Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem Done into English Heroicall verse, by Edward Fairefax |
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 | Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem |  |
The eleuenth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
The argument.
With graue procession, songs and psalmes deuoutHeau'ns sacred aide the Christian Lords inuoke;
That done, they scale the wall which kept them out;
The fort is almost wonne, the gates nie broke:
Godfrey is wounded by Clorinda stout,
And lost is that daies conquest by the stroke;
The Angell cures him, he returnes to fight,
But lost his labour for day lost his light.
1
The Christian armies great and puissant guide,T'assault the towne that all his thoughts had bent,
Did ladders, rammes, and engins huge prouide,
When reuerent Peter to him grauely went,
And drawing him with sober grace aside,
With words seuere thus told his high intent;
Right wel (my Lord) these earthly strengthes you moue,
But let vs first begin from heau'n aboue:
2
With publike praier, zeale, and faith deuout,The aide, assistance, and the helpe obtaine
Of all the blessed of the heau'nly rout,
With whose support you conquest sure may gaine;
First let the priestes before thine armies stout,
With sacred hymnes their holy voides straine,
And thou and all thy Lords and peeres with thee,
Of godlinesse and faith ensamples bee.
196
3
Thus spake the hermit graue in words seueare:Godfrey allow'd his counsell, sage and wise,
Of Christ the Lord (quoth he) thou seruant deare,
I yeeld to follow thy diuine aduise,
And while the Princes I assemble heare,
The great procession, songs and sacrifice,
With Bishop William, thou and Ademare,
With sacred and with solemne pompe, prepare.
4
Next morne the Bishops twaine, the heremite,And all the clarks and priests of lesse estate,
Did in the middest of the campe vnite
Within a place for praier consecrate,
Each priest adorn'd was in a surplesse white,
The Bishops dond their albes and copes of state,
Aboue their rockets button'd faire before,
And miters on their heads, like crownes they wore.
5
Peter alone (before) spred to the windeThe glorious signe of our saluation great,
With easie pace the quire come all behinde,
And hymnes and psalmes in order true repeat,
With sweet respondence in harmonious kinde
Their humble song the yeelding aire doth beat;
Lastly together went the reuerend pare
Of prelates sage, William and Ademare:
6
The mighty Duke came next, as Princes do,Without companion, marching all alone,
The Lords and captaines came by two and two,
The soldiers for their garde were arm'd each one;
With easie pace thus ordred, passing throw
The trench and rampire, to the fields they gone,
No thundring drum, no trumpet shrill they heare,
Their godly musicke psalmes and praiers weare.
7
To thee, O Father, Sonne and sacred Spright,One true, eternall, euerlasting king,
To Christes deere mother Marie virgin bright,
Psalmes of thankesgiuing and of praise they sing,
To them that angels downe from heau'n to fight
Gainst the blasphemous beast and dragon bring,
To him also that of our Sauiour good,
Washed the sacred front in Iordans flood.
197
8
Him likewise they inuoke, called the rockeWhereon the Lord (they say) his Church did reare,
Whose true successors close or else vnlocke
The blessed gates of grace and mercie deare,
And all th' elected twelue the chosen flocke,
Of his triumphant death who witnes beare,
And them by torment, slaughter, fire and sword
Who martyrs died, to confirme his word:
9
And them also whose bookes and writings tellWhat certaine path to heau'nly blisse vs leades,
And hermits good, and ancresses that dwell,
Mewed vp in walles and mumble on their beades,
And virgin nunnes in close and priuate cell,
Where (but shrift fathers) neuer mankinde treades,
On these they called and on all the rout
Of angels, martyrs, and of saints deuout.
10
Singing and saying thus the campe deuoutSpred forth her zealous squadrons broad and wide,
Towards mount Oliuet went all this rout,
So call'd of Oliue trees the hill which hide,
A mountaine knowne by fame the world throughout,
Which riseth on the cities eastren side,
From it deuided by the valley greene
Of Iosaphat, that fils the space betweene.
11
Hither the armies went, and chanted shrill,That all the deepe and hollow dales resound,
From hollow mounts and caues in euery hill,
A thousand Ecchoes also sung around,
It seem'd some quire (that sung with art and skill)
Dwelt in those sauage dennes and shadie ground,
For oft resounded from the banks they heare,
The name of Christ and of his mother deare.
12
Vpon the walles the Pagans old and yongStood husht and still, amated and amased,
At their graue order and their humble song,
At their strange pompe and customes new they gased:
But when the shew they had beholden long,
An hideous yell the wicked miscreants rased,
That with vile blasphemies the mountaines hoare,
The woods, the waters and the valleis roare.
198
13
But yet with sacred notes the hostes proceed,Though blasphemies they heare and cursed things;
So with Apolloes harpe Pan tunes his reed,
So adders hisse, where Philomela sings,
Nor flying dartes nor stones the Christians dreed,
Nor arrowes shot, nor quarries cast from flings;
But with assured faith as dreading nought
The holy worke begun to end they brought.
14
A table set they on the mountaines hightTo minister thereon the Sacrament,
In golden candlesticks a hallowed light,
At either end of virgin waxe there brent:
In costly vestments sacred William dight,
With feare and trembling to the altar went,
And praier there and seruice lowd beginnes,
Both for his owne and all the armies sinnes;
15
Humbly they heard his words that stood him nie,The rest far off vpon him bent their eies,
But when he ended had the seruice hie,
You seruants of the Lord depart he cries:
His hands he lifted than vp to the skie,
And blessed all those warlike companies;
And they dismist return'd the way they came,
Their order as before, their pompe the same.
16
Within their campe arriu'd, this voiage ended,Towards his tent the Duke himselfe withdrew,
Vpon their guide by heapes the bands attended,
Till his pauilions stately doore they vew,
There to the Lord his welfare they commended,
And with him left the worthies of the crew,
Whom at a costly and rich feast he placed,
And with the highest roome old Raimond graced.
17
Now when the hungrie knights sufficed arWith meat, with drinke, with spices of the best,
Quoth he, when next you see the morning star,
T'assault the towne be ready all and prest:
To morrow is a day of paines and war,
This of repose, of quiet, peace and rest;
Goe, take your ease this euening, and this night,
And make you strong against to morrowes fight.
199
18
They tooke their leaue, and Godfreys haralds roadTo intimate his will on euery side,
And publisht it through all the lodgings broad,
That gainst the morne each should himselfe prouide,
Meane-while they might their harts of cares vnload,
And rest their tired limmes that euening tide;
Thus fared they till night their eies did close,
Night frend to gentle rest and sweet repose.
19
With little signe as yet of springing-dayOut peept, not well appear'd the rising morne,
The plough yet tore not vp the fertile lay,
Nor to their feed the sheepe from folds retorne,
The birds sate silent on the greene wood spray
Amid the groues, vnheard was hound and horne,
When trumpets shrill true signes of hardie fights,
Call'd vp to armes the soldiers, call'd the knights:
20
Arme, arme at once an hundreth squadrons cride,And with their crie to arme them all begin,
Godfrey arose, that day he laid aside
His hawberke strong he wontes to combat in,
And dond a brestplate faire, of proofe vntride,
Such one as footmen vse, light, easie, thin:
Scantly their Lord thus clothed had his gromes,
When aged Raimond to his presence comes,
21
And furnisht thus when he the man beheild,By his attire his secret thought he guest,
Where is (quoth he) your sure and trustie sheild?
Your helme, your hawberke strong? where all the rest?
Why be you halfe disarm'd? why to the feild
Approch you in these weake defences drest?
I see this day you meane a course to ronne,
Wherein may perill much, small praise be wonne.
22
Alas, doe you that idle praise expect,To set first foot this conquered wall aboue?
Of lesse account some knight thereto obiect,
Whose losse so great and harmfull cannot proue,
My Lord, your life with greater care protect,
And loue your selfe bicause all vs you loue,
Your happie life is spirit, soule and breath
Of all this campe, preserue it than from death.
200
23
To this he answered thus, you know (he sade)In Clarimont by mightie Vrbans hand
When I was girded with this noble blade,
For Christes true faith to fight in euery land,
To God eu'n than a secret vow I made,
Not as a captaine here this day to stand,
And giue directions, but with shield and sword
To fight, to winne or die for Christ my Lord.
24
When all this campe in battaile strong shall beeOrdain'd and ordred, well disposed all,
And all things done which to the high degree
And sacred place I hold, belongen shall;
Then reason is it, nor disswade thou mee,
That I likewise assault this sacred wall,
Least from my vow to God late made I swerue,
He shall this life defend, keepe and preserue.
25
Thus he concludes, and euery hardie knightHis sample follow'd, and his brethren twaine,
The other Princes put on harnesse light,
As footemen vse: but all the Pagan traine
Towards that side bent their defensiue might,
That lies expos'd to vew of Charles waine,
And Zephirus sweet blastes, for on that part
The towne was weakest, both by scite and art.
26
On all parts else the fort was strong by scite,With mighty hils defenst from forraine rage,
And to this part the tyrant gan vnite,
His subiects borne and bands that serue for wage,
From this exploit he spar'd nor great nor lite,
The aged men and boyes of tender age,
To fire of angrie war, still brought new fewell,
Stones, dartes, lime, brimstone and bitumen cruell.
27
All full of armes and weapons was the wall,Vnder whose basis that faire plaine doth ronne,
There stood the Soldan like a giant tall,
(So stood at Rhodes the Coloss of the sonne)
Wast high Argantes shew'd himselfe withall,
At whose sterne lookes the French to quake begonne,
Clorinda on the corner towre alone,
In siluer armes like rising Cinthia shone.
201
28
Her ratling quiuer at her shoulders hong,Therein a flash of arrowes feathered weele,
In her left hand her bow was bended strong,
Therein a shaft headed with mortall steele,
So fit to shoot she singled forth among
Her foes, who first her quarries strength should feele,
So fit to shoot Latonas daughter stood,
When Niobe she kill'd and all her brood.
29
The aged tyrant trotted on his feetFrom gate to gate, from wall to wall he flew,
He comforts all his bands with speeches sweet,
And euery fort and bastion doth reuew,
For euery need prepar'd in euery street
New regiments he plast, and weapons new.
The matrons graue within their temples hie,
To idols false for succours call and crie;
30
O Macon, breake in twaine the steeled lanceOf wicked Godfrey, with thy righteous hands,
Against thy name he doth his arme aduance,
His rebell blood powre out vpon these sands,
These cries within his eares no enterance
Could finde; for nought he heares, nought vnderstands.
While thus the towne for her defence ordaines,
His armies Godfrey ordreth on the plaines,
31
His forces first on foot he forward brought,With goodly order, prouidence and art,
And gainst these towers which t'assaile he thought,
In battailes twaine his strength he doth depart,
Betweene them crosbowes stood and engins wrought
To cast a stone, a quarrie or a dart,
From whence like thunders dint or lightnings new,
Against the bulwarks stones and lances flew.
32
His men at armes did backe his bands on fout,The light horse ride far off and serue for wings,
He gaue the signe, so mighty was the rout
Of those that shot with bowes and cast with slings,
Such stormes of shaftes and stones flew all about,
That many a Pagan proud to death it brings,
Some dide, some at the loopes durst scant our peepe,
Some fled and left the place they tooke to keepe.
202
33
The hardie Frenchmen (full of heat and hast)Ran boldly forward to the ditches large,
And ore their heads an iron pentise vast
They built, by ioyning many a shield and targe,
Some with their engins ceaslesse shot and cast,
And vollies huge of arrowes sharpe discharge,
Vpon the ditches some emploi'd their paine,
To fill the mote and eu'n it with the plaine.
34
With slime or mud the ditches were not soft,But drie and sandy, void of waters cleare,
Though large and deepe the Christians fill them oft,
With rubbish, faggots, stones and trees they beare:
Adrastus first aduanst his crest aloft,
And boldly gan a strong scalado reare,
And through the falling storme did vpward clime
Of stones, dartes, arrowes, fire, pitch and lime:
35
The hardie Switzer now so far was gone,That halfe way vp with mickle paine he got,
A thousand weapons he sustain'd alone,
And his audacious climbing ceased not;
At last vpon him fell a mightie stone,
As from some engin great it had beene shot,
It broke his helme, he tumbled from the height,
The strong Circassian cast that wondrous weight;
36
Not mortall was the blow, yet with the fallOn earth sore brus'd the man lay in a swoune.
Argantes gan with boasting words to call,
Who commeth next? this first is tumbled downe,
Come hardie soldiers, come assault this wall,
I will not shrinke, nor flie, nor hide my crowne,
If in your trench your selues for dread you hold,
There shall you die, like sheepe kild in their fold.
