annext withall 38 But mine was freely giuen ere it was sought Nor that it lesned be I now consent Right well know I both when and where I ought To giue condigne reward and punishment Since you are all in like subiection brought Both high and low obey and be content This heard Tancredie wisely staid his words Such weight the sayings haue of kings and Lords 39 Old Raymond prais'd his speech for old men thinke They euer wisest seeme when most seuere T is best quoth he to make these great ones shrinke The people loue him whom the nobles feare There must the rule to all disorders sinke Where pardons more than punishment appeare For feeble is each kingdome fraile and weake Vnlesse his basis be this feare I speake 40 These words Tancredie heard and pondred well And by them wist how Godfreys thoughts were bent Nor list he longer with these old men dwell But turn'd his horse and to Rinaldo went Who when his noble foe death wounded fell Withdrew him softly to his gorgeous tent There Tancred found him and at large declar'd The words and speeches sharpe which late you hard 41 And said although I wot the outward show Is not true witnes of the secret thought For that some men so subtill are I trow That what they purpose most appeereth nought Yet dare I say Godfredo meanes I know Such knowledge hath his lookes and speeches wrought You shall first prisner be and then be tride As he shall deeme it good and law prouide 42 With that a bitter smile well might you see Ridaldo cast with scorne and hie disdaine Let them in fetters plead their cause quoth hee That are base peasants borne of seruile straine I was free borne I liue and will die free Before these feet be fettred in a chaine These hands were made to shake sharp spears swords Not to be tide in giues and twisted cords 43 If my good seruice reape this recompence To be clapt vp in close and secret mew And as a theefe be after dragd from thence To suffer punishment as law findes dew Let Godfrey come or send I will not hence Vntill we know who shall this bargaine rew That of our tragedie the late done fact May be the first and this the second act 44 Giue me mine armes he cride his squire them brings And clad his head and brest in iron strong About his necke his siluer shield he flings Downe by his side a cutting sword there hong Among this earthes braue Lords and mightie kings Was none so stout so fierce so faire so yong God Mars he seem'd descending from his spheare Or one whose lookes could make great Mars to feare 45 Tancredie labour'd with some pleasing speach His spirits fierce and courage to appease Yong Prince thy valour thus he gan to preach Can chastise all that doe thee wrong at ease I know your vertue can your enmies teach That you can venge you when and where you please But God forbid this day you lift your arme To doe this campe and vs your friends such harme 46 Tell me what will you doe why would you staine Your noble hands in our vnguiltie blood By wounding Christians will you againe Pearse Christ whose parts they are and members good Will you destroy vs for your glorie vaine Vnstaid as rolling waues in Ocean flood Far be it from you so to proue your strength And let your zeale appease your rage at length 47 For Gods loue stay your heat and iust displeasure Appease your wrath your courage fierce asswage Patience a praise forbearance is a treasure Suffrance an angellis a monster rage At least your actions by ensample measure And thinke how I in mine vnbridled age Was wronged yet I nould reuengement take On all this campe for one offenders sake 48 Cilicia conquer'd I as all men wot And there the glorious crosse on hie I reared But Baldwine came and what I nobly got Bereft me falsly when I least him feared He seem'd my friend and I discouer'd not His secret couetise which since appeered Yet striue I not to get mine owne by fight Or ciuill war although perchance I might 49 If than you scorne to be in prison pent If bonds as hie disgrace your hands refuse Or if your thoughts still to maintaine are bent Your libertie as men of honour vse To Antioch what if forthwith you went And leaue me here your absence to excuse There with Prince Boemond liue in ease and peace Vntill this storme of Godfreys anger cease 50 For soone if forces come from Egypt land Or other nations that vs here confine Godfrey will beaten be with his owne wand And feele he wants that valour great of thine Our campe may seeme an arme without a hand Amid our troopes vnlesse thy eagle shine With that came Guelpho and those words approued And praid him goe if him he fear'd or loued 51 Their speeches soften much the warriors hart And make his wilfull thoughts at last relent So that he yeelds and saith he will depart And leaue the Christian campe incontinent His friends whose loue did neuer shrinke or start Profred their aide what way so ere he went He thankt them all but left them all besides Two bold and trustie squires and so he rides 52 He rides reuoluing in his noble spright Such hawtie thoughts as