Jerusalem Delivered | Page 5

all ye blessed in the heavens that sit,
The
time for this achievement hasteneth fast:
The longer rest worse will
the season fit,
Our sureties shall with doubt be overcast.
If we
forslow the siege I well foresee
From Egypt will the Pagans succored
be."
XXIX
This said, the hermit Peter rose and spake,
Who sate in
counsel those great Lords among:
"At my request this war was
undertake,
In private cell, who erst lived closed long,
What Godfrey
wills, of that no question make,
There cast no doubts where truth is
plain and strong,
Your acts, I trust, will correspond his speech,
Yet
one thing more I would you gladly teach.
XXX
"These strifes, unless I far mistake the thing,
And discords
raised oft in disordered sort,
Your disobedience and ill managing

Of actions lost, for want of due support,
Refer I justly to a further
spring,
Spring of sedition, strife, oppression, tort,
I mean
commanding power to sundry given,
In thought, opinion, worth,
estate, uneven.
XXXI
"Where divers Lords divided empire hold,
Where causes be
by gifts, not justice tried,
Where offices be falsely bought and sold,

Needs must the lordship there from virtue slide.
Of friendly parts one
body then uphold,
Create one head, the rest to rule and guide:
To
one the regal power and sceptre give,
That henceforth may your King
and Sovereign live."
XXXII
And therewith stayed his speech. O gracious Muse,
What
kindling motions in their breasts do fry?
With grace divine the
hermit's talk infuse,
That in their hearts his words may fructify;
By
this a virtuous concord they did choose,

And all contentions then
began to die;
The Princes with the multitude agree,
That Godfrey
ruler of those wars should be.

XXXIII
This power they gave him, by his princely right,
All to
command, to judge all, good and ill,
Laws to impose to lands subdued
by might,
To maken war both when and where he will,
To hold in
due subjection every wight,
Their valors to be guided by his skill;

This done, Report displays her tell-tale wings,
And to each ear the
news and tidings brings.
XXXIV
She told the soldiers, who allowed him meet
And well
deserving of that sovereign place.
Their first salutes and acclamations
sweet
Received he, with love and gentle grace;
After their
reverence done with kind regreet
Requited was, with mild and
cheerful face,
He bids his armies should the following day
On those
fair plains their standards proud display.
XXXV
The golden sun rose from the silver wave,
And with his
beams enamelled every green,
When up arose each warrior bold and
brave,
Glistering in filed steel and armor sheen,
With jolly plumes
their crests adorned they have,
And all tofore their chieftain mustered
been:
He from a mountain cast his curious sight
On every footman
and on every knight.
XXXVI
My mind, Time's enemy, Oblivion's foe,
Disposer true of
each noteworthy thing,
Oh, let thy virtuous might avail me so,
That
I each troop and captain great may sing,
That in this glorious war did
famous grow,
Forgot till now by Time's evil handling:
This work,
derived from my treasures dear,
Let all times hearken, never age
outwear.
XXXVII
The French came foremost battailous and bold,

Late led by Hugo, brother to their King,
From France the isle that
rivers four infold
With rolling streams descending from their spring,

But Hugo dead, the lily fair of gold,

Their wonted ensign they
tofore them bring,
Under Clotharius great, a captain good,
And
hardy knight ysprong of princes' blood.
XXXVIII
A thousand were they in strong armors clad,
Next whom

there marched forth another band,
That number, nature, and
instruction had,
Like them to fight far off or charge at hand,
All
valiant Normans by Lord Robert lad,
The native Duke of that
renowned land,
Two bishops next their standards proud upbare,

Called Reverend William, and Good Ademare.
XXXIX
Their jolly notes they chanted loud and clear
On merry
mornings at the mass divine,
And horrid helms high on their heads
they bear
When their fierce courage they to war incline:
The first
four hundred horsemen gathered near
To Orange town, and lands that
it confine:
But Ademare the Poggian youth brought out,
In number
like, in hard assays as stout.
XL
Baldwin, his ensign fair, did next dispread
Among his
Bulloigners of noble fame,
His brother gave him all his troops to lead,

When he commander of the field became;
The Count Carinto did
him straight succeed,
Grave in advice, well skilled in Mars his game,

Four hundred brought he, but so many thrice
Led Baldwin, clad in
gilden arms of price.
XLI
Guelpho next them the land and place possest,
Whose fortunes
good with his great acts agree,
By his Italian sire, fro the house of Est,

Well could he bring his noble pedigree,
A German born with rich
possessions blest,
A worthy branch sprung from the Guelphian tree.

'Twixt Rhene and Danubie the land contained
He ruled, where
Swaves and Rhetians whilom reigned.
XLII
His mother's heritage was this and right,
To which he added
more by conquest got,
From thence approved men of passing might

He brought, that death or danger feared not:
It was their wont in
feasts to spend the night,
And pass cold days in baths and houses hot.

Five thousand late, of which now scantly are
The third part left,
such is the chance of war.

XLIII
The nation then with crisped locks and fair,
That dwell
between the