pitch The poore beasts brused members to annoynt Though he might see with this fall he had mard her Yet faine he would she should haue borne him farder 67 At last on his owne shoulder her he laid And bare her so about an arrow shoot But feeling then that she too heauie waid He leadeth her and lets her go on foot She limping follows him and still he said Come on come on but little did it bâ—â—t At last to make her her flow pace to alter About his right leg he doth her halter 68 And tels her now with ease she follow may And so to harry her he doth begin The sharpe stones lying in the rugged way Fret of her haire and afterward the skin The beast misused thus liues searse a day Orlando hath her tyde vnto his shinne He sees not nor he knows not she is ded But on he draws her as his furie led 69 And sure he would haue seru'd her such a tuch I meane his mistres if he could haue caught her Had not the vertue of that ring beene such As how to walke inuisible it taught her Ah curled be that ring and curst as much Be he that so vnluckily it brought her Else sure Orlando had reuenged then Her often wrongs to him and other men 70 Yet why wish I this curse on her alone I would the like might hap to all the kinde For in a thousand good there is not one All be so proud vnthankfull and vnkinde With flintie hearts carelesse of others mone In their owne lusts carrid most headlong blinde But more herein to speake I am forbidden Some time for saying truth one may be chidden In the death of Isabella is a not able example of chastitie which I must confesse I haue indeuoured to set foorth to the vttermost of my poore skill of a speciall loue and reuerence I bare to the name hauing had an Isabell to my mother and such an Isabell as if nature did not make me to partiall a praiser I would boldly affirme both for the honorable place she liued in and for the vertuous sort she dyed in to be worthie to whom the prophecie in the 31. staffe of this 29. booke may be worthily applyed As a better pen then mine approued by this made Epitaph and intiled in this sort A true report of mistres Isabell Harington sometime of her Maiesties-priute chamber written by a credible person that was well acquainted with her conditions A body chast a vertuous mind a temperat tongue an humble hart Secret and wise faithfull and kind true without guile milde without art A frend to peace a foe to strife a spotlesse maid a matchlesse wife And thus much for the name of Isabella In Rodomont we may see effects of incoustancie sensualitie and drunkennes all which end for the most part in fruitles repentance Whereas this fact of Isabella is preferred before that of Lucretia who killed herselfe after she was destoured I thinke that no man can instly make any comparison betweene them for the storie I will not stand long vpon to recite it being so well knowne but refer the studious reader either to Liuie who writes it in prose very faithfully or to Ouid de Fallis where it is also recorded verie Poetically and passionatly Quidfaciat pugneâ— vincetur foemina pugnans Clamet at in dextra qui vetet ensis erat Aufigiat positis vrgentur pectora palmis Tum primum externa pectora tacta manu Some perhaps will picke a prettie Allegorie in the confection that Isablla made and in deed it is a prettie receit if it be well marked It is in the 15. staffe an herbe which she named not suppose it to be trettifollie or prettifolly mingled with elder berries and rew which may signifie sage counsel and repentance and strained between harmles hands which betokens innocencie boyled on a fire of Cypres which the ancient Romanes vsed at funerals and therefore may be taken either for death or persecution or martyrdome this confection vsed in due order will be a good Antidoroner medicine against fire and sword vnder which is signified all the perils and aduersities of the world The death of Isabella alludeth or in deed is meerly taken from the like example of one Brasilla of Durazzo that in the selfe same sort deceiued a souldier and was killed her selfe as Fornarius no eth at large Here end the notes of the xxix booke THE XXX BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Strange feats by mad Orlando are atchieued Fierce Mandricard is by Rogero slaine Himselfe so hurt that all the campe belieued He had bin dead the formost of the twaine His loue with his long absence sore is grieued To breake his word his wounds do him constraine Renaldo with his kinsfolke and his frends To set his Prince at libertie intends 1 WHen men with wrath and sodaine pangs of ire Permit themselues to be orewhelmd drownd And hot reueÌ„ge that burns like