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When the shrill trumpet sudden sounds alarms, The throng divides, the herald calls to arms; Swift o'er the plain the thund'ring courser flies, And Cadwall stands before their wond'ring eyes. Across his dazzling armour's silver light,

A baldric flam'd with glowing crimson bright; From the proud helmet, and the polish'd shield, Portentous splendour blazes on the field,

And as he moves, and shakes his plumy crest, Unusual horror seizes every breast.

As when the Greek the Dardan prince pursu'd,
And his fell lance in heav'nly blood embru'd,
Swift as he rush'd upon the prostrate foe,

His conq'ring lance just lifted for the blow,
Apollo's Ægis blaz'd before his eyes

Surpriz'd, but undismay'd, he quits the prize.
Th' astonish'd knight thus from the scarf retires,
And the rash youth who dares his force admires,

Then to the rest his beamy lance applies,

And full of fury from the barrier flies.

VOL. II.

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Nor less impatient to the dreadful course
The noble Cadwall urg'd his foaming horse:
Meanwhile the trumpet's warlike clangor's rise,
And gazing crowds assail with vows the skies.
Some to the knight with fav'ring minds incline,
Mov'd by his prowess past, and force divine:
But more to noble Cadwall wish success,
And chief the fair with happy omens bless;
Those mov'd by novelty his cause embrace,
These by his manly form, and youthful grace.
They meet. As when th' impetuous hurricane
Lifts the black billows of th' Atlantic main,
Two ships, the sport of the destroying blast,

While the loud surges lash the lab'ring mast,

Encounter.

Such the shock. Erect, unmov'd,

His strength, and courage, each brave warrior prov'd;

In fragments round the shiver'd lances fly;

Upon the plain the flound'ring coursers lie.

Now the brave youths their shining falchions wield,

And bear before their manly breasts the shield.

The batter'd mail resounds, the combat grows,

From ev'ry limb the painful moisture flows,

Thick from their arms the fiery sparkles fly,

Like the sad meteors of th' autumnal sky,
Denouncing death; now foot to foot they fight,
With eye attentive, and collected might;
Now on the sword the rapid sword receive;
Now with the lifted shield the stroke deceive.

Ill brooks the knight, for hardy deeds renown'd,
And still in ev'ry field with conquest crown'd,
The lengthen'd conflict, and as fury fires
Springs on the foe: the wary foe retires,
And while from high the flaming steel descends,
Quick glancing, shuns the ruin which impends.
The knight bends forward with the frustrate blow;
The guiltless weapon marks the sand below.

Fierce Cadwall rushes on with dreadful cries,
And with repeated strokes his rival plies;

Till low in dust the golden eagle lies.

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The heralds now the joyful victor lead,

Where his brave hands receive the prize decreed.
His beaver rais'd, the wond'ring crowd admire
His form, his youthful bloom, his eye of fire.
The royal maid the prize decreed bestows,

While her fair cheek with warmer blushes glows.

As in that season soft when April showers

Have loos'd the pregnant glebe, and wak'd the flowers,

Sweet summer by his warm caresses won,

First meets the genial radiance of the sun;

Now spreads her glowing charms, now sudden shrouds

Her timid beauties in a veil of clouds:

The gentle virgin feels the pleasing fire,

And checks, but checks in vain, the fond desire.

In Cadwall's breast while new emotions rise,

Amidst triumphal shouts, the vanquish'd victor sighs.
But Archimago, since the fatal hour

Which rescu'd fair Melissa from his pow'r,

With anguish burn'd. And now he lifts on high

His wand of force to rend with storms the sky,

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He chants the dreadful verse, whose thrilling sound

Appals the spirits of th' abyss profound.

As when, beneath some close concealment pent,

The strengthen'd fires now struggle for a vent,

First the light fumes in fleecy volumes rise,

Then spreading blacken, and involve the skies;
Dark clouds are roll'd on clouds, and night on night;

Pale horror glares, and wildly shrieks affright;

Then burst the flames. Obedient to the spell,

Thus swarm the dreadful progeny of hell.
In long succession, with terrific cries,
Fiends, after fiends, detested forms, arise:

In crowded ranks around the seer they stand;
Fearless he sees, and waves his awful wand.

Trembling the spectres stand. In thought profound

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His careful eyes he fixes on the ground;

Then, for the mighty mischief he intends,

A chosen spirit at his call attends.

As when a tiger at the close of day

Discerns, mid rustling boughs, th' approaching prey;

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