"On Roncesvalles' field already wait
Thy coming many chiefs of worth declared;
There Turpin, reverend sire, to consecrate
The solemn act with holiest rites prepared,

Saint Michel's lords, the Prince of Neustria's state,
Montleon's Gualtier, good Duke Egibard,

Avino, either Anjolin, are there,

Avolio, and the gentle Berlinghier (18).

"As marshals we before the joyous host
Are sent to meet and guide your course aright,
Myself, with Sansonetto, Asia's boast,

And gentle Baldwin, yet untried in fight,
Who, though a little month is gone at most,
Since Charles array'd, and sent him forth, a knight,
Will soon, perchance, eclipse our paler fire,
As he already shames our mean attire.”

So spake he, jesting: but the ingenuous youth,
Who, erst, Orlando's best loved page had been,
And served with matchless constancy and truth,
Advanced with modest blush yet manly mien-
"Think not, my honour'd patron, that in sooth
I would in aught but simplest garb be seen,
Such as befits a knight of worth untried :—
This is not Baldwin's, but a father's pride.

"He bade me wear this rich embroider'd vest, Which, at your bidding, gladly I restore:' Orlando strain'd the warrior to his breast

"No, wear it still-there's none can grace it more: And, be it freely, noble friend, confest,

1 never felt so true a joy before,

As now, that in thy welcome sight I see
The surest pledge of Gano's loyalty.

"For ever be ungenerous doubt," he cried,
"Offspring of idle fancy, cast away!
Now, Aldabelle, resume thy wonted pride :
Suspicion is a guest that shuns the day."
A deeper blush the cheek of Baldwin dyed—
"Suspicion!-did my noblé patron say?
Now, so sit honour on my virgin sword,
As spotless is the faith of Poictiers' lord."

So spake the son, unknowing yet the cause
That stain'd with doubt Maganza's perjured name:
And who so strange to nature's holiest laws
But loves the champion of a parent's fame ?
Orlando mark'd his warmth with just applause.
"My valiant Baldwin! on my head the blame,
Whose heedless words have hurt a soul like thine:
Henceforth, thy father's honour shall be mine."

Now must we leave the Paladins awhile.
And ye, who kindly listen to my lay,

Think they have reach'd the destined vale, where smile
Soft meadows in perennial verdure gay,
And, every side surrounding, pile o'er pile
Rise the gigantic hills, and seem to say,
Here are we fixt by Heaven's creating hand
The everlasting guardians of the land.

NOTES

ΤΟ

CANTO THE FIRST.

(1) "Milo, Clermont's lord."] The genealogy of romance makes Charlemagne and Milo of Anglante both descendants in the eighth degree from the Emperor Constantine, and even assigns to the latter the honours of the elder branch. Notwithstanding his high birth and consanguinity, this Milo was so reduced in fortune as to be judged a suitor unworthy the hand of Bertha, Charles's favourite sister; to whom being married in secret, they fled together to avoid the anger of their sovereign; and Bertha, falling in labour in a cavern at Sutri near Rome, gave birth in this situation to an infant, respecting whom Milo is thus made. to speak to his unfortunate consort as soon as she has recovered from the trance which followed her delivery: «La prima volta che io lo vidi, sì lo vidi io che il rotolava, et in Franzoso è a dire rotolare roolare....

C

Io voglio per rimemoranza che l'habbia nome Roorlando." That is to say, "The first moment I beheld him, I saw him roll himself round of his own accord; and in the French language rotolare (to roll) is called roolare (rouler): therefore, in remembrance thereof I will that he shall be named Roorlando (Roland or Orlando)." Whoever wishes to hear more concerning the loves of Milo and Bertha, and the acts of this rolling phænomenon in his infancy, must read the very ancient Italian romance of " I Reali di Francia," unless he had rather content himself with the analysis of that singular production in M. Ginguené's Hist. Litt. d'Italie, part 2. chap. 4.

(2) Oliver (Ulivieri) the brother of Alda la bella (the beautiful Alda) is called, in the old romances, Marquis of Burgundy. I cannot immediately discover his parentage, or degree of consanguinity to the hero of my poem; for he was his cousin as well as his brotherin-law. Pulci describes him throughout as a young and daring warrior, of an extremely amorous complex-. ion; but Boyardo and Ariosto have altogether changed his romantic character, giving him a beard and two full-grown men for his sons,

"Gryphon the white and Aquilant the black."

(3) Gano or Ganellon, Count of Poictiers, chiefof the Maganzese, or family of Mayence, a noble house,

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