and reconciliation to Godfrey noteth Obedience causing the Irefull power to yeelde to the Reasonable In these Reconciliations two things are signified first Godfrey with ciuill moderation is acknowledged to be superiour to Rinaldo teaching vs that Reason commandeth Anger not imperiously but curteouslie and ciuillie contrariwise in that by imprisoning Argillanus imperiously the sedition is quieted it is giuen vs to vnderstand the power of the Minde to be ouer the bodie regall and predominate Secondly that as the reasonable part ought not for heerein the Stoiks were very much deceiued to exclude the Irefull from actions nor vsurpe the offices thereof for this vsurpation shoulde bee against nature and iustice but it ought to make her her companion and handmaid So ought not Godfrey to attempt the aduenture of the wood himselfe thereby arrogating to himselfe the other offices belonging to Reinaldo Lesse skill should then be shewed and lesse regard had to the profite which the Poet as subiected to policie ought to haue for his aime if it had been fained that by Godfrey onlie all was wrought which was necessarie for the conquering of Ierusalem Neither is there contrarietie or difference from that which hath been said in putting downe Rinaldo and Godfrey for that figure of the Reasonable and of the Irefull vertue which Hugo speakes of in his dreame wheras he compareth the one to the Head the other to the right Hand of the army bicause the Head if we belieue Plato is the seat of Reason and the right Hand if it be not the seat of wrath it is at least her most principall instrument Finally to come to the conclusion the army wherein Rinaldo and the other Woorthies by the grace of God and aduise of Man are returned and obedient to their chieftaine signifieth man brought againe into the state of naturall Iustice and heauenly obedience where the superior powers do command as they ought and the inferiour do obey as they should Then the wood is easily disinchanted the citty vanquished the enimies armie discomfited that is all externall impediments being easily ouercome man attaineth the politike happines But for that this Politike blessednes ought not to be the last marke of a Christian man but he ought to looke more high that is to Euerlasting felicitie for this cause Godfrey doth not desire to win the earthly Ierusalem to haue therein onely temporall dominion but bicause heerein may be celebrated the worship of God and that the Holy sepulchre may be the more freely visited of godly strangers and deuout Pilgrims and the Poem is shut vp in the praiers of Godfrey it is shewed vnto vs that the Vnderstanding being trauelled and wearied in ciuill actions ought in the ende to rest in deuotion and in the contemplation of the eternall blessednes of the other most happie and immortall life FINIS The first Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne The argument God sends his Angell to Tortosa downe Godfrey vnites the Christianpeeres and knights And all the Lords and Princes of renowne Choose him their Duke to rule the wars and fights He mustreth all his host whose number knowne He sends them to the fort that Sion hights The aged Tyrant Iudaes land that guides In feare and trouble to resist prouides 1 THE sacred armies and the godly knight That the great sepulcher of Christ did free I sing much wrought his valour and foresight And in that glorious war much suffred hee In vaine gainst him did Hell oppose her might In vaine the Turks and Morians armed bee His soldiers wilde to braules and mutines prest Reduced he to peace so heau'n him blest 2 O heauenly muse that not with fading baies Deckest thy brow by th'Heliconian spring But sittest crownd with stars immortall raies In heauen where legions of bright Angels sing Inspire life in my wit my thoughts vpraise My verse ennoble and forgiue the thing If fictions light I mixe with truth diuine And fill these lines with others praise then thine 3 Thither thouknow'st the world is best inclinde Where luring Parnase most his sweete imparts And truth conuay'd in verse of gentle kinde To reade perhaps will moue the dullest harts So we if children yong diseas'd we finde Annoint with sweets the vessels formost parts To make them taste the potions sharpe we giue They drinke deceiu'd and so deceiu'd they liue 4 Ye noble Princes that protect and saue The pilgrim muses and their ship defend From rocke of ignorance and errors waue Your gracious eies vpon this labour bend To you these tales of loue and conquests braue I dedicate to you this worke I send My muse hereafter shall perhaps vnfold Your fights your battailes and your combats bold 5 For if the Christian Princes euer striue To win faire Greece out of the tyrants hands And those vsurping Ismalites depriue Of wofull Thrace which now captiued stands You must from realmes and seas the Turkes forth driue As Godfrey chased them from Iudais lands And in this legend all that glorious deede Read whil'st you arme you arme you whil'st you reed 6 Sixe yeeres were ronne since first in martiall guize The Christian Lords warraid the eastren land Nice by assault and Antioch by surprize Both faire both rich both wonne both conquer'd stand And this defended they in noblest wize Gainst Persian knights and many a valiant band Tottosa wonne least winter might them shend They drew to holds and comming spring attend 7 The sullen season now was come and gone That forst them late cease from their noble war When God almightie from his loftie throne Set in those parts of heau'n that purest ar As far aboue the cleere stars euery one As it is hence vp to the highest star Look'd downe and all at once this world behield Each land each citie countrie towne and field 8 All things he view'd at last in Syria stai'd Vpon the Christian Lords his gracious eie That wondrous looke wherewith he oft suruai'd Mens secret thoughts that most concealed lie He cast on puissant Godfrey that assai'd To driue the Turks from Sions bulwarks hie And full of zeale and faith esteemed light All worldly honour empire treasure might 9 In Baldwine next he spide another thought Whom spirits proud to vaine ambition moue Tancred he saw his liues ioy set at nought So woe begon was he with paines of loue Boemond the conquer'd folke of Antioch brought The gentle yoke of Christian rule to proue He taught them lawes statutes and customes new Arts craftes obedience and religion trew 10 And with such care his busie worke he plied That to nought els his acting thoughts he bent In yong Rinaldo fierce desires he spied And noble hart of rest impatient To wealth or soueraigne powre he nought applied His wits but all to vertue excellent Patternes and rules of skill and courage bolde He tooke from Guelpho and his fathers olde 11 Thus when the Lord discouer'd had and seene The hidden secrets of each worthies brest Out of the Hierarchies of Angels sheene
his chinne no signe of manhood bore His youth was forward but with gouernance His words his actions and his portance braue Of future vertue timely tokens gaue 61 Presages ah too true with that a space He sigh'd for griefe then said faine would I know The man in red with such a knightly grace A worthie Lord he seemeth by his show How like to Godfrey lookes he in the face How like in person but some-deale more low Baldwine quoth she that noble Baron hight By birth his brother and his match in might 62 Next looke on him that seemes for counsell fit Whose siluer locks bewray his store of daies Raimond he hight a man of wondrous wit Of Tholouse Lord his wisdome is his praise What he forethinkes doth as he lookes for hit His stratagems haue good successe alwaies With guilden helme beyond him rides the milde And good Prince William Englands kings deere childe 37 With him is Guelpho as his noble mate In birth in actes in armes alike the rest I know him well since I beheld him late By his broad shoulders and his squared brest But my proud foe that quite hath ruinate My high estate and Antioch opprest I see not Boemond that to death did bring Mine aged Lord my father and my king 64 Thus talked they meane-while Godfredo went Downe to the troopes that in the valley staid And for in vaine he thought the labour spent Tassaile those partes that to the mountaines laid Against the northren gate his force he bent Gainst it he campt gainst it his engins plaid All felt the furie of his angrie powre That from those gates lies to the corner towre 65 The townes third part was this or little lesse Fore which the Duke his glorious ensignes spred For so great compasse had that forteresse That round it could not be enuironed With narrow siege nor Babels king I gesse That whilome tooke it such an armie led But all the waies he kept by which his foe Might to or from the citie come or goe 66 His care was next to cast the trenches deepe So to preserue his resting campe by night Least from the citie while his soldiers sleepe They might assaile them with vntimely fight This donne he went where Lords and Princes weepe With dire complaints about the murdred knight Where Dudon dead lay slaughtred on the ground And all the soldiers sate lamenting round 67 His wayling friends adorn'd the mournfull beare With wofull pompe whereon his corpes they laid And when they saw the Bulloigne Prince draw neare All felt new greefe and each new sorrow maid But he withouten shew or change of cheare His springing teares within their fountaines staid His ruefull lookes vpon the coarse he cast Awhile and thus bespake the same at last 68 We need not mourne for thee here laid to rest Earth is thy bed and not thy graue the skies Are for thy soule the cradle and the nest There liue for here thy glorie neuer dies For like a Christian knight and champion blest Thou didst both liue and die now feed thine eies With thy redeemers sight where crown'd with blis Thy faith zeale merit well-deseruing is 69 Our losse not thine prouokes these plaints and teares For when we lost thee then our ship her mast Our chariot lost her wheeles their points our speares The bird of conquest her chiefe feather cast But though thy death far from our armie beares Her chiefest earthlie aide in heau'n yet plast Thou wilt procure vs helpe diuine so reapes He that sowes godly sorrow ioy by heapes 70 For if our God the Lord Armipotent Those armed Angels in our aide downe send That were at Dothan to his Prophet sent Thou wilt come downe with them and well defend Our host and with thy sacred weapons bent Gainst Sions for t these gates and bulwarks rend That so thy hand may win this hold and wee May in these temples praise our Christ for thee 71 Thus he complain'd but now the sable shade Icleped night had thicke enueloped The sun in vaile of double darknes made Sleepe eased care rest brought complaint to bed All night the warie Duke deuising laide How that high wall should best be battered How his strong engins he might aptly frame And whence get timber fit to build the same 72 Vp with the larke the sorrowfull Duke arose Amourner chiefe at Dudons buriall Of Cipresse sad a pile his friends compose Vnder a hill oregrowne with Cedars tall Beside the hearce a fruitfull palme tree groes Ennobled since by this great funerall Where Dudons corpes they softly laid in ground The priestes sung hymnes the soldiers wept around 73 Among the boughes they here and there bestowe Ensignes and armes as witnes of his praise Which he from Pagan Lords that did them owe Had wonne in prosprous sights and happie fraies His shield they fixed on the bole belowe And there this distich vnder-writ which saies This palme with stretched armes doth ouerspread The champion Dudons glorious carkasse dead 74 This worke performed with aduisement good Godfrey his carpenters and men of skill In all the campe sent to an aged wood With conuoy meet to garde them safe from ill Within a valley deepe this forrest stood To Christian eies vnseene vnknowne vntill A Syrian told the Duke who thither sent Those chosen workmen that for timber went 75 And now the axe rag'd in the forrest wilde The Eccho sighed in the groues vnseene The weeping Nymphes fled from their bowres exilde Downe fell the shadie tops of shaking treene Downe came the sacred palmes the ashes wilde The funerall Cipresse Hollie euer greene The weeping Firre thicke Beech and sailing Pine The maried Elme fell with his fruitfull vine 76 The showter Eugh the broad-leau'd Sicamore The barraine Platane and the Wall-nut sound The Myrrhe that her foule sinne doth still deplore The Alder owner of all watrish ground Sweet Iuniper whose shadow hurteth sore Proud Cedar Oake the king of forrests crown'd Thus fell the trees with noice the desarts rore The beastes their caues the birds their nests forlore The fourth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne The argument Sathan his feends and sprites assembleth all And sends them foorth to worke the Christians woe False Hidraort their aide from hell doth call And sends Armida to entrap his foe She telles her birth her fortune and her fall Askes aide allures and winnes the worthies soe That they consent her enterprize to proue She winnes them with deceit craft beautie loue 1 WHile thus their worke went on with luckie speed And reared rammes their horned fronts aduance The ancient foe to man and mortall seed His wannish eies vpon them bent askance And when he saw their labours well succeed He wept for rage and threat'ned dire mischance He chokt his curses to himselfe he spake Such noise wilde buls that softly bellow make 2 At last resoluing in his damned thought To finde some let to stop their warlike feat He gaue command his princes should be