flaming fire Moues hearts to hurt or tongs or hadÌ„s to wound Though after to amend it they desire Yet place of pardon seldome can be found Ah worthy Ladies I do you beseech To pardon that my former foolish speech 2 For I am growne like a diseased man That when he finds by phisicke no reliefe And now no more with patience suffer can The burning torture of his lingring griefe Doth fall to raue and rage and curse and bau Blaspheming God renouncing his beliefe But when that fit is past then would he faine But ah he cannot call it backe againe 3 Yet Ladies of your clemencie I hope I pittie shall not onely pardon finde Although I somewhat swarue from reasons scope And rash words flow from vnaduised minde She onely beare the blame that slayes my hope And for true seruice shews her selfe vnkinde That I did speake was partly of compassion With simpathy mou'd of Orlandos passion 4 Who as I partly did before declare In monstrous sort suruayd Marsilios raigne And wrought great wo great danger and great care To all the then inhabitants of Spaine I told you how he drew the silly Mare Tide to his leg till she was dead with paine And how he had so small sence in his head He drew her after him when she was dead 5 But comming to a great deepe running water He was constraind to let her there abide And for he swimmes as perfect as an Atter He quickly passed to the tother side Where then a herdman came his beasts to water And on a curtall he himselfe did ride And though he saw the madman and did view him Yet being naked he would not elchew him 6 The madman prayeth him that he would spare His horâ—e that they two might together cope I left quoth he on tother â—â—de my Mare And fast about her necke I left a rope I left her dead but yet with heed and care Of her recouerie there is good hope The herdman laugheth at his sencelesse words And
saith he be contented to lay their so delicate and daintily preserued morsels in such lothsome dishes to be daily smackt slauered binding themselues to suffer such a penance God knowes how long only to satisfie those humors of coueteousnesse and pride staruing to their griefe the third humour if they be so vertuous that is by some thought the predominant humor in that sex and many times dwels vnder the same roofe with the other two Yet surely I could rather commend his curtesan that he writes of in his Decameron who hauing bargained with a Dutchman one M. Bruffaldo for seuen dayes boord and lodging at a great rate hauing found him for one or two nights to be but an vnsauorie bed fellow she chose rather to leese those two nights hire then to endure fiue more at so painful a price But I doubt I grow too tedious while I shoot out such blots out of a Boccas Now to go forward in the morall You may note in Polynesso an enuious and trecherous mind in Ariodant the hurt of a credulous ielousie in Lurcanio the vehemencie of a wrong surmise In Polynessos intent to kill Dalinda you may obserue how wicked men often bewray their owne misdeeds with seeking to hide them In Geneuras accusation and deliuerie how God euer defends the innocent And lastly in Polynessos death how wickednesse ruines it seife For the historie of this booke either the whole is a historie or there is no matter historicall in it to be stood on Allegorie there is none in this booke at all Allusion there is in this tale of Geneura vnto a storie writteÌ„ in Alciats duello of a matron in France accused in such sort by two men and a certaine souldier of Barcellona came with a companion of his and tooke vpon them the defence of the woman and being fighting the companion of the souldier fled not withstanding he of Barcellona with his courage and vertue gat the victorie of the other two and so in strange attire went home to his country vnknowne to which Ariodant seems to allude Some others affirme that this very matter though set downe here by other names happened in Fâ—rrara to a kinsewoman of the Dukes which is here figured vnder the name of Geneura and that indeed such a practise was vsed against her by a great Lord and discouered by a damsell as is here set downe Howsoeuer it was sure the tale is a prettie comicall matter and ha â—bene written in English verse some few years past learnedly and with good grace though in â—erse of another kind by M. George Turberuil The rocke from which Ariodant leapt into the sea aliudeth to to the rocke of Lewcade where men that were mad for loue leapt into the water and washed away 〈◊〉 they thought that fancie Strabo calleth it faltus amatorius THE SIXT BOOKE THE ARGVMENT Geneurafaire to Ariodant is giuen And he a Duke is made that verie day