Book I, Canto I

From Seas wild fury, and the wilder rage
Of faithless Turks, two noble strangers freed,
Let Curtesie their gratefull Souls engage
To such a Debt as doth obstruct their speed.
Where they to fill those Sceans unactive rest,
Would tedious make in fair description saw,
How Spata's Prince for his Queens loss opprest,
Found all those Ills cur'd in Pharonnida.

THE Earth which lately lay like Nutures Tomb,
Marbl'd in Frosts, had from her pregnant Womb
Display'd the fragrant Spring, when courted by
A calm fresh Morning, ere Heavens brightest Ey
Adorn'd the East, a Spartan Lord, whom Fame,
Taught from Desert, made glorious by the Name
Of Aminander, with a noble train,
(Whose active Youth did sloath-like sin disdain)
Attended, had worn out the Morning in
Chase of a stately Stag, which having bin
Forc'd from the Forests safe protection, to
Discovering Plain, his clamourous Foes had drew
Up to a steep Cliffs lofty top, where he
As if grown proud, so sacrific'd to be
To mans delight, 'mongst the pursuing cry,
(Who make the Valleys eccho Victory)
Sinks weeping, whilst exalted shouts did tell
The distant Heards, their ancient Leader fell.
The half-tir'd Hunters, their swift Game stopt here
By death, like noble Conquerors appear,
To give that Foe, which now resistless lies
With their shrill Horns his Fun'rall Obsequies;
Which whilst performing their diverted sight,
Turns to behold a far more fatall fight:
That since fam'd Gulf, where the brave Austrian made
The Turkish Crescents an eternall shade,
Beneath dishonour seeks, Lepanto lay
So neer, that from their lofty station they
A Ship upon whose Streamers there were fixt
The Christian Badge saw in fierce Battell mixt,
With a prevailing Turkish Squadron that
With shouts assault, what now lay onely at
That feeble Guard, which under the pretence
Of injuring others, seeks its own defence.
Clear was the day, and calm the Sea so long
Till now the Turks, whose numbers grew too strong,
For all that could no other help afford,
But humane strength, within their view did board
The wretched Christians, to whose sufferings they
Can lend no comfort, but what Pray'rs convey
To helpfull Heaven, by whose attentive Ear,
Both heard and pittyed, Mercy did appear
In this swift change: A hollow Wind proclaims
Approaching storms, the black Clouds burst in flames,
Imprison'd Thunder roars, and in a shoure,
Dark as the Night, dull sweaty Vapors poure
Themselves on th' earth, t' enrich whom Nature vents
Th' etherial Fabricks useless excrements;
Whose flatuous pride, as if it did disdain
Such base descents, rowling the liquid plain
Into transparent Mountains, hurls them at
The brow of Heaven, whose Lamps by Vapors that
Their influence rais'd, are crampt, whilst the sick day
Was languishing to such a Night as lay
O're the first Matter, when Confusion dwelt
In the vast Chaos, ere the rude Mass felt
Heavens segregating breath; But long this fierce
Conflict indures not, ere the Sun-beams pierce
The scatterd Clouds, which whilst wild Winds pursue
Through sullied Aire in reaking Vapors flew.
In this Encounter of the storm before
Its sable Vail let them discover more,
Then contain'd horror, a loud dreadfull shriek,
Piercing the thick Aire, at their Ears did seek
For trembling entrance, being transported by
Uncertain drifts, rent Sails and Tackling fly
Amongst the towring Cliffs, a sure presage
That adverse Winds did in that storm engage
Some Vessell, which did from her Cordage part,
With such sad pangs, as from the dying Heart
Convulsions tear the Fibers. But the day
Recov'ring her lost Rain, made clearer way
For a more sad discov'ry. They behold
The brackish Main in funerall Pomp unfold
The Trophies of her Cruelty: Her Brow
Uncurl'd with Waves, was only spotted now
With scatter'd Ruines, here engag'd within
The ruffl'd Sails, some sad Souls that had been
For life long strugling tir'd, at length are forc'd
To sink and die; Yonder a Pair divorc'd
From all the warm Society of flesh,
With cold stiff Arms embrace their Fate; The fresh
And tender Virgin in her Lovers sight,
The Sea-Gods ravish, and th' Enthean light
Of those bright Orbs, her Eyes, which could by nought
But Seas be quencht, t' eternall darkness brought.