iron strong But each a glaue had pendant by his side Their bowes and quiuers at their shoulders hong Their horses well enur'd to chace and ride In dietspare vntir'd with labour long Readie to charge and to retire at will Though broken scattred fled they skirmish still 51 Tatine their guide and except Tatine none Of all the Greekes went with the Christian host O sinne O shame O Greece accurst alone Did not this fatall war affront thy coast Yet sattest thou an idle looker on And glad attendest which side wonne or lost Now if thou be a bondslaue vile become No wrong is that but Gods most righteous dome 52 In order last but first in worth and fame Vnfear'd in fight vntir'd with hurt or wound The noble squadron of aduentrers came Terrors to all that tread on Asian ground Cease Orpheus of thy Minois Arthur shame To boast of Launcelot or thy table round Kor these whom antique times with laurell drest These far exceed them thee and all the rest 53 Dudon of Consa was their guide and Lord And for of worth and birth alike they beene They chose him captaine by their free accord For he most actes had done most battails seene Graue was the man in yeeres in lookes in word His locks were gray yet was his courage greene Of worth and might the noble badge he bore Old scarres of greeuous wounds receiu'd of yore 54 After came Eustace well ysteemed man For Godfreyes sake his brother and his owne The king of Norwaies heire Gernando than Proud of his fathers titles scepter crowne Roger of Balnauill and Engerlan For hardie knights approoued were and knowne Besides were numbred in that warlike traine Rambald Gentonio and the Gerards twaine 55 Vbaldo than and puissant Rosimond Of Lancaster the heire in ranke succeed Let none forget Obizo of Tuscaine lond Well worthie praise for many a worthie deed Nor those three brethren Lombards fierce and yond Achilles Sforza and sterne Palameed Nor Ottons shield he conqu'red in those stowres In which a snake a naked childe deuoures 56 Guascher and Raiphe in valour like there was The one and other Guido famous both Germer and Eberard to ouerpas In foule obliuion would my muse be loth With his Gildippes deere Edward alas A louing paire to war among them go'th In bond of vertuous loue together tied Together seru'd they and together died 57 In schoole of loue are all things taught we see There learn'd this maide of armes the irefull guise Still by his side a faithfull garde went shee One trueloue knot their liues together ties No wound to one alone could dang'rous bee But each the smart of others anguish tries If one were hurt the other felt the sore She lost her blood he spent his life therefore 58 But these and all Rinaldo far exceedes Star of this spheare the dimond of this ring The nest where courage with sweete mercie breedes A comet worthie each eies wondering His yeeres are fewer than his noble deedes His fruit is ripe soone as his blossoms spring Armed a Mars might coyest Venus moue And if disarm'd then God himselfe of loue 59 Sophia by Adige flowrie banke him bore Sophia the faire spouse to Bertoldo great Fit mother for that pearle and before The tender impe was wained from the teat The Princesse Maud him tooke in vertues lore She brought him vp fit for each worthie feat Till of these wars the golden trumpe he heares That soundeth glorie fame praise in his eares 60 And then though scantly three times fiue yeeres old He fled alone by many an vnknowne coast Ore Aegean seas by many a Greekish hold Till he arriued at the Christian hoast A noble flight aduentrous braue and bold Whereon a valiant Prince might iustly boast Three yeeres he seru'd in field when scant begin Few golden haires to decke his Iuorie chin 61 The horsemen past their void left stations fill The bands on foote and Reymond them beforne Of Tholouse Lord from lands neere Piraene hill By Garound streames and salt sea billowes worne Fowre thousand foote he brought well arm'd and skill Had they all paines and trauell to haue borne Stout men of armes and with their guide of powre Like Troyes old towne defenst with Ilions towre 62 Next Stephen of Amboise did fiue thousand leed The men he prest from Toures and Blois but late To hard assaies vnfit vnsure at need Yet arm'd to point in well attempted plate The land did like it selfe the people breed The soile is gentle smooth soft delicate Boldly they charge but soone retire for dout Like fire of straw soone kindled soone burnt out 63 The third Alcasto marched and with him The Boaster brought sixe thousand Switzers bold Audacious were their lookes their faces grim Strong castles on the Alpine clifts they hold Their shares and culters broke to armours trim They change that mettall cast in warlike mold And with this band late heards and flocks that guied Now kings and realmes he threat'ned and defied 64 The glorious standard last to heau'n they sprad With Peters keyes ennobled and his crowne With it seuen thousand stout Camillo had Embattailed in wals of iron browne In this aduenture and occasion glad So to reuiue the Romaines old renowne Or proue at least to all of wiser thought Their harts were fertill land although vnwrought 65 But now was passed euery regiment Each band each troope each person worth regard When Godfrey with his Lords to counsell went And thus the Duke his princely will declar'd I will when day next cleeres the firmament Our readie host in haste be all prepar'd Closely to march to Sions noble wall Vnseene vnheard or vndescride at all 66 Prepare you then for trauaile strong and light Fierce to the combat glad to victorie And with that word and warning soone was dight Each soldier longing for neere comming glorie Impatient be they of the morning bright Of honour so them prickt the memorie But yet their chieftaine had conceau'd a feare Within his hart but kept it secret theare 67 For he by faithfull spiall was assured That Egypts king was forward on his way And to arriue at Gaza old procured A fort that on the Sirian fronters lay Nor thinkes he that a man to wars enured Will ought forslow or in his iourney stay For well he knew him for a dang'rous foe An herald cald he then and spake him soe 68 A pinnesse take thee swift as shaft from bowe And speede thee Henrie to the Greekish maine There should arriue as I by letters knowe From one that neuer ought reports in vaine A valiant youth in whom all vertues flowe To helpe vs this great conquest to obtaine The Prince of Danes he is and brings to war A troope with him from vnder th' Artick star 69 And for I doubt the Greekish monarch slie Will vse with him some of his woonted craft To stay his passage or diuert awrie Elsewhere his forces his first iournay laft My herald good and messenger
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
Some new-found land and countrie to descrie Through dang'rous seas and vnder stars vnknow Thrall to the faithlesse waues and trothlesse skie If once the wished shore begin to show They all salute it with a ioyfull crie And each to other shew the land in hast Forgetting quite their paines and perils past 5 To that delight which their first sight did breed That pleased so the secret of their thought A deepe repentance did foorthwith succeed That reu'rend feare and trembling with it brought Scantly they durst their feeble eies despreed Vpon that towne where Christ was sold and bought Where for our sinnes he faultlesse suffred paine There where he dide and where he liu'd againe 6 Softwords low speech deepe sobs sweete sighes salt teares Rose from their brests with ioy and pleasure mixt For thus fares he the Lord aright that feares Feare on deuotion ioy on faith is fixt Such noice their passions make as when one heares The hoarse sea waues rore hollow rocks betwixt Or as the winde in houltes and shadie greaues A murmur makes among the boughes and leaues 7 Their naked feet troad on the dustie way Following th'ensample of their zealous guide Their searffes their crests their plumes and feathers gay They quickly doft and willing laid aside Their moulten harts their woonted pride alay Along their watrie cheekes warme teares downe slide And then such secret speech as this they vsed While to himselfe each one himselfe accused 8 Flower of goodnes root of lasting blisse Thou well of life whose streames were purple blood That flowed here to clense the fowle amisse Of sinfull man behold this brinish flood That from my melting hart distilled is Receiue in gree these teares O Lord so good For neuer wretch with sinne so ouergone Had fitter time or greater cause to mone 9 This while the warie watchman looked ouer From tops of Sions towres the hils and dales And saw the dust the fields and pastures couer As when thicke mistes arise from moorie vales At last the sun-bright shieldes he gan discouer And glistring helmes for violence none that fales The mettall shone like lightning bright in skies And man and horse amid the dust descries 10 Then lowd he cries O what a dust ariseth Oh how it shines with shields and targets cleere Vp vp to armes for valiant hart despiseth The threat'ned storme of death and danger neere Behold your foes then further thus deuiseth Haste haste for vaine delay encreaseth feare These horrid cloudes of dust that yonder flie Your comming foes doth hide and hide the skie 11 The tender children and the fathers old The aged matrons and the virgin chast That durst not shake the speare nor target hold Themselues deuoutly in their temples plast The rest of members strong and courage bold On hardie brestes their harnesse dond in haste Some to the walles some to the gates them dight Their king meane-while directs them all aright 12 All things well ordred he withdrew with speed Vp to a turret high two ports betweene That so he might be neare at euerie need And ouerlooke the lands and furrowes greene Thither he did the sweet Erminia leed That in his court had entertained beene Since Christians Antioch did to bondage bring And slew her father who thereof was king 13 Against their foes Clorinda sallied out And many a Baron bold was by her side Within the postern stood Argantes stout To rescue her if ill mote her betide With speeches braue she cheer'd her warlike rout And with bold words them hart'ned as they ride Let vs by some braue act quoth she this day Of Asias hopes the ground-worke found and lay 14 While to her folke thus spake the virgin braue Thereby behold foorth past a Christian band Towards the campe that herds of cattell draue For they that morne had forraid all the land The fierce Virago would that bootie saue Whom their commander singled hand for hand A mightie man at armes who Guardo hight But far too weake to match with her in fight 15 They met and low in dust was Guardo laid Twixt either armie from his cell downe kest The Pagans shout for ioy and hopefull said Those good beginnings would haue endings blest Against the rest on went the noble maid She broke the helme and pearst the armed brest Her men the paths rode through made by her sword They passe the streame where she had found the ford 16 Soone was the pray out of their hands recou'red By step and step the Frenchmen gan retire Till on a little hill at last they hou'red Whose strength preseru'd them from Clorindas ire When as a tempest that hath long been cou'red In watrie cloudes breakes out with sparkling fire With his strong squadron Lord Tancredie came His hart with rage his eies with courage flame 17 Mast great the speare was which the gallant bore That in his warlike pride he made to shake As windes tall Cedars tosse on mountaines hore The king that wondred at his brau'rie spake To her that neere him seated was before Who felt her hart with loues hot feuer quake Well should'st thouknow quoth he each Christian knight By long acquaintance though in armour dight 18 Say who is he showes so great worthinesse That rides so ranke and bends his lance so fell To this the Princesse said nor more nor lesse Her hart with sighes her eies with teares did swell But sighes and teares she wisely could suppresse Her loue and passion she dissembled well And stroue her loue and hot desire to couer Till hart with sighes and eies with teares ron ouer 19 At last she spake and with a craftie slight Her secret loue disguis'd in clothes of hate Alas too well she saies I know that knight I saw his force and courage prooued late Too late I view'd when his powre and might Shooke downe the pillar of Cassanoes state Alas what wounds he giues how fierce how fell No phisicke helpes them cure nor magicks spell 20 Tancred he hight O Macon would he weare My thrall ere fates him of this life depriue For to his hatefull head such spite I beare I would him reaue his cruell hart on liue Thus said she they that her complainings heare In other sense her wishes credit giue She sigh'd withall they constred all amisse And thought she wisht to kill who long'd to kisse 71 This while foorth prickt Clorinda from the throng And gainst Tancredie set her speare in rest Vpon their helmes they crackt their lances long And from her head her guilden caske he kest For euery lace he broke and euery thong And in the dust threw downe her plumed crest About her shoulders shone her golden locks Like sunnie beames on Alablaster rocks 22 Her lookes with fire her eies with lightning blaze Sweet was her wrath what then would be her smile Tancred whereon think'st thou what dost thou gaze Hast thou forgot her in so short a while The same is she the shape of whose sweet face The god of
the helme and pearse the seuenfold targe The troope by Dudon led perform'd no lesse But in they come and giue a furious charge Argantes selfe feld at one single blow Inglorious bleeding lay on earth full low 42 Nor had the boaster euer risen more But that Rinaldoes horse eu'n then downe fell And with the fall his leg opprest so sore That for a space there must he algates dwell Meane-while the Pagan troopes were nie forlore Swiftly they fled glad they escapt so well Argantes and with him Clorinda stout For banke and bulwarke seru'd to saue the rout 43 These fled the last and with their force sustained The Christians rage that follow'd them so neare Their scattred troopes to safetie well they trained And while the res'due fled the brunt these beare Dudon pursu'd the victorie he gained And on Tigranes nobly broke his speare Then with his sword headlesse to ground him cast So gard'ners branches lop that spring too fast 44 Algazers breast-plate of fine temper made Nor Corbans helmet forg'd by magike art Could saue their owners for Lord Dudons blade Cleft Corbans head and pearst Algazers hart And their proud soules downe to th' infernall shade From Amurath and Mahomet depart Nor strong Argantes thought his life was sure He could not safely flie nor fight secure 45 The angrie Pagan bit his lips for teene He ran he staid he fled he turn'd againe Vntill at last vnmarkt vnuiew'd vnseene When Dudon had Almansor newly slaine Within his side he sheath'd his weapon keene Downe fell the Worthie on the dustie plaine And lifted vp his feeble eies vneath Opprest with leaden sleepe of iron death 46 Three times he stroue to view heau'ns golden ray And rais'd him on his feeble elbow thries And thrise he tumbled on the lowly lay And three times clos'd againe his dying eies He speakes no word yet makes he signes to pray He sighes he faints he grones and then he dies Argantes proud to spoile the corps disdain'd But shooke his sword with blood of Dudon stain'd 47 And turning to the Christian knights he cride Lordings behold this bloodie reeking blade Last night was giuen me by your noble guide Tell him what proofe thereof this day is made Needs must this please him well that is betide That I so well can vse this martiall trade To whom so rare a gift he did present Tell him the workman fits the instrument 48 If further proofe hereof he long to see Say it still thirsts and would his hart blood drinke And if he haste not to encounter mee Say I will finde him when he least doth thinke The Christians at his words enraged bee But he to shun their ire doth safely shrinke Vnder the shelter of the neighbour wall Well guarded with his troopes and soldiers all 49 Like stormes of haile the stones fell downe from hie Cast from the bulwarks flankers ports and towres The shafts and quarries from their engins flie As thicke as falling drops in Aprill showres The French withdrew they list not prease too nie The Sarrasins escaped all the powres But now Rinaldo from the earth vp lept Where by the leg his steed had long him kept 50 He came and breathed vengeance from his brest Gainst him that noble Dudon late had slaine And being come thus spake he to the rest Warriours why stand