37
Thus boasted he, but in their trenches deepeThe hidden squadrons kept themselues from scath,
The curtaine made of shields did well off keepe
Both darts and shot, and scorned all their wrath.
But now the ramme vpon the rampires steepe
On mightie beames his head aduanced hath,
With dreadfull hornes of iron tought tree-great,
The walles and bulwarks trembled at his threat.
203
38
An hundred able men meane-while let fallThe weights behinde, the engin tumbled downe,
And battred flat the battlements and wall,
(So fell Taigerus hill on Sparta towne)
It crusht the steeled shield in peeces small,
And beat the helmet to the wearers crowne,
And on the ruines of the walles and stones,
Dispersed left their blood, their braines, and bones.
39
The fierce assailants kept no longer closeVnder the shelter of their targets fine,
But their bold fronts to chance of war expose,
And gainst those towres let their vertue shine,
The scaling ladders vp to skies arose,
The groundworks deepe some closely vndermine,
The walles before the Frenchmen shrinke and shake,
And gaping signe of headlong falling make:
40
And falne they had, so far the strength extendsOf that fierce ramme and his redoubted stroke,
But that the Pagans care the place defends,
And sau'd by warlike skill the wall nie broke:
For to what part so ere the engin bends,
There sacks of wooll they place the blow to choke,
Whose yeelding breakes the strokes theron which light,
So weakenes oft subdues the greatest might.
41
While thus the worthies of the westren crewMaintain'd their braue assault and skirmish hot,
Her mightie bow Clorinda often drew,
And many a sharpe and deadly arrow shot;
And from her bow no steeled shaft there flew,
But that some blood the cursed engin got,
Blood of some valiant knight or man of fame,
For that proud shootresse scorned weaker game.
42
The first she hit among the Christian Peeres,Was the bold sonne of Englands noble king,
Aboue the trench himselfe he scantly reares,
But she an arrow loosed from the string,
The wicked steele his gantled breakes and teares,
And through his right hand thrust the pearsing sting;
Disabled thus from fight, he gan retire,
Groning for paine, but fretting more for ire.
204
43
Lord Stephen of Amboise on the ditches brim,And on a ladder high, Clotharious dide,
From backe to brest an arrow pearsed him,
The other was shot through from side to side:
Then as he menag'd braue his courser trim
On his left arme she hit the Flemmings guide,
He stopt, and from the wound the reed out twinde,
But left the iron in his flesh behinde.
44
As Ademare stood to behold the fightHigh on a banke, withdrawne to breathe a space,
A fatall shaft vpon his forehead light,
His hand he lifted vp to feele the place,
Whereon a second arrow chanced right,
And nail'd his hand vnto his wounded face,
He fell, and with his blood distain'd the land,
His holy blood shed by a virgins hand.
45
While Palamede stood nere the battlement,Despising perils all and all mishap,
And vpward still his hardie footings bent,
On his right eie he caught a deadly clap,
Through his right eie Clorindaes seu'nth shaft went,
And in his necke broke forth a bloodie gap;
He vnderneath that bulwarke dying fell,
Which late to scale and win he trusted well.
46
Thus shot the maide: the Duke with hard assayAnd sharpe assault, meane-while the towne opprest,
Against that part which to his campe ward lay,
An engin huge and wondrous he addrest,
A towre of wood built for the townes decay,
As high as were the walles and bulwarks best,
A turret full of men and weapons pent,
And yet on wheeles it rolled, mou'd and went.
47
This rolling fort his nie approches made,And dartes and arrowes spit against his foes,
As ships are wont in fight; so it assade
With the strong wall to grapple and to close:
The Pagans on each side the piece inuade,
And all their force against this masse oppose,
Sometimes the wheeles, sometimes the battlement
With timber, logs and stones, they broke and rent.
205
48
So thicke flew stones and darts, that no man seesThe azure heauens, the sunne his brightnes lost,
The clouds of weapons, like two swarmes of bees,
Met in the aire, and there each other crost:
And looke how falling leaues drop downe from trees,
When the moist sap is nipt with timely frost,
Or apples in strong windes from branches fall;
The Saracines so tumbled from the wall.
49
For on their part the greatest slaughter light,They had no shelter gainst so sharpe a shower,
Some left on liue betooke themselues to flight,
So feared they this deadly thundring tower:
But Soliman staide like a valiant knight,
And some with him, that trusted in his power,
Argantes with a long beach tree in hand,
Ran thither, this huge engin to withstand:
50
With this he pusht the towre and backe it driuesThe length of all his tree, a woondrous way,
The hardie virgin by his side arriues,
To helpe Argantes in this hard assay:
The band that vs'd the ram, this season striues
To cut the cordes, wherein the woolpacks lay,
Which done, the sackes downe in the trenches fall,
And to the battrie naked left the wall.
51
The towre aboue, the ram beneath doth thunder,What lime and stone such puissance could abide?
The wall began (now brus'd and crusht asunder)
Her wounded lappe to open broad and wide,
Godfrey himselfe and his brought safely vnder
The shattred wall, where greatest breach he spide,
Himselfe he saues behinde his mightie targe,
A shielde not vs'd but in some desp'rate charge.
52
From hence he sees where Soliman descendsDowne to the threshold of the gaping breach,
And there it seemes the mightie Prince entends
Godfredoes hoped entrance to impeach:
Argantes (and with him the maide) defends
The wals aboue, to which the towre doth reach,
His noble hart, when Godfrey this beheld,
With courage newe, with wrath and valour sweld.
206
53
He turnd about and to good Sigiere spake,Who bare his greatest sheild and mightie bow,
That sure and trustie target let me take,
Impenetrable is that sheild I know,
Ouer these ruines will I passage make,
And enter first, the way is eath and low,
And time requires that by some noble feat
I should make knowne my strength and puissance great:
54
He scant had spoken, scant receiu'd the targe,When on his legge a sudden shaft him hit,
And through that part a hole made wide and large,
Where his strong sinnewes fastned were and knit.
Clorinda, thou this arrow didst discharge,
And let the Pagans blesse thy hand for it,
For by that shot thou sauedst them that day
From bondage vile, from death and sure decay.
55
The wounded Duke, as though he felt no paine,Still forward went, and mounted vp the breach,
His high attempt at first he nould refraine,
And after cald his Lords with cheerefull speach;
But when his legge could not his weight sustaine,
He saw his will did far his powre out reach,
And more he stroue his griefe increast the more,
The bold assault he left at length therefore:
56
And with his hand he beckned Guelpho neare,And said, I must withdraw me to my tent,
My place and person in mine absence beare,
Supply my want, let not the fight relent,
I goe and will ere long againe be heare,
I goe and straight returne, this said, he went,
On a light stead he lept, and ore the greene
He road, but road not (as he thought) vnseene.
57
When Godfrey parted, parted eeke the hart,The strength and fortune of the Christian bands,
Courage increased in their aduerse part,
Wrath in their harts and vigor in their hands:
Valour, successe, strength, hardines, and art
Faild in the Princes of the Westren lands,
Their swords were blunt, faint was their trumpets blast,
Their sunne was set, or else with cloudes orecast.
207
58
Vpon the bulwarks now appeered bouldThat fearefull band that late for dread was fled;
The women that Clorindaes strength behould,
Their countries loue to warre encouraged,
They weapons got and fight like men they would,
Their gownes tuckt vp, their lockes were loose and spred,
Sharpe darts they cast, and without dread or feare
Expos'd their brests to saue their fortresse deare.
59
But that which most dismaid the christian knights,And added courage to the Pagans most,
Was Guelphos sodaine fall, in all mens sights
Who tumbled headlong downe, his footing lost,
A mightie stone vpon the woorthy lights,
But whence it came none wist, nor from what coast;
And with like blow, which more their harts dismaid,
Beside him low in dust old Raimond laid:
60
And Eustace eeke within the ditches large,To narrow shifts and last extreames they driue,
Vpon their foes so fierce the Pagans charge,
And with good fortune so their blowes they giue,
That whom they hit, in spite of helme or targe,
They deepely wounde, or else of life depriue.
At this their good successe Argantes proud,
Waxing more fell, thus roard and cried loud:
61
This is not Antioch, nor the euening darke,Can helpe your priuie sleights with friendly shade,
The sunne yet shines, your falshood can we marke,
In other wise this bould assault is made,
Of praise and glorie quenched is the sparke
That made you first these easterne lands inuade,
Why cease you now? why take you not this fort?
What are you wearie for a charge so short?
62
Thus raged he, and in such hellish sortEncreast the furie in the brainsicke knight,
That he esteemd that large and ample fort
To strait a field, wherein to prooue his might,
There where the breach had fram'd a new made port,
Himselfe he plast, with nimble skips and light,
He clear'd the passage out, and thus he cride
To Soliman, that fought close by his side:
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63
Come Soliman, the time and place behould,That of our valours well may iudge the doubt,
What staiest thou? among these Christians bould,
First leape he foorth that houlds himselfe most stout:
While thus his will the mightie champion tould,
Both Soliman and he, at once leapt out,
Furie the first prouokt, disdaine the last,
Who scorn'd the chalenge ere his lips it past.
64
Vpon their foes vnlooked for they flew,Each spited other for his vertues sake,
So many souldiers this fierce couple slew,
So many shieldes they cleft and helmes they brake,
So many ladders to the earth they threw,
That well they seem'd a mount thereof to make,
Or else some vamure fit to saue the towne,
In stead of that the Christians late bet downe.
65
The folke that stroue with rage and haste beforeWho first the wall and rampire should ascend,
Retire, and for that honour striue no more,
Scantly they could their limmes and liues defend,
They fled, their engins lost the Pagans tore
In peeces small, their rams to nought they rend,
And all vnfit for further seruice make,
With so great force and rage their beames they brake.
66
The Pagans ran transported with their ire,Now heere now there, and wofull slaughters wrought,
At last they called for deuouring fire,
Two burning pines against the towre they brought,
So from the pallace of their hellish Sire
(When all this world they would consume to nought)
The furie sisters come with fire in hands,
Shaking their snakie lockes and sparkling brands.
67
But noble Tancred, who this while appliedGraue exhortations to his bould Latines,
When of these knights the wondrous acts he spied,
And sawe the champions with their burning pines,
He left his talke and thither foorthwith hied,
To stop the rage of those fell Saracines,
And with such force the fight he there renewed,
That now they fled and lost, who late pursewed.
209
68
Thus chang'd the state and fortune of the fray,Meane-while the wounded Duke in griefe and teene,
Within his great pauilion rich and gay,
Good Sigiere and Baldwine stood betweene;
His other friends whom his mishap dismay,
With griefe and teares about assembled beene,
He stroue in haste the weapon out to winde:
And broke the reed, but left the head behinde.
69
He bod them take the speediest way they might,Of that vnluckie hurt to make him sound,
And to lay ope the depth thereof to sight,
He will'd them open, search and launce the wound,
Send me againe (quoth he) to end this fight,
Before the sunne be sunken vnder ground,
And leaning on a broken speare, he thrust
His leg straight out, to him that cure it must.
70
Erotimus, borne on the banks of Poe,Was he that vndertooke to cure the knight,
All what greene herbes or waters pure could doe,
He knew their powre, their vertue and their might,
A noble poët was the man also;
But in this scilence had a more delight,
He could restore to health death wounded men,
And make their names immortall with his pen.
71
The mightie Duke yet neuer changed cheare,But greeu'd to see his friends lamenting stand;
The leach prepar'd his clothes and clensing geare,
And with a belt his gowne about him band,
Now with his herbes the steelie head to teare
Out of the flesh he prou'd, now with his hand,
Now with his hand, now with his instrument
He shakt and pluckt it, yet not forth it went;
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His labour vaine, his art preuailed nought,His lucke was ill, although his skill were good,
To such extremes the wounded Prince he brought,
That with fell paine he swouned as he stood:
But th' angell pure (that kept him) went and sought
Diuine Dictamnum, out of Ida wood,
This herbe is rough and beares a purple flowre,
And in his budding leaues lies all his powre.
