Jerusalem Delivered | Page 7

imp was weaned from the teat,?The Princess Maud him took, in Virtue's lore?She brought him up fit for each worthy feat,?Till of these wares the golden trump he hears,?That soundeth glory, fame, praise in his ears.
LX?And then, though scantly three times five years old,?He fled alone, by many an unknown coast,?O'er Aegean Seas by many a Greekish hold,?Till he arrived at the Christian host;?A noble flight, adventurous, brave, and bold,?Whereon a valiant prince might justly boast,?Three years he served in field, when scant begin?Few golden hairs to deck his ivory chin.
LXI?The horsemen past, their void-left stations fill?The bands on foot, and Reymond them beforn,?Of Tholouse lord, from lands near Piraene Hill?By Garound streams and salt sea billows worn,?Four thousand foot he brought, well armed, and skill?Had they all pains and travels to have borne,?Stout men of arms and with their guide of power?Like Troy's old town defenced with Ilion's tower.
LXII?Next Stephen of Amboise did five thousand lead,?The men he prest from Tours and Blois but late,?To hard assays unfit, unsure at need,?Yet armed to point in well-attempted plate,?The land did like itself the people breed,?The soil is gentle, smooth, soft, delicate;?Boldly they charge, but soon retire for doubt,?Like fire of straw, soon kindled, soon burnt out.
LXIII?The third Alcasto marched, and with him?The boaster brought six thousand Switzers bold,?Audacious were their looks, their faces grim,?Strong castles on the Alpine clifts they hold,?Their shares and coulters broke, to armors trim?They change that metal, cast in warlike mould,?And with this band late herds and flocks that guide,?Now kings and realms he threatened and defied.
LXIV?The glorious standard last to Heaven they sprad,?With Peter's keys ennobled and his crown,?With it seven thousand stout Camillo had,?Embattailed in walls of iron brown:?In this adventure and occasion, glad?So to revive the Romans' old renown,?Or prove at least to all of wiser thought,?Their hearts were fertile land although unwrought.?LXV?But now was passed every regiment,?Each band, each troop, each person worth regard?When Godfrey with his lords to counsel went,?And thus the Duke his princely will declared:?"I will when day next clears the firmament,?Our ready host in haste be all prepared,?Closely to march to Sion's noble wall,?Unseen, unheard, or undescried at all.
LXVI?"Prepare you then for travel strong and light,?Fierce to the combat, glad to victory."?And with that word and warning soon was dight,?Each soldier, longing for near coming glory,?Impatient be they of the morning bright,?Of honor so them pricked the memory:?But yet their chieftain had conceived a fear?Within his heart, but kept it secret there.
LXVII?For he by faithful spial was assured,?That Egypt's King was forward on his way,?And to arrive at Gaza old procured,?A fort that on the Syrian frontiers lay,?Nor thinks he that a man to wars inured?Will aught forslow, or in his journey stay,?For well he knew him for a dangerous foe:?An herald called he then, and spake him so:
LXVIII?"A pinnace take thee swift as shaft from bow,?And speed thee, Henry, to the Greekish main,?There should arrive, as I by letters know?From one that never aught reports in vain,?A valiant youth in whom all virtues flow,?To help us this great conquest to obtain,?The Prince of Danes he is, and brings to war?A troop with him from under the Arctic star.
LXIX?"And for I doubt the Greekish monarch sly?Will use with him some of his wonted craft,?To stay his passage, or divert awry?Elsewhere his forces, his first journey laft,?My herald good and messenger well try,?See that these succors be not us beraft,?But send him thence with such convenient speed?As with his honor stands and with our need.
LXX?"Return not thou, but Legier stay behind,?And move the Greekish Prince to send us aid,?Tell him his kingly promise doth him bind?To give us succors, by his covenant made."?This said, and thus instruct, his letters signed?The trusty herald took, nor longer stayed,?But sped him thence to done his Lord's behest,?And thus the Duke reduced his thoughts to rest.?LXXI?Aurora bright her crystal gates unbarred,?And bridegroom-like forth stept the glorious sun,?When trumpets loud and clarions shrill were heard,?And every one to rouse him fierce begun,?Sweet music to each heart for war prepared,?The soldiers glad by heaps to harness run;?So if with drought endangered be their grain,?Poor ploughmen joy when thunders promise rain.
LXXII?Some shirts of mail, some coats of plate put on,?Some donned a cuirass, some a corslet bright,?And halbert some, and some a habergeon,?So every one in arms was quickly dight,?His wonted guide each soldier tends upon,?Loose in the wind waved their banners light,?Their standard royal toward Heaven they spread,?The cross triumphant on the Pagans dead.
LXXIII?Meanwhile the car that bears the lightning brand?Upon the eastern hill was mounted high,?And smote the glistering armies as they stand,?With quivering beams which dazed the wondering eye,?That Phaeton-like it fired sea and land,?The sparkles seemed up to the skies to fly,?The horses' neigh and clattering armors' sound?Pursue the echo over dale