you gazing here in vaine Pale death our valiant leader hath opprest Come wreake his losse whom bootlesse you complaine These walles are weake they keepe but cowards out No rampier can withstand a courage stout 51 Of double iron brasse or adamant Or if this wall were built of flaming fire Yet should the Pagan vile a fortresse want To shrowd his coward head safe from mine ire Come follow then and bid base feare auant The harder worke deserues the greater hire And with that word close to the walles he starts Nor feares he arrowes quarries stones or darts 52 Aboue the waues as Neptune lift his eies To chide the windes that Troian ships opprest And with his count nance calin'd seas windes and skies So lookt Rinaldo when he shooke his crest Before those walles each Pagan feares and flies His dreadfull sight or trembling staid at lest Such dread his awfull visage on them cast So seeme poore doues at goshaukes sight agast 53 The herald Sigiere now from Godfrey came To will them stay and calme their courage hot Retire quoth he Godfrey commands the same To wreake your ire this season fitteth not Though loth Rinaldo staid and stopt the flame That boyled in his hardie stomacke hot His bridled furie grew thereby more fell So riuers stopt aboue their banks doe swell 54 The bands retire not dang'red by their foes In their retrait so wise were they and warie To murdred Dudon each lamenting goes From wonted vse of ruth they list not varie Vpon their friendly armes they soft impose The noble burden of his corps to carie Meane-while Godfredo from a mountaine great Beheld the sacred cittie and her seat 55 Hierusalem is seated on two hils Of height vnlike and turned side to side The space betweene a gentle valley fils From mount to mount expansed faire and wide Three sides are sure imbard with crags and hils The rest is easie scant to rise espide But mightie bulwarks fence that plainer part So art helpes nature nature strength'neth art 56 The towne is stor'd of troughes and cestrens made To keepe fresh water but the countrie seames Deuoid of grasse vnfit for plowmens trade Not fertill moist with riuers wels and streames There grow few trees to make the sommers shade To shield the parched land from scorching beames Saue that a wood stands sixe mile from the towne With aged Cedars darke and shadowes browne 57 By East among the dustie valleis glide The siluer streames of Iordans christall flood By West the midland sea with bounders tide Of sandie shores where Ioppa whilome stood By North Samaria stands and on that side The golden calfe was rear'd in Bethel wood Bethleem by South where Christ incarnate was A pearle in steele a diamond set in brasse 58 While thus the Duke on euery side descried The cities strength the walles and gates about And saw where least the same was fortified Where weakest seem'd the walles to keepe him out Erminia as he armed rode him spied And thus bespake the heathen tyrant stout See Godfrey there in purple clad and gold His stately port and princely looke behold 59 Well seemes he borne to be with honour crown'd So well the lore he knowes of regiment Peerelesse in fight in counsell graue and sound The double gift of glorie excellent Among these armies is no warriour found Grauer in speech bolder in Turnament Raimond pardie in counsell match him might Tancred and yong Rinaldo like in fight 60 To whom the king he likes me well therefore I knew him whilome in the court of France When I from Egypt went Ambassadore I saw him there breake many a sturdie lance And yet
strength and therefore would that some Both of the pray and glorie of the fight Vpon his Syrian folke should haply light 22 But for he held the French mens worth in prise And fear'd the doubtfull gaine of bloodie war He that was closely false and slilie wise Cast how he might annoy them most from far And as he gan vpon this point deuise As counsellers in ill still neerest ar At hand was Sathan readie ere men need If once they thinke to make them doe the deed 23 He counseld him how best to hunt his game What dart to cast what net what toile to pitch A neece he had a nice and tender dame Peerelesse in wit in natures blessings ritch To all deceit she could her beautie frame False faire and yong a virgin and a witch To her he told the summe of this emprise And prais'd her thus for she was faire and wise 24 My deere who vnderneath these lockes of gold And natiue brightnesse of thy louely hew Hidest graue thoughts ripe wit and wisedome old More skill than I in all mine artes untrew To thee my purpose great I must vnfold This enterprise thy cunning must pursew Weaue thou to end this web which I begin I will the distaffe hold come thou and spin 25 Goe to the Christians host and there assay All subtile sleights that women vse in loue Shed brinish teares sob sigh entreat and pray Wring thy faire hands cast vp thine eies aboue For mourning beautie hath much powre men say The stubbron harts with pitie fraile to moue Looke pale for dread and blush sometime for shame In seeming troath thy lies will soonest frame 26 Take with the baite Lord Godfrey if thou maste Frame snares of lookes traines of alluring speach For if he loue the conquest than thou hast Thus purpos'd war thou maist with ease impeach Else lead the other Lords to desarts wast And hold them slaues far from their leaders reach Thus taught he her and for conclusion saith All things are lawfull for our lands and faith 27 The sweet Armida tooke this charge on hand A tender peece for beautie sexe and age The sunne was sunken vnderneath the land When she began her wanton pilgrimage In silken weedes she trusteth to withstand And conquer knights in warlike equipage Of their night ambling dame the Syrians prated Some good some bad as they her lou'd or hated 28 Within few daies the Nymph arriued theare Where puissant Godfrey had his tents ipight Vpon her strange attire and visage cleare Gazed each soldier gazed euerie knight As when a comet doth in skies appeare The people stand amazed at the light So wondred they and each at other sought What mister wight she was and whence ibrought 29 Yet neuer eie to Cupids seruice vow'd Beheld a face of such a louely pride A tinsell vaile her amber locks did shrowd That stroue to couer what it could not hide The golden sunne behinde a siluer cloud So streameth out his beames on euerie side The marble goddesse set at Guidos naked She seem'd were she vncloath'd or that awaked 30 The gamesome winde among her tresses plaies And curleth vp those growing riches short Her sparefull eie to spread his beames denaies But keepes his shot where Cupid keepes his fort The rose and lillie on her cheeke assaies To paint true fairenesse out in brauest sort Her lips where bloomes nought but the single rose Still blush for still they kisse while still they close 31 Her brests two hils orespred with purest snow Sweet smooth and supple soft and gently swelling Betweene them lies a milken dale below Where loue youth gladnes whitenes make their dwelling Her brests halfe hid and halfe were laid to show Her enuious vesture greedie sight repelling So was the wanton clad as if thus much Should please the eie the rest vnseene the tuch 32 As when the sun-beames diue through Tagus waue To spie the store-house of his springing gold Loue pearsing thought so through her mantle draue And in her gentle bosome wandred bold It view'd the wondrous beautie virgins haue And all to fond desire with vantage told Alas what hope is left to quench his fire That kindled is by sight blowne by desire 33 Thus past she praised wisht and wondred at Among the troopes who there encamped lay She smil'd for ioy but well dissembled that Her greedie eie chose out her wished pray On all her gestnres seeming vertue sat Towards th' imperiall tent she askt the way With that she met a bold and louesome knight Lord Godfreys yongest brother Eustace hight 34 This was the foule that first fell in the snare He saw her faire and hopte to finde her kinde The throne of Cupid hath an easie staire His barke is fit to faile with euerie winde The breach he makes no wisdome can repaire With reu'rence meet the Baron low enclinde And thus his purpose to the virgin told For youth vse nature all had made him bold 35 Ladie if thee beseeme a stile so low In whose sweet lookes such sacred beauties shine For neuer yet did heau'n such grace bestow On any daughter borne of Adams line Thy name let vs though far vnworthie knoe Vnfold thy will and whence thou art in fine Least my audacious boldnes learne too late What honors due become thy high estate 36 Sir knight quoth she your praises reach too hie Aboue her merit you commenden soe A haplesse maid I am both borne to die And dead to ioy that line in care and woe A virgin helplesse fugitiue pardie My natiue soile and kingdome thus forgoe To seeke Duke Godfreys aide such store men tell Of vertuous ruth doth in his bosome dwell 37 Conduct me than that mightie Duke before If you be courteous sir as well you seeme Content quoth he since of one wombe ibore We brothers are your fortune good esteeme T' encounter me whose word preuaileth more In Godfreys hearing than you haply deeme Mine aide I grant and his I promise too All that his scepter or my sword can doo 38 He led her easly foorth when this was said Where Godfrey sate among his Lords and peares She reu'rence did then blusht as one dismaid To speake for secret wants and inward feares It seem'd a bashfull shame her speeches staid At last the courteous Duke her gently cheares Silence was made and she began her tale They fit to heare thus sung this nightingale 39 Victorious Prince whose honorable name Is held so great among our Pagan kings That to those lands thou dost by conquest tame That thou hast wonne them some content it brings Well knowne to all is thy immortall fame The earth thy worth thy foe thy praises sings And Painims wronged come to seeke thine aide So doth thy vertue so thy powre perswaide 40 And I though bred in Macous heath'nish lore Which thou oppressest with thy puissant might Yet trust thou wilt an helplesse maide restore And repossesse her in her fathers right Others in their distresse doe
Before the Duke with comely boldnes came Brother and Lord quoth he too long you stand In your first purpose yet vouchsafe to frame Your thoughts to ours and lend this virgin aid Thanks are halfe lost when good turnes are delaid 79 And thinke not that Eustaces talke assaies To turne these forces from this present war Or that I wish you should your armies raise From Sions walles my speech tends not so far But we that venter all for fame and praise That to no charge nor seruice bounden ar Foorth of our troope may ten well spared bee To succour her which nought can weaken thee 80 And know they shall in Gods high seruice fight That virgins innocent saue and defend Deere will the spoiles be in the heauens sight That from a tyrants hatefull head we rend Nor seem'd I forward in this Ladies right With hope of gaine or profit in the end But for I know he armes vnwoorthie beares To helpe a maidens cause that shunnes or feares 81 Ah! be it not pardie declar'd in France Or elsewhere told where courtsie is in prise That we forsooke so faire a cheuisance For doubt or feare that might from fight arise Else here surrender I both sword and lance And sweare no more to vse this martiall guise For ill deserues he to be term'd a knight That beares a blunt sword in a Ladies right 82 Thus parled he and with confused sound The rest approued what the gallant said Their Generall the knights encompast round With humble grace and earnest suit they praid I yeeld quoth he and be it happie found What I haue granted let her haue your aid Yours be the thanks for yours the danger is If ought succeed as much I feare amis 83 But if with you my words may credit finde O temper then this heat misguides you soe Thus much he said but they with fancie blinde Accept his grant and let his counsell goe What works not beautie maris relenting minde Is eath to moue with plaints and shewes of woe Her lips cast forth a chaine of sugred words That captiue led most of the Christian Lords 84 Eustace recall'd her and bespake her thus Beauties chiefe darling let these sorrowes bee For such assistance shall you finde in vs As with your need or will may best agree With that she cheer'd her forehead dolorous And smil'd for ioy that Phebus blusht to see And had she daign'd her vaile for to remoue The god himselfe once more had falne in loue 85 With that she broke the silence once againe And gaue the knight great thanks in little speach She said she would his handmaid poore remaine So far as honours lawes receiu'd no breach Her humble gestures made the res'due plaine Dumbe eloquence perswading more than speach Thus women know and thus they vse the guise T' enchant the valiant and beguile the wise 86 And when she saw her enterprise had got Some wished meane of quicke and good proceeding She thought to strike the iron that was hot For euerie action hath his howre of speeding Medea or false Circe changed not So far the shapes of men as her eies spreeding Altred their harts and with her Sirens sound In lust their minds their harts in loue she drown'd 87 All wilie sleights that subtile women know Howrely she vs'd to catch some louer new None kend the bent of her vnstedfast bow For with the time her thoughts her lookes renew From some she cast her modest eies below At some her gazing glances roauing flew And while she thus pursewd her wanton sport She spurd the slow and rain'd the forward short 88 If some as hopelesse that she would be wonne Forbore to loue because they durst not moue her On them her gentle lookes to smile begonne As who say she is kinde if you dare proue her On euerie hart thus shone this lustfull sonne All stroue to serue to please to wowe to loue her And in their harts that chaste and bashfull weare Her eies hot glance dissolu'd the frost of feare 89 On them who durst with fingring bold assay To touch the softnes of her tender skin She lookt as coy as if she list not play And made as things of worth were hard to win Yet tempred so her deignfull lookes alway That outward scorne shew'd store of grace within Thus with false hope their longing harts she fired For hardest gotten things are most desired 90 Alone sometimes she walkt in secret where To ruminate vpon her discontent Within her eie-lids sat the swelling teare Not powred forth though sprong from sad lament And with this craft a thousand soules welneare In snares of foolish ruth and loue she hent And kept as slaues by which we fitly proue That witlesse pitie breedeth fruitlesse loue 91 Sometimes as if her hope vnloosed had The chaines of griefe wherein her thoughts lay fettered Vpon her minions lookt she blithe and glad In that deceitfull lore so was she lettered Not glorious Titan in his brightnes clad The sun-shine of her face in luster bettered For when she list to cheare her beauties so She smil'd away the cloudes of griefe and wo. 92 Her double charme of smiles and sugred words Lulled on sleepe the vertue of their sences Reason small aide gainst those assaults affords Wisedome no warrant from those sweet offences Cupids deepe riuers haue their shallow fordes His griefes bring ioyes his losses recompences He breedes the sore and cures vs of the paine Achilles lance that wounds and heales againe 93 While thus she them torments twixt frost and fier Twixt ioy and griefe twixt hope and restlesse feare The slie enchantresse felt her gaine the nier These were her flockes that golden fleeces beare But if some one durst vtter his desier And by complaining make his grieues appeare He labored hard rocks with plaints to moue She had not learn'd the Gamut then of loue 94 For downe she bent her bashfull eies to ground And dond the weede of womens modest grace Downe from her eies welled the pearles round Vpon the bright Ennamell of her face Such honie drops on springing flowres are found When Phebus holds the crimsen morne in chace Full seem'd her lookes of anger and of shame Yet pitie shone transparent through the same 95 If she perceiued by his outward cheare That any would his loue by talke bewray Sometimes she heard him sometimes stopt her eare And played fast and loose the liue-long day Thus all her louers kinde deluded weare Their earnest suit got neither yea nor nay But like the sort of wearie huntsmen fare That hunt all day and lose at night the hare 96 These were the artes by which she captiued A thousand soules of yong and lustie knights These were the armes where with loue conquered Their feeble harts subdew'd in wanton fights What wonder if Achilles were mis-led Or great Alcides at their Ladies sights Since these true champions of the Lord aboue Were thralles to beautie yeelden slaues to loue The fifth Booke
paine Else if I proue seuere both you be blamed That force my gentle nature gainst my thought To rigor least our lawes returne to nought 57 Lord Guelpho answered thus what hart can beare Such slanders false deuis'd by hate and spight Or with staid patience reproches heare And not reuenge by battaile and by fight The Norway Prince hath bought his follie deare But who with words could stay the angrie knight A foole is he that comes to preach or prate When men with swords their right and wrong debate 58 And where you wish he should himselfe submit To heare the censure of your vpright lawes Alas that cannot be for he is flit Out of this campe withouten stay or pause There take my gage behold I offer it To him that first accus'd him in this cause Or any else that dare and will maintaine That for his pride the Prince was iustly slaine 59 I say with reason Lord Gernandos pride He hath abated if he haue offended Gainst your commands who are his Lord and guide Oh pardon him that fault shall be amended If he be gone quoth Godfrey let him ride And braule elsewhere here let all strife be ended And you Lord Guelpho for your nephewes sake Breed vs no new nor quarrels old awake 60 This while the faire and false Armida striued To get her promist aide in sure possession The day to end with endlesse plaint she driued Wit beautie craft for her made intercession But when the earth was once of light depriued And westren seas felt Titans hot impression Twixt two old knights and matrons twaine she went Where pitched was her faire and curious tent 61 But this false Queene of craft and slie inuention Whose lookes loues arrowes were whose eies his quiuers Whose beautie matchlesse free from reprehension A wonder left by heau'n to after liuers Among the Christian Lords had bred contention Who first should quench his flames in Cupids riuers With all her weapons and her darts rehersed Had not Godfredos constant bosome persed 62 To change his modest thought the dame procureth And profreth heapes of loues entising treasure But as the faulcon newly gorg'd endureth Her keeper lure her oft but comes at leasure So he whom fulnesse of delight assureth What long repentance comes of loues short pleasure Her crafts her artes her selfe and all despiseth So base affections fall when vertue riseth 63 And not one foot his stedfast foot was moued Out of that heau'nly path wherein he paced Yet thousand wiles and thousand waies she proued To haue that castle faire of goodnes raced She vs'd those lookes and smiles that most behoued To melt the frost which his hard hart imbraced And gainst his brest a thousand shot she ventred Yet was the fort so strong it was not entred 64 The Dame who thought that one blinke of her eie Could make the chastest hart feele loues sweet paine Oh how her pride abated was hereby When all her sleights were voide her crafts were vaine Some other where she would her forces trie Where at more ease she might more vantage gaine As tired soldiers whom some fort keepes out Thence raise their siege and spoile the townes about 65 But yet alwaies the wilie witch could finde Could not Tancredres hart to loue-ward moue His sailes were filled with another winde He list no blast of new affection proue For as one poison doth exclude by kinde Anothers force so loue excludeth loue These two alone nor more nor lesse the Dame Could win the rest all burnt in her sweet flame 66 The Princesse though her purpose would not frame As late she hoped and as still she would Yet for the Lords and knights of greatest name Became her pray as earst you heard it told She thought ere truth-reuealing time or fame Bewraid her act to lead them to some hold Where chains bands she meant to make them proue Compos'd by Vulcan not by gentle loue 67 The time prefixt at length was come and past Which Godfrey had set downe to lend her aid When at his feet her selfe to earth she cast The howre is come my Lord she humbly said And if the tyrant haply heare at last His banisht neece hath your assistance praid He will in armes to saue his kingdome rise So shall we harder make this enterprise 68 Before report can bring the tyrant newes Or his espials certifie their king O let thy goodnes these few champions chuse That to her kingdome should thy handmaid bring Who except heauen to aide the right refuse Recouer shall her crowne from whence shall spring Thy profit for betide thee peace or war Thine all her cities all her subiects ar 69 The captaine sage the damsell faire assured His word was past and should not be recanted And she with sweet and humble grace endured To let him point those ten which late he granted But to be one each one sought and procured No suit entreatie intercession wanted Their enuie each at others loue exceeded And all importunate made more than needed 70 She that well saw the secret of their harts And knew how best to warme them in their blood Against them threw the cursed poyson'd darts Of iealousie and griefe at others good For loue she wist was weake without those arts And slow for iealousie is Cupids food For the swift steed runs not so fast alone As when some straine some striue him to outgone 71 Her words in such alluring sort she framed Her lookes entising and her wowing smiles That euerie one his fellowes fauours blamed That of their mistris he receiu'd erewhiles This foolish crew of louers vnashamed Mad with the poyson of her secret wiles Ran forward still in this disordred sort Nor could Godfredoes bridle raine them short 72 He that would satisfie each good desire Withouten partiall loue of euerie knight Although he sweld with shame with griefe and ire To see these follies and these fashions light Yet since by no aduice they would retire Another way he sought to set them right Write all your names quoth he and see whom chance Of lot to this exploit will first aduance 73 Their names were writ and in a helmet shaken While each did fortunes grace and aid implore At last they drew them and the formost taken The Earle of Pembrooke was Artimidore Doubtlesse the Countie thought his bread well baken Next Gerrard follow'd then with tresses hore Old Wenceslaus that felt Cupids rage Now in his doting and his dying age 74 Oh how contentment in their foreheads shined Their lookes with ioy thoughts sweld with secret pleasure These three it seemed good successe defined To make the Lords of loue and beauties treasure Their doubtfull fellowes at their hap repined And with small patience wait fortunes leasure Vpon his lips that red the scrowles attending As if their liues were on his words depending 75 Guascar the fourth Ridolpho him succeedes Then Vldericke whom loue list so aduance Lord William of Ronciglion next he reedes Then Eberard
neuer knots of loue more surer knit 58 Her bodie free captiued was her hart And loue the keies did of that prison beare Prepar'd to goe it was a death to part From that kinde Lord and from that prison deare But thou O honour which esteemed art The chiefest vesture noble Ladies weare Enforcest her against her will to wend To Aladine her mothers dearest frend 59 At Sion was this princesse entertained By that old tyrant and her mother deare Whose losse too soone the wofull damsell plained Her griéfe was such she liu'd not halfe the yeare Yet banishment nor losse of friends constrained The haplesse maid her passions to forbeare For though exceeding were her woe and griefe Of all her sorrowes yet her loue was chiefe 60 The seelie maide in secret longing pined Her hope a mote drawne vp by Phebus raies Her loue a mountaine seem'd whereon bright shined Fresh memorie of Tancreds worth and praise Within her closet if her selfe she shrined A hotter fire her tender hart assaies Taucred at last to raise her hope nigh dead Before those wals did his broad ensigne spread 61 The rest to vew the Christian armie feared Such seem'd their number such their powre and might But she alone her troubled forehead cleared And on them spred her beautie shining bright In euerie squadron when it first appeared Her curious eie sought out her chosen knight And euerie gallant that the rest excels The same seemes him so loue and fancie tels 62 Within the kingly pallace builded hie A turret standeth neere the cities wall From which Erminia might at ease descrie The westren host the plaines and mountaines all And there she stood all the long day to spie From Phebus rising to his euening fall And with her thoughts disputed of his praise And euerie thought a scalding sigh did raise 63 From hence the furious combat she suruaid And felt her hart tremble with fear and paine Her secret thought thus to her fancie said Behold thy deere in danger to be slaine So with suspect with feare and griefe dismaid Attended she her darlings losse or gaine And euer when the Pagan lift his blade The stroke a wound in her weake bosome made 64 But when she saw the end and wist withall Their strong contention should eftsoones begin Amasement strange her courage did appall Her vitall blood was icie cold within Sometimes she sighed sometimes teares let fall To witnes what distresse her hart was in Hopelesse dismai'd pale sad astonished Her loue her feare her feare her torment bred 65 Her idle braine vnto her soule presented Death in an hundred vglie fashions painted And if she slept then was her greefe augmented With such sad visions were her thoughts acquainted She saw her Lord with wounds and hurts tormented How he complain'd call'd for her helpe and fainted And found awakt from that vnquiet sleeping Her hart with panting sore eics red with weeping 66 Yet these presages of his comming ill Not greatest cause of her discomfort weare She saw his blood from his deepe wounds distill Nor what he suffred could she bide or beare Besides report her longing eare did fill Doubling his danger doubling so her feare That she concludes so was her courage lost Her wounded Lord was weake faint dead almost 67 And for her mother had her taught before The secret vertue of each herbe that springs Besides fit charmes for euerie wound or sore Corruption breedeth or misfortune brings An art esteemed in those times of yore Beseeming daughters of great Lords and kings She would her selfe be surgeon to her knight And heale him with her skill or with her sight 68 Thus would she cure her loue and cure her foe She must that had her friends and kinsfolke slaine Some cursed weedes her cunning hand did knoe That could augment his harme encrease his paine But she abhorr'd to be reuenged soe No treason should her spotlesse person staine And vertuelesse she wisht all herbes and charmes Wherewith false men encrease their patients harmes 69 Nor feared she among the bands to stray Of armed men for often had she seene The tragike end of many a bloodie fray Her life had full of haps and hazards beene This made her bold in euerie hard assay More than her feeble sexe became I weene She feared not the shake of euerie reed So cowards are couragious made through need 70 Loue fearelesse hardie and audacious loue Embold'ned had this tender damsell so That where wilde beasts and serpents glide and moue Through Afrikes desarts durst she ride or goe Saue that her honour she esteem'd aboue Her life and bodies safetie told her noe For in the seeret of her troubled thought A doubtfull combat loue and honour fought 71 O spotlesse virgin honour thus begonne That my true lore obserued firmely hast When with thy foes thou didst in bondage wonne Remember then I kept thee pure and chast At libertie now whither wouldst thou ronne To lay that field of princely vertue waste Or lose that iewell Ladies hold so deare Is maidenhood so great a load to beare 72 Or deem'st thou it a praise of little prise The glorious title of a virgins name That thou wilt gad by night in giglet wise Amid thine armed foes to seeke thy shame O foole a woman conquers when she flies Refusall kindleth profers quench the flame Thy Lord will iudge thou sinnest beyond measure If vainly thus thou waste so rich a treasure 73 The slie deceiuer Cupid thus beguild The simple damsell with his filed tong Thou wert not borne quoth he in desarts wilde The cruell beares and sauage beastes among That thou shouldst scorne faire Cithereas childe Or hate those pleasures that to youth belong Nor did the gods thy hart of iron frame To be in loue is neither sinne nor shame 74 Goe then goe whither sweet desire inuiteth How can thy gentle knight so cruell bee Loue in his hart thy greefes and sorrowes writeth For thy laments how he complaineth see Oh cruell woman whom no care exciteth To saue his life that sau'd and honour'd thee He languisheth one foote thou wilt not moue To succour him yet saist thou art in loue 75 No no stay here Argantes wounds to cure And make him strong to shed thy darlings blood Of such reward he may himselfe assure That doth a thanklesse woman so much good Ah may it be thy patience can endure To see the strength of this Circassion wood And not with horror and amazement shrinke When on their future fight thou hapst to thinke 76 Besides the thanks and praises for the deed Suppose what ioy what comfort shalt thou winne When thy soft hand doth wholsome plaisters spreed Vpon the breaches in his iuorie skinne Thence to thy deerest Lord may health succeed Strength to his lims blood to his cheekes so thinne And his rare beauties now halfe dead and more Thou maist to him him to thy selfe restore 77 So shall some part of his aduentures bold And valiant actes henceforth be held
Circassian bie So from a piece two chained bullets flie 55 Now fled the French men when in luckie howre Arriued Guelpho and his helping band He made them turne against this stormie showre And with bold face their wicked foes withstand Sternly they fought that from their wounds downe powre The streames of blood and ronne on either hand The Lord of heauen meane-while vpon this fight From his hie throne bent downe his gracious sight 56 From whence with grace and goodnes compast round He ruleth blesseth keepeth all he wrought Aboue the aire the fire the sea and ground Our sense our wit our reason and our thought Where persons three with powre and glorie crown'd Are all one God who made all things of nought Vnder whose feete subiected to his grace Sit nature fortune motion time and place 57 This is the place from whence like smoke and dust Of this fraile world the wealth the pompe and powre He tosseth tumbleth turneth as he lust And guides our life our death our end and howre No eie how euer vertuous pure and iust Can vew the brightnes of that glorious bowre On euery side the blessed spirits bee Equall in ioies though diffring in degree 58 With harmonie of their celestiall song The pallace ecchoed from the chambers pure At last he Michael call'd in harnesse strong Of neuer yeelding dimonds armed sure Behold quoth he to doe despite and wrong To that deere flocke my mercie hath in cure How sathan from hels loth some prison sends His ghosts his sorites his furies and his fends 59 Goe bid them all depart and leaue the caire Of war to soldiers as doth best pertaine Bid them forbeare t' infect the earth and aire To darken heau'ns faire light bid them refraine Bid them to Acherons blacke flood repaire Fit house for them the house of greefe and paine There let their king himselfe and them torment So I command goe tell them mine intent 60 This said the winged warriour lowe inclinde At his creators feet with reu'rence dew Then spred his golden feathers to the winde And swift as thought away the angell flew He past the light and shining fire assinde The glorious seat of his selected crew The mouer first and circle Christalline The firmament where fixed stars all shine 61 Vnlike in working than in shape and show At this left hand Saturne he left and Ioue And those vntruly errant call'd I trow Since he erres not who them doth guide and moue The fields he passed then whence haile and snow Thunder and raine fall downe from cloudes aboue Where heat and cold drinesse and moisture striue Whose wars all creatures kill and slaine reuiue 62 The horrid darknes and the shadowes dunne Dispersed he with his eternall wings The flames which from his heau'nly eies outrunne Beguilde the earth and all her sable things After a storme so spreadeth forth the sunne His raies and bindes the cloudes in golden strings Or in the stilnesse of a moone-shine eauen A falling star so glideth downe from heauen 63 But when th' infernall troope he proched neare That still the Pagans ire and rage prouoke The angell on his wings himselfe did beare And shooke his lance and thus at last he spoke Haue you not learned yet to know and feare The Lords iust wrath and thunders dreadfull stroke Or in the torments of your endlesse ill Are you still fierce still proud rebellious still 64 The Lord hath sworne to breake the iron bands The brasen gates of Sions for t which close Who is it that his sacred will withstands Against his wrath who dares himselfe oppose Goe hence you curst to your appointed lands The realmes of death of torments and of woes And in the deepes of that infernall lake Your battailes fight and there your triumphes make 65 There tyrannise vpon the soules you finde Condemn'd to woe and double still their paines Where some complaine where some their teeth doe grinde Some howle and weepe some clinke their iron chaines This said they fled and those that staid behinde With his sharpe lance he driueth and constraines They sighing left the lands his siluer sheepe Where Hesperus doth lead doth feed doth keepe 66 And towards hell their lazie wings display To wreake their malice on the damned gostes The birds that follow Titans hottest ray Passe not by so great flocks to warmer costes Nor leaues by so great numbers fall away When winter nips them with his new-come frostes The earth deliu'red from so foule annoy Recall'd her beautie and resum'd her ioy 67 But not for this in fierce Argantes brest Less'ned the rancour or decai'd the ire Although Alecto left him to infest With the hot brands of her infernall fire His armed head with his sharpe blade he blest And those thicke ranks which seemed most intire He broke the strong the weake the high the low Were equallized by his murdring blow 68 Not far from him amid the blood and dust Heads armes and legs Clorinda strowed wide Her sword through Berengarios brest she thrust Quite through his hart where life doth chiefly bide And that fell blow she stroke so sure and iust That at his backe his blood and life forth glide Euen in the mouth she smote Albinus than And cut in twaine the visage of the man 69 Gerniers right hand she from his arme deuided Whereof but late she had receiu'd a wound The hand his sword still held although not guided The fingers halfe on liue stirt'd on the ground So from a serpent slaine the taile deuided Moues in the grasse rolleth and tumbleth round The Championesse so wounded left the knight And gainst Achilles turn'd her weapon bright 70 Vpon his necke light that vnhappie blowe And cut the sinewes and the throte in twaine The head fell downe vpon the earth belowe And soil'd with dust the visage on the plaine The headlesse trunke a wofull thing to knowe Still in the saddle seated did remaine Vntill his stead that felt the raines at large With leapes and flings that burden did discharge 71 While thus this faire and fierce Bellona slew The westren Lords and put their troopes to flight Gildippes raged mongst the Pagan crew And low in dust laid many a worthie knight Like was their sexe their beautie and their hew Like was their youth their courage and their might Yet fortune would they should the battaile trie Of mightier foes for both were fram'd to die 72 Yet wisht they oft and stroue in vaine to meet So great betwixt them was the prease and throng But hardie Guelpha gainst Clorinda sweet Ventred his sword to worke her harme and wrong And with a cutting blow so did her greet That from her side the blood stream'd downe along But with a thrust an answer sharpe she made And twixt his ribs colour'd some-deale her blade 73 Lord Guelpho stroke againe but hit her not For strong Osmida haply passed bie And not meant him anothers wound he got That cleft his front in twaine aboue his
visage ran Like his dead Ladie dead seem'd Tancred good In palenesse stilnesse wounds and streames of blood 71 And his weake sprite to be vnbodied From fleshly prison free that ceaselesse striued Had follow'd her faire soule but lately fled Had not a Christian squadron there arriued To seeke fresh water thither haply led And found the Princesse dead and him depriued Of signes of life yet did the knight remaine On liue nigh dead for her himselfe had flaine 72 Their guide far off the Prince knew by his shield And thither hasted full of greefe and feare Her dead him seeming so he there behield And for that strange mishap shed many a teare He would not leaue the corses faire in field For food to wolues though she a Pagan weare But in their armes the soldiers both vphent And both lamenting brought to Tancreds tent 73 With those deere burthens to their campe they passe Yet would not that dead seeming knight awake At last he deepely groan'd which token was His feeble soule had not her flight yet take The other lay a still and heauie masse Her spirit had that earthen cage forsake Thus were they brought and thus they placed weare In sundry roomes yet both adioyning neare 74 All skill and art his carefull seruants vsed To life againe their dying Lord to bring At last his eies vnclos'd with teares suffused He felt their hands and heard their whispering But how he thither came long time he mused His minde astonisht was with euery thing He gaz'd about his squites in fine he knew Then weake and wofull thus his plaints our threw 75 What liue I yet and doe I breathe and see Of this accursed day the hatefull light This spitefull ray which still vpbraideth mee With that accursed deed I did this night Ah coward hand affraid why shouldst thou bee Thou instrument of death shame and despite Why shouldst thou feare with sharp trenchant knife To cut the threed of this blood-guiltie life 76 Pierce through this bosome and my cruell hart In peeces cleaue breake euery string and vaine But thou to slaughters vile which vsed art Think'st it were pitie so to ease my paine Of lucklesse loue therefore in torments smart A sad example must I still remaine A wofull monster of vnhappie loue Who still must liue least death his comfort proue 77 Still must I liue in anguish griefe and caire Furies my guiltie conscience that torment The ougly shades darke night and troubled aire In grisly formes her slaughter still present Madnes and death about my bed repaire Hell gapeth wide to swallow vp this tent Swift from my selfe I ronne my selfe I feare Yet still my hell within my selfe I beare 78 But where alas where be those reliques sweet Wherein dwelt late all loue all ioy all good My furie left them cast in open street Some beast hath torne her flesh and lickt her blood Ah noble pray for sauage beast vnmeet Ah sweet too sweet and far too pretious food Ah seely Nymph whom night and darksome shade To beasts and me far worse than beasts betrade 79 But where you be if still you be I wend To gather vp those reliques deere at least But if some beast hath from the hils descend And on her tender bowels made his feast Let that selfe monster me in peeces rend And deepe entombe me in his hollow cheast For where she buried is there shall I haue A stately tombe a rich and costly graue 80 Thus mourn'd the knight his squires him told at last They had her there for whom those teares he shed A beame of comfort his dim eies out cast Like lightning through thicke cloudes of darknes spred The heauie burthen of his lims in hast With mickle paine he drew forth of his bed And scant of strength to stand to moue or goe Thither he staggred reeling to and froe 81 When he came there and in her brest espide His handiworke that deepe and cruell wound And her sweet face with leaden palenesse dide Where beautie late spred forth her beames around He trembled so that nere his squires beside To hold him vp he had sunke downe to ground And said O face in death still sweet and faire Thou canst not sweeten yet my greefe and caire 82 O faire right hand the pledge of faith and loue Giuen me but late too late in signe of peace How haps it now thou canst not stir nor moue And you deere lims now laid in rest and ease Through which my cruell blade this flood-gate roue Your paines haue end my torments neuer cease O hands O cruell eies accurst alike You gaue the wound you gaue them light to strike 83 But thither now ronne forth my guiltie blood Whither my plaints my sorrowes cannot wend He said no more but as his passion wood Enforced him he gan to teare and rend His haire his face his wounds a purple flood Did from each side in rolling streames descend He had beene slaine but that his paine and woe Bereft his senses and preseru'd him soe 84 Cast on his bed his squires recall'd his spright To execute againe her hatefull charge But tattling fame the sorrowes of the knight And hard mischance had told this while at large Godfrey and all his Lords of worth and might Ran thither and the dutie would discharge Of friendship true and with sweet words the rage Of bitter greefe and woe they would asswage 85 But as a mortall wound the more doth smart The more it searched is handled or sought So their sweete words to his afflicted hart More griefe more anguish paine and torment brought But reuerend Peter that nould set apart Care of his sheepe as a good sheepheard ought His vanitie with graue aduise reprooued And told what mourning Christian knights behooued 86 O Tancred Tancred how farre different From thy beginnings good these follies bee What makes thee deafe what hath thy eiesight blent What mist what cloud thus ouershadeth thee This is a warning good from heau'n downe sent Yet his aduise thou canst not heare nor see Who calleth and conducts thee to the way From which thou willing dost and witting stray 87 To woorthie actions and atchiuements fit For Christian knights he would thee home recall But thou hast left that course and changed it To make thy selfe a heathen damsels thrall But see thy griefe and sorrowes painefull fit Is made the rod to scourge thy sinnes withall Of thine owne good thy selfe the meanes he makes But thou his mercy goodnes grace forsakes 88 Thou dost refuse of heau'n the profred grace And gainst it still rebell with sinfull ire O wretch O whither doth thy rage thee chace Refraine thy griefe bridle thy fond desire At hels wide gate vaine sorrow doth thee place Sorrow misfortunes sonne despaires foule sire O see thine euill thy plaint and woe refraine The guides to death to hell and endlesse paine 89 This said his will to die the patient Abandoned that second death he feared These words
