Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem Done into English Heroicall verse, by Edward Fairefax |
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The thirteenth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
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 | Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem |  |
The thirteenth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
The argument.
Ismeno sets to garde the forrest ouldThe wicked sprites, whose ougly shapes affray
And put to flight the men, whose labour would
To their darke shades let in heau'ns golden ray:
Thither goes Tancred hardie, faithfull, bould,
But foolish pitie lets him not assay
His strength and courage: beat the Christian powre
Annoies, whom to refresh Gods sends a showre.
1
Bvt scant dissolued into ashes coldThe smoking towre fell on the scorched grasse,
When new deuise found out th' enchanter old,
By which the towne besieg'd, secured was,
Of timber fit his foes depriue he wold:
Such terrour bred that late consumed masse,
So that the strength of Sions walles to shake,
They should no turrets, rammes, nor engins make.
2
From Godfreyes campe a groue a little wayAmid the vallies deepe growes out of sight,
Thicke with old trees whose horrid armes display
An ougly shade, like euerlasting night;
There when the sunne spreads forth his clearest ray,
Dim, thicke, vncertaine, gloomie seemes the light;
As when in eu'ning day and darknes striue,
Which should his foe from our horizon driue.
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3
But when the sunne his chaire in seas doth steepe,Night, horrour, darknes thicke, the place inuade,
Which vaile the mortall eies with blindnes deepe,
And with sad terrour make weake harts affraide,
Thither no groome driues forth his tender sheepe
To brouze, or ease their faint in cooling shade,
Nor trauellor, nor pilgrime there to enter
(So awfull seemes that forrest old) dare venter.
4
Vnited there the ghostes and gobblins meetTo frolicke with their mates in silent night,
With dragons wings some cleaue the welkin fleet,
Some nimbly ronne ore hils and vallies light,
A wicked troupe, that with allurement sweet
Drawes sinfull man from that is good and right,
And there with hellish pompe, their bankets brought
They solemnise, thus the vaine Pagans thought.
5
No twist, no twig, no bough nor branch therefore,The Saracines cut from that sacred spring;
But yet the Christians spared nere the more,
The trees to earth with cutting steele to bring:
Thither went Ismen old with tresses hore,
When night on all this earth spred forth her wing,
And there in silence deafe and mirksome shade,
His characters and circles vaine he made:
6
He in the circle set one foot vnshod,And whispred dreadfull charmes in gastly wise,
Three times (for witchcraft loueth dumbers od)
Toward the east he gaped, westward thrise,
He stroke the earth thrise with his charmed rod,
Wherewith dead bones he makes from graues to rise,
And thrise the ground with naked foote he smote,
And thus he cried lowd, with thundring note.
7
Heare, heare, you spirits all that whilome fell,Cast downe from heau'n with dint of roaring thunder;
Heare, you amid the emptie aire that dwell,
And stormes and showres powre on these kingdoms vnder;
Heare, all you deuils that lie in deepest hell,
And rend with torments damned ghostes asunder,
And of those lands of death, of paine and feare,
Thou monarch great, great Dis, great Pluto, heare.
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8
Keepe you this forrest well, keepe euery tree,Numbred I giue you them and truly tould;
As soules of men in bodies cloathed be,
So euerie plant a sprite shall hide and hould,
With trembling feare make all the Christians flee,
When they presume to cut these Cedars ould:
This said, his charmes he gan againe repeat,
Which none can say but they that vse like feat.
9
At those strange speeches, still nights splendant firesQuenched their lights, and shrunke away for doubt,
The feeble moone her siluer beames retires,
And wrapt her hornes with foulding cloudes about,
Ismen his sprites to come with speed requires,
Why come you not you euer damned rout?
Why tarrie you so long? pardie you stay
Till stronger charmes and greater words I say.
10
I haue not yet forgot for want of vse,What dreadfull tearmes belong this sacred feat,
My toong (if still your stubburne harts refuse)
That so much dreaded name can well repeat,
Which heard great Dis cannot himselfe excuse,
But hither runne from his eternall seat,
O great and fearfull! more he would haue said,
But that he saw the sturdie sprites obaid.
11
Legions of deuills by thousands thither come,Such as in sparsed aire their biding make,
And thousands also which by heauenly dome
Condemned lie in deepe Auernus lake,
But slow they came, displeased all and some,
Bicause those woods they should in keeping take,
Yet they obai'd and tooke the charge in hand,
And vnder euerie branch and leafe they stand.
12
When thus his cursed worke performed was,The wisard to his king declar'd the feat,
My Lord, let feare, let doubt and sorrow pas,
Henceforth in safetie stands your regall seat,
Your foe (as he suppos'd) no meane now has
To build againe his rams and engins great:
And then he told at large from part to part,
All what he late perform'd by wondrous art.
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13
Besides this helpe, another hap (quoth hee)Will shortly chance that brings not profit small,
Within few daies Mars and the Sunne I see
Their firie beames vnite in Leo shall;
And then extreme the scorching heat will bee,
Which neither raine can quench, nor dewes that fall,
So placed are the Planets high and low,
That heat, fire, burning all the heau'ns forshow:
14
So great with vs will be the warmth therefore,As with the Garamantes or those of Inde;
Yet nill it grieue vs in this towne so sore,
We haue sweet shade and waters cold by kinde:
Our foes abroad will be tormented more,
What shield can they or what refreshing finde?
Heau'n will them vanquish first, then Egypts crew
Destroy them quite, weake, wearie, faint and few;
15
Thou shalt sit still and conquer, proue no moreThe doubtfull hazard of vncertaine fight.
But if Argantes bold (that hates so sore
All cause of quiet peace, though iust and right)
Prouoke thee forth to battaile (as before)
Finde meanes to calme the rage of that fierce knight,
For shortly heau'n will send thee ease and peace,
And war and trouble mongst thy foes encrease.
16
The king assured by these speeches faire,Held Godfreyes powre, his might and strength in scorne,
And now the walles he gan in part repaire,
Which late the ram had brus'd with iron horne,
With wise foresight and well aduised caire,
He fortifide each breach and bulwarke torne,
And all his folke, men, women, children small,
With endlesse toile againe repair'd the wall.
17
But Godfrey nould this while bring forth his powreTo giue assault against that fort in vaine,
Till he had builded new his dreadfull towre,
And reared high his downe-falne rammes againe:
His workmen therefore he dispatcht that howre,
To hew the trees out of the forrest maine,
They went, and scant the wood appear'd in sight,
When wonders new their fearfull harts affright:
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18
As seely children dare not bend their eieWhere they are told strange Bugbeares haunt the place,
Or as new monsters while in bed they lie,
Their fearefull thoughts present before their face;
So feared they, and fled, yet wist not why,
Nor what pursu'd them in that fearefull chace,
Except their feare perchance while thus they fled,
New Chimeres, Sphinges, or like monsters bred;
19
Swift to the campe they turned backe dismai'd,With words confus'd vncertaine tales they told,
That all which heard them scorned what they said,
And those reportes for lies and fables hold.
A chosen crew in shining armes arrai'd
Duke Godfrey thither sent of soldiers bold,
To garde the men, and their faint armes prouoke
To cut the dreadfull trees with hardie stroke:
20
These drawing neere the wood, where close ipentThe wicked sprites in syluan pinfoldes weare,
Their eies vpon those shades no sooner bent,
But frosen dread pearst through their entrals deare;
Yet on they stalked still, and on they went,
Vnder bold semblance hiding coward feare,
And so far wandred forth with trembling pace,
Till they approcht nigh that inchanted place:
21
When from the groue a fearefull sound out brakes,As if some earthquake hill and mountaine tore,
Wherein the southren winde a rumbling makes,
Or like sea waues against the craggie shore,
There lions gromble, there hisse scalie snakes,
There howle the woolues, the rugged beares there rore,
There trumpets shrill are heard and thunders fell,
And all these sounds one sound expressed well:
22
Vpon their faces pale well might you noteA thousand signes of hart amating feare,
Their reason gone, by no deuise they wote
How to prease nie, or stay still where they weare,
Against that sodaine dread their brests which smote,
Their courage weake no shield of proofe could beare,
At last they fled, and one than all more bold,
Excus'd their flight, and thus the wonders told.
