Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem Done into English Heroicall verse, by Edward Fairefax |
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The twentith Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
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 | Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem |  |
The twentith Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne.
The argument.
The Pagan host arriues, and cruell fightMakes with the Christians, and their faithfull powre;
The Soldan longs in field to proue his might,
With the old king quits the besieged towre;
Yet both are slaine and in eternall night
A famous hand giues each his fatall howre;
Rinald appeasd Armida; first the feild
The Christians winne; then praise to God they yeild.
1
The sunne call'd vp the world from idle sleepe,And of the day ten howres were gone and past,
When the bould troupe that had the towre to keepe,
Espide a sodaine mist, that ouercast
The earth, with mirksome clouds and darknes deepe,
And sawe it was th' Egyptian campe at last,
Which rais'd the dust, for hils and valleies broad
That hoast did ouerspread and ouerload:
2
Therewith a merrie shout and ioyfull crieThe Pagans reard, from their besieged hold;
The cranes from Thrace with such a rumour flie,
His hoarie frost and snow when Hyems old
Powres downe, and fast to warmer regions hie,
From the sharpe winds, fierce stormes and tempests cold
And quicke and readie this new hope and aid,
Their hands, to shoot; their toongs to threaten maid.
364
3
From whence their ire, their wrath and hardie threatProceeds, the French well knew, and plaine espide,
For from the wals and ports the army great
They saw, her strenght, her number, pompe and pride,
Swelled their brests with valours noble heat,
Battaile and fight they wisht, arme, arme, they cride,
The youth to giue the signe of fight all praid
Their Duke, and were displeasd, bicause delaid,
4
Till morning next for he refusd to fight,Their haste and heat he bridled, but not brake,
Nor yet with sodaine fray or skirmish light,
Of these new foes would he vaine triall make,
After so many warres (he saies) good right
It is, that one daies rest at least you take,
For thus in his vaine foes he cherish would
The hope, which in their strength they haue and hould.
5
To see Auroras gentle beame appeare,The souldiers armed, prest and ready lay,
The skies were neuer halfe so faire and cleare,
As in the breaking of that blessed day,
The merrie morning smild, and seemd to weare
Vpon her siluer crowne, suns golden ray,
And without cloud, heau'n his redoubled light
Bent downe, to see this field, this fray, this fight.
6
When first he sawe the day breake, shew and shine,Godfrey his hoast in good array brought out,
And to besiege the tyrant Aladine
Raimond he left, and all the faithfull rout,
That from the townes was come of Palestine,
To serue and succour their deliuerer stout,
And with them left a hardie troupe beside
Of Gascoignes strong; in armes well prou'd, oft tride.
7
Such was Godfredoes count'nance, such his cheare,That from his eie sure conquest flames and streames,
Heau'ns gracious fauours in his lookes appeare,
And great and goodly more than earst he seames,
His face and forehead full of noblesse weare,
And on his cheeke smiled youthes purple beames,
And in his gate, his grace, his actes, his eies
Somewhat (farre more than mortall) liues and lies.
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8
He had not marched farre, ere he espiedOf his proud foes the mightie hoast draw nie,
A hill at first he tooke, and fortified
At his left hand which stood his armie bie,
Broad in the front, behinde more straite vp tied,
His armie readie stoode the fight to trie,
And to the middle ward well armd he brings
His footemen strong, his horsemen serud for wings;
9
To the left wing, spred vnderneath the bentOf the steepe hill, that sau'd their flanke and side,
The Roberts twaine, two leaders good, he sent;
His brother had the middle ward to guide;
To the right wing himselfe in person went,
Downe, where the plaine was dangrous, broad and wide,
And where his foes with their great numbers, would
Perchance enuiron round his squadrons bould.
10
There all his Lorreners and men of might,All his best armd he plast, and chosen bands,
And with those horse some footemen armed light,
That archers were, (vsd to that seruice) stands,
Th' aduentrers then, in battaile and in fight
Well tride, a squadron famous through all lands,
On the right hand he set, somedeale aside,
Rinaldo was their leader, lord, and guide.
11
To whom the Duke, in thee our hope is laidOf victorie, thou must the conquest gaine,
Behinde this mightie wing, so farre displaid,
Thou with thy noble squadron close remaine;
And when the Pagans would our backs inuaide,
Assaile them then, and make their onset vaine;
For if I gesse aright, they haue in minde
To compasse vs, and charge our troupes behinde.
12
Then through his hoast, that tooke so large a scope,He road, and vewd them all, both horse and fout,
His face was bare, his helme vnclos'd and ope,
Lightned his eies, his lookes bright fire shot out,
He cheers the fearefull, comforts them that hope,
And to the bould recounts his boasting stout,
And to the valiant his aduentures hard,
These bids he looke for praise, those for reward.
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13
At last he staid, whereof his squadrons bold,And noblest troupes, assembled was best part,
There from a rising banke his will he told,
And all that heard his speech thereat tooke hart:
And as the molten snow from mountaines cold
Runs downe in streames, with eloquence and art,
So from his lips his words and speeches fell,
Shrill, speedie, pleasant, sweete, and placed well.
14
My hardie host, you conqu'rours of the East,You scourge, wherewith Christ whips his heathen fone,
Of victorie, behould the latest feast,
See the last day, for which you wisht alone;
Not without cause the Sarzens most and least,
Our gratious Lord hath gathred here in one,
For all your foes and his, assembled arre,
That one daies fight may end seaune yeares of warre.
15
This fight shall bring vs many victories,The danger none, the labour will be small,
Let not the number of your enimies
Dismay your harts, grant feare no place at all;
For strife and discord through their armie flies,
Their bands ill rankt themselues entangle shall,
And fewe of them to strike or fight shall come,
For some want strength, some hart, some elbow rome.
16
This host, with whom you must encounter now,Are men halfe naked, without strength or skill,
From idlenes, or following the plow,
Late pressed foorth to warre, against their will,
Their swordes are blunt, shieldes thinne, soone pierced throw,
Their banners shake, their bearers shrinke, for ill
Their leaders heard, obaid, or follow'd bee,
Their losse, their flight, their death I well foresee:
17
Their captaine, clad in purple, armd in gould,That seemes so fierce, so hardie, stout and strong,
The Moores or weake Arabians vanquish could,
Yet can he not resist your valours long,
What can he do, (though wise, though sage, though bould)
In that confusion, trouble, thrust and throng?
Ill knowne he is, and woorse he knowes his host,
Strange lords ill feard are, ill obaid of most.
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18
But I am captaine of this chosen crew,With whom I oft haue conquer'd, triumpht oft,
Your lands and linages long since I knew,
Each knight obaies my rule, milde, easie, soft,
I know each sword, each dart, each shaft I vew,
Although the quarrell flie in skies aloft,
Whether the same of Ireland be or France,
And from what bowe it comes, what hand perchance.
19
I aske an easie, and an vsuall thing,As you haue oft, this day, so winne the feild,
Let zeale and honour be your vertues sting,
Your liues, my fame, Christs faith, defend and sheild,
To earth these Pagans slaine and wounded bring,
Tread on their necks, make them all die or yeild,
What need I more exhort you? from your eies
I see how victorie, how conquest flies.
20
Vpon the captaine (when his speech was donne)It seemd a lampe and golden light downe came,
As from nights azure mantle oft doth ronne
Or fall, a sliding starre, or shining flame;
But from the bosome of the burning sonne
Proceeded this, and garland wise the same
Godfredoes noble head encompast round,
And (as some thought) foreshewd he should be cround:
21
Perchance (if mans proud thought, or saucie tong,Haue leaue to iudge, or guesse at heau'nly things)
This was the angell which had kept him long,
That now came downe, and hid him with his wings.
While thus the Duke bespeakes his armies stronge,
And euerie troupe and band in order brings,
Lord Emiren his hoast disposed well,
And with bould words whet on their courage fell:
22
The man brought foorth his armie great with speed,In order good, his foes at hand he spide,
Like the newe moone his hoast two hornes did spreed,
In midst the foote, the horse were on each side,
The right wing kept he for himselfe to leed,
Great Altamore receau'd the left to guide,
The middle ward led Mulcasses prood,
And in that battaile faire, Armida stood.
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23
On the right quarter stood the Indian grim,With Tisipherne and all the kings owne band;
But where the left winge spred her squadrons trim
Ore the large plaine, did Altamoro stand,
With Aphrican and Persian kings with him,
And two that came from Meroes hot sand,
And all his crosbowes and his slinges he plast,
Where roome best seru'd to shoot, to throw, to cast.
24
Thus Emiren his host put in array,And road from band to band, from ranke to ranke,
His Truchmen now, and now himselfe doth say,
What spoile his folke shall gaine, what praise, what thanke,
To him that feard, looke vp, ours is the day
He saies, vile feare to bould harts neuer sanke,
How dareth one against an hundreth fight?
Our crie, our shade, will put them all to flight.
25
But to the bould, go hardie knight (he saies,)His praie out of this lions pawes go teare,
To some before his thoughts the shape he laies,
And makes therein the image true appeare,
How his sad countrie him entreats and praies,
His house, his louing wife, and children deare,
Suppose (quoth he) thy countrie doth beseech
And pray thee thus, suppose this is her speech:
26
Defend my lawes, vphold my temples braue,My blood, from washing of my streetes, withhold,
From rauishing my virgins keepe, and saue
Thine auncestors dead bones and ashes cold,
To thee thy fathers deare, and parents graue
Shew their vncoured heads, white, hoarie, old,
To thee thy wife her brests with teares orespred
Thy sonnes, their cradles, shewes, thy mariage bed.
27
To all the rest, you for her honours sake,Whom Asia makes her champions, by your might
Vpon these theeues, weake, feeble, fewe, must take
A sharpe reuenge, yet iust, deserud and right,
Thus many words in seu'rall toongs he spake,
And all his sundry nations to sharpe fight
Encouraged, but now the Dukes had donne
Their speeches all, the hoasts togither ronne.
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28
It was a great, a strange, and wondrous sight,When front to front those noble armies met,
How euerie troupe, how in each troupe each knight
Stood prest to moue, to fight, and praise to get,
Loose in the winde waued their ensignes light,
Trembled the plumes that on their crests were set;
Their armes impreses, colours, gold and stone
Gainst the sunne beames, smild, flamed, sparkled, shone,
29
Of drie topt Oakes, they seemd two forrests thicke:So did each hoste with speares and pikes abound,
Bent were their bowes, in rests their launces sticke,
Their hands shooke swords, their slings held cobles round:
Each stead to runne was readie, prest and quicke
At his commaunders spurre, his hand, his sound;
He chafes, he stampes, careers, and turnes about,
He fomes, snorts, neies, and fire and smoake breaths out.
30
Horrour it selfe in that faire sight seem'd faire,And pleasure flew amid sad dreed and feare:
The trumpets shrill, that thundred in the aire,
Were musicke milde and sweete to euerie eare:
The faithfull campe (though lesse) yet seem'd more raire
In that strange noice, more warlike, shrill and cleare,
In notes more sweete, the Pagan trumpets iarre,
These sung, their armours shin'd, these glistred farre.
31
The Christian trumpets giue the deadly call,The Pagans answere, and the fight accept;
The godly Frenchmen on their knees downe fall
To pray, and kist the earth, and then vplept
To fight, the land betweene was vanisht all,
In combat close each hoste to other stept;
For now the wings had skirmish hot begonne,
And with their battels forth the footmen ronne.
32
But who was first of all the Christian traine,That gaue the onset first, first wonne renowne?
Gildippes thou wert she, for (by thee slaine)
The king of Orms, Hircano, tumbled downe,
The mans brest bone thou clou'st and rent in twaine,
So heau'n with honour would thee blesse and crowne:
Pierst through he fell, and falling hard withall,
His foe prais'd for her strength, and for his fall.
370
33
Her launce thus broake, the hardie dame forth drew(With her strong hand) a fine and trenchant blade,
And gainst the Persians fierce and bold she flew,
And in their troupe wide streets and lanes she made,
Euen in the girdling stead deuided new
In peeces twaine, Zopire on earth she lade;
And then Alarcos head she swapt off cleene,
Which like a football tumbled on the greene.
34
A blow feld Artaxerxes, with a thrustWas Argeus slaine, the first lay in a trance,
Ismaels left hand cut off fell in the dust;
For on his wrest her sword fell downe by chance:
The hand let goe the bridle where it lust,
The blow vpon the coursers eares did glance,
Who felt the raines at large, and with the stroake
Halfe mad, the rankes disordred, troubled, broake:
35
All these, and many moe, by time forgot,She slew and wounded, when against her came
The angrie Persians all, cast on a knot,
For on her person would they purchace fame:
But her deare spouse and husband wanted not
(In so great need) to aide the noble dame;
Thus ioin'd, the haps of warre vnhurt they proue,
Their strength was double, double was their loue.
36
The noble louers vse well might you see,A wondrous guise, till then vnseene, vnhard,
To saue themselues forgot both he and shee,
Each others life did keepe, defend and guard;
The stroakes that gainst her Lord discharged bee,
The dame had care to beare, to breake, to ward,
His shield kept off the blowes bent on his deare,
Which (if need be) his naked head should beare.
37
So each sau'd other, each for others wrongWould veng'ance take, but not reuenge their owne:
The valiant Soldan Artabano strong
Of Boecan isle, by her was ouerthrowne,
And by his hand (the bodies dead among)
Aluante (that durst his mistresse wound) fell downe,
And she betweene the eies hit Arimonte,
(Who hurt her Lord) and cleft in twaine his fronte.
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38
But Altamore who had that wing to leadFarre greater slaughter on the Christians made;
For where he turn'd his sword, or twinde his stead,
He slew, or man and beast on earth downe lade,
Happie was he that was at first strucke dead,
That fell not downe on liue, for whom his blade
Had spar'd, the same cast in the dustie streete
His horse tore with his teeth, brus'd with his feete.
39
By this braue Persians valour kild and slaineWere strong Brunello, and Ardonio great;
The first his head and helme had cleft in twaine,
The last in stranger wise he did entreat,
For through his hart he pierst, and through the vaine
Where laughter hath his fountaine and his seat,
So that (a dreedfull thing, beleeu'd vneath)
He laught for paine, and laught himselfe to death.
40
Nor these alone with that accursed knifeOf this sweete light and breath depriued lie;
But with that cruell weapon lost their life
Gentonio, Guascar, Rosimond and Guie;
Who knowes how many in that fatall strife
He slew? What knights his courser fierce made die?
The names and countries of the people slaine
Who tels? their wounds and deaths who can explaine?
41
With this fierce king encounter durst not one,Not one durst combat him in equall field,
Gildippes vndertooke that taske alone;
No doubt could make her shrinke, no danger, yield,
By Thermodonte was neuer Amazone,
(That menag'd steeled axe, or caried shield)
That seem'd so bold as she, so stronge, so light,
When foorth she ronne to meet that dreadfull knight:
42
She hit him, where with gold and ritch anmaile,His Diademe did on his helmet flame,
She broake and cleft the crowne, and caus'd him vaile
His proud and loftie top, his crest downe came,
Strong seem'd her arme that could so well assaile:
The Pagan shooke for spite, and blusht for shame,
Forward he rusht, and would at once requite
Shame, with disgrace; and with reuenge, despite.
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43
Right on the front he gaue that Ladie kindeA blow, so huge, so strong, so great, so sore,
That out of sense and feeling, downe she twinde:
But her deare knight his loue from ground vpbore,
Were it their fortune, or his noble minde,
He staid his hand, and stroake the dame no more:
A Lion so stalkes by, and with proud eies
Beholds, but scornes to hurt, a man that lies.
44
This while Ormondo false, whose cruell handWas arm'd, and prest to giue the traitrous blow,
With all his fellowes mongst Godfredoes band
Entred vnseene, disguis'd that few them know:
The theeuish Wolfes (when night oreshades the land)
That seeme like faithfull dogs in shape and show,
So to the closed folds in secret creepe,
And entrance seeke, to kill some harmlesse sheepe.
45
He proched nie, and to Godfredoes sideThe bloodie Pagan now was placed neare;
But when his colours gold and white he spide,
And saw the other signes that forged weare,
See see, this traitor false (the captaine cride)
That like a Frenchman would in show appeare,
Behold how neere his mates and he are crept.
This said, vpon the villaine foorth he lept,
46
Deadly he wounded him, and that false knightNor strikes, nor wards, nor striueth to be gone;
But (as Medusas head ware in his sight)
Stood like a man new turn'd to marble stone,
All lances broke, vnsheath'd all weapons bright,
All quiuers emptied were, on them alone,
In parts so many were the traitours cleft,
That those dead men, had no dead bodies left.
47
When Godfrey was with Pagan blood bespredHe entred then the fight, and that was past,
Where the bold Persian fought and combatted,
Where the close rankes he op'ned, cleft and brast;
Before the knight the troupes and squadrons fled,
As Affricke dust before the Southren blast,
The Duke recall'd them, in array them placed,
Staid those that fled, and him assail'd that chaced.
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48
The champions strong there fought a battell stout,Troie neuer saw the like by Xanthus old:
A conflict sharpe there was meane-while on fout
Twixt Baldwine good and Muleasses bold:
The horsemen also (neare the mountaines rout,
And in both wings) a furious skirmish hold,
And where the barb'rous Duke in person stood,
Twixt Tisiphernes and Adrastus prood;
49
With Emiren Robert the Norman stroue,Long time they fought, yet neither lost nor wonne;
The other Roberts helme the Indian cloue,
And broke his armes, their sight would soone be donne:
From place to place did Tisiphernes roue,
And found no match, against him none durst ronne,
But where the prease was thickest thither flew
The knight, and at each stroke feld, hurt or slew.
50
Thus fought they long, yet neither shrinke nor yeild,In equall ballance hung their hope and feare:
All full of broken lances lay the feild,
All full of armes that clou'n and shattred weare,
Of swords, some to the body naile the sheild,
Some cut mens throtes, and some their bellies teare,
Of bodies, some vpright, some groueling lay,
And for themselues eat graues out of the clay:
51
Beside his lord slaine lay the noble stead,There friend with friend lay kild, like louers trew,
There foe with foe, the liue vnder the dead,
The victor vnder him whom late he slew:
A hoarce vnperfect sound did each where spread,
Whence neither silence, nor plaine outcries flew,
There furie roares, ire threats, and woe complaines,
One weepes, another cries, he sighes for paines.
52
The armes that late so faire and glorious seame,Now soild and slubbred, sad and sullen grow,
The steele his brightnes lost; the gould his beame;
The colours had no pride, nor beauties show;
The plumes and feathers on their crests that streame,
Are strowed wide vpon the earth below:
The hosts both clad in blood, in dust and mire,
Had changd their cheare, their pride, their rich attire.
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53
But now the Moores, Arabians, Ethiops blacke,(Of the left wing that held the vtmost marge)
Spread forth their troupes and purpos'd at the backe
And side, their heedlesse foes t'assaile and charge:
Slingers and Archers were not slow, nor slacke
To shoot and cast, when with his battell large
Rinaldo came, whose furie, haste, and ire,
Seem'd earthquake, thunder, tempest, storme and fire.
54
The first he met was Asimire his throneThat set in Meroës hot, sunne-burnt, land,
He cut his necke in twaine, flesh, skin and bone,
The sable head downe tumbled on the sand;
But when by death of this blacke Prince alone,
The taste of blood and conquest once he fand,
Whole squadrons then, whole troupes to earth he brought,
Things wondrous, strange, incredible, he wrought;
55
He gaue moe deaths than stroakes, and yet his blowesVpon his feeble foes fell oft and thicke,
To mooue three toongs as a fierce serpent showes,
Which rolles the one she hath swift, speedie, quicke;
So thinkes each Pagan, each Arabian trowes,
He weilds three swords, all in one hilt that sticke,
His readinesse their eies so blinded hath,
Their dreed that wounder bred, feare gaue it fath,
56
The Affricke tyrants and the Negro kingsFell downe on heapes, drown'd each in others blood,
Vpon their people ranne the knights he brings,
Prickt forward by their guides ensample good,
Kild were the Pagans, broake their bowes and slings:
Some dide, some fell; some yeelded, none withstood:
A massacre was this, no fight; these put
Their foes to death; those hold their throates to cut.
57
Small while they stood, with hart and hardie faceOn their bold brests deepe wounds and hurts to beare,
But fled away, and troubled in the chace
Their rankes disordred be with too much feare:
Rinaldo follow'd them from place to place,
Till quite discomfit and disperst they weare,
That done he staies, and all his knights recalles,
And scornes to strike his foe that flies or falles.
375
58
Like as the winde stopt by some wood or hill,Growes strong and fierce, teares boughes and trees in twaine,
But with milde blasts, more temprate, gentle, still,
Blowes through the ample field, or spatious plaine;
Against the rockes as sea-waues murmur shrill,
But silent passe amid the open maine:
Rinaldo so, when none his force withstood,
Asswagd his furie, calmd his angrie mood,
59
He scornd vpon their fearefull backes that fledTo wreake his ire, and spend his force in vaine,
But gainst the footemen strong his troupes he led,
Whose side the Moores had open left and plaine,
The Affricanes, that should haue succoured
That battaile, all were ronne away or slaine,
Vpon their flanke with force and courage stout,
His men at armes assaild the bands on fout:
60
He brake their pikes, and brake their close array,Entred their battaile, feld them downe around,
So winde or tempest with impetious sway
The eares of ripened corne strikes flat to ground:
With blood, armes, bodies dead, the hardned clay
Plastred the earth, no grasse nor greene was found,
The horsemen running through & through their bands,
Kill, murder, slay, few scape, not one withstands.
61
Rinaldo came where his forlorne ArmideSate on her golden chariot mounted hie,
A noble guard she had on euery side
Of lords, of louers, and much chiualrie:
She knew the man when first his armes she spide
Loue, hate, wrath, sweet desire, stroue in her eie,
He changd some deale, his looke & countnance bold,
She changd from frost, to fire; from heat, to cold:
62
The prince past by the chariot of his deare,Like one that did his thoughts elsewhere bestow,
Yet suffred not her knights and louers neare
Their riuall so to scape withouten blow,
One drew his sword, another coucht his speare,
Herselfe an arrow sharpe set in her bow,
Disdaine her ire new sharpt and kindled hath,
But loue appeasd her, loue asswagd her wrath.
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63
Loue brideled furie, and reuiu'd of newHis fire, not dead, though buried in displeasure,
Three times her angrie hand the bow vp drew,
And thrice againe let slacke the string at leasure;
But wrath preuail'd at last, the reed out flew,
For loue findes meane, but hatred knowes no measure,
Out flew the shaft, but with the shaft, this charme,
This wish she sent: heau'ns grant it doe no harme:
64
She bids the reed returne the way it went,And pearse her hart which so vnkinde could proue,
Such force had loue, though lost and vainly spent,
What strength hath happie, kinde and mutuall loue?
But she that gentle thought did straight repent,
Wrath, furie, kindnes, in her bosome stroue,
She would, she would not, that it mist or hit,
Her eies, her hart, her wishes followed it.
65
But yet in vaine the quarrell lighted not,For on his hawberke hard the knight it hit,
Too hard for womans shaft or womans shot,
In stead of pearsing there it broke and split;
He turn'd away, she burnt with furie hot,
And thought he scorn'd her powre, and in that fit
Shot oft and oft, her shaftes no entrance found,
And while she shot, loue gaue her wound on wound.
66
And is he then vnpearceable (quoth shee)That neither force nor foe he needes regard?
His lims (perchance) arm'd with that hardnes bee,
Which makes his hart so cruell and so hard,
No shot that flies from eie or hand I see,
Hurtes him, such rigor doth his person gard,
Arm'd, or disarm'd; his foe, or mistresse kinde,
Despis'd alike, like hate, like scorne I finde.
67
But what new forme is left, deuise, or art,By which, to which exchang'd, I might finde grace?
For in my knights and all that take my part
I see no helpe, no hope, no trust I place,
To his great prowesse, might, and valiant hart,
All strength is weake, all courage vile and bace.
This said she, for she saw, how, through the feild,
Her champions flie, faint, tremble, fall and yeild.
377
68
Nor left alone can she her person saue,But to be slaine or taken stands in feare,
Though with her bow a iauelin long she haue,
Yet weake was Phebes bow, blunt Pallas speare.
But, as the swan, that sees the Eagle braue,
Threatning her flesh and siluer plumes to teare,
Falles downe, to hide her mongst the shadie brookes;
Such were her fearfull motions, such her lookes.
69
But Altamore, this while that stroue and soughtFrom shamefull flight his Persian host to stay,
That was discomfit and destroi'd to nought,
Whilst he alone mantain'd the fight and fray,
Seeing distrest the goddesse of his thought,
To aide her ran, nay flew, and laid away
All care, both of his honour and his host,
If she were safe, let all the world be lost.
70
To the ilguarded chariot swift he flew,His weapon made him way with bloodie warre:
Meane-while Lord Godfrey and Rinaldo slew
His feeble bands, his people murdred arre,
He saw their losse, but aided not his crew,
A better louer than a leader farre,
He set Armida safe, then turn'd againe
With tardie succour, for his folke were slaine.
71
And on that side the woefull Prince behieldThe battell lost, no helpe nor hope remain'd;
But on the other wing the Christians yield,
And flie, such vantage there th' Egyptians gain'd,
One of the Roberts was nigh slaine in field;
The other by the Indian strong constrain'd
To yeeld himselfe, his captiue and his slaue;
Thus equall losse and equall foile they haue.
72
Godfredo tooke the time and season, fitTo bring againe his squadrons in array,
And either campe well ordred, rang'd and knit,
Renew'd the furious battel, fight and fray,
New streames of blood were shed, new swords them hit;
New combats fought, new spoiles were borne away,
And vnresolu'd and doubtfull (on each side)
Did praise and conquest, Mars and Fortune ride.
378
73
Betweene the armies twaine while thus the fightWaxt sharpe, hot, cruell, though renewd but late,
The Soldan clombe vp to the towers hight,
And sawe farre off their strife and fell debate,
As from some stage or theatre the knight
Saw plaid the tragedie of humaine state,
Sawe death, blood, murder, woe and horrour strange,
And the great acts of fortune, chance and change:
74
At first astonisht and amazd he stood,Then burnt with wrath, and selfe consuming ire,
Swelled his bosome like a raging flood,
To be amid that battaile, such desire.
Such haste he had, he dond his helmet good,
His other armes he had before entire,
Vp, vp, he cride, no more, no more, within
This fortresse stay, come follow, die or win.
75
Whether the same were prouidence diuine,That made him leaue the fortresse he possest,
For that the empire proud of Palestine
This day should fall, to rise againe more blest;
Or that he breaking felt the fatall line
Of life, and would meete death with constant brest,
Furious and fierce he did the gates vnbarre,
And sodaine rage brought foorth, and sodaine warre;
76
Nor staide he till the folke on whom he crideAssemble might, but out alone he flies,
A thousand foes the man alone defide,
And ronne among a thousand enimies:
But with his furie cald from euery side,
The rest ronne out, and Aladine foorth hies,
The cowards had no feare, the wise no caire,
This was not hope, nor courage, but despaire.
77
The dreadfull Turke with sodaine blowes downe cast,The first he met, nor gaue them time to plaine,
Or pray, in murdring them he made such haste,
That dead they fell, ere one could see them slaine;
From mouth to mouth, from eie to eie foorth past
The feare and terrour, that the faithfull traine
Of Syrian folke, not vsd to dangrous fight,
Were broken, scattred, and nigh put to flight.
379
78
But with lesse terrour and disorder lesse,The Gascoignes kept array, and kept their ground,
Though most the losse and perill them oppresse,
Vnwares assaild they were, vnreadie found:
No rauning tooth or tallon hard I guesse
Of beast, or eager hauke, doth slay and wound
So many sheepe, or foules weake, feeble, small,
As his sharpe sword kild knights and souldiours tall:
79
It seemd his thirst and hunger swage he wouldWith their slaine bodies, and their blood powrd out,
With him his troupes and Aladino ould
Slew their besiegers, kild the Gascoigne rout:
But Raimond ranne to meete the Soldan bould,
Nor to encounter him had feare or dout,
Though his right hand by proofe too well he know,
Which laid him late for dead, at one huge blow,
80
They met and Raimond fell amid the feild,This blow againe vpon his forehead light,
It was the fault and weakenes of his eild,
Age is not fit to beare stroakes of such might,
Each one lift vp his sword, aduanst his sheild,
Those would destroy, and these defend the knight,
On went the Soldan, for the man he thought
Was slaine, or easlie might be captiue brought.
81
Among the rest he ranne, he ragd, he smote,And in small space, small time, great wonders wrought;
And as his rage him led and furie hote,
To kill and murder matter new he sought:
As from his supper poore, with hungrie throte,
A peasant hasts to a rich feast ibrought,
So from this skirmish to the battaile great
He ranne, and quencht with blood his furies heat.
82
Where battred was the wall he sallied out,And to the field in haste and heat he goes,
With him went rage and furie, feare and dout
Remaind behind, among his scattred foes:
To win the conquest, stroue his squadron stout,
Which he vnperfect left, yet loth to loes
The day: the Christians fight, resist and die,
And readie were to yeeld, retire and flie.
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83
The Gascoigne bands retir'd, but kept array,The Syrian people ran away outright,
The fight was neere the place where Tancred lay,
His house was full of noise, and great affright,
He rose and looked foorth to see the fray,
Though euery limme were weake, faint, voide of might,
He sawe the countie lie, his men orethrowne,
Some beaten backe, some kild, some felled downe:
84
Courage in noble harts that nere is spent,Yet fainted not, though faint were euery lim,
But reinforst each member cleft and rent,
And want of blood and strenght supplide in him,
In his left hand his heauie shield he hent,
Nor seemd the weight too great, his curtlax trim
His right hand drew, nor for more armes he stood,
Or staid, he needs no more, whose hart is good:
85
But comming foorth, cride, whither will you ronne,And leaue your leader to his foes in pray?
What? shall these heathen of his armour wonne,
(In their vile temples) hang vp trophies gay?
Go home to Gascoigne then, and tell his sonne,
That where his father dide you ran away,
This said, against a thousand armed foes,
He did his brest weake, naked, sicke, oppoes,
86
And with his heauie, stronge, and mightie targe,(That with seau'n hard buls hides was surely lind)
And strengthned with a couer thicke and large,
Of stiffe and well attempted steele behind,
He shielded Raimond from the furious charge,
From swords, from darts, from weapons of each kind,
And all his foes droue backe with his sharpe blade,
That sure and safe he lay, as in a shade.
87
Thus sau'd, thus shielded Raimond gan respire,He rose and reard himselfe in little space,
And in his bosome burnt the double fire
Of vengeance, wrath, his hart; shame fill'd his face;
He lookt around to spie, (such was his ire)
The man, whose stroake had laid him in that place,
Whom when he sees not, for disdaine he quakes,
And on his people sharpe reuengement takes.
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88
The Gascoines turne againe, their Lord in hasteTo venge their losse his band reordred brings,
The troupe that durst so much now stood agast,
For where sad feare grew late, now boldnes springs,
Now follow'd, they that fled; fled, they that chast;
So in one howre altreth the state of things,
Raimond requites his losse, shame, hurt and all,
And with an hundreth deathes reueng'd one fall.
89
Whil'st Raimond wreaked thus his iust disdaineOn the proud heads of captaines, Lords and peares,
He spies great Sions king amid the traine,
And to him leapes, and high his sword he reares,
And on his forehead strikes, and strikes againe,
Till helme and head he breakes, he cleaues, he teares,
Downe fell the king, the guiltlesse land he bit,
That now keepes him, bicause he kept not it.
90
Their guides one murdred thus, the other gone,The troupes diuided were in diuers thought,
Despaire made some ronne headlong gainst their fone,
To seeke sharpe death, that comes vncall'd, vnsought;
And some (that laid their hope on flight alone)
Fled to their fort againe; yet chance so wrought,
That (with the fliers) in the victors pas,
And so the fortresse wonne, and conquer'd was.
91
The hold was wonne, slaine were the men that fled,In courtes, halles, chambers high; aboue, below,
Old Raimond fast vp to the leads him sped,
And there (of victorie true signe and show)
His glorious standard to the winde he spred,
That so both armies his successe might know.
But Soliman saw not the towne was lost,
For far from thence he was, and neere the host;
92
Into the field he came, the lukewarme bloodDid smoke, and flow through all the purple feild,
There of sad death the court and pallace stood,
There did he triumphes lead, and trophies beild,
An armed stead fast by the Soldan yood,
That had no guide, nor lord the raines to weild,
The tyrant tooke the bridle, and bestroad
The coursers emptie backe, and foorth he road.
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93
Great, yet but short and sodaine, was the aid,That to the Pagans, faint and weake he brought,
A thunderbolt he was, you would haue said,
Great, yet that comes and goes as swift as thought,
And of his comming swift, and flight vnstaid
Eternall signes in hardest rockes hath wrought,
For by his hand an hundreth knights were slaine,
But time forgot hath all their names, but twaine;
94
Gildippes faire, and Edward thy deare lord,Your noble death, sad end, and woefull fate,
(If so much powre our vulgar toong afford)
To all strange wits, strange eares let me dilate,
That ages all your loue, and sweete accord,
Your vertue, prowesse, worth, may imitate,
And some kind seruant of true loue (that heares)
May grace your death, my verses, with some teares.
95
The noble ladie thither boldly flew,Where the fierce Soldan fought, and him defide,
Two mightie blowes she gaue the Turke vntrew,
One cleft his shield, the other pierst his side;
The prince the damsell by her habite knew,
See, see, this mankind strumpet, see (he cride)
This shamelesse whore, for thee fit weapons weare
Thy neeld and spindle, not a sword and speare.
96
This said, full of disdaine, rage, and despite,A strong, a fierce, a deadly stroake he gaue,
And pierst her armour, pierst her bosome white,
Worthie no blowes, but blowes of loue, to haue,
Her dying hand let goe the bridle quite,
She faints, she falles, twixt life and death she straue,
Her lord to helpe her came, but came too late,
Yet was not that his fault, it was his fate.
97
What should he do? to diuers parts him callIust ire and pittie kind, one bids him goe,
And succour his deare ladie, like to fall;
The other cals for vengeance on his foe,
Loue biddeth both, loue saies he must doe all,
And with his ire, ioines griefe; with pittie, woe.
What did he then? with his left hand the knight
Would hould her vp, reuenge her with his right.
383
98
But to resist against a knight so boldToo weake his will and powre deuided, weare;
So that he could not his faire loue vphold,
Nor kill the cruell man that slew his deare,
His arme, that did his mistres kind enfold
The Turke cut off, pale grew his lookes and cheare,
He let her fall, himselfe fell by her side,
And for he could not saue her, with her dide.
99
As the high elme (whom his deare vine hath twindFast in her hundred armes, and houlds embrast,)
Beares downe to earth his spouse and darling kind,
If storme or cruell steele the tree downe cast,
And her full grapes to nought doth bruze and grind,
Spoiles his owne leaues, faints, withers, dies at last,
And seemes to mourne and die, not for his owne
But for her death, with him that lies orethrowne:
100
So fell he mourning, mourning for the dame,Whom life and death had made for euer his;
They would haue spoke, but not one word could frame,
Deepe sobs their speech, sweete sighes their language is,
Each gazd on others eies, and, while the same
Is lawfull, ioine their hands, embrace and kis:
And thus sharpe death, their knot of life vntied,
Togither fainted they, togither died.
101
But now swift fame her nimble wings dispred,And told each where their chance, their fate, their fall,
Rinaldo heard the case, by one that fled
From the fierce Turke, and brought him newes of all,
Disdaine, goodwill, woe, wrath the champion led
To take reuenge, shame, griefe, for vengeance call.
But as he went Adrastus with his blade,
Forestall'd the way, and shew of combate made.
102
The giant cride, by sundrie signes I note,That whom I wish, I search, thou, thou art hee,
I markt each woorthies sheild, his helme, his cote,
And all this day haue call'd and cride for thee,
To my sweete saint I haue thy head deuote,
Thou must my sacrifice, my offring bee,
Come let vs heere our strength and courage trie,
Thou art Armidas foe, her champion I.
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103
Thus he defide him, on his front before,And on his throat he stroke him, yet the blow
His helmet neither brused, cleft nor tore,
But in his saddle made him bend and bow;
Rinaldo hit him on the flanke so sore,
That neither art nor hearbe could helpe him now;
Downe fell the Giant strong, one blow such powre,
Such puissance had; so falles a thundred towre.
104
With horrour, feare, amasednesse and dreed,Cold were the harts of all that saw the fray,
And Soliman (that view'd that noble deed)
Trembled, his palenesse did his feare bewray;
For in that stroake he did his ende arreed,
He wist not what to thinke, to doe, to say,
A thing in him vnused, rare and strange,
But so doth heau'n mens harts turne, alter, change.
105
As when the sicke or frantike men oft dreameIn their vnquiet sleepe, and slumber short,
And thinke they ronne some speedie course, and seame
To mooue their legs and feete in hastie sort;
Yet feele their limmes farre slower than the streame
Of their vaine thoughts, that beares them in this sport,
And oft would speake, would crie, would call or shout,
Yet neither sound, nor voice, nor word send out:
106
So runne to fight the angrie Soldan would,And did enforce his strength, his might, his ire,
Yet felt not in himselfe his courage ould,
His woonted force, his rage and hot desire,
His eies (that sparkled wrath and furie bould)
Grew dim and feeble, feare had quencht that fire,
And in his hart an hundreth passions fought,
Yet not on feare or base retire he thought.
107
While vnresolu'd he stood, the victor knightArriu'd, and seem'd in quicknesse, haste and speed,
In boldnesse, greatnes, goodlines and might,
Aboue all Princes borne of humaine seed:
The Turke small while resists, not death, nor fight
Made him forget his state, or race, through dreed,
He fled no stroakes, he fetcht no groane nor sigh,
Bold were his motions last, proud, stately, high.
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108
Now when the Soldan (in these battels pastThat Antheus like oft fell, oft rose againe,
Euer more fierce, more fell) fell downe at last
To lie for euer, when this Prince was slaine:
Fortune, that seld is stable, firme, or fast,
No longer durst resist the Christian traine,
But rang'd her selfe in row with Godfreies knights,
With them she serues, she ronnes, she rides, she fights.
109
The Pagan troupes, the kings owne squadron fled,Of all the East the strength, the pride, the flowre,
Late call'd immortall, now discomfited,
It lost that title proud, and lost all powre:
To him that with the royall standard fled,
Thus Emireno said, with speeches sowre,
Art not thou he to whom to beare I gaue
My kings great banner, and his standard braue?
110
This ensigne (Rimedon) I gaue not theeTo be the witnesse of thy feare and flight,
Coward, dost thou thy Lord and Captaine see
In battell strong, and ronn'st thy selfe from fight?
What seek'st thou? saftie? come, returne with mee,
The way to death, is path to vertue right,
Here let him fight that would escape; for this
The way to honour, way to saftie is.
111
The man return'd, and sweld with scorne and shame,The Duke with speeches graue exhorts the rest;
He threates, he strikes sometime, till backe they came,
And rage gainst force, despaire gainst death addrest.
Thus of his broken armies gan he frame
A battell now, some hope dwelt in his brest,
But Tisiphernes bold reuiu'd him most,
Who fought, and seem'd to winne, when all was lost;
112
Wonders that day wrought noble Tisipherne,The hardie Normans all he ouerthrew;
The Flemmings fled before the champion sterne,
Gernier, Rogero, Gerard bold he slew;
His glorious deeds to praise and fame eterne
His liues short date prolong'd, enlarg'd and drew,
And then (as he that set sweete life at nought)
The greatest perill, danger most he sought.
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113
He spide Rinaldo, and although his feildOf azure, purple now and sanguine showes,
And though the siluer bird amid his sheild
Were armed gules; yet he the champion knowes,
And saies, here greatest perill is, heau'ns yeild
Strength to my courage, fortune to my blowes,
That faire Armida her reuenge may see,
Helpe Macon, for his armes I vow to thee.
114
Thus praied he, but all his vowes were vaine,Mahound was deafe, or slept in heauens aboue,
And as a lion strikes him with his traine,
His natiue wrath to quicken and to moue;
So he awakte his furie and disdaine,
And sharpt his courage on the whetstone loue,
Himselfe he sau'd behinde his mightie targe,
And forward spurr'd his stead, and gaue the charge.
115
The Christian saw the hardie warriour come,And leaped forth to vndertake the fight,
The people round about gaue place and rome,
And wondred on that fierce and cruell sight,
Some prais'd their strength, their skill, and courage some,
Such and so desp'rate blowes strooke either knight,
That all that saw forgot both ire and strife,
Their wounds, their hurts, forgot both death and life:
116
One stroke, the other did both strike and wound,His armes were surer, and his strength was more;
From Tisipherne the blood stream'd downe around,
His shield was cleft, his helme was rent and tore.
The dame (that saw his blood besmeare the ground,
His armour broke, limmes weake, wounds deepe and sore,
And all her garde dead, fled, and ouerthrowne)
Thought, now her field lay wast, her hedge lay downe:
117
Enuiron'd with so braue a troupe but late,Now stood she in her chariot all alone,
She feared bondage, and her life did hate,
All hope of conquest and reuenge was gone,
Halfe mad and halfe amas'd, from where she sate,
She leaped downe, and fled from friends and fone,
On a swift horse she mounts, and forth she rides
Alone, saue for disdaine and loue, her guides.
387
118
In daies of old, Queene Cleopatra soeAlone fled from the fight and cruell fray,
Against Augustus great his happie foe,
Leauing her Lord, to losse, and sure decay.
And as that Lord for loue let honour goe,
Follow'd her flying sailes, and lost the day:
So Tisipherne the faire and fearfull dame
Would follow, but his foe forbids the same.
119
But when the Pagans ioy and comfort fled,It seem'd the sunne was set, the day was night,
Gainst the braue Prince with whom he combatted
He turn'd, and on the forehead stroake the knight:
When thunders forg'd are in Tiphoius bed,
Not Brontes hammer falles so swift, so right,
The furious stroake fell on Rinaldoes crest,
And made him bend his head downe to his brest.
120
The champion in his stirrups high vpstart,And cleft his hawberke hard and tender side,
And sheath'd his weapon in the Pagans hart,
The castle where mans life and soule do bide;
The cruell sword his brest and hinder part
With double wound vnclos'd, and op'ned wide;
And two large doores made for his life and breath,
Which past, and curde hot loue, with frosen death.
121
This done, Rinaldo staid, and lookte around,Where he should harme his foes, or helpe his friends;
Nor of the Pagans saw he squadron sound:
Each standard falles, ensigne to earth descends;
His furie quiet than and calme he found,
There all his wrath, his rage and rancour ends.
He call'd to minde, how (farre from helpe or aid)
Armida fled, alone, amas'd, affraid:
122
Well sawe he when she fled, and with that sightThe Prince had pitie, curtesie and care;
He promist her to be her friend and knight,
When earst he left her in the island bare:
The way she fled he ranne and road aright,
Her palfraies feete signes in the grasse out ware:
But she this while found out an ougly shade,
Fit place for death, where nought could life perswade.
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123
Well pleased was she with those shadowes browne,And yet displeasd with lucke, with life, with loue,
There from her stead she lighted, there laid downe
Her bowe and shafts, her armes that helpelesse proue
There lie with shame (she saies) disgrast, orethrowne,
Blunt are the weapons, blunt the armes I moue,
Weake to reuenge my harmes, or harme my foe,
My shafts are blunt, ah loue, would thine were soe!
124
Alas, among so many, could not one,Not one draw blood, one wound or rend his skin?
All other brests to you are marble stone,
Dare you than pierce a womans bosome thin?
See, see, my naked hart, on this alone,
Imploy your force, this fort is eath to win,
And loue will shoote you from his mightie bow,
Weake is the shot that dripile falles in snow.
125
I pardon will your feare and weakenes past,Be strong (mine arrowes) cruell, sharpe gainst mee,
Ah wretch, how is thy chance and fortune cast,
If plast in these, thy good and comfort bee?
But since all hope is vaine, all helpe is wast,
Since hurts ease hurts, wounds must cure wounds in thee;
Then with thine arrowes stroake cure stroakes of loue,
Death for thy hart must salue, and surgeon proue.
126
And happie me, if being dead and slaine,I beare not with me this strange plague to hell,
Loue, staie behind, come thou with me disdaine,
And with my wronged soule foreuer dwell;
Or else with it turne to the world againe,
And vexe that knight with dreames and visions fell,
And tell him (when twixt life and death I stroue)
My last wish, was reuenge; last word, was loue.
127
And with that word halfe mad, halfe dead, she seames,An arrow, poignant, strong and sharpe she tooke,
When her deare knight found her in these extreames,
Now fit to die, and passe the Stygian brooke,
Now prest to quench her owne and beauties, beames;
Now death sate on her eies, death in her looke;
When to her backe he stept, and staid her arme
Stretcht foorth, to doe that seruice last, last harme.
389
128
She turnes, and (ere she knowes) her Lord she spies,Whose comming was vnwisht, vnthought, vnknowne,
She shrikes, and twines away her sdeignfull eies
From his sweete face, she falles dead in a swoune,
Falles as a flowre halfe cut, that bending lies:
He held her vp, and least she tumble downe,
Vnder her tender side his arme he plast,
His hand her girdle loos'd, her gowne vnlast;
129
And her faire face, faire bosome he bedewesWith teares, teares of remorse, of ruth, of sorrow.
As the pale Rose her colour lost renewes,
With the fresh drops falne from the siluer morrow;
So she reuiues, and cheekes empurpled shewes,
Moist with their owne teares, and with teares they borrow;
Thrice lookte she vp, her eies thrice closed shee,
As who say, let me die, ere looke on thee.
130
And his strong arme, with weake and feeble hand,She would haue thrust away, loos'd, and vntwined:
Oft stroue she (but in vaine) to breake that band,
For he the bold he got not yet resined,
Her selfe fast bound in those deare knots she fand,
Deare, though she faigned scorne, stroue and repined:
At last she speakes, she weepes, complaines and cries;
Yet durst not, did not, would not see his eies.
131
Cruell at thy departure, at retorneAs cruell, say, what chance thee hither guideth,
Wouldst thou preuent her death, whose hart forlorne
For thee, for thee deathes stroakes each howre deuideth?
Comst thou to saue my life? alas, what scorne,
What torment for Armida poore abideth?
No, no, thy crafts and sleights I well descrie,
But she can little doe that cannot die.
132
Thy triumph is not great, nor well arrai'd,Vnlesse in chaines thou lead a captiue dame;
A dame now tane by force, before betrai'd,
This is thy greatest glorie, greatest fame:
Time was that thee of loue and life I prai'd,
Let death now end my loue, my life, my shame,
Yet let not thy false hand bereaue this breath,
For if it were thy guift, hatefull were death.
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133
Cruell, my selfe an hundreth waies can finde,To rid me from thy malice, from thy hate,
If weapons sharpe, if poisons of all kinde,
If fire, if strangling faile, in that estate;
Yet waies enough I know to stop this winde:
A thousand entries hath the house of fate.
Ah, leaue these flattries, leaue weake hope to moue,
Cease, cease, my hope is dead, dead is my loue.
134
Thus mourned shee, and from her watrie eies,Disdaine and loue dropt downe, roll'd vp in teares;
From his pure fountaines ranne two streames likewise,
Wherein chast pitie and milde ruth appeares:
Thus with sweete words the Queene he pacifies,
Madame, appease your griefe, your wrath, your feares,
For to be crown'd, not scorn'd, your life I saue;
Your foe, nay but your friend, your knight, your slaue.
135
But if you trust no speech, no oath, no word;Yet in mine eies, my zeale, my truth, behold:
For to that throne (whereof thy sire was Lord)
I will restore thee, crowne thee with that gold,
And if high heau'n would so much grace afford,
As from thy hart this cloude, this vaile vnfold
Of Paganisme, in all the East no dame
Should equalize thy fortune, state and fame.
136
Thus plaineth he, thus praies, and his desireEndeares with sighes that flie, and teares that fall;
That as against the warm'th of Titans fire,
Snow drifts consume on tops of mountaines tall:
So melts her wrath, but loue remaines entire.
Behold (she saies) your handmaid and your thrall;
My life, my crowne, my wealth vse at your pleasure:
Thus death her life became, losse prou'd her treasure.
137
This while the Captaine of th' Egyptian host,That saw his roiall standard laid on ground,
Saw Rimedon, that ensignes prop and post,
By Godfreies noble hand, kild with one wound,
And all his folke discomfit, slaine and lost,
No coward was in this last battell found,
But road about and sought (nor sought in vaine)
Some famous hand of which he might be slaine:
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138
Against lord Godfrey bouldly out he flew,For nobler foe he wisht not, could not spie,
Of desprate courage shew'd he tokens trew,
Where ere he ioind, or staid, or passed bie,
And cried to the Duke as neere he drew,
Behold of thy strong hand I come to die,
Yet trust to ouerthrow thee with my fall,
My castles ruines shall breake downe thy wall.
139
This said, foorth spurr'd they both, both high aduanceTheir swords aloft, both stroake at once, both hit,
His left arme wounded had the knight of France,
His shield was pierst, his vantbrace cleft and split,
The Pagan backward fell, halfe in a trance,
On his left eare his foe so hugely smit,
And as he sought to rise, Godfredoes sword
Pierced him through, so dide that armies Lord.
140
Of his great host when Emiren was dead,Fled the small remnant that aliue remained;
Godfrey espied as he turnd his stead,
Great Altamore on foote, with blood all stained,
With halfe a sword, halfe helme vpon his head,
Gainst whom an hundreth fought, yet not one gained,
Cease, cease this strife, he cride: and thou braue knight,
Yeeld, I am Godfrey, yeeld thee to my might.
141
He that till then his proud and haughtie hartTo act of humblenes did neuer bend,
When that great name he heard, from the north part
Of our wide world, renown'd to Aethiops end,
Answer'd, I yeeld to thee, thou worthy art,
I am thy pris'ner, fortune is thy frend:
On Altamoro great thy conquest bold
Of glorie shall be rich, and rich of gold:
142
My louing queene, my wife and Lady kindeShall ransome me with iewels, gold and treasure.
God shield (quoth Godfrey) that my noble minde
Should praise and vertue so by profit measure,
All that thou hast from Persia and from Inde
Enioy it still, therein I take no pleasure,
I set no rent on life, no price on blood,
I fight, and sell not warre for gold or good.
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143
This said, he gaue him to his knights to keepe,And after those that fled his course he bent;
They to their rampires fled and trenches deepe,
Yet could not so deathes cruell stroke preuent,
The campe was wonne, and all in blood doth steepe,
The blood in riuers stream'd from tent to tent,
It soil'd, defilde, defaced all the pray,
Shields, helmets, armours, plumes and feathers gay.
144
Thus conquer'd Godfrey, and as yet the sonneDiu'd not in siluer waues his golden waine,
But day-light seru'd him to the fortresse wonne
With his victorious host to turne againe,
His bloodie cote he put not off, but ronne
To the high Temple with his noble traine,
And there hung vp his armes, and there he bowes
His knees, there prai'd, and there perform'd his vowes.
| Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem | |