FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   680   681   682   683   684   685   686   687   688   689   690   691   692   693   694   695   696   697   698   699   700   701   702   703   704  
705   706   707   708   709   710   711   712   713   714   715   716   717   718   719   720   721   722   723   724   725   726   727   728   729   >>   >|  
ers bore. Mantled, say rather closely muffled, goes Roland in sables next, and evermore His eyes suffused and red with weeping shows. Nor wears a gladder face Montalban's peer. At home his wound detains Sir Olivier. CLXXX The ceremonies would be long to say In verse, wherewith Sir Brandimart was mourned; The mantles, black or purple, given away; The many torches which that eve were burned. Wending to the cathedral, where the array Past on its road, were no dry eyes discerned: All sexes, ages, ranks, in pitying mood Gazed upon him so youthful, fair, and good. CLXXXI He in the church was placed; and, when with vain Lament the women had bemoaned the dead, And Kyrie Eleison, by the priestly train, And other holy orisons were said, In a fair ark, upraised on columns twain, Was reared, with sumptuous cloth of gold o'erspread. So willed Orlando; till he could be laid In sepulchre of costlier matter made: CLXXXII Nor out of Sicily the Count departs, Till porphyries he procures and alabasters, And fair designs; and in their several arts Has with large hire engaged the primest masters. Next Flordelice, arriving in those parts, Raises the quarried slabs and rich pilasters; Who, good Orlando being gone before, Is hither wafted from the Africk shore. CLXXXIII She, seeing that her tears unceasing flow, And that of long lament she never tires; Nor she, for mass or service said, her woe Can ease, or satisfy her sad desires, Vows in her heart she thence will never go Till from the wearied corse her soul expires; And builds in that fair sepulchre a cell; There shuts herself; therein for life will dwell. CLXXXIV Thither in person, having courier sent And letter, Roland goes, her thence to take; Her, would she wend to France, with goodly rent Would gift, and Galerana's inmate make; As far as Lizza convoy her, if bent On journeying to her father; for her sake If wholly she to serve her God was willed, A monastery would the warrior build. CLXXXV Still in that sepulchre she dwelt, and worn By weary penance, praying night and day, It was not long, ere by the Parcae shorn Was her life's thread: already on their way Were the three Christian warriors, homeward borne, Sorrowing and afflicted sore in mind For their fourth comrade who remained behind. CLXXXVI They would not go without a leech, w
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   680   681   682   683   684   685   686   687   688   689   690   691   692   693   694   695   696   697   698   699   700   701   702   703   704  
705   706   707   708   709   710   711   712   713   714   715   716   717   718   719   720   721   722   723   724   725   726   727   728   729   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

sepulchre

 

willed

 

Orlando

 

Roland

 

letter

 

expires

 

builds

 
courier
 

person

 

CLXXXIV


Thither
 

wearied

 
satisfy
 

lament

 

unceasing

 

desires

 
Africk
 
wafted
 

service

 
CLXXXIII

thread

 

warriors

 
Christian
 

Parcae

 

praying

 

penance

 

homeward

 

CLXXXVI

 

remained

 
comrade

afflicted

 
Sorrowing
 

fourth

 

pilasters

 
convoy
 

inmate

 
goodly
 
France
 

Galerana

 

journeying


warrior

 

CLXXXV

 
monastery
 

father

 

wholly

 

designs

 
burned
 

Wending

 

cathedral

 

torches