Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem Done into English Heroicall verse, by Edward Fairefax |
 |
|
| I. |
The first Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
|
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
 | Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem |  |
1
The first Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
The argument.
God sends his Angell to Tortosa downe,Godfrey vnites the Christian peeres and knights,
And all the Lords and Princes of renowne
Choose him their Duke, to rule the wars and fights,
He mustreth all his host, whose number knowne,
He sends them to the fort that Sion hights,
The aged Tyrant Iudaes land that guides
In feare and trouble to resist prouides.
1
The sacred armies and the godly knightThat the great sepulcher of Christ did free,
I sing; much wrought his valour and foresight,
And in that glorious war much suffred hee:
In vaine gainst him did Hell oppose her might,
In vaine the Turks and Morians armed bee,
His soldiers wilde (to braules and mutines prest)
Reduced he to peace, so heau'n him blest.
2
O heauenly muse, that not with fading baiesDeckest thy brow by th' Heliconian spring,
But sittest crownd with stars immortall raies,
In heauen where legions of bright Angels sing,
Inspire life in my wit, my thoughts vpraise,
My verse ennoble, and forgiue the thing,
If fictions light I mixe with truth diuine,
And fill these lines with others praise then thine.
3
Thither thou know'st the world is best inclindeWhere luring Parnase most his sweete imparts,
And truth conuay'd in verse of gentle kinde,
To reade perhaps will moue the dullest harts:
So we (if children yong diseas'd we finde)
Annoint with sweets the vessels formost parts,
To make them taste the potions sharpe we giue;
They drinke deceiu'd; and so deceiu'd, they liue.
2
4
Ye noble Princes, that protect and saueThe pilgrim muses, and their ship defend
From rocke of ignorance, and errors waue,
Your gracious eies vpon this labour bend:
To you these tales of loue and conquests braue
I dedicate, to you this worke I send,
My muse hereafter shall perhaps vnfold
Your fights, your battailes, and your combats bold.
5
For if the Christian Princes euer striueTo win faire Greece out of the tyrants hands,
And those vsurping Ismalites depriue
Of wofull Thrace, which now captiued stands,
You must from realmes and seas the Turkes forth driue,
As Godfrey chased them from Iudais lands,
And in this legend, all that glorious deede
Read, whil'st you arme you; arme you, whil'st you reed.
6
Sixe yeeres were ronne since first in martiall guizeThe Christian Lords warraid the eastren land,
Nice by assault, and Antioch by surprize,
Both faire, both rich, both wonne, both conquer'd stand,
And this defended they in noblest wize
Gainst Persian knights and many a valiant band,
Tortosa wonne, (least winter might them shend)
They drew to holds, and comming spring attend.
7
The sullen season now was come and gone,That forst them late cease from their noble war,
When God almightie from his loftie throne,
Set in those parts of heau'n that purest ar,
(As far aboue the cleere stars euery one,
As it is hence vp to the highest star)
Look'd downe, and all at once this world behield,
Each land, each citie, countrie, towne and field:
8
All things he view'd, at last in Syria stai'dVpon the Christian Lords, his gracious eie,
That wondrous looke wherewith he oft suruai'd
Mens secret thoughts that most concealed lie,
He cast on puissant Godfrey, that assai'd
To driue the Turks from Sions bulwarks hie,
And (full of zeale and faith) esteemed light
All worldly honour, empire, treasure, might.
3
9
In Baldwine next, he spide another thought,Whom spirits proud to vaine ambition moue,
Tancred he saw his liues ioy set at nought,
So woe begon was he with paines of loue:
Boemond the conquer'd folke of Antioch brought
The gentle yoke of Christian rule to proue,
He taught them lawes, statutes, and customes new,
Arts, craftes, obedience, and religion trew.
10
And with such care his busie worke he pliedThat to nought els his acting thoughts he bent,
In yong Rinaldo fierce desires he spied,
And noble hart, of rest impatient,
To wealth or soueraigne powre he nought applied
His wits, but all to vertue excellent,
Patternes and rules of skill and courage bolde
He tooke from Guelpho, and his fathers olde.
11
Thus, when the Lord discouer'd had and seeneThe hidden secrets of each worthies brest,
Out of the Hierarchies of Angels sheene
The gentle Gabriell call'd he from the rest,
Twixt God and soules of men that righteous beene
Ambassador is he, for euer blest,
The iust commaunds of heau'ns eternall king
Twixt skies and earth, he vp and downe doth bring.
12
To whom the Lord thus spake, Godfredo findeAnd in my name aske him, why doth he rest?
Why be his armes to ease and peace resignde?
Why frees he not Hierusalem distrest?
His Peeres to counsell call, each baser minde
Let him stir vp; for, chieftaine of the rest
I chose him heere, the earth shall him allow,
His fellowes late, shall be his subiects now.
13
This said, the Angell swift himselfe prepardeTo execute the charge impos'd aright,
In forme of airie members faire imbarde,
His spirits pure were subiect to our sight,
Like to a man in shew and shape he farde,
But full of heau'nly maiestie and might,
A stripling seem'd he thrice fiue winters olde,
And radiant beames adorn'd his locks of golde.
4
14
Of siluer wings he tooke a shining paire,Fringed with gold, vnwearied, nimble, swift,
With these he parts the windes, the clouds, the aire,
And ouer seas and earth himselfe doth lift,
Thus clad he cut the spheares and circles faire
And the pure skies with sacred feathers clift,
On Libanon at first his foote he set,
And shooke his wings with roarie May-dewes wet.
15
Then to Tortosas confines swiftly spedThe sacred messenger, with headlong flight;
Aboue the eastern waue appeered red
The rising sunne, yet scantly halfe in sight,
Godfrey euen then his morne deuotions sed,
(As was his custome) when with Titan bright
Appeer'd the Angell, in his shape diuine,
Whose glorie far obscured Phebus shine.
16
Godfrey (quoth he) behold the season fitTo war, for which thou waited hast so long,
Now serues the time (if thou oreslip not it)
To free Hierusalem, from thrall and wrong:
Thou with thy Lords in counsell quickly sit,
Comfort the feeble and confirme the strong,
The Lord of hosts their Generall doth make thee,
And for their chieftaine they shall gladly take thee.
17
I messenger from euerlasting IoueIn his great name thus his behests doe tell,
Oh what sure hope of conquest ought thee moue?
What zeale, what loue should in thy bosome dwell?
This said, he vanisht to those seats aboue,
In height and cleerenes which the rest excell,
Downe fell the Duke, his ioints dissolu'd asunder,
Blinde with the light, and stroken dead with wonder.
18
But when recou'red, he consid'red moreThe man, his maner, and his message, saide.
If earst he wished, now he longed sore
To end that war, whereof he Lord was made,
Nor sweld his brest with vncouth pride therefore,
That heau'n on him aboue this charge had laide,
But for his great Creator would the same,
His will encreast; so fire augmenteth flame.
5
19
The captaines cald foorthwith from euery tent,Vnto the Rende-vous he them inuites,
Letter on letter, post on post he sent,
Entreatance faire with counsell he vnites,
All, what a noble courage could augment,
The sleeping sparke of valour what incites,
He vs'd, that all their thoughts to honour reased,
Some prais'd, some prai'd, some counselled, all pleased.
20
The captaines, soldiers, all, (saue Boemound) came,And pitcht their tents, some in the fields without,
Some of greene boughes their slender cabbins frame,
Some lodged were Tortosas streetes about,
Of all the host the chiefe of worth and name
Assembled beene, a senate graue and stout;
Then Godfrey (after silence kept a space)
Lift vp his voice, and spake with princely grace.
21
Warriors (whom God himselfe elected hathHis worship true in Sion to restore,
And still preseru'd from danger, harme and scath,
By many a sea and many an vnknowne shore)
You haue subiected lately to his faith
Some prouinces rebellious long before:
And after conquests great, haue in the same
Erected trophies to his crosse and name,
22
But not for this, our homes we first forsooke,And from our natiue soile haue march'd so far:
Nor vs to dangrous seas haue we betooke,
Expos'd to hazard of so far sought war,
Of glorie vaine to gaine an idle smooke,
And lands possesse that wilde and barbrous ar:
That for our conquests were too meane a pray,
To shed our bloods, to worke our soules decay.
23
But this the scope was of our former thought,Of Sions fort to scale the noble wall,
The Christian folke from bondage to haue brought,
Wherein alas, they long haue liued thrall,
In Palestine an empire to haue wrought
Where godlines might raigne perpetuall,
And none be left, that pilgrims might denay
To see Christes tombe, and promis'd vowes to pay.
6
24
What to this howre successiuely is donneWas full of perill, to our honour small,
Nought to our first designment, if we shonne
The purpos'd end, or here lie fixed all,
What bootes it vs these wars to haue begonne?
Or Europe rais'd to make proud Asia thrall?
If our beginnings haue this ending knowne,
Not kingdoms rais'd, but armies ouerthrowne.
25
Not as we list erect we empires newOn fraile foundations, laid in earthly molde,
Whereof our faith and countrie be but few,
Among the thousands stout of Pagans bolde,
Where nought behooues vs trust to Greece vntrew,
And westren aide we far remou'd beholde,
Who buildeth thus, me thinkes, so buildeth he,
As if his worke should his sepulcher be.
26
Turks, Persians conquer'd, Antiochia wonne,Be glorious actes, and full of glorious praise,
By heau'ns meere grace, not by our prowesse, donne:
Those conquests were atchieu'd by wondrous waies,
If now from that directed course we ronne,
The God of battailes thus before vs laies,
His louing kindnes shall we loose I dout,
And be a by-word to the lands about.
27
Let not these blessings then sent from aboueAbused be, or spilt in prophane wise,
But let the issue correspondent proue
To good beginnings of each enterprise,
The gentle season might our courage moue,
Now euery passage plaine and open lies:
What lets vs than the great Hierusalem
With valiant squadrons round about to hem?
28
Lords, I protest, and harken all to itYe times and ages, future, present, past,
Heare all ye blessed in the heau'ns that sit,
The time for this atchieument hastneth fast:
The longer rest worse will the season fit,
Our suretie shall with doubts be ouercast,
If we foreslowe the siege I well foresee
From Egypt will the Pagans succour'd bee.
7
29
This said, the hermite Peter rose and spake,(Who sate in counsell those great Lords among)
At my request this war was vndertake,
In priuate cell who earst liu'd closed long,
What Godfrey wils, of that no question make,
There cast no doubts where truth is plaine and strong,
Your actes I trust will correspond his speach,
Yet one thing more I would you gladly teach.
30
These striues (vnles I far mistake the thing)And discords rais'd, oft in disordred sort,
Your disobedience, and ill menaging
Of actions, lost, for want of due support,
Refer I iustly to a further spring,
Spring of sedition, strife, oppression, tort,
I meane commanding powre to sundry giuen,
In thought, opinion, worth, estate, vneuen.
31
Where diuers Lords diuided empire holde,Where causes be by gifts not iustice tride,
Where offices be falsly bought and solde,
Needes must the lordship there from vertue slide.
Of friendly parts one bodie then vpholde,
Create one head the rest to rule and guide,
To one the regall powre and scepter giue,
That henceforth may your king and soueraigne liue.
32
And therewith staide his speech. O gratious muse,What kindling motions in their brests doe frie?
With grace diuine the hermits talke infuse
That in their harts his words may fructifie;
By this a vertuous concord they did chuse,
And all contentions then began to die;
The princes with the multitude agree,
That Godfrey ruler of those wars should bee.
33
This powre they gaue him, by his princely rightAll to command, to iudge all, good and ill,
Lawes to impose to lands subdew'd by might,
To maken war both when and where he will,
To hold in due subiection euerie wight
Their valours to be guided by his skill;
This done, report displaies her teltale wings,
And to each eare the newes and tidings brings.
8
34
She told the soldiers, who allowd him meetAnd well deseruing of that soueraigne place,
Their first salutes and acclamations sweet
Receiued he, with loue and gentle grace:
After their reuerence done with kinde regreet
Requited was, with milde and cheerefull face,
He bids his armies should the following day
On those faire plaines, their standards proud display.
35
The golden sunne rose from the siluer waue,And with his beames ennameld euery greene,
When vp arose each warrior bold and braue,
Glistring in filed steele and armours sheene,
With iolly plumes their crests adorn'd they haue,
And all tofore their chieftaine mustred beene:
He from a mountaine, cast his curious sight
On euery footeman, and on euery knight.
36
My minde, times enimie, obliuions foe,Disposer true of each note-worthie thing,
O let thy vertuous might auaile me soe,
That I each troupe and captaine great may sing
That in this glorious war did famous groe,
Forgot till now, by times euill handling:
This worke (deriued from thy treasures deare)
Let all times harken, neuer age outweare.
37
The French came foremost battailous and bold,Late led by Hugo brother to their king,
From France the isle that riuers fower enfold
With rolling streames descending from their spring,
But Hugo dead, the Lillie faire of gold
Their wonted ensigne, they tofore them bring
Vnder Clotharius great, a captaine good,
And hardie knight, isprong of princes blood,
38
A thousand were they in strong armours clad,Next whome there marched foorth another band,
That number, nature and instruction had
Like them, to fight far off, or charge at hand,
All valiant Normans, by Lord Robert lad,
The natiue Duke of that renowmed land,
Two Bishops next their standards proud vpbare
Call'd reuerend William, and good Ademare.
9
39
Their iollie notes they chanted lowd and cleare,On merrie mornings, at the masse diuine,
And horrid helmes high on their heads they beare,
When their fierce courage they to war incline,
The first fowre hundreth horsemen gathred neare
To Orange towne, and lands that it confine:
But Ademare the Poggian youth brought out,
In number like, in hard assaies, as stout.
40
Baldwine his ensigne faire did next despreedAmong his Bulloyners of noble fame,
His brother gaue him all his troopes to leed
When he commander of the field became,
The Count Carinto did him straight succeed,
Graue in aduise, well skild in Mars his game,
Fowre hundreth brought he, but so many thrice
Led Baldwine, clad in gilden armes of price:
41
Guelpho next them the land and place possest,Whose fortunes good with his great actes agree,
By his Italian Sire, fro th' house of Est
Well could he bring his noble pedegree,
A German borne, with rich possessions blest,
A worthie branch sprong from the Guelphian tree.
Twixt Rhene and Danubie the land contain'd
He rul'd, where Swaues and Rhetians whilome raign'd,
42
His mothers heritage was this and right,To which he added more by conquest got,
From thence approoued men of passing might
He brought, that death or danger feared not;
It was their wont in feasts to spend the night,
And passe cold daies in bathes and houses hot,
Fiue thousand late, of which now scantly ar
The third part left, such is the chance of war.
43
The nation than with crisped lockes and faire,That dwell betweene the seas and Arden wood,
Where Mosell streames and Rhene the meadowes weare,
A battle soile for graine, for pasture good,
Their Islanders with them, who oft repaire
Their earthen bulwarks gainst the Ocean flood,
The flood, elsewhere that ships and barks deuowres,
But there drownes cities, countries, townes and towres.
10
44
Both in one troope, and but a thousand all,Vnder another Robert fierce they ronne,
Then th' English squadron, soldiers stout and tall,
By William led their Soueraignes yonger sonne,
These Archers be, and with them come withall,
A people neere the northren pole that wonne,
Whom Ireland sent from loughes and forrests hore,
Diuided far by sea from Europes shore.
45
Tancredie next, nor mongst them all was oneRinald except, a prince of greater might,
With maiestie his noble count'nance shone,
Hie were his thoughts, his hart was bold in fight,
No shamefull vice his worth had ouergone,
His fault was loue, by vnaduised sight
Bred in the dangers of aduentrous armes,
And nurst with grieues, with sorrowes, woes & harmes.
46
Fame tels, that on that euer-blessed day,When Christian swords with Persian blood were dide,
The furious prince Tancredie from that fray
His coward foes chased through forrests wide,
Till tired with the fight, the heate, the way,
He sought some place to rest his wearie side,
And drew him neare a siluer streame, that plade
Among wilde herbes, vnder the greene-wood shade.
47
A Pagan damsell there vnwares he met,In shining steele, all saue her visage faire,
Her haire vnbound she made a wanton net
To catch sweete breathing, from the cooling aire.
On her at gaze his longing lookes he set,
Sight, wonder; wonder, loue; loue bred his caire,
O loue, O wonder; loue new borne, new bred,
Now growne, now arm'd, this champion captiue led.
48
Her helme the virgin don'd, and but some wightShe fear'd might come to aide him as they fought,
Her courage earn'd to haue assail'd the knight,
Yet thence she fled, vncompaned, vnsought,
And left her image in his hart ipight,
Her sweete Idea wandred through his thought.
Her shape, her gesture and her place in minde
He kept, and blew loues fire with that winde.
11
49
Well might you read his sicknes in his eies,Their banks were full, their tide was at the flow,
His helpe far off, his hurt within him lies,
His hopes vnsprong, his cares were fit to mowe,
Eight hundreth horse (from Champaine came) he guies,
Champaine a land where wealth, ease, pleasure growe,
Rich natures pompe and pride, the Tirrhene maine
There wowes the hils, hils wowe the valleis plaine.
50
Two hundred Greekes came next, in fight well tride,Not surely arm'd, in steele or iron strong,
But each a glaue had pendant by his side,
Their bowes and quiuers at their shoulders hong,
Their horses well enur'd to chace and ride,
In diet spare, vntir'd with labour long,
Readie to charge and to retire at will,
Though broken, scattred, fled, they skirmish still.
51
Tatine their guide, and except Tatine, noneOf all the Greekes went with the Christian host,
O sinne, O shame, O Greece accurst alone!
Did not this fatall war affront thy coast?
Yet sattest thou an idle looker on,
And glad attendest which side wonne or lost:
Now if thou be a bondslaue vile become
No wrong is that, but Gods most righteous dome.
52
In order last, but first in worth and fame,Vnfear'd in fight, vntir'd with hurt or wound,
The noble squadron of aduentrers came,
Terrors to all that tread on Asian ground,
Cease Orpheus of thy Minois, Arthur shame
To boast of Launcelot, or thy table round,
Kor these whom antique times with laurell drest,
These far exceed, them, thee, and all the rest.
53
Dudon of Consa was their guide and Lord,And for of worth and birth alike they beene,
They chose him captaine, by their free accord,
For he most actes had done, most battails seene,
Graue was the man in yeeres, in lookes, in word,
His locks were gray, yet was his courage greene,
Of worth and might the noble badge he bore,
Old scarres of greeuous wounds, receiu'd of yore.
12
54
After came Eustace, well ysteemed manFor Godfreyes sake his brother, and his owne,
The king of Norwaies heire Gernando than,
Proud of his fathers titles, scepter, crowne,
Roger of Balnauill, and Engerlan
For hardie knights approoued were and knowne,
Besides were numbred in that warlike traine
Rambald, Gentonio, and the Gerards twaine.
55
Vbaldo than, and puissant RosimondOf Lancaster the heire, in ranke succeed,
Let none forget Obizo of Tuscaine lond,
Well worthie praise for many a worthie deed,
Nor those three brethren, Lombards fierce and yond,
Achilles, Sforza, and sterne Palameed,
Nor Ottons shield he conqu'red in those stowres,
In which a snake a naked childe deuoures.
56
Guascher and Raiphe in valour like there was,The one and other Guido, famous both,
Germer and Eberard to ouerpas
In foule obliuion would my muse be loth,
With his Gildippes deere, Edward alas,
A louing paire, to war among them go'th
In bond of vertuous loue together tied,
Together seru'd they and together died.
57
In schoole of loue are all things taught we see,There learn'd this maide of armes the irefull guise,
Still by his side a faithfull garde went shee,
One trueloue knot their liues together ties,
No wound to one alone could dang'rous bee,
But each the smart of others anguish tries,
If one were hurt, the other felt the sore,
She lost her blood, he spent his life therefore.
58
But these and all, Rinaldo far exceedes,Star of this spheare, the dimond of this ring,
The nest, where courage with sweete mercie breedes:
A comet, worthie each eies wondering,
His yeeres are fewer than his noble deedes,
His fruit is ripe soone as his blossoms spring,
Armed, a Mars, might coyest Venus moue,
And if disarm'd, then God himselfe of loue.
13
59
Sophia by Adige flowrie banke him bore,Sophia the faire, spouse to Bertoldo great,
Fit mother for that pearle, and before
The tender impe was wained from the teat,
The Princesse Maud him tooke, in vertues lore
She brought him vp, fit for each worthie feat,
Till of these wars the golden trumpe he heares
That soundeth glorie, fame, praise in his eares.
60
And then (though scantly three times fiue yeeres old)He fled alone, by many an vnknowne coast,
Ore Aegean seas, by many a Greekish hold,
Till he arriued at the Christian hoast;
A noble flight, aduentrous, braue and bold,
Whereon a valiant Prince might iustly boast,
Three yeeres he seru'd in field, when scant begin
Few golden haires to decke his Iuorie chin.
61
The horsemen past, their void left stations fillThe bands on foote, and Reymond them beforne,
Of Tholouse Lord, from lands neere Piræne hill,
By Garound streames and salt sea billowes worne,
Fowre thousand foote he brought, well arm'd, and skill
Had they all paines and trauell to haue borne,
Stout men of armes, and with their guide of powre
Like Troyes old towne, defenst with Ilions towre.
62
Next Stephen of Amboise did fiue thousand leed,The men he prest from Toures and Blois but late,
To hard assaies vnfit, vnsure at need,
Yet arm'd to point in well attempted plate,
The land did like it selfe the people breed,
The soile is gentle, smooth, soft, delicate;
Boldly they charge, but soone retire for dout,
Like fire of straw soone kindled, soone burnt out.
63
The third Alcasto marched, and with himThe Boaster brought sixe thousand Switzers bold,
Audacious were their lookes, their faces grim,
Strong castles on the Alpine clifts they hold,
Their shares and culters broke, to armours trim
They change that mettall, cast in warlike mold,
And with this band late heards and flocks that guied,
Now kings and realmes he threat'ned and defied.
14
64
The glorious standard last to heau'n they sprad,With Peters keyes ennobled, and his crowne,
With it seuen thousand stout Camillo had,
Embattailed in wals of iron browne,
In this aduenture and occasion, glad
So to reuiue the Romaines old renowne,
Or proue at least to all of wiser thought
Their harts were fertill land, although vnwrought.
65
But now was passed euery regiment,Each band, each troope, each person worth regard,
When Godfrey with his Lords to counsell went,
And thus the Duke his princely will declar'd:
I will when day next cleeres the firmament,
Our readie host in haste be all prepar'd,
Closely to march to Sions noble wall,
Vnseene, vnheard; or vndescride at all.
66
Prepare you then, for trauaile strong and light,Fierce to the combat, glad to victorie:
And with that word and warning soone was dight
Each soldier, longing for neere comming glorie,
Impatient be they of the morning bright,
Of honour so them prickt the memorie.
But yet their chieftaine had conceau'd a feare
Within his hart, but kept it secret theare:
67
For he by faithfull spiall was assured,That Egypts king was forward on his way,
And to arriue at Gaza old procured,
A fort, that on the Sirian fronters lay,
Nor thinkes he that a man to wars enured
Will ought forslow, or in his iourney stay,
For well he knew him for a dang'rous foe,
An herald cald he then, and spake him soe.
68
A pinnesse take thee swift as shaft from bowe,And speede thee (Henrie) to the Greekish maine,
There should arriue (as I by letters knowe
From one that neuer ought reports in vaine)
A valiant youth, in whom all vertues flowe,
To helpe vs this great conquest to obtaine,
The Prince of Danes he is, and brings to war
A troope with him from vnder th' Artick star.
15
69
And for I doubt the Greekish monarch slie,Will vse with him some of his woonted craft,
To stay his passage, or diuert awrie
Elsewhere his forces, his first iournay last,
My herald good, and messenger well trie,
See that these succours be not vs beraft,
But send him thence with such conuenient speed,
As with his honour stands, and with our need.
70
Returne not thou, but legier stay behinde,And mooue the Greekish Prince to send vs aide,
Tell him his kingly promise doth him binde
To giue vs succours, by his couenant maide;
This said, and thus instruct, his letters signde
The trustie herald tooke, nor longer staid,
But sped him thence to done his Lords behest,
And thus the Duke redus'd his thoughts to rest.
71
Aurora bright her cristall gates vnbard,And bride-groome-like forth stept the glorious sunne,
When trumpets lowd and clarious shrill were hard,
And euery one to rowse him fierce begunne,
Sweete musicke to each hart for war prepar'd,
The soldiers glad by heapes to harnesse runne;
So if with drought endang'red be their graine,
Poore plowmen ioy, when thunders promise raine.
72
Some shirts of maile, some coates of plate put on,Some dond a curace, some a corslet bright,
An hawberke some, and some a haberion,
So eu'rie one in armes was quickly dight,
His woonted guide each soldiers tends vpon,
Loose in the winde waued their banners light,
Their standard royall towards heau'n they spread,
The crosse triumphant on the Pagans dead.
73
Meanewhile the carre that beares the light'ning brand,Vpon the eastren hill was mounted hie,
And smote the glistring armies as they stand,
With quiu'ring beames which daz'd the wondring eie,
That Phaeton-like it fiered sea and land,
The sparkles seem'd vp to the skies to flie,
The horses ney, and clattring armours sowne,
Pursue the Eccho ouer dale and downe.
16
74
Their generall did with due care prouideTo saue his men from ambush and from traine,
Some troopes of horse (that lightly armed ride)
He sent to scoure the woods and forrests maine,
His pioners their busie worke applide,
To eeuen the paths and make the hy-waies plaine,
They fild the pits, and smooth'd the rougher ground,
And open'd euery strait they closed found.
75
They meet no forces gath'red by their foe,No towres, defenst with rampire, mote or wall,
No streame, no wood, no mountaine could forsloe
Their hastie pace, or stop their march at all:
So when his banks the prince of riuers, Poe
Doth ouerswell, he breakes with hideous fall,
The mossie rocks and trees oregrowne with age,
Nor ought withstands his furie and his rage.
76
The king of Tripolie in euery holdShut vp his men, munition and his treasure,
The straggling troopes sometimes assaile he wold,
Saue that he durst not moue them to displeasure,
He staid their rage with presents, gifts and gold,
And led them through his land at ease and leasure,
To keepe his realme in peace and rest he chose,
With what conditions Godfrey list impose.
77
Those of mount Seir (that neighboreth by eastThe holie citie) faithfull folke each one,
Downe from the hill descended most and least,
And to the Christian Duke by heapes they gone,
And welcome him and his with ioy and feast,
On him they smile, on him they gaze alone,
And were his guides, (as faithfull from that day
As Hesperus, that leades the sunne his way.)
78
Along the sands his armies safe they guide,By waies secure, to them well knowne before,
Vpon the tumbling billowes fraughted ride
The armed ships, coasting along the shore,
Which for the campe might euery day prouide
To bring munition good, and victuals store,
The Isles of Greece sent in prouision meete,
And store of wine from Scios came and Creete.
17
79
Great Neptune grieued vnderneath the loadOf ships, hulks, gallies, barks and brigandines,
In all the mid-earth seas was left no road
Wherein the Pagan his bold sailes vntwines,
Spred was the huge Armado wide and broad,
From Venice, Genes, and townes which them confines,
From Holland, England, France and Scicill sent,
And all for Iuda readie bound and bent,
80
All these together were combin'd, and knitWith surest bonds of loue and friendship strong,
Together fail'd they, fraught with all things fit
To seruice done by land that might belong,
And when occasion seru'd disbarked it,
Then sail'd the Asian coasts and isles along,
Thither with speede their hastie course they plied,
Where Christ the Lord for our offences died.
81
The brasen trumpe of iron winged fame,(That mingleth faithfull troath with forged lies)
Foretold the Heathen how the Christians came,
How thitherward the conqu'ring armie hies,
Of euery knight it sounds the worth and name,
Each troope, each band, each squadron it descries,
And threat'neth death to those, fire, sword and slaughter,
Who held captiued Israels fairest daughter.
82
The feare of ill exceedes the euill we feare,For so our present harmes still most annoy vs,
Each minde is prest, and open euery eare
To heare new tidings, though they no way ioy vs.
This secret rumor whisp'red euery where
About the towne, these Christians will destroy vs,
The aged king his comming euill that knew,
Did cursed thoughts, in his false hart renew.
83
This aged Prince ycleped Aladine,Ruled in care, new soueraigne of this state,
A Tyrant earst, but now his fell ingine
His grauer age did somewhat mitigate,
He heard the westren Lords would vndermine
His cities wall, and lay his towres prostrate,
To former feare he addes a newcome dout,
Treason he feares within, and force without.
18
84
For nations twaine inhabite there and dwellOf sundry faith, together in that towne,
The lesser part on Christ beleeued well,
On Termagant the more and on Mahowne.
But when this king had made his conquest fell,
And brought that region subiect to his crowne,
Of burdens all he set the Paynims large,
And on poore Christians laid the double charge.
85
His natiue wrath reuiu'd with this new thought,With age and yeeres that weak'ned was of yore,
Such madnes in his cruell bosome wrought,
That now than euer, blood he thirsteth more;
So stings a snake that to the fire is brought,
Which harmelesse lay benumm'd with cold before,
A lion so his rage renewed hath
(Though tame before) if he be moou'd to wrath.
86
I see (quoth he) some expectation vaineIn these false Christians, and some new content,
Our common losse they trust will be their gaine,
They laugh, we weepe; they ioy while we lament,
And more, perchance by treason or by traine
To murder vs they secretly consent,
Or otherwise to worke vs harme and woe,
To ope the gates, and so let in our foe.
87
But least they should effect their cursed will,Let vs destroy this serpent on his nest,
Both yoong and old let vs this people kill,
The tender infants at their mothers brest,
Their houses burne, their holy temples fill
With bodies slaine, of those that lou'd them best,
And on that tombe they hold so much in price,
Lets offer vp their priests in sacrifice.
88
Thus thought the tyrant in his trait'rous minde,But durst not follow what he had decreed,
Yet if the innocents some mercie finde,
From cowardise, not ruth, did that proceed.
His noble foes durst not his crauen kinde
Exasperate, by such a bloody deed,
For if he need what grace could then be got,
If thus of peace he broke or loos'd the knot?
19
89
His villaine hart his cursed rage restrained,To other thoughts he bent his fierce desire,
The suburbs first flat with the earth he plained,
And burnt their buildings with deuouring fire,
Loth was the wretch the Frenchmen should haue gained
Or helpe or ease, by finding ought intire,
Cedron, Bethsaida, and each watring els
Empoison'd he, both fountains, springs and wels.
90
So warie wise, this childe of darknes was,The cities selfe he strongly fortifies,
Three sides by scite it well defensed has,
That's onely weake that to the northward lies,
With mightie barres of long enduring bras,
The steele-bound doores, and iron gates he ties,
And lastly legions armed well, prouides
Of subiects borne, and hired aide besides.
| Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem | |