IX. 'T was Christmas-day; in Paris all his court Charles held; the chief, I say, Orlando was; The Dane, Astolfo, there too did resort; Also Ansuigi, the gay time to pass In festival and in triumphal sport, The much renown'd St Denis being the cause; Angiolin of Bayonne, and Oliver, And gentle Belinghieri too came there: X. Avolio, and Arino, and Othone Of Normandy, and Richard Paladin, Wise Hamo, and the ancient Salemone, Walter of Lion's Mount and Baldovin, Who was the son of the sad Ganellone, Were there, exciting too much gladness in The son of Pepin :—when his knights came hither, He groan'd with joy to see them altogether. XI. But watchful fortune lurking, takes good heed « Orlando must we always then obey? XII. « A thousand times I 've been about to say, Orlando too presumptuously goes on; Here are we, counts, kings, dukes, to own thy sway, Hamo, and Otho, Ogier, Solomon, Each have to honour thee and to obey; But he has too much credit near the throne, Which we won't suffer, but are quite decided By such a boy to be no longer guided. XIII. « And even at Aspramont thou didst begin The victory was Almonte's else; his sight XIV. If thou rememberest being in Gascony, As for myself, I shall repass the mounts VOL. VII. 29 XV. «'T is fit thy grandeur should dispense relief, Displeased he was with Gan because he said it, XVI. And with the sword he would have murder'd Gan, Wanted but little to have slain him there; XVII. From Ermellina, consort of the Dane, He took Cortana, and then took Rondell, XVIII. Like him a fury counsels; his revenge XIX. Then full of wrath departed from the place, 'Midst glens obscure, and distant lands, he found, Which form'd the christian's and the pagan's bound. XX. The abbot was call'd Clermont, and by blood, Of a great mountain's brow the abbey stood, The monks could XXI. pass the convent gate no more, Nor leave their cells for water or for wood. Orlando knock'd, but none would ope, before Unto the prior it at length seem'd good; Enter'd, he said that he was taught to adore Him who was born of Mary's holiest blood, And was baptized a christian; and then show'd How to the abbey he had found his road. XXII. Said the abbot, «You are welcome; what is mine We give you freely, since that you believe With us in Mary Mother's Son divine; And that you may not, cavalier, conceive The cause of our delay to let you in To be rusticity, you shall receive The reason why our gate was barr'd to you: XXIII. «When hither to inhabit first we came These mountains, albeit that they are obscure, As you perceive, yet without fear or blame They seem'd to promise an asylum sure: From savage brutes alone, too fierce to tame, 'T was fit our quiet dwelling to secure; But now, if here we'd stay, we needs must guard Against domestic beasts with watch and ward. |