THE princess woke, and great surprise expressed; Oh! charming fair, said he, be not distressed; No savage of the woods nor giant 's nigh, A wand'ring knight alone you now descry, Delighted thus to meet a beauteous belle Such charms divine, what angel can excel!
THIS compliment was followed by his sighs, And frank confession, both from tongue and eyes; Our lover far in little time could go; At length, he offered on her to bestow, His hand and heart, and ev'ry thing beside, Which custom sanctions when we seek a bride.
WITH courtesy his offer was received, And she related what her bosom grieved; Detailed her hist'ry, but with care concealed The six gallants, as wrong to be revealed. The knight, in what he wished, indulgence got; And, while the princess much deplored her lot, The youth proposed Alaciel he should bring, To Mamolin, or Alexandria's king.
TO Mamolin? replied the princess fair, No, no--I now indeed would fain repair, (Could I my wishes have), to Zarus' court, My native country:--thither give support.
IF Cupid grant me life, rejoined the knight, You there shall go, and I'll assist your flight; To have redress, upon yourself depends, As well as to requite the best of friends; But should I perish in the bold design, Submit you must, as wills the pow'rs divine. I'll freely say, howe'er, that I regard, My services enough to claim reward.
ALACIEL readily to this agreed; And favours fondly promised to concede; T'ensure, indeed, his guarding her throughout, They were to be conferred upon the route, From time to time as onward they should go, Not all at once, but daily some to flow.
THINGS thus arranged, the fair behind the knight Got up at once, and with him took to flight. Our cavalier his servants sought to find, That, when he crossed the wood, he left behind; With these a nephew and his tutor rode; The belle a palfrey took, as more the mode, But, by her walked attentively the spark, A tale he'd now relate; at times remark The passing scene; then press his ardent flame; And thus amused our royal, beauteous dame.
THE treaty was most faithfully observed; No calculation wrong; from naught they swerved. At length they reached the sea; on ship-board got; A quick and pleasing passage was their lot; Delightfully serene, which joy increased; To land they came (from perils thought released;) At Joppa they debarked; two days remained: And when refreshed, the proper road they gained; Their escort was the lover's train alone; On Asia's shores to plunder bands are prone; By these were met our spark and lovely fair; New dangers they, alas! were forced to share.