Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem Done into English Heroicall verse, by Edward Fairefax |
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The ninth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
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 | Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem |  |
159
The ninth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
The argument.
Alecto false great Soliman doth moueBy night the Christians in their tents to kill:
But God who their intents saw from aboue,
Sends Michael downe from his sacred hill:
The spirits foule to hell the angell droue;
The knights deliu'red from the witch at will
Destroy the Pagans, scatter all their host:
The Soldan flies when all his bands are lost.
1
The grisly childe of Herebus the grim,(Who saw these tumults done and tempests spent,
Gainst streame of grace who euer stroue to swim,
And all her thoughts against heau'ns wisdome bent)
Departed now, bright Titans beames were dim,
And fruitfull lands waxt barren as she went,
She sought the rest of her infernall crew,
New stormes to raise, new broiles, and tumults new.
2
She (that well wist her sisters had entised,By their false artes, far from the Christian host,
Tancred, Rinaldo, and the rest, best prised
For martiall skill, for might esteemed most)
Said, (of these discords and these strifes aduised)
Great Soliman, when day his light hath lost,
These Christians shall assaile with sodaine war,
And kill them all, while thus they striue and iar.
3
With that where Soliman remain'd she flew,And found him out with his Arabian bands,
Great Soliman, of all Christes foes vntrew,
Boldest of courage, mightiest of his hands,
Like him was none of all that earth-bred crew
That heaped mountaines on th' Aemonian sands,
Of Turkes he soueraigne was, and Nice his seat,
Where late he dwelt, and rul'd that kingdome great.
160
4
The lands forenenst the Greekish shore he held,From Sangars mouth to crookt Meanders fall,
Where they of Phrygia, Misia, Lidia dweld,
Bythinias townes, and Pontus cities all:
But when the harts of Christian Princes sweld,
And rose in armes to make proud Asia thrall,
Those lands were wonne where he did scepter weild,
And he twise beaten was, in pitched feild.
5
When fortune oft he had in vaine assaid,And spent his forces, which auaild him nought,
To Egypts king himselfe he close conuaid;
Who welcomd him as he could best haue thought,
Glad in his hart and inly well appaid,
That to his court so great a lord was brought:
For he decreed his armies huge to bring,
To succour Iuda land, and Iudaes king.
6
But (ere he open war proclam'de) he wouldThat Soliman should kindle first the fire,
And with huge summes of false entising gould,
Th' Arabian theeues he sent him forth to hire,
While he the Asian Lords and Morians bould
Vnites; the Soldan wonne to his desire
Those outlawes, ready aie for gold to fight:
The hope of gaine hath such alluring might.
7
Thus made their captaine, to destroy and burneIn Iuda land he entred is so far,
That all the waies whereby he should returne,
By Godfreys people, kept and stopped ar,
And now he gan his former losses murne,
This wound had hit him on an elder scar,
On great aduentures ronne his hardie thought,
But not assur'de, he yet resolu'd on nought.
8
To him Alecto came, and semblant boreOf one, whose age was great, whose lookes were graue,
Whose cheekes were bloodlesse, and whose locks were hore,
Mustachoes strouting long, and chin close shaue,
A steepled Turbant, on her head she wore,
Her garment side, and by her side, her glaue,
Her guilden quiuer at her shoulders hong,
And in her hand a bow was, stiffe and strong.
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9
We haue (quoth she) through wildernesses gone,Through sterill sands, strange paths, and vncouth waies,
Yet spoile or bootie haue we gotten none,
Nor victorie, deseruing fame or praise.
Godfrey meane-while to ruine sticke and stone
Of this faire towne, with battrie sore, assaies;
And if a while we rest, we shall behold
This glorious citie smoking lie in mold.
10
Are sheepe coates burnt, or praies of sheepe or kine,The cause why Soliman these bands did arme?
Canst thou that kingdome lately lost of thine
Recouer thus, or thus redresse thy harme?
No, no, when heau'ns small candles next shall shine,
Within their tents giue them a bold allarme;
Beleeue Araspes old, whose graue aduice
Thou hast in exile prou'd, and prou'd in Nice.
11
He feareth nought, he doubts no sodaine broile,From these ill armed, and worse harted, bands,
He thinks this people, vs'd to rob and spoile,
To such exploit dares not lift vp their hands;
Vp than and with thy courage put to foile
This fearelesse campe, while thus secure it stands.
This said, her poyson in his brest she hides,
And than to shapelesse aire vnseene, she glides.
12
The Soldan cride, O thou, which in my thoughtEncreased hast, my rage and furie so,
Nor seem'st a wight of mortall mettall wrought,
I follow thee, where so thee list to goe,
Mountaines of men by dint of sword downe brought
Thou shalt behold, and seas of red blood floe
Where ere I goe; only be thou my guide,
When sable night the azure skies shal hide.
13
When this was said, he mustred all his crew,Reprou'd the cowards, and allow'd the bould:
His forward campe, inspir'd with courage new,
Was readie dight to follow, where he would:
Alectoes selfe the warning trumpet blew,
And to the winde his standard great vnrould,
Thus on they marched, and thus on they went,
Of their approach their speed the newes preuent.
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14
Alecto left them, and her person dight,Like one, that came some tidings new to tell:
It was the time, when first the rising night
Her sparkling dimonds, powreth forth to sell,
When (into Sion come) she marched right
Where Iudais aged tyrant vs'd to dwell,
To whom of Solimans designment bold,
The place, the manner, and the time she told.
15
Their mantle darke the grisly shadowes spred,Stained with spots of deepest sanguine hew,
Warme drops of blood, on earthes blacke visage shed,
Supplide the place of pure and pretious dew,
The moone and stars for feare of sprites were fled,
The shriking gobblings each where howling flew,
The Furies roare, the ghosts and Fairies yell,
The earth was fild with deuils, and emptie hell.
16
The Soldan fierce (through all this horror) wentToward the campe of his redouted foes,
The night was more than halfe consum'd and spent;
Now headlong downe the westren hill she goes,
When distant scant a mile from Godfreys tent
He let his people there a while repose,
And victail'd them, and then he boldly spoke
These words, which rage and courage might prouoke:
17
See there a campe, full stuft of spoiles and praies,Not halfe so strong, as false report recordeth;
See there the store-house, where their captaine laies
Our treasures stolne, where Asiaes wealth he hordeth;
Now chance the ball vnto our racket plaies,
Take than the vantage which good lucke affordeth,
For all their armes, their horses, gold and treasure
Are ours, ours without losse, harme or displeasure.
18
Nor is this campe that great victorious hostThat slew the Persian Lords, and Nice hath wonne;
For those in this long war are spent and lost,
These are the dregs, the wine is all out ronne,
And these few left, are drown'd and dead almost
In heauie sleepe, the labour halfe is donne,
To send them headlong to Auernus deepe,
For little differs death and heauie sleepe.
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19
Come, come, this sword the passage open shallInto their campe, and on their bodies slaine
We will passe ore their rampire and their wall;
This blade, as sithes cut downe the fields of graine,
Shall cut them so, Christes kingdome now shall fall,
Asia her freedome, you shall praise obtaine:
Thus he enflam'd his soldiers to the fight,
And led them on through silence of the night.
20
The Sentinell by star light (loe) descrideThis mightie Soldan, and his host draw neare,
Who found not as he hopte the Christians guide
Vnware, ne yet vnready was his geare:
The scout when this huge armie they descride
Ran backe, and gan with shoutes the larum reare,
The watch start vp and drew their weapons bright,
And buskt them bold to battaile and to fight.
21
Th' Arabians wist they could not come vnseene,And therefore lowd their iarring trumpets sound,
Their yelling cries to heau'n vp heaued beene,
The horses thundred on the solid ground,
The mountaines roared, and the valleies greene,
The Eccho sighed from the caues around,
Alecto with her brand (kindled in hell)
Tokened to them, in Dauids towre that dwell.
22
Before the rest forth prickt the Soldan fast,Against the watch, not yet in order iust,
As swift as hideous Boreas hastie blast
From hollow rocks when first his stormes out brust,
The raging floods, that trees and rocks downe cast,
Thunders, that townes and towres driue to dust:
Earthquakes, to teare the world in twaine that threat,
Are nought, compared to his furie great.
23
He stroke no blow, but that his foe he hit;And neuer hit, but made a greeuous wound:
And neuer wounded, but death followed it;
And yet no perill, hurt or harme he found,
No weapon on his hard'ned helmet bit,
No puissant stroke his senses once astound,
Yet like a bell his tinkling helmet rong,
And thence flew flames of fire and sparks among.
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24
Himselfe well nie had put the watch to flight,A iollie troope of French men strong and stout,
When his Arabians came by heapes to fight,
Couering (like raging floods) the fields about;
The beaten Christians ran away full light,
The Pagans (mingled with the flying rout)
Entred their campe, and filled (as they stood)
Their tents with ruine, slaughter, death and blood.
