To tell then by what snare stern Fate o'ercast
Sir Mano's fortunes: On a certain day
Into his lodging secretly there passed
A damsel fair, who piteously gan pray,
And knelt to him, her mistress dear to aid:
" For if thou aid her not, none other may,
None in this evil place, " the damsel said,
" Of fair renown for actions good and brave,
Worthy to hear the prayer that I have prayed.
Hear therefore thou, and grant the boon I crave
Albeit therein such heart of peril lie
That thou mayest shun it, if thou fear the grave.
A man there lives in power and station high,
Who sometime wrought a dismal deed in Rome,
The fame of which lurks in obscurity:
For horrors here on horrors quickly come,
Like raindrops, which on one another pelt,
Obliterating each the other's room
" This man, when bold Crescentius lately dealt
His blow against the Emperor, but thereby
Wrought his own fall, and bitter vengeance felt, —
This man was set in judgment's office high
By the triumphant Germans: but the place
Where he heard justice was a murderous sty.
They of the insurrection in his face
Saw ready written executioners,
Whips, irons, dungeons, and refused grace.
" Among the rest who thus in case adverse
Were cast, a certain senator was found,
Her sire to whom thy handmaid ministers. —
Noble Laurentius stood before him bound
With his two sons, who in the attempt had shared,
Which first upraised, then dashed our hopes to ground.
He for Rome's safety now his own despaired,
And was commanded to the gibbet straight,
And his two sons in equal ruin paired;
When, lo! his daughter flung her piteous weight
Before the tyrant's throne, and clasped his knees
With frantic supplication 'gainst their fate
" The ruthless man at first but bade her cease,
And with rude push of hands her prayer denied,
Threatening to add her sentence unto these:
When suddenly with changed thought he cried
To stay the deed of death: and thereto sent
Messengers to that end, who swiftly hied
For her fair face with tender ravishment
Right suddenly transformed him, as he gazed,
And unto mercy turned his cruel bent.
His own obduracy the wretch amazed:
Alas! had he to justice sooner given
What now to lust, for cursed he had been praised.
For great Laurentius' soul was gone to heaven
Ere the reprieve came nigh: his sons alone
Were rescued, who to dungeon back were driven.
" Then of her father's death such bitter moan
She made, and held his slayer in such hate
As almost turned to fear his hope new-blown:
His hope new blown, which feared to demonstrate
Its evil tenor to that sorrow true:
He only said, 'Let it thy rage abate
'That if my erring voice thy father slew,
Thy brothers by my gift in life remain'
Nor more that day did he his suit pursue.
" But in short space his thoughts returned again;
And he assayed my lady day by day,
To her entombed heart seeking in vain
Anon (false love is hasty, true can stay
For altered mind) one rage another woke,
And both her brethren threatened he to slay:
And, as she still disdained his greedy yoke,
Holding her constant mind by threats unbent,
His vengeful arm let fall indeed the stroke.
Her elder brother to the scaffold went;
And since he finds his suit no better crowned,
He threatens what remains of punishment:
Now he prepares the last, the heaviest wound,
Renewing execution on her fere,
The truest gentleman that is on ground,
The last remaining, and to her most dear. "
Sir Mano's fortunes: On a certain day
Into his lodging secretly there passed
A damsel fair, who piteously gan pray,
And knelt to him, her mistress dear to aid:
" For if thou aid her not, none other may,
None in this evil place, " the damsel said,
" Of fair renown for actions good and brave,
Worthy to hear the prayer that I have prayed.
Hear therefore thou, and grant the boon I crave
Albeit therein such heart of peril lie
That thou mayest shun it, if thou fear the grave.
A man there lives in power and station high,
Who sometime wrought a dismal deed in Rome,
The fame of which lurks in obscurity:
For horrors here on horrors quickly come,
Like raindrops, which on one another pelt,
Obliterating each the other's room
" This man, when bold Crescentius lately dealt
His blow against the Emperor, but thereby
Wrought his own fall, and bitter vengeance felt, —
This man was set in judgment's office high
By the triumphant Germans: but the place
Where he heard justice was a murderous sty.
They of the insurrection in his face
Saw ready written executioners,
Whips, irons, dungeons, and refused grace.
" Among the rest who thus in case adverse
Were cast, a certain senator was found,
Her sire to whom thy handmaid ministers. —
Noble Laurentius stood before him bound
With his two sons, who in the attempt had shared,
Which first upraised, then dashed our hopes to ground.
He for Rome's safety now his own despaired,
And was commanded to the gibbet straight,
And his two sons in equal ruin paired;
When, lo! his daughter flung her piteous weight
Before the tyrant's throne, and clasped his knees
With frantic supplication 'gainst their fate
" The ruthless man at first but bade her cease,
And with rude push of hands her prayer denied,
Threatening to add her sentence unto these:
When suddenly with changed thought he cried
To stay the deed of death: and thereto sent
Messengers to that end, who swiftly hied
For her fair face with tender ravishment
Right suddenly transformed him, as he gazed,
And unto mercy turned his cruel bent.
His own obduracy the wretch amazed:
Alas! had he to justice sooner given
What now to lust, for cursed he had been praised.
For great Laurentius' soul was gone to heaven
Ere the reprieve came nigh: his sons alone
Were rescued, who to dungeon back were driven.
" Then of her father's death such bitter moan
She made, and held his slayer in such hate
As almost turned to fear his hope new-blown:
His hope new blown, which feared to demonstrate
Its evil tenor to that sorrow true:
He only said, 'Let it thy rage abate
'That if my erring voice thy father slew,
Thy brothers by my gift in life remain'
Nor more that day did he his suit pursue.
" But in short space his thoughts returned again;
And he assayed my lady day by day,
To her entombed heart seeking in vain
Anon (false love is hasty, true can stay
For altered mind) one rage another woke,
And both her brethren threatened he to slay:
And, as she still disdained his greedy yoke,
Holding her constant mind by threats unbent,
His vengeful arm let fall indeed the stroke.
Her elder brother to the scaffold went;
And since he finds his suit no better crowned,
He threatens what remains of punishment:
Now he prepares the last, the heaviest wound,
Renewing execution on her fere,
The truest gentleman that is on ground,
The last remaining, and to her most dear. "