Whilst pittying these, a suddain noise, whose strange
Confusion did their Passions Object change,
Assaults their wonder, which by this surprize
Amaz'd, perswades them to inform their Eyes
With its obscure Originall, when led
By sounds that might in baser Souls have bred
A swift aversion: clashing Weapons they
Might soon behold upon the Sands, that lay
Beneath the Rock, a Troop of desp'rate men,
Unstartled with those dangers, which even then
Their ruin'd Ship, and dropping Garments shewd
Heaven freed them from, what Mercy had bestowd:
Let their own anger loose, which flaming in
A fatall Combate, had already bin
In blood disfigur'd: But when now so near
Them drawn, that every Object did appear
In true distinction, they with wonder rais'd
To such a height, as Poets would have prais'd
Their Heroes in, a noble Christian saw
Whose Sword (as if by the eternall Law
Of Providence, to punish Infidels,
Directed) with each falling stroke expels
A Turks black Soul; Yet Valor being opprest
By multitudes, must have at length sought rest
From Death, had not brave Ariamnes, by
His Hunters followed, brought him Victory:
Whilst the approaching danger did exclude
Even hope, the last support of Fortitude.
The desperate Turks that chose the Sea to be
Their sad Redeemer of Captivity:
Though from that fear they fled to death, had now
Upon the Shoar left none, life could allow
But motion to, though stopt by death such store,
All the Escap'd appeard, but such as bore
The fatall Story of destruction to
Their distant Friends; when now a serious view
By Ariamnes, and that noble Youth,
Whose Actions (honourd as authentick truth)
Made all admire him, of their pitty'd dead
With sorrow took, one worthy Soul unfled
From life they found, which by Argalia seen,
With joy recalls those Spirits that had been
In busie Action lost, but danger that
Toward the Throne of life seem'd entring at
Too many wounds, denies him to enlarge
The Sheam of Love, as noble Vertues charge
To him (her follower) Ariamnes by
His goodness, and their sad necessity,
Prompted to pity, fearing slow delays
As dangers fatall Harbinger, conveys
The wounded strangers to the place, where he
His Palace made the Throne of Charitie.
'Twas the short journey 'twixt the Day and Night,
The calm fresh Evening, Times Hermaphrodite.
The Sun on Lights dilated Wings being fled,
To call the Western Villagers from Bed:
Ere at his Castle they arrive, which stood
Upon a Hill, whose Basis freng'd with wood,
Shadowed the fragrant Meadows, thorough which
A spatious River, striving to enrich
The flow'ry Valleys, with what ever might
At home be profit, or abroad delight,
With parted streams that pleasant Islands made,
Its gentle Current to the Sea conveyd.
In the composure of this happy place
Wherein he lived, as if fram'd to embrace
So brave a Soul, as now did animate
It with its presence, strength, and beauty sate
Combin'd in one, 'twas not so vastly large,
But fair convenience countervaild the charge
Of Reparations, all that modest Art
Affords to so••r pleasures every part,
More for its Ornament, but none were drest
In Robes so rich, but what alone exprest
Their Masters providence and care to be,
A prop to falling Hospitality;
For he not Comet-like did blaze out in
This Country Sphear, what had extracted been
From the Courts lazy Vapors, but had stood
There like a Star of the first Magnitude,
With a fixt constancy so long, that now
Grown old in Vertue he began to bow
Beneath the weight of time, and since the calm
Of Age had left him nothing to embalm
His Name but Vertue, strives in that to be
The glorious wonder of Posterity;
Each of his Actions being so truly good,
That like the Ground where hollowed Temples stood,
Although by age the Ruines ruin'd seem,
The people beare a reverent esteem
Unto the place; so they preserve his Name,
A yet unwasted Pyramid of Fame.
Rich were his publick Vertues, but the price
Of those was but the World to Paradice,
Compar'd with that rare Harmony that dwells
Within his Walls, each Servant there excells
All but his Fellows in desert, each knew,
First when, then how his Lords Commands to do;
None more enjoyed, then was enough, none less,
All did of plenty tast, none of excess;
Riot was here a stranger, but far more
Repining penury, ne're from that doore,
The Poor-man went denied, nor did the rich
Ere surfet there, 'twas the blest Medium, which,
Extracted from all compound Vertues we
Make, and then Christian Mediocrity,
Within the compass of his spatious Hall,
Stood no vain Pictures to obscure the Wall,
Which usefull Armes adornd, and such as when
His Prince requir'd assistance, his own men
Valiant, and numerous, mannag'd to defend
That righteous Cause, but never to attend
A popular Faction, whose corrupted Seed
Hell did engender, and Ambition feed.
His Judgment that like Lifes Attendant, Sence,
To try each Objects various difference,
Fit Mediums chose (which he made Vertue) here
Beholding (though these wandring Stars appear
Now in their greatest detriment) the Rays
Of perfect worth, he to that Vertue payes
Those Attributes of honour, which unto
Their Births (though now in course disguise) was due:
To Aphrons wounds successfull Art applies,
Prevailing Med'cines, whilst Invention flies
To the Aphelion of her Orb to seek
Such modest Pleasures as might smooth the Cheek
Of ruffl'd Passion, which being found are spent,
To cure the sad Argalia's discontent:
Which long being lost to all delight, at length
Revives again his Friends recover'd strength.
They having now no Remora to stay
Them here but what their gratitude did pay
To his desires, whose Courtesie had made
Those bonds of Love, with as much zeal obey'd,
As those which duty locks, preparing are
To take their leave, even in whose civil War
Whilst they contend with Courtesies, as sent
To rescue when his Eloquence was spent.
Brave Amminander, with such hast as shewed
His speed to some supream Injunction owed
Such diligence, a Messenger brings in
A Packet, which that noble Lord had been
Too frequently acquainted with to fear
Th' unseen Contents which open'd did appear,
A Mandate from his royall Master to
Attend him ere the next dayes Beauties grew
Deform'd with Age, which honourd Message read
To banish what Suspition might have bred
In's doubtfull Friends, he the inclos'd contents,
With cheerfull hast unto their view presents.
Their fear thus cur'd by information, he
That his appearance in the Court might be
More glorious made by such Attendants to
Incite in them a strong desire to view
Those royall Pastimes, thus relates that story,
Whose fatall truth transfer'd the Morea's glory
So often thither. 'Twas my honourd friends
My fate ('mongst some, that yet his Court attends)
Then to be neer my Prince, when what now draws
Him to these parts did prove at once the cause
Of joy and grief. Not far from hence remov'd,
The Vale of Ceres lies, where his belov'd
Pharonnida remains, a Lady that,
Nature ordaind for man to wonder at;
She not being more the comfort of his age,
Then glory of her Sex: but I engage
My self to a more large discovery, which,
Thus take in brief, When Youth did first enrich
Beauty with manly strength, his happy Bed
Was with her royall Mother blest, who fed
A flame of Vertue in her Soul, that lent
Light to a Beauty, which being excellent,
In its own Sphear, by that reflection shon,
So heavenly bright, Perfections height of noon
Dwelt only there; Some years had circled in
Times revolutions, since they first had been
Acquainted with those private pleasures that
Attend a Nuptiall Bed, ere she did at
Lucina's Temple offer, whose bar'd Gate,
Once open flow, both their good Angels sate
In councell for her safety, hopes of a Boy,
To be Morea's Heir, fill high with joy
The ravisht Parents, Subjects did no less,
In the loud voice of Triumph theirs express.
But when the active pleasures of their love
Which fill'd her Womb, had taught the Babe to move
Within the mory Mount, preceding pains,
Tell the fair Queen, that the dissolving Chains.
Nature incos'd it in, were grown so weak,
That the imprison'd Infant soon would break
Those slender Cuards, the gravest Ladies were
Call'd to assist her, whose industrious care,
Lend Nature all the helps of Art, but in
Despair of safety send their Prayers to win
Relief from Heaven, which swift Assistance lent,
T' unload the Burthen, but those Cordials sent,
By Harbengers, with whom the fair Queen fled,
To deck the silent dwellings of the dead,
And lodge in Sheets of Lead, o're which were cast
A Coverlet of the Springs Infants past
From life like her, even whilst Earths teeming Womb,
Promist the World, and not a silent Tomb,
That beauteous Issue; But those Nimphs which spun
Her thread of life the slender twine begun,
Too fine to last long, undenied by
The pondrous burthen of Mortality;
Beneath whose waight, she sinking now to death,
Th' unhappy Babe was by the Mothers breath
No sooner welcom'd into life before
She bids farewell, of Power to do no more,
But whilst her Spirits with each word expires,
Thus to her Lord express her last desires.
Receive this Infant from thy dying Queen,
Name her Pharonnida, at which word between
His trembling Armes she sunk, and had even then
Breath'd forth her Soul, if not recall'd agen,
By their loud Mournings from the Icy sleep,
Which like a chilling Frost did softly creep,
Through the cold Channels of her blood to bar
The springs of life, in which defensive War,
The hasty Summons sent by death alow,
Her giddy Eyes, whose heavy leads did bow
Toward everlasting slumber, no more light,
Then what affords a dim Imperfect sight;
Such as the troubl'd Opticks being by,
Dying Convulsions wrested, could let fly,
Thorough their sullied Chrystals to behold,
Her wofull Lord, whilst she did thus unfold
Her dying thoughts; O hear, O hear (quoth she) I do,
By all our mutuall Vows conjure thee to
Let this sweet Babe, all thou hast left of me,
Within thy Thoughts preserve my Memorie.
And since (poor Infant) she must lose her Mother,
To beg an entrance here, oh let no other
Have more Command o're her then what may bear
An equall poise with thy paternall Care.
This, this is all that I shall leave behind,
An earnest of our loves, here thou mayst find,
Perhaps my Image to behold, whilst I
Resolving into dust imbrac'd do lye,
By crawling Worms. Followers that Nature gave
To attend Mortality, whilst the tainted Grave
Is ripening us for Judgment: O my Lord,
Death were the smile of Fate, would it afford
Me time to see this Infants growth, but oh,
I feel Lifes Cordage crackt, and hence must go
From time and flesh, like a lost Feather fall
From th' Wings of Vanity, forsaking all
The various business of the World, to see
What wondrous Change dwels in Eternitie.
This sayd, she faintly bids farewell, then darts
An eager look on all, but ere she parts,
Even whilst the breath, with which in thin Aire slips
Departing Spirits, on her then cold Lips
In clammy Dews did hang, she of them takes
Her last farewell, whilst her pure Soul forsakes
Its brittle Cab'net, and those Orbs of light,
That swam in death, sunk in eternall Night.
Thus di'd the Queen, Pharonnida thus lost,
Ere knew her Mother, when her Birth had cost,
A price so great, that brought her Infancy
In debt to Grief, untill maturity
Ripen'd her Age to pay it, after long
And vehement lamentation, such whose strong
Assaults had almost shook his Soul into
A flight from th' Earth, her Father doth renew
His long lost Mirth, at the delight he took,
In his Souls Darling; whose each cheerfull look,
Crimson'd those Sables, which even whilst he wore
A flood of Woes his head had silver'd o're:
Had not this Comfort stopt them, which beguiles
Sorrow of some few hours, those pretty smiles,
••at drest her fair Cheeks like a gentle Thief,
••ealing his heart through all the Guards of Grief.
[…] But when that time's expunging hand had more
Defac'd those sable Characters he wore
[…] Sorrows Livery o're his Soul, and she
••aving out-grown her tender Infancy,
••id now (her Thoughts compos'd of heavenly Seed)
[…] guide her life no other Guardian need,
[…] native Vertue, for her calm retreat,
When burthend Corinth was with throngs repleat:
[…] chose this seat, whose venerable shade,
Waving what blind Antiquity had made,
•or sacred held, is not so sleighted, bu•
Custome ancient, as our Law, hath shut
•ence (as the hatefull marks of servitude)
•ll that unbounded power did e're obtrude
•n suffering Subjects, which, this happy place
•its so serene a blessing to embrace,
•s is this Lady, whose illustrious Court,
Though now augmented by the full resort,
Of her great Fathers Train, doth still appear
This happy Kingdomes brightest Hemisphear.
A hundred noble Youths in Sparta bred,
Of Valour high, as ere for Beauty bled,
•ll loyall Lovers, and that Love confin'd
Within the Court are for her Guard assign'd.
•ut what (if oft in such an Orb of all
That's great, or good, may low as Censure fall)
•he Court hath questioned, is the cause that mov'd
The Prince to give a Party so belov'd
•nto his hands that leads them, being one
Whose Birth excepted, that being neer a Throne,
Those Vertues wants on whose Foundation wise
Considerate Princes let their Favours rise.
Like the abortive Births of Vapors by
Their Male Progenitors inforc'd to fly
Above the Earth their proper Sphear, and there
Lurk in imperfect Forms, his Breast doth bear
Some Seeds of Goodness, which the Soil too hot,
With rank Ambition, doth in ripening rot.
Yet, though from those that praise humilitie,
He merits not, a dreaded power which he
Far more applauds, rais'd on the Wings of's own
Experienc'd Valour, hath so long been known
His Foes pale terrour, that 'tis fear'd he bends
That Engine to the ruine of his friends,
Whose equall Merits claim as much of Fame,
As e're was due to proud Almanzors Name.
Yet what may raise more strong desires to see,
Her Court then Valors wisht societie,
Is one unusuall Custome, which the love
Of her kind Father hath so far above
All past Examples rais'd, that for the time
He here resides, no Cause, although a Crime,
Which death attends, but is by her alone
Both heard and judg'd, he seeming to unthrone
His active power, whilst Justice doth invest
His beauteous Daughter, which to the opprest,
Whose hopes even shrunk into despair, hath in
That harsh extream their safe Asilum bin:
So that even those that fear'd the 'vent could now
Mix their desires, the Custome would allow
Her Reign a longer date. But that I may
Illustrate this by a more full survay
Of her excelling Vertues, no pretence,
Of harsh imployment shall command you hence,
••ll you have been Spectators of that Court,
Whose Glories are too spatious for Report.
The noble Youths beholding such a flame,
Of Vertue shewn them through the Glass of Fame,
First gaze with wonder on it, which ascends
Into desire, a Rivolet which ends,
Not till its swelling streams had drawn them through
All weak excuses, and engag'd them to
Attend on Ariamnes; when to show
How much mans vain Intentions fall below
Mysterious Fate, even in the height of all
Their full Resolves, her Countermands thus call
Back their Intentions, by a Summons that
Th' uncertain World hath often trembled at.
The late recoverd Aphron, whether by
Too swift a Cure, Lifes springs being rais'd too high,
Flowd to a dangerous Plethora, or where
Some Cause occult the Humours did prepare
For that malignant Ill, did, whilst he lay
In tedious expectation of the day,
Shook with a shievering numness, first complain,
Through all his Limbs of a diffusive pain:
Which searching each to find the fittest part,
For its Contagion, on the labouring heart
Fixes at length, which being with grief opprest,
By the extended Artries to the rest
•th' body sends its flames, the poysond blood
Through every Vein streams in a burning flood.
•is Liver broyls, and his scortch'd stomach turns
The Chile to Cinders; in each cold Cell burns
The humid Brains. A violent Earthquake shakes
The crackling Nerves, Sleeps balmy Daw forsakes
The shrivel'd Obticks; in which trembling fits,
'Mongst tortur'd Sences troubled Reason sits
So long opprest with Passion, till at length,
Her feeble Mansion, batter'd by the strength
Of a Disease, she leaves to entertain
The wild Chymera's of a sickly Brain.
And, what must yet to's Friends Affliction add,
More weights of grief, their courteous hast which had
Stayed to the latest step of time, must now
Comply with those Commanders, which could allow
No more delays, and leave Argalia to
Be the sole Mourner for his Friend, which drew
As far as humane Art could guess so neer
His end, that life did only now appear
In thick, short sobs, those frequent summons that
Souls oft forsake their ruin'd Mansions at.