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23
My Lord, not one of vs there is, I grant,That dares cut downe one branch in yonder spring,
I thinke there dwels a sprite in euerie plant,
There keepes his court great Dis infernall king,
He hath a hart of hardned Adamant
That without trembling dares attempt the thing,
And sense he wanteth who so hardie is,
To heare the forrest thunder, roare and his.
24
This said, Alcasto to his words gaue heed,Alcasto leader of the Switzers grim,
A man both voide of wit, and voide of dreed,
Who fear'd not losse of life, nor losse of lim,
No sauage beastes in desarts wilde that feed,
Nor ougly monster could disharten him,
Nor whirle winde, thunder, earthquake, storme, or ought
That in this world is strange or fearfull thought:
25
He shooke his head, and smiling thus gan say,The hardinesse haue I that wood to fell,
And those proud trees low in the dust to lay,
Wherein such grislie feends and monsters dwell,
No roaring goast my courage can dismay,
No shrike of birdes, beasts roare, or dragons yell;
But through and through that forrest will I wend,
Although to deepest hell the pathes descend.
26
Thus boasted he, and leaue to goe desired,And forward went with ioyfull cheare and will,
He view'd the wood and those thicke shades admired,
He heard the wondrous noise and rumbling shrill;
Yet not one foote th' audacious man retired,
He scorn'd the perill preasing forward still,
Till on the forrests outmost marge he stept,
A flaming fire from entrance there him kept.
27
The fire encreast, and built a stately wallOf burning coales, quicke sparkes, and embers hot,
And with bright flames the wood enuiron'd all,
That there no tree nor twist Alcasto got,
The higher stretched flames seem'd bulwarkes tall,
Castles and turrets full of firie shot,
With slinges and engins strong of euerie sort,
What mortall wight durst scale so strange a fort?
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28
O what strange monsters on the battlementIn loathsome formes stood to defend the place?
Their frowning lookes vpon the knight they bent,
And threatned death with shot, with sword and mace:
At last he fled, and though but slow he went,
As lyons doe whom iolly hunters chace;
Yet fled the man and with sad feare withdrew,
Though feare till then he neuer felt nor knew.
29
That he had fled long time he neuer wist,But when far ronne he had discou'red it,
Himselfe for wonder with his hand he blist,
A bitter sorrow by the hart him bit,
Amas'd, asham'd, disgras'd, sad, silent, trist,
Alone he would all day in darknes sit,
Nor durst he looke on man of worth or fame,
His pride late-great, now greater made his shame.
30
Godfredo call'd him, but he found delaiesAnd causes why he should his cabben keepe,
At length perforce he comes, but nought he saies,
Or talkes like those that babble in their sleepe.
His shamefastnes to Godfrey plaine bewraies
His flight, so doth his sighes and sadnes deepe:
Whereat amas'd, what chance is this (quoth he?)
These witchcrafts strange or natures wonders be.
31
But if his courage any champion moueTo trie the hazard of this dreedfull spring,
I giue him leaue th' aduenture great to proue,
Some newes he may report vs of the thing:
This said, his Lords attempt the charmed groue,
Yet nothing backe but feare and flight they bring,
For them enforst with trembling to retire
The sight, the sound, the monsters and the fire.
32
This hapt when woefull Tancred left his bed,To lay in marble cold his mistresse deare,
The liuely colour from his cheeke was fled,
His limmes were weake, his helme or targe to beare;
Nathlesse when need to heigh attempts him led,
No labour would he shunne, no danger feare,
His valour, boldnesse, hart and courage braue,
To his faint body strength and vigor gaue.
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33
To this exploit forth went the ventrous knight,Fearelesse, yet heedfull; silent, well aduised,
The terrours of that forrests dreadfull sight,
Stormes, earthquakes, thunders, cries, he all despised,
He feared nothing, yet a motion light
(That quickly vanisht) in his hart arised,
When loe betweene him and the charmed wood,
A firie citie high as heau'n vp stood:
34
The knight stept backe and tooke a sodaine pause,And to himselfe, what helpe these armes, (quoth he?)
If in this fire or monsters gaping iawes
I headlong cast my selfe, what bootes it me?
For common profit or my countries cause,
To hazard life before me none should be:
But this exploit of no such weight I hold,
For it to lose a Prince or champion bold.
35
But if I flie, what will the Pagans say?If I retire, who shall cut downe this spring?
Godfredo will attempt it euery day.
What if some other knight performe the thing?
These flames vprisen to forestall my way,
Perchance more terrour far than danger bring,
But hap what shall, this said, he forward stept,
And through the fire (O wondrous boldnes) lept!
36
He boulted through, but neither warmth nor heatHe felt, nor signe of fire or scorching flame;
Yet wist he not in his dismai'd conceat,
If that were fire or no, through which he came;
For at first touch vanisht those monsters great,
And in their steed the cloudes blacke night did frame,
And hideous stormes and showres of haile and raine,
Yet stormes and tempests vanisht straight againe,
37
Amaz'd, but not affraid the champion goodStood still, but when the tempest past he spied,
He entred boldly that forbidden wood,
And of the forrest all the secrets eied,
In all his walke no sprite or fantasme stood,
That stopt his way or passage free denied,
Saue that the growing trees so thicke were set,
That oft his sight, and passage oft they let.
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38
At length a faire and spatious greene he spide,Like calmest waters, plaine, like veluet, soft,
Wherein a Cipresse clad in sommers pride
Pyramide wise, lift vp his tops aloft;
In whose smooth barke vpon the eeuenest side,
Strange characters he found and view'd them oft,
Like those which priests of Egypt earst in stead
Of letters vs'd, which none but they could read,
39
Mongst them he picked out these words at last,(Writ in the Syriake toong, which well he could)
O hardie knight, who through these woods hast past!
Where death his pallace and his court doth hould,
O trouble not these soules in quiet plast!
O be not cruell as thy hart is bould!
Pardon these ghoasts depriu'd of heau'nly light,
With spirits dead why should men liuing fight?
40
This found he grauen in the tender rinde,And while he mused on this vncouth writ,
Him thought he heard the softly whistling winde,
His blastes amid the leaues and branches knit,
And frame a sound like speech of humaine kinde,
But full of sorrow, griefe and woe was it,
Whereby his gentle thoughts all filled weare
With pitie, sadnes, greefe, compassion, feare:
41
He drew his sword at last and gaue the treeA mightie blow, that made a gaping wound,
Out of the rift red streames he trickling see
That all bebled the verdant plaine around,
His haire start vp, yet once againe stroake he,
He nould giue ouer till the end he found
Of this aduenture, when with plaint and mone,
(As from some hollow graue) he heard one grone.
42
Enough enough the voice lamenting said,Tancred thou hast me hurt, thou didst me driue
Out of the bodie of a noble maid,
Who with me liu'd, whom late I kept on liue,
And now within this woefull Cipresse laid,
My tender rinde thy weapon sharpe doth riue,
Cruell, ift not enough thy foes to kill,
But in their graues wilt thou torment them still?
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43
I was Clorinda, now imprison'd heere,(Yet not alone) within this plant I dwell,
For euerie Pagan Lord and Christian peere,
Before the cities walles last day that fell,
(In bodies new or graues I wote not cleere)
But here they are confin'd by magikes spell,
So that each tree hath life, and sense each bou,
A murdrer if thou cut one twist art thou.
44
As the sicke man that in his sleepe doth seeSome oughly dragon or some chimere new,
Though he suspect or halfe perswaded bee,
It is an idle dreame, no monster trew,
Yet still he feares, he quakes, and striues to flee,
So fearefull is that wondrous forme to vew;
So feard the knight, yet he both knew and thought
All were illusions false by witchcraft wrought:
45
But cold and trembling waxt his frozen hart,Such strange affects, such passions it torment,
Out of his feeble hand his weapon start,
Himselfe out of his wits nigh, after went:
Wounded he saw (he thought) for paine and smart
His Ladie weepe, complaine, mourne and lament,
Nor could he suffer her deere blood to see,
Or heare her sighes that deepe far fetched be.
46
Thus his fierce hart which death had scorned oft,Whom no strange shape, or monster could dismay,
With faigned showes of tender loue made soft,
A spirit false did with vaine plaints betray,
A whirling winde his sword heau'd vp aloft,
And through the forrest bare it quite away,
Orecome retir'd the Prince, and as he came
His sword he found and repossest the same:
47
Yet nould returne, he had no minde to trieHis courage further in those forrests greene,
But when to Godfreyes tent he proched nie,
His spirits wakte, his thoughts composed beene,
My Lord (quoth he) a witnesse true am I
Of woonders strange, beleeued scant though seene,
What of the fire, the shades, the dreadfull sound,
You heard, all true by proofe my selfe haue found,
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48
A burning fire (so are those desarts charmed)Built like a batled wall to heau'n was reared,
Whereon with dartes and dreadfull weapons armed,
Of monsters foule mishapt whole bands appeared,
But through them all I past, vnhurt, vnharmed,
No flame or threatned blow I felt or feared,
Then raine and night I found, but straight againe
To day, the night; to sunshine turnd the raine,
49
What would you more? each tree through all that woodHath sense, hath life, hath speech, like humaine kind,
I heard their words, as in that groue I stood,
That mournfull voice still, still I beare in minde:
And (as they were of flesh) the purple blood,
At euery blow streames from the wounded rind,
No, no, not I, nor any else (I trow)
Hath powre to cut one leafe, one branch, one brow.
50
While thus he said; the Christians noble guideFelt vncouth strife in his contentious thought,
He thought, what if himselfe in person tride
Those witchcrafts strange, and bring those charmes to nought,
For such he deem'd them, or elsewhere prouide
For timber easier got though further sought,
But from his studie he at last abraid,
Call'd by the Hermit old that to him said,
51
Leaue off thy hardie thought, an others handsOf these her plants the wood dispoilen shall,
Now, now the fatall ship of conquest lands,
Her sailes are strucke, her siluer anchores fall,
Our champion broken hath his worthlesse bands,
And looseth from the soile which held him thrall,
The time drawes nie when our proud foes in field
Shall slaughtred lie, and Sions fort shall yield.
52
This said, his visage shone with beames diuineAnd more than mortall was his voices sound,
Godfredos thought to other actes encline,
His working braine was neuer idle found.
But in the Crabbe now did bright Titan shine,
And scorcht with scalding beames the parched ground,
And made vnfit for toile or warlike feat,
His souldiers, weake with labour, faint with sweat:
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53
The Planets milde their lamps benigne quencht out,And cruell starres in heau'n did signories,
Whose influence cast fierie flames about,
And hot impressions through the earth and skies,
The growing heat still gathred deeper rout,
The noisome warmth through lands and kingdomes flies,
A harmefull night a hurtfull day succeeds,
And woorse than both next morne her light outspreeds.
54
When Phœbus rose he left his golden weed,And dond a gite in deepest purple dide,
His sanguine beames about his forhead spreed,
A sad presage of ill that should betide,
With vermile drops at eau'n his tresses bleed,
Foreshowes of future heat, from th' Ocean wide
When next he rose, and thus encreased still,
Their present harmes with dread of future ill.
55
While thus he bent gainst earth his scorching raies,He burnt the flowrets, burnt his Clitie deare,
The leaues grew wan vpon the withred spraies,
The grasse and growing hearbs all parched weare,
Earth cleft in riftes, in floods their streames decaies,
The barren cloudes with lightning bright appeare,
And mankind feard least Climenes childe againe,
Had driuen awry his sires il-guided waine;
56
As from a furnace, flew the smoake to skies,Such smoake as that when damned Sodome brent,
Within his caues sweete Zephire silent lies,
Still was the aire, the racke nor came nor went,
But ore the lands with lukewarme breathing flies
The southren winde, from sunburnt Africke sent,
Which thicke and warme his interrupted blasts
Vpon their bosomes, throates and faces casts.
57
Nor yet more comfort brought the gloomie night,In her thicke shades was burning heat vprold,
Her sable mantle was embrodred bright,
With blazing starres, and gliding fires for gold,
Nor to refresh (sad earth) thy thirstie spright,
The niggard Moone let fall her May-dewes cold,
And dried vp the vitall moisture was,
In trees, in plants, in herbes, in flowres, in grasse.
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58
Sleepe to his quiet dales exiled fled,From these vnquiet nights, and oft in vaine
The souldiers restlesse sought the god in bed,
But most for thirst they mourn'd and most complaine;
For Iudais tyrant had strong poison shed,
(Poison that breedes more woe and deadly paine,
Than Acheron or Stigian waters bring)
In euerie fountaine, cestern, well, and spring:
59
And little Siloe that his store bestowesOf purest Chrystall on the Christian bands,
The peebles naked in his chanell showes,
And scantly glides aboue the scorched sands;
Nor Poe in May when ore his bankes he flowes,
Nor Ganges, watrer of the Indian lands,
Nor seu'n mouth'd Nile that yeelds all Egypt drinke,
To quench their thirst the men sufficient thinke.
60
He that the gilding riuers earst had seene,Adowne their verdant chanels gently rold,
Or falling streames which to the valleies greene
Distill'd from tops of Alpine mountaines cold,
Those he desir'd in vaine, new torments beene,
Augmented thus, with wish of comforts old,
Those waters coole he dranke in vaine conceit,
Which more encreast his thirst, encreast his heat.
61
The sturdie bodies of the warriours strong,Whom neither marching far, nor tedious way,
Nor weightie armes which on their shoulders hong,
Could wearie make, nor death it selfe dismay;
Now weake and feeble cast their limmes along,
Vnweildie burthens, on the burned clay,
And in each vaine a smouldring fire there dwelt,
Which dride their flesh, and sollid bones did melt.
62
Languisht the stead late fierce, and profred gras,His fodder earst, despis'd, and from him kest,
Each step he stumbled, and which loftie was
And heigh aduanst before, now fell his crest,
His conquests gotten all forgotten pas,
Nor with desire of glorie sweld his brest,
The spoiles wonne from his foe, his late rewards,
He now neglects, despiseth, nought regards.
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Languisht the faithfull dog, and wonted caireOf his deare Lord and cabben both forgot,
Panting he laid, and gathred fresher aire
To coole the burning in his entrals hot:
But breathing (which wise Nature did prepare
To swage the stomackes heat) now booted not,
For little ease (alas) small helpe they win,
That breath foorth aire, and scalding fire sucke in.
64
Thus languished the earth, in this estateLay woefull thousands of the Christians stout,
The faithfull people grew nie desperate
Of hoped conquest, shamefull death they dout,
Of their distresse they talke and oft debate,
These sad complaints were heard the campe throughout,
What hope hath Godfrey? Shall we still here lie,
Till all his souldiers, all our armies die?
65
Alas, with what deuice, what strength, thinkes heTo scale these walles, or this strong fort to get?
Whence hath he engins new? doth he not see,
How wrathfull heau'n gainst vs his sword doth whet?
These tokens showne true signes and witnesse be,
Our angrie God our proud attempts doth let,
And scorching sunne so hot his beames outspreeds,
That not more cooling Inde nor AEthiop needs:
66
Or thinkes he it an eath or little thing,That vs despis'd, neglected, and disdain'd,
Like abiects vile to death he thus should bring?
That so his Empire may be still maintain'd?
Is it so great a blisse to be a king,
When he that weares the crowne with blood is stain'd,
And buies his scepter with his peoples liues?
See whither glorie vaine, fond mankinde driues.
67
See, see the man, call'd holy, iust and good,That curteous, meeke, and humble would be thought,
Yet neuer car'd in what distresse we stood,
If his vaine honour were diminisht nought,
When dried vp from vs is spring and flood,
His water must from Iordan streames be brought,
And now he sits at feastes and bankets sweet,
And mingleth waters fresh, with wines of Creet.
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68
The French thus murmour'd, but the Greekish knightTatine, that of this war was wearie growne,
Why die we here (quoth he) slaine without fight,
Kild, not subdu'd? murdred, not ouerthrowne?
Vpon the Frenchmen let the penance light
Of Godfreyes follie, let me saue mine owne,
And as he said, without farewell, the knight
And all his cornet stole away by night:
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His bad example many a troupe preparesTo imitate, when his escape they know,
Clotharius his band, and Ademares,
And all, whose guides in dust were buried low,
Discharg'd of duties chaines and bondage snares,
Free from their oath, to none they seruice owe,
But now concluded all on secret flight,
And shrunke away by thousands euery night.
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Godfredo this both heard and saw, and knew,Yet nould with death them chastise though he mought,
But with that faith wherewith he could remew
The stedfast hils, and seas drie vp to nought,
He praid the Lord vpon his flocke to rew,
To ope the springs of grace, and ease this drought,
Out of his lookes shone zeale, deuotion, faith,
His hands and eies to heau'n he heaues, and saith;
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Father and Lord, if in the desarts wastThou hadst compassion on thy children deare,
The craggie rocke when Moses cleft and brast,
And drew forth flowing streames of waters cleare,
Like mercie (Lord) like grace, on vs downe cast;
And though our merits lesse than theirs appeare,
Thy grace supply that want, for though they be
Thy first borne sonne, thy children yet are we.
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These praiers iust from humble hart forth sent,Were nothing slow to climbe the starrie skie,
But swift as winged bird themselues present
Before the father of the heauens hie:
The Lord accepted them and gently bent
Vpon the faithfull host his gracious eie,
And in what paine and what distresse it laid,
He saw, and greeu'd to see, and thus he said:
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Mine armies deere till now haue suffred woe,Distresse and danger, hels infernall powre
Their enimie hath beene, the world their foe,
But happie be their actions from this howre,
What they begin to blessed-end shall goe,
I will refresh them with a gentle showre;
Rinaldo shall returne, th' Egyptian crew
They shall encounter, conquer and subdew.
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At these high words great heau'n began to shake,The fixed stars, the planets wandring still,
Trembled the aire, the earth and Ocean quake,
Spring, fountaine, riuer, forrest, dale and hill,
From north to east a lightning flash out-brake,
And comming drops presag'd with thunders shrill:
With ioyfull shoutes the soldiers on the plaine,
These tokens blesse of long desired raine,
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A sodaine cloud, as when Helias praid,(Not from drie earth exhail'd by Phebus beames)
Arose, moist heau'n his windowes open laid,
Whence cloudes by heapes out-rush, and watrie streames,
The world ore spred was with a gloomie shade,
That like a darke and mirksome eu'n it seames;
The dashing raine, from molten skies downe fell,
And ore their banks the brookes and fountaines swell.
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In sommer season, when the cloudie skieVpon the parched ground doth raine downe send,
As ducke and mallard in the furrowes drie,
With merrie noise the promist showres attend,
And spreading broad their wings displaied lie
To keepe the drops that on their plumes descend,
And where the streames swell to a gathred lake
Therein they diue, and sweet refreshing take:
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So they the streaming showres with showtes and criesSalute, which heau'n shed on the thirstie lands,
The falling liquor from the dropping skies
He catcheth in his lap, he barehead stands,
And his bright helme to drinke therein vnties,
In the fresh streames he diues his sweatie hands,
Their faces some, and some their temples wet,
And some to keepe the drops large vessels set.
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Nor man alone to ease his burning sore,Herein doth diue and wash, and hereof drinks,
But earth it selfe weake, feeble, faint before,
Whose solid limmes were cleft with rifts and chinks,
Receiu'd the falling showres and gathred store
Of liquour sweet, that through her vaines downe sinks,
And moisture new infused largely was
In trees, in plants, in herbes, in flowres, in gras.
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Earth, like the patient was, whose liuely bloodHath ouercome at last some sicknes strong,
Whose feeble limmes had been the bait and food,
Whereon his strange disease depastred long,
But now restor'd, in health and welfare stood,
As sound as earst, as fresh, as faire, as yong;
So that forgetting all his griefe and paine,
His pleasant robes, and crownes he takes againe.
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Ceased the raine, the sunne began to shine,With fruitfull, sweet, benigne, and gentle ray,
Full of strong powre and vigour masculine,
As be his beames in Aprill or in May.
O happy zeale, who trusts in helpe diuine,
The worlds afflictions thus can driue away,
Can stormes appease, and times and seasons change,
And conquer fortune, fate and dest'nie strange.
| Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem | |