Jerusalem Delivered Page 3

  Yet (as at games) sluggards you sit to see

  What issue will to these great actes betide:

  Now if a slave thou serve, this thy bondage

  (Doe not complaine) is justice, not outrage.

  52. A squadron next there comes in order last,

  But first for honour, valure and for art:

  Invict heroic ventrers here are plaste,

  Alias terrour, and Mars thunder dart:

  Cease Argos, Arther cease, vaine shootes you waste,

  Knights saylers, and knights errants acts t’ impart,

  For old exployts comparde with these are winde.

  Where shall we then for them fit cheaftaine finde?

  53. Dudon of Consa is their head, because

  Hard t’ was of bloud and vertue doome to geeve,

  They all agree to undergo his lawes,

  Who did of all know most, and most atcheeve,

  And grave of manlines and ripe of lawes:

  He showes in hoarie lockes of strength the preeve. (proof

  He showes of wounds not foule the printed skarres,

  The worthy steps of honour wonne in wars.

  54. Eustace is next amongst the chiefe, whose owne

  Prayse makes him great, but brother Boglion more,

  From stocke of Norway kings eke Gernand growne,

  On scepters, titles, crownes, him proud he bore:

  Roger of Balnauil mongst best is knowne:

  Old fame, and Eugerlan do there him score.

  Eke with the bravest they solemnize doo

  One Genton, one Rambald, and Gerards too.

  55. Ubald also, and Rosomond is praysd:

  Of Dutchy great of Lancaster the heire,

  Nor can Obire the Tuscane downe be peyzd (weighed, evaluated

  By him that memories away doth beare,

  Nor Lombard brothers three will be disseyzd, (deceived, cheated

  Achilles, Sforza, Palamade, of their

  Clear fame, nor Otto strong that wonne the shield

  Where serpents mouth sends forth a naked child.

  56. Nor Guasco, nor Rudolfo left behinde,

  Nor th’ one nor th’ other Guido, famous both,

  Nor Evrard, nor Gernier must slip my mind

  To passe in gratelesse silence more then loth.

  Whither do you lovers and your spouses kind?

  Gildip and Edward hale him, now that grow’th

  Of numbring wearie. O consorts in warre!

  Though dead, disjoynd you never shalbe farre.

  57. What can there not be learnd in schooles of love?

  There was she taught to waxe a warrier bolde,

  To his deere side still cleaves she, and above

  One destiny, his and her life doth holde:

  No blow that hurts but one, they ever proue

  But eche wounds smart encreast is doublefold,

  And oft the one is hit the other playnes,

  Tone bleedes at soule, the tother at the vaynes.

  58. But youth Rinaldo farre surpasseth these,

  And passeth all that to the muster went,

  Most sweetly fierce, up should you see him rayse

  His royall looke and all lookes on it spent:

  He hope oregoes, he overgrowes his dayes,

  When bud was thought but bloome, out fruit he sent:

  To such as armes him thundering saw embrace,

  Mars did he seem, love, if he shew’d his face.

  59. Him on the banck of Adige foorth brought

  Sofia to Bertold, Sofia the faire,

  To Bertold the puissant when newly rought

  From mothers teat, and yet unwayn’d welneare, (unweened

  Maved would him have, and nurst, him, and him tought

  In princely skils, and kept him still with her,

  Untill his youthly minde plight his beheast,

  T ‘ ensew the triump that sounded from the east.

  60. Then he thrice five of yeares could scantly skore,

  Yet fled alone and walkt through uncouth wayes,

  He past th’ Egean Sea and Greekish shore,

  And at the campe arrives, where far hit stayes,

  Most noble flight, well worthy that once more

  Some nephew chivalrous make like assayes:

  Three yeeres are spent, and he in wars when now

  His chyns soft downe could scarce a beard avow.

  61. The horsemen past, the muster next doth grow

  Of men on foot, and Reymond leades the way,

  Tholouse he rulde, and brought his souldiers from

  Mount Piren, Garon streame, and Ocean sea.

  Of thousands foure, well arm’d, well trayn’d, a show

  He makes, whom toyle or want could not affray:

  Tall were the men, and led they could not be

  By one more strong, or better skil’d then he.

  62. But thousands five doth Stephen from Amboise

  And Blois and Tours unto the service bring:

  Though sorted bright in armes and weapons choice,

  For strength or paine not worth the valewing:

  The soyle is tender, light, shapte to rejoyce,

  And like it selfe his dwellers fostering:

  In battaile first they give an onsett bold,

  But soone waxt faint, and in their courage cold.

  63. Alcasto commeth third (as Thebes by

  Was Capaneus once) of visage grim:

  Sixe thousand Swizzards commons, fierce, hardy,

  From Alpine castles levide come with him,

  Who yron wont to plowes and clots t’ apply,

  To new shapes now and worthier uses trim.

  And with the hand that kept the ragged heard,

  Seeme kingdomes to defie, are not afeard.

  64. He after saw the loftie standard splayd

  With Peters diademe and with his keyes,

  These thousands sev’n doth good Camillus lead,

  Footmen in armour bright, and huge of peyze,

  He glad the heav’ns so great a charge obeyd,

  There to renew his graundsires auncient prayse,

  Or shew at least that to valure Latine

  Or nothing lackes, or onely discipline.

  65. But now the squadrons all in musters faire

  Were marching on, and this of all the last,

  When Godfrey calles the greatest captaines neare,

  And by his words gave of his meaning taste:

  “To morow when the dawning shall appeare,

  I will that light and prest the hoast do haste,

  So as unto the sacred citie we

  May come unlookt, as much as much may be.

  64. “Prepare you all both to the journey than,

  And to the fight, and to the victorie.”

  This hardie speech of so discreet a man

  Gave ech one care, and vaunt his courage hie,

  All prest march on, when the first ray began

  To sprout, loth them broad day should there deskry,

  But Bollion provident wants not his feare,

  Though close conceald it in his breast he beare.

  65. For he by newes for certaine understood

  Th’ Egyptian king was now upon his way

  To Gaza ward, a fortresse strong and good,

  Which frontier-wise to Sirian kingdoms lay,

  Nor could he thinke a man of restlesse mood,

  In high exploits, would trifle time away,

  But him sharpe foe attends: and sayeth this

  To Henryck a true messenger of his:

  66. “Unto some frigate light get thee aboord,

  And toward Grekish soyle no sayling slake,

  There shall you meet (for have I written woord,

  From one who newes of lyes will neuer make)

  A royall youth, none braver guirt with sword,

  That part with us in warre pretends to take:

  He is the prince of Danes, and leades a band

  From
where the Pole is zenith to the land.

  67. “But for the Greekish empe’rour fraught with guile,

  With him perhaps wil use his wonted art

  To turne him backe or bend his course the while

  Farre off fron us unto some forraine part:

  My messenger and counsler true as stile, (steel? a vertical post?

  Do thou in my behalfe dispose his hart,

  To our and his owne good, and bid him speed,

  For stay were now his most unseemely deed.

  68. “Come not with him thy selfe, but tarry there

  With Greekish king so to procure us ayde,

  Which more then once he hath us promisde faire,

  And by our league thus ought not be delayde.”

  So speakes he, so informes, and gives to beare

  Letters, the which with greetings credence prayd.

  Henryck for speed a present congey takes,

  And with his thoughts a truce time Godfrey makes.

  69. Th’ ensewing day when of the lightsome east

  The gates are opned to the sunnes approch,

  The drums and trumpets gave the care no rest,

  Exhorting warriours on the way encroch.

  Thunder in heat is no such welcome guest,

  Which hope of ner showre to the world doth broch,

  As all the hardy souldiers pleasing sound

  Of warlicke instruments this shrilly sound.

  70. Straightway ech one, pricked with great desire,

  Clothed his lims with his oft worne spoyles,

  Straightway ech one musters in complet tire,

  Straightway ech one to his cheftaine recoyles,

  And the well-marshald army joyned nyre

  His ensignes all displayes to Eols broyles (Aeolus’

  And the emperiall standard stately large

  A crosse triumphant over all doth charge.

  71. This while the sunne, which in the heav’nly ground

  Still vauntage winnes, and up ascendeth hie,

  On th’ armour beates and flashes make rebound,

  And quaking lightnings cleere, which bleare the eye:

  The aire with sparckles seemes enflamed round,

  And shines like burning fire that up doth flie:

  And with the neighings fierce accordes the noyse

  Of clashing armour and the fields accloyes.

  72. The generall, who from the en’mies snares

  Desires his troups in safetie may remaine,

  Store of light horse from the maine armie pares,

  And round to scoure the coast employes their paine,

  And pioners to send before he cares,

  So for his campe an easie march to gaine,

  The pits to fil, the cragges away to take,

  And passages forclosde wide ope to make.

  73. There are no Painim forces laevide yet,

  No walls environed with trenches steepe,

  No river broad, no combrous hill to get,

  No forrest thicke their voyage backe to keepe,

  Ev’n so the king of streames on priding set,

  When as he growes past measure high and deepe,

  Beyond his banckes abroad all wrackfull goes,

  And nought is found that dare it selfe oppose.

  74. Onely the king of Trypoli, who kept

  Within well guarded walles coyne, men, and armes,

  Athwart the Frankish army might have stept,

  Yet durst he not by warre to stirre up harmes:

  But he by presents to their favour crept,

  And by his fires at home them gladly warmes.

  And such conditions of a peace doth take

  As vertuous Godfrey likes with him to make.

  75. There from Mount Seyr which uplifted hie,

  Neere to the citie stands on easterne side

  Of true beleeving wights a companie,

  Mingled in age and sexe downe flocking hide,

  And Christens presents brought for victorie,

  And glad them view, and with them talking bide,

  Admiring uncouth armes, and to Godfrey

  They prov’d true faithfull guides to shew the way.

  76. He ever butting on the salt-sea wave,

  By wayes directest doth conduct his hoast,

  Well weeting that th’ associat shipping have

  Resolv’d to sayle still hard aboord the coast,

  Which course unto his armie plenty gave

  Of vittaile, and what else was needful most:

  For him ech ile of Greece their harvest rept,

  And Creete and rocky Scio vintage kept.

  77. The bordering sea under the waight did grone

  Of the tall ships, and of the lightest pines,

  So as safe passage there was open none

  In midland sea to any Saracines.

  For mand out not from Marck and George alone

  In the Venetian and the Gene confines (Aegaean

  Came fleetes, but England, France, and Holland some

  Do send, and some from fruitfull Sicil come.

  78. And these which now together are combinde

  With soundest know of love in one consent,

  At divers shores had loden in ech kind

  What by the campe should needfully be spent.

  So when the frontire coast they freed finde

  From en’mies shipping, which are close up pent,

  With canvas spred at full they thither goes

  Where Christ for mortall men bare mortall woe.

  79. But fame foreran, the ready carrier

  Of true reports, and rumours fraught with lyes,

  That safe is joyn’d the army conquerer,

  And now sets forth and all delaying flyes,

  She of ech band makes a perticular,

  She showes their names whose prayse doth highest rise,

  She showes their vaunts, and terrible of face

  Sions usurpers ceasles doth menace.

  80. And ill lookt for perhaps brings greater ill,

  Then selfe ill doth, when it is present, beare,

  On ech uncertaine breath of rumour still

  Doubtfull hangs ev’ry mind, and ev’ry eare,

  Muttring confusde within, without doth fill

  The fields, and doleful citie all with feare.

  But th’ aged king neere perill of such losse

  Counsels savage in doubtfull hart doth tosse.

  81. Aladine is his name, who of that realme

  Newe soveraigne ruled in continuall thought:

  A man earst cruell, but that mood extreame

  His riper age part had to mildnesse wrought:

  He that conceav’d wherat the Latines ayme,

  Who of his towne the walles to batter sought.

  To auncient feare adjoyneth new suspectes,

  And dreads his foes, and dreadeth his subjectes.

  82. For in one citie mingled dwellings fall

  Of people contrarie in faith, the lesse

  And weaker part on Christ their saviour call,

  The great and stronger Mahomet professe.

  But when the king first conquer’d Sion wall,

  And there his seat to stablish did addresse,

  From common taskes the Painims he set free,

  And double lodes the Christians miserie.

  83. The thought of this his native savage mood,

  Which couched lay, and languisht cold with yeares,

  Angring eneigres and it makes new wood, (irritates

  That thirst of bloud now more than aye appeares,

  So gentle seemd a while the snakish brood,

  That to his fiercenesse turnes as sommer neares.

  And so the tamed lion takes againe

  His native fury, if he wrong sustaine.

  84. “I see,” says he, “of new conceived joy

  Undoubted signes in this unfaithfull race:

  What their sole good that proves our chiefe annoy,

  S
ole they do laugh in this our common case

  Of woe, and now perhaps their wits employ

  To guile and treason, and discourse apace,

  How me to slay, or to consorted mates,

  Mine enemies, how they may ope the the gates.

  85. “But soft not so, I will prevent (I trow)

  Their wicked purposes, I’le glut my will,

  I’l hew them downe, I’l sharpe examples show,

  I’l sucklings in their mothers bosoms kill,

  I’l fire in ech their house and temples throw,

  Such funerals shall their death rights fulfill:

  Ile offer on that sepulchre of theirs

  Their priests for sacrifice amid their preyrs.”

  86. So did this tyrant reason in his mind,

  But thought so ill conceiv’d tooke no successe:

  Yet if these innocents a pardon finde,

  Base heart, not pittie doth him thereto presse.

  For if one feare to crueltie him tinde, (inflame

  Another greater doubt bridles no lesse.

  He dreads all wayes of concord to debarre,

  And armes of conqu’ring foes t’ incense too farre.

  87. This fellon then his mad rage tempereth,

  Or rather seekes elsewhere the same to wrake,

  The countrey houses downe he ruyneth,

  And places well manur’d a pray doth make

  To flames: nought leaves he whole or sound unneath,

  Where any Franck may food or lodging take:

  The springs and brooks he soyles, and waters sound

  With deadly poysons he doth all confound.

  88. He spitefull warie is, ne ought foreslackes

  Hierusalem with new force to supply,

  On three sides strong before no helpe it lackes,

  Onely the north part least assur’d doth lye,

  But from his first suspect the same he backes,

  On that weaker flancke with rampires hye,

  And numbers great of souldiers cul’d in haste,

  Hirelings and subjects by him there are plaste.

  THE SECOND SONG

  1. While thus the tyrant doth provide to arme

  Ismen one day comes to him all alone,

  Ismen that from the tombes can draw, and warme

  Life, breath, and sence give corps whence they were gone:

  Ismen that by the sound of mumbled charme

  Can Pluto in his court cast feare upon:

  And all his divels employ in charges bad,

  And bind, and looze, as if them slaves he had.

  2. Mahound he serves, that once did Christ professe,

  Yet former rites wholy can not forgo,

  But oft to use of foulest wickednesse

  Confounds both lawes, though wel he neither know:

  And now from caves where farre off common presse,