of comfort to his hart downe went And that darke night of sorrow somewhat cleared Yet now and then his griefe deepe sighes foorth sent His voice shrill plaints and sad laments oft reared Now to himselfe now to his murdred loue He spoke who heard perchance from heau'n aboue 90 Till Phoebus rising from his euening fall To her for her he mournes he cals he cries The nightingall so when her children small Some churle takes before their parents eies Alone dismaid quite bare of comforts all Tires with complaints the seas the shores the skies Till in sweete sleepe against the morning bright She fall at last so mourn'd so slept the knight 91 And clad in starrie vale amid his dreame For whose sweete sake he mourn'd appeard the maid Fairer than earst yet with that heau'nly beame Not out of knowledge was her louely shaid With lookes of ruth her eies celestiall seame To pitie his sad plight and thus she said Behold how faire how glad thy loue appeares And for my sake my deare forbeare these teares 92 Thine be the thankes my soule thou madest flit At vnawares out of her earthly nest Thine be the thankes thou hast aduanced it In Abrahams deare bosome long to rest There still I loue thee there for Tancred fit A seat prepared is among the blest There in eternall ioy eternall light Thou shalt thy loue enioy and she her knight 93 Vnlesse thy selfe thy selfe heau'ns ioies enuie And thy vaine sorrow thee of blisse depriue Liue know I loue thee that I nill denie As angels men as saints may wights on liue This said of zeale and loue foorth of her eie An hundreth glorious beames bright shining driue Amid which raies her selfe she clos'd from sight And with new ioy new comfort left her knight 94 Thus comforted he wakt and men discreet In surgerie to cure his wounds were sought Meane-while of his deare loue the reliques sweet As best he could to graue with pompe he brought Her tombe was not of viride Spartane greet Nor yet by cunning hand of Scopas wrought But built of polisht stone and thereon laid The liuely shape and purtrait of the maid 95 With sacred burning lamps in order long And mournfull pompe the corps were brought to ground Her armes vpon a leauelesse pine were hong The herse with cypresse armes with lawrell crown'd Next day the Prince whose loue and courage strong Drew foorth his limmes weake feeble and vnsound To visite went with care and reu'rence meet The buried ashes of his mistresse sweet 96 Before her new made tombe at last arriued The wofull prison of his liuing spright Pale cold sad comfortlesse of sense depriued Vpon the marble gray he fixt his sight Two streames of teares were from his eies deriued Thus with a sad alas began the knight Oh marble deare on my deare mistresse plast My flames within without my teares thou hast 97 Not of dead bones art thou the mournfull graue But of quicke loue the fortresse and the hold Still in my hart thy woonted brands I haue More bitter farre alas but not more cold Receaue these sighes these kisses sweete recaue In liquid drops of melting teares enrold And giue them to that bodie pure and chast Which in thy bosome cold entombd thou hast 98 For if her happie soule her eie doth bend On that sweet body which it lately drest My loue thy pittie cannot her offend Anger and wrath is not in angels blest She pardon will the trespasse of her frend That hope relieues me with these griefes opprest This hand she knowes hath onely sinn'd not I Who liuing lou'd her and for loue now die 99 And louing will I die O happie day When ere it chanceth but O farre more blest If as about thy polisht sides I stray My bones within thy hollow graue might rest Togither should in heau'n our spirits stay Togither should our bodies lie in chest So happie death should ioyne what life doth seuer O death O life sweete both both blessed euer 100 Meanewhile the newes in that besieged towne Of this mishap was whispred here and there Foorthwith it spred and for too true was knowne Her wofull losse was talked euery where Mingled with cries and plaints to heau'n vp throwne As if the cities selfe new taken were With conqu'ring foes or as if flame and fire Nor house nor church nor streete had left intire 101 But all mens eies were on Arsetes bent His sighes were deepe his lookes full of despaire Out of his wofull eies no teare there went His hart was hardned with his too much care His siluer locks with dust he foule besprent He knockt his breast his face he rent and tare And while the prease flockt to the Eunuch ould Thus to the people spake Argantes bould 102 I would when first I knew the hardie maid Excluded was among her Christian foes Haue follow'd her to giue her timely aid Or by her side this breath and life to lose What did I not or what left I vnsaid To make the king the gates againe vnclose But he denide his powre did are restraine My will my suit was waste my speech was vaine 103 Ah had I gone I would from danger free Haue brought to Sion that sweete nymph againe Or in the bloudie fight where kild was shee In her defence there noblie haue beene slaine But what could I do more the counsels bee Of God and man gainst my designments plaine Dead is Clorinda faire laid in colde graue Let me reuenge her whom I could not saue 104 Hierusalem heare what Argantes saith Heare heau'n and if he breake his oath and word Vpon this head cast thunder in thy wrath I will destroy and kill that Christian Lord Who this faire dame by night thus murdred hath Nor from my side I will vngird this sword Till Tancreds hart it cleaue and shed his blood And leaue his corse to wolues and crowes for food 105 This said the people with a ioyfull shoute Applaud his speeches and his words approue And calm'd their griefe in hope the boaster stoute Would kill the Prince who late had slaine his loue O promise vaine it otherwise fell out Men purpose but high Gods dispose aboue For vnderneath his sword this boaster dide Whom thus he scorn'd and threat'ned in his pride The thirteenth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne The argument Ismeno sets to garde the forrest ould The wicked sprites whose ougly shapes affray And put to flight the men whose labour would To their darke shades let in heau'ns golden ray Thither goes Tancred hardie faithfull bould But foolish pitie lets him not assay His strength and courage heat the Christian powre Annoies whom to refresh Gods sends a showre 1 BVt scant dissolued into ashes cold The smoking towre fell on the scorched grasse When new deuise found out th' enchanter old By which the towne besieg'd secured was Of timber fit his foes depriue he wold Such terrour bred that late consumed masse So that the strength of Sions
to finde the furious keeper slaine A while she feared but she knew in short That her deare Lord was fled then saw she plaine Ah wofull sight how from her gates the man In haste in feare in wrath in anger ran 36 Whither O cruell leau'st thou me alone She would haue cride her griefe her speeches staid So that her wofull words are backward gone And in her hart a bitter Eccho maide Poore soule of greater skill than she was one Whose knowledge from her thus her ioy conuaid This wist she well yet had desire to proue If art could keepe if charmes recall her loue 37 All what the witches of Thessalia land With lips vnpure yet euer said or spake Words that could make heau'ns rolling circles stand And draw the damned ghostes from Limbo lake All well she knew but yet no time she fand To vse her knowledge or her charmes to make But left her artes and forth she ran to proue If single beautie were best charme for loue 38 She ran nor of her honour tooke regarde Oh where be all her vants and triumphes now Loues Empire great of late she made or marde To her his subiects humbly bend and bow And with her pride mixt was a scorne so harde That to be lou'd she lou'd yet whilst they wow Her louers all she hates that pleas'd her will To conquer men and conqu'red so to kill 39 But now her selfe disdain'd abandoned Ran after him that from her fled in scorne And her despised beautie laboured With humble plaints and praiers to adorne She ran and hasted after him that fled Through frost and snow through brier bush and thorne And sent her cries on message her before That reacht not him till he had reacht the shore 40 O thou that leau'st but halfe behinde quoth shee Of my poore hart and halfe with thee dost carrie O take this part or render that to mee Else kill them both at once ah tarrie tarrie Heare my last words no parting kisse of thee I craue for some more fit with thee to marrie Keepe them vnkinde what fear'st thou if thou stay Thou mai'st denie as well as runne away 41 At this Rinaldo stopt stood still and staid She came sad breathlesse wearie faint and weake So woe begone was neuer Nymph or maid And yet her beauties pride griefe could not breake On him she lookt shee gas'd but nought she said She would not could not or she durst not speake At her he lookt not glanst not if he did Those glances shamefaste were close secret hid 42 As cunning singers ere they straine on hie In loud melodious tunes their gentle voice Prepare the hearers eares to harmonie With fainings sweet low notes and warbles choice So she not hauing yet forgot pardie Her woonted shifts and sleights in Cupides toies A sequence first of sighes and sobbes foorth cast To breed compassion deere than spake at last 43 Suppose not cruell that I come to wow Or pray as Ladies doe their loues and Lords Such were we late if thou disdaine it now Or scorne to grant such grace as loue affords At least yet as an enmie listen thow Sworne foes sometime will talke and chaffer words For what I aske thee maist thou grant right well And lessen nought thy wrath and anger fell 44 If me thou hate and in that hate delight I come not to appease thee hate me still It s like for like I bore great hate and spight Gainst Christians all chiefly I wisht thee ill I was a Pagan borne and all my might Against Godfredo bent mine art and skill I follow'd thee tooke thee and bore thee far To this strange isle and kept thee safe from war 45 And more which more thy hate may iustly moue More to thy losse more to thy shame and griefe I thee enchanted and allur'd to loue Wicked deceit craft worthie sharpe repriefe Mine honor gaue I thee all gifts aboue And of my beauties made thee Lord and chiefe And to my sutors old what I denaid That gaue I thee my louer new vnpraid 46 But reckon that among my faultes and let Those many wrongs prouoke thee so to wrath That hence thou ronne and that at naught thou set This pleasant house so many ioyes which hath Goe trauaile passe the seas fight conquest get Destroy our faith what shall I say our fath Ah no! no longer ours before thy shrine Alone I pray thou cruell saint of mine 47 All only let me goe with thee vnkinde A small request although I were thy foe The spoiler seldome leaues the praie behinde Who triumphes lets his captiues with him goe Among thy pris'ners poore Armida binde And let the campe encrease thy praises soe That thy beguiler so thou couldst beguile And point at me thy thrall and bondslaue vile 48 Despised bondslaue since my Lord doth hate These lockes why keepe I them or hold them deare Come cut them off that to my seruile state My habit answere may and all my geare I follow thee in spite of death and fate Through battles fierce where dangers most appeare Courage I haue and strength enough perchance To lead thy courser spare and beare thy lance 49 I will or beare or be my selfe thy shield And to defend thy life will loose mine owne This breast this bosome soft shall be thy bield Gainst stormes of arrowes darts and weapons throwne Thy foes pardie encountring thee in field Will spare to strike thee mine affection knowne Least me they wound nor will sharpe veng'ance take On thee for this despised beauties sake 50 O wretch dare I still vant or helpe inuoake From this poore beautie scorned and disdained She said no more her teares her speeches broake Which from her eies like streames from springs down rained She would haue caught him by the hand or cloake But he stept backward and himselfe restrained Conquer'd his will his hart ruth soft'ned not There plaintes no ishue loue no entrance got 51 Loue entred not to kindle in his brest Which reason late had quencht his wonted flame Yet entred pitie in the place at lest Loues sister but a chast and sober dame And stirr'd him so that hardly he supprest The springing teares that to his eies vp came But yet euen there his plaints repressed weare And as he could he lookte and fained cheare 52 Madame quoth he for your distresse I grieue And would amend it if I might or could From your wise hart that fond affection driue I cannot hate nor scorne you though I would I seeke no veng'ance wrongs I all forgiue Nor you my seruant nor my foe I hould Truth is you err'de and your estate forgot Too great your hate was and your loue too hot 53 But those are common faultes and faults of kind Excus'd by nature by your sexe and yeares I erred likewise if I pardon find None can condemne you that our trespasse heares Your deare remembrance will I keepe in minde In ioes in woes in comforts hopes and feares Call me
she till Egypts lord In aide of Sions king his host shall moue Then will I vse all helps that charmes afford And change my shape or sexe if so behoue Well can I handle bowe or launce or sword The worthies all will aide me for my loue I seeke reuenge and to obtaine the same Farewell regard of honour farewell shame 73 Nor let mine vncle and protector me Reproue for this he most deserues the blame My hart and sex that weake and tender be He bent to deedes that maidens euill became His neece a wandring damsell first made he He spurr'd my youth and I cast off my shame His be the fault if ought gainst mine estate I did for loue or shall commit for hate 74 This said her knights her ladies pages squires She all assembleth and for iourney fit In such faire armes and vestures them attires As shew'd her wealth and well declar'd her wit And forward marched full of strange desires Nor rested she by day or night one whit Till she came there where all the eastren bands Their kings and princes lay on Gazaes sands The seuenteenth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne The argument Egypts great host in battaile ray forth brought The Caliph sends with Godfreyes powre to fight Armida who Rinaldoes ruine sought To them adioynes her selfe and Sirias might To satisfie her cruell will and thought She giues her selfe to him that kils her knight He takes his fatall armes and in his sheild His ancestors and their great deedes beheild 1 GAza the citie on the frontire stands Of Iudaes realme as men to Egypt ride Built neare the sea beside it of drie sands Huge wildernesses lie and desarts wide Which the strong windes lift from the parched lands And tosse like roring waues in roughest tide That from those stormes poore passengers almost No refuge finde but there are down'd and lost 2 Within this towne wonne from the Turkes of yore Strong garrison the king of Egypt plast And for it neerer was and fitted more That high emprise to which his thoughts he cast He left great Memphis and to Gaza bore His regall throne and there from countries vast Of his huge Empire all the puissant hoast Assembled he and mustred on the coast 3 Come say my muse what manner times these weare And in those times how stood the state of things What powre this monarch had what armes they beare What nations subiect and what friends he brings For from all landes the Southren Ocean neare Or morning starre came Princes Dukes and Kings And onely thou of halfe the world welnie The armies Lords and Captaines canst descrie 4 When Egypt from the Greekish Emperour Rebelled first and Christes true faith denide Of Mahomets descent a warriour There set his throne and rulde that kingdome wide Caliph he hight and Caliphes since that houre Are his successors named all beside So Nilus old his kings long time had seene That Ptolemies and Pharoes call'd had beene 5 Establisht was that kingdome in short while And grew so great that ouer Asias landes And Libias Realmes it stretched many a mile From Syrias coastes as far as Cirene sandes And Southward passed gainst the course of Nile Through the hot clime where burnt Siene standes Hence bounded in with sandie desartes wast And thence with Euphrates ritch flood embrast 6 Maremma Myrrhe and spices that doth bring And all the ritch red sea it comprehends And to those landes toward the morning spring That lie beyond that gulph it farre extends Great is that Empire greater by the king That rules it now whose worth the land amends And makes more famous Lord thereof by blood By wisedome valour and all vertues good 7 With Turkes and Persians war he oft did wage And oft he wonne and sometime lost the feild Nor could his aduerse fortune ought asswage His valours heat or make his proud hart yeild But when he grew vnfit for war through age He sheath'd his sword and laid aside his sheild But yet his warlike minde he laid not downe Nor his great thirst of rule praise and renowne 8 But by his knights still cruell wars maintain'd So wise his words so quicke his wit appeares That of the kingdome large ore which he rain'd The charge seem'd not too weightie for his yeares His greatnes Africks lesser kings constrain'd To tremble at his name all Inde him feares And other realmes that would his friendship hold Some armed soldiers sent some gifts some gold 9 This mightie Prince assembled had the flowre Of all his realmes against the French men stout To breake their rising empire and their powre Nor of sure conquest had he feare or dout To him Armida came eu'n at the howre When in the plaines old Gazaes walles without The Lords and leaders all their armies bring In battaile ray mustred before their king 10 He on his throne was set to which on hight Who clombe an hundred iuorie staires first told Vnder a pentise wrought of siluer bright And troade on carpets made of silke and gold His robes were such as best beseemen might A king so great so graue so rich so old And twin'd of sixtie elles of lawne and more A Turbant strange adorn'd his tresses hore 11 His right hand did his pretious scepter weild His beard was gray his lookes seuere and graue And from his eies not yet made dim with eild Sparkled his former worth and vigor braue His gestures all the maiestie vpheild And state as his old age and empire craue So Phidias caru'd Apelles so pardie Earst painted Ioue Ioue thundring downe from skie 12 On either side him stood a noble lord Whereof the first held in his vpright hand Of seuere iustice the vnpartiall sword The other bore the seale and causes scand Keeping his folke in peace and good accord And termed was Lord Chancelour of the land But Marshall was the first and vs'd to leed His armies foorth to warre oft with good speed 13 Of bould Circassians with their halberds long About his throne his guard stood in a ring All richly armd in guilden corslets strong And by their sides their crooked swords downe hing Thus set thus seated his graue lords among His hoasts and armies great beheld the king And euery band as by his throne it went Their ensigâ— low enclind and armes downe bent 14 Their squadrâ—â— first the men of Egypt show In fowre â—ooâ—es and each his feu'rall guide Of the hie â—â—â—ntrie two two of the low Which Nile had wonne out of the salt sea side Hiâ— fertill slime first stopt the waters flow Then hardned to firme land the plough to bide So Egypt still encreast within farre plast That part is now where ships earst anchor cast 15 The formost band the people were that dwell'd In Alexandrias rich and fertile plaine Along the westren shore whence Nile expell'd The greedie billowes of the swelling maine Araspes was their guide who more excell'd In wit and craft than strength or warlike paine To place an
night And ere the siluer morne began to rise His armes he tooke and in a coate him dight Of colour strange cut in the warlike guise And on his way sole silent forth he went Alone and left his friends and left his tent 12 It was the time when gainst the breaking day Rebellious night yet stroue and still repined For in the East appear'd the morning gray And yet some lampes in Ioues high pallace shined When to mount Oliuet he tooke his way And saw as round about his eies he twined Nights shadowes hence from thēce the morning shine This bright that darke that earthly this diuine 13 Thus to himselfe he thought how many bright And splendant lamps shine in heau'ns temple hie Day hath his golden sun her moone the night Her sixt and wandring stars the azure skie So framed all by their creators might That still they liue and shine and nere shall die Till in a moment with the last daies brand They burne and with them burnes sea aire and land 14 Thus as he mused to the top he went And there kneeld downe with reuerence and feare His eies vpon heau'ns eastren face he bent His thoughts aboue all heau'ns vplifted weare The sinnes and errours which I now repent Of mine vnbridled youth O father deare Remember not but let thy mercy fall And purge my faults and mine offences all 15 Thus praied he with purple wings vpflew In golden weed the mornings lustie queene Begilding with the radiantbeames she threw His helme his harnesse and the mountaine greene Vpon his brest and forehead gently blew The aire that balme and nardus breath'd vnseene And ore his head let downe from cleerest skies A cloud of pure and precious dew there flies 16 The heau'nly dew was on his garments spred To which compar'd his clothes pale ashes seame And spinkled so that all that palenesse fled And thence of purest white bright raies outstreame So cheered are the flowres late withered With the sweete comfort of the morning beame And so returnd to youth a serpent old Adornes her selfe in new and natiue gold 17 The louely whitenesse of his changed weed The prince perceiued well and long admirde Toward the forrest marcht he on with speed Resolu'd as such aduentures great requir'de Thither he came whence shrinking backe for dreed Of that strange desarts sight the first retir'de But not to him fearefull or loathsome made That forrest was but sweete with pleasant shade 18 Forward he past and in the groue before He heard a sound that strange sweete pleasing was There roll'd a christall brooke with gentle rore There sigh'd the windes as through the leaues they pas There did the Nightingale her wrongs deplore There sung the swan and singing dide alas There lute harpe cittren humaine voice he hard And all these sounds one sound right well declard 19 A dreedfull thunderclap at last he hard The aged trees and plants welnie that rent Yet heard he Nymphes and Sirens afterward Birdes windes and waters sing with sweete consent Whereat amazd he staid and well prepard For his defence heedfull and slow foorthwent Nor in his way his passage ought withstood Except a quiet still transparent flood 20 On the greene banks which that faire streame inbound Flowers and odours sweetely smilde and smeld Which reaching out his stretched armes around All the large desart in his bosome held And through the groue on chanell passage found That in the wood in that the forrest dweld Trees clad the streames streames greene those trees aie made And so exchangd their moisture and their shade 21 The knight some way sought out the floud to pas And as he sought a wondrous bridge appeard A bridge of golde a huge and weightie mas On arches great of that rich mettall reard When through that golden way he entred was Downe fell the bridge swelled the streame and weard The worke away not signe left where it stood And of a riuer calme became a flood 22 He turnd amasd to see it troubled soe Like sodaine brookes encreast with molten snow The billowes fierce that tossed to and froe The whirlpooles suckt downe to their bosoms low But on he went to search for wonders moe Through the thicke trees there high and broad which grow And in that forrest huge and desart wide The more he sought more wonders still he spide 23 Where so he stept it seem'd the ioyfull ground Renew'd the verdure of her flowrie weed A fountaine here a welspring there he found Here bud the Roses there the Lillies spreed The aged wood ore and about him round Flourisht with blossomes new new leaues new seed And on the boughes and branches of those treene The barke was softned and renew'd the greene 24 The Manna on each leafe did pearled lie The hony stilled from the tender rinde Againe he heard that woondrous harmonie Of songs and sweete complaints of louers kinde The humaine voices sung a triple hie To which respond the birdes the streames the winde But yet vnseene those Nymphes those singers weare Vnseene the lutes harpes viols which they beare 25 He lookte he listned yet this thoughts denide To thinke that true which he both heard and see A Mirtle in an ample plaine hespide And thither by a beaten path went hee The Mirtle spred her mightie branches wide Higher than Pine or Palme or Cipresse tree And farre aboue all other plants was seene That forrests Ladie and that desarts queene 26 Vpon the tree his eies Rinaldo bent And there a maruell great and strange began An aged Oake beside him cleft and rent And from his fertill hollow wombe forth ran Clad in rare weedes and strange habiliment A Nymph for age able to goe to man An hundreth plants beside euen in his sight Childed an hundreth Nymphes so great so dight 27 Such as on stages play such as we see The Dryads painted whom wilde Satires loue Whose armes halfe naked lockes vntrussed bee With buskins laced on their legs aboue And silken roabes tuckt short aboue their knee Such seem'd the Siluan daughters of this groue Saue that in stead of shafts and boughes of tree She bore a lute a harpe or cittern shee 28 And wantonly they cast them in a ring And sung and danst to moue her weaker sense Rinaldo round about enuironing As centers are with their circumference The tree they compast eeke and gan to sing That woods and streames admir'd their excellence Welcome deere Lord welcome to this sweet groue Welcome our Ladies hope welcome her loue 29 Thou com'st to cure our Princesse faint and sicke For loue for loue of thee faint sicke distressed Late blacke late dreadfull was this forrest thicke Fit dwelling for sad folke with griefe oppressed See with thy comming how the branches quicke Reuiued are and in new blossoms dressed This was their song and after from it went First a sweet sound and then the myrtle rent 30 If antique times admir'd Silenus old That oft appeer'd set on his lasie asse How
The flames against the kindlers backward cast 86 The windes droue backe the fire where heaped lie The Pagans weapons where their engins weare Which kindling quickly in that substance drie Burnt all their store and all their warlike geare O glorious captaine whom the Lord from hie Defends whom God preserues and holds so deare For thee heau'n fights to thee the windes from farre Call'd with thy trumpets blast obedient arre 87 But wicked Ismen to his harme that saw How the fierce blast droue backe the fire and flame By art would nature change and thence withdraw Those noisome windes else calme and still the same Twixt two false Wizards without feare or aw Vpon the walles in open sight he came Blacke grisly loathsome grim and ougly faced Like Pluto old betwixt two furies placed 88 And now the wretch those dreadfull words begunne Which tremble make deepe hell and all her flocke Now troubled is the aire the golden sunne His fearefull beames in cloudes did close and locke When from the towre which Ismen could not shunne Out flew a mightie stone late halfe a rocke Which light so iust vpon the Wizards three That driu'n to dust their bones and bodies bee 89 To lesse than nought their members old were torne And shiuer'd were their heads to pieces small As small as are the brused graines of corne When from the mill resolu'd to meale they fall Their damned soules to deepest hell downe borne Far from the ioy and light celestiall The furies plunged in th' infernall lake O mankinde at their ends ensample take 90 This while the engin which the tempest could Had sau'd from burning with his friendly blast Approached had so neere the battred hould That on the walles her bridge at ease she cast But Soliman ran thither fierce and bould To cut the planke whereon the Christians past And had perform'd his will saue that vpreard High in the skies a turret new appeard 91 Farre in the aire vp clombe the fortresse tall Higher than house then steeple church or towre The Pagans trembled to behold the wall And citie subiect to her shot and powre Yet kept the Turke his stand though on him fall Of stones and dartes a sharpe and deadly showre And still to cut the bridge he hopes and striues And those that feare with cheerfull speech reuiues 92 The Angell Michaell to all the rest Vnseene appear'd before Godfredoes eies In pure and heau'nly armour ritchly drest Brighter than Titans raies in cleerest skies Godfrey quoth he this is the moment blest To free this towne that long in bondage lies See see what legions in thine aide I bring For heau'n assists thee and heau'ns glorious king 93 Lift vp thine eies and in the aire behold The sacred armies how they mustred bee That cloud of flesh in which from times of old All mankinde wrapped is I take from thee And from thy senses their thicke mist vnfold That face to face thou maist these spirits see And for a little space right well sustaine Their glorious light and vew those angels plaine 94 Behold the soules of euery Lord and knight That late bore armes and dide for Christes deare sake How on thy side against this towne they fight And of thy ioy and conquest will partake There where the dust and smoke blinde all mens sight Where stones and ruines such an heape doe make There Hugo fights in thickest cloude imbard And vndermines that bulwarks groundworke hard 95 See Dudon yonder who with sword and fire Assailes and helpes to scale the northren port That with bold courage doth thy folke inspire And reares their ladders gainst th' assaulted fort He that high on the mount in graue attire Is clad and crowned stands in kingly sort Is Bishop Ademare a blessed spirite Blest for his faith crown'd for his death and merite 96 But higher lift thy happie eies and vew Where all the sacred hosts of heau'n appeare He lookt and saw where winged armies flew Innumerable pure diuine and cleare A battaile round of squadrons three they shew And all by threes those squadrons ranged weare Which spreading wide in rings still wider goe Mou'd with a stone calme water circleth soe 97 With that he winkte and vanisht was and gone That wondrous vision when he lookt againe His worthies fighting vew'd he one by one And on each side saw signes of conquest plaine For with Rinaldo gainst his yeelding fone His knights were entred and the Pagans slaine This seene the Duke no longer stay could brooke But from the bearer bold his ensigne tooke 98 And on the bridge he stept but there was staid By Soliman who entrance all denide That narrow tree to vertue great was maid The field as in few blowes right soone was tride Here will I giue my life for Sions aid Here will I end my daies the Soldan cride Behinde me cut or breake this bridge that I May kill a thousand Christians first then die 99 But thither fierce Rinaldo threat'ning went And at his sight fled all the Soldans traine What shall I doe if here my life be spent I spend and spill quoth he my blood in vaine With that his steps from Godfrey backe he bent And to him let the passage free remaine Who threat'ning follow'd as the Soldan fled And on the walles the purple crosse dispred 100 About his head he tost he turn'd he cast That glorious ensigne with a thousand twines Thereon the winde breathes with his sweetest blast Thereon with golden raies glad Phebus shines Earth laughes for ioy the streames forbeare their hast Floods clap their hands on mountaines dance the pines And Sions towres and sacred temples smile For their deliu'rance from that bondage vile 101 And now the armies rear'd the happie crie Of victorie glad ioyfull lowd and shrill The hils resound the Eccho showteth hie And Tancred bold that fights and combats still With proud Argantes brought his towre so nie That on the wall against the boasters will In his despite his bridge he also laid And wonne the place and there the crosse displaid 102 But on the southren hill where Raimond fought Against the townesmen and their aged king His hardie Gascoignes gained small or nought Their engin to the walles they could not bring For thither all his strength the Prince had brought For life and safetie sternly combatting And for the wall was feeblest on that cost There were his soldiers best and engins most 103 Besides the towre vpon that quarter found Vnsure vneasie and vneeu'n the way Nor art could helpe but that the rougher ground The rolling masse did often stop and stay But now of victorie the ioyfull sound The king and Raimond heard amid their fray And by the showte they and their soldiers know The towne was entred on the plaine below 104 Which heard Raimondo thus bespake this crew The towne is wonne my friends and doth it yet Resist are we kept out still by these few Shall we no share in this high conquest get But
showes of harme and feare Our dangers small our losses little weare 54 Burnt are your houses and your people slaine Yet safe your towne is though your walles be gone For in your selues and in your soueraigne Consists your citie not in lime and stone Your king is safe and safe is all his traine In this strong fort defended from their fone And on this emptie conquest let them bost Till with this towne againe their liues be lost 55 And on their heads the losse at last will light For with good fortune proud and insolent In spoile and murder spend they day and night In riot drinking lust and rauishment And may amid their praves with little fight At ease be ouerthrowne kild slaine and spent If in this carelesnesse th' Egyptian hoast Vpon them fall which now drawes neere this coast 56 Meane-while the highest buildings of this towne We may shake downe with stones about their eares And with our dartes and speares from engins throwne Commaund that hill Christs sepulchre that beares Thus comforts he their hopes and harts cast downe Awakes their valours and exiles their feares But while these things hapt thus Vafrino goes Vnknowne amid ten thousand armed foes 57 The sunne nie set had brought to ende the day When Vafrine went the Pagan hoste to spie He past vnknowne a close and secret way A traueller false cunning craftie slie Past Ascalon he saw the morning gray Step ore the threshold of the Estren skie And ere bright Titan halfe his course had runne That campe that mightie hoste to show begunne 58 Tents infinite and standards broad he spies This red that white that blew this purple was And heares strange toongs and stranger harmornies Of trumpets clarions and well sounding bras The Elephant there braies the Camell cries The horses neigh as to and fro they pas Which seene and heard he said within his thought Hither all Asia is all Affricke brought 59 He view'd the campe awhile her scite and seat What ditch what trench it had what rampire strong Nor close nor secret waies to worke his feat He longer sought nor hid him from the throng But entred through the gates broad roiall great And of he askt and answer'd oft among In questions wise in answeres short and slie Bold was his looke eies quicke front lifted hie 60 On euerie side he pried here and theare And markt each way each passage and each tent The knights he notes their steads and armes they beare Their names their armours and their gouerment And greater secrets hopes to learne and heare Their hidden purpose and their close entent So long he walkt and wandred till he spide The way t' approach the great Pauilions side 61 There as he lookte he saw the canuasse rent Through which the voice found eath and open way From the close lodgings of the regall tent And inmost closet where the captaine lay So that if Emireno spake forth went They sound to them that listen what they say There Vafrine watcht and those that saw him thought To mend the breach that there he stood and wrought 62 The captaine great within bare headed stood His bodie arm'd and clad in purple weed Two Pages bore his shield and helmet good He leaning on a bending launce gaue heed To a bigge man whose lookes were fierce and prood With whom he parled of some haughtie deed Godfredoes name as Vafrine watcht he hard Which made him giue more heed take more regard 63 Thus spake the Chieftaine to that surly sire Art thou so sure that Godfrey shall be slaine I am quoth he and sweare nere to retire Except he first be kill'd to court againe I will preuent those that with me conspire Nor other guerdon aske I for my paine But that I may hang vp his harnesse braue At Caire and vnder them these words engraue 64 These armes Ormondo tooke in noble fight From Godfrey proud that spoil'd all Asias lands And with them tooke his life and here on hight In memorie thereof this trophie stands The Duke replide nere shall that deed bold knight Passe vnrewarded at our sou'raignes hands What thou demaundest shall he gladly grant Nor gold nor guerdon shalt thou wish or want 65 Those counterfeited armours than prepare Bicause the day of fight approacheth fast They readie are quoth he then both forbare From further talke these speeches were the last Vafrine these great things heard with griefe and care Remain'd astound and in his thoughts oft cast What treason false this was how feigned weare Those armes but yet that doubt he could not cleare 66 From thence he parted and broad waking lay All that long night nor slumbred once nor slept But when the campe by peepe of springing day Their banners spred and knights on horsebacke lept With them he marched foorth in meete array And where they pitched lodg'd and with them kept And then from tent to tent he stalkt about To heare and see and learne this secret out 67 Searching about on a ritch throne he fand Armida set with dames and knights around Sullen she sate and sigh'd it seemd she scand Some weightie matters in her thoughts profound Her rosie cheeke leand on her lillie hand Her eies loues twinckling stars she bent to ground Weepe she or no he knowes not yet appeares Her humid eies eu'n great with childe with teares 68 He sawe before her set Adrastus grim That seemed scant to liue mooue or respire So was he fixed on his mistres trim So gazed he and fed his fond desire But Tisiperne beheld now her now him And quakte sometime for loue sometime for ire And in his cheekes the colour went and came For their wrathes fire now burnt now shone loues flame 69 Then from the garland faire of virgins bright Mongst whom he lay enclosd rose Altamore His hot desire he hid and kept from sight His lookes were ruld by Cupids craftie lore His left eie viewd her hand her face his right Both watcht her beauties hid and secret store And entrance found where her thin vaile bewraid The milken way betweene her breasts that laid 70 Her eies Armida lift from earth at last And cleard againe her front and visage sad Midst clouds of woe her lookes which ouercast She lightned foorth a smile sweete pleasant glad My Lord quoth she your oath and promise past Hath freed my hart of all the griefes it had That now in hope of sweete reuenge it liues Such ioy such ease desired vengeance giues 71 Cheare vp thy lookes answer'd the Indian king And for sweete beauties sake appease thy woe Cast at your feete ere you expect the thing I will present the head of thy strong foe Else shall this hand his person captiue bring And cast in prison deepe he boasted soe His riuall heard him well yet answerd nought But bit his lips and grieu'd in secret thought 72 To Tisiphern the damsell turning right And what say you my noble lord quoth she He taunting said I that am slow
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 88 The Gascoines turne againe their Lord in haste To venge their losse his band recordred 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 disdaine On 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 blood Did 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 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 call Iust 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 98 But to resist against a knight so bold Too 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 twind Fast 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 Who 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. 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
your souldiour and your knight as farre As Christian faith permits and Asias warre 54 Ah let our faults and follies here take end And let our errours past you satisfie And in this Angle of the world ipend Let both the fame and shame thereof now die From all the earth where I am knowne and kend I wish this fact should still concealed lie Nor yet in following me poore knight disgrace Your woorth your beautie and your princely race 55 Stay here in peace I goe nor wend you may With me my guide your fellowship denies Stay here or hence depart some better way And calme your thoughts you are both sage and wise While thus he spoke her passions found no stay But here and there she turn'd and roll'd her eies And staring on his face a while at last Thus in foule termes her bitter wrath forth brast 56 Of Sophia faire thou neuer wert the childe Nor of the Azzaine race isprong thou art The mad sea waues thee bore some Tigresse wilde On Caucasus cold crags nurst thee apart Ah cruell man in whom no token milde Appeeres of pitie ruth or tender hart Could not my griefes my woes my plaints and all One sigh straine from thy breast one teare make fall 57 What shall I say or how renew my speach He scornes me leaues me bids me call him mine The victor hath his foe within his reach Yet pardons her that merits death and pine Heare how he counsels me how he gan preach Like chast Xenocrates gainst loue diuine Oh heau'ns oh gods why doe these men of shame Thus spoile your Temples and blaspheme your name 58 Go cruell go go with such peace such rest Such ioy such comfort as thou leau'st me heare My angrie soule discharg'd from this weake brest Shall haunt thee euer and attend thee neare And furie like in snakes and fire brands drest Shall aie torment thee whom it late held deare And if thou scape the seas the rockes and sands And come to fight amid the Pagan bands 59 There lying wounded mongst the hurt and slaine Of these my wrongs thou shalt the vengeance beare And oft Armida shalt thou call in vaine At thy last gaspe this hope I soone to heare Heare fainted she with sorrow griefe and paine Her latest words scant well expressed were But in a swoune on earth outstretcht she lies Stiffe were her frozen limmes clos'd were her eies 60 Thou clos'd thine eies Armida heau'n enuide Ease to thy griefe or comfort to thy woe Ah open them againe see teares downe slide From his kinde eies whom thou esteemes thy foe If thou hadst heard his sighes had mollifide Thine anger hard he sigh'd and mourned soe And as he could with sad and rufull looke His leaue of thee and last farewell he tooke 61 What should he do leaue on the naked sand This wofull ladie halfe aliue halfe dead Kindnesse forbod pittie did that withstand But hard constraint alas did thence him lead Away he went the west winde blew from land Mongst the rich tresses of their pilots head And with that golden saile the waues she cleft To land he lookt till land vnseene he left 62 Wakt from her traunce forsaken speechlesse sad Armida wildly star'd and gas'd about And is he gone quoth she nor pittie had To leaue me thus twixt life and death in doubt Could he not stay could not the traitor lad From this last trance helpe or recall me out And do I loue him still and on this sand Still vnreuengde still mourne still weeping stand 63 Fie no complaintes farewell with armes and art I will pursue to death this spitefull knight Not earthes low center nor seas deepest part Nor heau'n nor hell can shield him from my might I will oretake him take him cleaue his hart Such veng'ance fits a wronged louers spight In crueltie that cruell knight surpasse I will but what auaile vaine words alasse 64 O foole thou shouldest haue beene cruell than For than this cruell well deseru'd thine ire When thou in prison hadst entrapt the man Now dead with cold too late thou askest fire But though my wit my cunning nothing can Some other meanes shall worke my harts desire To thee my beautie thine be all these wrongs Veng'ance to thee to thee reuenge belongs 65 Thou shalt be his reward with murdring brand That dare this traitor of his head depriue O you my louers on this rocke doth stand The castle of her loue for whom you striue I thee sole heire of all Damascus land For this reuenge my selfe and kingdome giue If by this price my will I cannot gaine Nature giues beautie fortune wealth in vaine 66 But thee vaine gift vaine beautie thee I scorne I hate the kingdome which I haue to giue I hate my selfe and rue that I was borne Onely in hope of sweet reuenge I liue Thus raging with fell ire she gan returne From that bare shore in haste and homeward driue And as true witnesse of her franticke ire Her lockes wau'd loose face shone eies sparkled fire 67 When she came home she call'd with outcries shrill A thousand deuils in Limbo deepe that wonne Blacke cloudes the skies with horrid darknes fill And pale for dread became th' eclipsed sonne The whirlewinde blustred big on euerie hill And hell to roare vnder her feet begonne You might haue heard how through the pallace wide Some spirits howld some barkt some hist some cride 68 A shadow blacker than the mirkest night Enuiron'd all the place with darknes sad Wherein a firebrand gaue a dreadfull light Kindled in hell by Tisiphone the mad Vanisht the shade the sun appeard in sight Pale were his beames the aire was nothing glad And all the pallace vanisht was and gone Nor of so great a worke was left one stone 69 As oft the clouds frame shapes of castles great Amid the aire that little time do last But are dissolu'd by winde or Titans heat Or like vaine dreames soone made and sooner past The pallace vanisht so nor in his seat Left ought but rockes and crags by kind there plast She in her coach which two old serpents drew Sat downe and as she vs'd away she flew 70 She broake the clouds and cleft the yeelding skie And bout her gathred tempest storme and winde The lands that view the south pole flew she bie And left those vnknowne countries farre behinde The straites of Hercules she past which lie Twixt Spaine and Africke nor her flight enclinde To north or south but still did forward ride Ore seas and streames till Syrias coasts she spide 71 Nor went she forward to Damascus faire But of her countrie deare she fled the sight And guided to Asphaltes lake her chaire Where stood her castle there she ends her flight And from her damsels farre she made repaire To a deepe vault far from resort and light Where in sad thoughts a thousand doubtes she cast Till griefe and shame to wrath gaue place at last 72 I will not hence quoth