BOOK THE EIGHTH.
275
The fragments mingled. On the sunny brow
Of a fair hill, wood-circled, stood his home, 270
A pleasant dwelling, whence the ample ken
Gaz'd o'er subjected distance, and surveyed
Streams, hills, and forests, fair variety!
The traveller knew its hospitable towers,
For open were the gates, and blazed for all 275
The friendly fire. By glory lur'd, the youth
Went forth; and he had bathed his falchion's edge
In many a Frenchman's gore; now crush'd beneath
The ponderous fragments force, his mangled limbs
Lie quiv'ring.
Lo! towards the levelled moat, 280
A moving tower the men of Orleans wheel
Four stages elevate. Above was hung,
Equalling the walls, a bridge; in the lower stage
The ponderous battering-ram: a troop within
Of archers, thro' the opening, shot their shafts. 285
In the loftiest part was Conrade, so prepar'd
To mount the rampart, for he loath'd the chase,
Of a fair hill, wood-circled, stood his home, 270
A pleasant dwelling, whence the ample ken
Gaz'd o'er subjected distance, and surveyed
Streams, hills, and forests, fair variety!
The traveller knew its hospitable towers,
For open were the gates, and blazed for all 275
The friendly fire. By glory lur'd, the youth
Went forth; and he had bathed his falchion's edge
In many a Frenchman's gore; now crush'd beneath
The ponderous fragments force, his mangled limbs
Lie quiv'ring.
Lo! towards the levelled moat, 280
A moving tower the men of Orleans wheel
Four stages elevate. Above was hung,
Equalling the walls, a bridge; in the lower stage
The ponderous battering-ram: a troop within
Of archers, thro' the opening, shot their shafts. 285
In the loftiest part was Conrade, so prepar'd
To mount the rampart, for he loath'd the chase,
And
