Canto 16

GReat paines in loue full many men haue found,
Of which my selfe haue prou'd so great a part,
As by my skill some good may hap redound,
To such as are lesse skilfull in this art:
Wherefore what I affirme with iudgement found,
To breed iust cause of lesse or greater smart,
Beleeue what I set downe for your behoofe,
Probatum est, I know tis trne by proofe.

I do affirme, and haue, and euer shall,
That he that binds himselfe in worthy bands,
Although his mistres shew him grace but small,
Although he find no fauour at her hands,
Sharp words, coy looks, smal thanks, hope none at al,
Though more and more aloofe from him she stands
Yet so his heart and thoughts be highly paced,
He must not mourne, no though he die disgraced.

Let him lament, let him mourne, pine, and die,
Whom wanton wandring eies, whom staring heare,
Haue made a slaue, when vnder them doth lie,
A heart corrupt, a tongue that false will sweare,
Like wounded Deare in vaine he seekes to flie,
And in his thigh the shaft about doth beare,
And this aboue the rest torments him cheefe,
He is asham'd and dares not shew his greefe.

Such was the hap, such was the wofull state,
Of Griffin now possest with foolish loue,
He knew her mind and manners worthy hate,
Yet could not he this fancie fond remoue:
His reason faine his passion would abate,
But appetite is placed her aboue:
That be she near so false, ingrate or nought,
Yet needs of him she must be lou'd and sought.

Away he steales from hence in secret sort,
Nor to his brother once adew doth say,
For feare least that his brother would dehort
Him from her loue, as oft he did assay:
And that his iourney may be cut more short,
He coasts the countrie for the nearest way,
He trauels all the day and halfe the night,
Vntill Damasco came within his sight.

Fast by this towne this trull he ouertooke,
That louingly with her new loue did ride,
And all old frends and louers all forsooke,
He was her Champion, he her onely guide:
A man might boldly sweare it on a booke,
He were a husband fit for such a bride,
He false, vnconstant, trecherous, so was she:
She had a modest looke, and so had he.

He rode all armd vpon a stamping steed,
With guilded barb that cost full many a crowne;
She ware no lesse magnificent a weed,
A rich embrodied purple veluet gowne;
Thus to Damasco ward they do proceed,
Where late there was proclaimed in the towne,
A solemne feast that should endure some dayes,
For iusts, for tilt, for turneyes, and for playes.

Now when the queane good Griffin had espide,
(For whó she knew her squire would be to weake)
Though sore appald, as scant she could it hide,
Least he his wrath on both at once should wreake,
Yet as the time permits she doth prouide,
Consulting with her guide before she speake:
And when they had agre'd how to deceiue him,
With open armes she runneth to receiue him.

And framing then her speech with great regard,
To answer fit vnto her gestures kind,
Deare sir (quoth she) is this the due reward,
My loyall loue to you deserues to find?
That from your sight I should a yeare be bard,
Your sight that soly can content my mind?
You left me greeued with a burning feauer,
But burning more in loue of you for euer.

Where I your comming lookt for long in vaine,
Each houre a day, each month did seeme a yeare,
And of your absence long I did complaine,
Enquiring oft, if I of you could heare:
Alas how full is carefull loue of paine?
So sad mine heart, so heauie was my cheare,
As being in dispaire which way to mend it,
I loth'd my life, and did desire to end it.

But loe how fortune when I looked least,
Hath now prouided me of double aid,
And sent my brother, this most welcome guest,
With whom I haue without dishonour staid,
And now your selfe whose presence makes me blest,
For had your comming longer bene delaid,
So was my heart and soule to you inclined,
That sure for greife I should haue dyde and pined.

Thus flattring words where with her tongue abounds,
Holpe her in so good sort her tale to frame,
That new on him the greater fault redounds,
As glad he was to scuse himselfe fro blame,
And her strong reasons founded on weake ground[…],
Do cleare both her, and him that with her came,
And makes him deemd a kinsman and a brother,
That did his best to make this maide a mother.

So that he did not onely not reproue
Her that so trech'rously had him betraid,
So that he did not wreake as did behoue,
Th'ad alterer that false with her had plaid;
But thinkes it well if he the blame remoue,
Which to his charge so probablie she laid:
And as for him (loue makes him see so blindly)
He calls him kinsman, and salutes him kindly.

