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The fourteenth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.

The argument.

The Lord to Godfrey in a dreame doth shew
His will; Rinaldo must returne at last;
They haue their asking who for pardon sew:
Two knights to finde the Prince are sent in hast,
But Peter who by vision all foreknew
Sendeth the searchers to a wisard, plast
Deepe in a vault, who first at large declares
Armidaes traines, then how to shun those snares.
251

1

Now from the fresh, the soft and tender bed
Of her still mother, gentle night out flew,
The fleeting baulme on hils and dales she shed,
With honie drops of pure and pretious dew,
And on the verdure of greene forrests spred
The virgin primrose and the violet blew,
And sweet breath'd Zephire on his spreading wings
Sleepe, ease, repose, rest, peace and quiet brings.

2

The thoughts and troubles of broad-waking day
They softly dipt in milde obliuions lake;
But he, whose Godhead heau'n and earth doth sway,
In his eternall light did watch and wake,
And bent on Godfrey downe the gracious ray
Of his bright eie, still ope for Godfreyes sake,
To whom a silent dreame the Lord downe sent,
Which told his will, his pleasure and intent.

3

Far in the east (the golden gate beside
Whence Phebus comes) a christall port there is,
And ere the sunne his broad doores open wide,
The beame of springing day vncloseth this,
Hence come the dreames, by which heau'ns sacred guide
Reueales to man those high decrees of his,
Hence towards Godfrey ere he left his bed
A vision strange his golden plumes bespred:

4

Such semblances, such shapes, such purtraites faire
Did neuer yet in dreame or sleepe appeare,
For all the formes in sea, in earth, or aire,
The signes in heau'n, the stars in euery spheare,
All what was wondrous, vncouth, strange and raire,
All in that vision well presented weare,
His dreame had plast him in a christall wide,
Beset with golden fires, top, bottom, side.

5

There while he wondreth on the circles vast,
The stars, their motions, course and harmonie,
A knight (with shining raies and fire embrast)
Presents himselfe vnwares before his eie,
Who with a voice that far for sweetnes past
All humaine speech, thus said approching nie,
What Godfrey know'st thou not thy Hugo heere?
Come and imbrace thy friend and fellow deere:
252

6

He answ'red him, that glorious shining light
Which in thine eies his glistring beames doth place,
Estranged hath from my foreknowledge quight
Thy countenance, thy fauour, and thy face:
This said, three times he stretch his hands outright,
And would in friendly armes the knight embrace,
And thrice the spirit fled, that thrice he twinde
Nought in his folded armes, but aire and winde.

7

Lord Hugo smil'd, not as you thinke (quoth hee)
I clothed am in flesh and earthly mould,
My spirite pure and naked soule you see,
A Citizen of this celestiall hould,
This place is heau'n, and heere a roome for thee
Prepared is, among Christs champions bould:
Ah when (quoth he) (these mortall bonds vnknit)
Shall I in peace, in ease, and rest there sit?

8

Hugo replide, ere many yeeres shall ronne,
Amid the saints in blisse here shalt thou raine;
But first great wars must by thy hand be donne,
Much blood be shed, and many Pagans slaine,
The holy citie by assault be wonne,
The land set free from seruile yoke againe,
Wherein thou shalt a Christian Empire frame,
And after thee shall Baldwine rule the same.

9

But to encrease thy loue and great desire
To heauen ward, this blessed place behould,
These shining lampes, these globes of liuing fire,
How they are turned, guided, moou'd and rould,
The Angels singing here and all their quire;
Then bend thine eies on yonder earth and mould,
All in that masse, that globe, and compasse see,
Land, sea, spring, fountaine, man, beast, grasse and tree,

10

How vile, how small, and of how slender price,
Is there reward of goodnesse, vertues gaine;
A narrow roome our glorie vaine vp-ties,
A little circle doth our pride containe,
Earth like an Isle amid the water lies,
Which sea sometime is call'd, sometime the maine,
Yet nought therein responds a name so great,
Its but a lake, a pond, a marrish streat.
253

11

Thus said the one, the other bended downe
His lookes to ground, and halfe in scorne he smilde,
He sawe at once earth, sea, floud, castell, towne,
Strangely deuided, strangely all compilde,
And wondred follie man so farre should drowne,
To set his hart on things so base and vilde,
That seruile empire searcheth and dombe fame,
And scornes heau'ns blisse, yet profreth heau'n the same.

12

Wherefore he answred, since the Lord not yet
Will free my spirit from this cage of clay,
Least worldly errour vaine my voiage let,
Teach me to heau'n the best and surest way:
Hugo replide, thy happy foote is set
In the true path, nor from this passage stray,
Onely from exile yoong Rinaldo call,
This giue I thee in charge, else nought at all.

13

For as the Lord of hoastes, the king of blis,
Hath chosen thee to rule the faithfull band;
So he thy stratagems appointed is
To execute, so both shall winne this land,
The first is thine, the second place is his,
Thou art this armies head, and he the hand,
No other champion can his place supplie,
And that thou do it doth thy state denie.

14

Th' inchanted forrest, and her charmed treene
With cutting steele shall he to earth downe hew,
And thy weake armies which too feeble beene
To scale againe these wals r'inforced new,
And fainting lie dispersed on the greene,
Shall take newe strenght, newe courage at his vew,
The heigh built towres, the eastren squadrons all
Shall conquerd be, shall flie, shall die, shall fall,

15

He held his peace: and Godfrey answred so,
O how his presence would recomfort mee,
You that mans hidden thoughts perceaue and kno,
(If I say truth, or if I loue him) see,
But say, what messengers shall for him go?
What shall their speeches, what their errand bee?
Shall I entreat or else command the man?
With credit neither well performe I can.
254

16

Th' eternall Lord (the other knight replide)
That with so many graces hath thee blest,
Will, that among the troupes thou hast to guide,
Thou honour'd be and fear'd of most and lest:
Then speake not thou least blemish some betide
Thy sacred Empire, if thou make request;
But when by suit thou mooued art to ruth,
Then yeeld, forgiue, and home recall the youth.

17

Guelpho shall pray thee (God shall him inspire)
To pardon this offence, this fault commit
By hastie wrath, by rash and headstrong ire,
To call the knight againe, yeeld thou to it:
And though the youth (enwrapt in fond desire)
Farre hence in loue and loosenes idle sit,
Yet feare it not he shall returne with speed,
When most you wish him, and when most you need.

18

Your hermit Peter, to whose sapient hart
High heau'n his secrets opens, tels, and shewes,
Your messengers direct can to that part,
Where of the Prince they shall heare certaine newes,
And learne the way, the manner, and the art
To bring him backe to these thy warlike crewes,
That all thy souldiours wandred and misgone,
Heau'n may vnite againe and ioine in one.

19

But this conclusion shall my speeches end,
Know that his blood shall mixed be with thine,
Whence Barons bold and Worthies shall descend,
That many great exploits shall bring to fine.
This said, he vanisht from his sleeping friend,
Like smoake in winde, or mist in Titans shine;
Sleepe fled likewise, and in his troubled thought,
With woonder, pleasure; ioy, with maruell fought.

20

The Duke lookt vp, and saw the Azure skie
With Argent beames of siluer morning spred,
And started vp, for praise and vertue lie
In toile and trauell, sinne and shame in bed:
His armes he tooke, his sword girt to his thie,
To his pauilion all his Lords them sped,
And there in counsell graue the Princes sit,
For strength by wisedome, warre is rul'd by wit.
255

21

Lord Guelpho there (within whose gentle brest
Heau'n had infus'd that new and sudden thought)
His pleasing words thus to the Duke addrest;
Good prince, milde, though vnaskt, kinde, vnbesought,
O let thy mercie grant my iust request,
Pardon this fault by rage, not malice, wrought;
For great offence, I grant, so late commit,
My suit too hastie is, perchance vnfit.

22

But since to Godfrey meeke, benigne and kinde,
For Prince Rinaldo bold, I humbly sue,
And that the sutors selfe is not behinde
Thy greatest friends, in state, or friendship true;
I trust I shall thy grace and mercie finde
Acceptable to me and all this crue;
Oh call him home, this trespasse to amend,
He shall his blood in Godfreyes seruice spend:

23

And if not he, who els dares vndertake
Of this enchanted wood to cut one tree?
Gainst death and danger who dares battell make,
With so bould face, so fearlesse hart, as he?
Beat downe these walles, these gates in pieces breake,
Leape ore these rampires heigh, thou shalt him see:
Restore therefore to this desirous band
Their wish, their hope, their strength, their sheild, their hand;

24

To me my nephew, to thy selfe restore
A trustie helpe, when strength of hand thou needs,
In idlenesse let him consume no more,
Recall him to his noble acts and deeds.
Knowne be his worth as was his strength of yore,
Where ere thy standard broad her crosse outspreeds,
O let his fame and praise, spread far and wide,
Be thou his Lord, his teacher, and his guide.

25

Thus he entreated, and the rest approue
His words, with friendly murmures whispred low,
Godfrey as though their suite his minde did moue
To that, whereon he neuer thought till now,
How can my hart (quoth he) if you I loue
To your request and suit but bend and bow?
Let rigor goe, that right and iustice bee,
Wherein you all consent, and all agree.
256

26

Rinaldo shall returne, let him restraine
Henceforth his headstrong wrath and hastie ire,
And with his hardie deedes let him take paine
To correspond your hope, and my desire:
Guelpho thou must call home the knight againe,
See that with speed he to these tents retire,
The messengers appoint as likes thy minde,
And teach them where they should the yongman finde.

27

Vpstart the Dane that bore Prince Swenos brand,
I will (quoth he) that message vndertake,
I will refuse no paines by sea or land
To giue the knight this sword, kept for his sake,
This man was bold of courage, strong of hand,
Guelpho was glad he did the proffer make,
Thou shalt (quoth he) Vbaldo shalt thou haue
To goe with thee, a knight, stout, wise, and graue.

28

Vbaldo in his youth had knowne and seene
The fashions strange of many an vncouth land,
And trauell'd ouer all the Realmes, betweene
The Articke circle and hot Meroes strand,
And as a man whose wit his guide had beene,
Their customes vse he could, toongs vnderstand,
For thy when spent his youthfull seasons weare
Lord Guelpho entertain'd and held him deare.

29

To these committed was the charge and caire
To finde, and bring againe the champion bold,
Guelpho commands them to the fort repaire
Where Boemond doth his seat and scepter hold,
For publike fame said that Bertoldoes haire
There liu'd, there dwelt, there stai'd, the hermit old
(That knew they were misled by false report)
Among them came, and parled in this sort:

30

Sir knights (quoth he) if you entend to ride,
And follow each report fond people say,
You follow but a rash and trothlesse guide,
That leades vaine men amisse, and makes them stray,
Neere Ascalon goe to the salt sea side,
Where a swift brooke fals in with hideous sway,
An aged sire, our friend, there shall you finde,
All what he saith that doe, that keepe in minde,
257

31

Of this great voyage which you vndertake,
Much by his skill, and much by mine aduise
Hath he foreknowne, and welcome for my sake
You both shall be, the man is kinde and wise;
Instructed thus no further question make
The twaine, elected for this enterprise,
But humblie yeelded to obey his word,
For what the Hermit said, that said the Lord.

32

They tooke their leaue, and on their iourney went,
Their will could brooke no stay, their zeale, no let;
To Ascalon their voyage straight they bent,
Whose broken shores with brackish waues are wet,
And there they heard how gainst the cliftes (besprent
With bitter fome) the roaring surges bet,
A tumbling brooke their passage stopt and staid,
Which late falne raine had proud and puissant maid,

33

So proud that ouer all his bankes he grew,
And through the fieldes ran swift as shaft from bow,
While here they stopt and stood, before them drew
An aged sire, graue and benigne in show,
Crown'd with a beechen garland gathred new,
Clad in a linnen roabe that raught downe low,
In his right hand a rod, and on the flood
Against the streame he marcht, and drieshod yood.

34

As on the Rhene (when winters freesing cold
Congeales the streames to thicke and hardned glas)
The beauies faire of Shepheards daughters bold,
With wanton winde laies ronne, turne, play and pas;
So on this riuer past the wisard old,
Although vnfrosen, soft and swift it was,
And thither stalked where the warrious staid,
To whom (their greeting done) he spoke, and said:

35

Great paines, great trauaile (Lords) you haue begonne,
And of a cunning guide great need you stand,
Farre off (alas) is great Bertoldoes sonne,
Imprison'd in a waste and desart land,
What soile remaines by which you must not ronne?
What promontorie, rocke, sea, shore or sand?
Your search must stretch before the prince be found,
Beyond our world, beyond our halfe of ground.
258

36

But yet vouchsafe to see my cell I pray,
In hidden caues and vaults though builded low,
Great wonders there, strange things I will bewray,
Things good for you to heare, and fit to know:
This said, he bids the riuer make them way,
The floud retirde, and backward gan to flow,
And here and there two christall mountaines rise,
So fled the red sea once, and Iordan thrise.

37

He tooke their hands and led them headlong downe
Vnder the flood, through vast and hollow deepes,
Such light they had as when through shadowes browne
Of thickest desarts feeble Cinthia peepes,
There spacious caues they sawe all ouerflowne,
There all his waters pure great Neptune keepes,
And thence to moisten all the earth, he brings
Seas, riuers, flouds, lakes, fountaines, wels and springs:

38

Whence Ganges, Indus, Volga, Ister, Poe,
Whence Euphrates, whence Tygresse spring they vew,
Whence Tanais, whence Nilus comes alsoe,
(Although his head till then no creature knew)
But vnder these a wealthie streame doth goe
That Sulphur yeelds and Oare, rich, quicke and new,
Which the sunbeames doth polish, purge and fine,
And makes it siluer pure, and gold diuine.

39

And all his bankes the rich and wealthie streame
Hath faire beset, with pearle and precious stone,
Like stars in skie, or lampes on stage that seame,
The darknes there was day, the night was gone,
There sparkled (clothed in his azure beame)
The heau'nly Zaphire, there the Iacinth shone,
The Carbuncle there flamde, the Dimond sheene,
There glistred bright, there smilde the Emrauld greene.

40

Amas'd the knights amid these woonders past,
And fixt so deepe the marueiles in their thought,
That not one word they vttred, till at last
Vbaldo spake, and thus his guide besought,
O father tell me, by what skill thou hast
These wonders donne? and to what place vs brought?
For well I know not if I wake or sleepe,
My hart is drownd in such amazement deepe.
259

41

You are within the hollow wombe (quoth he)
Of fertill earth, the nurse of all things made,
And but you brought and guided are by me,
Her sacred entrals could no wight inuade,
My pallace shortly shall you splendant see
With glorious light, though built in night and shade,
A Pagan was I borne, but yet the Lord
To grace (by baptisme) hath my soule restor'd.

42

Nor yet by helpe of deuill, or aide from hell
I doe this vncouth worke and woondrous feat,
The Lord forbid, I vse or charme or spell
To raise foule Dis from his infernall seat,
But of all herbes, of euery spring and well,
The hidden powre I know and vertue great,
And all that kinde hath hid from mortall sight,
And all the starres, their motions and their might,

43

For in these caues I dwell not buried still
From sight of heau'n, but often I resort
To tops of Libanon or Carmell hill,
And there in liquid aire my selfe disport,
There Mars and Venus I behold at will,
As bare, as earst when Vulcan tooke them short,
And how the rest roule, glide and moue, I see,
How their aspects benigne or froward bee.

44

And vnderneath my feet the cloudes I view,
Now thicke, now thin, now bright with Iris bow,
The frost and snow, the raine, the haile, the dew,
The windes from whence they come, and whence they blow,
How Ioue his thunder makes, and lightning new,
How with the boult he strikes the earth below,
How comate, crinite, caudate starres are fram'd
I knew, my skill with pride my hart enflam'd.

45

So learned, cunning, wise, my selfe I thought,
That I suppos'd my wit so high might clime
To know all things that God had fram'd or wrought,
Fire, aire, sea, earth, man, beast, sprite, place, and time:
But when your hermit me to baptisme brought,
And from my soule had washt the sinne and crime,
Then I perceiu'd my sight was blindnes still,
My wit, was follie; ignorance, my skill.
260

46

Then saw I, that like owles in shining sonne,
So gainst the beames of truth, our soules are blinde,
And at my selfe to smile I then begonne,
And at my hart, puft vp with follies winde,
Yet still these artes as I before had donne
I practised, such was the hermits minde:
Thus hath he chang'd my thoughts, my hart, my will,
And rules mine art, my knowledge, and my skill.

47

In him I rest, on him my thoughts depend,
My Lord, my teacher, and my guide is he,
This noble worke he striues to bring to end,
He is the Architect, the workmen we;
The hardie youth home to this campe to send
From prison strong, my care, my charge shall be,
So he commands, and me ere this foretold
Your comming oft, to seeke the champion bold.

48

While this he said, he brought the champions twaine
Downe to a vault, wherein he dwels and lies,
It was a caue high, wide, large, ample, plaine,
With goodly roomes, halles, chambers, galleries,
All what is bred in rich and pretious vaine
Of wealthie earth, and hid from mortall eies,
There shines, and faire adorn'd was euery part,
With riches growne by kinde, not fram'd by art:

49

An hundreth groomes, quicke, diligent and neat,
Attendance gaue about these strangers bold,
Against the wall there stood a cupboord great
Of massie plate, of siluer, christall, gold.
But when with pretious wines and costly meat
They filled were, thus spake the wisard old,
Now fits the time (sir knights) I tell and show
What you desire to heare, and long to know;

50

Armidaes craft, her sleight and hidden guile
You partly wote, her actes and artes vntrew,
How to your campe she came, and by what wile
The greatest Lords and Princes thence she drew,
You know she turn'd them first to monsters vile,
And kept them since clos'd vp in secret mew,
Lastly to Gaza ward in bonds them sent,
Whom yoong Rinaldo rescude as they went.
261

51

What chanced since I will at large declare,
(To you vnknowne) a storie strange and trew,
When first her pray (got with such paine and care)
Escapte and gone, the witch perceiu'd and knew,
Her hands she wroong for griefe, her clothes she tare,
And full of woe these heauie words out threw:
Alas, my knights are slaine, my pris'ners free,
Yet of that conquest neuer boast shall hee;

52

He in their place shall serue me, and sustaine
Their plagues, their torments suffer, sorrowes beare,
And they his absence shall lament in vaine,
And waile his losse and theirs, with many a teare:
Thus talking to her selfe she did ordaine
A false and wicked guile, as you shall heare,
Thither she hasted, where the valiant knight
Had ouercome and slaine her men in fight.

53

Rinaldo there had doft and left his owne,
And on his backe a Pagans harnesse tide,
Perchance he deemed so to passe vnknowne,
And in those armes lesse noted safe to ride,
A headlesse corse in fight late ouerthrowne,
The Witch in his forsaken armes did hide,
And by a brooke expos'd it on the sand
Whither she wisht would come a Christian band:

54

Their comming might the dame foreknow right well,
For secret spies she sent foorth thousand waies,
Which euery day newes from the campe might tell,
Who parted thence, booties to search or praies:
Beside, the sprights coniur'd by sacred spell,
All what she askes or doubts, reueales and saies,
The bodie therefore plast she in that part,
That furthred best her sleight, her craft, and art;

55

And neere the corpes a varlet false and slie
She left, attirde in shepheards homely weed,
And taught him how to counterfeit, and lie
As time requir'd, and he perform'd the deed,
With him your souldiers spoke, of iealousie
And false suspect mongst them he strow'd the seede,
That since brought foorth the fruit of strife and iarre,
Of ciuill brawles, contention, discord, warre.
262

56

And as she wished so the soldiers thought,
By Godfreyes practise that the Prince was slaine,
Yet vanisht that suspicion false to nought,
When truth spred forth her siluer wings againe:
Her false deuises thus Armida wrought,
This was her first deceit, her formost traine,
What next she practis'd (shall you heare me tell)
Against our knight, and what thereof befell.

57

Armida hunted him through wood and plaine,
Till on Orontes flowrie banks he staid,
There, where the streame did part and meet againe,
And in the midst a gentle Island maid,
A pillour faire was pight beside the maine,
Nere which a little frigot floting laid,
The marble white the Prince did long behold,
And this inscription read, there writ in gold:

58

Who so thou art whom will or chance doth bring
With happie steps to flood Orontes sides,
Know, that the world hath not so strange a thing,
(Twixt east and west) as this small Island hides,
Then passe and see, without more tarrying.
The hastie youth to passe the streame prouides,
And for the cogge was narrow, small and strait,
Alone he row'd, and bod his squires there wait;

59

Landed he stalkes about, yet nought he sees
But verdant groues, sweet shades, and mossie rockes,
With caues and fountaines, flowers, herbes and trees,
So that the words he red he takes for mockes:
But that greene Isle was sweet at all degrees,
Wherewith entis'd downe sits he and vnlockes
His closed helme, and bares his visage faire,
To take sweet breath from coole and gentle aire.

60

A rumbling sound amid the waters deepe
Meanewhile he heard, and thither turn'd his sight,
And tumbling in the troubled streame tooke keepe,
How the strong waues together rush and fight,
Whence first he saw (with golden tresses) peepe
The rising visage of a virgin bright,
And then her necke, her brests, and all, as low
As he for shame could see, or she could show.
263

61

So in the twylight doth sometimes appeare
A Nymph, a Goddesse, or a Fairie queene,
And though no Siren but a sprite this weare;
Yet by her beautie seem'd it she had beene
One of those sisters false, which haunted neare
The Tirrhene shores, and kept those waters sheene,
Like theirs her face, her voice was and her sound,
And thus she sung, and pleas'd both skies and ground.

62

Ye happy youthes, whom Aprill fresh and May
Attire in flowring greene of lustie age,
For glorie vaine, or vertues idle ray,
Doe not your tender limmes to toile engage,
In calme streames, fishes; birds, in sunshine play,
Who followeth pleasure he is onely sage,
So nature saith, yet gainst her sacred will
Why still rebell you, and why striue you still?

63

O fooles who youth possesse, yet scorne the same,
A pretious, but a short abiding, treasure,
Vertue it selfe is but an idle name,
Priz'd by the world boue reason all and measure,
And honour, glorie, praise, renowme and fame,
That mens proud harts bewitch with tickling pleasure,
An Eccho is, a shade, a dreame, a flowre
With each winde blasted, spoil'd with euery showre.

64

But let your happie soules in ioy possesse
The Iuorie castels of your bodies faire,
Your passed harmes salue with forgetfulnesse,
Haste not your comming euils with thought and caire,
Regard no blazing star with burning tresse,
Nor storme, nor threatning skie, nor thundring aire,
This wisdome is, good life, and worldly blis,
Kinde teacheth vs, nature commands vs this.

65

Thus sung the spirit false, and stealing sleepe
(To which her tunes entis'd his heauie eies)
By step and step did on his senses creepe,
Still euery limme therein vnmoued lies,
Not thunders lowd could from this slumber deepe
(Of quiet death true image) make him rise:
Then from her ambush forth Armida start,
Swearing reuenge, and threatning torments smart.
264

66

But when shee looked on his face a while,
And saw how sweet he breath'd, how still he lay,
How his faire eies though closed seeme to smile,
At first she staid, astound with great dismay,
Then sat her downe, so loue can arte beguile,
And as she sate and lookt fled fast away
Her wrath, that on his forehead gazde the maid,
As in his spring Narcissus tooting laid;

67

And with a vaile she wiped now and than
From his faire cheeke, the globes of siluer sweat,
And coole aire gathred with a trembling fan,
To mittigate the rage of melting heat,
Thus (who would thinke it) his hot eieglance can
Of that cold frost dissolue the hardnesse great,
Which late congeald the hart of that faire dame,
Who late a foe, a louer now became.

68

Of woodbines, lillies, and of roses sweete,
Which proudly flowred through that wanton plaine,
All pletted fast, well knit, and ioyned meete,
She fram'd a soft, but surely holding chaine,
Wherewith she bound his necke, his hands, and feete;
Thus bound, thus taken did the prince remaine,
And in a coach which two old dragons drew,
She laid the sleeping knight, and thence she flew:

69

Nor turnd she to Damascus kingdomes large,
Nor to the fort built in Asphaltes lake,
But iealous of her deare and precious charge,
And of her loue asham'd, the way did take
To the wide Ocean, whither skiffe or barge
From vs doth selde or neuer voiage make,
And there to frolike with her loue awhile,
She chose a waste, a sole and desart ile.

70

An Isle that with her fellowes beares the name
Of fortunate, for temperate aire and mould,
There in a mountaine high alight the dame,
A hill obscur'd with shades of forrests ould,
Vpon whose sides the witch by arte did frame
Continuall snow, sharpe frost and winter could,
But on the top, fresh, pleasant, sweete and greene,
Beside a lake a pallace built this queene.
265

71

There in perpetuall, sweet and flowring spring
She liues at ease, and ioies her Lord at will;
The hardie youth from this strange prison bring
Your valours must, directed by my skill,
And ouercome each monster and each thing,
That guardes the pallace, or that keepes the hill,
Nor shall you want a guide, or engins fit,
To bring you to the mount, or conquer it.

72

Beside the streame, I parted shall you finde
A dame, in visage yoong, but old in yeeres,
Her curled lockes about her front are twinde,
A partie colour'd roabe of silke she weares:
This shall conduct you swift as aire or winde,
Or that flit birde that Ioues hot weapon beares,
A faithfull Pilot, cunning, trustie, sure,
As Tiphis was, or skilfull Palinure.

73

At the hils foot, whereon the Witch doth dwell
The serpents hisse, and cast their poyson vilde,
The ouglie bores doe reare their bristles fell,
There gape the beares, and roare the lyons wilde;
But yet a rod I haue can easlie quell
Their rage and wrath, and make them meeke and milde.
Yet on the top and height of all the hill,
The greatest danger lies, and greatest ill:

74

There welleth out a faire, cleere, bubbling spring,
Whose waters pure the thirstie guests entise,
But in those liquors cold the secret sting
Of strange and deadly poyson closed lies,
One suppe thereof the drinkers hart doth bring
To sudden ioy, whence laughter vaine doth rise,
Nor that strange meriment once stops or staies
Till, with his laughters end, he end his daies:

75

Then from those deadly, wicked streames refraine
Your thirstie lippes, despise the daintie cheare
You finde expos'd vpon the grassie plaine,
Nor those false damsels once vouchsafe to heare,
That in melodious tunes their voices straine,
Whose faces louely, smiling, sweet, appeare;
But you their lookes, their voice, their songs despise,
And enter faire Armidaes Paradise.
266

76

The house is builded like a maze within,
With turning staires, false doores and winding waies,
The shape whereof plotted in velam thin
I will you giue, that all those sleights bewraies,
In midst a garden lies, where many a gin
And net to catch fraile harts, false Cupid laies;
There in the verdure of the herbours greene,
With your braue champion lies the wanton queene.

77

But when she haply riseth from the knight,
And hath withdrawne her presence from the place,
Then take a shield I haue of dimonds bright,
And hold the same before the yongmans face,
That he may glasse therein his garments light,
And wanton soft attire, and vew his case,
That with the sight, shame and disdaine may moue
His hart to leaue that base and seruile loue.

78

Now resteth nought that needfull is to tell,
But that you goe secure, safe, sure and bold,
Vnseene the pallace may you enter well,
And passe the dangers all I haue foretold,
For neither art, nor charme, nor magicke spell
Can stop your passage or your steps withhold,
Nor shall Armida (so you garded bee)
Your comming ought foreknow, or once foresee:

79

And eeke as safe from that enchanted fort
You shall returne, and scape vnhurt away;
But now the time doth vs to rest exhort,
And you must rise by peepe of springing day.
This said, he led them through a narrow port,
Into a lodging faire wherein they lay,
There glad and full of thoughts he left his ghests,
And in his wonted bed the old man rests.
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