LI Their speeches soften much the warrior"s heart, And make his wilful thoughts at last relent, So that he yields, and saith he will depart, And leave the Christian camp incontinent.
His friends, whose love did never shrink or start, Preferred their aid, what way soe"er he went: He thanked them all, but left them all, besides Two bold and trusty squires, and so he rides.
LII He rides, revolving in his n.o.ble spright Such haughty thoughts as fill the glorious mind; On hard adventures was his whole delight, And now to wondrous acts his will inclined; Alone against the Pagans would he fight, And kill their kings from Egypt unto Inde, From Cynthia"s hills and Nilus" unknown spring He would fetch praise and glorious conquest bring.
LIII But Guelpho, when the prince his leave had take And now had spurred his courser on his way, No longer tarriance with the rest would make, But tastes to find G.o.dfredo, if he may: Who seeing him approaching, forthwith spake, "Guelpho," quoth he, "for thee I only stay, For thee I sent my heralds all about, In every tent to seek and find thee out."
LIV This said, he softly drew the knight aside Where none might hear, and then bespake him thus: "How chanceth it thy nephew"s rage and pride, Makes him so far forget himself and us?
Hardly could I believe what is betide, A murder done for cause so frivolous, How I have loved him, thou and all can tell; But G.o.dfrey loved him but whilst he did well.
LV "I must provide that every one have right, That all be heard, each cause be well discussed, As far from partial love as free from spite, I hear complaints, yet naught but proves I trust: Now if Rinaldo weigh our rule too light, And have the sacred lore of war so brust, Take you the charge that he before us come To clear himself and hear our upright dome.
LVI "But let him come withouten bond or chain, For still my thoughts to do him grace are framed; But if our power he haply shall disdain, As well I know his courage yet untamed, To bring him by persuasion take some pain: Else, if I prove severe, both you be blamed, That forced my gentle nature gainst my thought To rigor, lest our laws return to naught."
LVII Lord Guelpho answered thus: "What heart can bear Such slanders false, devised by hate and spite?
Or with stayed patience, reproaches hear, And not revenge by battle or by fight?
The Norway Prince hath bought his folly dear, But who with words could stay the angry knight?
A fool is he that comes to preach or prate When men with swords their right and wrong debate.
LVIII "And where you wish he should himself submit To hear the censure of your upright laws; Alas, that cannot be, for he is flit Out if this camp, withouten stay or pause, There take my gage, behold I offer it To him that first accused him in this cause, Or any else that dare, and will maintain That for his pride the prince was justly slain.
LIX "I say with reason Lord Gernando"s pride He hath abated, if he have offended Gainst your commands, who are his lord and guide, Oh pardon him, that fault shall be amended."
"If he be gone," quoth G.o.dfrey, "let him ride And brawl elsewhere, here let all strife be ended: And you, Lord Guelpho, for your nephew"s sake, Breed us no new, nor quarrels old awake."
LX This while, the fair and false Armida strived To get her promised aid in sure possession, The day to end, with endless plaint she derived; Wit, beauty, craft for her made intercession: But when the earth was once of light deprived, And western seas felt t.i.tan"s hot impression, "Twixt two old knights, and matrons twain she went, Where pitched was her fair and curious tent.
LXI But this false queen of craft and sly invention,-- Whose looks, love"s arrows were; whose eyes his quivers; Whose beauty matchless, free from reprehension, A wonder left by Heaven to after-livers,-- Among the Christian lord had bred contention Who first should quench his flames in Cupid"s rivers, While all her weapons and her darts rehea.r.s.ed, Had not G.o.dfredo"s constant bosom pierced.
LXII To change his modest thought the dame procureth, And proffereth heaps of love"s enticing treasure: But as the falcon newly gorged endureth Her keeper lure her oft, but comes at leisure; So he, whom fulness of delight a.s.sureth What long repentance comes of love"s short pleasure, Her crafts, her arts, herself and all despiseth, So base affections fall, when virtue riseth.
LXIII And not one foot his steadfast foot was moved Out of that heavenly path, wherein he paced, Yet thousand wiles and thousand ways she proved, To have that castle fair of goodness raised: She used those looks and smiles that most behoved To melt the frost which his hard heart embraced, And gainst his breast a thousand shot she ventured, Yet was the fort so strong it was not entered.
LXIV The dame who thought that one blink of her eye Could make the chastest heart feel love"s sweet pain, Oh, how her pride abated was hereby!
When all her sleights were void, her crafts were vain, Some other where she would her forces try, Where at more ease she might more vantage gain, As tired soldiers whom some fort keeps out, Thence raise their siege, and spoil the towns about.
LXV But yet all ways the wily witch could find Could not Tancredi"s heart to loveward move, His sails were filled with another wind, He list no blast of new affection prove; For, as one poison doth exclude by kind Another"s force, so love excludeth love: These two alone nor more nor less the dame Could win, the rest all burnt in her sweet flame.
LXVI The princess, 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 prey, as erst you heard it told, She thought, ere truth-revealing time or frame Bewrayed her act, to lead them to some hold, Where chains and band she meant to make them prove, Composed by Vulcan not by gentle love.
LXVII The time prefixed at length was come and past, Which G.o.dfrey had set down to lend her aid, When at his feet herself to earth she cast, "The hour is come, my Lord," she humbly said, "And if the tyrant haply hear at last, His banished niece hath your a.s.sistance prayed, He will in arms to save his kingdom rise, So shall we harder make this enterprise.
LXVIII "Before report can bring the tyrant news, Or his espials certify their king, Oh let thy goodness these few champions choose, That to her kingdom should thy handmaid bring; Who, except Heaven to aid the right refuse, Recover shall her crown, from whence shall spring Thy profit; for betide thee peace or war, Thine all her cities, all her subjects are."
LXIX The captain sage the damsel fair a.s.sured, His word was pa.s.sed 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 fought and procured, No suit, no entreaty, intercession wanted; There envy each at others" love exceeded, And all importunate made, more than needed.
LXX She that well saw the secret of their hearts, And knew how best to warm them in their blood, Against them threw the cursed poisoned darts Of jealousy, and grief at others" good, For love she wist was weak without those arts, And slow; for jealousy is Cupid"s food; For the swift steed runs not so fast alone, As when some strain, some strive him to outgone.
LXXI Her words in such alluring sort she framed, Her looks enticing, and her wooing smiles, That every one his fellows" favors blamed, That of their mistress he received erewhiles: This foolish crew of lovers unashamed, Mad with the poison of her secret wiles, Ran forward still, in this disordered sort, Nor could G.o.dfredo"s bridle rein them short.
LXXII He that would satisfy each good desire, Withouten partial love, of every knight, Although he swelled with shame, with grief and ire To see these fellows and these fashions light; Yet since by no advice 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 advance."
LXXIII Their names were writ, and in an helmet shaken, While each did fortune"s grace and aid implore; At last they drew them, and the foremost taken The Earl of Pembroke was, Artemidore, Doubtless the county thought his bread well baken; Next Gerrard followed, then with tresses h.o.a.r Old Wenceslaus, that felt Cupid"s rage Now in his doating and his dying age.
LXXIV Oh how contentment in their foreheads shined!
Their looks with joy; thoughts swelled with secret pleasure, These three it seemed good success designed To make the lords of love and beauty"s treasure: Their doubtful fellows at their hap repined, And with small patience wait Fortune"s leisure, Upon his lips that read the scrolls attending, As if their lives were on his words depending.
LXXV Guasco the fourth, Ridolpho him succeeds, Then Ulderick whom love list so advance, Lord William of Ronciglion next he reads, Then Eberard, and Henry born in France, Rambaldo last, whom wicked l.u.s.t so leads That he forsook his Saviour with mischance; This wretch the tenth was who was thus deluded, The rest to their huge grief were all excluded.
LXXVI O"ercome with envy, wrath and jealousy, The rest blind Fortune curse, and all her laws, And mad with love, yet out on love they cry, That in his kingdom let her judge their cause: And for man"s mind is such, that oft we try Things most forbidden, without stay or pause, In spite of fortune purposed many a knight To follow fair Armida when "twas night.
LXXVII To follow her, by night or else by day, And in her quarrel venture life and limb.
With sighs and tears she gan them softly pray To keep that promise, when the skies were dim, To this and that knight did she plain and say, What grief she felt to part withouten him: Meanwhile the ten had donned their armor best, And taken leave of G.o.dfrey and the rest.
LXXVIII The duke advised them every one apart, How light, how trustless was the Pagan"s faith, And told what policy, what wit, what art, Avoids deceit, which heedless men betray"th; His speeches pierce their ear, but not their heart, Love calls it folly, whatso wisdom saith: Thus warned he leaves them to their wanton guide, Who parts that night; such haste had she to ride.
LXXIX The conqueress departs, and with her led These prisoners, whom love would captive keep, The hearts of those she left behind her bled, With point of sorrow"s arrow pierced deep.
But when the night her drowsy mantle spread, And filled the earth with silence, shade and sleep, In secret sort then each forsook his tent, And as blind Cupid led them blind they went.
Lx.x.x Eustatio first, who scantly could forbear, Till friendly night might hide his haste and shame, He rode in post, and let his breast him bear As his blind fancy would his journey frame, All night he wandered and he wist not where; But with the morning he espied the dame, That with her guard up from a village rode Where she and they that night had made abode.
Lx.x.xI Thither he galloped fast, and drawing near Rambaldo knew the knight, and loudly cried, "Whence comes young Eustace, and what seeks he here?"
"I come," quoth he, "to serve the Queen Armide, If she accept me, would we all were there Where my good-will and faith might best be tried."
"Who," quoth the other, "choseth thee to prove This high exploit of hers?" He answered, "Love."
Lx.x.xII "Love hath Eustatio chosen, Fortune thee, In thy conceit which is the best election?"
"Nay, then, these shifts are vain," replied he, "These t.i.tles false serve thee for no protection, Thou canst not here for this admitted be Our fellow-servant, in this sweet subjection."
"And who," quoth Eustace, angry, "dares deny My fellowship?" Rambaldo answered, "I."
Lx.x.xIII And with that word his cutting sword he drew, That glittered bright, and sparkled flaming fire; Upon his foe the other champion flew, With equal courage, and with equal ire.
The gentle princess, who the danger knew, Between them stepped, and prayed them both retire.
"Rambald," quoth she, "why should you grudge or plain, If I a champion, you an helper gain?
Lx.x.xIV "If me you love, why wish you me deprived In so great need of such a puissant knight?
But welcome Eustace, in good time arrived, Defender of my state, my life, my right.
I wish my hapless self no longer lived, When I esteem such good a.s.sistance light."
Thus talked they on, and travelled on their way Their fellowship increasing every day.
Lx.x.xV From every side they come, yet wist there none Of others coming or of others" mind, She welcomes all, and telleth every one, What joy her thoughts in his arrival find.
But when Duke G.o.dfrey wist his knights were gone, Within his breast his wiser soul divined Some hard mishap upon his friends should light, For which he sighed all day, and wept all night.
Lx.x.xVI A messenger, while thus he mused, drew near, All soiled with dust and sweat, quite out of breath, It seemed the man did heavy tidings bear, Upon his looks sate news of loss and death: "My lord," quoth he, "so many ships appear At sea, that Neptune bears the load uneath, From Egypt come they all, this lets thee weet William Lord Admiral of the Genoa fleet,
Lx.x.xVII "Besides a convoy coming from the sh.o.r.e With victual for this n.o.ble camp of thine Surprised was, and lost is all that store, Mules, horses, camels laden, corn and wine; Thy servants fought till they could fight no more, For all were slain or captives made in fine: The Arabian outlaws them a.s.sailed by night, When least they feared, and least they looked for fight.
Lx.x.xVIII "Their frantic boldness doth presume so far, That many Christians have they falsely slain, And like a raging flood they spared are, And overflow each country, field and plain; Send therefore some strong troops of men of war, To force them hence, and drive them home again, And keep the ways between these tents of thine And those broad seas, the seas of Palestine."
Lx.x.xIX From mouth to mouth the heavy rumor spread Of these misfortunes, which dispersed wide Among the soldiers, great amazement bred; Famine they doubt, and new come foes beside: The duke, that saw their wonted courage fled, And in the place thereof weak fear espied, With merry looks these cheerful words he spake, To make them heart again and courage take.
XC "You champions bold, with me that "scaped have So many dangers, and such hard a.s.says, Whom still your G.o.d did keep, defend and save In all your battles, combats, fights and frays, You that subdued the Turks and Persians brave, That thirst and hunger held in scorn always, And vanquished hills, and seas, with heat and cold, Shall vain reports appal your courage bold?