Thus Griffin of his loue no whit abates,
But keepes her companie as with his owne,
Vntill they came within Damasco gates,
Where none of them were seene before or knowne.
The towne was full of Lords and greate states,
The rumor of the feast so far was blowne,
Which that they might haue more securely haunted,
The king to all that came sate conduct graunted.

But here I cease to talke of Origill,
And of her mate with her as fitly met,
As knauish iacke could be for whorish gill,
Vnchast and false, as euer water wet:
To flatter and dissemble passing skill,
And all was fish that came into her net:
Now here I leaue good Griffin in her armes,
And turne me to the Turkish men of armes.

I left where Agramant assaulted hard,
A gate which he had hoped to haue found,
But weake and feeble, naked, vnprepard,
And easie to be beaten to the ground:
I told you how king Charles the place did gard,
Inuirond with selected souldiers round;
As namely Guydons strong and Angilero,
With Oton stout Ouolyo Berlingero.

Thus either band in sight of either king,
Doth fight in hope of great reward and praise,
And thinks such honour backe that day to bring,
As should themselues and all their ofspring raise
But such great store of darts the Christns fling,
As still the Turkes are foiled many wayes,
They die, and by their deaths do others teach,
How hurtfull tis to roue beyond their reach.

But 'Rodemont whose men consumd with fire,
Do fill their masters mind with double rage,
Yet to auenge theirs deaths doth so desire,
As nought but blood his thirst of blood can swage:
He spares not in the passion of his ire,
Nor men nor women, order, sex nor age,
Away do runne the silly people crying,
And leaue their children, frends and wiues a dying.

They happie were whose feet did serue them best,
The surie of this cruell Turke to shunne,
For some were killed in the flight, the rest
Vnto the Churches or strong houses runne,
And locke the gates against so fierce a guest,
That in the streetes had so great mischiefe done:
And of them all that had bene slaine in chase,
Not one of them was wounded in the face.

But as the Tyger kills the fearfull Doe,
That but by flight cannot it selfe defend,
Or as the Wolues do spoile the sheepe: eu'n so
This cruell Turke their guiltlesse blood doth spend:
They neither know to strike nor ward a blo,
To hurt their foe nor yet to help their frend:
Thus past the Pagan to S. Michels bridge,
And none there was his passage to abridge.

He kills alike the sinner and the good,
The reuerend father and the harmelesse child,
He spils alike the young and aged blood,
With widowes, wiues, and virgines vndefild,
And though that all did yeeld and none withstood,
Yet mercie from his mind was so exild,
He shewd to such as things can truly valew,
Great signes of crueltie but none of valew.

Nor doth the cruell rage and fury cease,
With seeing of so many people slaine,
But rather still it growes and doth increase,
Against those other that aliue remaine:
Nor graunts he to the Churches any peace,
But eu'n as though the walls could suffer paine;
He maketh furious warres against the walls,
And flings against them store of firie balls.

Their houses all were built in Paris then,
Of timber (and I iudge this present houre
Of bricke and stone there are not sixe of ten)
Which made the Pagan then to bend his powre,
To burne the houses, hauing kild the men:
And though that fire do of it selfe deuoure,
Yet he doth helpe the fire, and ouerthrew them,
And those that lurkt within he spoyld and flue them.

Had Agramant had like successe without,
As had within this wicked Rodomount,
The walls of Paris had not kept him out,
On which so oft he did assay to mount:
But now this while the Angell brought about,
Renaldo stout the flowre of Clarimount,
Both with the English and the Scots supplies,
As secretly as Silence could deuise.

And that they might them more vnwares assaile,
They cast a bridge a league aboue the towne,
And passe the riuer to their best auaile,
And so in battle order comming downe,
Not doubting if their footing do not faile,
To get that day great glorie and renowne:
And still among the rankes Renaldo rides,
And for things needfull euermore prouides.

Two thousand horse in good Duke Edmonds guide,
And thrise two thousand archers he doth send,
To get to Paris on the tother side,
To helpe within the citie to defend:
(The cariages and other lets beside,
To leaue behind a while he doth intend)
These succors greatly helpe the towne within,
And at Saint Dennis gate they let them in.

