So was he 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 wise,
The worship'd idol of her father's eyes,
Did all her fex in every grace exceed,
And had more wit befide than women need.
Youth, health, and eafe, and moft an amorous mind,
To fecond nuptials had her thoughts inclin'd
And former joys had left a secret sting behind.
But, prodigal in every other grant,
Her fire left unfupply'd her only want;
And fhe, betwixt her modefty and pride,
Her wishes, which she could not help, would hide.
Refolv'd at laft to lofe no longer time,
And yet to pleafe herself without a crime,
She caft her eyes around the court, to find
A worthy fubje&t fuiting to her mind,
To him in holy nuptials to be ty'd,
A feeming widow, and a fecret bride.
Among the train of courtiers, one the 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 eftate;
Guifcard 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 Sigifinonda vow'd.
Yet hitherto the kept her love conceal'd,.
And with thofe graces every day beheld
The graceful youth; and every day increas'd
The raging fires that burn'd within her breast;
Some fecret charm did all her acts attend,
And what his fortune wanted, hers could mend;
Till, as the fire wil force its outward way,
Or, in the prifon pent, confume the prey;
So long her earneft eyes on his were set,
At length their twisted rays together met;
And he, furpriz'd with humble joy, furvey'd
One fweet regard, fhot by the royal maid :
Not well affur'd, while doubtful hopes he nurs'd,
A fecond glance came gliding like the first ;
And he, who faw the sharpness of the dart,
Without defence receiv'd it in his heart.
In public, though their paffion wanted speech,
Yet mutual looks interpreted for each;
Time, ways, and means of meeting were deny'd;
But all thofe wants ingenious love supply'd.
Th' inventive God, who never fails his part,
Infpires the wit, when once he warms the heart.
When Guifcard next was in the circle feen,
Where Sigifmonda held the place of
queen,
A hollow cane within her hand she brought,
But in the concave had enclos'd a note
With this the feem'd to play, and, as in fport,
Tofs'd to her love, in prefence of the court;
Take it, she said; and when your needs require,
This little brand will ferve to light your fire.
He took it with a bow, and foon divin'd
The feeming toy was not for nought defign'd :
But when retir'd, fo long with curious eyes
He view'd his prefent, that he found the prize.
Much was in little writ; and all convey'd
With cautious care, for fear to be betray'd
By fome falfe confident, or favourite maid.
The time, the place, the manner how to meet,
Were all in pun&tual order plainly writ:
But, fince a truft must be, the thought it beft
To put it out of laymen's power at least;
And for their folemn vows prepar'd a priest.
Guiscard (her fecret purpose understood)
With joy prepar'd to meet the coming good;
Nor pains nor danger was refolv'd to spare,
But use the means appointed by the fair.
Next the proud palace of Salerno stood
A mount of rough afcent, and thick with wood.
Through this a cave was dug with vaft expence :
The work it seem'd of some suspicious prince,
Who, when abusing power with lawless might,
From public justice would secure his flight.
The paffage made by many a winding way,
Reach'd ev'n the room in which the tyrant lay.
Fit for his purpose, on a lower floor,
He lodg'd, whofe iffue was an iron door;
From whence, by ftairs defcending to the ground,
In the blind grot a safe retreat he found.
Its outlet ended in a brake o'ergrown
With brambles, choak'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, whofe ufe, though loft to fame,
Was now th'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 fecret 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 jealoufy of state th' invention found,
Yet love refin'd upon the former ground.
That way, the tyrant had referv'd, to fly
Pursuing hate, now ferv'd to bring two lovers nigh
The dame, who long in vain had kept the key,
Bold by defire, explor'd the secret way;
Now try'd the stairs, and, wading through the night,
Search'd all the deep recefs, and iffued into light.
All this her letter had fo well explain'd,
Th' inftructed youth might compass what remain’d;
The cavern's mouth alone was hard to find,
Because the path, difus'd, was out of mind:
But in what quarter of the copfe it lay,
His eye by certain level could furvey:
Yet (for the wood perplex'd with thorns he knew)
A frock of leather o'er his limbs he drew;
And, thus provided, fearch'd the brake around,
Till the choak'd entry of the cave he found.
Thus, all prepar'd, the promis'd hour arriv'd
So long expected, and fo well contriv'd:
With love to friend, th' impatient lover went,
Fenc'd from the thorns, and trod the deep descent.
The confcious priest, who was fuborn'd before,
Stood ready posted at the postern door;
The maids in diftant rooms were sent to rest,
And nothing wanted but th' invited guest.
He came, and knocking thrice without delay,
The longing lady heard, and turn'd the key;
At once invaded him with all her charms,
And the first step he made was in her arms:
The leathern outfide, boisterous as it was,
Gave way, and bent beneath her strict embrace:
On either fide the kiffes flew fo thick,
That neither he nor she had breath to speak.
The holy man, amaz'd at what he saw,
Made hafte to fanctify the blifs by law;
And mutter'd faft the matrimony o'er,
For fear committed fin fhould get before.
His work perform'd, he left the pair alone,
Becaufe he knew he could not go too foon;
His prefence odious, when his task was done.
What thoughts he had beseems me not to fay;
Though fome furmise he went to fast and pray,
And needed both to drive the tempting thoughts away
|