And bless'd he might have been with her alone:
But oh! how much more happy had he none! 10
She was his care, his hope, and his delight,
Most in his thought, and ever in his sight:
Next, nay beyond his life, he held her dear;
She liv'd by him, and now he liv'd in her.
For this when ripe for marriage, he delay'd
Her nuptial bands, and kept her long a maid,
As envying any else should share a part
Of what was his, and claiming all her heart.
At length, as public decency requir'd,
And all his vassals eagerly desir'd,
With mind averse, he rather underwent
His people's will than gave his own consent.
So was she torn, as from a lover's side,
And made almost in his despite a bride.
Short were her marriage joys; for in the prime
Of youth, her lord expir'd before his time;
And to her father's court in little space
Restor❜d anew, she held a higher place;
More lov'd, and more exalted into grace.
This princess, fresh and young, and fair and wise,
The worshipp'd idol of her father's eyes,
Did all her sex in every grace exceed,
And had more wit beside than women need.
Youth, health, and ease, and most an amorous
To second nuptials had her thoughts inclin'd: And former joys had left a secret sting behind. But, prodigal in every other grant,
Her sire left unsupplied her only want;
And she, betwixt her modesty and pride,
Her wishes, which she could not help, would hide.
Resolv'd at last to lose no longer time,
And yet to please herself without a crime,
She cast her eyes around the court, to find
A worthy subject suiting to her mind,
To him in holy nuptials to be tied,
A seeming widow, and a secret bride.
Among the train of courtiers, one she found
With all the gifts of bounteous nature crown'd,
Of gentle blood; but one whose niggard fate
Had set him far below her high estate;
Guiscard his name was call'd, of blooming age,
Now squire to Tancred, and before his page:
To him, the choice of all the shining crowd,
Her heart the noble Sigismonda vow'd.
Yet hitherto she kept her love conceal'd, And with those graces every day beheld The graceful youth; and every day increas'd The raging fires that burn'd within her breast; Some secret charm did all his acts attend, And what his fortune wanted, hers could mend; Till, as the fire will force its outward way, Or in the prison pent, consume the prey; So long her earnest eyes on his were set, At length their twisted rays together met; And he surpris'd with humble joy, survey'd One sweet regard, shot by the royal maid: Not well assur'd, while doubtful hopes he nurs'd,
A second glance came gliding like the first;
And he, who saw the sharpness of the dart,
Without defence receiv'd it in his heart.
In public, though their passion wanted speech,
Yet mutual looks interpreted for each;
Time, ways, and means of meeting were denied;
But all those wants ingenious love supplied.
The inventive god, who never fails his part,
Inspires the wit, when once he warms the heart.
When Guiscard next was in the circle seen, Where Sigismonda held the place of queen, A hollow cane within her hand she brought, But in the concave had enclos'd a note; With this she seem'd to play, and, as, in sport, Toss'd to her love, in presence of the court; Take it, she said; and when your needs require, This little brand will serve to light your fire. He took it with a bow, and soon divin'd The seeming toy was not for nought design'd: But when retir'd, so long with curious eyes He view'd his present, that he found the prize. Much was in little writ; and all convey'd With cautious care, for fear to be betray'd By some false confident, or favourite maid. The time, the place, the manner how to meet, Were all in punctual order plainly writ: But since a trust must be, she thought it best To put it out of laymen's power at least; And for their solemn vows prepar'd a priest. Guiscard (her secret purpose understood)
With joy prepar'd to meet the coming good;
Nor pains nor danger was resolv'd to spare,
But use the means appointed by the fair.
Next the proud palace of Salerno stood
A mount of rough ascent, and thick with wood.
Through this a cave was dug with vast expense:
The work it seem'd of some suspicious prince,
Who, when abusing power with lawless might,
From public justice would secure his flight.
The passage made by many a winding way,
Reach'd e'en the room in which the tyrant lay.
Fit for his purpose, on a lower floor,
He lodg'd, whose issue was an iron door;
From whence, by stairs descending to the ground,
In the blind grot a safe retreat he found.
Its outlet ended in a brake o'ergrown
With brambles, chok'd by time, and now unknown.
A rift there was, which from the mountain's height
Convey'd a glimmering and malignant light,
A breathing-place to draw the damps away,
A twilight of an intercepted day.
The tyrant's den, whose use, though lost to fame,
Was now the apartment of the royal dame;
The cavern only to her father known,
By him was to his darling daughter shown.
Neglected long she let the secret rest,
Till love recall'd it to her labouring breast,
And hinted as the way by heaven design'd
The teacher, by the means he taught, to blind.
What will not women do, when need inspires
Their wit, or love their inclination fires!
Though jealousy of state the invention found,
Yet love refin'd upon the former ground.
That way the tyrant had reserv'd to fly
Pursuing hate, now serv'd to bring two lovers nigh.
The dame, who long in vain had kept the key,
Bold by desire, explor'd the secret way;
Now tried the stairs, and, wading through the night,
Search'd all the deep recess, and issu'd into light.
All this her letter had so well explain'd,
The instructed youth might compass what remain'd;
The cavern's mouth alone was hard to find,
Because the path, disus'd, was out of mind:
But in what quarter of the copse it lay,
His eye by certain level could survey:
Yet (for the wood perplex'd with thorns he knew)
A frock of leather o'er his limbs he drew;
And thus provided, search'd the brake around,
Till the chok'd entry of the cave he found.
Thus, all prepar'd, the promis'd hour arriv'd, So long expected, and so well contriv'd: With love to friend, the impatient lover went, Fenc'd from the thorns, and trod the deep descent. The conscious priest, who was suborn'd before, Stood ready posted at the postern door; The maids in distant rooms were sent to rest, And nothing wanted but the invited guest. He came, and knocking thrice without delay, 155 The longing lady heard, and turn'd the key; At once invaded him with all her charms,
|