Renaldo takes the conduct of the rest,
Appointing each his office and his place,
As in his skill and iudgement seemeth best,
Seu'ring each band from other with a space:
And seeing eu'ry one was prone and prest,
As was to be required in such case,
He calleth all the Lords and Leaders chiefe,
And vsd to them this pithy speech and briefe.

My Lords (quoth he) I need not to repeate
Your weightie bisnesse vnto you at large,
I onely say, you haue iust cause and great,
To giue God thankes, your duties to discharge,
That here hath sent you, where with little sweat,
But giuing on our foes one valiant charge,
You may obtaine true fame and glorie more,
Then all your auncestors obtaind before.

God, onely God that giues and guides good chance,
Hath offerd vnto you this good occasion,
Your names and glories highly to aduance,
Which is in noble minds a strong perswasion:
Behold the Kings of England and of France,
Endangerd greatly by the Turks inuasion,
Shut vp in trenches and in wals with shame,
You may set free to your immortall fame.

The very law of nature and humanitie,
Wils noble hearts to helpe the weake distressed,
But more the lawes and state of Christianitie.
Without your helpe now like to be oppressed,
And right Religion turnd to Turkish vanitie,
Of which what harms wil grow, may soon be guessed
Our temples faire with their foule idols filled,
Our virgins (chast by vow) deflourd and killed.

No meane, no stay, no end will be of slaughter,
Of rapes and rapines wicked and vniust;
No man shall keepe his sister, wife or daughter,
From out the reach of their vnruly lust:
But now if you these sorrowes turne to laughter,
And raise their honor troden in the dust,
They must ow you the freedomes and the liues,
Of them, their friends, their children and their wiues.

In auncient times a laurell Ciuick crowne
To him that sau'd one citizen they gaue,
If then they had such honor and renowne,
How many crownes shall you deserue to haue,
If (not a townsman, but) a noble towne,
And thousand innocents therein you saue[…]
In you it lies them to preserue and cherish,
That (but for you) in wo should pine and perish.

Which if they should (as God forbid they should)
By these vile Saracens be ouerrunne,
Then were the Romaine Empire bought and sold,
The holy Church were spoyld and quite vndone:
In you it is these huge harmes to withhold,
By you alone must this exploit be done,
Tread then this path of praise so large and ample,
Ile leade the way, follow but mine example.

This speech by him pronounc'd with so good spright,
With voice so audible, with comely grace,
Incensed them with such desire to fight,
That tedious seemd to them each little space.
And as we see in riding men delight
To spurre a horse although he runne apace:
So stird Renaldo with this exhortation,
Those of the English and the Scottish nation.

And hauing thus confirmd their forward hearts,
And promist largely in his masters name,
Great recompence to eu'ry mans desarts,
Vnto the riuer walls he closely came,
His armie he deuides in sundry parts,
Least breach of order bring them out of frame.
And with the Irish band he first indents,
To spoile their lodgings, and to rob their tents.

The rest he thus in prudent sort deuides,
The […]award […] hath in gouerment,
The Duke of Lancaster the battell guides,
The Duke of Clarence with the rereward went,
[…] with some chosen men besides,
[…] first the charge by generall consent:
This on a sodaine they do raise a shout,
And fild our side with courage, theirs with doubt.

[…] riding out afore the rest,
(With […]rd to do as much as he had said)
Puts spurs to horse and sets his speare in rest,
His onely sight the Pagans greatly fraid,
With fainting hearts pale lookes and panting brest,
They shew most certaine signes of minds dismaid,
Yet stout king Pulians shewes no token,
Of heart astonished or courage broken.

But trusting to his strength, and void of foare,
And ranging out in sight of all his band,
He met him man to man, and speare to speare,
He met him horse to horse, and hand to hand:
But straight it plainly was discerned theare,
Sleight without force in little steed doth stand:
This kind of fight was of a rougher sort,
Then running of a course at til[…] in sport.

Thus was king Pulian ouerthrowne and tane,
To[…] small tenor of the Pagan host,
Next came the king (that giant) of Oran,
That of his goodly stature much doth best,
But soone Renaldo brought him to his bane,
His horse his weapon, and his life he lost;
The horse was glad to find himselfe enlarged,
And of his heauy burden to discharged.

Not was Renaldo of his sword more spare,
Then […] before himselfe he shewd,
His blade […] purced to the bare.
When he his thrusts or deadly blowes bestowd:
No shields no coates of so good temper are,
Nor cloth in hundred […] together sowd,
That this same fatall blade of his withstood,
But that at cu'ry blow it fetcht the blood.

Nor did […]erbino merit common praise,
That of his value shewd that day good proofe,
He met the stoutest Turkes at all assayes,
On horse, on foote, at hand, and farre aloofe,
Attempting and performing sundry waves,
That might be for their harme and his behoofe:
And all his band in fight was fierce and hot,
As is the nature of the valiant Scot.

And thus their firy heate and courage bold,
Well shewd by blowes they to the Pagans gaue,
Did make their stomacks faint, their courage cold,
And glad in th'end by flight themselues to saue:
For S[…]brin one in yeares and iudgement old,
(Though no lesse stout the these lesse age that haue)
Doth now a little with his band retire,
To shun the fury of the Scottish fire.

The worthy Dukes of Albanie and Mar,
Ensude in valiant sort the good successe,
And with the same preuailed had so far,
As they had brought the Turkes to great distresse,
Till Isolir the new king of Nauar,
Came with his band their fury to represse,
And on that side the battell did restore,
Almost now lost, at least declind before.

Then grew the fight on both sides firme and stable,
Both sides defend, both sides alike inuade,
They cast on both sides darts innumerable,
And make there with a darke vnpleasing shade:
An endlesse worke it were to write the table,
The Christens kild with bow, with bill, with blade,
Sometime the sway goeth hither, sometime thether,
Like waters driu'n with doubtfull tides and wether.

When one is slaine, his roome another fils,
When one is hurt, another takes his place,
And he that now another smites and kils,
*Fals dead himselfe within a little space:
Great heapes of bodies dead make little hils,
The earth it selfe doth looke with bloudy face,
The greene wherewith it erst was ouerspred,
Did […]urne to sanguin and vermilion red.

My pen would faile, and skill would be too scant,
To tell the famous acts that Zerbin wrought,
How his new brother. noble Ariodant,
A fresh supply against the Pagans brought,
And how still one supplying tothers want,
Against the Turks with mutuall forces fought,
Then namely when the Prince was almost slaine,
By bastards two of Aragon in Spaine.

Chelindo one, the other Mosco hight,
These two at once on Zerbin bent their force,
In hope that if their hands could hit aright,
To wound him sore, or at the least vnhorse,
They wound him not, yet forst him to alight,
For vnder him so sore they hurt his horse,
To serue his Lord he was no longer able,
But made the field his euerlasting stable.

This foile and fall his courage more do whet,
To lose the seruice of his trustie steed,
But from the saddle quickly he doth get,
His losse his wrath, his wrath reuenge doth breed:
He meanes not long to tarry in their debt,
That to his horse did this vnworthy deed,
And first he gaue to Mosco such a thrust,
As made him tumble senslesse in the dust.

But when Chelindo saw his brother ded,
Reuenge and feare in him together straue,
His inward feare prouokt him to haue fled,
Himselfe from danger imminent to saue,
But straight reuenge another humor bred.
Expelling feare, and makes him bold and braue,
He spurs his horse in hope to ouertunne him,
But Zerbin slightly steps aside to shunne him.

And such a blow he lent him as he past,
Vpon his shoulders from the reredemaine,
That horse and man vnto the ground were cast,
Whence neither of them rose aliue againe:
And now the Spanish band came in so fast,
As noble Zerbin had almost bin slaine,
But Ariodante then himselfe besturd,
And makes an open lane by dint of sword.

The while, the Duke of Clarence doth assaile,
Their rere that was by Baricondo led,
The English archers shoot as thick as haile,
Which to their horsemen great annoyance bred,
On eu'ry side the Christens do preuaile,
On eu'ry side the fearfull Pagans fled,
Great store were slaine, and many prisners taken,
Their battell now declined sore and shaken.

And had bin lost had not Ferraw by chance
Come to their aid as yong Olimpio fell,
Slaine by a knight of Scotland or of France,
A cruell knight, whose name I cannot tell:
Ferraw was sore aggriue'd at this mischance,
He knew this youth, and lou'd him passing well,
Because his skill in musick was so choice,
Both for sweet stroke, and for his pleasing voice.

Had not the humor of ambition vaine,
With crotchets new his foolish fancie fild,
He might haue better staid at home in Spaine,
Then come abroad to be in battell kild:
But thus we see they get but losse and paine,
That deale in that in which they be not skild,
I wish musitions meddle with their songs,
And pray the souldiers to reuenge their wrongs.

Ferraw that saw ten thousand slaine before,
Without or fetching sigh or shedding teare,
With this his minions death was grieu'd so sore,
As scarce he could eu'n then to weepe forbeare,
But he that kild him shall abuy therefore,
By Macon and Lanfusa he doth sweare,
And straight performd it to the knights great paine,
For with his pollax out he dasht his braine.

Nor so content, he runs among the presse,
And in his rage so many Scots he slew,
That their late forwardnesse he did represse,
And causd that they in hast themselues withdrew:
Then to the tents was sent the king of Fefte,
To make resistance to the Irish crew,
That spoild their lodgings hauing robd the best,
And went about to set on fire the rest.

Then when the stout King Agramant espide,
The danger great he and his men were in,
And how these new supplies on eu'ry side,
Made his retire, and ground of them did win:
To saue his owne in time he doth prouide,
And lets alone the wals and them within,
Himselfe with Lords and other Princes store,
Came where Ferraw was entred late before.

And in such strength they do their forces linke,
And with such fury they restore the fight,
That now the Scots began to faile and shrinke,
Saue that Renaldo came eu'n then in sight,
And cride, O worthy Scots, and do you thinke
To saue your selues by so vnworthy flight?
Will you so leese the honor late you wonne?
Care you no more to saue your masters sonne?

Do you regard no more your reputation,
By you in sundry bloudy battels got,
To le[…]ue the flowre and iewell of your nation,
Amid his foes as if you lou'd him not?
Ye shame your selues and all your generation,
If you distaine you with so foule a blot,
Turne, turne I say, and take some heart of grace,
And meet and smite these Panims in the face.

They that before were sore with feare possest,
Were now so heartned, that with honest shame,
Each one doth seeme his safetie to detest,
Each one his mind with anger doth inflame,
And where they left their captaine halfe distrest,
With this so forward guide as fast they came:
So Zerbin rescude was from Turkish forces,
And mounted straight one of the emptie horses.

Renaldo that did euer take delight
To set on those that were most strong and sto[…]t,
When once king Agramant was come in sight,
Him fro the rest forthwith he singles out:
But when betweene them was begun the fight,
They sundred were by those that stood about,
I meane the Turks, who their chief Prince defended,
Who else perhap his raigne eu'n then had ended.

Now while without the wals the battell so,
On either side with fury was renewd,
Fierce Rodomont within did worke such wo,
More rufull sight with eye was neuer vewd;
To wracke profane the holy temples go,
He setteth fire on all, and to conclude,
He did alone so spoile the goodly citie,
As might haue mou'd a stony heart to pitie.

And while King Charles that was farre off from thence,
Did entertaine the new come English host,
The which Renaldo sent for their defence)
Behold there came a messenger in post,
That lookt like one bestraught of wit and sence,
His voice with hast and feare was welnigh lost,
And when his broken words were pl[…]ly hard,
Ah well away (he cries) we all are mard.

Some fi[…]nd of hell (for sure a fiend of hell
It is that doth our citie so destroy)
Is sent from Belzebub with vs to dwell,
To worke our vtter ruine and annoy:
This day we must bid all good dayes farewell,
This day must be the last day of our ioy,
Lo yonder how our sacred temples smoke,
Nor one in their defence dares strike a stroke.

Looke how a man would be amazd to heare
A noise confusd of backward ringing bels,
And after find, when he approcheth neare,
New set on fire his house wherein he dwels;
In such amazement and in such a feare
Was Charles to heare the tale this poore man tels,
And as he thither nearer came and nearer,
He sees the buildings clearer burne and clearer.

Of hardie Squires he culs a gallant crew,
And meanes to driue away this wicked wight,
If man it be, or spright with humane hew,
That doth vnto the towne this soule despight:
Now came he where he plaine might see in vew,
Men murdred, houses burnd, a wofull sight.
But now although perhap my storie please you,
To pawse a little may refresh and ease you.