fill the glorious minde On hard aduentures was his whole delight And now to wondrous actes his will inclinde Alone against the Pagans would he fight And kill their kings from Egypt vnto Inde From Cinthias hils and Nilus vnknowne spring He would fetch praise and glorious conquest bring 53 But Guelpho when the Prince his leaue had take And now had spurr'd his courser on his way No longer tarriance with the rest would make But hastes to finde Godfre do if he may Who seeing him approching forthwith spake Guelpho quoth he for thee I only stay For thee I sent my heralds all about In euerie tent to seeke and finde thee out 54 This said he softly drew the knight aside Where none might heare and then bespake him thus How chanceth it thy nephewes rage and pride Makes him so far forget himselfe and vs Hardly could I beleeue what is betide A murder done for cause so friuolous How I haue lou'd him thou and all can tell But Godfrey lou'd him but whil'st he did well 55 I must prouide that euerie one haue right That all be heard each cause be well discust As far from partiall loue as free from spight I heare complaints yet nought but proues I trust Now if Rinaldo weigh our rule so light And haue the sacred lore of war so brust Take you the charge that he before vs come To cleare himselfe and heare our vpright dome 56 But let him come withouten bond or chaine For still my thoughts to doe him grace are framed But if our powre he haply shall disdaine As well I know his courage yet vntamed To bring him by perswasion take some
her clothes she tare And full of woe these heauie words out threw Alas my knights are slaine my pris'ners free Yet of that conquest neuer boast shall hee 52 He in their place shall serue me and sustaine Their plagues their torments suffer sorrowes beare And they his absence shall lamentin vaine And waile his losse and theirs with many a teare Thus talking to her selfe she did ordaine A false and wicked guile as you shall heare Thither she hasted where the valiant knight Had ouercome and slaine her men in fight 53 Rinaldo there had doft and left his owne And on his backe a Pagans harnesse tide Perchance he deemed so to passe vnknowne And in those armes lesse noted safe to ride A headlesse corse in fight late ouerthrowne The Witch in his forsaken armes did hide And by a brooke expos'd it on the sand Whither she wisht would come a Christian band 54 Their comming might the dame foreknow right well For secret spies she sent foorth thousand waies Which euery day newes from the campe might tell Who parted thence booties to search or praies Beside the sprights coniur'd by sacred spell All what she askes or doubts reueales and saies The bodie therefore plast she in that part That furthred best her sleight her craft and art 55 And neere the corpes a varlet false and slie She left attirde in shepheards homely weed And taught him how to counterfeit and lie As time requir'd and he perform'd the deed With him your souldiers spoke of iealousie And false suspect mongst them he strow'd the seede That since brought foorth the fruit of strife and iarre Of ciuill brawles contention discord warre 56 And as she wished so the soldiers thought By Godfreyes practise that the Prince was slaine Yet vanisht that suspicion false to nought When truth spred forth her siluer wings againe Her false deuises thus Armida wrought This was her first deceit her formost traine What next she practis'd shall you heare me tell Against our knight and what thereof befell 57 Armida hunted him through wood and plaine Till on Orontes flowrie banks he staid There where the streame did part and meet againe And in the midst a gentle Island maid A pillour faire was pight beside the maine Nere which a little frigot floting laid The marble white the Prince did long behold And this inscription read there writ in gold 58 Who so thou art whom will or chance doth bring With happie steps to flood Orontes sides Know that the world hath not so strange a thing Twixt east and west as this small Island hides Then passe and see without more tarrying The hastie youth to passe the streame prouides And for the cogge was narrow small and strait Alone he row'd and bod his squires there wait 59 Landed he stalkes about yet nought he sees But verdant groues sweet shades and mossie rockes With caues and fountaines flowers herbes and trees So that the words he red he takes for mockes But that greene Isle was sweet at all degrees Wherewith entis'd downe sits he and vnlockes His closed helme and bares his visage faire To take sweet breath from coole and gentle aire 60 A rumbling sound amid the waters deepe Meanewhile he heard and thither turn'd his sight And tumbling in the troubled streame tooke keepe How the strong waues together rush and fight Whence first he saw with golden tresses peepe The rising visage of a virgin bright And then her necke her brests and all as low As he for shame could see or she could show 61 So in the twylight doth sometimes appeare A Nymph a Goddesse or a Fairie queene And though no Siren but a sprite this weare Yet by her beautie seem'd it she had beene One of those sisters false which haunted neare The Tirrhene shores and kept those waters sheene Like theirs her face her voice was and her sound And thus she sung and pleas'd both skies and ground 62 Ye happy youthes whom Aprill fresh and May Attire in flowring greene of lustie age For glorie vainc or vertues idle ray Doe not your tender limmes to toile engage In calme streames fishes birds in sunshine play Who followeth pleasure he is onely sage So nature saith yet gainst her sacred will Why still rebell you and why strine you still 63 O fooles who youth possesse yet scorne the same A pretious but a short abiding treasure Vertue it selfe is but an idle name Priz'd by the world boue reason all and measure And honour glorie praise renowme and fame That mens proud harts bewitch with tickling pleasure An Eccho is a shade a dreame a flowre With each winde blasted spoil'd with euery showre 64 But let your happie soules in ioy possesse The Iuorie castels of your bodies faire Your passed harmes salue with forgetfulnesse Haste not your comming euils with thought and caire Regard no blazing star with burning tresse Nor storme nor threatning skie nor thundring aire This wisdome is good life and worldly blis Kinde teacheth vs nature commands vs this 65 Thus sung the spirit false and stealing sleepe To which her tunes entis'd his heauie eies By step and step did on his senses creepe Still euery limme therein vnmoued lies Not thunders lowd could from this slumber deepe Of quiet death true image make him rise Then from her ambush forth Armida start Swearing reuenge and threatning torments smart 66 But when shee looked on his face a while And saw how sweet he breath'd how still he lay How his faire eies though closed seeme to smile At first she staid astound with great dismay Then sat her downe so loue can arte beguile And as she sate and lookt fled fast away Her wrath that on his forehead gazde the maid As in his spring Narcissus tooting laid 67 And with a vaile she wiped now and than From his faire cheeke the globes of siluer sweat And coole aire gathred with a trembling fan To mittigate the rage of melting heat Thus who would thinke it his hot eieglance can Of that cold frost dissolue the hardnesse great Which late congeald the hart of that faire dame Who late a foe a louer now became 68 Of woodbines lillies and of roses sweete Which proudly flowred through that wanton plaine All pletted fast well knit and ioyned meete She fram'd a soft but surely holding chaine Wherewith she bound his necke his hands and feete Thus bound thus taken did the prince remaine And in a coach which two old dragons drew She laid the sleeping knight and thence she flew 69 Nor turnd she to Damascus kingdomes large Nor to the fort builtin Asphaltes lake But iealous of her deare and precious charge And of her loue asham'd the way did take To the wide Ocean whither skiffe or barge From vs doth selde or neuer voiage make And there to frolike with her loue awhile She chose a waste a sole and desart I le 70 An Isle that with her fellowes beares the name Of fortunate for temperate aire and mould There in
can or could The sword or scepter vse or guide the same To rule in peace or to command in fight Thine ofsprings glorie and thy houses light 91 His yonger age foretokens true shall yeild Of future valour puissance force and might From him no rocke the sauage beast shall sheild At tilt or turnay match him shall no knight After he conquer shall in pitched feild Great armies and win spoiles in single fight And on his locks rewards for knightly praise Shall garlands weare of grasse of oke of baies 92 His grauer age as well that eild it fits Shall happie peace preserue and quiet blest And from his neighbours strong mongst whom he sits Shall keepe his cities safe in wealth and rest Shall nourish artes and cherish pregnant wits Make triumphes great and feast his subiects best Reward the good the euill with paines torment Shall dangers all foresee and seene preuent 93 But if it hap against those wicked bands That sea and earth infest with blood and warre And in these wretched times to noble lands Giue lawes of peace false and vniust that arre That he be sent to driue their guiltie hands From Christes pure altars and high temples farre O what reuenge what veng'ance shall he bring On that false sect and their accursed king 94 Too late the Moores too late the Turkish king Gainst him should arme their troupes and legions bold For he beyond great Euphrates should bring Beyond the frosen tops of Taurus cold Beyond the land where is perpetuall spring The crosse the Eagle white the lillie of gold And by baptising of the Ethiops browne Of aged Nile reueale the springs vnknowne 95 Thus said the hermit and his prophesie The Prince accepted with content and pleasure The secret thought of his posteritie Of his concealed ioyes heapt vp the measure Meane-while the morning bright was mounted hie And chang'd heau'ns siluer wealth to golden treasure And high aboue the Christian tents they vew How the broad ensignes trembled wau'd and blew 96 When thus againe their leader sage begonne See how bright Phebus cleeres the darksome skies See how with gentle beames the friendly sonne The tents the townes the hils and dales descries Through my well guiding is your voiage donne From danger safe in trauaile oft which lies Hence without feare of harme or doubt of foe March to the campe I may no neerer goe 97 Thus tooke he leaue and made a quicke returne And forward went the champions three on fout And marching right against the rising morne A readie passage to the campe found out Meane-while had speedie fame the tidings borne That to the tents approacht these Barons stout And starting from his throne and kingly seat To entertaine them rose Godfredo great The eighteenth Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne The argument The charmes and spirits false therein which lie Rinaldo chaseth from the forrest old The host of Egypt comes Vafrine the spie Entreth their campe stout craftie wise and bold Sharpe is the fight about the bulwarks hie And ports of Zion to assault the hold Godfrey hath aide from heau'n by force the towne Is wonne the Pagans slaine walles beaten downe 1 ARriu'd where Godfrey to imbrace him stood My soueraigne Lord Rinaldo meekely said To venge my wrongs against Gernando prood My honours care prouokt my wrath vnstaid But that I you displeasd my chieftaine good My thoughts yet grieue my hart is still dismai'd And here I come prest all exploits to trie To make me gracious in your gracious eie 2 To him that kneel'd folding his friendly armes About his necke the Duke this answere gaue Let passe such speeches sad of passed harmes Remembrance is the life of griefe his graue Forgetfulnes and for amends in armes Your wonted valour vse and courage braue For you alone to happie end must bring The strong enchantments of the charmed spring 3 That aged wood whence heretofore we got To build our scaling engins timber fit Is now the fearfull seat but how none wot Where ougly feends and damned spirits sit To cut one twist thereof aduentreth not The boldest knight we haue nor without it This wall can battred be where others dout There venter thou and show thy courage stout 4 Thus said he and the knight in speeches few Profred his seruice to attempt the thing To hard assaies his courage willing flew To him praise was no spur words were no sting Of his deare friends then he embrast the crew To welcome him which came for in a ring About him Guelfo Tancred and the rest Stood of the campe the greatest chiefe and best 5 When with the Prince these Lords had iterate Their welcomes oft and oft their deare embrace Towards the rest of lesser woorth and state He turn'd and them receiu'd with gentle grace The merrie souldiours bout him shout and prate With cries as ioyfull and as cheerefull face As if in triumphes chariot bright as sunne He had return'd Affricke or Asia wonne 6 Thus marched to his tent the champion good And there sate downe with all his friends around Now of the warre he askt now of the wood And answer'd each demaund they list propound But when they left him to his ease vpstood The Hermit and fit time to speake once found My Lord he said your trauels woondrous arre Farre haue you straied erred wandred farre 7 Mutch are you bound to God aboue who brought You safe from false Armidas charmed hold And thâ—e a straying sheepe whom once he bought Hath now againe reduced to his fold And against his heathen foes these men of nought Hath chosen thee in place next Godfrey bold Yet mai'st thou not polluted thus with sinne In his high seruice warre or fight beginne 8 The world the flesh with their infection vile Pollute the thoughts impure thy spirit staine Not Poe not Ganges not seu'n mouthed Nile Not the wide seas can wash thee cleane againe Onely to purge all faults which thee defile His blood hath powre who for thy sinnes was slaine His helpe therefore inuoake to him bewray Thy secret faultes mourne weepe complaine and pray 9 This said the knight first with the Witch vnchast His idle loues and follies vaine lamented Then kneeling low with heauie lookes downe cast His other sinnes confest and all repented And meekely pardon crau'd for first and last The Hermit with his zeale was well contented And said on yonder hill next morne goe pray That turnes his forehead gainst the morning ray 10 That done march to the wood whence each one brings Such newes of furies gobblings feends and sprites The Giants monsters and all dreedfull things Thou shalt subdue which that darke groue vnites Let no strange voice that mournes or sweetly sings Nor beautie whose glad smile fraile harts delites Within thy breast make ruth or pitie rise But their false lookes and praiers false despise 11 Thus he aduis'd him and the hardie knight Prepar'd him gladly to this enterprise Thoughtfull he past the day and sad the