him speed For stay were now his most vnseemely deed Come not with him thy selfe but tarry there With Greekish king so to procure vs ayde Which more then once he hath vs promisde faire And by our league thus ought not be delayde So speakes he so informes and giues to beare Letters the which with greetings credence prayd Henryck for speed a present congey takes And with his thoughts a truce time Godfrey makes Th'ensewing day when of the lightsome east The gates are opned to the Sunnes approch The Drums and Trumpets gaue the eare no rest Exhorting warriours on the way t' encroch Thunder in heat is no such welcome guest Which hope of nere showre to the world doth broch As all the hardy souldiers pleasing found Of warlicke instruments this shrilly sound Straightway ech one pricked with great desire Clothed his lims with his oft-worne spoyles Straightway ech one musters in complet tire Straightway ech one to his chieftaine recoyles And the well-marshald army ioyned nyre His ensignes all displayes to Eols broyles And the Emperiall Standard stately-large A crosse triumphant ouer all doth charge This while the Sunne which in the heau'nly ground Still vauntage winnes and vp ascendeth hie On th'armour beates and flashes makes rebound And quaking lightnings cleere which bleare the eye The aire with sparckles seemes enflamed round And shines like burning fire that vp doth flie And with the neighings fierce accordes the noyse Of clashing armour and the fields accloyes The generall who from the en'mies snares Desires his troups in safetie may remaine Store of light horse from the maine armie pares And round to scoure the coast employes their paine And Pioners to send before he cares So for his campe an easie march to gaine The pits to fil the cragges away to take And passages foreclosde wide ope to make There are no Painim forces leauide yet No walles enuironed with trenches steepe No riuer broad no combrous hill to get No forrest thicke their voyage backe to keepe Eu'n so the king of streames on priding set When as he growes past measure high and deepe Beyond his banckes abroad all wrackfull goes And nought is found that dare it selfe oppose Onely the King of Trypoli who kept Within well guarded walles coyne men and armes Athwart the Frankish army might haue stept Yet durst he not by warre to stirre vp harmes But he by presents to their fauour crept And by his fires at home them gladly warmes And such conditions of a peace doth take As vertuous Godfrey likes with him to make There from Mount Seyr which vplifted hie Neere to the Citie stands on easterne side Of true beleeuing wights a companie Mingled in age and Sexe downe slocking hide And Christens presents brought for victorie And glad them view and with them talking bide Admiring vncouth armes and to Godfrey They prou'd true faithfull guides to shew the way He euer butting on the salt-sea waue By wayes directest doth conduct his hoast Well weeting that th'associat shipping haue Resolu'd to sayle still hard aboord the coast Which course vnto his armie plenty gaue Of vittaile and what else was needfull most For him ech I le of Greece their haruest rept And Creete and rocky Scio vintage kept The bordering Sea vnder the waight did grone Of the tall ships and of the lightest pines So as safe passage there was open none In Midland Sea to any Saracines For mand out not from Marck and George alone In the Venetian and the Gene confines Came fleetes But England France Holland some Do send and some from fruitfull Sicil come And these which now together are combinde With soundest knot of loue in one consent At diuers shores had loden in ech kind What by the Campe should needfully be spent So when the frontire coast they freed finde From en'mies shipping which are close vp pent With canvas spred at full they thither goe Where Christ for mortall men bare mortall woe But fame foreran ' the ready carrier Of true reports and rumours fraught with lyes That safe is ioyn'd the army conquerer And now sets forth and all delaying flyes She of ech band makes a perticular She showes their names whose prayse doth highest rise She showes their vaunts and terrible of face Sions vsurpers ceasles doth menace And ill lookt for perhaps brings greater ill Then selfe ill doth when it is present beare On ech vncertaine breath of rumour still Doubtfull hangs eu'ry mind and eu'ry eare Muttring confusde within without doth fill The fields and dolefull Citie all with feare But th' aged King neere perill of such losse Counsels sauage in doubtfull hart doth tosse Aladine is his name who of that realme Newe Soueraigne liued in continuall thought A man earst cruell but that mood extreame His riper age part had to mildnesse wrought He that conceau'd whereat the Latines ayme Who of his towne the walles to batter sought To auncient feare adioyneth new suspectes And dreads his foes and dreadeth his subiectes For in one Citie mingled dwellings fall Of people contrarie in faith the lesse And weaker part on Christ their Sauiour call The great and stronger Mahomet professe But when the king first conquer'd Sion wall And there his seat to stablish did addresse From common taskes the Painims he set free And double lodes the Christians miserie The thought of this his natiue sauage mood Which couched lay and languisht cold with yeares Angring eneigres and it makes new wood That thirst of bloud now more then aye appeares So gentle seemd a while the Snakish brood That to his fiercenesse turnes as Sommer neares And so the tamed Lion takes againe His natiue fury if he wrong sustaine I see sayes he of new conceiued ioy Vndoubted signes in this vnfaithfull race What their sole good that proues our chiefe annoy Sole they do laugh in this our common case Of woe and now perhaps their wits employ To guile and treason and discourse apace How me to slay or to consorted mates Mine enemies how they may d'ope the gates But soft not so I will preuent I trow Their wicked purposes I 'le glut my will I 'l hew them downe I 'l sharpe examples show I 'l sucklings in their mothers bosoms kill I 'l fire in ech their house and temples throw Such funerals shall their death rights fulfill I 'l offer on that Sepulchre of theirs Their Priests for sacrifice amid their Preyrs So did this tyrant reason in his mind But thought so ill conceiu'd tooke no successe Yet if these innocents a pardon finde Base hart not pittie doth him thereto presse For if one feare to crueltie him tinde Another greater doubt bridles no lesse He dreads all wayes of concord to debarre And armes of conqu'ring foes t' incense too farre This fellon then his mad rage tempereth Or rather seekes elsewhere the same to wrake The countrey houses downe he ruyneth And places well manur'd a pray doth make To flames Nought leaues he whole or soūd vnneath Where any
Their light horse seruice doth to gallop long For trauaile tough spare in their dyeting Readie t'assayle and to retire at will Disordred scattred fled yet fight they still Latine that Cornet led and only he Of Greece the Latine armes accompanide O shame O foule misdeede and had not ye O Greekes these warres eu'n sticking in your side Yet as at games sluggards you sit to see What issue will to these great actes betide Now if a slaue thou serue this thy bondage Doe not complaine is iustice not outrage A squadron next there comes in order last But first for honour valure and for art Inuict Heroick ventrers here are plaste Asias terrour and Mars thunder dart Cease Argos Arther cease vaine shootes you waste Knights saylers and knights errants acts t' impart For old exployts comparde with these are winde Where shall we then for them fit Chieftaine finde Dudon of Consa is their head because Hard t' was of bloud and vertue doome to geeue They all agree to vnder go his lawes Who did of all know most and most atcheeue And graue of manlines and ripe of sawes He showes in hoarie lockes of strength the preeue He showes of wounds not foule the printed skarres The worthy steps of honour wonne in warres Eustace is next amongst the chiefe whose owne Prayse makes him great but brother Boglion more From stocke of Norway kings eke Gernand growne On Scepters titles crownes him proud he bore Roger of Balnauil mongst best is knowne Old fame and Eugerlan do there him score Eke with the brauest they solemnize doo One Genton one Rambald and Gerards too Vbald also and Rosomond is praysd Of Dutchy great of Lancaster the heire Nor can Obize the Tuscane downe be peyzd By him that memories away doth beare Nor Lombard brothers three will be disseyzd Achilles Sforza Palamede of their Cleare fame nor Otto strong that wonne the shield Where Serpents mouth sends forth a naked child Nor Guasco nor Rudolfo left behinde Nor th' one nor th' other Guido famous both Nor Eurard nor Gernier must slip my mind To passe in gratelesse silence more then loth Whither do you louers and spouses kind Gildip and Edward hale him now that grow'th Of numbring wearie O consorts in warre Though dead disioynd you neuer shal be farre What can there not be learnd in schooles of loue There was she taught to waxe a warrie bolde To his deere side still cleaues she and aboue One destiny his and her life doth holde No blow that hurts but one they euer proue But ech wounds smart encreast is doublefold And oft the one is hit the other playnes Tone bleedes at soule the tother at the vaynes But youth Rinaldo farre surpasseth these And passeth all that to the muster went Most sweetly fierce vp should you see him rayse His royall looke and all lookes on it spent He hope oregoes he ouergrowes his dayes When bud was thought but bloome out fruit he sent To such as armes him thundring saw embrace Mars he did seeme Loue if he shew'd his face Him on the banck of Adige foorth brought Sofia to Bertold Sofia the faire To Bertold the puissant when newly rought From mothers teat and yet vnwayn'd welneare Maued would him haue and nurst him him tought In princely skils and kept him still with her Vntill his youthly minde plight his beheast T'ensew the trump that sounded from the East Then he thrice fiue of yeares could scantly skore Yet fled alone and walkt through vncouth wayes He past th' Egean Sea and Greekish shore And at the campe arriues where far hit stayes Most noble flight well worthy that once more Some Nephew chiualrous make like assayes Three yeeres are spent and he in wars when now His chyns soft downe could scarce a beard auow The horsemen past the muster next doth grow Of men on foot and Reymond leades the way Tholouse he rulde and brought his souldiers fro Mount Piren Garon streame and Ocean Sea Of thousands foure well arm'd well trayn'd a show He makes whom toyle or want could not affray Tall were the men and led they could not be By one more strong or better skil'd then he But thousands fiue doth Stephen from Amboise And Blois and Tours vnto the seruice bring Though sorted bright in armes and weapons choice For strength or paine not worth the valewing The soyle is tender light shapte to reioyce And like it selfe his dwellers fostering In battaile first they giue an onsett bold But soone waxt faint and in their courage cold Alcasto commeth third as Thebes by Was Capaneus once of visage grim Sixe thousand Swizzers commons fierce hardy From Alpine castles leuide come with him Who yron wont to plowes and clots t' apply To new shapes now and worthier vses trim And with the hand that kept the ragged heard Seemes kingdomes to defie are not afeard He after saw the loftie Standard splayd With Peters Diademe and with his keyes These thousands seu'n doth good Camillus lead Footmen in armour bright and huge of peyze He glad the heau'ns so great a charge obeyd There to renew his graundsires auncient prayse Or shew at least that to valure Latine Or nothing lackes or onely discipline But now the squadrons all in musters faire Were marching on and this of all the last When Godfrey calles the greatest Captaines neare And by his words gaue of his meaning taste To morow when the dawning shall appeare I will that light and prest the hoast do haste So as vnto the sacred Citie we May come vnlookt as much as much may be Prepare you all both to the iourney than And to the fight and to the victorie This hardie speech of so discreet a man Gaue ech one care and vaunst his courage hie All prest march on when the first ray began To sprout loth them broad day should there deskry But Bollion prouident wants not his feare Though close conceald it in his breast he beare For he by newes for certaine vnderstood Th' Egyptian king was now vpon his way To Gaza ward a foretresse strong and good Which frontier-wise to Sirian kingdoms lay Nor could he thinke a man of restlesse mood In high exploits would trifle time away But him sharpe foe attends and sayeth this To Henryck a true messenger of his Vnto some Frigate light get thee aboord And toward Greekish soyle no fayling slake There shall you meet so haue I written woord From one who newes of lyes will neuer make A royall youth none brauer guirt with sword That part with vs in warre pretends to take He is the Prince of Danes and leades a band From where the Pole is Zenith to the land But for the Greekish Emp'rour fraught with guile With him perhaps will vse his wonted art To turne him backe or bend his course the while Farre off from vs vnto some forraine part My messenger and counsler true as stile Do thou in my behalfe dispose his hart To our and his owne good and bid
Doth to it selfe sufficing grace accrew Argant a signe but slight of honour sparde As one of great estate and small reguarde But right hand layd Aletes on his brest And bow'd his head and cast to ground his eyes And honour'd him in eu'ry sort at best As of his nation can import the guise Then he began and from his mouth sweetest Riuers of eloquence flow hony-wise And for the Frankes now Sirian speech had learnd That which he sayd was perfectly discernd O worthy sole whom deigne may to obey This famous troup of ech Heroicke Knight Who conquests past Realmes that now they sway Knowledge as your and your aduices right Within Alcides boundes your name to stay Brookes not but eu'n mongst vs takes farder flight And fame hath through ech part of Egypt spred The tidings cleare of your great manlihed Nor of so many any one not lent As men to maruailes vse hath listning eare But them my king not with astonishment Alone but with like great delight doth heare And glad in their report oft time hath spent Louing in you what they enuy and feare He loues your valure and doth free elect With you to ioyne in loue if not in sect So faire occasion him doth onward guide With you of friendship and of peace to treat And that ech sure may rest to other tyde If faith cannot let vertue worke it yeat But for he learnes you force of armes prouide His friend to chase from out his royall seat He chose ere any farder harme might growe We should you make his mind at full to knowe His mind is this if pleasde you will remaine With what the warre already yours hath made Nor Iury seeke nor th' other parts t' obtaine Which he with fauour of his raigne doth shade He promise plights you to assure againe Your yet not settled rule if double blade Of yours be ioynde the hope is out of date For Turkes of Persians to regaine estate My Lord great things in smal space haue you wrought Which in obliuion longage cannot cast Armies Cities vanquisht destroyd to nought Wayes earst vntrode distresses ouerpast So by your fame to fright and stoyning brought Are Realmes about both farre and neerely plast And though more kingdomes rest as yet to gaine To gaine more glory you aspire in vaine Your glory highest top hath wonne t is dew Henceforth you fly of warre the doubtfull chaunce By winning you can onely state accrew But no way more your glory ought aduaunce Where all is lost that earst you did subdew And honour too if Fortune looke askaunce T is game of Fortune fond and bold away Gainst small vncertaine certaine much to play But somes aduice whom it perhaps imports That others farder conquests theirs assure And end to ech attempt that lucky sorts And that instinct which feruent doth enure High flaming harts to more and more efforts Whereby thral'd people may their yoke endure Will peraduenture make you fly as farre From hauing peace as others do the warre They will exhort you to ensew the way That is by fate so largely opened And not aside this famous sword to lay Whose edge hath conquest still ascertained Till Mahounds sect be brought to full decay Till Asia be quite abandoned Sweete things to heare entrappings very sweet Which yet not feel'd extreamest dammage meet But if that courage blindfold not your sight Nor in you darken reasons clearest ray You shall perceiue in making choice to fight Well feare of much but little hope you may For Fortune here below oft changeth plight While haps now good now bad do ioy or fray And those who ouer high and hasty flye To steepest downefals come the sooner nye Tell me if to thy dammage Egypt rise In gold in armes in counsell great of might If Persian Turke Cassans sonne likewise Conspirde in one hap to renew the fight What force gainst such a fury can suffize What place giue scape to such a parlous plight May be you on the Greekes lewd king affie Whom sacred league of cou'nants doth allie Who knoweth not in Greeks what faith there raines Yet by one treason ghesse the residew Nay by a thousand for with thousand traines Brewd hath your bane that myser faithlesse crew Then who to stop your passage earst tooke paines Prepares he now his life to spend for you Who bare high wayes common to all that liue Denide will he his proper bloud you giue May be you placed haue your hope alone In bandes of which this circuit maketh showe And whom disperst you vanquisht knit in one Now eke assoone to ouercome you trowe Though of your troopes that store is scald and gone Through wars and want your selfe do see and knowe And though new foes against you still encrease Egyptians Persians Turkes a hugy prease But as thing fatall grant we this pretence That neuer weapon shall your force subdew Graunt that the heau'ns thereof giue euidence And as your selfe expound so be it trew Yet famine shall you vanquish what defence What refuge gainst this ill for God haue you Against this set your launce in rest go trie Your sword and faine your selfe the victorie The fields about burnt and destroy'd to nought Hath the inhabitants fore-seeing hand And to closde walles and to high turrets rought And stowd their fruites ere you approcht the land Now you that hardy haue them hither brought Whence hope you feede ech foot and horsed band You 'll say our Nauy shall vs vittailes send And doth your liuing then on windes depend And doth your fortune then commaund the windes And bind and looze them as you best may please The Sea whom ech at plaints and prayers findes Still deafe sole here 's it you sole you obeyes Or when a league the Turke or Persian bindes With warlicke force of ours then cannot these Assembly make of such a mightie fleete As is t' oppose against your Nauie meete My Lord a double victorie you neede If you expect the honour of this warre Whereas one onely losse will doubtles breede Great shame to you but dammage greater farre For if then yours our Nauie better speede Foorthwith in Campe you hunger-starued are And if your losse light on the land in vaine Your shipping shall a fruitlesse conquest gaine Now if in this estate you yet refuse A peace and truce with great Egyptian King Pardon the truth to other your vertues This your counsaile is no way answering But heau'ns vouchsafe that newer thoughts you chuse If old liktwarre and diuers end they bring That Asias waylments so take breath at last And of your conquests you the fruit may tast Nor you who of the perill and the paines And of the glory are with him consort Be not so farre mis-led by fortunes traines That to new warres she powerfull you exhort But like the Pilot who from sea where raignes Mis-hap hath brought his ship to wished port So strike you now the sayles you hoysed hie And do no more in ruthlesse
storme all stony might He tossing his stout head lifts vp his face Full of so terrible an hardiment That to the hearts of those who guard the place An ycy cold of feare vnwonted went Whiles some he cheeres and some he doth menace In commeth one who slakes his eger bent For Godfrey to them sent the good Sigiere Of his graue charges messenger seuere Who in his name their ouer-hardinesse Vncries and straight to turne doth straight impose Returne he sayes for to your wrathfulnesse Nor place serues fit nor season tidie growes Godfrey commaunds it you this word expresse Regnold now raines who earst was spurre to those Though inward much he frets and out reueald More signes then one of anger ill conceald Backe turne the bandes nor their returne at all Was by the counterwayting foe distrest Nor Dudons corps of his last funerall In any portion did defrauded rest Vpon their kindest armes his friends loyall Him beare a burden deere and nobellest Bulleyn the while viewes from an higher part Of that strong Citie both the site and art Hierusalem vpon two hils is set Of height vneuen and turnde front to frount His middle part a lowly vale doth fret Which it deuides and t 'one from t'other mount Three sides are coasted with a combrous let Fourth easie way nor to ascend they count But with high raysed walles it selfe defends The playner part which gainst the North extends Within the Citie sundry Cesterns are Raine to receiue and brookes and liuing springs Without the earth about of grasse is bare Fountaines or lakes barraine none forth it brings Nor is it seene gladsome or proud to fare With trees nor yeelds gainst Suns rayes shadowings Saue where some sixe miles off a wood vpgrowes With noysome bugbears that dark ghastly showes That side where rising first appeares the day The noble waue of happy Iordan flankes And on the westerne part of Midland Sea It buts vpon the sandy strowed bankes The North Betel to golden calfe where they An alter raysd and eke Samaria rankes Bethlem is plast where South brings showry cloud Whose hap was earst in lap great birth to shrowd While Godfrey now both of the towne and land The loftie rampires and the site surueyes And him bethinkes where best his campe may stand And where foes weakest wall t'assaile with ease Erminia skryes him and with stretched hand Him points to Painim King and farder sayes That Godfrey is who clad in purple pall Beares port so king-like and maiesticall He certes borne seemes a Soueraigne So th' arts to rule and to command he knowes Nor is he meaner Knight then Capitaine But all the points of double valure owes Nor man more warlike this so great a traine Mongst all then him nor more aduised showes In counsell Raymond sole and sole in warre Reynold and Tancred his coegals are The Painym King replies him well I beare In minde as earst seene at great Court of France When I Egyptian messenger was there In noble iusts I saw him ply his launce And though his yeeres which then young springing were No tire of downe did on his cheekes aduaunce Yet both his words workes and semblant braue Of greatest hopes eu'n then foretoken gaue Foretoken ah too true with that troubled Ey-lids downe clines he then them reares anew And sayes tell me what 's he coat-armoured Whom weare and t'others match to march we vew Oh how by this he is resembelled Though seemes to want a part of stature dew That 's Baldwyn answer'd she to him showes he Brother by face but more by facts to be Next marke the man on t'other side in guize That stands of one who counsaile doth endite He Reymond hights whom I to you for wise Did so commend a man all hoary white Skild to contriue more warlicke policies There 's neither Frankish nor Italian sprite But he that with guilt-helme doth farder stand Good William is Kings sonne of Brittish land With him is Gwelfe and equall striues to goe In braue deedes in great bloud in high calling Full well by those square shoulders him I knowe And by that breast whole cheasted vp rysing But mongst these squadrons mine owne greatest foe Though wide I looke to sight I cannot bring I meane that Boemund that murderer Of my bloud royall cruell rauiner So talked they the whiles the Capitaine When he the walles had viewd to his descends And for he deemes the Citie should in vaine Assault receiue where steepenesse most ascends Against the Northerne gate he on the plaine That with it ioynes his pitched tents extends And thence proceeding neere the towre below Cald Angolar the rest he doth bestow The circuit of the Campe might neere comprize The Cities third part or but little lesse For to enclose it round the same suffize At full could not such was her hugynesse But all the wayes at least which might supplyes Afford Godfrey to stop gan him addresse And causeth to be seiz'd ech passage fit That seru'd to come and go too and from it A charge he giues his Tents should fortefide With diches deepe and with strong trenches bee Which it from Townesmens sallyes on th'oneside And straunge assaults might on the tother free Then after these dew workes to end were hide Dudons carcasse he tooke a mind to see And thither went where that good Captaine ded With sad and tearefull troupe was compassed His faithfull friends adorned his great Beare With noble pompe where plast aloft he lyes When Godfrey enters and the people reare More dolefull playning and more tatling cryes But with a looke nor troubled nor yet cleare Good Bulleyn bridles his affects and tyes His tongue then when his sight on him had stayd Fixed in muse somewhile at last he sayd To thee nor plaint nor dole are dew for death If world thee sent heau'n giues thee birth againe And here where off thou threwest thy mortall sheath Steps of thy glory printed deepe remaine Thou liu'dst as Champion of the Christen faith And so thou did'st now ioyest thou and faine In God dost feede thine eyes O soule of blisse And crownd and palmd thy well deseruing is Blessed liue thou for our condition Not thy mis-hap inuites these teares to fall Sith at thy parting parts a portion Of vs most worthy and most strong withall But if from vs an earthly aide is gon Depriu'd by that which death the vulgar call An heau'nly aide for vs thy suit may gaine For mongst th'elect thee heau'n doth entertaine And as we saw for our aduantage thee Earst mortall man these mortall armes to weeld So sprite diuine our hope assures to see With fatall armes of heau'n thou wilt vs sheeld Learne now the prayers to receiue which wee Thee send and succour to our euils yeeld Thence conquest I denounce deuout we will Triumphant vowes at Church to thee fulfill So spake he and by this the Euening darke Had quenched all the rayes of lightsome day And with obliuion of ech noysome carke
those faire heauenly seats he man hath cauld Vile man from vilest durt on earth ycrauld Nor this suffizde but did his Sonne betake In pray to death to worke our greater skath He came and downe th' infernall gates he brake And in our kingdomes durst new tread a path And fetcht the soules which lot our owne did make And so rich spoyles to sky conueyed hath Triumphant victour and vs to vpbrayd Of vanquisht hell th'ensignes he there displayd But why do I by speech reuiue my woe Who hath not earst told of our wrongs the skore Where was the place or who the time can shoe When euer he his vsed prankes forbore Our thoughts no longer backe to th' old must goe But cast to cure more then one present sore Ah! see you not hither his drifts to fall That eu'ry Nation on his name may call Shall we still sluggards then waste day and howre Nor any worthy carke our courage wake And shall we brooke that hourely greater powre His faithfull people may in Asia take That Iury he subdew that his honour And that his name more large and great he make That other tongs it sound that other verse It write new brasse and marble it reherse That all our Idols downe to th' earth be throwne To him our alters by the world turned To him the vowes vp-hangd to him alone All incense burnt gold and mirrhe offered That where to vs earst closde was temple none Now to our artes no way rest opened That of so many soules the wonted pay Ceast and an emptie Realme Dan Pluto sway Ah be it farre of that first woorth as yet In you the sprites quite are not vnder brought When round with steele and haughty flames beset Against celestiall empire earst we fought We could I not deny no conquest get Yet valure did adorne so great a thought Be what it will that victory him gaue Of hearts inuict we yet the glory haue But why thus linger I oh you my crew Goe trusty on oh you my power and might Goe hastie on and these caitiues subdew Ere their stoupt forces rise to higher flight Ere whole consumed be the Realme Hebrew Of this encroaching flame quench out the light Amongst them preace and to their vtter harme Now heds with wiles now hāds with forces arme My will shall dest'ny be disperst let some A wandring walke let slaughter some vprake Let some with carkes of fond loue ouercome A sweete glance a coy smile their Idoll make Let weapons some against their leader clomme Let them grow mutinous and parties take Let Campe with losse and ruine be accloyd And eu'n his markes rest with it selfe destroyd Gods rebell soules stay could no longer barre That these last words might sort vnto an end But flying foorth a new to view ech starre From their deepe plunged might abroad they wend Much like the stormes of broylly whistling iarre Whom natiue caues foorth from their intrayls send To darke the welkin and a warre to band Against the great Realmes both of sea and land Full soone to sundry coasts with wings displaide These thorough the world made their diuers starts And of entrappings straunge and new they laid Sly framed plots and gan apply their arts But of their first annoyes O Muse me aide To shew how source they tooke and from what parts Thou wotst it well fame brings thus farre vnneath Of so great workes to vs a feeble breath A famous noble wisard Hidraote Ruled Damascus and the Cities neere Who from his youth to arts of vncouth note Addict did day by day them more endeere But whereto booted this if they ne mote Of these vncertaine broyles the issue cleere Nor of the fixt or wandring starres th' aspect Nor hels swart cunning could to truth direct His iudgement led ah blindest humaine minde How vaine and wrested wrong thy iudgements are That to the Campe of westerne armes combinde The sky sole death and ruines did prepare So deeming Palme for this attempt assignde Should in the end fall to th' Egyptians share He sought a portion on his people might Of victory and gaines and glory light But for Frankes valure high he holds in price And harmes of bloody victorie doth feare He casts his penworths by some queint deuice The Christians force peecemeale-wise to impaire So as them downe more easly at a trice His and th' Egyptians armes vnite may beare In this conceit the Angell blacke him neeres And more him pricks more him onward steeres He counsell lendeth and affords the meanes Which may to this exploit giue easie passe There dwelt a wench whose peereles bewty steines Ech easterne Ladie and his Neice she was The cunningst spels and fardest fetched treines Of witch or womans skill well couth the lasse He her doth call he her of counsell makes And vnto her the whole charge he betakes My deere he sayes who vnder golden haire And with a looke so delicate in show Dost aged wit and manly stomacke beare And in mine owne skils farre my selfe outgo Thy seconding my huge conceiu'd affeyre Will to our hopes cause glad successes flow Weaue thou the web begun by my deuice Of warie age as bold executrice Goe to the en'mies Campe and there employ Ech womans wile which loue may serue to slocke Let plants with prayres bedewd beare sweet alloy Let broken wordes with deepe sighes entershocke Let dolefull bewties pityed annoy Winne to thy will eu'n harts of stiffest blocke Thy too much boldnes shadow vnder shame And cloke of truth vnto thy leazings frame Catch if it may be Godfrey with the traine Of thy sweete lookes and of thy speeches faire That warre begun the mans besotted braine May loath and it diuert some other where If this faile others of the greatst enchaine And leade where all returne they may despeire Then he his counsels sorts and endeth thus For faith and countrey nought misseemeth vs. The faire Armida priding in her hew And in th' endowments of her sexe and age This charge takes on her and as eu'ning drew Doth part and to close wayes her steps engage Stout harts she hopes and arm'd hands to subdew With her tresses and wenches equippage But of her parting diuers tales are spred By set deuice t'amuze the peoples bed Within few dayes this Dame her iourney ends There where the Frankes their large pauillions spred Whose bewtie rare at his apparence lends Babling to tongues and eyes a gazing led As when some Starre or Comete strange ascends And in cleere day through sky his beames doth shed They flocke in plumps this pilgrim faire to vew And to be wizde what cause her thither drew Not Argos Cyprus Delos ere present Paternes of shape or bewtie could so deere Gold are her lockes which in white shadow pent Eft do but glimpse eft all disclosde appeare As when new clensde we see the element Sometimes the Sun shines through white cloud vncleere Somtimes frō cloud out gone his raies more bright He sheads abroad