Allowd Renaldos speech both old and yong They all condemne the law and partly blame The king that may and mendeth not the same 55 Next morning when Renaldo doth perceaue The Sunne appeare and starres their heads to hide He thanks them for his cheare and taketh leaue And takes a target-bearer for his guide For feare left vnknowne paths should him deceaue Himselfe all armed doth on Bayard ride And to the Scottish court he goes a stranger For to defend the damsell faire from danger 56 And for they thought to take a way more nie They leaue the common way a mile or twaine When suddenly they heard a piteous crie Well like to one that feared to be slaine In hast they spurre their horses by and by Along the vale and looking downe the plaine A maide betweene two murderers they saw That meant to take her life against all law 57 The caitises put the damsell in great feare And shewd that they were come to end her dayes Which made her weepe and shed full many a teare To moue their minds she trieth many wayes And though the fact a while they did forbeare Yet now they had remoued all delayes When as Renaldo came vnto her aid And made the malefactors fore afraid 58 Away they sled and left the wench alone For dread of death appald and fore affrighted Who all her cause of danger and of mone Vnto Renaldo straight would haue recited But so great haft he maketh to be gone He gaue no eare nor from his horse alighted But to ensue the iourney first assignd him He causd the guide to take her vp behind him 59 And now on horsebacke marking well her face And marking more her gesture and behauiour Her pleasing speech and modest sober grace She now hath wonne a great deale more his fauour And after he had rode a little space To tell her hard aduenture he would haue her And she began with humble voice and low As more at large hereafter I will show In this fourth booke whereas dissembling is praised we may note in what sort and with what persons it is allowable seeing generally in it selfe it is a most vnnoble and vnworthy qualitie In that Bradamant by the ring doth discouer Atlantas inchantments and frustrate all his purpose we nay note how reason tempered with courage prevailes to the overthrow of all deceits and subtill practices In Rogero that was caried away vnawares by the winged horse we haue an example to make vs take heed of rash vnaduised enterprises In Renaldos speech condemning the rigor of the law that adultery was punished by death in women rather then in men as we may with him instly mislike such partialitie in lawes so we may note the manner and phrase of speech of yong gentlemen as Renaldo was that make so light of their sweet sinne of lechery as they call it not regarding how sower heauy punishment hangs over it and what a foule reprâ—ch it is to both sexes And so much for the Morall For the Historie of this booke little is to be said of the time of Charles the great because the booke digresseth to other matters but whereas mention is made of Calledon forrest in Scotland and of King Arthur his knights I thought it not amisse as in the former booke I told you what I thought of Merlin that was Arthurs great counseller so now somewhat to touch as the space will permit the reports that are true and probable of king Arthur It is generally written and beleeued that this Arthur was a notable valiant and religious Prince and that he governed this Iland in that rude age with great love of his people and honour of forraine nations he instituted an order of the knights of the round table onely as it seemes of some meriment of hunting or some pleasant exercises He was himself of stature very tall as appeares by the proportion of him left as they say here in our countrey of Somerset in a doore of a Church by the famous Abbey of Glassenbury in which Abbey his wife Queene Gueneuer was buried and within our memory taken vp in a coffin with her body and face in shew plainly to be discerned saue the very tip of her nose as diuers dwelling there about haue reported But what manner of death king Arthur himselfe died it is doubtfull and that which they report seemes meerly fabulous namely that he was caried away in a barge from a bridge called Pomperles neare the said Glassenbury and so conueyed by â—â—â—noâ—ne persons or by the Ladie of the Lake with promise to bring him backe againe one day vpon which it seems the foolish people grounded their vaine saying King Arthur comes againe For my part I confesse my selfe to haue bin more inquisitiue of such trifles then a wiser man would and viewing that bridge and all that countrey about Glassenbury I see good reason to guesse that all that countrie which now we call our moores and is reduced to profitable and fertill ground was sometime recouered from the sea and might be nauigable vp to Glassenbury in those times and so I suppose the said King being drowned there by some mishap and being well beloued of the people some fained to content their minds that he was but gone a little way and would come again as the Senate of Rome hauing killed Romulus for his tyrannie deuised a tale of I know not what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the people beleeue he was turned to a god M. Camden the best antiquarie of our time writeth that king Arthurs body was taken vp at the foresaid Glassenbury in the time of king Henrie the second which indeed is most credible as he there proueth But this I conclude that this Prince was so worthy a man in his time as not onely true histories haue greatly recommended to the posteritie but almost all Poeticall writers that haue bin since haue mentioned this famous Prince Arthur of England as a person of whom no notable exploit was incredible And thus much for king Arthur For the Allegorie
estimation To which the heau'ns ordaine thee if thou would Defraud not yet thine heires and generation Of which I haue thee oftentime foretold Appointed by eterne predestination Except thou do their due from them withhold Out of thy loines and bowels to proceed Such men whose match the world did neuer breed 53 Let not so many a worthy soule and mind Fram'd by the wisedome of the heau'nly King Be hindred of the bodies them assignd Whose of spring chiefe must of thy issue spring Be not vnto thine owne blood so vnkind Of whose great triumphs all the world shall ring Whose successors whose children and posteritie Shall helpe our country to her old prosperitie 54 What good hath this great Queene vnto thee done But many other queanes can do the same What certaine gaine is by her seruice wonne That soone doth fancie sooner doth defame Wherefore to make thee know what thou hast done That of thy doings thou maist haue some shame But weare this ring and next time you repaire To your Alcyna marke if she be faire 55 Rogero all abasht and mute did stand With silent tongue and looke for shame downe cast The good enchantresse tooke him by the hand And on his finger straight the ring she plast But when this ring had made him vnderstand His owne estate he was so sore agast He wisht himselfe halfe buride vnder ground Much rather then in such place once be found 56 But she that saw her speech tooke good effect And that Rogero shamed of his sinne She doth her person and her name detect And as her selfe not Atlant doth beginne By counsell and aduice him to direct To rid himselfe from this so dangerous ginne And giues him perfect notice and instruction How these deceits do bring men to destruction 57 She shewd him plainly she was thither sent By Bradamant that lou'd him in sinceritie Who to deliuer him from bondage ment Of her that blinded him with false prosperitie How she tooke Atlants person to th' intent Her countenance might carry more austeritie But finding now him home reduc'd againe She saith she will declare the matter plaine 58 And vnto him forthwith she doth impart How that faire dame that best deseru'd his loue Did send that ring and would haue sent her hart If so her heart his good so farre might moue The ring this vertue had it could subuert All magicke frauds and make them vaine to proue Rogero as I said no time did linger But put the ring vpon his little finger 59 When truth appeard Rogero hated more Alcynas trumpries and did them detest Then he was late enamored before O happie ring that makes the bearer blest Now saw he that he could not see before How with deceits Alcyna had bene drest Her borrowd beauties all appeared stained The painting gone nothing but filth remained 60 Eu'n as a child that taking from the tree An apple ripe and hides it in some place When he returnes the same againe to see After a senight or a fortnights space Doth scant beleeue it should the same frute be When rottennesse that ripenesse doth deface And where before delight in it he tooke Now scant he bides vpon the same to looke 61 Eu'n so Rogero plainly now deseride Alcynas foule disgraces and enormitie Because of this his ring she could not hide By all her paintings any one deformitie He saw most plainly that in her did bide Vnto her former beauties no conformitie But lookes so vgly that from East to West Was not a fouler old misshapen beast 62 Her face was wan a leane and writheld skin Her stature scant three horseloaues did exceed Her haire was gray of hue and very thin Her teeth were gone her gums seru'd in their steed No space was there between her nose and chin Her noisome breath contagion would breed In fine of her it might haue well bene said In Nestors youth she was a pretie maid 63 I feare her arts are learned now a dayes To counterfait their haire and paint their skin But reasons ring their crafts and guiles bewrayes No wise men of their paintings passe a pin Those vertues that in women merit praise Are sober shewes without chast thoughts within True faith and due obedience to their make And of their children honest care to take 64 Now though Rogero as before I sed Detested sore the vgly witches sight Yet by Melyssas counsell wisely led He doth conceale the matter for a night Till of prouision he were better sped With which he might more safely take his flight And taking care his meaning close to hide He doth forthwith his armour all prouide 65 And tels Alcyna he would go and trie If that he were not waxen grosse or no Because that idle he so long did lie And neuer fought with any armed fo His sword vnto his girdle he doth tie With armour on a walking he doth go And with a scarfe about his arme he lapt The shield that in the cypresse case was wrapt 66 And thus arraid he commeth to the stable And tooke a horse as wise Melyssa taught A horse as blacke as any ieat or sable So made as if in waxe he had bene wrought Most swift for course and strong of limbes and able This horse hight Rabican was thither brought By Duke Astolfo who by sorcerie Was turned late into a mirtle tree 67 As for the Griffith horse that there was by Melyssa wisheth him to let him stand And sayth that she her selfe ere long would trie To make him gentle to the spurre and hand And that she would hereafter time espie To bring it him and let him vnderstand How he should do with very little paine To make him yeeld to spurre to rod and raine 68 She further said his flight would be suspected Except he let the flying horse to stay Rogero none of all her words neglected But did her counsell wise and sage obay And so before his meaning was detected From this misshapen hag he stole away And meanes if God will grant him so much grace To be at Logestillas in short space 69 Such men of armes as watched at the gate He slue the rest he sodainly assailed He happie was scapt with a broken pate They tooke their heeles when as their hearts them failed Alcyna now had notice all too late Rogero was so farre it nought auailed But in another booke shall be contained How him dame Logestilla entertained In Erifila that is ouerthrowne by Rogero and not killed we may obserue that the liberalitie that men make great show of in their youthfull pleasures and entertainments is not the true vertue that doth indeed quite extinguish and kill that monster of couetousnesse In Alcyna and Rogeros lasciuious loue from whom Rogero is glad at last to runne away we may note the notable allurements of fleshly sensualitie and take a good lesson to auoyd them onely by flying from them as hath bene in part touched before Melyssas good
counsell euery yong Rogero may apply to himselfe and learne thereby to begone to Logestillas in time lest he be turned into some beast or tree as these notable enchantresses do daily transforme their followers But of all this I will speake more at large in the Allegorie Concerning the Historie of this book there is no matter historicall therein Only where there is a comparison of the riot of Alcyna with that of the Persian kings and that of Cleopatra those to whom the storie is not knowne shall find an explanation therof in the Table or Index 〈◊〉 before how by Erifila is meant couetousnesse which our young gallants beate downe but kill not nay oft it riseth again and ouercomes them and makes them fall to meere rapine and extortion Whereas in the eight staffe the way was said to be vnpleasant through that seeme contrary to the saying of Hercules two wayes of vice and vertue yet no doubt but euen in this way of pleasure there be many ill fauoured and dangerous passages as one of the fathers well 〈◊〉 that a wretched worldling doth oftentimes toile more to go to hell for his labour then a vertuous man doth to win heaven The things that allure most to sensualitie are set downe in order in the ninth staffe kind entertainment in the tenth 〈◊〉 building in the eleuenth and so forward to the sixteenth artificiall behaviour and exquisite beautie set forth with all cunning as Ouid saith Et meruit formosa videri that is she deserued with the paine she took to seem hand some in the eighteenth musicke and wanton sonets of loue riotous fare in the nineteenth with all kind of delicacies to provoke venery in the twentith wanton discourses and purposes of which commonly their last conclusion is to lie together as there is said in the two and twentith perfumes and all effeminate delicacies in all which we see the eye the care the tast the smelling the feeling the wit the thoughts all fed with their obiects of delight making men quite to forget God and all good counsell as Rogero quite forgat Bradamant and the counsell of Astolfo And sure it is worth the 〈◊〉 where it is find in the sixteenth staffe that the tale Astolfo late to him rehearst he thinketh false or else by him deserued How yong men that at the first haue seemed very well giuen very religious continent and studious of all vertue and good learning yet after when they come to be aduanced to high fauours or to great liuing they despise all that was taught them before and count religion but a pollicie and philosophie but a folly and the admonition of graue and 〈…〉 that reproue their ambition or their sensualitie or their extreme couetousnesse to proceed but of enuie 〈◊〉 begin estate and felicitie which they would be glad to come to themselues and cannot And surely if any will but take a note of any speciall persons toucht with any or with all three of these enormous vices let them but marke if they have not in their whole liues and actions and some perhaps in plaine words discouered this their contempt of religion and vertu undiscipline I would this age were barren of examples of this kind Now concerning the enchantments that bring men into this blindnes to think Alcyna so faire a woman it is nothing but 〈◊〉 of vertue of beautie of graciousnes that the foolish louer perswades himself that he seeth in the person or idol of his mistress of which Petrarke saith Da questi magi transformato fui These are the witches that transformed me The griefe that Bradamant takes for Rogeros mispending his time may note to vs the grace and long sufferance of God when man runneth astray after the worldly vanities Melyssa that offereth her seruice to go to reclaime Rogero doth figure vnto vs both preachers philosophers that shew vs by the ring which hath bene expounded before to be reason our foule errours and our wandring courses and so makes vs see our owne deformities and the deformitie of that we esteemed so dearely as in this booke you see what manner of monster Alcyna appeared in her owne likenesse when the ring of reason had dissolued all inchantments Infinite matter more might be applyed in allegoricall sence out of this booke if I would couet to stand vpon euerie small matter for as I said at the first these two bookes be in a manner a meere allegorie from the beginning to the ending The comming of Melissa to Rogero alludeth to the comming of Mercurie to Aeneas in Virgil who was then at Carthage stayd by the loue of Dydo as Rogero was here by Alcyna The ring that had the vertue beside dissoluing inchantments to make one go inuisible alludeth to Gyges ring of which it is sayd that by the helpe thereof he became King of Lydia THE EIGHT BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Rogero fled Melissa after staid Astolfo with some others to restore Renaldo musters souldiers sent for aid To Charles the great who neuer needed more Angelica by drowsie hermit laid Is tane and bound all naked to the shore Orlando is so troubled with his dreame He leaues the seruice of his king and reame 1 OH strange enchantments vsed now a dayes Oh charmers straunge among vs dayly found That find so many charms and subtle wayes Wherewith they hold fond louers hearts fast bound Not with coniured spirits that they raise Nor knowledge of the stars and skill profound But blinding mens conceits and them fast tying With simulation fraud deceit and lying 2 But he that had the rule and ring of reason Should soone their frauds their crafts and guiles discouer And finde a hoord of foule and lothsome treason To lurke within the shew of such a louer Well may they seeme most louely for a treason When all their wrinkles they with painting couer But vnto men of wit and reason learned Their subtleties shall quickly be discerned 3 Rogero as I said in secret sort With Ralucan out of the castle went And made the watch and guard vnpleasant sport That most of them his comming might repent Some had their armes and some their heads cut short All put to flight the gates in peeces rent And then vnto the wood he entred when He met by chance one of Alcynas men 4 This man did beare a faulcon on his fist With which he went on hauking day by day To flie in field or riuer as he list The countrie full of game still yeelded pray He had a spaniell could not well be mist And eke a hauking nagge not verie gay And meeting good Rogero halfe disguised That he was fled away he straight surmised 5 The seruant rideth on and at their meeting He askt Rogero why he rode so fast Rogero gaue him verie slender greeting As though on such a squire he little past Well quoth the faulkner though thou now art fleeting I truster long to shew thee such a cast That with my dogge my faulcon
bene counted a great signe of modestie and chast disposition in women to be rather cleanly then sumptuous in apparrell for the vaine expence therin hath bene often occasion both to corrupt the minds and manners of many not ill disposed And therefore that excellent verse of Sir Philip Sidney in his first Arcadia which I know not by what mishap is left out in the printed booke is in mine opinion worthie to be praised and followed to make a good and vertuous wife Who doth desire that chast his wife should bee First be he true for truth doth truth deserue Then be he such as she his worth may see And alwayes one credit with her preserue Not toying kind nor causlesly vnkind Not stirring thoughts nor yet denying right Not spying faults not in plaine errors blind Neuer hard hand nor euer rayns too light As far from want as far from vaine expence Tone doth enforce the tother doth entice Allow good companie but driue fro thence All filthie mouths that glorie in their vice This done thou hast no more but leaue the rest To nature fortune time and womans brest In which you see his opinion of the two extremities of want and vaine expence Of the inuention of gunnes as I somewhat touched two bookes before so here you see how he affirmath in a manner that they were inuented in Germanie And so I haue read that the first time they were vsed was in the yeare 1391. in the Venetians war against the Genoas but it is maruell that the inuentors name of so monstrous a thing is not knowne Baken the great English necromancer wrote many yeares before that time that he knew how to make an engin that with salt peter and brimstone wel tempered together should proue notable for batterie but he said he would not discouer it for feare it would be a meane to destroy all mankinde In the destruction of the I le of Ebuda and all that hath bene sayd of it before with the monsters that are said to deuoure women naked and forsaken this Allegoricall sence is to be picked out though to some perhaps it will seeme greatly strayned By the Iland is signified pride and loosnesse of life that they are brought to by pirats which signifie flatterers that go rouing about to tise them hither robbing them indeed of all their comely garments of modestie and sobrietie and at last leaue them naked vpon the shore despised and forsaken to be deuoured of most vgly and misshapen monsters signified by the Orke as filthie diseases ' deformities and all kinde of contemptiple things which monsters a good plaine friend with an anker of fidelitte will kill as Orlando did this and so cloth againe the nakednesse that before pride and flatterie made vs lay open to the world And whereas is it said that Neptune and Proteus fled from Orlando it is meant that a true Christian driues a-away all superstitious idolatrie where soeuer he commeth I finde no Allusion worth the noting THE TVVELFTH BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Orlando doth pursue with great disdaine One that did seeme his loue by force to carrie Rogero led by such another traine With him doth in the charmed pallace tarrie Orlando parting from the place againe He sees indeed her whom he faiâ—e would marrie Fights with Ferraw and foiles two Turkish bands And findes faire Isabell in outlawes hands 1 FAire Ceres when she hastned backe againe From great Ideahomward to returne There where Enceladus with endles paine Doth beare mount Aetna that doth ener burne When she had sought her daughter long in vaine Whose losse so strange did make the mother mourne She spoiles for spite her brest cheeks eyes and heare At last two boughs from Pyne tree she doth teare 2 In Vulcans forge slie sets on fire the brands And giues them powre for euer to be light And taking one a peece in both her hands And drawne in coach by yoked serpents might She searcheth woods and fields and seas and lands And brooks and streames and dens deuoyd of light And hearing here on earth no newes to like her At last she went to hell it selfe to seake her 3 Were good Orlandos powre to be compared As well with Ceres as his louing minde He would no paine no place nor time haue spared His deare belou'd Angelyca to finde To go to rocks and caues he would haue dared And place to saints and place to sends assignd He onely wanted one of Ceres waggons In which she carried was with flying draggons 4 How he did search all France before he told Now Italy to search is his intent And Germany and Castill new and old And then to Affrica to pasle he ment And as he thus determined behold He heard a voice that seemed to lament And drawing nye to vnderstand what tyding On a great horse he saw a horse man ryding 5 Perforce he bare vpon his saddle bow A Lady sorrowfull and sore afrayd That cryde a loud still making open show Of inward griefe and thus to him she said O worthy wight Lord of Anglante know I dye I dye without you bring me ayd And then he thought coming more nie to vew her It was Angelyca and that he knew her 6 I say not that it was but that it seemd To be Angelyca that thus was caryd But he that iustly great disgrace it deemd Thus in his sight to haue his mistresse haryd Whose loue aboue all treasures he esteemd To take reuenge hereof he nothing taryd But put his spurres to Brilâ—â—adores sides And in great hast to that same horseman rydes 7 With many bloodie words and cruell threts He bids that horseman to come backe againe But he at naught his wordes and speeches sets Reioycing in so rich a gotten gayne The vilen still ground of Orlando gets Vntill they came into a faire large plaine Wherein a house of great estate was built The gate hereof in gorgeous sort was gilt 8 The building all of marble faire was wrought Most costly caru'd and cunningly contriued To this faire house his pray the soule thief brought Straight after him Orlando there arriued Then he alights and all abcut he sought For him that had him of his ioy depriued He maketh search in chambers all about And galleries and halls to finde them out 9 Each roome he finds set forth with rich aray With beds of silke and gold of curious art But yet he finds not that desired pray The want whereof did sore torment his hart There might he finde with like affliction stray Gradassâ— Sacrapant and Brandimart And fearce Ferraw postest with strange confusion Procured in that place by strong illusion 10 They all complaine in anger and in rage How of this house the master them hath vsed One lost his horse another lost his page Another doubts his mistresse is abused Thus are they kept like birds within a cage And stand with sense and wits and words confused And manie with this strange deception carried
leaue her in this charmed place I meane er long her trauell shall be eased And she shall see and know Rogeros face Eu'n as the tast with diuers meats is pleased So thinke I by this storie in like case The frendly reader shall be lesse annoyed If with one matter long he be not cloyed 66 With sundrie threds a man had need to weaue To make so large a web as I intend Wherfore all other matters I must leaue Of Agramant a little time to spend Who sorely at the flour deluce did heaue And all his might to mar the same did bend Sending for men to Affricke and to Spaine Those to supply that in the field were slaine 67 Thus all on war his heart was wholly fixt His new supplies with sundrie captaines led Were come with men of sundrie nations mixt With whom that no disorder may be bred A day forvews and musters was prefixt That eu'rie one might know his guide and hed Then fell they to their mustring and their vewing As shall be shewd you in the booke ensuing In this tragicall discourse of Isabella for it is in conclusion an excellent tragedie young Ladies might take this good lesson that though they make choise of most worthie men as Isabella did yet if it be without their parents good will it seldome prospers but is full of diuers misaduentures and hazards that many times be the cause of their vtter ruine In that Oderike giueth place to his disordinate lust forgetting all faith and loyalty we may note the frailtie of young men and what vnfit tutors they are for such charges who when they haue broken all the bands of faith and honestie they think notwithstading they haue made a sufficient excuse for the matter if they may lay the fault vpoÌ„ sauing your reuerence Cupid In Corebo that would not be wonne to consent to his frends desire in so foule a matter we may take good example of faith and loyaltie that must neither for frendship nor kindred yeeld to any dishonorable act In the execution of the theeues we may learne that such an end is fit for men that liue by robberie and spoile and will take no honest trauell for their liuing as fit to vse the old Prouerbe as a rope is for a theese The notable women that are so commended by Melissa in this booke were of the house of Ferrara many of them worthie this exquisite praise that is here giuen them The first he speakes of is the Duchesse of Mantua whose husband had a great victorie at Tare a riuer of Italie against Charles the right of France Ariosto therefore compares her chastitie with this victorie according to that excellent wise saying it is a greater vertue to conquer ones owne affections then to win cities Beatrice wife to Lodwick Sforze of whom in the three and thirtith booke there is more said only here he notes which was true indeed that during his wiues life he liued more happy then he did after for at her death began his miserie Hercules of Este married Alfonsos daughter of whom he had Alfonso Hippolito and Isabella Concerning Renata Lewis the xij king of France maried the Duchesse of Brittaine and had by her issue this Renata one of whose ofspring was after matched into the house of Austria so as that Dukedome is in great danger to be gotten by the Spaniards now that line of France that came of the elder sister is extinguished But this is beside the booke onely I thought good to touch the particular stocke of some of these famous women that my Author so much extolleth as I haue my selfe read of some of them in Guicciardin and Frances Vlloa that wrote the life of Charles the fist in Italian and this I will note withall that my author doth with great discretion commend three speciall vertues in the women of the house of Este. First deuotion for he alledgeth that many of them entred into religion and liued all their time denoutly which he praiseth chiefly though in the last place saying I passe all those that passe all these some deall Next chastitie Penelope in spending chast her dayes as worthie as Vlysses was of praise Thirdly education of children as is likewise touched before in another place The vertues that in women merit praise Are sober showes without chast thoughts within True faith and due obèdience to their make And of their children honest care to take Bradamant that after Melissas warning giuen vnto her of Atlantas illusion yet is caried away with the sight of Rogero falsly represented vnto her signifies by allegorie that a Christian hauing receiued ghostly counsell for the health of his soule and is instructed in true beliefe yet after when the world and his owne grosse sence represents vnto him some contrarie imaginations he thinkes Melissa that is the preacher or instructer doth but abuse him and tell him a tale of Robinhood and so they are caried into the diuels pallace where they find nothing but shadows and illusions Where Orlando takes vp a firebrand and killed one of the outlaws therwith it alludes to two like matters in Oui. Ecce rapit medijs slagrantem Rhetus ab aris Primitium torrem dextraque a parte Charaxi Tempora perfringit And in the xij of Virgil. Obuius ambustum torrem Corineus ab ara Corripit venienti ebuso plagamâ—que ferenti Occupat os flammis Illi ingens barba reluxit Nidoremque ambusta dedit THE FOVRTEENTH BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Agramant mustring of his men doth misse Two bands that by Orlando late were slaine Mandricard vowes to be reuengd of this But by the way he haps to entertaine Dame Doralice whose beautie was his blisse An Angell brings Renaldo and his traine Vnseene there where the Pagan did encampe And sendéth discord to the Turkish campe 1 AMong the fierce assaults and cruell bloes That France hath felt from Affrick and from Spaine In which so many men fed Wolues and Croes That were on both sides in the battell slaine Although the French were foiled by their foes That long they came not to the field againe Yet was this foile sore to the Pagans cost For diuers Lords and Princes that they lost 2 So bloudie was the victorie they gate That scant this ioy did counteâ—uaile that wo And if we may compare things done or late Renownd Alfons to things done long ago Rauennas fall by fortune or by fate In which your vertue great did flourish so To win the field so bloudy and so hard With this of theirs may iustly be compard 3 For when the souldiers of the Spanish band Whom then the Pope retained in his pay Had almost got the victory in hand The Frenchmen ready now to runne away Thou camst to succor with that noble band Of valiant youths that merited that day The honor of the gilded spurre and hilt In recompence of blood so brauely spilt 4 So didst thou bruse the
consideration of the two last words taught his scholler Parillus that laurea lingua sunt vtraque foemininae generis sed lingua potissimum and so consequently silence might not by any meanes haue bene of the feminine gender In Mandricardos rape of Doralice he alludes euidently to a notable villany in the like kind done by Caesar Borgia son to Pope Alexander the sixt For one Caraccio a captaine of Venice hauing bene lately contracted to a gentlewoman of good account she came with an honorable train neare to a citie called Cesenna in Romagna here Borgia with a band of men set vpon her company and took her away by force and neither by threats nor intreatie of the Venecian Ambassador would restore her again the allusion holds in many parts as first where he saith in the 29. staff That Marsilio had giuen Mandricardo an horse Of colour bay but blacke the taile and maine Of Frizland was the mare that did him breed The sier was a villan braue of Spaine This notes Borgia whose father was a Spaniard his mother a Flemming and he a mungrel bastard In the one an thirtith staffe in the simile of the Wolfe he noteth his crueltie in the eight and fortith staffe where he saith If state may stand insteed who can denie Onely to God our homage doth belong In that he alludes plainly to the Pope that is reputed Christs Vicar on earth THE FIFTEENTH BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Faire Paris is assaild on eur'ie part By those of Affricke and by those of Spaine From Logestill ' Astolfo doth depart And takes Calligorant in his owne traine Then slew Orillo that by Magicke art Reuiu'd when by the brothers he was slaine Stout Sansonet Astolfo kind doth vse But Gryphin of his mistres beares ill news 1 TO winne the field against our armed foes Is counted honorable anie wayes Although it be with policie or blowes Yet bloodie coÌ„quests stain the Captaines praise But chiefest honour doth belong to those Whom Fortune to such height of hap doth raise To haue their foe supprest and ouerthrowne With little losse and damage of their owne 2 Such was the victorie that you then gaind O stout Hyppolito you conquerd so When the Venetian Nauie had obtaind With armed vessels all the streame of Poe Your policie and vallue them constraind With losse inestimable thence to go Their marriners and souldiers all destroying Our marriners and souldiers not annoying 3 The Pagan ' Rodomont did want this skill That forst ten thousand men the trench to enter By his commandment sore against their will Vpon so perillous a place to venter Where straight the smother doth their bodies kill And send their sinfull soules beneath the center Himselfe in safetie sees them there a dying Still swearing cursing heau'n it selfe defying 4 Now Agramant an hot assault and fearce Gaue where he thought the same was lest exspected He striues the wals to batter break and pearce With engins strong and rams thereto erected Those kings whose names I did before rehearse Brought men some stout some with fear infected And such as rather wish to stand aloofe Then weare a corslet of the surest proofe 5 But Agramant herein was much deceaued For where he thought them weake and vnprepard He found that manfully he was receaued And that the king himselfe the place did guard With thousands more readie to be bereaued Of life and limbe and such as nought regard Before that they would take so great disgrace As in their masters sight to leese their place 6 But here I cease vntill another time To tell of these assaults the hard successe Of damage like to both sides now my rime Vnto the English Duke I must addresse Astolfo sonne of Oton whom sometime Alcynas witchcraft held in great distresse Who like another Cyrce men transformed To trees to beasts and soules of shapes deformed 7 You heard before how all her strange deceits Melyssa sage did with the ring discouer And how she gaue them also good receits As made them all their former shapes recouer How after hauing scaped all their sleights They did no longer in such fancies houer But to be surely able to resist her They fled vnto her vertuous elder sister 8 Where when they had with comfort great remained Desirous to their countries to retire They asked leaue of her and leaue obtained Of her that neuer hinders iust desire But er they went she frendly them constrained With precious gifts to be endowed by her Such gilts as were of precious price indeed And all their liues should stand them all in steed 9 But chiefly to this English Duke she gaue Of secret skill a little written booke Containing many a precept wise and graue The which of her most thankfully he tooke These teach a man from charmes himselfe to saue That in the same aduisedly doth looke And that to find them out he may be able The booke had in the end a perfit table 10 Beside this booke on him she doth bestow Another gift of as great price and more A horne in which if he do once but blow The noise thereof shall trouble men so sore That all both stout and faint shall flie therefro So strange a noise was neuer heard before When to the Duke these rare gifts were imparted He humblie tooke his leaue and thence departed 11 And least Alâ—â—na should by force attempt To bring him backe or worke him some disease Andronica was with a nauie sent To waste him sate till he were past those seas And vertuous Soâ—hrosina with him went To see him passe with safetie and with ease So good a condâ—cter so sure a guide As was not found in all the world beside 12 And thus she saild along that Indian shore And sees and â—eeâ—eth sight of sundrie Iles Those called fortunate and others more That distant are some few some many miles And for he neuer heard of them before He askt his guide some questions others whiles As whether from those Indian seas perchance A ship may saile to England Spaine and France 13 She answerd thus to put you out of doubt First know the earth itselfe it like an Iland In â—toned with waters round about That compasse in on eu'ry side their drie land And though to this day no man hath found out Nor thinks there can be any way but by land Because they iudge the lands length there is such That it the other Hemispher doth tuch 14 Yet I foresee et many ages passe Nâ—w in 〈◊〉 and masters new shall rise That shall find out that erst so hidden was And that discouer where the passage lies And all the men that went before surpasse To find new lands new starres new seas new skies And â—asse about the earth as doth the Sunne To search what with Antipodes is done 15 Behold I see the signe of holy crosse A signe within these quarters seene but seeld I see where ten a thousand put to
fild He might haue better staid at home in Spaine Then come abroad to be in battell kild But thus we see they get but losse and paine That deale in that in which they be not skild I wish musitions meddle with their songs And pray the souldiers to reuenge their wrongs 54 Ferraw that saw ten thousand slaine before Without or fetching sigh or shedding teare With this his minions death was grieu'd so sore As scarce he could eu'n then to weepe forbeare But he that kild him shall abuy therefore By Macon and Lanfusa he doth sweare And straight performd it to the knights great paine For with his pollax out he dasht his braine 55 Nor so content he runs among the presse And in his rage so many Scots he slew That their late forwardnesse he did represse And causd that they in hast themselues withdrew Then to the tents was sent the king of Fefte To make resistance to the Irish crew That spoild their lodgings hauing robd the best And went about to set on fire the rest 56 Then when the stout King Agramant espide The danger great he and his men were in And how these new supplies on eu'ry side Made his retire and ground of them did win To saue his owne in time he doth prouide And lets alone the wals and them within Himselfe with Lords and other Princes store Came where Ferraw was entred late before 57 And in such strength they do their forces linke And with such fury they restore the fight That now the Scots began to faile and shrinke Saue that Renaldo came eu'n then in sight And cride O worthy Scots and do you thinke To saue your selues by so vnworthy flight Will you so leese the honor late you wonne Care you no more to saue your masters sonne 58 Do you regard no more your reputation By you in sundry bloudy battels got To leâ—ue the flowre and iewell of your nation Amid his foes as if you lou'd him not Ye shame your selues and all your generation If you distaine you with so foule a blot Turne turne I say and take some heart of grace And meet and smite these Panims in the face 59 They that before were sore with feare possest Were now so heartned that with honest shame Each one doth seeme his safetie to detest Each one his mind with anger doth inflame And where they left their captaine halfe distrest With this so forward guide as fast they came So Zerbin rescude was from Turkish forces And mounted straight one of the emptie horses 60 Renaldo that did euer take delight To set on those that were most strong and stoâ—t When once king Agramant was come in sight Him fro the rest forthwith he singles out But when betweene them was begun the fight They sundred were by those that stood about I meane the Turks who their chief Prince defended Who else perhap his raigne eu'n then had ended 61 Now while without the wals the battell so On either side with fury was renewd Fierce Rodomont within did worke such wo More rufull sight with eye was neuer vewd To wracke profane the holy temples go He setteth fire on all and to conclude He did alone so spoile the goodly citie As might haue mou'd a stony heart to pitie 62 And while King Charles that was farre off from thence Did entertaine the new come English host The which Renaldo sent for their defence Behold there came a messenger in post That lookt like one bestraught of wit and sence His voice with hast and feare was welnigh lost And when his broken words were plâ—â—â—ly hard Ah well away he cries we all are mard 63 Some fiâ—nd of hell for sure a fiend of hell It is that doth our citie so destroy Is sent from Belzebub with vs to dwell To worke our vtter ruine and annoy This day we must bid all good dayes farewell This day must be the last day of our ioy Lo yonder how our sacred temples smoke Nor one in their defence dares strike a stroke 64 Looke how a man would be amazd to heare A noise confusd of backward ringing bels And after find when he approcheth neare New set on fire his house wherein he dwels In such amazement and in such a feare Was Charles to heare the tale this poore man tels And as he thither nearer came and nearer He sees the buildings clearer burne and clearer 65 Of hardie Squires he culs a gallant crew And meanes to driue away this wicked wight If man it be or spright with humane hew That doth vnto the towne this soule despight Now came he where he plaine might see in vew Men murdred houses burnd a wofull sight But now although perhap my storie please you To pawse a little may refresh and ease you In the person of Griffino is described a yong man besotted with loue and affection of a vile strumpet so as she easily perswades him that he that indeed kept her so openly as all the world spake of it was her brother or her cosingerman or some such matter as easily blinded his eyes being bleared afore with affection and in this kind though I meane to touch none by name yet I doubt not but many will feele themselues touched of both sorts such as Griffino that place their loue in vnworthy persons and such as Martano that vnder the name of kinred are most vile and filthy adulterers which how common it is now a dayes this saying shewes turned now almost to a prouerbe The nearer of kin the sooner in and that verse of Ouid translated or pretily turned by a pleasant Gentleman to this purpose Tuta frequénsque via est sub amici fallere nomen Tuta frequénsque licet sit via crimen habet A safe and common way it is by kinred to deceaue But safe and common though it be t is knau'ry by your leaue The great aphorisme or maxime set downe in the two last verses of the second staffe of this booke was imitated by a Gentleman of our countrey in his yonger dayes though a man euer of great wit and worth his verse was this He that hath plast his heart on hie Must not lament although he die To which purpose all that haue written of this common place of loue and chiefly Petrark in his infinite sonets in the middâ—st of all his lamentation still had this comfort that his loue was placed on a worthy Ladie and our English Petrarke Sir Philip Sidney or as Sir Walter Raulegh in his Epitaph worthily calleth him the Scipio and the Petrarke of our time often comforting himselfe in the sonets of Stella though despairing to attaine his desire and though that tyrant honâ—â—â— still refused yet the nobilitie the beautie the worth the graciousnesse and those her other perfections as made him both count her and call her inestimable rich makes him in the midst of those his mones reioyce euen in his owne greatest losses as in his eighteenth sonet which
many I am sure haue read With what sharpe checks I in my selfe am shent When into reasons recknings I do go And by such counts my selfe a bankrout know Of all those goods which heau'n to me hath lent Vnable quite to pay eu'n natures rent Which vnto it by birthright I did ow And which is worse no good excuse can show But that my wealth I haue most idly spent My youth doth wast my knowledge brings forth toyes My wit doth striue tho'e passions to defend With my reward spoyled with vaine annoyes I find my course to loose it selfe doth bend I see yet do no greater sorrow take Then that I leese no more for Stellas sake And this much of this matter of love In the conflict at Paris gate in presence of both Princes we may note how the Generall eye is a great encouragement to the souldier In Renaldos oration we may obserue that eloquence and learning is not onely a great ornament but sometime a great aid to a Captaine And for the speech it selfe it is both pithy and methodicall For being as they terme it of the deliberatiue kind it layes downe though briefly yet plainly if you mark it the facilitie the commendation the vtilitie and the necessitie of that to which he perswades them For historicall matter there is litle in this booke only where he touches the weake buildings of Paris being built so high and so sleight it is euident they are so at this day and doubtlesse it is a great blot in a magnificent citie to see browne paper houses which were a matter easily redressed in one age as Augustus Caesar did at Rome forbidding them to build but with stone and making great prouision for stuffe and cariage for such as would build at a reasonable price as Suetonius setteth downe at large but this is not much to the purpose Whereas Silence is said to be sent by God with an Angell to conduct the Christian succors to Paris by the Angell is meant allegorically Gods assistance and grace without which no victories can be obtained and by Silence is vnderstood wise secretnesse to conceale our intent from our enemies which is a great furtherance in warre For the Allusion of Martano I referre it to the next booke where his cowardize is more largely touched The end of the Annotations of the sixteenth Booke THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Fierce Rodomont leaue Paris is constraind Martano at Damasco tilts most vyly Stout Griffin thinks his running thereby staind And goes fro thence the while Martano slyly Doth steale his coat and horse and so obtaind Great guifts and of the king is graced highly But Griffin taken in Martanos clothing Receiues disgrace each one his presence lothing 1 THe most iust God when once mans sins do grow Beyond the boúds of pardon and of grace Because that mé his iudgements iust may know No lesse then loue to rule on earth doth place Vile Monsters such as tyrannize vs so With wrong the right with lust they lawes deface For this same câ—use were Sylla sent and Marius The Nerons both and filthie minded Varius 2 For this Domician held in Rome the raigne And Antoninus of that name the last And Massimin a base vnworthie swaine To plague mankind in Princely throne was plast For this in Thebs did cruell Creon raigne With other tyrants more in ages past For this of late hath Italie beene wonne By men of Lumbardie of Goth and Hunne 3 What should I of vniust Attyla speake Of Esselin and of an hundred more Whom God doth send his anger iust to wreake On vs that still neglect his sacred lore The times forepast long since the present cake Of such examples yeelds vs wofull store How we vnthankfull and vnfruitfull sheepe Are giu'n to hungrie rau'ning Wolues to keepe 4 Such Wolues as would not onely by their wills Seaze all our goods and substance as their pray But also send beyond the Alps high hills For other Wolues more hunger staru'd then thay The bones of men that Thrasimeno fills The fights of Treb and Cannas are but play If with our bloodie slaughters they compare Of Adda Mela Ronco and of Tare 5 No doubt God in heau'nly throne that sits And thence our deeds and thoughts doth plainly see Vs to be spoild and conquerd thus permits By those that are perhaps as ill as we But if to please him we would bend our wits Then from these foes he soone would set vs free And we should see their punishment er long That vs oppresse by villanie and wrong 6 But now to turne from whence I did digresse I told you how when Charles the news had hard Of houses burnd and men in great distresse By him that doth nor God nor man regard Vnto their aid he doth himselfe addresse And chuse some speciall men to be his guard And meeting such as fled their course he staid And these or such like words to them he said 7 O simple fooles what meane you hence to runne Turne backe for shame turne backe and do not fly You chuse the greater ill the lesse to shunne To liue with shame and may with honor dy What citie haue you left when this is wonne What hope is left a fortune new to try Shall one vile Pagan bost another day That he alone bath dâ—u'n you all away 8 This said he came vnto the pallace gate Where now the Pagan Prince triumphant stood Most like a serpent fierce that hath of late His old skin cast and left it in the wood Reioycing now of his renewed state Of his fresh strength of young and lustie blood He shewes his forked tongue and comes apace And eu'rie beast that sees him giues him place 9 Thus scornfull and thus proud the Pagan stands With threats to spoile the Pallace and deface And not a man that once his force withstands Vntill king Charles appeared in the place Who looking on his old victorious hands Said thus and is now alterd so the case That these my hands that wonted were to win To yeeld and to be faint should now begin 10 Why should the strength the vigor and the might That I was wont in you to feele now faile Shall this same Panim dogge eu'n in my sight My people slay my dwelling house assaile No first on me a thousand deaths alight No death can make a princely heart to quaile And with that word with couched speare in rest He runnes and smites the Pagan on the brest 11 And straight the other of the chosen crew On eu'rie side the Pagan do beset But how he scapt and what did then ensew Another time I le tell but not as yet For first some matters past I must renew And namely Griffin I may not forget And craftie Origilla with the tother That was her bedfellow and not her brother 12 These three vnto Damasco came togither The fair'st and richest towne of all the East What
about Of which the most were but of meane degree Also the armor whence this error came Was hald about vnto his farder shame 88 With many filthy words they him reuile From filthy tongues that hard it is to stop And shewd him round about the towne the while At eu'ry crosse and house and stall and shop Then thinking him for euer to exile They led him of that hill vnto the top And there his bonds they loose with great disgrace And then they will him packe him thence apace 89 With scornfull sound of basen pot and pan They thought to driue him thence like Bees in swarmes But when he was vntide then he began To make them know their error to their harmes Then he did lay about and play the man Now hauing vse of both his warlike armes But in what sort the them dismayd and scared Within another booke shall be declared In the beginning of this booke he shewes how God doth plague people oftentimes by sending tyrants and most wicked and cruell Princes to rule ouer them which as it is indeed the greatest punishment a country can haue so of the contrary side may be in lâ—â—esort concluded that countries cannot haue a more ample blessing of God nor a greater testimonie of his fauour then to haue a mercifull Prince that loueth the people and is carefull of their peace and profit and as mine author comâ—plameth of the misery of Italie oppressed by tyrants so contrariwise I might take occasion to magnifie the felicitie of our realme of England for the gracious and mild gouernement of our Soueraigne saue that so high and plentifull a matter requires an entire treatise and not so broken a discourse as I vse in these briefe notes and therefore Ireserue it wholy for another worke of mine owne if God giue me abilitie to performe it but now to the matter of this booke In that Rodomont kils and massacres the people without resistance or without any man to make head against him we may marke how fitly and properly the multitude may be likened to sheepe not onely in that they be shorne and fleesed euery yeare for their wooll and sometime pinched to the quicke by the greedie shearers but also that when they should come to defend themselues their houses and children from inuading of the enemie they runne away like sheepe from the noise of the barking of a little curre vntill their shepheard come and defend them In the tale of Norandine that for his faire Lucinas sake did hazard his life so manifestly and after was contented to Lap himselfe vp in a goates skin and to noynt himselfe ouer with goates suet we may note how hartie loue and affection will make a man disdaine nothing be it neuer so base In Martanos cowardise and craftie vndermining of Griffino we may marke how cowardly fellowes be commonly trecherous and priuie vnderminers And in that Norandine a good natured and affable Prince did condemne Griffino to prison without once calling him to answer for himselfe we may take an excellent good note as my authour hath done vpon this matter in the next booke how hurtfull a thing it is in a coÌ„mon wealth when a magistrate and specially a Prince shal heare such a Martanist as Martano or such a Gil as Origilla was whisper them in their eares giue malicious and vntrue though probable informations against well deseruing men And sure though some hold opinion that these kinde of people called informers be to be cherished as necessarie seruants of the state though defamed otherwise and euen confessing themselues that it is no honest mans office yet for my part I haue heard wise men say that such men are hurt full to the state in pollicie and make more malconrents then they discouer and I am sure it is far from the rules of Christen charitie and to be controld euen by heathenish ciuillitie Tully speaking of the like men saith Anseribus cibaria publicè locantur canes aluntur in Capitolio Likening them to be as necessarie to keepe in the common wealth as geese and doggs in the Capitoll yet as Tully there noted if the doggs barkt without cause at such as came of deuotion to worship the Gods then their legs ought to be broken And euen so these doggs these bloodhounds nay bloodyhounds that bite in their barking if they shall at any time snap at such as come to honor and serue their Prince it were pittie their leggs should be broken for though they fal lame yet they can be carried in coaches and horslitters marrie if their neckes were broken the Realme should I thinke haue a fair riddance of them But I wil end this note with a verse of that pleasant Poet Martiall written aboue 1500 yeares since to Caesar who had then banished promooters out of Rome the which verse I confesse concurs with my opinion Turba grauis paci placidae\'que inimica quieti Quae semper miseras sollicitabat opes Tradita Getulis nec coepit arena nocentes Et delator habet quod dabat exilium Exulat Ausonia profugus delator ab vrbe Impensis vitam Caesaris annumeres To this effect in English after my plaine manner of versifying The vile Promooters foes to peace and enemies to rest That with false tales do neuer cease mens goods from them to wrest Are banisht hence full many a mile to barren place and wast And he that others did exile that selfe same cup doth tast O happie Rome that such hath lost as mischeefe stil contriue But Caesar was at too much cost to let them scape aliue And thus much for the morall Historie I haue none to stand vpon in this boke saue such as either are alreadie touched in the margent or else to be found in the Table Allegorie there is none But the allusion is noted by one Symon Fornarius at very great length and the substance of all is this that indescribing this notable triumph and feast of Norandino he couertly describeth the notable tilting and turneying of certaine of the Medices in Florence and how one Gentleman of Florence plaid such a part as Martano shunning the tilt and did indeed vomit for feare and was laught at for his labour Also the number of the challengers agreed of Norandinos and this so as it is euident that Fornarius saith right of the matter Here end the notes of the xvij Canto THE EIGHTEENTH BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Now Griffin's knowne and felt Algyre doth threaten The Tartar Prince Charles fighteth and preuailes Martano like a coward is well beaten Marfisas force Damasco warriers quailes From thence with tempest tost and weather beaten Both she and Griffin and Astolfo sailes Medor and Cloridan with care and paine Seeke for the carkas of their master slaine 1 MOst worthie Prince your vertues high and rare With tongue and penne I praise and euer shall Although my words and verse inferiour are In number and in worth to match them all But all aboue this one
hath fortune sent That Dardanel Almontes worthy sonne So sodainly should vnto death be done 78 Behold his noble corse is left a pray To be deuoured by the Wolfe and croe A foode too fine to be so borne away But I shall remedie that hap I troe I le finde the meane his corse thence to conuay I am resolu'd my selfe will thither goe That for the good he did me when he liued At least his corse by me may be relieued 79 When Cloridano heard this saying out He stood amazd and musing in his mind In tender yeares to finde a heart so stout Vnto so dangerous attempt inclinde And straight disswades him casting many a doubt To make him change the thing he had assignde But still Medoro doth resolue to trie To burie Dardanell or else to die 80 When Cloridan so resolute him found Of his owne franke accord he vow doth make To follow him in broken state and sound And neuer him to leaue or to forsake And straight they two do leaue this fenced ground And pointing new supplies their roomes to take They find the Christen campe lie all neglected Like those that feare no harme nor none suspected 81 I say those Christens that the watch should keepe Lay as they cared not for foe nor frend Their senses so possest with wine and sleepe That none of them their office did attend But Cloridan that saw them drownd so deepe Said thus Medoro now I do intend To get for our great losse this small amends To kill some foes that killed all our frends 82 Stand thou and watch and harkeu eu'rie way And for the rest let me alone to trie This said he goes where one Alfeo lay That tooke vpon him knowledge in the skie By which he dreamt he should liue many a day And in his wiues beloued bosome die But all was false his cunning him deceaued For now this Pagan him of life bereaued 83 And many more whom here I do not name That sleepe on boords or making straw their bed At last where wretched Grillo lay he came That on an emptie barrell coucht his hed Himselfe had empted late before the same A deadly sleepe the wine in him had bred The Turke his sword within his bowels fixed Out came the blood and wine togither mixed 84 Neare Grillo slept a Dutchman and and a Greeke That all the night had plide the dice and drinke To both of them at once he did the leeke That dreamt perhaps of seu'n and of sysefinke They had bene better watched all the weeke Then at so bad a time as this to winke Death certaine is to all the Prouerbe seath Vncertaine is to all the houre of death 85 Looke how a Lion fierce with famine pinde That comes vnto a flocke of silly sheepe Where neither fence nor people he doth finde Doth spoile the flocke the whilâ— the shepheards sleep So Cloridano with as bloudie minde That found those husht that watch and ward should keepe Could not his cruell rage and mallice bridle Nor was this while Medoros weapon idle 86 For he that did disdaine to make to die Those of the common and the baler sort Came there where Duke Labretto then did lye Embracing of his Ladie in such sort As yuie doth the wall they lay so nye Now soundly sleeping after Venus sport So close the aire could not haue come betweene Medore their heads at one blow cuts off cleene 87 Oh happie state ô life ô death most sweete For sure I thinke their soules embracing so In heau'nly seat do oft togither meete And in good peace and loue did thither go Then next a captaine of the Flemish fleete And th'Erle of Flaunders sonnes with other moe Medoro kild and so far forward went He came but little from the Emp'rors tent 88 But loe they both with shedding blood now tyred And fearing least at length some few might wake Er long time past both by accord retyred And mind their first attempt in hand to take As both but as Medoro chiefe desired Most secretly vnto the field they make They meane although they both were faint wery The noble Dardanellos corse to burie 89 The heaps of men that in the field remaine Some dead and some betweene aliue and dead Had made their labor to haue bene in vaine Had not the moone shewd out her horned head So bright as cleare discouerd all the plaine That then was couerd with Vermillion red Were it a chaunce or else his earnest prayre That made the moone at that time shine so faire 90 Now after search by Phoebes friendly light The good Medore espide him on the ground Who when he saw that grieuous wofull sight He was for sorrow readie there to sound And out he cries alas ô worthy wight Not worthy in this sort to haue bene found Now my last duetie do I meane to pay And then to say farewell to you for ay 91 Thus spake Medoro shedding many a teare And minding now no longer time to tarrie The loued corse doth on his shoulders beare And Cloridano holpe the same to carrie And they that erst were stout and void of feare Were waxen now so timerous and warie Not for their owne but this deare burdens sake That eu'rie little noise did cause them quake 92 This while the noble Zerâ—in hauing chast His fearfull foes while others were a sleepe That had his heart on vertues lore so plast As did to noble deeds him waking keepe Came with his troope where these two made great hast By hills by dales by stonie waies and steepe The carkas of their Lord to beare away When much it wanted not of breake of day 93 The Scots that were of noble Zerbins band And saw two men go loden downe the plaine Make after them a gallop out of hand In hope to light vpon some prey or gaine When Cloridano spying ore the land Did say t' was best to let the corse remaine Alledging that it was a foolish tricke In sauing one dead man to loose two quicke 94 And herewithall his hold he letteth slide And thinkes Medoro would the same haue done He meanes himselfe in the next wood to hide And toward it in great hast he doth runne But good Medoro that could not abide To leaue the office he so late begunne Although with double paine and duller pase With all the burthen fled away in chase 95 And to the wood the nearest way he went In hope to get it er the horsemen came But now his breath and strength were so far spent As they had verie neare him ouertane Yet in his deed he doth no whit relent To leaue his Lord he counts it such a shame But they that thinke this storie worth the reeding Must take a little respite in proceeding In this eighteenth booke we may note first how hurtfull a thing it is to a Prince or great Magistrate to iudge without hearing both sides and contrarie how great a
