blasphemous beast and dragon bring To him also that of our Sauiour good Washed the sacred front in Iordans flood 8 Him likewise they inuoke called the rocke Whereon the Lord they say his Church did reare Whose true successors close or else vnlocke The blessed gates of grace and mercie deare And all th'elected twelue the chosen flocke Of his triumphant death who witnes beare And them by torment slaughter fire and sword Who martyrs died to confirme his word 9 And them also whose bookes and writings tell What certaine path to heau'nly blisse vs leades And hermits good and ancresses that dwell Mewed vp in walles and mumble on their beades And virgin nunnes in close and priuate cell Where but shrift fathers neuer mankinde treades On these they called and on all the rout Of angels martyrs and of saints deuout 10 Singing and saying thus the campe deuout Spred forth her zealous squadrons broad and wide Towards mount Oliuet went all this rout So call'd of Oliue trees the hill which hide A mountaine knowne by fame the world throughout Which riseth on the cities eastren side From it deuided by the valley greene Of Iosaphat that fils the space betweene 11 Hither the armies went and chanted shrill That all the deepe and hollow dales resound From hollow mounts and caues in euery hill A thousand Ecchoes also sung around It seem'd some quire that sung with art and skill Dwelt in those sauage dennes and shadie ground For oft resounded from the banks they heare The name of Christ and of his mother deare 12 Vpon the walles the Pagans old and yong Stood husht and still amated and amased At their graue order and their humble song At their strange pompe and customes new they gased But when the shew they had beholden long An hideous yell the wicked miscreants rased That with vile blasphemies the mountaines hoare The woods the waters and the valleis roare 13 But yet with sacred notes the hostes proceed Though blasphemies they heare and cursed things So with Apolloes harpe Pan tunes his reed So adders hisse where Philomela sings Nor flying dartes nor stones the Christians dreed Nor arrowes shot nor quarries cast from flings But with assured faith as dreading nought The holy worke begun to end they brought 14 A table set they on the mountaines hight To minister thereon the Sacrament In golden candlesticks a hallowed light At either end of virgin waxe there brent In costly vestments sacred William dight With feare and trembling to the altar went And praier there and seruice lowd beginnes Both for his owne and all the armies sinnes 15 Humbly they heard his words that stood him nie The rest far off vpon him bent their eies But when he ended had the seruice hie You seruants of the Lord depart he cries His hands he lifted than vp to the skie And blessed all those warlike companies And they dismist return'd the way they came Their order as before their pompe the same 16 Within their campe arriu'd this voiage ended Towards his tent the Duke himselfe withdrew Vpon their guide by heapes the bands attended Till his pauilions stately doore they vew There to the Lord his welfare they commended And with him left the worthies of the crew Whom at a costly and rich feast he placed And with the highest roome old Raimond graced 17 Now when the hungrie knights sufficed ar With meat with drinke with spices of the best Quoth he when next you see the morning star Tassault the towne be ready all and prest Tomorrow is a day of paines and war This of repose of quiet peace and rest Goe take your ease this euening and this night And make you strong against tomorrowes fight 18 They tooke their leaue and Godfreys haralds road To intimate his will on euery side And publisht it through all the lodgings broad That gainst the morne each should himselfe prouide Meane-while they might their harts of cares vnload And rest their tired limmes that euening tide Thus fared they till night their eies did close Night frend to gentle rest and sweet repose 19 With little signe as yet of springing day Out peept not well appear'd the rising morne The plough yet tore not vp the fertile lay Nor to their feed the sheepe from folds retorne The birds sate silent on the greene wood spray Amid the groues vnheard was hound and horne When trumpets shrill true signes of hardie fights Call'd vp to armes the soldiers call'd the knights 20 Arme arme at once an hundreth squadrons cride And with their crie to arme them all begin Godfrey arose that day he laid aside His hawberke strong he wontes to combat in And dond a brestplate faire of proofe vntride Such one as footmen vse light easie thin Scantly their Lord thus clothed had his gromes When aged Raimond to his presence comes 21 And furnisht thus when he the man beheild By his attire his secret thought he guest Where is quoth he your sure and trustie sheild Your helme your hawberke strong where all the rest Why be you halfe disarm'd why to the feild Approch you in these weake defences drest I see this day you meane a course to ronne Wherein may perill much small praise be wonne 22 Alas doe you that idle praise expect To set first foot this conquered wall aboue Of lesse account some knight thereto obiect Whose losse so great and harmfull cannot proue My Lord your life with greater care protect And loue your selfe bicause all vs you loue Your happie life is spirit soule and breath Of all this campe preserue it than from death 23 To this he answered thus you know he sade In Clarimont by mightie Vrbans hand When I was girded with this noble blade For Christes true faith to fight in euery land To God eu'n than a secret vow I made Not as a captaine here this day to stand And giue directions but with shield and sword To fight to winne or die for Christ my Lord. 24 When all this campe in battaile strong shall bee Ordain'd and ordred well disposed all And all things done which to the high degree And sacred place I hold belongen shall Then reason is it nor disswade thou mee That I likewise assault this sacred wall Least from my vow to God late made I swerue He shall this life defend keepe and preserue 25 Thus he concludes and euery hardie knight His sample follow'd and his brethren twaine The other Princes put on harnesse light As footemen vse but all the Pagan traine Towards that side bent their defensiue might That lies expos'd to vew of Charles waine And Zephirus sweet blastes for on that part The towne was weakest both by scite and art 26 On all parts else the fort was strong by scite With mighty hils defenst from forraine rage And to this part the tyrant gan vnite His subiects borne and bands that serue for wage From this exploit he spar'd nor great nor lite The aged men and boyes of tender age
such terror breed To court she went their pardon would she get But on the way the courteous king she met 46 Sir king quoth she my name Clorinda hight My fame perchance hath pearst your eares ere now I come to trie my woonted power and might And will defend this land this towne and yow All hard assaies esteeme I eath and light Great actes I reach to to small things I bow To fight in field or to defend this wall Point what you list I nought refuse at all 47 To whom the king what land so far remot From Asias coastes or Phebus glistring raies O glorious virgin that recordeth not Thy fame thine honour worth renowne and praise Since on my side I haue thy succours got I need not feare in these mine aged daies For in thine aide more hope more trust I haue Than in whole armies of these soldiers braue 48 Now Godfrey staies too long he feares I weene Thy courage great keepes all our foes in awe For thee all actions far vnwoorthie beene But such as greatest danger with them drawe Be you commaundresse therefore Princesse queene Of all our forces be thy word a lawe This said the virgin gan her beauoir vale And thankt him first and thus began her tale 49 A thing vnus'd great monarch may it seeme To aske reward for seruice yet to come But so your vertuous bountie I esteeme That I presume for to entreat this grome And seelie maid from danger to redeeme Condemn'd to burne by your vnpartiall dome I not excuse but pitie much their yuth And come to you for mercie and for ruth 50 Yet giue me leaue to tell your highnes this You blame the Christians them my thoughts acquite Nor be displeas'd I say you iudge amis At euerie shot looke not to hit the white All what th'enchantour did perswade you is Against the lore of Macons sacred rite For vs commaundeth mightie Mahomet No idols in his temples pure to set 51 To him therefore this wonder done refar Giue him the praise and honour of the thing Of vs the Gods benigne so carefull ar Least customes strange into their church we bring Let Ismen with his squares and trigons war His weapons be the staffe the glasse the ring But let vs menage war with blowes like knights Our praise in armes our honour lies in fights 52 The virgin held her peace when this was said And though to pitie neuer fram'd his thought Yet for the king admir'd the noble maid His purpose was not to denie her ought I grant them life quoth he your promist aid Against these Frenchmen hath their pardon bought Nor further seeke what their offences bee Guiltlesse I quite guiltie I set them free 53 Thus were they loos'd happiest of humane kinde Olindo blessed be this act of thine True witnes of thy great and heau'nly minde Where sunne moone stars of loue faith vertue shine So foorth they went and left pale death behinde To ioy the blisse of marriage rites diuine With her he would haue dide with him content Was she to liue that would with her haue brent 54 The king as wicked thoughts are most suspitious Suppos'd too fast this tree of vertue grew O blessed Lord why should this Pharoe vicious Thus tyrannize vpon thy Hebrewes trew Who to performe his will vile and malitious Exiled these and all the faithfull crew All that were strong of body stout of minde But kept their wiues and children pledge behinde 55 A hard diuision when the harmlesse sheepe Must leaue their lambes to hungrie wolues in charge But labour's vertues watching ease her sleepe Trouble best winde that driues saluations barge The Christians fled whither they tooke no keepe Some straied wilde among the forrests large Some to Emmaus to the Christian host And conquer would againe their houses lost 56 Emmaus is a citie small that lies From Sions wals distant a little way A man that early on the morne doth rise May thither walke ere third howre of the day Oh when the Christian Lords this towne espies How merie were their harts how fresh how gay But for the sunne enclined fast to west That night there would their chieftaine take his rest 57 Their canuas castles vp they quickly reare And build a citie in an howres space When loe disguised in vnusuall geare Two Barons bold approchen gan the place Their semblance kinde and milde their gestures weare Peace in their hands and friendship in their face From Egypts king ambassadours they come Them many a squire attends and many a grome 58 The first Aletes borne in lowly shed Of parents base a rose sprong from a brier That now his branches ouer Egypt spred No plant in Pharoes garden prospred hier With pleasing tales his Lords vaine eares he fed A flatterer a pickthanke and a lier Curst be estate got with so many a crime Yet this is oft the staire by which men clime 59 Argantes called is that other knight A stranger came he late to Egypt land And there aduanced was to honours hight For he was stout of courage strong of hand Bold was his hart and restlesse was his spright Fierce sterne outragious keene as sharp'ned brand Scorner of God scant to himselfe a frend And prickt his reason on his weapons end 60 These two entreatance made they might be hard Nor was their iust petition long denide The gallants quickly made their court of gard And brought them in where sate their famous guide Whose kingly looke his princely minde declar'd Where noblesse vertue troth and valour bide A slender courtsie made Argantes bold So as one prince salute another wold 61 Aletes laid his right hand on his hart Bent downe his head and cast his eies full low And reu'rence made with courtly grace and art For all that humble lore to him was know His sober lips then did he softly part Whence of pure rhetorike whole streames out flow And thus he said while on the Christian Lords Downe fell the mildew of his sugred words 62 O only worthy whom the earth all feares High God defend thee with his heau'nly sheeld And humble so the harts of all thy peares That their stiffe necks to thy sweete yoke may yeeld These be the sheaues that honours haruest beares The seed thy valiant actes the world the feeld Egypt the headland is where heaped lies Thy fame worth iustice wisedome victories 63 These all together doth our soueraigne hide In secret storehouse of his princely thought And praies he may in long accordance bide With that great Worthie which such wonders wrought Nor that oppose against the comming tide Of profred loue for that he is not tought Your Christian faith for though of diuers kinde The louing vine about her elme is twin'd 64 Receiue therefore in that vnconquered hand The pretious handle of this cup of loue If not religion vertue be the band Twixt you to fasten friendship not to moue But for our mightie king doth vnderstand You meane your powre
vitall moisture was In trees in plants in herbes in flowres in grasse 58 Sleepe to his quiet dales exiled fled From these vnquiet nights and oft in vaine The souldiers restlesse sought the god in bed But most for thirst they mourn'd and most complaine For Iudais tyrant had strong poison shed Poison that breedes more woe and deadly paine Than Acheron or Stigian waters bring In euerie fountaine cestern well and spring 59 And little Siloe that his store bestowes Of purest Chrystall on the Christian bands The peebles naked in his chanell showes And scantly glides aboue the scorched sands Nor Poe in May when ore his bankes he flowes Nor Ganges watrer of the Indian lands Nor seu'n mouth'd Nile that yeelds all Egypt drinke To quench their thirst the men sufficient thinke 60 He that the gilding riuers earst had seene Adowne their verdant chanels gently rold Or falling streames which to the valleies greene Distill'd from tops of Alpine mountaines cold Those he desir'd in vaine new torments beene Augmented thus with wish of comforts old Those waters coole he dranke in vaine conceit Which more encreast his thirst encreast his heat 61 The sturdie bodies of the warriours strong Whom neither marching far nor tedious way Nor weightie armes which on their shoulders hong Could wearie make nor death it selfe dismay Now weake and feeble cast their limmes along Vnweildie burthens on the burned clay And in each vaine a smouldring fire there dwelt Which dride their flesh and sollid bones did melt 62 Languisht the stead late fierce and profred gras His fodder earst despis'd and from him kest Each step he stumbled and which loftie was And heigh aduanst before now fell his crest His conquests gotten all forgotten pas Nor with desire of glorie sweld his brest The spoiles wonne from his foe his late rewards He now neglects despiseth nought regards 63 Languisht the faithfull dog and wonted caire Of his deare Lord and cabben both forgot Panting he laid and gathred fresher aire To coole the burning in his entrals hot But breathing which wise Nature did prepare To swage the stomackes heat now booted not For little ease alas small helpe they win That breath foorth aire and scalding fire sucke in 64 Thus languished the earth in this estate Lay woefull thousands of the Christians stout The faithfull people grew nie desperate Of hoped conquest shamefull death they dout Of their distresse they talke and oft debate These sad complaints were heard the campe throughout What hope hath Godfrey Shall we still here lie Till all his souldiers all our armies die 65 Alas with what deuice what strength thinkes he To scale these walles or this strong fort to get Whence hath he engins new doth he not see How wrathfull heau'n gainst vs his sword doth whet These tokens showne true signes and witnesse be Our angrie God our proud attempts doth let And scorching sunne so hot his beames outspreeds That not more cooling Inde nor AEthiop needs 66 Or thinkes he it an eath or little thing That vs despis'd neglected and disdain'd Like abiects vile to death he thus should bring That so his Empire may be still maintain'd Is it so great a blisse to be a king When he that weares the crowne with blood is stain'd And buies his scepter with his peoples liues See whither glorie vaine fond mankinde driues 67 See see the man call'd holy iust and good That curteous meeke and humble would be thought Yet neuer car'd in what distresse we stood If his vaine honour were diminisht nought When dried vp from vs is spring and flood His water must from Iordan streames be brought And now he sits at feastes and bankets sweet And mingleth waters fresh with wines of Creet 68 The French thus murmour'd but the Greekish knight Tatine that of this war was wearie growne Why die we here quoth he slaine without fight Kild not subdu'd murdred not ouerthrowne Vpon the Frenchmen let the penance light Of Godfreyes follie let me saue mine owne And as he said without farewell the knight And all his comet stole away by night 69 His bad example many a troupe prepares To imitate when his escape they know Clotharius his band and Ademares And all whose guides in dust were buried low Discharg'd of duties chaines and bondage snares Free from their oath to none they seruice owe But now concluded all on secret flight And shrunke away by thousands euery night 70 Godfredo this both heard and saw and knew Yet nould with death them chastise though he mought But with that faith wherewith he could remew The stedfast hils and seas drie vp to nought He praid the Lord vpon his flocke to rew To ope the springs of grace and ease this drought Out of his lookes shone zeale deuotion faith His hands and eies to heau'n he heaues and saith 71 Father and Lord if in the desarts wast Thou hadst compassion on thy children deare The craggie rocke when Moses cleft and brast And drew forth flowing streames of waters cleare Like mercie Lord like grace on vs downe cast And though our merits lesse than theirs appeare Thy grace supply that want for though they be Thy first borne sonne thy children yet are we 72 These praiers iust from humble hart forth sent Were nothing slow to climbe the starrie skie But swift as winged bird themselues present Before the father of the heauens hie The Lord accepted them and gently bent Vpon the faithfull host his gracious eie And in what paine and what distresse it laid He saw and greeu'd to see and thus he said 73 Mine armies deere till now haue suffred woe Distresse and danger hels infernall powre Their enimie hath beene the world their foe But happie be their actions from this howre What they begin to blessed end shall goe I will refresh them with a gentle showre Rinaldo shall returne th' Egyptian crew They shall encounter conquer and subdew 74 At these high words great heau'n began to shake The fixed stars the planets wandring still Trembled the aire the earth and Ocean quake Spring fountaine riuer forrest dale and hill From north to east a lightning flash out-brake And comming drops presag'd with thunders shrill With ioyfull shoutes the soldiers on the plaine These tokens blesse of long desired raine 75 A sodaine cloud as when Helias praid Not from drie earth exhail'd by Phebus beames Arose moist heau'n his windowes open laid Whence cloudes by heapes out-rush and watrie streames The world ore spred was with a gloomie shade That like a darke and mirksome eu'n it seames The dashing raine from molten skies downe fell And ore their banks the brookes and fountaines swell 76 In sommer season when the cloudie skie Vpon the parched ground doth raine downe send As ducke and mallard in the furrowes drie With merrie noise the promist showres attend And spreading broad their wings displaied lie To keepe the drops that on their plumes descend And where the streames swell to a gathred lake Therein they
him vnused rare and strange But so doth heau'n mens harts turne alter change 105 As when the sicke or frantike men oft dreame In 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 knight Arriu'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 108 Now when the Soldan in these battel 's past That 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 Godfreics 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 thee To 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 113 He spide Rinaldo and although his feild Of 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 118 In daies of old Queene Cleopatra soe Alone 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 sight The Prince had pirie 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 123 Well pleased was she with those shadowes browne And yet displeasd with