25
High on the Soldans helme enamel'd laidAn hideous dragon, arm'd with many ascaile,
With iron pawes, and leathren wings displaid,
Which twisted on a knot her forked taile,
With triple toong it seem'd she hist and braid,
About her iawes the froth and venome traile,
And as he stirr'd, and as his foes him hit,
So flames to cast, and fire she seem'd to spit.
26
With this strange light, the Soldan fierce appearedDreadfull to those that round about him beene,
As to poore sailers (when huge stormes are reared)
With lightning flash the raging seas are seene,
Some fled away, bicause his strength they feared,
Some bolder gainst him bent their weapons keene,
And froward night (in euils and mischiefes pleased)
Their dangers hid, and dangers still encreased.
27
Among the rest (that stroue to merite praise)Was old Latinus, borne by Tibers banke,
To whose stout hart (in fights and bloodie fraies)
For all his eeld, base feare yet neuer sanke;
Fiue sonnes he had, the comforts of his daies,
That from his side in no aduenture shranke,
But long before their time, in iron strong
They clad their members, tender, soft and yong.
28
The bold ensample of their fathers mightTheir weapons whetted, and their wrath encreast,
Come let vs goe (quoth he) where yonder knight
Vpon our soldiers makes his bloodie feast,
Let not their slaughter once your harts affright,
Where danger most appeares, there feare it least;
For honour dwels in hard attemptes (my sonnes)
And greatest praise, in greatest perill, wonnes.
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29
Her tender brood the forrests sauage queene(Ere on their crestes their rugged maines appeare,
Before their mouthes by nature armed beene,
Or pawes haue strength a seelie lambe to teare)
So leadeth forth to pray, and makes them keene,
And learnes by her ensample, nought to feare
The hunter, in those desart woods that takes
The lesser beastes, whereon his feast he makes.
30
The noble father and his hardie crewFierce Soliman on euery side inuade,
At once all sixe vpon the Soldan flew,
With lances sharpe, and strong encounters made,
His broken speare the eldest boy downe threw,
And boldly (ouer boldly) drew his blade,
Wherewith he stroue (but stroue therewith in vaine)
The Pagans stead (vnmarked) to haue slaine.
31
But as a mountaine or a cape of landAssail'd with stormes and seas on euery side,
Doth vnremoued, stedfast, still withstand
Storme, thunder, lightning, tempest, winde and tide:
The Soldan so withstood Latinus band,
And vnremou'd did all their iustes abide,
And of that haplesse youth (who hurt his stead)
Downe to the chin he cleft in twaine the head.
32
Kinde Aramante (who saw his brother slaine)To hold him vp stretcht forth his friendly arme,
O foolish kindnes, and O pitie vaine,
To adde our proper losse, to others harme!
The Prince let fall his sword and cut in twaine
(About his brother twinde) the childes weake arme,
Downe from their saddles both together slide,
Together mourn'd they, and together dide.
33
That done, Sabinos lance with nimble forceHe cut in twaine, and gainst the stripling bold
He spurr'd his stead, that vnderneath his horse
The hardie infant tumbled on the mold,
Whose soule (out squeased from his brused corse)
With ougly painfulnes forsooke her hold,
And deepely mourn'd, that of so sweet a cage
She left the blisse, and ioyes of youthfull age.
166
34
But Picus yet and Laurence were on liue,Whom at one birth their mother faire brought out,
A paire whose likenes made the parents striue
Oft which was which, and ioyed in their dout:
But what their birth did vndistinguisht giue,
The Soldans rage made knowne, for Picus stout
Headlesse at one huge blow he laid in dust,
And through the brest his gentle brother thrust.
35
Their father, (but no father now, alas!When all his noble sonnes at once were slaine)
In their fiue deathes so often murdred was,
I know not how his life could him sustaine,
Except his hart were forg'd of steele or bras,
Yet still he liu'd, pardie, he saw not plaine
Their dying lookes, although their deathes he knoes,
It is some ease, not to behold our woes.
36
He wept not, for the night her curtaine spredBetweene his cause of weeping and his eies,
But still he mourn'd and on sharpe veng'ance fed,
And thinkes he conquers, if reueng'd he dies;
He thirstes the Soldans heath'nish blood to shed,
And yet his owne at lesse then nought doth prise,
Nor can he tell whether he leifer would,
Or die himselfe, or kill the Pagan bould.
37
At last, is this right hand (quoth he) so weake,That thou disdainst gainst me to vse thy might?
Can it nought doe? can this toong nothing speake
That may prouoke thine ire, thy wrath, and spight?
With that he stroke (his anger great to wreake)
A blowe, that pearst the maile and mettall bright,
And in his flanke set ope a flood-gate wide,
Whereat the blood out streamed from his side.
38
Prouoked with his crie, and with that bloweThe Turke vpon him gan his blade discharge,
He cleft his brest-plate, hauing first pearst throwe
(Lined with seu'n bulles hides) his mightie targe,
And sheath'd his weapon in his guts belowe,
Wretched Latinus at that issue large,
And at his mouth, powr'd out his vitall blood,
And sprinkled with the same his murdred brood.
167
39
On Appenine like as a sturdie tree,Against the windes that makes resistance stout,
If with a storme it ouerturned bee,
Falles downe and breakes the trees and plants about;
So Latine fell, and with him felled hee
And slew the nearest of the Pagans root,
A worthie end, fit for a man of fame,
That dying, slew; and conqu'red, ouercame:
40
Meane-while the Soldan stroue his rage interneTo satisfie with blood of Christians spild,
Th' Arabians hartned by their captaine sterne,
With murder euery tent and cabbin fild,
Henry the English knight, and Olipherne,
O fierce Draguto by thy hands were kild!
Gilbert and Phillip were by Ariadene
Both slaine, both borne vpon the banks of Rhene.
41
Albazar with his mace Ernesto slew,Vnder Algazell Engerlan downe fell,
But the huge murder of the meaner crew,
Or maner of their deathes, what toong can tell?
Godfrey, when first the heathen trumpets blew,
Awakt, which heard, no feare could make him dwell,
But he and his were vp and arm'd ere long,
And marched forward with a squadron strong,
42
He that well heard the rumour and the crie,And markt the tumult still grow more and more,
Th' Arabian theeues he iudged by and by
Against his soldiers made this battaile sore;
For that they forraid all the countries nie,
And spoil'd the fields, the Duke knew well before,
Yet thought he not they had the hardiment
So to assaile him in his armed tent.
43
All sodainly he heard (while on he went)How to the citie ward arme, arme, they cride,
The noise vpreared to the firmament
With dreadfull howling fild the valleies wide:
This was Clorinda, whom the king forth sent
To battaile, and Argantes by her side.
The Duke (this heard) to Guelpho turn'd, and prai'd
Him, his lieutenant be, and to him said:
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44
You heare this new alarme from yonder part,That from the towne breakes out with so much rage,
Vs needeth much your valour and your art
To calme their furie, and their heate to swage;
Goe thither then, and with you take some part
Of these braue soldiers of mine equipage,
While with the res'due of my champions bold
I driue these wolues againe out of our fold.
45
They parted (this agreed on them betweene)By diuers pathes, Lord Guelpho to the hill,
And Godfrey hasted where th' Arabians keene,
His men like seelie sheepe destroy and kill;
But as he went his troopes encreased beene,
From euery part the people flocked still,
That now growne strong enough, he proched nie
Where the fierce Turke caus'd many a Christian die.
46
So from the top of Vesulus the cold,Downe to the sandie valleies, tumbleth Poe,
Whose streames the further from their fountaine rold
Still stronger wax, and with more puissance goe;
And horned like a bull his forehead bold
He liftes, and ore his broken banks doth floe,
And with his hornes to pearse the sea assaies,
To which he profreth war, not tribute paies.
47
The Duke his men fast flying did espie,And thither ran, and thus (displeased) spake,
What feare is this? O whither doe you flie?
See who they be that this pursuit doe make,
A hartlesse band, that dare no battell trie,
Who woundes before dare neither giue nor take,
Against them turne your sterne eies threatning sight,
An angrie looke will put them all to flight.
48
This said, he spurred forth where SolimanDestroi'd Christes vineyard like a sauage bore,
Through streames of blood, through dust and dirt, he ran,
Ore heapes of bodies wallowing in their gore,
The squadrons close his sword to ope began,
He brake their ranks, behinde, beside, before,
And (where he goes) vnder his feet he treades
The armed Sarracines, and barbed steades.
169
49
This slaughter-house of angrie Mars he past,Where thousands dead, halfe dead, and dying weare.
The hardy Soldan saw him come in hast,
Yet neither stept aside nor shrunke for feare,
But buskt him bold to fight, aloft he cast
His blade, prepar'd to strike, and stepped neare,
These noble Princes twaine (so fortune wrought)
From the worlds ends here met, and here they fought:
50
With vertue, furie; strength with courage stroue,For Asias mightie empire, who can tell
With how strange force their cruell blowes they droue?
How sore their combat was, how fierce, how fell?
Great deedes they wrought, each others harnesse cloue;
Yet still in darknes (more the ruth) they dwell.
The night their actes her blacke vaile couered vnder,
Their actes whereat the sunne, the world might wonder.
51
The Christians (by their guides ensample) harted,Of their best armed made a squadron strong,
And to defend their chieftaine forth they started:
The Pagans also sau'd their knight from wrong,
Fortune her fauours twixt them eu'nly parted,
Fierce was th' encounter, bloodie, doubtfull, long,
These wonne, those lost; these lost, those wonne againe,
The losse was equall, eu'n the numbers slaine.
52
With equall rage as when the southren windeMeeteth in battaile strong the northren blast,
The sea and aire to neither is resinde,
But cloud gainst cloud, and waue gainst waue they cast:
So from this skirmish neither part declinde,
But fought it out, and kept their footings fast,
And oft with furious shocke together rush,
And shield gainst shield, and helme gainst helme they crush.
53
The battaile eeke to Sion ward grew hot,The soldiers slaine the hardie knights were kild,
Legions of sprites from Limboes prisons got,
The emptie aire the hils and valleies fild,
Harting the Pagans that they shrinked not,
Till where they stood their dearest blood they spild,
And with new rage, Argantes they inspire,
Whose heate no flames, whose burning need no fire.
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54
Where he came in he put to shamefull flightThe fearefull watch, and ore the trenches leapt,
Eu'n with the ground he made the rampires hight,
And murdred bodies in the ditch vp heapt,
So that his greedie mates with labour light,
Amid the tents, a bloodie haruest reapt:
Clorinda went the proud Circassian bie,
So from a piece two chained bullets flie.
55
Now fled the French men, when in luckie howreArriued Guelpho, and his helping band,
He made them turne against this stormie showre,
And with bold face their wicked foes withstand.
Sternly they fought, that from their wounds downe powre
The streames of blood, and ronne on either hand:
The Lord of heauen meane-while vpon this fight,
From his hie throne bent downe his gracious sight.
56
From whence, with grace and goodnes compast round,He ruleth, blesseth, keepeth all he wrought,
Aboue the aire, the fire, the sea and ground,
Our sense, our wit, our reason and our thought,
Where persons three (with powre and glorie crown'd)
Are all one God, who made all things of nought,
Vnder whose feete (subiected to his grace)
Sit nature, fortune, motion, time and place.
57
This is the place, from whence like smoke and dustOf this fraile world the wealth, the pompe and powre,
He tosseth, tumbleth, turneth as he lust,
And guides our life, our death, our end and howre:
No eie (how euer vertuous, pure and iust)
Can vew the brightnes of that glorious bowre,
On euery side the blessed spirits bee,
Equall in ioies, though diffring in degree.
58
With harmonie of their celestiall songThe pallace ecchoed from the chambers pure,
At last he Michael call'd (in harnesse strong
Of neuer yeelding dimonds armed sure)
Behold (quoth he) to doe despite and wrong
To that deere flocke my mercie hath in cure,
How sathan from hels lothsome prison sends
His ghosts, his sprites, his furies and his fends.
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59
Goe bid them all depart, and leaue the caireOf war to soldiers, as doth best pertaine:
Bid them forbeare t'infect the earth and aire,
To darken heau'ns faire light, bid them refraine;
Bid them to Acherons blacke flood repaire,
Fit house for them, the house of greefe and paine,
There let their king himselfe and them torment,
So I command, goe tell them mine intent.
60
This said, the winged warriour lowe inclindeAt his creators feet with reu'rence dew;
Then spred his golden feathers to the winde,
And swift as thought away the angell flew,
He past the light, and shining fire assinde
The glorious seat of his selected crew,
The mouer first and circle Christalline,
The firmament, where fixed stars all shine.
61
Vnlike in working than, in shape and show,At his left hand, Saturne he left and Ioue,
And those vntruly errant call'd I trow,
Since he erres not, who them doth guide and moue:
The fields he passed then, whence haile and snow,
Thunder and raine fall downe from cloudes aboue,
Where heat and cold, drinesse and moisture striue,
Whose wars all creatures kill, and slaine, reuiue.
62
The horrid darknes and the shadowes dunneDispersed he with his eternall wings,
The flames (which from his heau'nly eies outrunne)
Beguilde the earth, and all her sable things;
After a storme so spreadeth forth the sunne
His raies, and bindes the cloudes in golden strings,
Or in the stilnesse of a moone-shine eauen,
A falling star so glideth downe from heauen.
63
But when th' infernall troope he proched neare,That still the Pagans ire and rage prouoke,
The angell on his wings himselfe did beare,
And shooke his lance, and thus at last he spoke;
Haue you not learned yet to know and feare
The Lords iust wrath, and thunders dreadfull stroke?
Or in the torments of your endlesse ill,
Are you still fierce, still proud, rebellious still?
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64
The Lord hath sworne to breake the iron bandsThe brasen gates of Sions fort which close,
Who is it that his sacred will withstands?
Against his wrath who dares himselfe oppose?
Goe hence you curst to your appointed lands,
The realmes of death, of torments, and of woes,
And in the deepes of that infernall lake
Your battailes fight, and there your triumphes make,
65
There tyrannise vpon the soules you findeCondemn'd to woe, and double still their paines,
Where some complaine, where some their teeth doe grinde,
Some howle and weepe, some clinke their iron chaines:
This said, they fled, and those that staid behinde
With his sharpe lance he driueth and constraines,
They sighing left the lands, his siluer sheepe
Where Hesperus doth lead, doth feed, doth keepe,
66
And towards hell their lazie wings display,To wreake their malice on the damned gostes,
The birds that follow Titans hottest ray,
Passe not by so great flocks to warmer costes,
Nor leaues by so great numbers fall away,
When winter nips them with his new-come frostes,
The earth (deliu'red from so foule annoy)
Recall'd her beautie, and resum'd her ioy.
67
But not for this (in fierce Argantes brest)Less'ned the rancour or decai'd the ire,
Although Alecto left him to infest,
With the hot brands of her infernall fire,
His armed head with his sharpe blade he blest,
And those thicke ranks which seemed most intire
He broke, the strong, the weake, the high, the low,
Were equallized by his murdring blow.
68
Not far from him, amid the blood and dust,Heads, armes, and legs Clorinda strowed wide,
Her sword through Berengarios brest she thrust,
Quite through his hart where life doth chiefly bide,
And that fell blow she stroke so sure and iust,
That at his backe his blood and life forth glide,
Euen in the mouth she smote Albinus than,
And cut in twaine the visage of the man;
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69
Gerniers right hand she from his arme deuided,Whereof but late she had receiu'd a wound,
The hand his sword still held, although not guided,
The fingers (halfe on liue) stirr'd on the ground,
So from a serpent slaine the taile deuided
Moues in the grasse, rolleth and tumbleth round.
The Championesse so wounded left the knight,
And gainst Achilles turn'd her weapon bright:
70
Vpon his necke light that vnhappie bloweAnd cut the sinewes and the throte in twaine,
The head fell downe vpon the earth belowe,
And soil'd with dust the visage on the plaine;
The headlesse trunke (a wofull thing to knowe)
Still in the saddle seated did remaine,
Vntill his stead (that felt the raines at large)
With leapes and flings that burden did discharge.
71
While thus this faire and fierce Bellona slewThe westren Lords, and put their troopes to flight,
Gildippes raged mongst the Pagan crew,
And low in dust laid many a worthie knight:
Like was their sexe, their beautie and their hew,
Like was their youth, their courage and their might;
Yet fortune would they should the battaile trie,
Of mightier foes; for both were fram'd to die.
72
Yet wisht they oft, and stroue in vaine to meet,So great betwixt them was the prease and throng.
But hardie Guelpho gainst Clorinda sweet
Ventred his sword, to worke her harme and wrong,
And with a cutting blow so did her greet,
That from her side the blood stream'd downe along;
But with a thrust an answer sharpe she made,
And twixt his ribs colour'd some-deale her blade.
73
Lord Guelpho stroke againe, but hit her not,For strong Osmida haply passed bie,
And not meant him, anothers wound he got,
That cleft his front in twaine aboue his eie:
Neare Guelpho now the battaile waxed hot,
For all the troopes he led gan thither hie,
And thither drew eeke many a Painim knight,
That fierce, sterne, bloodie, deadly waxt the fight.
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74
Meane-while the purple morning peeped oreThe eastren threshold, to our halfe of land,
And Argillano in this great vprore
From prison loosed was, and what he fand,
Those armes he hent, and to the field them bore,
Resolu'd to take his chance what came to hand,
And with great actes amid the Pagan host
Would winne againe his reputation lost.
75
As a fierce stead scapte from his stall at large,Where he had long beene kept for warlike need,
Runnes through the fieldes vnto the flowrie marge
Of some greene forrest, where he vs'de to feed,
His curled maine his shoulders broad doth charge,
And from his loftie crest doth spring and spreed,
Thunder his feet, his nostrels fire breath out,
And with his neie the world resoundes about:
76
So Argillan rusht forth, sparkled his eies,His front high lifted was, no feare therein,
Lightly he leapes and skips, it seemes he flies,
He left no signe in dust imprinted thin,
And comming nere his foes, he sternly cries,
(As one that forst not all their strength a pin,
You outcasts of the world, you men of nought,
What hath in you this boldnesse newly wrought?
77
Too weake are you to beare an helme or sheild,Vnfit to arme your brest in iron bright,
You runne halfe naked, trembling through the feild,
Your blowes are feeble and your hope in flight,
Your factes and all the actions that you weild,
The darknes hides, your bulwarke is the night,
Now she is gone, how will your fights succeed?
Now better armes and better harts you need.
78
While thus he spoke he gaue a cruell strokeAgainst Algazells throte with might and maine,
And as he would haue answer'd him, and spoke,
He stopt his words, and cut his iawes in twaine;
Vpon his eies death spred his mistie cloke,
A chilling frost congealed euery vaine,
He fell, and with his teeth the earth he tore,
Raging in death, and full of rage before.
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79
Then by his puissance mightie Salàdine,Proud Agricalt and Muleasses dide,
And at one wondrous blow his weapon fine,
Did Adiazell in two parts deuide,
Then through the brest he wounded Ariadine,
Whom dying with sharpe taunts he gan deride,
He lifting vp vneath his feeble eies,
To his proud scornes thus answ'reth, ere he dies:
80
Not thou (who ere thou art) shall glorie longThy happie conquest in my death, I trow,
Like chance awaites thee from a hand more strong,
Which by my side will shortly lay thee low:
He smilde, and said, of mine howre short or long
Let heau'n take care; but here meane-while die thow,
Pasture for woolues and crowe, on him his fout
He set, and drew his sword and life both out.
81
Among this squadron rode a gentle page,The Soldans minion, darling and delite,
On whose faire chin the spring-time of his age
Yet blossom'd out her flowres, small or lite;
The sweat (spred on his cheekes with heat and rage)
Seem'd pearles or morning dewes, on lillies white,
The dust therein vprold, adorn'd his haire,
His face seem'd fierce and sweet, wrathfull and faire.
82
His stead was white, and white as purest snowThat falles on tops of aged Appenine,
Lightning and storme are not so swift I trow
As he, to run, to stop, to turne and twine,
A dart his right hand shaked, prest to throw,
His curtlax by his thigh, short, hooked, fine,
And brauing in his Turkish pompe he shone,
In purple robe, ore fret with gold and stone.
83
The hardie boy (while thirst of warlike praiseBewitched so his vnaduised thought)
Gainst euery band his childish strength assaies,
And little danger found, though much be sought,
Till Argillan (that watcht fit time alwaies
In his swift turnes to strike him as he fought)
Did vnawares his snowe-white courser slay,
And vnder him his maister tumbling lay:
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84
And gainst his face (where loue and pitie stand,To pray him that rich throne of beautie spare)
The cruell man stretcht forth his murdring hand,
To spoile those gifts, whereof he had no share:
It seem'd remorse and sense was in his brand,
Which lighting flat, to hurt the lad forbare;
But all for nought, gainst him the point he bent,
That (what the edge had spared) pearst and rent.
85
Fierce Soliman, that with Godfredo striuedWho first should enter conquests glorious gate,
Left off the fray, and thither headlong driued,
When first he saw the lad in such estate;
He brake the prease and soone enough arriued
To take reuenge, but to his aide too late,
Bicause he saw his Lesbine slaine and lost,
Like a sweet flower nipt with vntimely frost:
86
He saw waxe dim the starre-light of his eies,His iuorie necke vpon his shoulders fell,
In his pale lookes kinde pities image lies,
That death eu'n mourn'd, to heare his passing bell,
His marble hart such soft impression tries,
That midst his wrath, his manly teares outwell,
Thou weepest (Soliman) thou that beheild
Thy kingdoms lost, and not one teare couldst yeild.
87
But when the murdrers sword he hapt to vewDropping with blood of his Lesbino dead,
His pitie vanisht, ire and rage renew,
He had no leasure bootlesse teares to shead;
But with his blade on Argillano flew,
And cleft his shield, his helmet, and his head,
Downe to his throte; and worthie was that blow
Of Soliman, his strength and wrath to show:
88
And not content with this, downe from his horseHe light, and that dead carkas rent and tore,
Like a fierce dog that takes his angrie corse
To bite the stone, which had him hit before.
O comfort vaine! for greefe of so great force,
To wound the senselesse earth, that feeles no sore.
But mightie Godfrey gainst the Soldans traine
Spent not (this while) his force and blowes in vaine.
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89
A thousand hardie Turkes afront he hadIn sturdie iron arm'd from head to fout,
Resolu'd in all aduentures good or bad,
In actions wise, in execution stout,
Whom Soliman into Arabia lad
When from his kingdome he was first cast out,
Where liuing wilde with their exiled guide,
To him in all extremes they faithfull bide;
90
All these in thickest order sure vnite,For Godfreys valour small or nothing shranke,
Corcutes first he on the face did smite,
Then wounded strong Rosteno in the flanke,
At one blowe Selims head he stroke off quite,
Then both Rossanoes armes, in euery ranke
The boldest knights (of all that chosen crew)
He felled; maimed, wounded, hurt and slew.
91
While thus he killed many a Sarracine,And all their fierce assaults vnhurt sustained,
Ere fortune wholy from the Turks decline,
While still they hoped much, though small they gained,
Behold a cloud of dust, wherein doth shine
Lightning of war, in midst thereof contained,
Whence vnawares burst forth a storme of swords,
Which tremble made the Pagan knights and Lords.
92
These fiftie champions were, mongst whom there stands(In siluer field) the ensigne of Christes death,
If I had mouthes and toongs as Briareus hands,
If voice as iron tough, if iron breath,
What harme this troope wrought to the heathen bands,
What knights they slew, I could recount vneath,
In vaine the Turks resist, th' Arabians flie;
For if they flie, th' are slaine; if fight, they die.
93
Feare, crueltie, griefe, horrour, sorrow, paine,Ronne through the field, disguis'd in diuers shapes,
Death might you see triumphant on the plaine,
Drowning in blood him that from blowes escapes.
The king meane-while with parcell of his traine,
Comes hastly out, and for sure conquest gapes,
And from a banke whereon he stood beheild,
The doubtfull hazard of that bloodie feild.
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94
But when he saw the Pagans shrinke away,He sounded the retreat, and gan desire
His messengers in his behalfe to pray
Argantes and Clorinda to retire;
The furious couple both at once said nay,
Eu'n drunke with shedding blood, and mad with ire,
At last they went and to recomfort thought,
And stay their troopes from flight, but all for nought.
95
For who can gouerne cowardise or feare?Their host already was begon to flie,
They cast their shields and cutting swords arreare,
As not defended, but made slow thereby,
A hollow dale the cities bulwarks neare,
From west to south out stretched long doth lie,
Thither they fled, and in a mist of dust,
Towards the walles they ronne, they throng, they thrust.
96
While downe the banke disordred thus they ran,The Christian knights huge slaughter on them maide;
But when to clime the other hill they gan,
Old Aladine came fiercely to their aide:
On that steepe bray Lord Guelpho would not than
Hazard his folke, but there his soldiers staide,
And safe within the cities walles the king
The reliques small of that sharpe fight did bring:
97
Meane-while the Soldan in this latest chargeHad done as much, as humane force was able,
All sweat and blood appear'd his members large,
His breath was short, his courage waxt vnstable,
His arme grew weake, to beare his mightie targe,
His hand to rule his heauie sword vnable,
Which bruis'd, not cut, so blunted was the blade,
It lost the vse for which a sword was made.
98
Feeling his weaknesse, he gan musing stand,And in his troubled thought this question tost,
If he himselfe should murder with his hand,
(Bicause none else should of his conquest bost)
Or he should saue his life, when on the land
Lay slaine the pride of his subdued host,
At last to fortunes power (quoth he) I yeild,
And on my flight let her her trophies beild.
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99
Let Godfrey vew my flight, and smile to seeThis mine vnworthie second banishment,
For arm'd againe soone shall he heare of mee,
From his proud head th' vnsetled crowne to rent,
For (as my wrongs) my wrath eterne, shall bee,
And euery howre (the bow of war new bent)
I will arise againe, a foe, fierce, bold,
Though dead, though slaine, though burnt to ashes cold.
| Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem | |