Jerusalem Delivered Read online

Without long stay a man she thus bespake,

  Whose haire old age did with new colour paint:

  “Ah tell me what are these, and to this death

  What fate, or fault of theirs them conduceth?”

  44. So him she prayd, and he short answered,

  But full exprest what she to learne was bent.

  She wonders much, and soone imagined

  That both these wights were equall innocent:

  Straight to forbid their death she purposed,

  So farr as prayer or force could make extent.

  She nyres the flame, she bids take it away

  (That fast approcht) and doth to sergeants say:

  45. “Not one amongst you once so hardy bee,

  This office hard, yet harder to pursew,

  Till with the king I speake, and trust you mee,

  This lingring shall none your annoyance brew.”

  The sergeants yeeld, as moved much to see

  That her so stately port, and royall hew.

  Then to the king she goes, and met him here

  Midway, he going likewise towards her.

  46. “I am (quoth she) Clorinda, you my name

  Perhaps have heard, and for defence

  Of our beliefe, and of your raygne I came.

  Like prest for ech exploit, do you dispence

  What I shall undertake, I neither shame

  The base, nor dread of highest daunts my sense.

  Will you in open field, or will you use

  My service closed in walles? I none refuse.”

  47. She peac’d, “What land so wide,” the king replyes,

  “From Asia standes, or from the source of sunne,

  Where (glorious maide) thy honour great not flyes,

  Or where thy fame hath not arrivall wonne?

  Now that thy sword his edge with mine allyes,

  My feare is past, and comfort is begunne.

  Not if an armie great my part should take,

  My hope more sured could that army make.

  48. “Now now, me seems, Godfrey beyond his dew

  Protractes the time, and where you please, demaund

  Employed to be, sole fit I deeme for you

  Exploytes, where hazard hath most honour pawned.

  To you the charge of all my martiall crew

  I here assigne: tis law what you commaund.”

  So spake the king, she courteous money payes

  Of thankes for prayse, and then thus farder sayes:

  49. “A strange case may it seeme to ech ones sense,

  That service unperform’d should guerdon have:

  Your bounty yet me cheeres, for recompence

  Of service ment, those two condemn’d I crave:

  Though if the fault do want sure evidence,

  T’ was cruell reason that such judgement gave.

  But this I silence, and I silence signes

  Expresse, through which their innocency shines.

  50. “I only say ech one holdes vaine to doubt,

  That Christians have this image stolne away.

  But from you I dissent, ne am without

  Sound reason, whereon this my gheasse I stay:

  Th’ enchanter, who this practise went about,

  A pranke urev’rend gainst our law did play.

  It not beseemes to make our church a neast

  For idols, and for others idols least.

  51. “To Mahound rather I impute above

  This straungy myracle, and he it wrought, (strange, miraculous

  To shew into his temples did behoove

  No new defilde religion be brought:

  Let Ismen his enchauntments utmost proove,

  He that in stead of armes with charmes hath fought:

  To handle steele is of us knights the scope,

  This is our grade, this is our only hope.”

  52. This sayd, she ceast, and though an irefull hart

  To pittie hardly can be drawne, yet would

  The king her gratifie, and reason part

  Perswades, part sway of her intreatie could.

  “Him move, have they of life and freedeom mart,

  (Quoth he) no nay, finde such an asker should.

  Be it pardon, or be it justice dew,

  Guiltlesse I quit, guiltie I give them you.”

  53. So were they looz’d of all haps happiest,

  The fate was certes, that Olinda prov’d:

  What act could show that in a noble brest,

  Love in the end another love hath mov’d?

  From stake to wedding goes he, spowse addrest,

  Of one condem’d, not sole of lover lov’d:

  He would with her have dyde, her will doth give,

  Since with her he dyde not, with him to live.

  54. But this suspitioius king doth parlous judge

  So great united vertuous neighbour-hed:

  And gives straight charge that both to exile trudge,

  Beyond the bounds that Jury lymited: (Jewry

  Then following his earst resolved grudge,

  Some faithfull he confines, some banished:

  Oh! how the auncient syres, surpryz’d with woe,

  Their tender younglings and sweete beds forgoe.

  55. (A sev’rancehard) he drives them sole away,

  That strong of bodie, and are stout of mind,

  But pawnd as hostages, doth force to stay

  The milder sexe, and weaker yeares behind:

  Many went wandring, some the rebels play,

  Whom more than feare could quench, anger doth tind. (irritate

  These joynd with Frankes, and them encountered,

  Selfe day when they Emaus entered.

  56. Emaus is a citie, which small space

  Doth from royall Hierusalem deprive,

  And he that for his pleasure walks soft pace,

  Parting at morne, may there at nine arrive:

  Oh! how to Frankes this newes seems full of grace,

  Oh! how their longing doth to hasting strive!

  But for the sunne was now from south declinde,

  Their captaine there to pitch his tents assigned.

  57. And pitcht they were, and Phebus fostring light,

  From Ocean was remov’d but litle space,

  When two great barons in strange vesture dight,

  And of a port as strange approch in place:

  Their fashions framed to a peacefull plight,

  Witnesse of captaines friends they beare a face.

  Ambassadours from great Egyptian

  They come, and store of squires and pages bring.

  58. Aletes is the one, from worthles rable

  Mongst basest commons dregs who up did spring:

  Yet him to kingdoms highest honours able

  Did these: a speech, sly, currant, carrying

  Fashions pliant, demeanure variable,

  In faining prompt, skillful in cousening:

  A biter at the backe by such quaint wayes,

  As when he carpeth most, he seemes to prayse.

  59. The tother is Circasian Argant cald,

  Who stranger first, did court of Egypt haunt,

  But now is mongst th’ imperiall nobles stald,

  And may of martiall chiefe preferments vaunt:

  Untreatable, unpatient, unappald,

  In armes linelesse, and peerelesse valiaunt:

  Despiser of ech god, alike as one

  That law and right sets in his sword alone.

  60. These craving audience straight unto the sight

  Of famous Godfrey by admittance drew,

  Whom on low seat, and in meane vesture dight,

  Sitting amidst his coronets they view:

  But very valure, though in recklesse plight,

  Doth to it selfe sufficing grace accrew.

  Argant a signe but slight of honour sparde,

  As one of great estate, and small reguarde.

  61. But right hand layd Aletes on his brest,
/>   And bow’d his head, and cast to ground his eyes,

  And honour’d him in ev’ry sort at best,

  As of his nation can import the guise.

  Then he began, and from his mouth sweetest

  Rivers of eloquence flow honey-wise.

  And for the Frankes now Sirian speech had learnd,

  That which he sayd was perfectly discernd.

  62. “O worthy sole, whom deigne may to obey

  This famous troup of ech heroicke knight,

  Who conquests past, and realmes that now they sway,

  Knowledge as yours, and your advices right,

  Within Alcides boundes your name to stay

  Brookes not, but ev’n mongst us takes farder flight,

  And fame hath through ech part of Egypt spred

  The tidings cleare of your great manlihed.

  63. “Nor of so many any one not lent,

  (As men to mavailes use) hath listning eare,

  But them my king, not with astonishment

  Alone, but with like great delight doth heare,

  And glad in their report oft time hath spent,

  Loving in you what they envy and feare.

  He loves your valure, and doth free elect

  With you to joyne in love, if not in sect.

  64. “So faire occasion him doth onward guide,

  With you of friendship and of peace to treat,

  And that ech sure may rest to other tyde,

  If faith cannot, let vertue worke it yeat:

  But for he learnes, you force of armes provide,

  His friend to chase from out his royall set.

  He chose ere any farder harme might growe

  We should you make his mind at full to know.

  65. “His mind is this, if pleasde you will remaine,

  With what the warre already yours hath made,

  NotJury seeke, nor th’ other parts t’ obtaine,

  Which he with fauour of his raigne doth shade:

  He promise plights you to assure againe,

  Your yet not fettled rule, if double blade

  Of yours be joyned, the hope is out of date

  For Turkes or Persians to regaine estate.

  66. “My lord, great things in smal space have you wrought

  Which in oblivion long age cannot cast,

  Armies, cities vanquisht, destroyd to nought,

  Wayes earst untrode, distresses ouerpast:

  So by your fame to fright and stoyning brought (astonishment

  Are realmes about, both farre and neerely plast.

  And though more kingdomes rest as yet to gaine,

  To gaine more glory you aspire in vaine.

  67. “Your glory highest top hath wonne its dew.

  Henceforth you fly of warre the doubtfull chaunce,

  By winning you can onely state accrew,

  But no way more your glory ought advaunce,

  Where all is lost that earst you did subdew,

  And honour too, if Fortune looke askaunce:

  Tis game of Fortune, fond and bold away,

  Gainst small uncertaine, certaine much to play.

  68. “But somes advice, whom it perhaps imports,

  That others farder conquests theirs assure,

  And end to ech attempt that lucky sorts,

  And that instinct which fervent doth enure

  High flaming harts to more and more efforts,

  Whereby thral’d people may their yoke endure:

  Will (peradventure) make you fly as farre

  From having peace, as others do the warre.

  69. “They will exhort you to ensew the way

  That is by fate so largely opened,

  And not aside this famous sword to lay,

  Whose edge hath conquest still ascertained,

  Till Mahounds sect be brought to full decay,

  Till Asia be quite abandoned:

  Sweete things to heare, entrappings very sweet,

  Which yet not feel’d extreamest dammage meet.

  70. “But if that courage blindfold not your sight,

  Nor in you darken reasons clearest ray,

  You shall perceive in making choice to fight,

  Well feare of much, but little hope you may:

  For Fortune here below oft changeth plight,

  While haps now good, now bad do joy of fray,

  And those who over high and hasty flye,

  To steepest downefals come the sooner nye.

  71. “Tell me if to thy dammage Egypt rise,

  In gold, in armes, in counsell great of might,

  If Persian, Turke, Cassans sonne likewise

  Conspirde in one hap to renew the fight,

  What force gainst such a fury can suffize?

  What place give scape to such a parlous plight?

  May be you on the Greekes lewd king affie, (make an alliance

  Whom sacred league of cov’nants doth allie.

  72. “Who knoweth not in Greeks what faith their raines?

  Yet by one treason ghesse the residew,

  Nay by a thousand, for with thousand traines

  Brewd hath your bane that myser faithlesse crew.

  Then who to stop your passage earst tooke paines,

  Prepares he now his life to spend for you?

  Who bare high wayes common to all that live

  Denide, will he his proper bloud you give?

  73. “May be you placed have your hope alone

  In bandes, of which this circuit maketh showe,

  And whom disperst you vanquisht, knit in one

  Now eke assoone to overcome you trowe,

  Though of your troopes that store is scald and gone

  Through wars and want, your selfe do see and knowe.

  And though new foes against you still encrease,

  Egyptians, Persians, Turkes, a hugy prease.

  74. “But as thing fatall grant we this pretence,

  That never weapon shall your force subdew,

  Graunt that the heav’ns thereof give evidence,

  And as your selfe expound, so be it trew,

  Yet famine shall you vanquish: what defence,

  What refuge gainst this ill (for God) have you?

  Against tis set your launce in rest, go trie

  Your sword, and faine your selfe the victorie.

  75. “The fields about burnt and destroy’d to nought

  Hath the inhabitants fore-seeing hand,

  And to closde walles, and to high turrets rought

  And stowd their fruites ere you approcht the land.

  Now you that (hardy) have them hither brought,

  Whence hope you seede ech foot and horsed band?

  And doth your living then on windes depend?

  You’ ll say your navy shall us vittailes send,

  76. “And doth your fortune then commaund the windes,

  And bind and looze them, as you best may please?

  The sea whom ech at plaints and prayer findes

  Still deafe, sole heres it you? Sole you obeyes?

  Or when a league the Turke or Persian bindes

  With warlicke force of ours, then cannot these

  Assembly make of such a mightie fleete

  As is t’ oppose against your navie meete?

  77. “My lord, a double victorie you neede,

  If you expect the honour of this warre,

  Whereas one onely losse will doubtles breede

  Great shame to you, but dammage greater farre.

  For if then yours our navie better speede,

  Foorthwith in campe you hunger-starved are:

  And if your losse light on the land, in vaine

  Your shipping shall a fruitlesse conquest gaine.

  78. “Now if in this estate you yet refuse

  A peace and truce with great Egyptian king,

  (Pardon the truth) to other your vertues

  This your counsaile is no way answering:

  But heav’ns vouchsafe that newer t
houghts you chuse

  If old likt warre, and divers end they bring,

  That Asias waylments so take breath at last,

  And of your conquests you the fruit may tast.

  79. “Nor you, who of the perill and the paines,

  And of the glory are with him consort,

  Be not so farre mis-led by fortunes traines,

  That to new warres the powerfull you exhort,

  But like the pilot, who from sea, where raignes

  Mis-hap, hath brought his ship to wished port:

  So strike you now the sayles you hoysed hie, (hoisted

  And do no more in ruthlesse flouds affie.”

  80. Aletes peac’d, his speech doth straight ensew

  A murmur soft of that heroicke race,

  And well their actions disdainefull shew

  How much against their bent his tale did trace.

  The generall about him castes his view,

  And his lookes thrice or fouretimes in the face,

  And then his eye on tothers countnance stayd,

  Who answere did attend, and thus he sayd:

  81. “Your kings message sweetly you have exprest,

  Part with a milde and part with threatfull grace.

  If I in love, or deedes in price doe rest

  With him, t’ is kind, and I his love embrace:

  But where (ambassadour) you do protest

  United warre of Painims in this case,

  I answere will, as still mine use affordes,

  Franke senses in as single meaning wordes.

  82. “Know that till now thus much we suffered

  At sea, on land, by day, and in the night,

  Only a way to have recovered

  To sacred walles of most respected sight,

  That merit might with God be favoured

  Of freeing them from such hard thralled plight:

  Nor can he grievous seeme for so good end,

  This world honour, life, and raigne to spend.

  83. “For no ambitious bent or covetise

  To this exployt edgde on, or us addrest.

  Purge from our breasts, o Father of the skies,

  So dismall plague if it in any nest,

  Ne suffer it may spread infecting wise

  Sweete venom, which bids death, as pleasures ghuest,

  But let his hand that hardest harts gently

  Doth pierce, them both unstone and mollifie.

  84. “This hand us raysd, this hath us forward led,

  From perils us, from us removing stayes,

  This playnes the hils, and dries ech rivers bed,

  The summers heat and winters cold allayes,

  Calmes flouds of sea, with tempests billowed,

  This fast and loose with windes in Lybume plays:

  From it are highest walles pierst and reverst,

  From it the armed rankes slaine and disperst.

  85. “Courage from it, from it our hope doth breed,