of those vnhappie men Whom erst you slue was husband vnto ten 68 So that for those same nine that you haue slaine Nine times ten women seeke reuenge to take Wherefore I wish that you and all your traine Within my roofe this night abode do make For so perhap from wrong they will abstaine If not for right at least for reuerence sake I le take your offer sir Marfisa saith So that hereof to me you giue your faith 69 That as in fight you shew your valew great As I haue proued in this present place So I may find your words without deceat Lest falshood should your noble deeds deface I will accept your lodging and your meat And will perswade my fellows in like case But rather then for feare you should it thinke Le ts fight it out by light of torch and linke 70 And thus in fine they all of them agreed That vnto him that night they would be guest Straight to a sumptuous pallace they proceed By torch light brought to chambers richly drest But when that each put off their warlike weed Then each of them with wonder was possest She that the knight did by his face appeare To be a boy of age but eighteene yeare 71 And he when by her haire her sex he knew Wonderd to see a woman of such might As namely that in sight nine tall men slew And after had with him prolongd the fight And either pleased the others vew Behold the one the other with delight Then each desir'd the others name to learne As in th' ensuing booke you shall discearne In the first staffe of this Canto is an excellent morall of the proâ—fe of frends which my father many yeares since did translate almost word for word as I haue set it downe applying it to his master the worthie Lord Admirall Seymor and because the verse was my fathers I count I may without vsurpation claime it by inheritance He applied it to that noble peere verie aptly diuers wayes both for his life and for his death but specially which I count worthy the noting for his seruants who loued him so dearely that euen in remembrance of his honorable kindnesse they loued one another exceedingly and my father I remember but a weeke before he died which was in the yeare 1582. wrote with his owne hand the names of those were then liuing of the old Admiraltiâ— so he called them that had bâ—ne my Lords men and there were then xxxiiij of them liuing of which many were knights and men of more reuenew then himselfe and some were but meane men as armorers artificers keepers and farmers and yet the memorie of his seruice was such a band among them all of kindnesse as the best of them disdained not the poorest and the meaner had recourse to the greatest for their countenance and ayd in their honest causes and many of them are euen now liuing and yet it wants little of fortie yeares since that noble man was put to death His picture my father gaue after to the Queenes Maiestie that now is with a prettie verse written on it and it hangs now in the gallerie at Somerset house That there were Amazons I thinke no man doubreth that hath read of Alexanders conquests In Angelicas wedding of Medore I gather this Allegorie Angelica is taken for honor which braue men hunt after by blood and battels and many hardy feats and misse it but a good seruant with faith and gratefulnesse to his Lord gets it Cloridan and Medore allude to Eurialus and Nisus in Virgils Aeneads The end of the notes of the xix booke THE TVVENTITH BOOKE THE ARGVMENT With Guidon all his worthie guests agree To breake from th' Amazons the morrow morne Astolfo doubting lest it would not be Doth driue them thence and scares them with his horne Zerbino laughs Gabrina gay to see Marfisa seemes to take it in great scorne And gainst his will commits her to his guiding By whom he hears of Isabella tiding 1 RIght wódrous deeds by diuers dames were donne In times of old as well by sword as pen Whereby their glorie shined like the sunne And famous was both far and neare as then The fame Harpalice in battell wonne Camillas worth is eke well knowne to men Corinnas praise and Saphos are discerned Aboue the rest because they both were lerned 2 What art so deepe what science is so hie But worthy women haue thereto attayned Who list in stories old to looke may trie And find my speech herein not false nor fained And though of late they seeme not to come nie The praise their sexe in former times haue gained No doubt the fault is either in backbiters Or want of skill and iudgement in the writers 3 For sure I see in this our present age Such vertuous parts in their sweet sexe to grow The young so sober and the rest so sage And all so chast as writers shall I know Haue worke enough to fill full many a page With their great praise that from their worth will flow To win the fame their ancestors did leese And passe Marfisa not in few degrees 4 But now â—o turne my speech to her againe I say that when the knight did aske her name She made him answer and did not disdaine To tell both what she was and whence she came Yet as her fashion was both briefe and plaine She saith thus to the knight I called am Marfisa and she need to say no more For all the world had heard the rest before 5 The tother when his turne to speake came in First making long and farther circumstance In such like manner doth his tale begin And sighing deepe you all haue heard perchance Both of my fathers house and of my kin Of fame in Italie in Spaine and France Forsure I am the house of Clarimount In all the world is knowne and of account 6 He that Charello and Mambrino slew And did their kingdoms ruine and deface Out of one stocke with me together grew Although we were not all borne in one place For why at lster flood to tell you trew My father me begat and in that case My mother great with childe he left behind And went to France by helpe of saile and wind 7 Thus seu'nteene yeares I liu'd like one exild Vntill I able was to breake a launce And for that place me seemd too base and vild I meane to seeke my frends and kin in Fraunce They name me Guidon sauage of a child As yet I could not much my name aduance For hither by a tempest I was borne As you were now with ship and tackle torne 8 Here first Argillon with nine meâ— I killed A leau'n months since and that same day at night The office of an husband I fulfilled Vnto ten Amazons in flesh delight This done to take my choise then was I willed Of any ten that pleased best my sight And these remaine my wiues
all malcontent doth ride To haue this combat ended in such wise As might imputed be to Magicke art And not his prowesse or his valiant hart 71 Now while this thought such passions did him yeeld That though he had indeed most brauely donne Yet men would thinke the glorie of the field Not by his valiantnesse to haue bene wonne But by the force of that inchanted shield That cast a light more piercing then the Sunne I say as thus he thought he passed by A large deepe well that by the way did lie 72 A well at which the beasts in summers heate Did vse their thirstie drought to quench and coole And chew againe their vndigested meate And walke about the shallowes of the poole Here did Rogero oft these words repeate Thou shield that late didst make me such a foole To cause me get a conquest with such shame Lie there quoth he with thee go all my blame 73 With that he threw the shield into the well The well was deepe the shield of mightie weight That to the bottome suddenly it fell The water ouer it a monstrous height But lo dame Fame the thing abroade doth tell How he because he would not win by sleight But by meere value had his target drownd Where it should neuer afterward be found 74 Yet many that had heard the strange report Of those that dwelled thence some farre some nire To seeke the target thither did resort And to haue found it out had great desire But it was cast away in such a sort As none vnto their purpose did aspire For why the maid that onely did behold it And knew which well it was yet neuer told it 75 But when the knights came to themselues againe And were awake and one the other saw That late were vanquisht with so little paine As if to him they had bene men of straw They wondred much what troubled had their braine And all of them did thence themselues withdraw And all that day they argue and deuise How that same light should dazle so their eyes 76 This while came notice of the wofull fall Of Pinnabell whom Bradamant had killed With which they greatly were displeased all Not knowing why or who his blood had spilled His wife and sire that heard what was befall His sonne her spouse the place with outcries filled And curst and chafed with too late repentance That none on Pinnabell had giu'n attendance 77 Now when the damsell iustly had him slaine And tane away his horse sometime her owne She would haue turnd the way she came againe But that the same was vnto her vnknowne To purpose small she trauels with great paine To seeke it out as after shall be showne For here to stay is my determination And pawse a little for my recreation In the person of Bradamant that was so readily inclined to the ayd of a young man though then we vnknowne to her we may note how to a noble disposition a little perswasion suffiseth to moue them to the succour of such as are distressed in Pinabello and his wife that thought to reuenge the scorne they receiued with doing the like scorne to others we may see how base and dunghill dispositions follow not any course of value or true reputation but onely to wreake their malice on some bodie not caring whom as they are wont to tell of Will Sommer though otherwise a harmelesse foole that would euermore if one had angerd him strike him that was next him Lastly in Bradamant that met Pinabell by hap riding on the same horse that he had stolen from her long before what time he left her for dead and thereby now discouered him and killed him we may note a most notable example of diuine iustice in the like cases as many times it falleth out and in this Poet you shall find many of them as Polynessos death in the fift bookes Martanos punishment in the eighteenth booke Marganorres execution in the seuen and thirtith booke all which examples whether true or fained haue this chiefe scope and end to make men know that there is a diuine power that will iudge and punish the actions of men be they neuer so secure or so secret and onely the cleare conscience it is that assureth a man of his estate both in this world and in the world to come and he that feareth not that diuine power it is vnpossible that he can liue free of most wicked acts That wise and honorable counseller Sir Walter Mildmay as in all other things he shewed himselfe an vncorrupt man to his end so his writings and sayings were euer spiced with this reuerent feare of God for ex abundantia cordis os loquitur and among other of his worth the noting of which he himselfe gaue me a little volume when I was a boy of Eaton college the which since his death haue bene published in print but one speciall verse he had to that effect in Latin and was by me put into English at the request of that honorable Gentleman his sonne in law Master William Fitzwilliams Vltio peccatum sequitur delinquere noli Nam seelus admissum poena seuera premit Quod si fortè Deus patiendo differat iram Sera licet veniat certa venire solet Flie sinne for sharpe reuenge doth follow sinne And wicked deeds do wrathfull doomes procure If God stay long ear he to strike beginne Though long he stay at last he striketh sure A worthie saying of a most worthie man and thus much for the morall Hipermestra was daughter to Egittus this Egittus had fiftie daughters who caused them all to be maried to Danaos fifty sonnes and being commanded by their tyrannous father killed them all in one night only Hipermestra refused to obey so filthie a commandement and saued her husband whose name was Linus Astolfo that with helpe of his booke dissolues the inchanted pallace and with his horne draue away those that assaulted him and put him in great danger signifieth allegorically as I haue in part touched before how wisdome with the helpe of eloquence discouereth the craftiest and tameth the wildest Furder in that Rogero casteth away the inchanted shield and refuseth the vse thereof the Allegorie thereof signifieth that though a man for necessitie sake sometimes be driuen to take some helpes of no verie honorable sort and sometimes to reliue himselfe with policies scarce commendable yet one should when that vrgent necessitie is past hurle such conceipt from him where it may neuer be found again as Rogero flang his shield into that well and so fame shall blow abrode our noble mind in so doing as it did Rogeros for refusing an ayd of such force The end of the Annotations vpon xxij booke THE XXIII BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Astolfo on the Griffith horse doth mount To Zerbin Pinnabellos death is laid Orlando saueth him fierce Rodomount Frontyno takes from Bradamantes maid The Paladyn and Mandricard confront They part by chance and each from
with fancie she was ouerseene To marry with a page of meane desarts Thus loue quoth he will haue his godhead seene In famous Queens and highest Princes harts This said to end the tale he shewd the iewell That she had giu'n him which Orlando knew well 95 This tale and chiefly this same last conclusion Was eu'n a hatchet to cut of all hope When loue had after many a vaine collusion Now for his farewell lent him such a rope To hang himselfe and drowne him in confusion Yet faine he would denie his sorrow scope And though a while to shew it he forbeares It breaketh out at last in sighs and teares 96 And as it were inforst he giues the raine To raging griefe vpon his bed alone His eyes do shed a very showre of raine With many a scalding sigh and bitter grone He slept as much as if he had then laine Vpon a bed of thornes and stuft with stone And as he lay thereon and could not rest him The bed itselfe gaue matter to molest him 97 Ah wretch I am thus to himselfe he sed Shall I once hope to take repose and rest me In that same house yea eu'n in that same bed Where my vngratefull loue so leudly drest me Nay let me first an hundred times be ded First wolues deuoure and vultures shall digest me Straight vp he starts and on he puts his clothes And leaues the house so much the bed he lothes 98 He leaues his host nor once doth take his leaue He far'd so ill he bids them not farewell He leaues the towne his seruants he doth leaue He rides but where he rides he cannot tell And when alone himselfe he doth perceaue To weepe and waile nay eu'n to houle and yell He doth not cease to giue his griefe a vent That inwardly so sore did him torment 99 The day the night to him were both aleeke Abroade vpon the cold bare earth he lies No sleepe no food he takes nor none would seeke All sustenance he to himselfe denies Thus he began and ended halfe the weeke And he himselfe doth maruell whence his eyes Are fed so long with such a spring of water And to himselfe thus reasons on the matter 100 No no these be no teares that now I shed These be no teares nor can teares run so rife But fire of frenzie drawth vp to my head My vitall humor that should keepe my life This streame will neuer cease till I be dead Then welcome death and end my fatall strife No comfort in this life my wo can minish But thou who canst both life and sorrow finish 101 These are not sighs for sighs some respite haue My gripes my pangs no respite do permit The blindfold boy made me a seeing slaue When from her eyes my heart he first did hit Now all inflam'd I burne I rage and raue And in the midst of flame consume no whit Loue sitting in my heart a master crewell Blowes with his wings feeds with his will the fewel 102 I am not I the man that earst I was Orlando he is buried and dead His most vngratefull loue ah foolish lasse Hath kild Orlando and cut off his head I am his ghost that vp and downe must passe In this tormenting hell for euer led To be a fearfull sample and a iust To all such fooles as put in loue their trust 103 Thus wandring still in wayes that haue no way He hapt againe to light vpon the caue Where in remembrance of their pleasant play Medoro did that epigram ingraue To see the stones againe his woes display And her ill name and his ill hap depraue Did on the sudden all his sence inrage With hate with fury with reuenge and rage 104 Straightways he draweth forth his fatall blade And hewes the stones to heau'n the shiuers flee Accursed was that fountaine caue and shade The arbor and the flowres and eu'ry tree Orlando of all places hauocke made Where he those names together ioynd may see Yea to the spring he did perpetuall hurt By filling it with leaues boughs stones and durt 105 And hauing done this foolish franticke feate He layes him downe all weary on the ground Distemperd in his bodie with much heate In mind with paines that no tongue can expound Three dayes he doth not sleepe nor drinke nor eate But lay with open eyes as in a sound The fourth with rage and not with reason waked He rents his clothes and runs about starke naked 106 His helmet here he flings his poulderns theare He casts away his curats and his shield His sword he throws away he cares not wheare He scatters all his armor in the field No ragge about his bodie he doth beare As might frō cold or might from shame him shield And saue he left behind this fatall blade No doubt he had therwith great hauocke made 107 But his surpassing force did so exceed All common men that neither sword nor bill Nor any other weapon he did need Meere strength suffisd him to do what he will He rootes vp trees as one would root a weed And eu'n as birders laying nets with skill Pare slender thornes away with easie strokes So he did play with ashes elmes and okes 108 The heardmen and the shepheards that did heare The hideous noise and vnacquainted sound With feare and wonder great approched neare To see and know what was hereof the ground But now I must cut off this treatise heare Lest this my booke do grow beyond his bound And if you take some pleasure in this text I will go forward with it in the next In Bradamants sorow for want of Rogero we may note how it falleth out many times that ouer great desire of reuenge worketh to our selues as great displeasure as we wished to our enemies In Rodomont that would not take the horse from Hippalca till he knew that a braue chāpion was the owner thereof we may note that though wrong be in deed a thing reprouable to whom soeuer it is done yet it is far more tollerable or at least excusable to be done to ones equal then to poore or inferior persons In Zerbinos happie deliuerance from a shameful death by Orlandos meanes we may obserue that which can neuer be too much obserued namely how diuine prouidence neuer failes the innocent In all the proceedings of Zerbino and Isabella a patterne might be taken of gratitude of constantnesse and of noble and princely inclination Of Hercules and Antheus though the originall it selfe seeme but fabulous yet thus it is written that they two wrastling Hercules perceiued that Antheus strength increased by falling to the ground and therefore to take him from his force he tooke him vp in his armes and so held him from the ground till he had vtterly vanquished him Plutarke in the life of Sertorius saith this Antheus was threescore cubits high In Astolfo that put off his armor and gaue away his spare horse and
turne he made Rescude his master sore to his owne cost Downe with the blow fals this vnluckie iade And with his starting he his life hath lost To ward his head he wanted Hectors shield And therefore dead he tumbleth on the field 88 Now came his master to himselfe againe Inflamd with greater anger then before To see his horse so pitifully slaine But Rodomont forbeares him neare the more But spurrs on him and thinks with furie maine To beare him downe but he so strongly bore The push and thrust withall Frontino backe He made his master glad to leaue his backe 89 Thus now with minds more aliend from all peace In eager sort the combat is renewed To strike to thrust each other doth not cease In hope with blood their swords to haue embrewed Fell rancor wrath and pride do still increase And death of one or both must haue ensewed Er either of them would from thence haue started Had not a certaine messenger them parted 90 One that had traueld all about the cost To seeke them out to aske their helpe and aid To raise the siege that by the Christen host Vnto the campe of Agramant was laid Yet though he came in peace and cake in post To speake to them at first he was affraid And though his office were sufficient warrant Yet to themselues he dares not do his arrant 91 But seeing Doralice to her he told How Agramant Marsilio Stordylan And others more like men pent vp in hold Were in great danger to be kild or tane Wherefore he wisheth her for to vnfold Thus much to them that sought each others bane And to perswade them to so good accord As they might go to helpe their soueraigne Lord. 92 She that a woman was of passing sprite And knew that neither of them would offend her Stept them between and chargd them stay the fight As they their honour and her loue did tender And helpe their king that is in wofull plight And end this fray begun of cause so slender At least defer so long to trie this quarrell Till Agramant their king were out of perrell 93 When she thus much to them declared had Then doth the messenger declare the rest And other strong perswasions he doth ad And doth expound to them their kings request Alledging that their absence made him sad That but they helpe the campe would be distrest And that if they to rescue him neglected A present ruine were to be expected 94 With his report and with her strong perswasion The hardie knights the combat do defar Till Agramant be freed from this inuasion And all the Christen forces moued ar Thus of this friendly truce she is occasion That first was causer of their deadly war To her they binde themselues by solemne oth That vntill then they will be quiet both 95 There Discord was and Pride and what they may They do this league to interrupt and breake But at that time Loue bare so great a sway That to withstand him they were both to weake In vaine it was to argue and gainsay When once dame Doralice the word did speake By her perswasion firmely they agreed Like friends vpon their iourney to proceed 96 One onely want there was that let them sore Which was that Mandricardos horse was ded But loe eu'n then came thither Brygliadore That since his masters madnes there had fed Full glad the Prince of Tartar was therefore Of such a horse so quickly to be sped But least my tale with tediousnes molest you I wish you lay aside the booke and rest you In the great offence of Oderike and the notable clemencie of Zerbino in pardoning the same we may note in the one the great frailtie of men in offending specially in this kinde of fleshly concupiscene in the other a notable magnanimitie as well as mercie in forgiuing him For that indeed is true clemencie in a Prince to forgiue that offence that is committed against his priuat as they call it that is against his owne person rather then that which is done against the law for that is rather parcialitie and iniustice then clemencie Secondly we may obserue both in Zerbino and Isabella a notable example of gratitude toward Orlando first in gathering his dispersed armour next in that Zerbino fought with Mandricardo in defence of Orlandos sword in which conflict he receives his deaths wound and though indeed all that is told of this couple tendeth to a tragicall end yet is it withall set downe by my author in a sort to moue so great compassion that it seemes all that read it are as it were in loue with them and lament their so vnfortunate end which hath made me say sometimes in sport to some of mine honorable frends that if I could without wronging mine author I would surely have saned their liues or giuen them a more fortunate end though to say true sith an end is of necessitie due to all mankind what more honorable death can a Prince have then by a wound in fight specially for a good quarrell what more sweet death then in her beloued armes whom he was bethrothed to and intended to marrie what more happie reward then same and loue in this world and heaven in the next Further though Isabella were after slain by Rodomont in hâ—â— drunkennues as is noted in the xxix booke yet that notable title that is there given her the martir of chastitie makes her so famous and her vertue so admirable as she could never have wisht a better end if she had lived as long as Hecuba Wherefore if it be true that Ouid said of Cadmus Scilicet vltima semper Expect and a dies homini dicique beatus Anteobitum nemo supremaque funera debet In English thus Our onely dying day and end doth show If that a man haue happie beene or no. Then I say by the death of these two though in shew vnfortunate yet in deed most glorious they may be called happie Lastly for the end of this morall we may take one speciall obseruation of great integritie in the religious man that converted her to the faith and yet afterward would not trust himselfe alone with her for in the fleshly conflicts and temptations the onely way to conquer is to play the coward and runne away and thus much for the morall The examples of the vertuous women that are praised by the hermit though not named in the 72. Staffe of this booke are many recited in the Scripture it selfe as namely the blessed virgin Marie Anne and Magdalen all which be tooke themselues most deuoutly to the seruice of God and therefore are worthy to be canonized for examples of chastitie and zeale of religion In the sodaine parting of the fray betweene the two famous riuals onely vpon the commandement of Doralice with whom they were both exceedingly in loue thus allegorically is supposed to be meant that the strongest passions that are as anger and revenge or what else soeuer
are often ouermastered with loue The speech of Isabella to Zerbino wishing to die at the same instant with him alludes to the wish of good Baweis and Philemon Quomam concordes egimus annos Auferat hor a duos eadem nec coniugis vnquam Busta meae videam nee sim tumulandus ab illa Here end the notes of the xxiiij booke THE XXV BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Rogero saueth to his fame and glorie His spouses brother that had else bene ded Who doth recount to him the wofull storie That so great danger vnto him had bred His cousin cheares them though himselfe were sorie Next morne they arme them all from foote to hed Good Malagige and Vivian to releeue Whose thraldome did their kinsmen greatly greeue 1 THe strife is great that grows in youthfull minde When honor falls at variance with affection Nor could it yet be known or well definde Which passion keeps the tother in subiection For both allure both do our iudgements blinde And both corrupt the heart with strong infection Yet lo sometimes these hurts procure our weale Eu'n as one poyson doth another heale 2 For here you see these princes that of late Straue fiercely tone the tother to subdew Agreed to respit this their sharpe debate And to repaire vnto the Turkish crew To succour Agramants distressed state To whom thâ—y ought in dutie to be trew And vet herein loue claimeth halfe the praise For she commanded them to go their wayes 3 And on they went without more disagreeing Faire Doralice with these her seruants twaine The tone in suit one in possession being And yet as then in concord they remaine At last they came vnto a place where seeing Foure knights themselues did solace on a plaine Or which two were vnarmd two armour bare With them a Ladie was of beautie rare 4 With these a while they staid but who these weare And what they did and whither then they went A little while to tell I do forbeare For to Rogero now my tale is ment Who would no more the shield enchanted beare But in the well did drowne it with intent That men might know his valiant deeds of armes Were done by force of vertue not of charmes 5 He scant had gone a mile or little more From this same well but that he met a post From Agramant of which there went good store The Captaines to recall vnto the host He told him how the king besieged sore And like if succour come not to be lost Commanded him as his true Lord and leege To come without delay to raise the seege 6 Much was Rogero with the message moued And diuers passions straue within his minde He faine would haue his Princes seege remoued Yet loth he was to leaue his loue behinde But be his doing praised or reproued He was so to the present cause enclinde First with his guide he goes to stay the slaughter Of him that had deflowrd Marsilios daughter 7 They came vnto the place an houre er night Where this same execution should be done A castle that belongd to Charles of right But late the Spanish king the same had wonne And kept it in the mids of France by might By count'nance of the great Trainos sonne Rogero commeth in and none denyde him Because they knew the damsell that did guide him 8 There first he saw prepard a flaming fire In which they meant to burne the wofull youth He thought so small a sinne did not require Such punishment no more it doth in truth But when he markt his face and his attire And heard and saw the manner of his ruth Now sure I know quoth he I am not I Or this is Bradamant that here should die 9 T is certaine she I see which way it went Belike while I at yonder castle staid She hither came afore me with intent To bring vnto the prisner here some aid For which poore soule her self should now be shent Yet I am glad and very well apaid That I am hither come in so good season To saue her that should die against all reason 10 And euen with that most furiously he files With naked sword vpon the gazing rout Who ouer standeth in his way he dies With so great force he hurles his blade about Then straight the prisners fetters he vnties Nor was there one so hardie or so stout That once durst make resistance or forbid it No not so much as aske him why he did it 11 As fearfull fowle that in the sunshine bright Sit pruning of themselues vpon a banke When as a Faulcon doth among them light Flie without care of order or of ranke So when these caitiues saw this noble Knight Forthwith they from his manly presence shranke So did their fearfull hearts and courage faile them When as they felt Rogero once assaile them 12 No maruell tho for why Rogeros force Was not as mens that now borne later are The strength of Lion Beare or bull or horse Were nothing if with his they do compare And chiefe sith now he doth himselfe inforce To do as much as he or can or dare Hereby from danger thinking to recouer Her vnto whom he was professed louer 13 Now when the youth from danger quite was freed And all that sought his death away were fled He thanks the author of this worthy deed And thanketh her that had him thither led Then when of helpe he stood in greatest need When otherwise he doubtlesse had bin dead And executed like a malefactor Agnizing him his Lord and benefactor 14 And furthermore he doth Rogero pray To let him vnderstand his name and nation Rogero musing to himselfe doth say What meaneth this so strange congratulation In face in shape in gesture in array This is my loue I see no alteration Yet strange it is her voice should be so changed More strange that she from me is so estranged 15 It doubtlesse is not she for if it were Could she within three houres my name forget Wherefore to tell his name he doth forbeare Vntill he may more perfect notice get And thus he said I haue I know not where Seene you ere this and I bethinke me yet Where it might be for sure I know your face Though now I haue forgot the time and place 16 Most noble sir said tother I agree You may haue seene me though I know not when I rather iudge it should my sister be That fights and carries armes as well as men My mother at one birth bare her and me And we be both so like that now and then Our seruants yea our father and our mother Haue tane vs in exchange the tone for tother 17 Chiefly since in her head she had a wound For which she was constraind to cut her haire T were long the circumstances to expound How she was hurt and heald by whom and where Since that betweene vs diffrence none is found Saue sex and names that from our birth we beare She
had in word so now in writing And sweares that when his Prince were vndistrest The siege quite raisd by concord or by fighting That foolish people might not make a iest To his reproch that common speach reciting Rogero loues to take the lurer side And turnes his sailes as fortune turnes her tide 75 I shall he writes when that time doth expire Which in a month I hope wil be effected Finde some occasion from them to retire And of no breach of honour be suspected Then shall I full accomplish your desire And do as I by you shal be directed This onely for my honour I demand thee And after this thou euer shalt command mee 76 These things and like to these Rogero wrate As then by hap came in his troubled hed To certifie his loue of his estate And of the cause that his departure bred By that time he had done it was full late And then againe he got him to his bed And closd his eies when he had closd the letter And after tooke his ease a great deale better 77 Next day they all arose at breake of day With minde to go to set their kinsmen free And though Rogero earnestly did pray That none might take that enterprise but he Yet both the other stifly said him nay And there unto by no meanes would agree Vnto the place assignd they ride togither And by the time appointed they came thither 78 The place they came to was a goodly plaine In which no tree nor bush was to be seene Here Bertolage did point to take them twaine As was agreed Lanfuse and him betweene But first they met while here they did remaine One that a Phenix bare in field all greene With armor faire embost and guilt with gold As in the booke that follows shal be told In this xxv booke in Rogeros valiant proceeding for the deliuerie of Richardetto though as then not knowne to him what he was may be noted a wonderfull courage and promptnes to honorable exploits In the great likenes of face of Bradamant and Richardetto though this be but a fiction yet we may obserue the rare and as it were cunning workmanship of nature admirable as well in making so many sundrie countenances one vnlike another as also sometimes in making some so exceeding like which indeed though it seldomer fortunes and sooner alters in brother and sister yet in two brothers it is seene many times and therefore not improbable to be written as it is here for the forenamed couple I have heard in England of the two Tremaines not many yeares past I haue knowne myselfe two of the Wrothes in Eaton schoole and lately in her Maiesties court two Tracies two proper and valiant young Gentlemen whom my selfe being familiarly acquainted with yet I could verie hardly know one from the other But to come to the tale of Richardetto and Fiordispina which name signifieth as much as the flowre of thorne and not vnapt for her prickling condition I must confesse my author sheweth in the tale rather pleasant wit then any sober grauitie and the best I can say is this that it is a bad matter not verie ill handled But as I vndertooke in the beginning to make speciall note of all she good matters by which the honest reader might take profite so I thinke it as conuenient where any light and lasciuious matter fals as this is surely one to temper it in such sort or at least to salue it so as it may do least hurt Namely I would not haue that xxv staffe by misapplying it made worse being perhaps bad enough at the best For what can be more cullen like and base And fitter for a man were made of straw Then standing in a gallant Ladies grace To shew himselfe a cockow or a daw Leesing occasion both of time and place c. This taken as many will take it may seeme but lewd doctrine but thus it ought and may be honestly taken that he that in good honorable sort as put the case in the way of marriage may obtaine the loue of some worthy Ladie and stands in her high sauour and then will be so bashfull either for want of wit or heart to leese that oportunitie he may be in good reason indued with those gentle titles neuerthelesse to vnderstand it generally were vngoodly considering the Scripture commendeth to vs the example of Ioseph that refused his mistres kindnes But to conclude the morall of this tale we may note how full of doubts and feares these vnlawfull pleasures are how soeuer some men like better to hunt by stealth in another mans walke then to haue the fairest course that may be at game of their owne The examples that Fiordispina recites of other womens vnlawfull lusts preferring them before her owne for their possibilitie hers being vnpossible are confirmed by diuers authors as of Nynus wife Semiramis that lusted after a horse Nynos wise after a bull and other such tales though I thinke vntrue or rather cullerd by such names as in that of Pasiphae it is thought she loued one that was called Taurus to say a bull and thereupon the light headed Poets that haue a priuiledge as free for the pen as painters haue for the pencill make a great wonder of it whereas perhaps indeed it was but euen an ordinarie matter that is dayly or at least nightly committed by many in these times Thus tale of Fiordispina alludes to that in the ninth of the Metamorphosis of Iphis and the complaint she makes is much taken from thence and is wonderfull finely written by Ouid as you may reade there more at large Vix\`quetenens lachrimas quis me manet exitus inquit Cognita quam nulli quam prodigiosa nouaeque Cura tenet Veneris si dij mihi parcere vellent Perdere debuerant si non perdere vellent Naturale malum saltem de more dedissent Nec vaccam vaccae c. Here end the notes of the xxv booke THE XXVI BOOKE THE ARGVMENT The learned Malagige strange riddles showes To his companions out of Merlins well With Mandricard the Sarzan thither goes And each tooke quarrels new as there befell For Discord seed of strife among them sowes But Doralices horse by fiend of hell Affrighted doth his mistres beare away Which causd the Pagans both breake off the fray 1 RIght worthy dames there were in times of old That more esteemd of vertue then of wealth But now our iron age is all for gold For bad and worse in sicknes and in health But she that will that elder custome hold And leaue this new deserues where ere she dwelth Here in this life to haue a happie choice And in the next for euer to reioice 2 Such was the noble Bradamantas mind Who sought not after wealth and rich abilitie Nor state nor pompe that many women blind But after vertue pure the true nobilitie And well deserued he to find her kind That shewd in
them forthwith these two agreed Though not to follow as they went in post Not doubting but when Agramant were freed At leasure them to meet and to their cost They onward go but yet Rogero ment To bid his friends farewell asore he went 98 Downe from his horse he gently doth descend And Richardetto he aside doth take And promist him for ay to be his frend And to his noble sister for his sake To whom said he I pray you me commend Yet in such prettie sort the same he spake His inward loue was not thereby detected Nor her great loue to him one whit suspected 99 Thus solemne leaue once tane on either side And profers of great loue and curtsie made To him was hurt and all the rest beside As still among great nobles is the trade Rogero with Marfisa on doth ride But how they did the Christen campe inuade And what great losse did Charls thereby receiue In next ensuing booke you may perceiue In the xxvi booke I obserue that Aldiger did discreetly refuse the challenge of Marfisa which might perhaps haue hindred his better purpose in rescuing of his kinsmen In Hippalca we may note the wisedome of a warie messenger that knows as well to hold her peace as to speake Lastly in Rogero Rodomont Mandricard and Marfisa the confused effects of discord The Princes named by mine author to be killers vanquishers of the miserable monster as I called it by which auarice is ment are so famous in all writings of this age that I need not speake of them specially our king Henrie the eight whose bountie and magnificence can neuer be forgotten while this realme shall be peopied or any histories read This description of the monster of couetousnesse is in my fancy very well handled by mine Author far beyond the like in Dant who maketh her onely like a Wolfe pined with famine But Ariosto goeth farder and more significantly describing her first to be vgly because of all vices it is the most hatefull eares of an asse being for the most part ignorant or at the least carelesse of other mens good opinions a Wolfe in head and breast namely rauenous and neuer satisfied a Lions grisly iaw terrible and deuouring a foxe in all the rest wyly and craftie and timerous of those that are stronger then himselfe all which applications are so proper and so plaine as it is needlesse to stand vpon them Some verie fondly haue surmised and published the same in print that this was alluded to the Bishop of Rome but how absurd that imagination is the praise of the Pope then liuing following in the 32. staffe doth plainly shew But Fornarius supposeth it to be meant rather by some temporall Prince of Italie that with his couetousnesse oppressed the people and therefore might be not vnfitly termed such a monster Here end the notes of the xxvj booke THE XXVII BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Rogero and those other Pagan kings Make Charles againe to Paris wals retire Among the Turks new seed of quarrell springs And kindles in their hearts a quenchlesse fire Which all their campe in great disorder brings Agramant to appease them doth desire Fierce Rodomont doth leaue the campe in wrath Because his mistres him forsaken hath 1 AMong the many rare and speciall gifts That in the femal sex are found to sit This one is chiefe that they at sodayne shifts Giue best aduice and show most readie wit But man except he thinks and chews and fifts How eu'ry part may answer tother fit By rash aduice doth often ouershoot him And doth attempt the things that do not boot him 2 Good Malagigi thought he had done wisely In making Doralice to Paris fly But if he had the matter wayd precisely Though Richardetto was perseru'd thereby He would haue sure confest it done vnwisely His safetie with so great a losse to buy For by this act which he then not forethought A losse vnspeakeable to Charles was wrought 3 Alas how much might he haue better done If he had made the fiend the wench conuay Vnto the fall or rising of the Sunne To West or East or any other way Where Rodomont and Agricanes sonne From Paris wals might haue gone far astray But he that euer wisheth Christens euill So at this time did proue himselfe a Deuill 4 The siend her silly horse most slily enterd And not before prescribed any place He quickly all the company distemperd Nor bare he her away a common pace But ouer brooks and streams and ditches venterd She crying still for ayd as in such case Nor leaues her beast to fling run snore and stampe Vntill she quite was past the Christen campe 5 There did she come eu'n as she could desire Among the midst of Agramantes traine And there at last she found the king her sire That of Granata did possesse the raigne The while her louers both themselues do tire And in pursuing her do take great paine By tracing her with as great toile and care As huntlmen do with pleasure trace the Hare 6 Now Charles t is time for thee to looke about Vnto thy wals and strengths in time betake thee Thou neuer canst escape this plunge I doubt Except thou stir vp quickly and awake thee Thy strength the lamps of France are quenched out I meane thy frends champions chiefe forsake thee Orlando thee his wits haue him relinquished And all his vertues drownd and quite extinguished 7 Likewise Renaldo though not fully mad Yet little lesse then mad seekes there and hearâ— For faire Angelica and is full sad To see that he of her no news can heare For why a certaine old inchaunter had Told him a forged tale that toucht him neare How she to whom of loue he made profession Was in Orlandos keep ng and possession 8 This made him at the first so loth to go To England whither he was sent for ayd This made him backe againe to hasten so Then when the Turks his presence so dismaid And thinking after that some news to know By priuie search the Nunries all he laid And Castels all in Paris and about To see if he by search could finde her out 9 But when he heard of her no news nor tiding And that Orlando there likewise did want He could in Paris make no longer biding Doubting his riuall sought him to supplant But vp and downe about the countrie riding Sometime to Braua sometime to Anglant Snpposing still Orlando her had hidden Lest of his pleasure he might be forbidden 10 And thus the wicked fiend his time espide To giue the Christens such a fatall blo When as these two in whom they most affide Were absent now their Prince and countrie fro Furder for souldiers of the Turkish side All that were valiant men or counted so Were all against this time entised hither Wholly vniting all their force togither 11 Gradasso stout and Sacrapantee fearce That in that charmed castell long had dwelt Which th'
thought Which though he would forget spite of his hart He thinks on still so strong the fancie wrought The standers by are not so malypart To talke to him till he occasion sought Which hauing found vp from his chaire he started And salutations to them all imparted 107 Then askt he many questions of them all And as occasion seru'd discourses varid But still we finde and euer finde we shall By thought of heart the speech of tongue is carid For last to treat of marridge he doth fall And asketh of the men if they be marrid And if they be he prayth them to declare Of their wiues truthes what their opinions are 108 Straight all of them made answer they had wiues And but mine host all praisd the happie state And said they were the comforts of their liues That draw a happie yoke without debate A playfellow that farre off all griefe driues A steward early that prouides and late Both faithfull chast and sober mild and trustie Nurse to weake age and pleasure to the lustie 109 Tush quoth mine host vnder your good correction Most noble guest these fellows say not right But either with fond loue or foule subiection So blinded are they take the blacke for white I once my selfe was toucht with this infection But now I see that then I wanted sight And now I know as being better taught That theirs and mine be all vnchast and naught 110 For as the Phoenix is a bird alone And of that kind the whole world hath no more So thinke I of all wiues there is but one That liueth chast in loue and vertues lore He blest may be that lighteth her vpon Small hope thinke I there is in so scant store That many should haue one of such a kind Of which in all the world but one I finde 111 I once so blinded was as now be thease Till by good hap vnto my house there came A Gentleman of Venice from the seas Francis Valerio was he cald by name He knew and could declare them all with ease All womens wiles and stories to the same He had of old and of the later times To shew both wiues and single womens crimes 112 He said and bad me hold it as my creed That all of them are false if they be trides If some seemd chast it did of this proceed They had the wit to do and not be spide And knew by deepe dissembling and good heed With sober looks their wanton lusts to hide And this to proue he told me such a tale As while I liue I still remember shall 113 And if it like you sir to lend me eare In my rude fashion I shall it recite Right glad quoth Rodomont by heau'ns I sweare For thou hast hit my present humor right Wherefore said he sit downe I pray thee theare For in thy speech alreadie I delight But heare I end this booke for doubt I haue That in his tale mine host will play the knaue In this booke we may obserue how important a thing it is in an army to haue store of good leaders as Liuie noteth of the old Remaines Fortiorem rem Romanam ducibus esse quam militibus That the strength of the Romaines consisted more in Captaines then in souldiers In quarrels that grew in the campe vpon trifling causes we may note a fault that many of English Seruitors though otherwise braue men haue many times bene noted of in their forren seruice where they verie seldome agree togither but seeke to disgrace one another In Agramant we may note a princely maiestie in compounding such controuersies In Rodomonts bitter inuective against women we may see how passionate extreames loue and hate be In mine Host we note how such base fellows are still readie to feed the humors of Princes though it be in shamefull vices or manifest errors Hippolita to whom Marfisa is compared as also the whole countrie of Amazons and their lawes I haue spoken of elsewhere this is that Hippolita that was brought by Theseus to Athens and there had a sonne called Hippolitus In that he faineth that the spright entring into Doralices horse conueyed her into the campe of the Pagans to the great damage of the Christians we may thereby note how that ghostly enemie doth indeed watch as the scripture saith like a roring Lion whom he may deuour to do mankind all the hurt that may be and therefore we must not giue him an inch least as the prouerbe saith he take an ell In the solemnitie of their combats and preparation Fornarius noteth that he alludes to a ' policie vsed by Isabella wife to Ferdinando king of Spaine She to make her men of armes more valiant and couragious caused them to fight with the Moors in the verie sight of their Ladies and Mistresses and partly thereby expulsed the Moores out of Granata But for Doralices reiecting of Rodomont and chusing Mandricard it alludes to a like thing written by Plutarch in his loue discourses where Calysto was taken and Strato refused of which afterward insued the death of al three Here end the notes of the xxvij booke THE XXVIII BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Fierce Rodomont hears of his prating Host A lying tale to womens great disgrace Vnto Algier he minds to passe in post But by the way he finds more pleasing place Faire Isabell passeth by that cost The Pagan changeth mind and sues for grace The Hermit warnes her keepe her vow and oth At which the Pagan Prince is passing wroth 1 YOu Ladies yee that Ladies hold in prise Giue not perdie your eare to this same tale The which to telll mine Host doth here deuise To make men think your vertues are but small Though from so base a tongue there can arise To your sweete sexe no iust disgrace at all Fooles will find fault without the cause discerning And argue most of that they haue no lerning 2 Turne ou'r the leaf and let this tale alone If any thinke the sex by this disgraced I write it for no spite nor mallice none But in my Authors booke I finde it placed My loyall loue to Ladies all is knowne In whom I see such worth to be imbraced That theirs I am and glad would be therefore To shew thereof a thousand proofes and more 3 Peruse it not or if you do it reed Esteeme it not but as an idle table Regard it not or if you take some heed Belieue it not but as a foolish fable But to the matter thus it was indeed When all the guests were cheared at the table Neare Rodomont so was the Pagan named Downe sate mine Host and thus his tale he framed 4 Astolfo whilom king of Lombardy To whom his elder brother left his rayne Was in his youth so fresh and faire to see As few to such perfection could attaine Appelles match or Zeuces he might be That such a shape could paint without much paine Great was his grace and all
vnto him no answer he affords 7 Hoe saith Orlando fellow dost not heare I must thy curtall haue thon needst not laffe And with that word approching somewhat neare The crabbed herdman with a crabtree staffe Gaue him a bastinado on his care Which put the mad Erle into such a chafe That with his fist he made the herdman reele Till paine it selfe made him no paine to feele 8 This done he leapeth on the horses backe And at aduenture on he takes his way Where ere he comes he putteth all to wracke His horse tastes neither prouender nor hay But though this tyrd a horse he may not lacke The next he meets by force he takes away To striue with him it was but little boote He is resolued not to go a foote 9 He passeth to the straites of Zibeltar Or Zibelterra call it which you will And as he went with force of open war Townes he did burne and all the dwellers kill Ten yeares will hardly make that he would mar Within one houre and thus he traueld still Till on a day riding vpon the sand He saw a ship new loosed from the land 10 The aire was cleare and mild and calme the wether And certaine Gentlefolke had hyr'd the barke With mind to take their solace there together And to returne againe er it were darke The madman cries hoe sits let me come thither His deeds his words they neither marke nor harke Or if they did you may be sure they thought They would not comberd be with such a fraught 11 He hallows after them and whopes and hayles To haue them stay with faire words doth wo thÌ„e Glad might they be they went with oars and says For might he come he surely would vndoe them The soole that sees how small his speech preuayls Beats on his horse and meanes to ride vnto them In vaine his horse would shun this hard aduenter But he perforce makes him the sea to enter 12 First he his feete doth wet and then his knees And next his belly after that his backe Now scant his nose one in the water sees And full he layes him on poore horse alacke That either in these seas his life must leese Or swim to Affricke et he can turne backe At last with swimming tyrd with water cloyd His belly fild till limbs of life were void 13 The horse vnto the bottome quickly funke And had for company his buthern drownd If fortune that helpe frantike men and drunke Had not him safe conueyd to Affrike ground Orlando at the danger neuer shrunke But to the shore he swam both safe and sound It happie was the seas were then so still Else had the Erle bin drownd for all his skill 14 Now being safe arriued at the shore Neare Setta strayt he ranged ou'r the cost And did such deeds as he had done before On tother side to many poore mens cost At last he came where as he found great store Of warlike weapons and a mightie host But how with them this madman disagreed I may not in this booke to tell proceed 15 And further how Angelica the faire Did meet her loue againe and what a Lord He grew by matching with so great an haire And liu'd with her in loue and sweet accord Although in birth an vnsit matched paire I leaue for other Muses to record For now I must adresse my selfe to tell What haps in Agramantes campe besell 16 I told you two bookes past or there about How Mandricard was Doralices choice And how in face of all the Pagan rout She gaue that doome that made him much reioyce For she was deemd for beautie out of doubt The best in Europe by the common voices Now chiefe since faire Angelica was fled And worthy Isabella lost her hed 17 But yet this pleasure was not so entire But that it sawced was with some annoy For wrath and enuie set his heart on fire And much abated of his present ioy It spites him that Rogero dare aspire To giue his coat being a berdlesse boy And further that the king of Sericane Should openly lay claime to Durindane 18 And first Rogero will by no meanes yeeld By no intreatie nor by no request That Mandricard should carrie that same sheeld Which had the Argent Eagle on the crest Except he first could win it in the feeld On tother side Gradasso doth not rest But he will be the first to trie by fight Which of them two had to the sword most right 19 With Agramant Marsilio tooke great paine In all or part these quarrels to appease But when they saw their labour was in vaine To gouerne or perswade with one of these Thé chance quoth Agramant shal make that plain For which you striue and eu'n as fortune please So let it be and let some lots be cast Which two or three shall fight the first or last 20 And yet this iust request denie me not Before the matter any further goth Though now you be so violent and hot That speech of peace and all accord you loth To grant that who shall combat first by lot May leesing leese and winning win for both This motion most indifferent must seeme Sith both their vallews equall we esteeme 21 This motion neither of them do mislike And straight Gradassos and Rogeros name Vpon two scroles were writ so passing like You would haue iudgd them both to be the same A boy of fourteene yeare of age they pike To draw the lot and he that first out came Must fight with Mandricard and make it knowne He fights for tothers title and his owne 22 When on this order all parts were agreed The lot to fight vpon Rogero fell Which hap great griese did in Gradasso breed Although in shew he seemd to take it well Contrariwise it did all ioy exceed The ioy Rogero had it so befell So well of his owne vallew he belieued He ioyd at that at which the tother grieued 23 But yet Gradasso doth with great regard Both fauour and aduane Rogeros side And sheweth him how he must lie to ward A comming blow how he might slip a side How for a thrust he may be best prepard Which blowes be firme and which be falsiside When best time is to follow thrust or blow How one may best take vantage of his foe 24 The rest of that same day that did remaine Ensuing this same course of casting lots They spent as pleased each mans pleasing vaine In talke or banquetting or tossing pots To see this fight the people glad and faine Clammer the scaffolds gazing still like lots Some for desire do coâ—ne by breake of day And some all night within the place do stay 25 Thus as I say these simple fooles do long To see the combat these braue knights betwixt And blame the stay and thinke the time too long That for the same the Herralds had prefixt But sober men that knew what did belong To such exploits whose wiser heads were
comming till the day expect Which good Rogero brake not by occasion That he his word and promise did neglect But that which hapt against his expectation His wounds had bred so dangerous effect But chiefe the same he last tooke in his hed Which made him fortie dayes to keepe his bed 83 Now Bradamant doth waite the twentie dayes And staid at Montalbano with her mother And making still enquirie many wayes If she might heare some news of one or other But none she heard saue that which to his praise Was told her after by her younger brother Which though she ioyd to heare as was most meet Yet mingled was some soure with that same sweet 84 For why the vallew of Marsisa stout Which did assist them greatly as he told To win their kinsmen from the moorish rout That vnto Bertolage should haue bin sold This bred in Bradamantes minde some doubt And strake into her heart a iealiouse cold Because t was said they two together went To Agramant that in his campe was pent 85 For though she could not chuse but greatly praise her That did her selfe so stout and valiant proue Yet one the tother side her beautie frayes her Lest he perhap on her might set his loue But yet in fine hope of his promise stayes her So that in twentie dayes he did not moue From Montalbano and in that same space There thither came the chiefe man of her race 86 I meane not chiefe of birth but chiefe of name For two there were in birth more old then he Renaldo vnto Montalbano came His brothers cosins and his frends to see Whom he had heard by speech of flying fame Now safe ariued at that place to be And how Rogero and Marsisa wrought Their libertie when they were sold and bought 87 Wherefore he came to see them face to face And vnderstand with them how each thing stood It seemd he was as welcome to the place As is the swallow to her tender brood That almost starued and in sorrie case Haue long expected sustenance and food And when they there had staid a day or twaine Both they and he to Paris went againe 88 Alardo and Guichiardo Richardet And Malagigy and good Viviane Close after this braue Lord themselues do get And Bradamant with them they would haue tane But she alledg'd she could not come as yet But hopes ere long they should be ouertane She prays them for that time content to hold them For why she was not well at ease she told them 89 And true it was she was not well at rase Not that she had a fit of any feauer Or any other corporall disease It was a fit of loue that burneth euer Whole heat no herbe nor phisicke can appease This fit did her from that braue crew disseuer But in another booke I shall repeat What succour they did bring to Charls the great In this thirtith booke in Orlandos mad pranks though they be fained things we may note what hard and impossible matters are attempted and sometime atchieued by mad men of which the reason is doubtfull a naturall reason is given though many will doubt thereof that the cause of their extraordinarie strength is that nature Intendens omnem vim as they terme it that is to say bending her whole force at one instant doth by that means double the strength and abilitie to any hard and vnmeasurable matter as we see men often at the pangs of death through otherwise but weake yet so strong that three or foure men cannot hold them or as men somtimes in a feare leape ouer a wall or downe from a window without harme which at another time would breake their neckes Another reason of mad mens vnreasonable strength is metaphysicall or supernaturall and that is when they are possessed with spirits of which there are many examples In Agramant that endeuors to end two quarrels with one combat we may obserue that it beseemes the wisedome of a Prince either to take vp quarrels and civill dissentions betweene their great subiects absolutely or at least to draw them to as speedie a triall and with as little damage as may be Concerning the Eagle about which the two champions straue who should beare it for his armes or Cognizance as we terme it he seemes to allude to the civill warres that were betweene Caesar and Pompey where as Lucan complayneth in his excellent Poem Infestisque obuia signis Signa pares aquilas pila minantia pilis For the Romaines Ensigne was the Eagle and it is strange that is reported by credible writers how in a battell fought neare Thessalia between Brutus and Cassius of the one side and Octauius and Anthony of the other side two Eagles were visibly seene fighting in the ayre with their beaks and tallents in most fierce manner And finally that of Anthonyes side preuayled and put the other to flight Here end the notes of the XXX booke THE XXXI BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Vnwares doth Guidon with Renaldo fight But afterward is by his brethren knowne By whose great courage and vnited might The Turks are vanquished and ouerthrowne Good Brandimart seeks out that wofull knight Whose wits by loue distraught are not his owne Is tane and of his life was in great perrell Renaldo and Gradasso fall to quarrell 1 WHat state of life more pleasing may we find Then theirs that true and heartie loue do beare Whom that sweete yoke doth fast together bind That man in Paradice first learnd to weare Were not some so tormented in their mind With that same vile suspect that filthie feare That torture great that foolish frenesie That raging madnesse called iealousie 2 For eu'rie other sowre that gets a placo To seat it selfe amid this pleasant sweet Doth helpe in th' end to giue a greater grace And makes loues ioy more gratful when they meet Who so abstaines from sustenance a space Shall find both bread and water rellish sweet Men know not peace not rightly how to deeme it That haue not first by war bin taught t'steeme it 3 Though eyes want sight of that they would see faine The thought yet sees hearts with patience take it Long absence grieues yet when they meet againe That absence doth more sweet and pleasant make it To serue and sue long time for little gaine So that all hope do not eu'n quite forsake it One may endure for when the paine is past Reward though long it stay yet comes at last 4 The sharpe repulses and the deepe disdaines And all the torments that in loue are found At last with pleasure recompence the paines And make far more contentment to abound But if this hellish plague infect the braines Though afterward it seeme both whole and sound The qualitie thereof is so mischieous The verie though is to a louer grieuous 5 This is that cruell wound against whose smart No liquors force preuailes nor any plaster No skill of starres no
parched flowre Doth fade and is as t were of life depriued But if in season come a fruitfull showre It riseth vp and is againe reuiued So when the damsell this defence did heare She waxed faire againe of better cheate 102 And thus at last they fell vnto their feast In quiet sort for none did come that night To challenge any of them or molest No traueller nor any wandring knight All merry were but Bradamante least Fell iealousie bard her of all delight Her stomacke so distempting and her tast She tooke no pleasure of that sweet repast 103 When supper ended was they all arise Although perhaps they would haue longer sate Saue for desire they had to feed their eyes And now the night was spent and waxed late The master of the house in seemly wise Doth call for torches to set out his state And straight with torch light filled was the hall But what they saw hereafter shew I shall The first fiftie staues of this booke I may call mine as the Poet Martiall saiâ—â— in a little Epigram of his of a Gentlewomans periwig fifteene huâ—dred yeares since I thinke the verse was this or such another Esse suos iurat quos emit Galla capillos Dic sodes numquid peierat illa mihi To this effect in English The goodly haire that Galla weares Is hers who would haue thought it She sweares it is and true she sweares For I know where she bought it And so may I as truly sweare these are mine for they were giuen me by my brother Francis Harington who made them for a proofe of his veine in this kind and if his sloth had not bin as blame-worthy as his skill is praise-worthy he had eased me of much of the paine that I tooke with the rest and me thinks when I reade his and mine owne together the phrase agrees so well as it were two brothers Though he in his modestie would needs giue his elder brother leaue to take all the paines and praise if there were any following herein the example of diuers indeed studious and learned Gentlemen that haue either disdained to bestow so much paines on another mans worke or at least would not leese so much time from more graue or more profitable studies or which perhaps is the chiefest reason because they feele that though it is but a sport to write now and then a little odde sonet yet it is some labour to write a long and setled stile as Tullie saith of writing in prose Stilus est optimus dicendi magister sed laboris magni est quem plerique fugimus Writing is the best schoolmaster for eloquence but saith he it is a painfull thing and that most of vs cannot away withall And yet I find hauing written in both kinds now and then as my slender capacitie would serue me that prose is like a faire greene way wherein a man may trauel a great iourney and not be weary but verse us a miry lane in which a mans horse puls out one leg after another with much ado and often driues his master to light to help him out but I shall trauell anon so far in this greene way that I shal be out of my right way or at least beside my matter and therfore I now come to the moral In the Morall of this xxxij booke in the person of Agramant we may note how a Generall must not vpon one foyle or one ill day as they call it despaire of his affaires or abandon his enterprise but betake him to some strong place of aduantage till they may make head againe In which kind the old Romanes conquerors of the world aboue all other things showed their vnconquered minds and specially then when Terentius Varro had receaued that great foile and ouerthrow by Hannibal as Liuie noteth in the end of the xxij booke Quo in tempore ipso adeò magno animo ciuitas fuit vt Consuli ex tanta clade cuius ipse magna causa fuisset redeunti obuiam itum frequenter ab omnibus ordinibus sit gratiae actae quòd de republica non desperasset Cui si Carthaginiensium ductor fuisset nihil recusandum supplicij foret What time saith Liuie the citie was of so great courage that the Consull returning from so mightie an ouerthrow of which himselfe had bin a great occasion yet was publikly and solemnly met by all the companies and had speciall thanks giuen him because he despaired not of the common state who had he bin captain of the Carthaginians no punishment had bin too much for him Further in Brunello that had somtimes bin Agramants secretary and yet now was hanged for iustice sake we may note that wicked meÌ„ thought they be somtime aduanced by their Princes to great honors and wealth yet when their oppressions and thefts shal be plainly boulted out and manifestly proued law will haue his course and iustice must be done And yet wee see also in this booke in Bradamants defence of Vllany against the law of sir Tristrams lodge that for the most part lawes are but like Spiders webs taking the small Gnats or perhaps sometime the fat flesh flies but Hornets that haue sharpe stings and greater strength breake through them Of Iosuas day which he toucheth in the xi staffe the holy Scripture speakes of how he made the Sunne stand still But for the false Amphittios night though it seeme meere fabulous as it is told that Iupiter made the night three nights long to take the more pleasure of Alcmene yet me thinke it is worth the obseruation how the very prophane and vaine writings of old times do concurre with the sacred Scriptures for whensoeuer the birth of Hercules was which I dare not affirme to haue bin at that time and yet by computation il wil not fall long after For Hercules was a great while before the last Troian warres and many old writers agree that Priamus liued in Dauids time and sent to him for succor but howsoeuer that may be proued for the certaine time of his birth certain it is when the Sunne stood still in one part of the world then in reason at their Antipodes and in the other Hemispheare it must needs be night all that while And if the Sunne were almost downe when Iosua spake as it may be coniectured because he would not feare want of light to pursue his enemies vntill the Sunne were neare setting then it might be euen in the same Hemispheare within a few degrees As for example it is night one hundred miles Eastward sooner then it is so farre Westward by a good while as they that are Astronomers can easily resolue the simplest that is But to be short it is verified by many writers that there was one night obserued to be longer then her fellowes which night either Hercules was borne vpon or else was fained to be begotten vpon and therefore they sirnamed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that night that was as long
saith the prostrate King that nothing sees And gropes to haue embrast Astolfos knees 108 The Duke to him thus friendly doth reply Nor Angell I nor new Messias am Nor come from heau'n but mortall man am I And thrall to sinne vnworthy so high name But for your sake my best skill I will trie To kil or driue those fowle from whence they came Which if I do giue God not me the praise That for your helpe did hither guide my wayes 109 For him your Churches and your altars make That must of dutie Church and altars haue This said he vp from ground the King doth take And went with him and other Barons graue Straightways of meate prouision new they make For so the hungry King in hast doth craue In hope that now the monsters would be quiet And not to interrupt him at his diet 110 Forthwith a sumptuous dinner was prepard In stately sort great store and of the best Senapo hopes Astolfo can him guard From those foule fowles that did him so molest But lo a sodain noise forthwith was heard The sent of those same viands that were drest Had brought them thither ere the men were able To set downe all the dishes on the table 111 Of them came seu'n together in a knot With womans faces wan with deadly cold So hungerstaru'd as death it selfe might not Be at first sight more hideous to behold Their wings were great but foule blacke wings God wot Their talents sharpe to gripe but strong to hold A large foule paunch a filthy taile and long From whence there came an odour mightie strong 112 As sodaine heard so sodaine were they seene For on the table all at once they fell And spoild the meat and from their wombs vncleen Cast loth some filth to see irksome to smell The Duke with blade of mettall sharpe and keene Strikes at the monsters thinking them to quell But all in vaine his bootlesse blade turnd backe As he had smitten on a wollen sacke 113 Some rau'nously deuour'd the sweet repast And did so eager fill their greedie gorge That by and by they were compeld as fast The same in beastly manner to disgorge The wofull King thinks now all succour past Till good Astolfo sware by sweet Saint George Sith force was vaine he would another way To driue these monsters from the king assay 114 The horne which euer he about him beares He meanes against these monsters to employ He causd the King and his to stop their eares With molted waxe that no noise them may noy Else might his blast haue bred in them such feares To driue them thence and all the land destroy Then causd he them prepare another feast An vp he gets him on his winged beast 115 The steward that did know his mind by signes Straightwayes another dinner doth addresse With store of daintie meates and costly wines But in a trise more soone then one could guesse The filthy flocke as famine them inclines Came downe and seasd vpon the costly messe But straight Astolfo blew them such a blast As on the sodaine made them all agast 116 The noise into their open eares so entered That had no meanes to stop them nor defence As so their stomacks and their tasts distempered They fled as feare expeld all other sence The English Duke to follow them aduentered And winding still his horne he chast them thence To that hils foote whence Nylus first doth fall If so that Nyle haue any head at all 117 About the bottome of this mightie mount There is a caue descending like a well By which as dwellers by do oft recount A speedie passage one may haue to hell To this the monsters fled and made account Within this caue safe from the noise to dwell Which seene Astolfo from his beast alighted And ceast the blowing that them so affrighted 118 And for he did with heed the caues mouth marke He nearer doth approch vnto the same And with a listning eare he then doth harke If any sound from thence vnto him came The entrance lookt all like a dungeon darke With smoke that seemd to come from smothered flame But more of this hereafter I will treat For now this booke begins to be too great In this xxxiij booke there are many things worth the obseruation both for historicall matter as also in Allegoricall sence and therefore I would not stand long in the Morall Only this note I will take of Gradasso for breach of his promise in not bringing the horse backe to the fountaine as was couenanted betweene them that many braue and valiant men such as he is here described to be how euer they stand vpon termes of honor and value yet if they may obtaine their purpose without blowes they will many times dispence both with honour and honestie which yet I iudge rather an example to shun then a president to be followed And in Senapo that through riches and abundance grew so insolent that he would needs thinke to conquer Paradise we may see the course of yong carelesse men that being left rich by their parents or else aduanced vnworthily in their owne consciences to some extraordinary fortunes straight in conceits begin to despise the diuine prouidence as Senapo assaulted Paradise and dispute with their prophane tongues not against this or that religion but against all religion hauing noâ— argument so probable indeed and so forcible as that which the Poet Martiall reciteth of one Silius Nullos esse Deos inane coelum Affirmat Silius probatque quod se Factum dum negat haec videt beatum Thus in English That heau'n is void and that no gods there are Silius affirmes and all his proofe is this That while such blasphemies pronounce he dare He liueth here in ease and earthly blisse But this matter I shall touch more at large in the Allegorie For the histories touched in this book they are many and diuers but the special drift that mine author hath in this book is to note how those kings of France that haue come to inuade Italy and to make a conquest thereof or of any part thereof haue had euer ill successe and bin either taken or foyled and of the other side those that haue come to rescue them and take their parts haue many times brought backe honour and victory Now first mine author for the finer bringing in of the matter fathers it vpon Merlin our English prophet as they terme him of whom I haue spoken before in the notes of the third booke alledging that he by Magicke framed that sumptuous hall and therein painted vpon the skreen thereof all these stories of the time to come First he recites all the excellent drawers of the time past taking by that occasion to praise the excellent workmanship of some of his owne time their names he reciteth hudling together but here I will particularly touch them for their sakes that haue not read of them and are
desirous to know of whence they are Timagoras was a Calcydonian and was the first that is specially noted to haue compared his cunning with another of the same science and to haue had the glorie from him Parrhasius an Ephesian noted specially for his excellent shadowing and giuing good proportion to the countenance and in the outermost lines of the face which is a great point of that art Polygnotus I find no extraordinary thing to speake of onely I read that he vsed first to draw women in white garments and had a speciall grace in making the opening of the mouth Timant they praise his wit as much as his worke for making in a great table the picture of Iphigenia standing at the altar to be sacrificed and hauing drawne all the standers by very sad and with wofull countenances and specially her vnkle when he came to her father he made him with a scarce afore his face signifying thereby that his griefe was greater then could be seene in his countenance Protogenes was borne in Sycaunum a country subiect to the Rhodians he was noted for somewhat too much curiositie and tediousnesse a fault our countrimen be much noted of that they know not when their worke is well howbeit his worke was held in such price that Demetrius lying at the siege of Rhodes and hauing oportunitie offered him to haue fierd the towne on that side where a table of his drawing did hang he raised his siege rather then he would burne the table Appollodore was so excellent as Plinie writeth of him thus that he opened the doore of cunning in that art by which Zewces afterwards entred into it in the citie of Heraclia The story of the strife betweene Zewces and Parrhasius Zewces is well knowne I thinke to all but yet I will briefly set it downe Zewces to shew his workmanship brought a table wherein he had painted grapes so naturally that the birds came and peckt at them thinking them to be grapes indeede the other had drawne onely a curtaine such as they vse to haue before pictures to keepe them from the dust which curtaine looked so like a true curtaine that Zewces being proud of the iudgement of the birds bad him now to remoue his curtain to shew his picture but being quickly aware of his error with a kind of noble bashfulnesse granted the prise to his aduersarie confessing it was more to deceiue a workman then a bird Appelles borne at Coas was held in such reputation for his drawing that Alexander the great gaue commandement that none should make his picture but onely Appelles He began the image of Venus and died ere it was done leauing the imperfit worke so full of the perfection of his art that no man durst euer take vpon him to end it so as euen to this day if any begin a work in any kind with any felicitie and after leaue it vnfinisht they straight liken him to Appelles Now hauing spoken so much of all these famous men of old times it were an enuiouis part to say nothing of those of this age that haue bin famous and are named by mine author also wherefore I would touch one or two of them Leonard Vinci was a Florentine a goodly man of person and so excellent in the Idea or the conceiued forme of his worke that though he could finish but few workes yet those he did had great admiration Also there was Andrew Mantinea whom I forgot to put in by ouersight in his due place but I will make him amends here who being but of meane parentage and very poore yet his aptnesse to this kind being made knowne to the Marquis of Mantua and encouraged by his liberalitie the speciall nurse of all good arts grew most excellent in it and beside other rare workes that is seene and shewne of his in Rome and in Mantua he is said to be the first that deuised cutting in brasse which how curious a thing it is the pictures in this booke may partly testifie Gian Belline was a Venetian and was the more famous because Mahomet king of the Turkes was so farre in loue with a table of his drawing that he sent for him but the Venetians would not spare him mary they sent a brother of his a very good workman Now albert the Turkes are by their lawes forbidden images yet was this Prince so in loue with that picture I spake of that when the other drawer came to him he made him draw both his owne picture and the Turks and so after sent him backe againe both highly commended and rewarded Michael Agnolo we pronounce it Michel Angelo was the rare man of this age for drawing and caruing both attaining to the excellency of the art very yong and doing many notable works but three be most famous one was caruing of an Image of Pitie in Rome another was a Giant in Florence the third was a picture of certain naked men that went to wash themselues in Arno and hearing of a sudden alarme in the camp they made hast to put on their clothes in which picture were contained all the gestures lookes and motions that men could imagine would happen in such an accident his father sirnamed him Angelo in his cradle as a presage of some great excellencie aboue ordinary that he should grow to Raphael and Sebastian were but his schollers though both very perfect all which I haue the more willingly noted and at more length then I was wont in the former bookes in like matters so lightly touched both because my selfe I must confesse take great pleasure in such workes as pleasing ornaments of a house and good remembrances of our friends as also to shew in what great reckning that science hath bin with Emperors and great Princes and with Prelats and religious persons howsoeuer some austere or rather vnciuil persons will seeme either to condemne it or contemne it And though indeed this Realme hath not bred any Michel Angelos nor men of such rare perfection as may deserue his title Michel more then a man Angell diuine Yet I may say thus much without partialitie for the honor of my country as mine author hath done for the honour of his that we haue with vs at this day one that for limming which I take to be the very perfection of that art is comparable with any of any other countrey And for the praise that I told you of Parrhasius for taking the true lines of the face I thinke our countryman I meane M. Hilliard is inferiour to none that liues at this day as among other things of his doing my selfe haue seene him in white and black in foure lines only set downe the feature of the Queenes Maiesties countenance that it was euen thereby to be knowne and he is so perfect therein as I haue heard others tell that he can set it downe by the Idea he hath without any patterne which for
whom the Turks had cause to seare But most they would Orlando haue suspected Saue they had heard his sences were distracted 71 Next stout Ferraw desir'd to haue the place Not that he hop't the conquest to haue wonne But that these knights may haue the lesse disgrace If I quoth he shall do as they haue donne A strong swift horse he takes and sure of pace Well made to beare the shocke and free to runne The choisest of an hundred that he kept And thus all arm'd vpon the beast he lept 72 Against the femall champion forth he goes And first they interchangeably salute Please it you said the Ladie to disclose Your name to me that shall be all my sute He that what longs to ciuill manners knowes To satisfie her therein was not mute And I refuse you not then said the tother Although I rather would haue had another 73 Whom quoth Ferraw Rogero she replyed And scarse she fully could bring forth his name But that a blush with rosie colour dyed Her louely cheekes with secret honest shame Further she addeth him whole vallew tryed And so much praysd was cause I hither came None else I seeke nor for none else care I Onely his manhood I desire to try 74 She spake the word in plaine and simple sence Which some perhaps will subtlie wrest awry Well said Ferraw yet now ere I go hence Let me with you haue leaue on ecourse to try To see if I can make no more defence Then those whom last you made one arth to ly If I fall as did they then I will send That gentle knight that may our errour mend 75 Her beauer open was while they confard At which when her the Spaniard well had vewed And markt her bewtie worthy of regard He was alreadie more then halfe subdewed He thought an Angell of the heau'nly guard Could not with greater bewtie be endewed Against her speare what fence can he deuise That is alreadie conquerd with her eyes 76 Now tooke they field and ran with all their force And now Ferraw is from his saddle borne The damsell doth of curtsie stay his horse The Spaniard lyeth like a man forlorne But backe he must vnto the king perforce Nor true to do his message doth he scorne He tels Rogero plaine before them all How this same knight onely for him doth call 77 Rogero who it is yet little knowing In hast to make him readie doth begin A setled hope of conquest plainly showing Willing to fight with mind assur'd to win As for their foyles and their fowle ouerthrowing That went before he weighd them not a pin But how they met how kindly him she serued Vnto the booke ensuing is reserued In the beginning of thu booke after the excessiue prayses of Hippolito he returnes to the former matter of the force of time the Allegorie whereof I will continue in this place onely for the Morall I will touch two speciall faults which mine authour reproues in men of the better sort one is the great account they make of Parasites Promoters and Iesters and such like for their basenes and filthines likened to the asse anporke and other is their venerie and drunkenes which he noteth by these words anzi venere e bacco I Englsh it by their owne surffeting and lust because surfeting contains both kinds of excesse in meat and drinke And surely I must grant that our Realme of England hath bin noted sorriot in meats many yeares since and not without cause though not alone for Plato found the like fault with Italie in his time but for this other vice of drinking which with the name of a health ouerthrowes all health and sobrietie it is nor growne as vsuall and more dious then the tother and I doubt it will not so easily be driuen out as it is sodainly crept in I haue beard a prettie tale not impertinent to this matter of a Gentleman that had his sonne at the Vniuersitie who being be like of so good a conscience as most of vs are in that kind to take but a little for his money and growing as it seemed more in yeares then either in learning or good manners his tutor to discharge his dutie sent his father word how he misdoubted the young mans well doing because he found him giuen to dycing and gaming the father was sorry but yet answered that he hoped when his sonne grew to haue more wit he would leaue that or at least not lose by it The next news he heard of his amendment was that now he began to follow women this touched the father somwhat nearer yet he replied againe that he made no question but he would leaue that ere long for his owne ease and therefore yet he would not dispaire of him The last newes he heard was that he began to mend his former two faults but that now he fell to bilbing and drinking Out vpon the villan said the father I will surely disinherit him for that fault the elder he waxeth the more he wil be subiect to it Wherefore I conclude this Morall with this exhortation that if wit cannot make men leaue play nor their owne ease make theē eschew venerie at least let the vglynes openesse and beastlines of this sin make them leaue it which hath no defence nor no praise I say praise because the Scripture saith The wicked man i◠praised in his wickednes But I neuer heard praise ascribed to a drinker but the well bearing of drinke which might be a good praise for a brewers horse or perhaps a brewers man but sure it is a small bost for a Gentleman Augustus Caesar was not such a Saint c. Of Augustus Caesars faults both Suetonius and Plutarke haue written at large and I am loth to renew the memorie of them except I did also recite his many vertues which made large recompence for his few vices sufficeth it to affirme that which mine author saith that his bountie and loue to learned men couered his faults and of his bountie among other things witnesseth the saire Pallace he gaue Virgil with a goodly Mannor or rather indeed territorie in the field called Ager Cremonensis neare Mantua Whereas it is said in the person of S. Iohn But yet for ought you know he might haue taught The contrarie to this if he had listed That Troy preuayld that Greeks were conquerd cleane And that Penelope was but a queane True it is that one Dion an Historiographer writeth to that effect and inforceth verie far to proue that the Greeks had the worse end of the staffe and onely that Homer fauoring the Greeks wrate the contrary Further some haue carped at Penelopes chastitie for what may not a mallicious with carpe at and they say Homer himselfe insinuateth somewhat of her lightnesse where he saith in his Odisseas that she obiected vnto her suters that none of them could shoot so strong a shoot as her husband but howsoeuer it is for my part seeing
it hath beene receiued so long for a truth that Penelope was a chast and vertuous wife I will not take vpon me by S. Iohn to write the contrarie though mine authour make S. Iohn to cast a doubt of it Of the Allegorie I haue not much to say because mine authour himselfe expounds it so plainly onely I'pray you mark how rightly and with what decorum he likens Promotors and Parasites to vultures carren crowes and chattring pyes as likewise in the beginning of the 34 booke he likeneth them to Harpias The sustenance that should for food haue serued For widowes poore and orphanes innocent These filthie monsters do consume and wast it Olt at one meale before the owners tast it As if one would say the gifts and rewards that belong to old seruitours and well deseruing souldiers are catched at the volise by these rauenou birds and neuer come to the ground or if they do they make so false a bound that a man shall make a fault in offring at them and many times hazard both game and set for them Bradamant a woman ouercomming Rodomont a most terrible Turke alludes to the notable History of Iudith that cut off Holofernes head which story the Lord Du Bertas and rare French Poet continued into an excellent Poemâ— in French and the same is translated into a verie good and sweet English verse by one M. Thomas Hudson which worke I the rather mention because in the 6. booke of the vice of surfetting which I reproued afore in the Morall it is not ably described and with all sharply rebuked as followeth O plague O poyson to the warriour state Thou makst the noble hearts effeminate While Rome was rulde by Curioes and Fabrices Who fed on rootes and fought not for delices And when the onely Cresson was the food Most delicate to Persia then they stood c. Here end the annotations vpon the xxxv booke THE XXXVI BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Duke Ammons daughter with reuenge full hart Doth meet Marfisa minding her to kill Untill the battels ioynd on either part And so did sunder them against their will Bradamant and Rogero talke apart Marfisa gets of both great euill will By troubling them but when she knew her brother She reconciled is to tone and tother 1 T Is meete a gentle heart should euer show By curtesie the fruites of true gentilitie Which will by practise to an habite grow And make men do the same with great facilitie Likewise the dunghil blood a man shall know By churlish parts and acts of inciuilitie Whose nature apt to take each lewd infection Custome confirmes and makes ill in perfection 2 Of courteous acts old stories he that reeds In auncient times shall find there hath bene store But in our dayes of bloudy cruell deeds Is greater plentie then hath bene before For charitie brings forth but barren seeds And hatred still is sowd in so great store That when the fruits of both come to be reaped The tone is scarce the tother ouer heaped 3 What fierce Barbarian Tartar Moore or Turke Could vse more crueltie then now of late In Latin land Venetian force did worke Not by consent of the wise men of state But by the filthy nature that did lurke In wicked hirelings and a hidden hate I speake not of the damage and defaces They did by fire in all our pleasant places 4 Though that reuenge was foule and to to cruell And chiefe against Hippolito who late When Caesar sieged Padoa as they knew well And brought it to low ebbe and wofull state He both withdrew the matter all and fewell And quencht the fires kindled by deadly hate Preseruing many a Church and many a village By his rare clemencie from fire and pillage 5 Not those I meane nor many actions more That cannot be excused or defended But such an act as stones might weepe therefore As oft as it is talkt of or reinembred Then when my Lord his houshold sent before There where his foes were secretly assembled And left their vessels on the saltish land While in ambushment close they lay on land 6 As Hector and Aeneas did by fire Assault the Greekish fleet with hardie fight So saw I two whose hearts to fame aspire One Alexander tother Hercles hight Assault their foes and driue them to retire Vnto their trenches nay within them quite But one of them returned thence full hard The tother of returning cleane was bard 7 For Ferussine scapt Cantelmo stayd O Duke of Sore what sore griefe didst thou find To see thy noble sonne lo soule betrayd Among a thousand blades left there behind His naked necke on side of gally layd And chopped off now surely in my mind When that same bloudie stroke his necke smit off You felt like stroke eu'n with the fight thereof 8 Slauonian vile where didst thou learne to know Such lawes of warre within what Scuthian land Vse men to kill a prisner taken so That yeelds and hath no weapon in his hand Or was it such a grieuous sinne you trow The foes of his deare country to withstand Why hast thou Sunne so long on this age shinde That breeds of Atrews and Thiestes kinde 9 Barbarian vile that kild so sweet a youth To satisfie thy rancor and thy rage So rare a youth as to confesse the truth His match could not be found in this our age Whose beautie might haue bred sufficient ruth Fierce Poliphemus anger to asswage But not fierce thee more cruell and more fell Then any monsters that in deserts dwell 10 The valiant men did studie in time past With clemencie their honors to increase And hate no longer then the fight did last With victorie reuenge did euer cease So Bradamant of whom I told you last The prisners she had tane did still release And staid their horses when themselues were downe And sent them backe againe into the towne 11 And praid them but her challenge to deliuer Vnto Rogero and to call him out Who meant with speare in rest her answer giue her Vnto her challenge that she sent so stout Now when the other knights were all togither In presence of the kings they cast a doubt Who this should be and then they aske Ferraw That talkt with her and her bare visage saw 12 Sure said Ferraw it is not tone nor tother Of those on whom before your thoughts were set I tooke it first it was Renaldos brother Who is in yeares a very youth as yet But now I rather iudge it is another For so much force is not in ' Richardet I thinke it is his sister by her vsage Who I haue heard is like him much in visage 13 She hath ere this of value had great fame Renaldo and the Palladins among I must confesse I found it to my shame Her then her brothers to be farre more strong Rogero when he heard them her to name Was guiltie straight that he had done her wrong And blusht
three warriers had ado not small To keepe him now from killing in the place Not that they car'd to haue his life preserued But vnto greater paines they him reserued 92 They gaue him bound vnto that woman aged That erst vpon Drusilla did attend And to those three whose minds were yet inraged Whom whipt and stript he lately thence did send These with sharp goads and kniues his body gaged And to torment him all their wits did bend Now some cast stones and some with needels pricke him Some scratch some bite with feet some spurn kick him 93 Eu'n as a brooke new swolne with rage of raine Or with a sodaine thaw of melting snow Ort bears down rocks and trees with force so maine As heards do'h drowne and houses ouerthrow A drouth doth come and then that brooke againe Abates his pride and is at last so low A woman yea a child with small adoe May passe the same and neuer wet their shoe 94 So Marganor that erst in pompe and pride Made hearts of men to quake when he was named To lowest ebb now turned sees his tyde His combe now cut his furie now is tamed Now kennel-rakers scorne him and deride To looke men in the face he is ashamed Small children yea the babes be not afteard To pill away his haire from head and beard 95 The while Rogero with those champions twaine The castle summond that did gladly yeeld Here Vllanie recouered againe Which lately she had lost her golden shield Here met they those three kings which to their pain Dame Bradamant had twise ou'rthrowne in field At the same castle where before I told She wan their lodging and made them lie cold 96 Since which on foote vnarmd they vowd to go Which want faire Vllanie from death did saue For all that went with armd men garded so Were sacrificed on Tanacros graue Yet better of the twaine it was to show The parts that modestie conceald would haue For why both this and eu'ry other shame Is halfe excusd if force procure the same 97 Marfisa straight a Parlament did call Of all the towne and made them take an oth Of high and low rich poore and great and small Although they were content or else were loth That to their wiues they should be subiect all That in their houses and the Citie both The women should haue rule such powre such graces As men are wont to haue in other places 98 She further made this notable decree That lodging meate and drinke should be forbode To trauellers of whatsoere degree Admit they go on foote or that they rode Within that towne except they first agree To sweare by some great Saint or else by God That they should euermore be womens frends And foe vnto their foes to their liues ends 99 And whatsoever stranger there arriues Must further sweare before they go their way If or they haue or meane to marry wiues That euermore they shall their wils obay This must they keepe on perill of their liues For why she vowes to come ere twelue-months day And if she find her law broke in that Citie To lacke and burne the same without all pitie 100 This done the warriers three did hasten hence But yet their going they so long deferred Vntil Drusillas corse was tane from thence Where as it seemd it was but homely berred And order tane with cost and good expence Her spouse and she might nobly be interred With Epitaphs by which was signified In how great honour they both liu'd and died 101 Marfisa made her law in marble faire Vpon a pillar to be written downe And then Rogero with the warlike paire Of damsels tooke their leaues of all the towne But Vllanie her garments doth repaire And stayes to make some new and costly gowne She thinks to come to Court were great dishoner Except she had some sumptuous clothing on her 102 Therefore she staid behind and in her powre Was Marganor by those same warriers giuen Who had new torments taught him eu'ry howre And was at last by his sharpe iudges driuen To leape downe headlong from a mightie towre Where all his bones and flesh were broke and riuen Of him nor these I haue no more to say But of those three that went the tother way 103 The rest of that same day together riding And halfe the next in companie they spent Vntill they found a way in twaine diuiding One to the campe tother to Arlie went Here oft they take their leaues yet still abiding For euer parting makes friends ill content In fine the knight the way to Arlie tooke They to the campe and thus I end this booke In this xxxv ij booke the praises of women are set downe to the encouragement of all vertuous minded yong Ladies and likewise the miserable end of Marganor and his two sonnes for their vnbridled lust and crueltie to the terrifying of all great men that dispose themselues to lawlesse and tyrannous behauiour Lastly in the law made for women we may see that that sex is capable of rule and gouernement and not to be excluded from the highest degree thereof as a noble learned and learned noble man hath most amply and excellently proued in a discourse of his which I happened by fortune to light vpon though as yet I thinke imparted to few Concerning the historie of this booke first it should seeme that the whole booke it selfe was incerted into the rest of the worke by mine author to take occasion thereby to speake in praise of women and specially of the Ladie Vittoria wife to the famous Francis of Pescard but concerning the famous women by him briefly touched I will here set downe as briefly as I can their storie Arpalice or Harpalice a woman of Thrace whose father being taken prisoner by the Geties a nation of Scythia with great courage and expedition recovered him from their hands of whom Virgil speakes in his Aeneads Vel qualis equos Threissa fatgat Harpalice volucremâ— suga prâ—euertitur Haebrum Tomeris Queene of the Massagetians Cyrus became a suter to her to marry her but she thinking as it was most likely he wooed not her but her kingdome refused him hereupon Cyrus made warre on her Tomeris sent her son against him who was taken by Cyrus with an ambushment and slaine But she faining as though she fled for feare drew Cyrus to the straits of the hils where they write she slue his whole army being two hundred thousand men and left not a man aliue to carry newes and after in reuenge of her son she put Cyrus head into a great boule of bloud vsing that wel knowne speech Satia te sanguine quisanguinem sitijsti Fill thy selfe with bloud that didst thirst for bloud In the 5. staffe With those that did Turnios and Hector ayd Those two were Camilla and Pentheselea of both which Virgil writes in the Aeneads Pentheselea surens medijsque in millibus ardet Bellatrix ardétque viris
For present death it was if any venter Saue those two champions in the list to enter 82 When second choise of weapon as was fit Was giu'n Rogero to auoid suspect Two Priests before the rest came forth to wit Of each side one and one of either sect Each had a booke ours had Christs holy writ Theirs Alcoran with errours foule infect With ours came forth the Christen Prince deuout With that of theirs the king of Turks came out 83 Now first king Charles neare to his altar stands And this great protestation there did make And lifts to heauen both heart and eyes and hands O God O Christ that suffredst for our sake O blessed Ladie that in swathing bands Heldst him that mortall flesh of thee did take And didst nine months inclose that high diuinitie In sacred wombe still keeping true virginitie 84 Be witnesses that here I make it knowne And promise faithfully for me and mine To Agramant and who so ere shall owne The crowne of Affrike in ensuing time That if my champion shall be ouerthrowne To pay to them each yeare of gold most fine Ten horslode and forthwith the warres to cease And euermore hereafter to haue peace 85 And if I fayle then let the fearfull wrath Of both on me at once this folly wreake And worke vnto my sect all wo and seath That all insuing ages plaine may speake Loe what a plague and iust reward he hath That durst his oth to you and promise breake This said his hand he laid vpon the booke And vp on heauen he fixt his stedfast looke 86 When this was done then all departed thence There where the Turks had with much superstition Adornd their altar with no small expence And their king Agramant with like condition Vowd neuer after this to do offence To Charles but passe the seas with expedition And ay keepe peace and equail tribute pay If that Rogero vanquisht were that day 87 And in like sort he did protest alowd And cald on Mahomet his Idol great And by that booke that his Priest held he vowd To keepe most duly all he did repeat This done to part from thence were all allowd And either Prince retired to his seat Then in like sort they sweare the champions both And thus much in effect containd their oth 88 Rogero promiseth that if the fight By Agramant shall be disturbd or parted That neuer after he will be his knight But serue king Charles and be to him true harted Renaldo in like sort his faith doth plight That if to him Charles any aid imparted Before that one of them were ouercome That then himselfe to Agramant would come 89 Now when these ceremonies all were ended Then eu'rie man departed to his side And then the warriours onely now attended The trumpets sound that battell signifide Which when both heard then each of theÌ„ intended To show the vtmost of his vallew tride Now sounds the steele with blows not few nor soft Now they themselues strike low and now aloft 90 Sometime they would beguile the tone the tother With mind vnto their strength to ad their art They profer at one place and strike another Inuading still the least defended part But good Rogero that against the brother Of her did fight that did possesse his hart Did oft bestow his blows with such regard Most thought Renaldo was for him too hard 91 He seemed readier to ward then strike For he himselfe well knew not what he ment To kill Renaldo that he did not like To dy himselfe that was not his intent But now I hope that none will it mislike Sith in this booke so much time hath bene spent And least my tediousnesse may some molest In this ensuing booke to heare the rest In the beginning of this booke is set downe how great a regard a man ought to haue of true honor indeed namely to do nothing â— herein it may be iustly touched not as our young gallants in these dayes that stand vpon their puntos in tristing matters hauing neither honor in their hearts nor truth in their mouths No doubt but to a noble nature and disposition honor in the tenderest thing that may be And therefore it may well of them be said Ma al honor chimancha in vn momento Non puo in cento annisatisfar ne in cento But if that honor haue one minutes staine An hundred yeares scant can it clense againe But as in Religion the true vsage thereof us most necessary to the good of the soule but heresies and superstition be most damnable so in this desire of worldy reputation the good and considerat regard thereof is the most worthy and Gentlemanly thing that can be but the vaine and friuolous maintenance thereof is as ridiculous and to be scorned For example imagine some man so chast as Caesar was called omnium mulierum vir or to vse our homely English phrase as the towne Bull of the Parish so true of his word as he that Heywood writes of that kept all the commandements and namely that concerning false witnesse With witnesse false thou hurtest none for why Each word thou spakest each man doth know a ly So temperat in eating and drinking that he surfets but once a weeke vidz from Saterday to Saterday and endewed with other magnificall qualities as swearing and gaming and now and then of the gentlenes of his nature not scorning a Pandars occupation Can you maruell I say if such â—â—an stand somewhat nycely vpon his honor if he be touched therein but the true honorable person indeed will neither giue iust cause of offence nor beare any wrong or disgrace and whosoeuer sailes either in the first of these for want of stayd gouernment or faints in the later of these for want of true courage let him know his honor goeth lame on one legge onely the first of these two mayms may be cured but the tother is called a priuie maimâ— and is vtterly incurable Concerning the Orations of Agramant Marsilio and Sobrino a man might make a long not vnnecessary discourse of the matter but that I haue taken vpon me to note and not to discourse First therefore in Agramant we may obserue how young couragious Princes such as he is described to have bin are egged on by their grand minions to whom peace is a penance to warre vpon other mens countryes and many times leaue their owne vnguarded In which kind fooles sometimes giue wiser counsell then they As in the time of that good king of France Francis the first they report that when he inuaded Italy he consulted with his counsell where he were best to enter Lombardy some aduising one way some another a foole standing by and hearing their consultation came in amongst them and sware that they were all fooles for saith he here is euerie man that aduiseth the king how to enter into Italy but none of you takes care how he shall get out againe this though accounted as it was but
hast and feare extreame Had all from thence or burnd them in the port Which when Rogero once did vnderstand He went vnto Marsilia-ward by land 67 In Arly nor from Arly all the way He saw no liuing Turke but manie a corse He mindeth at Marsilia if he may To get a ship by faire meanes or by force That into Affrica shall straight conuay Him and Frontino his well tried horse But while such thoughts he in his mind contriued Great Dudon with his nauie there arriued 68 That Dudon whom king Agramant on seas Met to his cost when erst his men were slaine He fled his frends tane prisners and in theale Seauen kings that erst in Affrica did raigne A man as then might hardly cast a pease Into that streame or anie little graine The Nauie and the prises in such number Did so the riuer pester vp and cumber 69 But Dudon selfe was newly come on land And his chiefe prisners he had set on shore And as in way of triumph made them stand The chiefe behind the meaner set before With souldiers garded of his choisest band Who with their warlicke voices euermore Made that same towne and all the places round Of Dudons praise and Dudons name to sound 70 Rogero when he saw these bands appeare First thought it was the fleet of Agramant But when as he approched now more neare He saw how much his guesse of truth did want He sees his captiues frends with heauie cheare Bambyrage Agricalt and Ferurant Balastro Rimedont and Manilard And Nasamon that wayle their hap so hard 71 Rogeroâ—ould â—ould by no meanes it endure To see in miserie his noble frends He doubts his prayre no succour can procure And therefore he to trie his force intends His lance he presently doth put in vre With which not few vnto the ground he sends His sword he drawes and therewith in short space He doth an hundred hurt kill maime displace 72 Now Dudon heares the noise the harme doth see Done by Rogero yet to him vnknowne He sees his men displac't and foyled bee And by one onely man their hurt is growne He takes his horse and to that end that he May venge these harms or ioyne thereto his owne He setteth in his rest a mightie lance To proue himselfe a Palladine of France 73 He bids his men in order to retire That of the field they two may haue good scope Rogero that to rescue did desire His frends and now had put them in some hope And seeing vertuous Dudon did aspire In combat hand to hand with him to cope Did deeme he was the Captaine chiefe and guide And with great courage toward him did ride 74 First Dudon came but when he nearer came And saw Rogero had no speare in sight He cast away his owne as counting shame To vse aduantages in any fight Then saith Rogero to himselfe this same Is token of a most braue minded knight And sure except mine aime be much amisse One of the Palladines of France he is 75 Wherefore he minds ere any more ensew Or any force of either part were donne To learne his name and asking him he knew How that he was the Dane Vggeros sonne Now saith good Dudon let me know of you Your name before our combat be begonne Rogero in like sort him satisfied And so they both each other then defied 76 Now Dudon had that Axe or iron Mace Wherwith he wonne such fame in many fights As proued him to be of that same race Of Palladines so braue and worthie knights Rogero hath the sword that cuts apace And frustrateth all charms where ere it lights So that he had the vantage had he vsd it But for that time it seemed he refusd it 77 The cause was this he was aseard perchance It would offend his louing Bradamant For being skilfull in the lines of France He knew that Dudons mother washer Ant So though this conquest might his name aduance He doubts her loue it may not little daunt For Turpin thinks this was the onely reason That Dudon scaped killing at that season 78 Rogero neuer foynd and seldome strake But flâ—tling and his sword was so good steele The backe so thicke as it no hurt did take Yet ost therewith he made good Dudon feele Such thundring knocks at causd his head to ake And made him readie many times to reele But least much reading may annoy your eyes To lay this booke aside I you aduise In Agramant that from being so victorious fel into so great extremity Princes may consider the great mutability of Fortune or to speake more truly and Christianly they may see how God can ouerthrow them when in their own conceipts they are at the very highest In that their folly is dispraised that trust to others protection and stand not vpon their own strength the lamentable examples of many Princes that we haue heard of in this age and some that we haue seene may proue the truth of that principle nor doth it only hold in Princes affairs but eueÌ„ in the case of meaner subiects according as a good frend of mine perhaps vpon some good or peraduenture bad experience of his owne wrate many yeares since If you be wise this rule well minde Trust none for you to sue or pray Not frend most fast nor kin most kinde In that your selfe can do or say Further wheras Sobrino notwithstanding his age is chosen to be one of the three in the challenge offring himselfe therto we may note therby that old men are not only to be honored for their wisedomes but also imployed in seruice for their constant courage if themselues be willing therto and not to be contemned or scoffed a vice that our time is too much giuen vnto specially by young men that thinke they know all things and indeed know lesse then nothing It is a tale well â—â—â—â—ne and worthie to be well marked how one day the people of Athens being set in their theater to behold playes two olâ— men came in no man once offerd to giue theÌ„ place til they came where the Lacedemonian Ambassadors sate they straight rose and in reuerence of their gray heads not knowing the men they gaue them place which act when the people Comended with great applause the sorenamed Ambassadours gaue them that pretic tuch which hath euer since stucke by them That the Athenians knew what was honest and commendable but would giue others leaue to do it In the first staffe of this book he vseth three similitudes to this effect as we say in English to fling water into the Teams To beare pots as is said to Samos I le Where earthen vessels in great store are wrought Or Owles to Athens Crocodyles to Nile Of Samos vessels I will recite only that verse that was made of Agathocles Fama est sictilibus ornasse Agathoclea regem Atque abacum Samio saepe onerasse luto Fercula gemmatis cum poneret horrida vasis Et misceret
opes pauperiemque simul Querenti causam respondit rex ego qui sum Sicaniae figulo sum genitore natus Fortunam reuerenter habe quicunque repente Diues ab exili progrediere loco Concerning the Owles of Athens Tully vseth the phrase Hoc est Athenas noctuam mittam But the saying rose not so much for the plentie of those birds as because they had a coigne stamped with the same as appeares in Plutarke in the life of Lysander where it was laid to the charge of a grèat officer named Gilippus that he roosted too many Owles in the penthouse of his house which was indeed money that he had stole in that kinde of coigne and hidden there The Crocodiles of Nilus are famous neither are any of those beasts in any other riuer but one in Affrica called Senega that falls into the Atlanticke Ce. amand because it hath Crocodiles some hold it for an arme of Nilus though in my opinion with as little reason as some say Lundy the Ile betweene Cornwall and Wales to be part of Ireland because it hath no snakes in it Of the Crocodile I count this worth the noting that being bred of an egge he groweth to be twelue or fourteene foot long which no creature doth beside Hanniball being ouercome by Scipio fled to Antiochus and doubting of by sickle disposition went to Prusia king of Bithinia who by his counsell and policie ouercame Eumenes in a sea fight which benefite and seruice notwithstanding the said Prusia would haue betrayed him to the Romanes but Hanniball seeing no meanes of escape tooke poyson which he carried about him of purpose in a ring and so made away himselfe Iugurth likewise betaking himselfe to the protection of Boccus king of Mauritania his sonne in law was by him taken and bound and deliuered to Sylla who caried him to Marius in whose triumph he was after led at Rome and forced as some write to leape off an high arch or as other will haue it starued after inprison Pompey being vanquished by Caesar fled to Egipt to Ptolomey whose father had bene much beholding in times past to Pompey but he for feare of Caesars displeasure made his head to be cut of In Rogero that notwithstanding all his oths and promises to marrie Bradamant and become a Christian yet with a regard of wordly reputation is caried away and taketh shipping into Affrica may be allegorically vnderstood how our sence and vnderstanding not hauing the helpe of grace to confirme it is carried away into the sea of errors and tâ—â—ssed with waues of divers passions and in the end suffers shipwracke as here Rogero did though after deliuered by prayer and faith as is shewed in the next booke The great perill that Brandimart was in leaping of the wall of Biserta into the towne alludes to the like fact of Alexander who was in the like perill at the Citie of Ossidracus in India where also as Iustin testifieth he receiued a very dangerous wound The end of the annotations vpon the 40. booke THE XLI BOOKE THE ARGVMENT His prisners Dudon to Rogero giues Who in a tempest all were drowned quite Rogero onely scapes the storme and liues And then is Christend and belleues aright Neare Lippadusas steepe and craggie clyues Sixe valiant knights a combat fierce do fight Where Sobrine hurt the Marquesse lame on ground Good Brandimart receiues a deadly wound 1 THat odor sweet wherewith an amorous youth Of either sexe their garments do perfume Or head or beard when full of louing ruth In flames of Cupids fire they do consume We say that odor perfect was in truth And of his goodnesse we do much presume If so a good while after it be felt And that the sweetnesse be long after smelt 2 That pleasant iuyce that Icarus vnwife Did cause his men to his great harme to tast And did the Gauls to Italie entise Where they commited so great spoile and wast Was doubtlesse perfect good and of great price If so at twelumonths end it pleasant last The tree that doth his leaues in winter nourish Without all question did in sommer florish 3 The bountie that so many hundred yeare In your most Princely stocke did euer shine Is to the world an open proofe and cleare That he from whom was first deriu'd your line Was sure a great and worthie minded Peare And had that noble vertue and deuine Which chiefly makes a man so rare and od As in that one they most resemble God 4 I shewd you in the booke that went before How good Rogero tooke great care and heed That as in other acts he shewd great store Of vertues rare that other men exceed So in this fight he shewd as much or more Then he had done in any other deed With noble mind ambitious to all good For glory thirsting still but not for blood 5 Good Dudon found for well discerne he might How that Rogero him to hurt forbare How though he had great vantage in the fight Yet that to vse the same he still did spare Wherefore though he were ouermatcht in might Yet therewithall he shewd this speciall care That though Rogero were in force superiour Himselfe in courtsie would not be inferiour 6 Perdie sir let saith he our combat cease Your courtsie hath alreadie conquerd me I cannot winne and therefore seeke I peace And I saith tother will to peace agree I onely craue this grace that you release Those seau'n whom standing there in bonds I see Those were the kings whom late near Affrike shore Had taken bene a day or two before 7 At his request thus Dudon gaue remission But ere they went he made them first to sweare That neither they nor none by their permission Gainst any Christen state should armour beare He gaue them also leaue on like condition To take the choisest vessell that was theare Who no conuenient season ouerslipping For Affrica immediately tooke shipping 8 Thus had those kings their ransomes all remitted And with Rogero shipt themselues that day And then to faithlesse winds themselues committed They weigh their ankers and their sayles display A frendly gale at first their iourney fitted And bare them from the shore full farre away But afterward within a little season The wind discouerd his deceipt and treason 9 First from the poop it changed to the side Then to the prore at last it wherled round In one place long it neuer would abide Which doth the Pilots wit and skill confound The surging waues swell still in higher pride While Proteus flocke did more and more abound And seeme to them as many deaths to threaten As that ships sides with diuers waues are beaten 10 Now in their face the wind straight in their backe And forward this and backward that it blowes Then on the side it makes the ship to cracke Among the Mariners confusion growes The Master ruine doubts and present wracke For none his will nor none his meaning knowes To
worse sort harmd Beside that hurt of which before I spake He hath drawne blood of him in many a place As namely in breast in throate and in his face 87 Gradasso sees himselfe with blood besmeard And smarting paine in many places found And sees that Earle like one that nothing feard Stand whole and quite vnwounded safe and sound Wherefore with both his hands his sword he reard With mind to cleaue him rather then to wound And eu'n as he desir'd with all his strength He strake him on his head at halfe sword length 88 And sure had clou'd him to the saddle bow Had it another then Orlando bene But now as if it had falne flatling thoe The blade rebounded from him bright and cleene But yet that Earle was daz'd so with the bloe I thinke some starres on ground by him were seene He lost his bridle and his sword had mist Saue that a chaine did bind it to his wrist 89 The horse on which the good Orlando rode Was eke so scared with the fearfull sound As there he durst no longer make abode But on the sands at randon runneth round And beares Orlando as a senslesse lode That with the paine still stood as in a sound And had Gradasso little harder spurred He might haue tane the Earle ere he had sturred 90 But as he rode he saw king Agramant Vnto extreamest point of danger brought For why the valiant sonne of Monodant Had loosd his beauer and such hold had caught Vpon his gorget that but small did want Eu'n with one stab his last end to haue wrought For why the noble minded Christen Prince Had wonne his sword from him a good while since 91 Gradasso doth no more that Earle pursew But maketh hast king Agramant to ayd And vnto Brandimart that nothing knew Nor of no such misfortune was affrayd He comes behind his backe quite out of vew And both his hands at once on sword he layd And in that sort he strake with all his might Full on the helmet of the noble knight 92 Oh heau'nly Father grant a resting place In Paradice for this thy Martyrs spirit That hauing runne all his tempestuous race He may with thee an harbour safe inherit Ah Durindan hadst thou so little grace So ill to quite thy noblest Masters merit That in his sight thou could of life depriue His best and kindest frend he had aliue 93 The sword did pierce a double plate of steele That little lesse was then two fingers thicke Good Brandimart gan with the blow to reele It pierced had so deepe vnto the quicke His braines all cut therewith he plaine did feele And downe he fell like one most deadly sicke A streame of blood out of the grieuous wound Ran forth and dyde with crimsen all the ground 94 By this Orlando waked and behild His Brandimart that lay now a la mort He sees the Sericane that him had kild This angerd him and grieu'd him in such sort T was hard to say which more his stomacke fild His wrath or griefe but time to mourne was short That griefe gaue place and wrath bare chiefest sway But now I thinke it best a while to stay In this booke may be noted the notable fondnesse of those men that in avoiding of the lesse danger fal into the greater as they did that forsooke the ship and leapt into the boat where they were all cast away and the ship it selfe saued In that Rogero in his extremity of danger feeleth a remorse of conscience straight hath recourse to God by prayer and vow it is a good president for others to do the like though indeed most men are apt to do so but all the matter is to performe the effect of their vow promise to God after for that few care for according to that saying made a prouerb in Italian Scampato il pericolo giabbato il santo When danger is scaped the Saint is mocked But the example of Rogero may moue vs to more true deuotion and this speech of the good old Hermit let euerie one apply to himselfe that hath need of it and it may fortune do him as much good as a sermon for indeed it is most sweet and comfortable and verie true doctrine and well beseeming the person of a deuout old man as I called him in the 54 staffe for seldome goeth deuotion with youth be it spoken without offence of our Peckedeuanted Ministers as there goes an old tale of three things that a blind man could see for when his boy told him that there was brought a verse braue horse then saith the blind man I see he is far the boy maruelled how he knew it next he told him there came by a passing faire woman then I see she is young quoth the blind man well guessed Master said his boy Lastly came by a deuout preacher Sir quoth the boy here comes a good Priest then he is old said the blind man and that guesse was so right the boy was affraid his Master had had his eyes againe For indeed age and bodies chastised with fasting and studie are companions of deuotion as a frend of mine was wont to say in Italian Dio mi guarda Da medico rognoso Dio mi guarda Da alchumista stracciato Dio mi guarda Da monacho ingrossato God defend me from a mangie Phisition for the Phisition that cannot cure the itch in himselfe will hardly cure other greater diseases in another From a ragged or beggerly Alcumist for he that cannot get himself good clothes will hardly turne lead into gold From a corpulent or fat fed Frier for he that feeds his owne bodie fat is not likely to giue of the best spirituall food of the soule In Brandimart that laboreth to perswade Agramant to peace we may note a noble disposition and excellent good nature that being verie stout and treating of peace as they say with his sword in his hand yet endeuoured to take up the qûarrell before it came to bloud which though it be a thanklesse office many times as here it hapned to Brandimart to be scorned for his labour yet ought not that to terrifie a good mind from so honest an office And sure the cause why great quarrels rise vpon small matters betweene great personages and are afterward so long ere they be reconclied and so hollowly reconciled at last is that some of a wicked pollicie seeke to keepe them at variance thinking it as the prouerbe saith best fishing in troubled waters but neither S. Peter that was the good fisher of men nor his Master were of that opinion but do say contrarily Beati pacifici Of the house of Este it was first called Ateste but after as mine Author hath deliuered it was turned to Este by reason of that speech Hic este Domini and Fornarius writing vpon this place affirmes the same In the deuises or impreises of Orlando and Oliuero may be noted the decorum they vsed
an earthquake or inundation had destroyed all the leuell ground The like reproofe had Virgil about the hauen of Mongibello which he describes at the roote of that hill where indeed there was none and the like excuse is made for him that it filled with the continuall casting vp of stones out of the burning hill Catalani are the chiefe house of Spaine alledged here by the Poet for their good successe in discouering the Indies though indeed the Portugals Lusitani not Catalani deserue the praise of it The monster that assaulted Renaldo signifies Iealousie that he had that another possest his loue the knight that deliuered him was Disdaine that with the heat of noble courage signified by the fierie Mace ouerthrew the monster and draue him quite away it is so plaine in the verse it needs no exposition The cup that Renaldo was offerd puts me in minde of the like fansie in the Historie of Herodotus in the second booke briefely it is thus Pharao King of Egypt hauing by ill hap lost his eiesight was aduised by some Oracle to bath his eyes in the vrine of a chast woman Wherefore first he proued his wiues and after diuers other great Ladies but he found none did him good but one poore gentelwoman wherefore being recouered of his fight he put all the other to death and married that one but because the matter of the cup is continued in the next booke I shall speake more to this effect in my notes vpon the same Here end the notes of the XLII booke THE XLIII BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Renaldo heares two tales to like effect Tone of a Bargeman tother of a knight Both prouing that rewards will soone infect The mindes of chastest dames and make them light To Lippaduse he doth his course direct But first Orlando finisht had his fight That Hermit that Rogero did baptise Heal'd Oliuer and Sobrine in likewise 1 O Curst ô greedie ô vnsaciable Desire of gaine I do not maruell sure If thou the base and filthy minds art able To cause to stoope vnto thy carren lure Sith oft we see some persons honorable Can scarce thy weake and base assaults endure Who if they could thy foule entisements shun No doubt but they great glory should haue won 2 Some men can measure earth and sea and sky And tell the change and cause of eu'ry season And wade so farre with wit or mount so hy They search both heau'n hel with depth of reason But when thou com'st in place then by and by Thou putst their daintie tasts so out of season They place their whole delight their hope their health In only scraping and in heaping wealth 3 Another man in warres hath great renowne And gets the conquest in each bloudie strife And wins this fortresse and that walled towne Opposing his stout brest to perils rife Thou onely conquerst him and thrusts him downe And keepest him thy prisner all his life Some men excelling in each art and studdie Thou doest obscure with base desires and muddie 4 What should I speake of dames of worth not small That hauing louers men of great desarts Oppose their honours as a brasen wall Against their suits with vnrelenting harts But come some miser base deformed squall That saue his riches hath no worthy parts They breake the wall and make therein a gap To take the showre that fell in Danaes lap 5 Nor without cause hereof complaine do I Take me that can for I do rightly take it Nor from my matter do I swarue awrie Or by a vaine digression do for sake it Yet to my former speach I not applie But tending to a future tale I spake it Now let me tell you of Renaldo first That with one draught wold swage his double thirst 6 But whether that his courage did him faile Or that on more aduise he changed minde He thought and said what should it one auaile To seeke a thing he would be loth to finde My wife a woman is their sex is fraile I yet am to beleeue the best enclinde I know I cannot better my beliefe And if I change it it will be my griefe 7 What good may come by such a straight espy all Into my sences surely cannot sinke Much hurt may come there can be no denyall Let nothing seuer those whom God doth linke Wherefore to make so vnaccustomd triall Were sinne and tempting God as I do thinke Then drinke this cup quoth he that lift not I I am not nor I minde not to be drie 8 God would such skill from mortall men be hid And eu'n as Adam wrought his ouerthrow By tasting fruit that God did him forbid So he that curiously will search to know All that his wife hath said or what she did May fortune at the last himselfe beshrow And shall confound himselfe this thinke I verily And liue in sorrow that did erst liue merily 9 Thus much said good Renaldo and withall He thrust away that hatefull cup of wine And then he saw of teares a streame not small Flow from the master of that house his eyne Which past he said now foule may them befall That first procurd this miserie of mine To proue which I shall sorrow all my life That which berest me of my dearest wife 10 Why was not I said he with you acquainted Ten yeares ere this to take aduise so sound Before my heart was thus with sorrow tainted Of which no ease can now nor end be found But that you may as in a table painted Behold my griefes I will to you expound What cauld this mine vncomparable woe And then you sure will pittie me I know 11 Not farre from hence you left a little towne About the which there runnes a prettie lake That fals into this streame of great renowne But from Banaco first his head doth take Erected when those walls were beaten downe That erst Agenors dragon there did make There was I borne of house and stocke not base Though of meane wealth inferiour to my race 12 But though to me dame Fortune was but spare That by my birth small wealth to me there grew Yet Nature did with bountie great and care Supply that want by faire and comely hew My seemly personage my beautie rare To me the liking of full many drew My qualities thereto were quaint and iollie Although I know to praise ones selfe is follie 13 Within this towne a great rich man did tarrie Well learnd and wise and old beyond all credit For ere he dide he on his backe did earrie Full sixscore yeares and eight at least he sed it An hundred yeares he liued solitarie But after that you know what humor bred it He lou'd a dame and with his wealth so wrought her That at the last he gat of her a daughter 14 And least the daughter should proue like the mother To sell her chastiue for filthie pelfe
Which whosoeuer sels it quite vndoth her Although she thinks she doth enrich her selfe Therefore he bred her farre from sight of other And by the helpe of many a hellish elfe Which by his skill in Magicke he could master He built this house of Tutch and Allablaster 15 He caused chast old women her to nourish In this same house in which she grew so faire And in those yeares when youth doth chiefly florish He let not any thither to repaire That were in looks or speech or manners whorish But contrary he causd in Marble faire Or else on tables to be drawne and carued All such whose chastities had praise desarued 16 Nor onely such as haue in ancient times Bene patterns true of manners chast and pure And haue opposd against all fleshly crimes Most chast and vertuous thoughts a buckler sure By which their name to such high honor climes As their great praise shall euermore indure But such as shall excell in times to come Of which those eight that erst you saw be some 17 Now when this aged sire had with his skill Procur'd his daughter be thus choisely bred It was my hap shall I say good or ill That I was deemd most worthy her to wed And that old man bare her so great good will He gaue to me this house thus furnished With needfull things within it and without it And all the lands in twentie mile about it 18 But her owne shape so pleasd my heart and eyne That for the rest I did but little care For needle workes and for embrodries fine I thinke her skill with Pallas might compare To heare her play or sing a thing deuine It was her stroke so sweete her voyce so rare In other sciences her skill was such As was her fathers or almost as much 19 Great was her wit no lesse then wit her fauour As might in senslesse stones affection moue To this she had a sweete and kind behauour As more then all the rest ingendred loue It seem'd her sole delight was in my fauour Out of my sight she was most loth to moue So liued I and still had liued so But that my selfe did worke my selfe this wo. 20 For when her father finisht had his life Full fiue yeares after I had got his daughter Then grew the causes of this wofull strife That vnto sorrow turneth all my laughter For when I doted most vpon my wife And of the world the chiefest iewell thought her A dame of noble birth of person seemely Did hap to fall in loue with me extreemly 21 This dame for passing skill in Magicke art Was comparable to the best Magicion But yet for all her skill my constant hart She could not moue nor turne on no condition To cure her malladie or ease her smart I still refused to be her Phisition Because the med'cin that of me she sought As iniurie vnto my wife I thought 22 Yet was her bewtie much I must confesse And great her offers she to me did make Beside the loue she did to me professe Would moue a man some care of her to take But my wiues loue did me so firme possesse I all reiected onely for her sake And that which most to her my liking drew Was that I found her still so kind and trew 23 The good opinion and the strong surmise I had of my wiues chastitie and truth Would without doubt haue made me to despise The Dame whose bewtie bred to Troy such ruth And all the wealth though laid before mine eyes That Iuno offerd to the Troian youth Yet my refusall and her oft repulses No part of her great loue from her expulses 24 Melissa so was this inchantresse name Perceiuing still in vaine to me she sewed Once finding me at leysure to me came And in most cunning sort her suit renewed And secretly she kindled iealous flame Within my brest which oft I since haue rued She saith I do but well so true to be Vnto my wife if she were so to me 25 But how know you saith she your wife is trew That of her faith as yet no proofe haue made You neuer let her go scant from your vew When none can come to vice her to perswade Nor none can see her none to her can sew T is easie to resist where none inuade To praise her truth vntride is too much hast Your care and not her vertue keeps her chast 26 But get you but from home some little while That men to sue to her might take occasion And thinking you are absent many a mile With letters and with gifts to make inuasion And then if you shall finde in her no guile Except she yeeld to gifts and to perswasion So she haue hope to do it vnespied Then thinke your wife is chast when that is tryed 27 With these and such like words th'Inchantresse sly Did make me do that hath me vndonne By name to giue consent my wife to try If so she could by such assaults be wonne But how shall I be well assur'd said I To know at my returne what she hath donne And whether she with these so great assayes Haue at my hands deserued blame or prayse 28 Forsooth saith she I will on you bestow A drinking bowle not much vnlike that cup With which Morgana made her brother know Genewras fraud when he thereon did sup Who drinks hereof his wiues truth plaine shal know If she be chast he drinks the liquor vp But if a cuckold to carrowse doth thinke He sheddeth in his bosome all the drinke 29 Now ere you go the cup I wish you tast And you shall drinke perhaps and shall not spill Because as yet I thinke your wife is chast As neuer being tempted vnto ill But try againe when as a month is past And you shall see I trow a prettie skill For then I grant that if you drinke it cleanly Aboue all men you blessed are not meanly 30 I tooke her offer and I tooke the say Of that same cursed cup with sweete successe I find my wife vnspotted to that day As I my selfe was sure and she did guesse Now straight quoth she to part from hence away For one or two months space your selfe addresse Then try at your returne how you haue sped If you drinke cleane or if the drinke you shed 31 But now this parting such a penance seemed As I in deed could by no meanes endure Not that of my deare wife I ought misdeemed For her of all the rest I thought cocksure But that her company I so esteemed Well then Melissa saith I will procure If you will do but what I shall you teach That you shall change your cloths your shape and speach 32 And so you shall your selfe to her present And make your selfe a plaine and perfect proofe I foolishlie to this deuice assent And so it hapt that hence not farre aloofe A knight of large reuenue and of rent
state Although to him it was apparent cleare For God that night had sent his Angell late To tell the Saint thereof Orlando sayd His arrant was to get his kinsman ayd 182 Who had a great and grieuous mayme receaued In fighting for the Empire and the saith And was of hope and comfort quite bereaued Be of good cheare the godly Hermit saith Who trust in God shall neuer be deceaued Yet oyntment none vnto his hurt he layth But first to Church he go'th and makes his prayre Then with great boldnesse doth to them repayre 183 And calling on that trebble sou'raigne name Of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost He blest the knight that maymed was and lame Oh wódrous grace of which Gods saints may bost Straight to his vse each vaine and sinew came No part of all his former strength was lost And as it pleased God of his great grace Sobrino present was then in the place 184 And being now so weake with bleeding brought That eu'n his vitall sprites were almost spent And seeing plainly such a wonder wrought So great so gracious and so euident To leaue his Macon he thereby was taught And to confesse our Christ omnipotent He prayd in most contrite and humble manner To be a souldier vnder Christian banner 185 The iust old man did grant him his request And Christend him and did his health restore At which Orlando stout and all the rest Reioyced much and praysed God therefore Rogero eke as ioyfull as the best Increased in deuotion more and more To see those mysteries deuine and Oracles Confirmed so by plaine apparent miracles 186 Thus all this companie in sweet confort In this same blessed Hermits house do stay Who doth them all most fatherly exhort To bend their whole endeuours all they may That in this Inne where mans abode is short They seeke to wash away the dirt and clay That some call life and greatly do commend And sole to heau'n their eyes and hearts to bend 187 Then sent Orlando to his ship in hast For bread and wine and other daintie dishes And this old man whom abstinence and fast Had made forget the tast of beasts or fishes Of charitie they prayd some flesh to tast And he therein consented to their wishes And when they all had eate to their contents They found discourse of sundry arguments 188 And as in speech it often doth be fall That one thing doth another bring to light Rogero was at last knowne to them all For that Rogero that exceld in fight The first that him to memorie did call Was Sobrin who did know him well by sight The next that knew his louely looke and stately Was good Renaldo that fought with him lately 189 They all do come to him with frendly face When of his Christendome they vnderstand And some do kisse him others him embrace In kindest sort some take him by the hand But chiefe Renaldo striues to do him grace Yet if that you desire to vnderstand Why more then all the rest Renaldo sought it Turne ore the leafe and there you shal be taught it In the tale of the Mantuan knight may be gathered this good morall that it is no wisedome to search for that a man would not find and how the first breach commonly of the sweet concord of matrimonie groweth of iealousie I must confesse these be two knauish tales that be here in this booke and yet the Bee will picke out hony out of the worst of them For mine owne part I haue euer bene of opinion that this tale of the Mantuan knight is simply the worst against women in all the booke or rather indeed that euer was written The hosts tale in the xx viij booke of this worke is a bad one M. Spencers take of the squire of Dames in his excellent Poem of the Faery Queene in the end of the vij Canto of the third booke is to the like effect sharpe and well conceited in substance thus that his Squire of Dames could in three yeares trauell find but three women that denyed his lewed desire of which three one was a courtesan that reiected him because he wanted coyne for her the second a Nun who refused him because he would not swear secreacie the third a plain countrey Gentlewoman that of good honest simplicitie denyed him which also hath some liknes with that of Pharao I spake of in the notes vpon the 42. book but this of the Mantuan knight passeth thē all if you marke the secret drift of it shewing how a woman of so excellent education so great learning so rare beautie so fine wit so choise qualities so sweet behauiour so aboundant wealth so dearly beloued by her husband could so easily be conquerd with the sight of three or four iewels and then for his comfort how for ten yeares after he being a great house keeper all his married guests that came to him spilt the drinke in their bosomes This tale admitting it to be true or probable would argue women to be of exceeding couetousnes but loe how easily all this is not onely to be excused for them but retorted vpon men for assuredly it is onely the couetouseness of men that maketh women as we interpret it to sell their chastities for women indeed care for nothing but to be loued where they assure themselues they are loued there of their kind and sweet dispositions they bestow loue againe Now because men can protest and sweare and vow that which they thinke not therefore no maruel if women are hard of beliefe and thicke listed to heare them but when they come to giue things that cost money and that the coyn begin to walke which they are sure men esteeme so dearly as they venter both body and soule for it many times then no maruell if they belieue them and thinke them to be in good earnest and consequently yeeld to that they denyed before But to go forward with the rest of the morall both men and women may gather this morall out of both these tales that as all vice is odious and base so that which a bodie is hired vnto is most shamefull and detestable Of the Faery Manto I cannot affirme any thing of truth whether she were a Faery or a Prophetesse but this I finde wrtiten of her that when Thebs was razed by Alexander this Manto daughter of Tyresia being learned in Magike as well as her father came vnto that part of Italy where Mantua is now and there her sonne Ocnus as Virgil will haue it built that Citie and called it after his mothers name Ille etiam patrijs ignem ciet Ocnus ab oris Fatidicae Mantus Thusei filius amnis Qui muros matrisque dedit tibi Mantua nomen Concerning those braue men with whom Orlando compareth Brandimart the Decij M. Curtius and Codrus of the Decij one of them had a dreame or vision that told him how in the battel which he was to fight next day with
vertuous thoughts did still adorne And euer was of noble inclination Made him extoll him for his deeds of armes Although his men by him receiu'd such harmes 87 Eu'n as a babe whom sometime mou'd with ire The mother beats with rod or with it chafeth Runnes not vnto the sister nor the fire But to the Mam and sweetly her imbraceth So now though Leons men are made retire And though Rogero killeth them and chaseth Yet his great valew maketh Leon loue him Much more then hate him for the harm he doth him 88 But if that Leon loue him and admire Me thinks he hath but sorrie recompence For why Rogeros hope and sole desire Is to do Leon damage and offence He lookes for him and oft he doth enquire Which way he was but still the diligence And long experience of the warie Greeke Do cause Rogero him in vaine did seeke 89 Don Leon saw his souldiers flie so fast He sounds retreit and to his father sent A messenger forthwith in all post hast And of his message this was chiefe content To let him vnderstand how things had past And wish him flie for feare of being shent Likewise himselfe and his hast all they may Backe ore the streame themselves then to conuay 90 But yet for all his hast his men were slaine And some with hast were drowned in the streame The Bulgars now did conquerors remaine That erst in perill were to loose their Reame The knight of th'Vnicorne they all see plaine Causd all their good wherefore with ioy extreame To him they go acknowledging indeed That all their glorie did from him proceed 91 Some kisse his hands and some do kisse his feete And in most humble manner him salute They thinke for him a praise diuine were meete And powre diuine they do to him impute They send their chiefest Captaines him to meete And all of them to him do make this sute And vp to heau'n their ioyfull voyces ring That he would be their Captaine guide and king 92 Rogero vnto them this answer made That he will be their guide as they thinke best But that he will not come into Belgrade Nor staffe nor scepter touch at no request Vntill that Leon that did them inuade He haue once slaine or tane him at the least For why a thousand miles for this alone He riden had and other cause had none 93 This said forthwith he biddeth them adew And would no longer stay at their desiring But that way Leon fled did him pursew For flight it was indeed and not retyring How beit Leon and his men that knew What in such case for safetie was requiring Brake downe the bridge when they the streame had past And so as then they made the passage fast 94 Rogero failing of his first intent Did seeke some place to passe to tother side Along that streame till all that day was spent And all that night vncessantly doth ride Be time next morne vnto a towne he went To ease his wearied bodie and beside To make his horse amends for so great wrong In keeping him without a bait so long 95 Vngardo one of reckning good and state Held this same towne to Constantino deare And footmen had and horsemen got of late Since of these warres he did first tidings heare Rogero finding none to watch the gate More boldly enterd finding passage cleare The towne it selfe within he likewise found With meat and drinke and lodging to abound 96 Now where Rogero lodged that same night One of Romania happend there to oste That present was at that precedent fight When as Rogero holpe the Bulgars host And at that time did him so sore affright That though of his escaping he might bost Yet still he feard him and still did doubt him And still he thought that Vnicorne about him 97 Wherefore when as he saw that sheeld he knew This was the man that eu'n before so late So many of the Grecian armie slew Straightway he hasted to the castle gate And that he may haue audience he doth sew For matter that concernes the Realme and state But when he was admitted what he told Within the booke insuing ile vnfold How truly and vpon how iust cause mine author blameth Princes for their weake keeping promise and their continuall breaking of leagues be they made euer so solemnly I thinke our present time can witnesse in which it is hard to say whether any two Princes in Europe at this day be assured each of others loue the reason is plaiue They weigh not wrong nor right nor recken of it Further then it may tend to their owne profit And as the fault is theirs so sure they haue a great punishment for it which is that they liue in perpetuall feare one of another and euer one iealous of anothers greatnes it was a happie time if euer there was a time when it was otherwise In dame Beatrice we may note the notable ambitious humor of women specially in matching their children aboue their calling which I touched more at large in the notes of the fist booke neither are the wiser sort of men free from this folly for if they may match their daughters so as they may say my Lord my sonne they thinke they haue God almightie by the toe as the prouerbe saith whereas many times they haue the diuell by the claw but those that glorie so to make their sonnes their Lords I would haue them heare that verse of Martiall to one that called his father his Lord. Seruum te dicis natum ingenueq fateris Cum dicis dominum Sosibiane patrem A slaue thou art by birth of this I gather For euermore thou saist my Lord my father Perythous would needs take vpon him by the helpe of Theseus to steale away the daughter of the king of Molossus but being both taken Perithous was deuoured by Cerberus a great dogge that the said king kept and Theseus was after resiued by Hercules thence arose the fable that they went to hell togither to steale Proserpina for so was that kings daughter named In the many lets that Rogero hath ear he can get Bradamant the Allegorie is â—ontinued from the beginning to the end of the whole worke to shew how hardly a man comes to a true contentment and peaceable state in this world which is figured in the match with Bradamant man hauing still enemies bodily or ghostly to hinder or interrupt the same In Bradamants constant loue to Rogero he alludes to a Lady of the house of Colonna that married Luigy Gonzaga against the Popes will and many of his adherents Here end the notes of the 44. booke THE XLV BOOKE THE ARGVMENT The noble Leon doth Rogero saue In Theodoras cruell prison pent Soone after Leon doth Rogero craue To win him Bradamant he doth assent And fought with her xij houres a combat brane Of which he after did so sore repent In sorrow great he thought to end his life To thinke
And with his left hand takes the horses raine So as the Turke thereby no hurt hath done him The while he puts in vre his sword againe And with two thrusts he did the Pagan harme One in his thigh another in his arme 110 The Turke with whom a peece did yet remaine Of that same blade that was in peeces flowne Smote on Rogeros headpeece so againe As had wel-ny againe him ouerthrowne But good Rogero now perceiuing plaine His vantage that was erst to him vnknowne Takes him by his left arme with all his force And will he nill he puls him from his horse 111 Were it his strength or sleight I cannot tell But so he fell no ods was them betweene My meaning is that on his feete he fell For in the swords Rogeros odds was seene Rogero that did know his vantage well To keepe him now at bay his best doth weene It is not best for him he doth suppose With such a strong and big bon'd man to close 112 He further saw what store of blood he spilt So now he hopes by warily proceeding To force his foe to yeeld and leane the tilt Whose strength decaid stil more more with bleeding The Turke then takes the pomell and the hilt Of his owne sword and with force so exceeding Did hurle the same he smote the knight so sore He stund him more then eu'r he was before 113 It strake him twixt the shoulders aud the head And gaue to him a blow so firme and sound That good Rogero there with staggered And scant could keepe his feete vpon the ground The Turke to close with him then hast'ned But loe his foote did faile with former wound So that his too much hast as oft we see Did hurt and made him fall vpon his knee 114 Rogero lost no time in manfull wise To strike fierce Rodomont in brest or face And holds him short and so his force applies He laid him on the ground but in short space In spyte of him the Pagan doth arise And with small kindnes he doth him embrace And then they striue heaue shoue thrust to and fro And either seekes the tothers ouerthrow 115 Each striues with all his skill and his abilitie By force to lay the tother on the ground Now Rodomont was growne to some debilitie By meanes of more then one receiued wound Rogero had great practice and agilitie And vsdeto wrastle and he quickly found His vantage which he did not ouerslip But on his weakest side his foe doth trip 116 The Turke most full of wrath and of despight Vpon Rogeros necke tooke stedfast hold Now drawing toward him with all his might Now thrusting him backe from him all he could And by and by he heau'd him quite vpright As strong Antheus was in time of old Rogero notwithstanding sure doth stand And labord still to haue the vpper hand 117 Full ost the valiant knight his hold doth shift And with much prettie sleight the same did slippe In fine he doth applie one speciall drift Which was to get the Pagan on the hippe And hauing caught him right he doth him list By nymble sleight and in such wise doth trippe That downe he threw him and his fall was such His head-peece was the first that ground did tuch 118 The Turke with such an hard and heauie fall Was sore perplext and brused in such wise His wounds fell fresh on bleeding therewithall And make the place Vermillion where he lyes Rogero giues him respite verie small But keepe 's him downe and will not let him rise And presently presents his dagger point Vnto this throat and to his chiefest ioynt 119 As those that digge and search for golden ore Within Pannonian or Iberian hills Not vnderpropping sure the ground before Oft for a plague of their too greedie wills With sodaine ruine are surprisde so sore As to get forth againe doth passe their skills So was the Turke held downe and pressed so By braue Rogero his triumphant so 120 Who now his naked dagger did present Vnto the tothers vizer at his eye And with sharpe words he told him that he ment Except he yeeld to kill him by and by But Rodomont that rather then relent Or shew base mind a thousand deathes would dy No word doth speake but straue himselfe to sunder From him or if he could to get him vnder 121 Eu'n as a Mastiue fell whom Grewnd more fell Hath tyrde and in his throat now fastned hath His cruell fangs yet doth in vaine rebell Though vnder him and seekes to do some skath For still the Grewnd preuailes and doth excell In force of breath though not in rage and wrath So doth the cruell Pagan striue and straine To get from vnder him but all in vaine 122 But with long striuing and with wondrous paines He freed his better arme and void of aw His dagger that in his right hand remaines Which in this later bick'ring he did draw He seekes to stabbe into Rogeros raines But now the valiant youth the perill saw Then for his sasties sake he was constrained To kill the cruell Turke that grace disdained 123 And lifting his victorious hand on hie In that Turks face he stabd his dagger twise Vp to the hilts and quickly made him die And rid himselfe of trouble in a trise Downe to the lake where damned ghosts do lie Sunke his disdainful soule now cold as Ise Blaspheming as it went and cursing lowd That was on earth so lostie and so proud This last booke of Ariosto is so full of examples of courtesie as me thinke we should offer it great discourtesie if we should not â—ike out some good Morall from it to recommend to your considerations that haue perused and read ouer the booke the first and chiefest courtesie is in Leo that manageth the whole matter so well for Rogero knitting the consent of all parties like a well deuised Comedie then Marsisas kindnes is to be praised that would haue fought in defence of her brother honor Thirdly Ammon doth well to aske pardon of Rogero for his hard vsage then the Bulgars are to â—e allowed for their thank fulnes to make him king for his good seruice Further Charles the Emperor is to be extolled for 〈◊〉 Priâ—ely regard in honoring and feasting them so bountifully at the mariage Lastly Bradamant and the whole crew that would haue emerie one haue taken upon them Rogeros defence against Rodomont and Rogero not permitting it yet they disdained not to do him the seruice to helpe to arme him to put on his spurres to stay his horse to hold his â—â—rop in all which I doubt not but the noble minded readers will finde sufficient matter both to commend and to imitate without my further labouring to set forth the same Onely one note I may not omit yea though I were sure to be chidden by some of you faire Ladies for my labor namely the strong ambition of your sex which we call weake For you see
how my author in the 55. staffe of this Canto hath deliuered to vs that Beatrice the mother of Bradamant would neuer be wonneto accept Rogero for her sonne in-law neither for his gentrie nor his personage nor his vallew nor his wit no nor yet her daughters owne choice and affection till she heard he was chosen a king with which aspiring humour of women it seemed how that neuer too much praised Sir Philip Sidney was well acquainted with making in his Arcadia not onely the stately Pamela to reiect the naked vertue of Musidorus till she found it well clothed with the title to a seepter but euen Mistres Mopsa when she sate hooded in the tree to beg a boone of Apollo to aske nothing but to haue a king to her husband and a lusty one to and when her pitiful father Dametas for want of a better plaid Apollos part and told her she should haue husbands enough she praid donoutly they might be all kings and thus much for the Morall Aegeus king of Athens hauing no issue went to the Oracle of Apolio to know how he might do to haue a sone and receiuing a doubtfull answer asked counsell of Pythe◠〈◊〉 of Troezenes that was in those dayes counted a deepe wise man who scanning the meaning of the obscure verse which was this O time vir non ante pedem dissolueris vtri Exsertum claras quam tu remearis Athenas Good sir take heed how ear it falls what vessell you do broch Before vnto the cittie walls of Athens you approch I say Pytheus found out such a mysterie in these verses that he perswaded him ear he parted thence to take the paines or I might haue said the pleasure to lie with his daughter Ethra Aegeus hauing done the feat and being belike as many men are sorie when he had done tooke his leaue to be gone but ear he went he tooke Ethra aside and shewed her where he had hidden his sword and his shoes vnder a hollow stone of great weight charging her that if she bare a sonne so soone as he were of strength to remoue that stone she should send him with those tokens to him as priuily as may be In fine she bare that famous Theseus who comming to Athens as a stranger Medea then wise of Aegeus perswaded her husband to poyson him at a banquet to which the old man assented but while Theseus was readie to drinke Aegues saw the swors handle and calling it to mind ouerthrew the cup and saued the life of his sonne of which who so please better to enforme himselfe may reade more at large in the life of Theseus written by Plutarke In that mine author brings in for the conclusion of his whole worke that Rogero immediatly vpon his mariage to Bradamant killeth Rodomont this is the Allegoricall sence thereof that Rodomont which is to be vnderstood the vnbridled heat and courage of youth for in all Rodomonts actions you shall finde him described euer most furious hastie and impacient Rodomont I say is killed and quite vanquished by marriage and howsoeuer the vnrulinesse of youth is excusable in diners kinds yet after that holy state of matrimonie is entred into all youthfull wildnes of all kinds must be cast axay which the common saying doth proue distinquishing in ordinarie speech a bacheler from a married man by these names a good fellow and an honest man In Rodomonts punishing of himself by forswearing the vse of armor a yeare a month and a day he alludes I think to one Bucycaldo a Frenchman gouernor of Geneua who being a goodly tall man of personage was ouerthrowne and vanquished by Galeazzo Gonzaga a little man of stature but of great spirit and for that cause he vowed neuer to beare armes againe but in the death of Rodomont to shew himselfe a perfect imitator of Virgil he endethiust as Virgil ends his Aeneads with the death of Tumus Vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub vmbras Here end the notes of the 45. and last Canto of Orlando Furioso A BRIEFE AND SVMMARIE ALLEGORIE OF ORLANDO FVRIOSO NOT VNPLEASANT NOR VNPROFITABLE for those that haue read the former Poeme WHen I had finished this translation of Orlando Furioso and being almost proud in mine owne conceit that I had in these my young yeares employed my idle houres to the good liking of many those of the better sort I happened to reade in a graue and godly booke these words So diuines do hold for examples sake that the glory of S. Paule is increased dayly in heauen and shal be to the worlds end by reason of them that dayly do profue by his writing and rare examplar life upon earth as also on the contrarie part that the torments of Arius Sabellius and other wicked heretickes are continually augmented by the numbers of them who from time to time are corrupted with their seditious and pestilent writings If it had stayed there it would neuer haue troubled me but immediatly followes The like they hold of dissolute Poets and other loose writers which haue lost behind them lasciuious wanton and carnall deuices as also of negligent parents masters teachers c. This saying gentle Reader was such a cooling card to me and did so cut the combe of that pleasing conceit of mine that I could not tel whether I should repent me or not of my former taken paine For this was not a malicious taunt of a wry-looking Zoylus but a graue reprehension and commination of a deuout and diuine writer Now though the Epithetons of Dissolute and Loose make me partly presume that mine author is out of the foresaid danger whose worke cannot iustly be deemed lasciuious wanton nor carnal and though I haue spoken as I thinke sufficiendy in my Apologie to satisfie all indifferent readers both for mine authors defence and mine owne excuse yet because I know in mine owne conscience that all the verses in this worke be not so full weight but if they shal be tryed in so seuere a ballance some will be found many graines too light I would endeuour all I might to supply that detect with the more weightie and sober consideration of the Allegorie which as I haue partly touched in euery seuerall booke so now I intend to present to your consideration the whole bodie of the same to make as it were a rehearsal Oration of it which I haue placed in the latter end and as it were for a farewell as men do at a great dinner in which they haue almost surfetted vpon sundrie sorts of meats more delicate then wholsome yet in the end close vp their stomakes with a peece of a Quince or strengthen and helpe their digestion with a cuppe of Sacke whereas to a temperate feeder vpon wholsome meats both of them are supersfluous Also I do the rather place it in the end of my booke because commonly that which men reade last stickes best in their memories and so I wish
valiant seruice sticketh to him to the last but Agramants owne rashnesse and follie ouerthrowes all the good that could be done him Further these youthfull Counsellours on whom Agramant did so much relye did not onely hurt him by their fond perswasions to his ill succeeding warres but also in the middest of the heate thereof when their seruice should haue stood him in most steed annoyed him and in a manner quite confounded him with their continuall iarring and squaring among themselues about matters of small or no importance So that as Agamemnon was wont to wish for ten Nestors and could haue bene content to haue spared Achilles so Agramant had iust cause to haue wished for ten Sobrinos and to haue spared Rodomount and the other great champions And by the way it is to be noted how Poeticallie mine author sendeth Discord among them and where she was found as you might reade in the fourteenth booke Now to Agramant is on the other side opposed Charles a graue and well stayed Prince wise and valiant not parciall in doing iustice bountifull in rewarding seruices and which is all in all deuout without hypocrisie and putting indeed his affiance in God and consequently in his extremities is ayded by God and in the end obtaining a most happie victorie driuing both his enemies out of his countrie and gayning from them a great part of theirs Further my author hath set downe diuers formes as I may call it of valiant men though not all in a sort to be imitated but some rather greatlie to be reproued Mandricard is described to be exceeding full of courage and withall verie quarrelsome and yet with good successe He takes Doralyce from her guard he fights with Orlando with Rodomont with Marsisa and still he holds his owne But this good fortune is a cause to fooles of their ouerthrow for as our English Prouerb saith So oft goes the pitcher to the water at last it comes broke home Mandricard would needs quarrell with Rogero about their cognisaunce and by him is slaine after all his brauerie This is written for a warning to such as are of Mandricardos disposition to take heed of Mandricardos end Likewise in Rodomont there was exceeding strength of bodie as well as courage of minde but the same was gouerned with no deliberation which caused him to attempt and to giue ouer things attempted very sodainly which finally turned to be hurtfull to himselfe as well as to others On the other side Renaldo was a franke natured man valiant curteous Ferraw stout but too ful of cracking and therby procuring himselfe enmities Orlando ful of clemencie as well as courage Zerbino a patterne of a most noble thankful nature and though not fortunate yet most famous in despite of fortune Rogero the verie Idea and perfect example of a true knight that will by no meanes break his faith and his honour that seekes no aduantage of the inchanted sheeld that to be gratefull to Don Leon Augustus would leese both loue and life and finally that in defence of his honour killeth Rodomont Further as I haue often noted in the seuerall bookes it is a verie pleasing thing to see the due punishment of the wicked doers and the procurers of euill as besides those I haue noted you may see that none scapeth of the xxxij kings that came out of Affricke but Rogero and Sobrino the one a perswader to peace the other a iust warriour and true of his word Beside in Astolfo is a praise of learning who with his sounding horne by which is meant eloquence and with his booke betokening wisedome both the gifts of Logestilla becommeth a tamer of monsters as well as a conquerour of men and accomplisheth greater matters alone then all the rest do with their force and armes Further in the praise of learning and to moue Princes to fauour learning he shewes how onely the pen of the learned is that that preserues the good fame of Princes as for the common foolish Pamphlet-writers he condemneth them likening them to Vultures carren Crowes and chattering Pyes that are not able to saue their friends names from the lake of obliuion because their writings are not durable Thus much I thought good to note of the generall Allegorie of the whole worke to giue you occasion to ruminate as it were and better to disgest that which you before in reading did perhaps swallow downe whole without chewing Now me thinke it is euen high time to take away and bid much good do it you or at least no harme do it you or if you thinke it will for all this the best phisicke I can prescribe you is to take a leafe or two of S. Matthewes Gospell or of S. Paules Epistles and it shall restore you to your perfect health THE LIFE OF ARIOSTO BRIEFLY AND COMPENDIOVSLY GATHERED OVT OF SVNDRIE ITALIAN writers by IOHN HARINGTON THose that performed anie notable worke in their liues either for the profite of their countrey or for the aduancement of learning or in any other thing that hath made them worth the talking of after their deceasses haue for the most part both bene recorded in the Histories of their times and also had their names eternized by speciall Treatises written of their liues by which the ensuing ages might know their country their parentage their time of birth their education their disposition their actions and their end Whether it be that men are willing to prosecute their deserts with a thankfull remémbrance after their deaths as it were for a kind of recompence of their trauell in this life whether for the incouragement of those that liue to make them by vertue hunt after fame Neither onely haue men of good deserts bene praised for their vertues but also the wicked haue bene blazed for their faults that those whom desire of fame cannot allure to well doing yet feare of shame and ignominie may terrifie from leud actions In both which kinds diuerse haue employed their pennes both in former ages and now of late to the great good and delight of the studious reader Witnesse Plutarks liues called his Paralels comparing the notable men of Rome and Greece Suetonius booke of the twelue Caesars anothers after him of ten Emperours excellently written in Italian And of our owne countrie and in our owne language the Mirrour of Magistrates in which the life and fall of many great persons is very well set downe and in a good verse Now as I say this being a common custome and as it were a due reward to men of good desert no maruell if this Poet whose worke hath bene acceptable to so many thousands haue also found this fauour to haue his life written which hath bene done by three Italians that I haue read namely Gierolam Porro of Padoa Gierolamo Garofala of Ferrara and by Simon Fornari of Rheggio out of whose three reports I haue gathered this compendious treatise to satisfie such as are desirous to know who this
Ariosto was whom I haue so greatly extolled in my Apologie as a benefactor of all studious mindes and on whose worke I haue employed so much time to put it into English verse and to bestow so many notes as I haue done vpon the expounding of his Allegories and whatsoeuer else I iudged fit for the readers of weaker capacities First therefore you must know that the house or name of the Ariosti came first out of Bologna not as some haue vainely surmised deriued of the Aristij or Ariouisti for yet their name is remaining in Bologna in good account and reckning and was long since of that reputation for gentrie and wealth that Margues Obyso the third of the house of Este thought it no disparagement to him to marrie a wife out of that stocke called Lippa Ariosta This Ladie was of excellent beautie and wit and bringing with her vnto Ferrara some of the Ariosti of her kin and followers by her fauour and countenance they so well fethered their nests in Ferrara in her life that they held euer since the account of Gentlemen of the better sort But admit their familie were of good reckning before yet the excellencie of this famous man we now treate of by the consent of all that write of it hath greatly increased the account and credit thereof His fathers name was Nicholas Ariosto and both his father and vncles bare offices in their countrey of good valew his mothers name was Aria of the house of Malagutsie in Reggio as appeareth in one of his Satyres where he nameth her Now though this Lodowike Ariosto were his fathers eldest sonne yet he had foure brothers and fiue sisters the names of his brothers himselfe set downe in his second Satyre Charles Alexander Galasso and Gabriell where also he complaineth that Mercurie was no great friend to his house meaning that their wealth was but small because none of them had vsed to increase it by trafficke or merchandize Now though his father were a man of good reckning as hauing bene in his youth a companion of Duke Borso and after that an officer to Duke Hercules in a good place namely his Maiordomo which I take to signifie as much as great master or steward of his house and often employed as Ambassadour from him to the Pope and to the king of France and consequently receiued of him great preferments as well in dignities as reuenewes and fees yet it seemeth that he liued euer so at the vttermost of his abilitie that he pursed vp little to the increase of his stocke and thereby left his heire no verie rich man But to speake of the sonne of whom I chiefly intend my discourse certaine it is that from his verie childhood he shewed great tokens of forwardnes in all studie but specially in Poetrie in so much that his father yet liuing he translated the tale of Pyramus and Thisbee into verse making in a manner a Comedie of it and so caused his brothers and sisters to play it Howbeit his father being vtterly vnlearned and rather regarding what studie would be most profitable to be followed by his sonne then what his nature and inclination did best serue him to compelled him to studie the ciuill law in which hauing plodded some yeares verie displeasantly and with no great proofe at last he left it vtterly and fell to more sweete studies for the barbarousnesse of the phrase agreed not with the sharpnes of his conceit in so much that he writeth of himselfe though rather pehaps of his modestie then that it was so Passar vent ' anni mi trouaua e vopo Hauer di Pedagogo ch'a fatica Inteso haurei quel che tradusse Esopo That is to say that being twentie yeare old he had need of a schoolamaster to conster Esopes fables though I see not how that could be considering that being verie young they say he made and openly pronounced an Oration in Latine that gaue euen then great hope of him the best likelihood is that when his father set him to the Law which he had no minde vnto that then he lost his Latine againe which is soone done and so was glad to fall to it freshly after he came to mans estate which he did verie studiously reading manie bookes and especially Horace whom he studied so thorowly that he was able to expound diuers hard and obscure places in his Odes which were then not vnderstood and it is obserued that when Leo the tenth was Pope both his holinesse and diuers great Prelates in Rome fauored him greatly euen in that respect Thus as I said his naturall inclination carrying him chiefly to Poetrie he gaue himselfe to reade those Poets that were of best account both in Latine and Italian as his worke well shewes in his oft and excellent imitations of them and his gift was such that though his youngest brother Gabriel wrote reasonable well and by meanes of a lamenesse he had gaue himselfe wholly to studie yet he came so farre short of him that there was no comparison so that as one said of Tully Satis est non modo in vna familia sed in vna ciuitate esse vnum Rhetorem it is enough to haue one good Orator not onely in a family but euen in a whole Citie So one may say of Ariosto it is enough that all Italy had one so excellent a Poet. Yet he was often woont to lament as before him Petrarke and before them both Ouid is noted to haue done that his father still draue him from Poetrie as that verse witnesseth Abi lasso quando hebbi al Pegaseo melo L'eta disposta e che le fresche guancie Non si videan auchorfiorir d'vnpelo Mio padre mi caccio con spiedi e lancie Non che con sprom a volger testi e chiose Em'occupo cing anni in quelle ciancie But to proceed when he had prettilie entered himselfe in Poetrie and was of the age of foure and twentie his father departed his life and as I in part noted before left him no rich man whether that the inheritance was deuided among all the brothers as in some places of England and Wales the custome of the Gauell kinde alloweth or that his liuing stood most vpon offices and fees that dyed with him but thus they write that he was then greatly perplexed with the charge of so great a familie and with bestowing his sisters and prouiding for his brothers that he was euen readie to haue giuen ouer all his studie had not the emulation that he had with a Gentleman of his owne name and kinne called Pandolfo Ariosto still renewed in him his former disposition but in processe of time this Pandolfo dyed with which his friend and cosin were greatly discouraged and for a time againe discontinued but yet so as the world before that time had some conceit of his sharpenesse of wit and of his gift in well writing In the end being toward thirtie yeares
of brotherly loue Catalynes the chiefest familie of Spaine of the house of Arragon and are often put by myne author for the whole state of Spaine 104. Ceres called the Goddesse of come mother of Proserpina Charlemaine sonne of Pipin gathers his forces together against the Turkes pag. 1. takes vp the quarrell about Angelica pag. 2. is ouerthrowne by the Turkes ib. Charles besieged in Paris sends Renaldo into England pag. 11. He expectes the assault and maketh publicke prayers vnto God 107 his owne prayer ibidem receiues the English succours into Parish 125. heares newes of the spoyles Rodomont did 126. his Oration 128. 129. he sets on Rodomont ibidem driues him away out of Paris 138. is discomfited againe by Ferraw and made retire ibid. is rescued by Renaldo 254. Christened Marfisa 318. takes an oth of truce 323. welcomes Rogero into France 376. makes a Proclamation at request of Bradamant 385 his vprightnesse in iudging the controuersies 392. he makes a sumptuous feast at the mariage of Bradamant 398. Cimosco king of Freezeland slaine by Orlando 70. Circe a notable inchantresle daughter of the Sunne and a Nymph called Perses she turned Vlysses men into beasts Cleopatra Queene of AEgypt being feasted by Anthonie bad him to a banket and dissoluing one huge pearle in vinegar she dranke it and it was thought in that respect a banket of in estimable cost Clyteâ—â—stra wife of Agamemnon plaid the whore in his absence and killed him at his retuine it is said the had a Musician plaid chast tunes to her and so long the continued honest but when he dyed Aegistus corrupted her her sonne Orestes in reuenge of his fathers death flue her Cloridan a companion of Medore goes to seeke the carkasse of Dardanello 143. kils diuers Christians ibid. kils two Scots 146. is kild 146. Corebo one of Zerbins men hurt in defence of Isabella 97. is saued 194. D Dalinda Genewras maid saued from killing by Renaldo 29 discouers Polynessos trecherie 32 is pardoned and goes to a Nunrie 42. Danae daughter of Acrisius mother to Perseus she being lockt vp in a tower by her father that none might accompanie her it is said that Iupiter rayned a shower of gold through the tyles of the house into her lap with helpe of which shower he gather with child Danubius the greatest riuer of Europe farre North begins in Germanie and in long running it is called Istar 60 riuers fall into it and hate of them nauigable Dardanello son of Almont musters afore Agramant 105. hurteth Lurcanio 138. is killed by Renaldo 142. foud dead by Medore 143. is buried by him and the helpe of Angelica 147. Dido Queene of Carthage famous for the fabulous loue of Aeneas Discord sought by the Angell Michaell 108. found in an Abbey ibid sent to the Pagans camp ibidem beaten and sent againe 217. Doralice comming from Spaine is taken by Mandricard 106. sends priuily to Rodomont ibidem agrees well with Mandricard 107. parts Zerbino and Mandricard 193. parts Rodomont and Mandricard Lib. 24. staffe 92. borne away by a spirit in her horse 213. reiects Rodomont chuseth Mandricard 221. her speech to disswade him from fight 243. her lightnes 246. Drusillae looke tales of Marganor 308. Dudon released by Astolfos meanes and made Admirall 328. discomfireth Agramant by sea 32. fights with Rogero on land 339. giueth him seuen kings 342. comes into Paris 376. is at Bradamants mariage 402. Durindane Orlandos sword taken by Mandricard 24. booke 49. staffe wonne for Gradasso 246. lost by Gradasso in battaile with Orlando 352. giuen to Rogero by Orlando 375. E Ebuda I finde no such Ile but Ebude belles in our Brittish sea Encelladus the greatest of all the Giants that rebelled against Iupiter for this cause they faine that he was laid vnder mount Aetua and that the cause of the earthquaks there is when he sturres to change sides Erichtonius sonne of Vulcan had feete like a Serpent and deuised a coach to hide them 307. Euadne wife of Capaneus kild with lightnight at the assault of Thebes his bodie being burned as the manner of buriall was in those dayes his wife leapt into the fire with it and dyes 307. F Ferraw a Spanish knight fights with Renaldo for Angelica pag. 2. lost his helmet in the water ibidem takes Renaldo vp behind him 3. meets with the ghost of Argalia ibidem vowes to winne Orlandos helmet ibid. is in Atlants Pallace 90. freed by Angelica 91. fights with Orlando 92. pursues Angelica and sees her ibidem gets Orlandos helmet ibid. musters his band of the king of Spaines guard 104. restores the battaile lost 138. his Oration ibid ouerthrowne by Bradamant 295. Fiordeliege wife of Brandimart goeth to seeke him 63 heares of Orlandos madnesse Lib. 24. staffe 46. sees the battaile betweene Mandricard and Zerbin goeth toward Paris ibid. staffe 59. comes to Rodomonts bridge 227. tels Renaldo of Orlandos madnesse 253. finds Brandimart 254. sees him ouerthrowne and taken ib. meets Bradamant and showes her Rodomonts bridge 293. deliuers Rogero a chalenge from Bradamant 294. meetes Bardino and goeth with him to Affrica 329. finds Brandimart ibid. sees Orlando and deseries him ibidem she makes a blacke Caparison for Brandimart 344. her dreame and speech 370. her death 371. Fiametta looke tales Fiordespina looke tales Frontino the name of Rogers horse is kept by Bradamant 28. sent by her to Rogero 178. is taken by Rodomont 179. recouered by Bradamant 293. sent againe to Rogero 294 found by Orlando in a ship 344. restored to Rogero 375. his praise 389. Fusberta Renaldos sword 10. G Gabrina looke tales the flyes froÌ„ Orlando 99. meets Marfisa 158. is committed to Zerbinos protection 159. robs Pinnabels corse 179. betrayes and accuses Zerbino 180. flyes and is misused by Mandricard 182. is pardoned of life by Zerbino 194 committed to Ordickes protection and by him hanged Lib. 24. staffe 38. Ganimed is fayned by the Poets to be Iupiters cup-bearer and to haue bene caryed vp by an Eagle it is taken generally in the worst part for Bardassos Genewra looke tales Gibbellius looke Guelfs Gradasso king of Serycane taken by Atlant into the inchanted Castle 13. is deliuered by Bradamant 27. is in Atlants Palace 90. freed by Astolfo 170. come to aide Agramant 216 helps to arme Mandricard 218. fals out with him ibid. receiues Durindane of Rogero 246. fights with Renaldo 255 fights againe 273 parted and finds Bayardo 274. ships at Arlie 274. meets Agramant in great distresse 337. is one of the chalenge three to three and kils Brandimart 349. is killed by Orlando 352. Grandonio the gouernour of the Algarbies which dwell in promontorie cald Celticum Promontorium 104. Griffin fights with Orillo 117. is in loue with Origilla 118. goeth with Astolfo to the holy land ibid. heare 's of Origilla 119. he finds her 121. goeth to Damasco 129. heares his hostes tales 130. winnes the prize there 133. departs thence ibid. is betrayed by Origill and Martano ibidem is carted
Da 1 of goats Simile The hbe u in O uâ—d de treâ—ts us 3 Fle. Hâ—ud a. â—tâ—r â—luâ— uâ— quato qus Iouu igniâ—â—s actus vâ—uâ—t 〈◊〉 est vita â—esâ—â—us â—psâ— suâ— This post 〈◊〉 taketh Biâ— Bookesâ—â— Bayardoâ— to Bucepâ—â— that he in suffer noâ— quietly 〈◊〉 master Simile Albraccaâ— in the 〈◊〉 table â—â—id 1. 〈…〉 to be true 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 â—â—ope 〈…〉 The Morall The Historie Allegorie Allusion 〈…〉 first 〈…〉 sometime 〈◊〉 have some 〈◊〉 morall or 〈…〉 to the imperâ—â—ens to the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 on 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 Stiâ—â—â—â— A description of a cobat between two â—â—rghes skilfull â—theâ—r weapon â—oberta was Renaldos sword An â—â—â—ha◠〈◊〉 or rather 〈◊〉 whoâ—â— person he 〈…〉 This 〈…〉 away Bayardâ—i 〈…〉 The Bâ—◠〈…〉 on a 〈◊〉 whoâ—◠〈◊〉 depeâ—◠〈…〉 in 〈…〉 book◠〈…〉 He makes the wind to speakeâ— by a figure called â—rosopopâ—â—a He comes to hiâ— againe 4. bookâ— staffe 21. Bradamant 〈◊〉 he left in the first booke staffe 〈◊〉 Looke in the Index of names of the story of Agolant and Rogeros mother named Gaâ—iâ—câ—lla The laâ—rell the yeugh and the holily be euer greenâ— Pinnabel son of Anselmus Earlâ— of Maganza AtlaÌ„ta vn le to Rogero a great Necromancer who did worke this by enchancement Simile Aâ—lantes castle made by enchaÌ„tment So they write that 〈◊〉 armor was tempered to make it â—npenetrablâ— Simile Simile Gradâ— Rogerâ— Simile Strange because of â— is a â— that gâ— sea They 〈◊〉 triangle â—nie wrâ—â— Magâ—â—â—gician Alfana the â—are Gradasso rode â— hauing vowd neuer to rule â—orse til â—e could â—et Bayard Reâ—alados horse Many 〈◊〉 wise â—word are readier â—o beleue strange â—eports of credâ—ble â—ersons then the â—olish Of this 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 head Vâ—rtâ—s vera nobiâ— 1. Book staff 70. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The Morall Storie Allegorie Allusion Horace dum penas odio per viâ— festinas inulto Sentence Sentence Ouid beu quam difficile est crimen noÌ„ prodere vultu Booke 22. sta 7â— Merlins tombe Christ our sauiour The descriptioÌ„ of Merlins tombe out of the book of king Arthur but this is poetic all licence to faine is to be in France for it is in Wales Til doomes day In the 〈◊〉 â—ucles of 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 gain grâ—â— from the 〈◊〉 Priâ— By the 〈◊〉 these fâ—◠〈◊〉 us vnderâ— East Wâ— North 〈◊〉 South 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 * 〈…〉 〈…〉 * 〈…〉 Hugo ij Folco Atso Bertaldo Albertasso of Renaldo Atso Obyso Folco Atso 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 2. Lyonell Hercules Alfonso Hyppolito 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Hyâ—â—â—â— Franâ—â— Alfâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 The ring was stolne from Angelica A machiauiâ—â— secretarie Storie Bellarminde Redate of the â—â— Messia de viris leâ—â—e 〈…〉 is rather an 〈…〉 then a 〈…〉 of dissemâ—◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 and neces 〈…〉 as that of 〈…〉 in Tarâ—â— time to 〈…〉 himselfe the tyrant 〈…〉 〈…〉 blasing 〈…〉 for the most 〈…〉 cause great 〈…〉 Simile Horace Omnia te aducrusum spectantia nulla restrosum 〈…〉 Simile Sit at 〈…〉 arte Sentence â—entence â— The. Moore â—nque prescieris sands est nulla â—culeas Quid â—scure iuuat â— patiere 〈…〉 〈…〉 bold opiniâ— as coniurers nd spirits in â—â— or hollow ones by that â—orke their vange effects Simile 〈…〉 to heaven by an 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—mouâ— ferrest Sâ—otland Here you must begin to 〈…〉 This blodieâ— shanked be â— is desanul'â— this Iland 〈…〉 good whiâ— Geneâ—rad 〈…〉 ter to the kâ— Scots Knights 〈…〉 sworne to defâ— iustice with â— sword and â—â— leeue the 〈…〉 sed â— men should it a greater withstanding Renaldos â—on 〈◊〉 this point I ke many are â— religion Morall Historie Camd. in Britania was Somerses Allegorie Allusion Looke more at Large in the end of the booke of this morall S Teâ— câ—lleth marriage be tâ—â— Synâ—â—â—a of the bed vndefiled In these thâ— ties diuers 〈◊〉 tyrannies 〈◊〉 bene coâ—â— Nee tam 〈◊〉 equos tyrie 〈◊〉 iungit abâ—â—â— Sentence â—â—ce â—ollicie vsed â—time to woo â—aid to win â—â—stres Aetna and Vesuuio two mountaines that did cast out flames Vt ametis aâ—â— bilu esto Swordâ— The 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Duello a 〈◊〉 not bound â—swer a challeng for iustification of any report 〈◊〉 can proue it 〈◊〉 true Sentence So that he stood within ten paces of his brother Not all women 〈◊〉 unlesse women For 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 may be by the râ—â—es of Coâ—â—enreâ—giâ—â—â— Ouid Iuâ—â—â— tune fleâ—â—â— sinus at priâ—â— planxi A iust quarell is a great encouragement in fight Because of the 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 Morall Storie Allegorie Allusion 〈◊〉 a Poet to this ef â—word ubi se 〈◊〉 persomnia quentes 〈◊〉 Sentence Heâ—â—e 〈◊〉 tale of Gâ—â— He retâ—â—â— Renaldâ—â— st 16. Fogeâ—â— The Eâ—ght 〈…〉 Aretâ—â—â— in the 〈◊〉 â—irken out 〈◊〉 Ouid. â— Meâ—am Quisqâ—â—â—s â— faâ—â—â—â— Bradamant To whom Rogâ—â—â—â—as a sâ—tâ—r This hath reference to the booke called Orlandâ— Inaâ—â—oraâ—o 〈…〉 â—uidâ— Careâ—t successiâ—â— optâ— quisquis ab cuenâ—â— facts notâ—â—â—â— puâ—â—â— Simile Petrark Senseâ—â—â— Look in the Aâ—â—â—gory 〈…〉 Sentence 〈…〉 Looke 〈…〉 â—llegorie â—ie â—â—riâ— â—â—â— â—â—â—magâ—inesse â—â— to those â—â—not â—nâ—â— the alâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Horace Quaâ— poâ—tentum 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Laudaret pacem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si qua latens 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 sters a 〈◊〉 apparem 〈…〉 â—ribus â—vocem â— â—uenem crediâ—â— â—iuious â—on of â—leasure â—e offend â— eares â—his of aâ—ather â— vnâ—s haue â—es bene â—and of Of this ring look the Table 〈…〉 Sentence Simile Atlant 〈…〉 vncle 〈◊〉 master A descriptâ— an efferâ— courtur Simiâ—â— The deformitie of pleasure when it is beheld with reason Nestor liued as some retire 300 yeares Sentence Raâ—â—em locke the table Morall Historie All 〈◊〉 Allusion 〈…〉 Rogeros 〈◊〉 He followâ— warter â— staffe 33. Zerbâ—â— Sentence â—able comâ— that forâ—ations insâ— our Terms â— the ryde â— so far vp â—eur â—lowes it in â— booke â— 62. â—ica Sentence Caesar put away his wife for suspition alledging Non soluÌ„ à male sed a suspitiorâ— caâ—ondâ—rn 〈…〉 〈◊〉 He returnes to Angelica 10. bâ—oke staffe 78. Simil◠〈◊〉 â—ledge wife â—naim 〈◊〉 â—al â—orie â—gorie â—usion â—d amorum 〈◊〉 of unâ—â—ue â—he per â—odea â—ehora â—deteriora 〈◊〉 Locke in the end oâ— this book in the Allegorie Sent 〈…〉 Sentence A 〈…〉 Here 〈◊〉 tale of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defâ—of an â—h being â—ing not 〈◊〉 beâ—mpis 〈◊〉 the end â—eke in 〈◊〉 Sentence Horaece 〈…〉 â—gne of â—ourage 〈◊〉 words â—stos â—asis Simile Simile Simile Sâ—mil◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 He returnes to Orlando in the xij booke st 25. Sentence * Catull. Nil matuunt iurare nihil promittere parcunt Ouid Iupiter ex alto periuria redet amantum Tibullus-Veneris perturia vents irrita per terras freta summa ferunt Callimachus Iurauit quidem sed amatoria iuramenta deoruÌ„ non subeunt aures Sentence Sentence Foelix quem sacrunt aliena pericula cautum Ouid Flammaque de stipula nostra breuisque fuit Ouid Venator sequitur fugientia capta relinquit Simile Ouid 〈…〉 Sentence Simile Simile Simile Ouid Hit amor 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 Ouid 〈◊〉 Metâ— Que◠〈◊〉 ca
Simile Morall Historie Allegorie Allusion Sentence 〈◊〉 Virgil â—aith of Dido â—ri â—infoelix Dido totaâ— vagatur â—rbe furens Sentence Sentence Simile Sentence Simile He returneth to Orlando in the 29 booke the 41. staffe Oderik taken prosoner brought to Zerbino Almonios speech Great praise in 〈◊〉 Prince to proâ—â—â—â— innocent 〈◊〉 not malesaâ—â—â— Odrick speech Sentence Sentence Simile Sentence Sentence Sentence Sentence Odricks punishment Gabrinas death Hector Fiordeliege Astolfo de 〈◊〉 this inchantments Booke 22. At the bâ—râ—l of knights of â— order or great persons they 〈◊〉 up their arms with a sword a beadpeece Mandricard The combat betweene Mandricard Zerbino 〈◊〉 He turnes to Mandricard in this book 76. staf He returnes to Fiordeliege and Orlando both in the 29 books 44 staffe Horace hath the like to this Ah re mee si partemanima rapit Maturier vis quid morâ—â— alteral 〈◊〉 Looks in the story of the 〈◊〉 There is 〈◊〉 made 〈◊〉 marriage therefore 〈◊〉 being a 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 to her graâ—â— He 〈◊〉 bell in the 〈◊〉 booke 90 〈◊〉 â— phrase to 〈◊〉 fire out of eâ—es and to 〈…〉 see 〈◊〉 aâ— noone Simile Another phrase to strike one to make him think it night as the Spaniard that had but one eye hauing the tother strike â—n 〈◊〉 at tennis said Buenas Noches Morall Historie Allegorie Allusion Loue and ambitiâ—â— two strong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He commeth to 〈◊〉 a â—aine in be 16. booke 〈◊〉 was Fucharâ—â— to Bradaâ—ats â—â—her but evâ—â— like Bra 〈…〉 You looke in 〈◊〉 Here you may begin the tale Furdispina Of this looke â—â— the morall of the booke Sentence Looke in the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Looke in the story of the 〈◊〉 That place was Marsilies catch where Richerdet should 〈◊〉 beene burned 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Simile The end of 〈◊〉 â—ale of Fâ—â—dispina Aldiger Bertolage of 〈◊〉 house of Magaza Malagigi and Vimea 〈◊〉 Prouerbs Rogeros letter to Bradamant Prouerbe Morall Historie Allusion 〈◊〉 Marfisa 〈◊〉 Simile Virgel wrises that Bees do fight set battels many times Horace Cana perus angus Simile Flâ—nders hath 〈…〉 Of this looke in the Allegory Of King Hâ—â—â— the 8 〈◊〉 historie of the booke 〈◊〉 saith of the â—ge â—unemque â—â—sculumina â— aurae 〈◊〉 humum 〈◊〉 signauit 〈◊〉 messor fruit of coâ—â—â—â—nesse and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sentence Rodomont Mandricard Doralice Sentence Cleopatra 〈◊〉 his diâ—ressent Prince 〈◊〉 Eagle The Eagle was â—â—nd to beare vp â—word to Iupiter Simile Simile Simile Medew and aâ—â—able ground Rodomont was sonne of Vlieâ—â— king of Algiov Simile Morall Historie Allegorie Allusion 〈◊〉 wits 〈◊〉 sudden theÌ„ 〈◊〉 Lib. 2. Simile Simile Simile 〈◊〉 Mors 〈…〉 Virg. Stat 〈◊〉 dies Simile 〈…〉 the Foxe 〈◊〉 Proueâ—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 againe 〈◊〉 beaten Discord among the PagaÌ„ 〈◊〉 Tully noting a man of light behaviour said he was a man of two colours Gradasso and Mandricard fell out about the sword 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 froena 〈◊〉 spumantia 〈◊〉 A latin prouerb Dentibus vâ— gutbus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A 〈…〉 possible to be true 〈◊〉 a sage 〈◊〉 seller 〈…〉 most true 〈◊〉 Sentence Simile Lucan hath the like of 〈◊〉 Bulls in his 2 booke of Pharsalia Rodoments 〈◊〉 against women Similia Sentence Vergol 〈…〉 Sentence Simile 〈◊〉 saith Rara 〈◊〉 in terris 〈…〉 Morall Historie Allegorie Allusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Astol 〈…〉 Two excellent painters Sentence 〈…〉 saith 〈◊〉 Clodius 〈…〉 vlcere Junenal saith of one Iberina Vnus Iberinae vir suffuit cuius illud Extorquebus ut haec ociâ—o contenta sit uno He cals 〈◊〉 â—â—ther because 〈◊〉 were back of 〈◊〉 sociâ—â—â— Sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 makes some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a smith 〈◊〉 Fiametta ImitanoÌ„ of Ouid in 1. de fallu Surget amans 〈…〉 vestigia furum Suspenso 〈…〉 gradus Her 〈…〉 made her thinke the fault found A 〈…〉 women Ouid saith 〈…〉 Sentence Sentence Horace xvi Ode 2 〈◊〉 Quid 〈…〉 cadeÌ„tes sole 〈…〉 quu 〈◊〉 Se quoquefugit Scandis 〈◊〉 virto sa naues cura nec 〈◊〉 equitum 〈◊〉 That is to say stored with corne and wine Isabella Christianitie Simile 〈…〉 pesius Morall Allusion Senâ—â—â— Simile Simile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Looke in the Allusion They are foyd so haue beene so inchaâ—nted that they could feels no paine of fire nor steele Isabella 〈…〉 of A propâ—â—â—â— all 〈◊〉 sid bease the 〈◊〉 of Isabella Moles 〈◊〉 now called 〈◊〉 Seâ—◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 of He 〈◊〉 by means 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Simile Mantell is a vesliment of solemamitie we use by Princes He returnes to Fiordehege in the 〈◊〉 booke slesse 36. and after againe 〈◊〉 51. Simila Simila Stapidious that is so say uvnderfull Viste that is so say huge or great Two son was 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Oesis the maide that the sy'de be aâ—eth bet◠〈…〉 Simile 〈◊〉 Quantum 〈◊〉 we sagâ—tta 〈◊〉 poâ—est Ouid de arte avr Fallute fallenies ex magna parto profaenum suns genus Verisas odium parse Terense Morall Historie Allegorie Allusion 〈◊〉 Paleno 〈…〉 the end 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Neseit 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is in 〈◊〉 as much compassion â—â—â—fecung of 〈◊〉 Fortunasauet 〈◊〉 as the Latine preuerbe 〈◊〉 Hereu 〈◊〉 to Orlando in the 39 book 36 staff There is 〈◊〉 of Angelica this work 〈◊〉 is almost the 〈◊〉 cause why morals between 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 states be so 〈◊〉 taken up Dorayces speech to 〈◊〉 Mandricard to peace 〈◊〉 Sentence Mâ—â—â—uards 〈◊〉 They say in Latin Malderâ—natâ—â— persue verbu 〈…〉 Ae 〈◊〉 Orlando Look inside Allussion 〈…〉 Simile He 〈◊〉 Rogeros 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 35. books Sentence â— this you may 〈◊〉 more on the 〈◊〉 end of the â—5 book Sentence Renaldo Simile Morall Historie and Allusion Against isalofic Marriage Dulcia non me rust qus non 〈…〉 Simile Sentence Sentence Zaraeâ—â—â—enses of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sauage â— would not 〈◊〉 upbraid 〈◊〉 Simile Sent. Nes imbellem fero'es progemerant aguila columbaâ— Griffâ—â— Aguiland Fur de 〈◊〉 Sentence Sansonet â—â—debege to 〈◊〉 â—â—was Zarbano They vse in camp to deuide the night into foure watches Sentence Simile 〈◊〉 Bradrâ—â— as appears â—â—be 35. booke stanza Morall The first fiftie slaues of this 32. booke are of one theâ— translator as you shall be noted in some part of the notes vpon this booke Looke hereof in the Moral 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 of this book saith thus mens sum fruelâ— lumps reâ— Lauserum 〈◊〉 Heâ—â—esse Sentence against loue 〈◊〉 Sentence 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Loose in the 〈◊〉 of this shield of gold Simile 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Simile Simile Simile Simile 〈◊〉 Sentence 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 when the 〈◊〉 ascend as 〈◊〉 as ice midle 〈◊〉 straight 〈◊〉 grow to 〈◊〉 a great 〈◊〉 in them 〈◊〉 makes the 〈◊〉 beare them 〈◊〉 though they 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 as we see 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simile Morall Historie Allegorie Allusion Of these famous drawers looke on the history of this booke This part 〈◊〉 a fiction for 〈…〉 was 〈◊〉 yeares afore Arthur 〈◊〉 Thereof in 〈◊〉 history of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