Jerusalem Delivered
Page 4
He wonts in hidden arts his time bestow:
He comes, in publicke peril of his Lord,
To wicked king a counsler more abhord.
3. “My liege (he sayes), the campe doth hither speede
His march, that conquering hath so dismayd:
But let us do what us to do may steede, ( (stand in good stead
The skyes, the world, will give the hardy ayd.
Tis well that kings and captaines store at neede
You have, and for all wants foreorder layd.
If that all other ply their charges so,
This land for sepulchre shall serve your foe.
4. “As for my selfe I come my helpe t’ impart,
Compagnion both of perill, and of paine,
What counsell best lyes stor’d in aged hart,
What magicke skill I promise ev’ry graine:
I will constrain to beare of toyle their part,
Th’ angels earst banisht from the heav’nly raine.
But how I meane these my enchantments frame,
And by what meanes, now will I shew the same.
5. “An altar hid in Christian temple lyes,
Lowe under ground and her carv’d picture there,
On whom as goddesse vulgar sort relyes,
And mother that their bury’d god did beare,
Wrapt in a vayle it is, nor ever dyes
The lamp that shines before the image cleare.
Along in rankes their hang hit round about,
The offred vowes of credulous devout.
6. “This image now from them bereft away,
I will that you transport with your owne hand,
And in your great Meschita safe uplay,
Then I by charme will shape so sure a band,
That whiles it there doth dewly guarded stay,
By it ech gate shall fatall fenced stand,
Your empire so twixt walles impregnable
This rare new secret shall make durable.”
7. He sayd, and swayd: then with impatience
The king unto the house of God him hyes,
And forst the priests, and voyde of reverence
On that chast picture sey’zd in rav’ning wise,
And bare hit to that church, whereof offence
Of fond and wicked rites provokes the skyes:
On sacred image in that place profane
Th’ enchaunter whispered his blasphemous bane.
8. But when new dawning peered in the sky,
The sexten who this temple (most uncleene)
Receiv’d in guard, the image cannot spy,
Nor where he sought, nor where it plast had beene:
Straight he enformes the king, whom egerly
This so unwelcome newes incenst with teene: (vexation
And tooke conceipt t’ was stolne by some of those
Who Christ posest, and now conceale it close.
9. Were it the deede of some beleeving wight,
Or wear’ t the heav’n that here his power displayd:
And for his queene and goddesse tooke despight
In so vile place to see her image layd:
(For fame as yet uncertaine doth endight
Where this, or mans, or Gods worke may be sayd)
Godly it is that zeale and godlinesse
Of man give place, and hit heav’ns deede confesse.
10.The king doth cause with search importunest
Each house, ech church, view’d and review’d to bee,
And him that hides, or maketh manifest
The theefe, or theft, proffers great paine, and fee:
Th’ enchaunter gives to all his arts no rest
To hunt the truth, but all in vaine hunts hee,
From where from heav’n or earth the practise came,
Heav’n close it kept, to this enchaunters shame.
11. But when the cruell king saw unespyde
That which he deem’d the faithfuls only feat,
Gainst them a fellon hate he tooke, and fryde
In wrath, and rage immoderate and great,
Respect he quite forgets, what so betyde,
Vengeance he’l take, and quench his furies heat:
“Th’ unknowen theefe (sayth he) shall yet be slaine
In common wracke, nor my wrath tane in vaine.
12. “So that the guiltie be not sav’d, let die
The just and innocent, but which is just?
Ech blame deserves, nor mongst them all see I
So much as one, whom we as friend may trust:
If some with this new fault have non ally,
It serves old faults abuy new penance must. (suffer
Up up my loyals, up in hand goe take
Both fire and sword, burne, and huge slaughter make.”
13. So he his folke bespake, when forth ech where,
Straightwayes this fame amongst the faithfull flyes,
Who grew astonisht, so doth them the feare
Of death in eye now present quite surpryze,
Nor is there one that dew excuse, or preyre,
Or just defence, or flight, once dares or tryes.
But these so faint, and unresolv’d of mind,
Where least they hoped, did their safetie find.
14. Amongst them was a mayd of maidenhed
To ripenesse growne, of high and noble thought:
Of bewtie rare, but bewtie valewed,
Or nought or sole, for it to vertue brought
Accompt, most priz’d because straight cabyned,
Twixt wals her prices great to hide she sought.
And of her wooers unbepranct and sole, (unadorned
Both from the laud, and from the lookes she stole.
15. But guard is none that wholy can conceale
Bewtie of worth likt and admirde to be,
Nor love consent will give, but it reveale
Unto a young mans hote desires doth hee,
Love that now blinde, now Argos, now with vaile
Dost blind thine eyes, now open wide dost see,
Thou through a thousand watchers into chast
Maides lodgings others sight conveyed hast.
16. Sofronia shee, Olindo he hath name,
One citie both, and one faith both they have,
For modest he, for faire she carries fame,
Desire much, little hope, nought he doth crave.
Nor can it show, or dares not do the same,
And she or scornes, or seeth not, or gave
No semblance, so til then par thrall he peakt, (he slunk about as her slave
Or not not seene, or ill knowne, or smally reakt. (held in esteem
17. This while runnes out the bruit, how there is prest
A wretched slaughter of this seely flocke, (holy
Shee that is equall noble and honest,
Bethinkes what way to shield them from the shocke,
Valiance her grat minde moves, shame it arrest,
And maidens modestie doth thwart a blocke.
Valiance oercomes, rather accordes, whiles she
Shamefast her selfe, shame valiant makes to be.
18. This maide alone through preace of vulgar went, (press, throng
Bewty she covers not, nor sets to sight,
Shadow’d her eyes, in vayle her bodie pent,
With manner coy, yet coy in noble plight,
I note where car’de, or carelesse ornament,
Where chance, or art her fairest countnance dight.
Friended by heav’ns, by nature, and by love,
Her meere neglects most artifiall prove.
19. Lookt on by ech the stately ladie goes,
But lookes on none, and to the king she came,
Not for he angry seemes, one steppe she flowes,
But his grim sight fearlesse endures the dame.
“I come my Lord,” sayth she, “(your wrath forclose
The while I pray, and your people reclaime)
I come t
o show, and to you bound to gieve
The wight you seeke, and did you so aggrieve.”
20. At t’ honest boldnesse, at the unforethought
Glympes of her bewtie, stately, and divine,
As if confusde, as conquer’d he were cought,
He bridles rage, and sterne looke doth incline,
Had he a mind, or she a countnance brought
Ought lesse severe, love had him snar’d in line.
But wayward bewtie, wayward hart to move
Serves farr unfit, kindnes is bait of love.
21. T’ was stonishment, t’ was rarenesse, t’ was delite,
If t’ were not love that stir’d his villaine hart:
“Declare (sayes he) the whole, no farder smite
Shall any sword to Christen peoples smart.”
Then shee, “Here standes the guiltie of thy spite,
This hand (o king) did play this theevish part,
Th’ image I tooke away, and I am she
That so thou seekst, and punisht ought to be.”
22. Thus to the publicke fate her hautie hed
She offered, and sole on her it tooke,
Most noble lye, when so embellished,
As thee t’ exceede, can truth selfe ever looke:
Suspenst a while and not so sodaine led
To wrath, this tyrant fierce patience forsooke,
Then he rejoyns thereto, “I will thou show
Who did advise, and who did helpe bestow.”
23. “Of this my glorie I would not pertake
One onely myte to any else (she sayd).
My selfe I sole did hereto privie make,
My selfe sole counsaile gave, sole gave I ayde.”
“Then on thee sole (he out replying brake)
Shall all the wrath of my revenge be layde.”
“Tis just (quoth she), to me it so pertaines,
At honour sole, sole will I be in paynes.”
24. Fresh rage in tyrant then beginnes accrew,
And asketh her where is the image hid?
“Not hid (quoth she) but I in fire it threw,
To fire the same most praysefull deeme I did:
For so at least, that myscreants hands anew
Might worke it farder wrong, all feare I rid.
Seeke you the theefe, or seeke you (sir) the theft,
Her here you see, that I from sight is reft.
25.” Albe nor mine is theft, nor theefe am I.
Tis just regayn’d, that wrongfully was got.”
The hearing this doth force the tyrant cry
With threatfull sound, and raynes to wrath allot,
Noble visage, hart shamefast, stomach hye,
Now out may hope of finding pardon blot: (ought
And love in vaine against so cruell wrake
Of deintie bewtie seekes a shield to make.
26. Arrested, and condemned is that faire
Dame, by that fellon king, in flames to die,
And now her vayle and mantle chaste they teare
Away, and with hard wythes armes tender
She silent stands, and still stout hart doth beare,
No whit dismayd, though somewhat mov’d thereby,
And her faire face is taynted with a hew
That doth not palenesse, but a whitenesse shew.
27. Now this great case is knowne, and thither packt
Huge preace of people, and Olindo came,
The person doubtfull is, certaine the fact.
He came as deeming it might be his dame,
When as the prisner faire he found in act
Not of accusde, but cast to be the same.
And sergeants busie bout hard office spide,
Therewith he headlong shooves the presse aside.
28. And cries “(O king) she is not guiltie, she
Not of this theft, through folly vaunts she it,
She thought it not, she durst it not, who see
Did e’re lone woman and unskild commit
Such act? Could watch by her beguilded be?
Had she to steale the sacred image wit?
If yes, tell how? My lord, my selfe it was.”
So love not loving loved he alas.
29. He added then, “I there where aire, and day,
Your stately builded Meschite in doth let,
By night up clammer’d, and ech uncouth way
Assaying, through that narrow hole did get,
Mine only is this prayse, me only slay
You ought, nor she usurpe my penall det,
Mine are these chaines, for me you are too light,
These flames, this pile, is nones but mine of right.”
30. Sofronia mildely lifting up her sight,
With eyes of pittie looketh him upon:
“Whereto comest thou, o wretched guiltles wight?
What counsaile, or what furie leads thee on?
Or drawes thee foorth? Without thee want I might,
To beare the waight of humaine wrath alone?
I eke have hart that thinkes for once to die,
It selfe can serve and craves no companie.”
31. She lover so bespake, but not dispose
Him can, t’ unsay his words, or change his minde.
Oh rare example where contention growes
Twixt noble vertue, and a love as kinde,
Where winners onely price is life to lose,
And harme of vanquisht is safetie to finde!
But feller waxt the king that she and he
Ech to condemne themselves so constant be.
32. He thinkes himselfe scorned by them to see,
Who for despiting him despise the paynes:
“Beleeve we both (he sayes), both I agree
Shall winne, but conquest such as best pertaynes.”
To sergeants then he beckes that readie bee,
The youth to binde with their prepared chaynes.
Both to one stake they tye, and so them place,
As backe to backe is turn’d, not face to face.
33. Then was the pile fram’d up about them round,
And now the bellowes kindle ginnes the flame,
When as the youth to layes of dolefull sound
Brake, and bespake his fellow tyed dame:
“Is this the cord I hoped should have bound
Us two copemates of life? And is this same (helpmates
The fire I deemed should in ech our hart
An equall heat of equall flames impart?
34. “Flames other, other knots love promised,
But diffrent much our hard lot doth prepare.
Farre, ah too farre, it earst us sundered,
And bitter now conjoynes in dying care.
It likes me yet since I am destyned
So strange a death, this stake with thee to share:
That bed I did not, thy fare sorrow I,
And not my owne, since by thy side I die.
35. “And oh most happy death that could betide!
Oh fortunate these sweetest torments mine!
If I obtaine that breast to breast allyde,
My soule breath out into that mouth of thine,
And thee with me, so deaths selfe instant guyde,
As thy last sighes thou into me resigne.”
So sayd he playning, she againe replyes
Sweetly, and with these words doth him advise:
36. “Friend other thoughts, and plaints of other kind,
For cause more urgent this time doth require,
Bethinke you of your sinnes, and call to mind
What God he is, who good gives ample hire.
Suffer for him, so paynes sweet shall you find,
And glad to the supernall seat aspire.
Behold how faire heav’n showes, the sunne behold.
You seemes t’ invite, and comforts to unfold.”
37. The Painims lift their playning voyce aloft,
And faithfull plaine, but in
a lower sound.
I wot nere what unused earth, and soft,
To kings hard hart seemes hath a passage found,
Him it fortels and scornes, nor will be brost
To bend, but turnes his eyes and left the ground.
Thou sole Sofronia dost not pertake
This common dole, nor plaint dost playned make.
38. In such their plight a knight comes ryding loe
(For so they ghesse) of goodly woorth and port,
Whom stranger by the armes and tire they trow,
That from farre parts now hither made restort.
The tygre which on helme for crest doth show
Draws on ech eye, as badge of rare report,
A badge in battaile by Clorinda usde,
They think it’s she, nor is their thought abusde.
39. Of womens fashions and their usuall guise
Ev’n from her greenest yeares she takes disdaine,
Proud hand doth with Arachnes worke despise,
With spindle, or with needle it selfe to staine:
Gay clothing, and close cabbanes eke she flyes,
For goodnes ev’n in fields may safe remaine:
She armes with pride her looke, and holds a bent,
Sterne it to make, yet sterne it doth content.
40. Tender as yet with daintie hand she straines,
And flips the raines unto some courser brave,
She handles speare, and sword in armes she traines,
Enduring breath, and lims enur’d to have:
Then through the wildest woods, and on mountaines
Chase to the lions fierce and bears she have,
She warre enswes, in which, and in forreasts,
Men savage her, man her deeme savage beasts
41. From Persian realmes she hither journeyed,
That Christens to her power resist she may,
Albe tofore their members scattered
She had in fields, and mixt their bloud with sea.
Now here arriv’d, first fight was offered
Of those, who debt to death were prest to pay.
Willing to see, and know what fault did force
Them to such end, she forward spurres her horse.
42. The preace gives place, she doth some stay pretend,
The tyed paire more neerely to survay:
She markes t’ one silent, t’ other sighes out send,
And sexe lesse strong more courage to display:
She sees him wayle, as one that pittie bends,
Not dole, or dole not for himselfe doth sway.
And silent her, with eyes so fixt on sky,
As parted hence, she seemes before she dy.
43. Clorinda moody grew, and griefe doth take
For both their sakes, and teares her visage taint,
Yet more bemones her that no mone doth make,
The silence moves her more, lesse the complaint: