ROSE’S AMADIS DE GAUL. 
Lisvard, but in reality again to enjoy 
the society of the lovely Oriana. In 
passing a forest he again meets Urganda, 
to whom he renders an essential service, 
and by whose direction he bestows the 
order of knighthood upon a youth, who 
proves to be Galaor, his own brother. 
Proceeding on his advéntures, he is be- 
nighted near a castle during a heavy 
storm. 
«© Gay glittering forms athwart the case- 
a ment glance, 
_ And loud resounded minstrelsy and dance ; 
Long at the gates he shouted, in the sound 
Of mingled dance and song his cries were 
drown’d: 
At length a voice, ‘I wot some cravenknight, 
ome losel vile that fears the face of light ; 
Tience from my gates! hence while unscathed 
; .: ye may, \ 
_ And bless thy dole that sent thee not by day.’ 
h. atid e 5 / 7 
. « Caitiff accursed,’ made Amadis reply, 
* Bereft of grace, devoid of courtesy, 
Swift let my blazing torches lend their light, 
, And take my fierce defy to mortal fight.’ 
i « Bethinks me, sir,’ the taunting churl re- 
i plied, a 
_ € More ire than wit thy random speech doth 
guide ; 
With sereech owls and ill-omen’d birds of 
; night 
E wage not, 1, unprofitable fight. 
But so it please thee ill-advised remain, , 
_ Here bide the piercing cold and pelting rain, 
_ And eftsoons as Aurora's dawning lieht 
| Shall serve to guide my conqueringarmaright, 
Long wish’d for tho’ it come, [ween the day 
"Shall ill the night’s bad harbourage repay. ~ 
_ Now hold thine host excused if he retire 
_ To lead the festive dance, to joy the lyre, 
_ And with fair dames the spicy goblets quaff:’ 
He said, and ended with a churlish laugh.” 
es: 
_ Amadis, repulsed from this inhospit- 
able castle, finds shelter in the pavilion 
of a damsel, where he learns that the 
vchurlish castellan, Durdan by name, 
Was on a certain day to maintain by 
_ combat in the lists, the right of his pa- 
_ ramour to certain fiefs and lands pos- 
_ sessed by another lady. It will readily 
_ be guessed that Amadis appears as the 
adverse champion, and discomfits the 
| discourteous Durdan. He is welcomed 
\ by Lisvard, but more tenderly in a 
_ Private interview with Oriana. 
+ s6Sav, lordings gay! say damsels bright in 
ower! 
ho reap love’s sweets, and own his magic 
power, 4 
hat blissful, thoughts these fuithful lovers 
_ share? 
Vhat ceaseless transports joy the tender pair? 
For all too faint the poet's art, I wis, 
) To painiin seemly guise their rapiurous bliss.” 
599 
After some stay at King Lisvard’s 
court, Amadis resumes his profession of 
knight-errantry, and encounters Arca- 
laus, redoubted as a knight, but yet 
more terrible as an enchanter, in his own 
castle. Our hero, successful in the com- 
bat, is ‘nevertheless imprisoned in an 
enchanted chamber in the castle; and 
Arcalaus, clothed in his arms, repairs to 
the court of Lisvard, and announces 
his having slain the heir of Gaul. The 
consternation of the court, and the des- 
pair of Oriana is soon removed by the 
appearance of Amadis himself, liberated 
from the dungeon by the superior spells 
of Urganda. Meanwhile an old man 
with two knights, to whom he was ap- 
parently captive, enters the court of 
Lisvard, and commits to that monarch’s 
care a splendid crown and mantle, de- 
string that they should be restored on 
the next plenar court-day, or that the 
king should in lieu grant him a boon, 
The old man and his attendants accord- 
ingly appear at the cour pleniere, and the 
king, unable to produce the treasures 
(which had been stolen from his custody 
by enchantment), is compelled by his 
knightly faith to grant the boon de- 
manded, which is no other than the sur- 
render of Oriana to the strangers. The 
obligation of the “ boon granted” (don 
octroy’e) permitted no evasion, and the 
princess was delivered up to the dis- 
guised Arcalaus, by whose art this stra- 
tagem had been executed. Amadis was 
not in court when this extraordinary 
scene took place; but; apprized by his 
faithful squire, he waylays the ravishers, 
and dealing among them death and dis- 
comfiture, rescues from their hands the 
beloved Oriana. A bank by a fountain 
engages the lovers torest on their return 
to London. Here the lovely princess 
becomes cenveniently and obstinately 
drowsy, though Amadis attempts to 
awake her by the most endearing ca- 
resses. : 
** Or slept the damsel still, or paused the 
knight, ' i 
I wot not, 1: wo worth the daring wight 
Who steals on hytnen’s joys, and boldly wrays 
Fond love’s my*ierious rites to vulgar gaze! 
But sooth to say, if still soft slumber weigh’d 
The droopirg eyelids of the royal maid, 
A. dream ¢f more than mortal joy, I wis, 
Lapt the sweet damsel’s every sense in bliss.” 
With the mutual: happiness of the 
lovers concludes this elegant version .of 
the first book of Amudis. Mri’ Rose’s 
(29 4 