Rogero with the Griffeth horse is driuen Unto Alcynas ile and there doth stay Amirtle in the middle strangly riuen Alcinas frauds doth unto him bewray Of which enformd he thence would haue departed But by the way he finds his purpose thwarted 1 Most wretched he that thinks by doing ill His euill deedes long to conceale and hide For though the voice and tongues of men be still By foules or beasts his sin shal be discride And God oft worketh by his secret will That sinne it selfe the sinner so doth guide That of his owne accord without request He makes his wicked doings manifest 2 The gracelesse wight Duke Polinesso thought His former fault should sure haue bin concealed If that Dalinda vnto death were brought By whom alone the same could be reuealed Thus making worse the thing before was nought He hurt the wound which time perhaps had healed And weening with more sinne the lesse to mend He hastned on his well deserued end 3 And lost at once his life his state and frends And honour to a losse as great or more Now as I sayd that vnknowne knight entends Sith euerie one to know him sought so sore And sith the king did promise large amends To shew his face which they saw oft before And Ariodant most louely did appeare Whom they thought dead as you before did heare 4 He whom Geneura wofully did waile He whom Lurcanio deemed to be dead He whom the king and court did so bewaile He that to all the realme such care had bred Doth liue the clownes report in this did faile On which false ground the rumor false was spred And yet in this the peasant did not mocke He saw him leape downe headlong from the rock 5 But as we see men oft with rash intent Are desperate and do resolue to die And straight do change that fancie and repent When vnto death they do approch more nie So Ariodant to drowne himselfe that ment Now plung'd in sea repented by and by And being of his limbes able and strong Vnto the shore he swam againe erre long 6 And much dispraising in his inward thought This fond conceit that late his minde poslest At last a blind and narrow path him brought All tyrd and wet to be an hermits guest With whom to stay in secretsort he sought Both that he might his former griefe digest And learne the truth if this same clownes report Were by Geneura tane in griefe or sport 7 There first he heard how she conceiu'd such griefeâ— As almost brought her life to wofull end He found of her they had so good beleefe They thought she would not in such sort offend He further heard except she had releefe By one that would her innocence defend It was great doubt Lurcanios acculation Would bring her to a speedie condemnation 8 And looke how loue before his heart enraged So now did wrath enflame and though he knew wel To wreake his harme his brothers life was gaged He nathles thought his act so foule and cruell That this his anger could not be asâ—waged Vnto his flame loue found such store of fewel And this the more increast his wrath begun To heare how euâ—rie one the fight did shun 9 For why Lurcanio was so stout and wise Except it were for to defend the truth Men thought he would not so the king despise And hazard life to bring Geneuras ruth Which caused euerie one his friend aduise To shunne the fight that must maintaine vntruth But Ariodant after long disputation Meanes to withstand his brothers accusation 10 Alas quoth he Ineuer shall abide Her through my cause to die in wo and paine For danger or for death what eare betide Be she once dead my life cannot remaine She is my saint in her my blisse doth bide Her golden rayes my eies light still maintaine Fall backe fall edge and be it wrong or right In her defence I am resolu'd to fight 11 I take the wrong but yet I le take the wrong And die I shall
horse 40 She hauing heard by hap vpon the way Her mistris brother was at Merlins caue Where she had bin her selfe an other day Not thinking now Rogero there to haue Him when she saw she not one word doth say To him nor any show or inckling gaue Like one that knew so well to do her arrant As she durst go sometime beside her warrant 41 But vnto Richardet she frames her tale Yet so as tother might her speeches heare How one from her a gallant courser stale Which Bradamant her mistris held full deare The horse quoth she Frontyno she did call And I had led him thirty mile well neare Marsilia toward where she bad me stay And pointed me to meet me at a day 42 So fond was I I feared no mans force Nor doubted no mans will to do me wrong When once I should but shew them how the horse Vnto Renaldos sister did belong Yet one fierce Pagan voide of all remorse Met me and tooke him from me and ere long Did meet a fo with whom I fighting left him That hath I hope by this of life bereft him 43 Rogero with this tale was so much moued That scant hereof Hyppalca made an end But Richardetto straight by him was moued Yea and coniurd as he would be his frend That this attempt might sole by him be proued And but this damsell none might him attend That she may bring him to the Pagans sight That tooke away her horse against all right 44 Stout Richardet though thinking too much wrong So oft to let another vndertake Those enterprises that to him belong Yet sith so earnestly Rogero spake He giues consent and tother staid not long But of the companie his leaue doth take And leaues them all in wonder great to see That such hie worth could in a yong man be 45 Now when Hyppalca was quite out of sight She opned to Rogero all the troth How she that counts him her beloued knight And voweth to be his by solemne oth Sent her of purpose to him this last night Which she before conceald as being loth Her mistris brother should her counsell know How she that horse vpon him did bestow 46 She told him how that he that tooke the steed Did adde these proud and scornfull words beside Because it is Rogeros horse indeed So much the rather on the horse I ride And if he will be grieu'd at this my deed Tell him I do not mind my selfe to hide For I am Rodomont he said whose name Where ere I passe filleth the world with fame 47 One might haue seene it in Rogeros face In how great dudgen this great wrong he tooke Both for the gift and giuer in like case And grosse abuse for which he did not looke He thinks what infamy and foule disgrace It were to him so great despite to brooke Which if he would then iustly eu'rybody Might take him for a dastard and a nody 48 Wherefore with heart vpon reuenge full set He followeth forthwith his female guide She that did thinke the fray vnparted yet That Rodomont and Mandricardo tride By darke blind wayes the nearest she could get Vnto the place directly she did ride But as you heard they had deferd the quarell And hasted thence to help their Liege from perell 49 And as I toucht before their hap them brought Vnto the foresaid Merlins famous caue There where before good Malagigi taught What secret meaning all the pictures haue Now had Marfisa by the rest besought Put on a womans garment passing braue Which lately for Lanfusa had bin made And so attyrd refresht her in the shade 50 When that Tartarian Prince had spide this dame Straight in his mind he plots this new found drift I will thought he by conquest win the same And giue her Rodomontee as my gift As though that loue were but a sport and game That might be sold and changed for a shift For why he thought what needs a man complaine If leesing one he do another gaine 51 Wherefore the tothers damage to repaire And that he might his owne in quiet haue And for Marfisa seemly was and faire As no man need a dame more comely craue He doth forthwith vnto them make repaire Denouncing straight the challenge stout and braue That he with those foure knights at tilt wold runne Till they slue him or he their Ladie wonne 52 Straight stept out Malagige and Viuian Both prest in her defence to breake a speare Not fearing to encounter man to man With those two Pagans they saw present there But when the fray betweene them now began Pierce Rodomont stood still and doth forbeare As comming thither with another mind And not to change his purpose first assignd 53 Now of the brothers Viuian was the first That with great might the Pagan did inuade Vpon whose crest in vaine his speare he burst His blow no hurt it did no signe it made His force was least so was his fortune worst For Mandricard more perfect in his trade With so great strength and skill his speare inforced That he was ouerthrowne and quite vnhorsed 54 To venge his brother Malagigi thought But of his thought he quickly was deceiued His force thus ouermatcht preuailed nought From off his saddle he was quickly heaued Next Aldiger his comming dearly bought For in his side a great wound he receaued So downe vpon the grasse he fell halfe dead His visage waxing pale his armorred 55 Then Richardetto came with mightie lance And prou'd himselfe by his great force to be Worthy the name of Palladine of France As oft his foes did feele his friends did see But at this time one ouerthwart mischance Did hap that downe among the rest lay he His horse wherein he put so great a trust Fell downe with him and tumbled in the dust 56 When at no other champion did appeare But all were ouerthrowne in this late fight Thinking this conquest now obtained cleare Without more stay he from his horse doth light And comming vnto her with smiling cheare Faire dame quoth he you now are mine by right You cannot it denie or once excuse it For by the lawes of battell so we vse it 57 Indeed Marfisa said it were no wrong And I were yours I grant by law of warre If I were theirs or did to them belong That you haue foiled in this present iarre But I shall make you know I hope ere long You misse your marke your aime did greatly arre I am mine owne mine owner is within me He that will haue me from my selfe must win me 58 I handle can quoth she both sword and speare And haue ere this made more then one man bleed Then cald she for her armor which was there Which by a page was brought to her with speed Off go'th her gowne and for she still did weare A slender trusse beneath her womans weed Her well shapt limbs therein were plainly seene In shape like Mars in face like Aegypts
mist And that so vnprepard he could him take And much more grieu'd it him that this disgrace Was offerd him in such an open place 50 Wherefore to be aueng'd of so great wrong He steppeth backe and out his sword he drawes The tother doth no farther time prolong Though in respect of order there was cause Nay which was more he thought himselfe so strong To fight with all at once he askt no pause But to them both at once he makes defiance In his owne strength he had so great affiance 51 This man is mad but let me with him trie it Gradasso said I le make him wise againe Nay softly quoth Rogero I deny it For this same combat doth to me pertaine Stand backe saith tone saith tother nay not I yet Backe you yet both still in their place remaine Thus do these three with mallice great and spite Strangely begin a combat tripartite 52 And sure to much confusion it had growne Had not some men more stout perhap then wise Themselues among them vndiscreetly throwne With courage great but yet with small aduise To succour others danger with their owne Yet could no force them part nor no deuise Till Agramant himselfe their dreaded Lord In person came their quarrell to accord 53 The reu'rence great that vnto him they beare Made them forthwith their forces to restraine Who straight the causes of these broiles did heare And to compound them sought but all in vaine For scant Gradasso could be made forbeare The sword so long with tother to remaine Vntil the fight were ended now in hand Of which the sequell could not yet be scand 54 Scarse had the king with words of great perswasion This quarrell new begun a while appeasd But that another strife by new occasion In Rodomontes tent them all diseasd An hurlyburly and a fierce inuasion There grows betweene two Princes sore displeasd Betweene stout Sacrapant and Rodomount As I to you will presently recount 55 King Sacarpant as late before I told Helping to arme the cruell Sarzan king With those selfe armes that Nimrod ware of old From whom this Prince his pedigree did bring Whiles he I say did curiously behold His furniture and eu'rie other thing That to his horse or vnto him belong To see they might be sure and firme and strong 56 While he that stately steed Frontino vewd That proudly champing stood vpon his bit And all his raines with snowlike some be dewd Without regard whose hands embroderd it A thought vnpleasant in his mind renewd And to his heart did seeme full neare to sit He thinks this horse was verie like in sight To one of his that Frontlat whilom hight 57 And more and more with heedfull looke still eying The markes and shape and colour of the steed After his long and verie curious prying He saw and knew it was his horse indeed Which horse from him then at Albracca lying Brunello stale for want of better heed And shewed him an vnusuall cunning knacke To steale his horse while he sate on his backe 58 Brunello stale that time more things beside By name Orlandos sword hight Balisard Angellicas faire ring of vertue tride Which she recouerd as before you heard Likewise a sword eu'n from Marfisas side This done he gaue Rogero afterward Orlandos sword and this horse to the same But to Frontino first he changd his name 59 Now then I say when Sacrapant was sure This horse was Frontlat that sometime was his And that the markes he saw did him assure That he therein tooke not his marke amis To hold his peace he could not long endure But said good sir know mine Frontino is Stolne late from me as I can make good proofe Although I trow mine owne word is inough 60 One at Albracca stale from me this steed Yet for our late acquiantance I consent Because I see that now you stand in need That you shall vse him now I am content Conditionally that first it be agreed You shall acknowledge him not yours but lent Else here I claime him as my goods and chattell And will defend my right in open battell 61 The Sarzan king that past I thinke in pride All kings and knights that euer carrid sword And past I thinke in strength and courage tride All samples that old stories vs afford Made answer thus if any man beside Durst vnto me haue spoken such a word He should haue found I tooke it in such scorne He had bin better haue bin speechles borne 62 But for our late begunne acquiantance sake I am content this at your hands to beare So as you this do as a warning take The like attempt hereafter to forbeare And if you will but harke what end I make With Mandricardo then I do not feare But you shall see such sample of my force Shall make you glad to pray me take your horse 63 Then villany is courtesie with thee Saith Sacrapant inflamd with high disdaine When you be offerd faire you cannot see Wherefore my purpose is I tell you plaine My horse shall seruice do to none but mee And with these hands I will my right maintaine And that is more if these same hands should faile I will defend my right with tooth and naile 64 Thus galling speech betweene them multiplying Till each last word the former worser made At last they sell to acts of flat defying And tone the tother fiercely doth inuade Rodomont on his strength and armes relying Yet tother so defends him with his blade And makes it so about his head to houer That seemes alone his body all to couer 65 Eu'n as a charter wheele that runnes apace Seemes to the eye all solyd firme and sound Although twixt eu'rie spoake there is a space Concealed from our sights by running round So Sacrapant seemd armed in that place Though armour then about him none was found So dextrously himselfe he then besturd As well it stood vpon him with his sword 66 But quickly Serpentino and Ferraw With naked sword in hand stept them betwixt With others more that present were and saw As friends of either part togither mixt Yet them no force nor prayre could once withdraw Their lostie hearts were on reuenge so fixt And wrath had quite so put them out of frame Till Agramant to them in person came 67 Vpon the sight of him their soueraigne Lord They both agreed their furie to withhold Who straight perswaded them to good accord And much good counsell to them both he told But peace and good perswasions they abhord And either on his manhood made him bold Their king doth but among them leese his winde For more and more he froward them doth finde 68 By no meanes Sacrapant will be intreated Vnto the Sarzan king his horse to lend Except that he as I before repeated To borrow it of him would condiscend The tother at this verie motion freated And sweares nor heauen nor he should make him bend To seek to haue by
And from that country to the sea descended And came to Sicill after trauell long And tooke Mesina and grew very strong 70 His offspring still increasing in renowne Calabria rul'd in part and thence to Phare And came at last to dwell in Mars his towne And many a noble Emperour and rare In stately Rome haue worne th' Imperiall crowne Of such as from this stocke descended are From Constance and from Constantine accounting To Pepin and his sonne them all surmounting 71 Rogero first and Iambaron of these Rouus Rambaldus and Rogero againe Of whom as Atlant told sau'd from the seas Our mother by the shore brought forth vs twaine Their acts in auncient stories they that please To looke may find them there recorded plaine Then tels he how there came king Agolant With Almont and the fire of Agramant 72 How that Kings daughter a most noble maid In feates of armes so valorous did proue That diuers Palladines she ouerlaid And then with that Rogero fell in loue And of her fathers anger not afraid Did match in Christen state as did behoue How after this one Beltram sought by treason Incestuous loue of her without all reason 73 And for that cause his brothers and his sire And his owne natiue soile he did betray And open Risa at his foes desire Which being tane and leizd on as a pray Fierce Agolant and his inflamd with ire Tooke Gallacell our mother where she lay Six months with child and put her in a bote And in the Ocean wide they let her flote 74 Marfisa all this while with gladsome cheare Vnto her new knowne brothers tale attended And in her mind reioyced much to heare That of so noble house she was descended From which Mongrana came as doth appeare And that of Clarimount so much commended Which houses both long in great fame had flourished For diuers noble persons they had nourished 75 But when of Agramant she heard him say How both his grandsire vncle and some other Consented had their father to betray And in so cruell sort to vse their mother She could not suffer any longer stay But breaking off his tale said noble brother With your good fauor you haue too much wrong To leaue your father vnreueng'd so long 76 If not in Almont nor Traianos blood You can auenge this ill sith they be gone Yet ought you to auenge it on their brood Liue you and let you Agramant alone This blot except it quickly be withstood Will shame you euer if it once be knowne That he that did this wrong not onely liueth But that to you he entertainment giueth 77 But for my part said she by Christ I vow Whom as my father did so serue I will That I will not leaue armes till I know how To venge my fathers and my mothers ill And much I shall lament and do eu'n now If in that Pagan campe you tarry still Or euer should be seene therein hereafter Except it were to worke their harme and slaughter 78 Oh how did Bradamant at this reioyce Aduising him to follow that direction And to giue eare vnto his sisters voice To leaue so vile a place and base subiection And cleaue to Charles as to the better choice Who gladly would receiue him in protection Of which she said one sure signe she did gather She heard him often so extoll his father 79 Rogero answers thus with great regard My deare to haue done this at first I ought But then indeed the troth I had not hard Whereby I might my dutie haue bin tought Now sith that Agramant hath me prefard If his destruction should by me be sought That am his seruant and a daily waitor The world might iustly deeme I were a traitor 80 But this my meaning was and so it is To find some meanes I may with honor part Which when I haue then sure I will not misse To come and to requite your great desart And that quoth he I had performd ere this Saue that a cause of which I felt the smart Enforst my stay the wounds the Tartar gaue me So as my friends had much to do to saue me 81 As she knowes well that holpe me at my need And eu'ry day did sit by my beds side Thus much he said but they that tooke good heed To all he said in earnest sort replide Howbeit at the last it was agreed That he so long with Agramant should bide Till he some honorable cause might find To leaue his master and to change his mind 82 Well quoth Marfisa if he needs will go Then let him go but I will you assure That shortly I will vse the matter so He shall not long with Agramant endure This said she vnto Bradamant but tho She told not how she would the same procure Thus for that time Rogero brake this parlie And turnd his horse to turne againe to Arlie 83 When lo they chanc'd a sodaine crie to heare Proceeding from the next adioyning vale The voice did seeme when they approched neare To be some damsels that for helpe did call But who it was hereafter you shall heare For now of force I must cut off my tale And pray you my abruptnesse to excuse For in the next you shall heare further newes In the beginning of this Canto he speakes against crueltie the most vnnoble thing that can be vsed in peace or warre for though warre of it selfe is and must needs be bloudy in the heate thereof yet hath it euer bene detested and contrary to all warlike discipline to kill those that haue no weapon in hand Wherefore noble Princes will euer make faire warres as Pirthus said in Ennius Quorum virtuti belli fortuna pepercit Horundem me libertati parcere certum est Whose life the fortune of the warres doth saue Frankly I graunt that they their freedome haue Crueltie euer proceeds from a vile mind and often from a cowardly heart that haue nothing in their minds nor mouthes but Mortui non mordent which beside it is vnchristen is also false for the Scripture saith The blood of Abel cried for vengeance and it is a better approued prouerbe in England blood will haue blood In Bradamant we further note the bad effects of iealousie In Rogero that after his long forbearance at last thought to be reuenged on Marfisa we may see that Laesa patientia fit furor Patience prouoked turnes to furie Cantelmus whose death he so much bewailed was taken in an ambushment by the Venetian armie hauing very couragiously sallied cut though Iouius writes it was against his wil with another companion of his who scaped very hardly Cantelmus had his head chopt off on the side of a galley in sight of his father against which crueltie Ariosto iustly inueyeth Astianax sonne of Hector as the most credible authors write was throwne downe from a high towre by Vlysses who in his bloudie pollicie thought good that none of the race of Priamus should be