While absorbed in this contemplation, an unexpected danger assailed them.  A party which was placed in a wood, in order to intercept the retreating Christians, broke from its ambush upon the pair, and Bradamante, who was uncasqued, was wounded in the head.  Rogero was in a fury at this attack; and Bradamante, replacing her helmet, joined him in taking speedy vengeance on their enemies.  They cleared the field of them, but became separated in the pursuit, and Rogero, quitting the chase, wandered by hill and vale in search of her whom he had no sooner found than lost.

While pursuing this quest he fell in with two knights, whom he joined, and engaged them to assist him in the search of his companion, describing her arms, but concealing, from a certain feeling of jealousy, her quality and sex.

It was evening when they joined company, and having ridden together through the night the morning was beginning to break, when one of the strangers, fixing his eyes upon Rogero’s shield, demanded of him by what right he bore the Trojan arms.  Rogero declared his origin and race, and then, in his turn, interrogated the inquirer as to his pretensions to the cognizance of Hector, which he bore.  The stranger replied, “My name is Mandricardo, son of Agrican, the Tartar king, whom Orlando treacherously slew.  I say treacherously, for in fair fight he could not have done it.  It is in search of him that I have come to France, to take vengeance for my father, and to wrest from him Durindana, that famous sword, which belongs to me, and not to him.”  When the knights demanded to know by what right he claimed Durindana, Mandricardo thus related his history: 

“I had been, before the death of my father, a wild and reckless youth.  That event awakened my energies, and drove me forth to seek for vengeance.  Determined to owe success to nothing but my own exertions, I departed without attendants or horse or arms.  Travelling thus alone, and on foot, I espied one day a pavilion, pitched near a fountain, and entered it, intent on adventure.  I found therein a damsel of gracious aspect, who replied to my inquiries that the fountain was the work of a fairy, whose castle stood beyond a neighboring hill, where she kept watch over a treasure which many knights had tried to win, but fruitlessly, having lost their life or liberty in the attempt.  This treasure was the armor of Hector, prince of Troy, whom Achilles treacherously slew.  Nothing was wanting but his sword, Durindana, and this had fallen into the possession of a queen named Penthesilea, from whom it passed through her descendants to Almontes, whom Orlando slew, and thus became possessed of the sword.  The rest of Hector’s arms were saved and carried off by Aeneas, from whom this fairy received them in recompense of service rendered.  ’If you have the courage to attempt their acquisition,’ said the damsel, ‘I will be your guide.’”

Mandricardo went on to say that he eagerly embraced the proposal, and being provided with horse and armor by the damsel, set forth on his enterprise, the lady accompanying him.