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Kinde nature first vpon the craggie cliftBewrai'd this herbe vnto the mountaine goate,
That when her sides a cruell shaft hath rift,
With it she shakes the reed out of her cote,
This in a moment fetcht the angell swift,
And brought from Ida hill, though far remote,
The iuice whereof in a prepared bath
Vnseene the blessed spirit powred hath:
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Pure Nectar from that spring of Lidia than,And Panaces diuine therein he threw,
The cunning leach to bathe the wound began,
And of it selfe the steelie head out flew,
The bleeding stancht, no vermile drop out-ran,
The leg againe waxt strong with vigor new:
Erotimus cride out, this hurt and wound
No humane art, or hand so soone makes sound;
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Some angell good I thinke come downe from skiesThy surgeon is, for here plaine tokens ar
Of grace diuine, which to thy helpe applies,
Thy weapon take and haste againe to war;
In pretious clothes his leg the chieftaine ties,
Nought could the man from blood and fight debar,
A sturdie lance in his right hand he braced,
His shield he tooke, and on his helmet laced:
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And with a thousand knights and Barons bold,Towards the towne he hasted from his campe,
In cloudes of dust was Titans face enrold,
Trembled the earth whereon the worthies stampe,
His foes far off his dreadfull lookes behold,
Which in their harts of courage quencht the lampe,
A chilling feare ran cold through euery vaine,
Lord Godfrey showted thrice and all his traine:
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Their soueraignes voice his hardie people knew,And his lowd cries, that chear'd each fearfull hart,
Thereat new strength they tooke and courage new,
And to the fierce assault againe they start.
The Pagans twaine this while themselues withdrew
Within the breach, to saue that battred part,
And with great losse a skirmish hot they hold,
Against Tancredie and his squadron bold.
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Thither came Godfrey armed round aboutIn trustie plate, with fierce and dreadfull looke,
At first approch against Argantes stout
Headed with poinant steele a lance he shooke,
No casting engin with such force throwes out
A knottie speare, and as the way it tooke,
It whistled in the aire, the fearelesse knight
Oppos'd his shield against that weapons might,
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The dreadfull blow quite through his target droue,And bored through his brestplate strong and thicke,
The tender skin it in his bosome roue,
The purple bloud outstreamed from the quicke,
To wrest it out the wounded Pagan stroue,
And little leasure gaue it there to sticke;
At Godfreys head the launce againe he cast,
And said, lo there againe thy dart thou hast:
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The speare flew backe the way it lately came,And would reuenge the harme it selfe had done,
But mist the marke whereat the man did ame,
He stept aside the furious blow to shunne:
But Sigiere in his throate receau'd the same,
The murdring weapon at his necke outrunne,
Nor ought it greeu'd the man to loose his breath,
Since in his Princes stead he suffred death.
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Eu'n then the Souldan strooke with monstrous maineThe noble leader of the Norman band,
He reeld a while and staggred with the paine,
And wheeling round fell groueling on the sand:
Godfrey no longer could the greefe sustaine
Of these displeasures, but with flaming brand,
Vp to the breach in heat and hast he goes,
And hand to hand there combats with his foes,
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And there great wonders surely wrought he had,Mortall the fight, and fierce had beene the fray,
But that darke night, from her pauilion sad,
Her cloudy wings did on the earth display,
Her quiet shades she interposed glad,
To cause the knights their armes aside to lay;
Godfrey withdrew, and to their tents they wend,
And thus this bloudie day was brought to end.
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The weake and wounded ere he left the feildThe godly Duke to safetie thence conuaid,
Nor to his foes his engins would he yeild,
In them his hope to win the fortresse laid;
Then to the towre he went, and it beheild,
The towre that late the Pagan Lords dismaid,
But now stood brused, broken, crackt and shiuered,
From some sharpe storme as it were late deliuered,
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From dangers great escapt but late it was,And now to safetie brought welnie it seames,
But as a ship that vnder saile doth pas
The roaring billowes and the raging streames,
And drawing nie the wished port (alas)
Breakes on some hidden rocke her ribs and beames;
Or as a stead rough waies that well hath past,
Before his Inne stumbleth, and fals at last:
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Such hap befell that towre, for on that sideGainst which the Pagans force and battrie bend,
Two wheeles were broke whereon the peece should ride,
The maymed engin could no further wend,
The troupe that guarded it that part prouide
To vnderprop, with posts, and it defend,
Till carpenters and cunning workemen came,
Whose skill should helpe and reare againe the same.
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Thus Godfrey bids, and that ere springing dayThe cracks and bruses all amend they should,
Each open passage and each priuie way
About the piece, he kept with souldiers bould:
But the loud rumour both of that they say,
And that they do, is heard within the hould,
A thousand lights about the towre they vew,
And what they wrought all night both saw and knew.
| Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem | |