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GIOVANNI BOCCACI

Miller:

SIGISMOND A

AND

GUIS CAR DO.

W

HILENorman Tancred in Salernoreign'd, The title of a gracious prince he gain'd; Till turn'd a tyrant in his latter days, He loft the luftre of his former praise; And from the bright meridian where he stood, Defcending, dipp'd his hands in lovers blood. This prince, of Fortune's favor long poffefs'd, Yet was with one fair daughter only bless'd;

And bless'd he might have been with her alone:
But oh! how much more happy had he none!
She was his care, his hope, and his delight,
Most in his thought, and ever in his fight:
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 vaffals eagerly defir'd,

With mind averfe, he rather underwent
His people's will, than gave his own confent.
So was the torn, as from a lover's fide,
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
Reftor'd anew, fhe held a higher place;

More lov'd, and more exalted into grace.
This princess fresh and young, and fair and wife,
The worship'd idol of her father's eyes,
Did all her fex in ev'ry grace exceed,

And had more wit befide than women need,

Youth, health, and ease, and most an amorous
mind.

To fecond nuptials had her thoughts inclin'd:
And former joys had left a secret sting behind.
But, prodigal in ev'ry other grant,

Her fire left unsupply'd her only want;

And she, betwixt her modesty and pride,,

Her wishes, which she could not help, would hide. Refolv'd at last to lofe no longer time,

And

yet to please herself without a crime, She caft her eyes around the court, to find A worthy fubject fuiting to her mind, To him in holy nuptials to be ty'd, A seeming widow, and a fecret bride. Among the train of courtiers, one fhe found With all the gifts of bounteous nature crown'd, Of gentle blood; but one whofe niggard fate Had fet him far below her high estate; Guiscard his name was call'd, of blooming age, Now fquire to Tancred, and before his page: To him, the choice of all the fhining crowd, Her heart the noble Sigifmonda vow'd.

Yet hitherto fhe kept her love conceal'd, And with those graces ev'ry day beheld The graceful youth; and ev'ry day inereas'd The raging fires that burn'd within her breast;

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