“Iandallthesethehardychampionknew,Wesawhisvalor,andhisvoiceweheard;
Thenistherumorofhisdeathuntrue,Hislifeissafe,goodfortunelongitguard,Threetimesthegoldensunhathrisennew,SinceusheleftandrodetoAntioch-ward;
Butfirsthisarmors,broken,hackedandcleft,Unfitforservice,therehedoftandleft。“
LXXIII
ThusspaketheBritonprince,withhumblecheerThehermitsagetoheavencastuphiseyne,Hiscolorandhiscountenancechangedwere,Withheavenlygracehislooksandvisageshine,RavishedwithzealhissoulapproachednearTheseatofangelspure,andsaintsdivine,Andtherehelearnedofthingsandhapstocome,Togiveforeknowledgetrue,andcertaindoom。
LXXIV
Atlasthespoke,inmorethanhumansound,Andtoldwhatthingshiswisdomgreatforesaw,AndathisthunderingvoicethefolkaroundAttentivestood,withtremblingandwithawe:
“Rinaldolives,“hesaid,“thetokensfoundFromwomen’scrafttheirfalsebeginningsdraw,Helives,andheavenwilllongpreservehisdays,Togreaterglory,andtogreaterpraise。
LXXV
“Thesearebuttriflesyet,thoughAsia’skingsShrinkathisname,andtrembleathisview,Iwellforeseeheshalldogreaterthings,Andwickedemperorsconquerandsubdue;
Undertheshadowofhiseagle’swingsShallholyChurchpreservehersacredcrew,FromCaesar’sbirdheshallthesabletrainPluckoff,andbreakhertalonssharpintwain。
LXXVI
“Hischildren’schildrenathishardinessAndgreatattemptsshalltakeexamplefair,FromemperorsunjustinalldistressTheyshalldefendthestateofPeter’schair,Toraisethehumbleup,pridetosuppress,Tohelptheinnocentsshallbetheircare。
Thisbirdofeastshallflywithconquestgreat,Asfarasmoongiveslightorsungivesheat;
LXXVII
“Hereyesbeholdthetruthandpurestlight,AndthundersdowninPeter’saidshebrings,AndwhereforChristandChristianfaithmenfight,Thereforthshespreadethhervictoriouswings,Thisvirtuenaturegivesherandthismight;
Thenlureherhome,foronherpresencehingsThehappyendofthisgreatenterprise,SoHeavendecrees,andsocommandtheskies。“
LXXVIII
ThesewordsofhisofPrinceRinaldo’sdeathOutoftheirtroubledhearts,thefearhadrased;
InallthisjoyyetGodfreysmileduneath。
Inhiswisethoughtsuchcareandheedwasplaced。
ButnowfromdeepsofregionsunderneathNight’sveilarose,andsun’sbrightlustrechased,Whenallfullsweetlyintheircabinsslept,Savehe,whosethoughtshiseyesstillopenkept。
ELEVENTHBOOK
THEARGUMENT。
Withgraveprocession,songsandpsalmsdevoutHeaven’ssacredaidtheChristianlordsinvoke;
Thatdone,theyscalethewallwhichkeptthemout:
Thefortisalmostwon,thegatesnighbroke:
GodfreyiswoundedbyClorindastout,Andlostisthatday’sconquestbythestroke;
Theangelcureshim,hereturnstofight,Butlosthislabor,fordaylosthislight。
I
TheChristianarmy’sgreatandpuissantguide,Toassaultthetownthatallhisthoughtshadbent,Didladders,rams,andengineshugeprovide,WhenreverendPetertohimgravelywent,Anddrawinghimwithsobergraceaside,Withwordsseverethustoldhishighintent;
“Rightwell,mylord,theseearthlystrengthsyoumove,ButletusfirstbeginfromHeavenabove:
II
“Withpublicprayer,zealandfaithdevout,Theaid,assistance,andthehelpobtainOfalltheblessedoftheheavenlyrout,Withwhosesupportyouconquestsuremaygain;
FirstletthepriestsbeforethinearmiesstoutWithsacredhymnstheirholyvoicesstrain。
Andthouandallthylordsandpeerswiththee,Ofgodlinessandfaithexamplesbe。“
III
Thusspakethehermitgraveinwordssevere:
Godfreyallowedhiscounsel,sage,andwise,“OfChristtheLord,“quothhe,“thouservantdear,Iyieldtofollowthydivineadvice,AndwhiletheprincesIassemblehere,Thegreatprocession,songsandsacrifice,WithBishopWilliam,thouandAdemare,Withsacredandwithsolemnpompprepare。“
IV
Nextmornthebishopstwain,theheremite,Andalltheclerksandpriestsoflessestate,DidinthemiddestofthecampuniteWithinaplaceforprayerconsecrate,Eachpriestadornedwasinasurplicewhite,Thebishopsdonnedtheiralbesandcopesofstate,Abovetheirrochetsbuttonedfairbefore,Andmitresontheirheadslikecrownstheywore。
V
Peteralone,before,spreadtothewindTheglorioussignofoursalvationgreat,Witheasypacethechoircomeallbehind,Andhymnsandpsalmsinordertruerepeat,WithsweetrespondenceinharmoniouskindTheirhumblesongtheyieldingairdothbeat,“Lastly,togetherwentthereverendpairOfprelatessage,WilliamandAdemare,VI
Themightydukecamenext,asprincesdo,Withoutcompanion,marchingallalone,Thelordsandcaptainsthencametwoandtwo,Witheasypacethusordered,passingthroughThetrenchandrampire,tothefieldstheygone,Nothunderingdrum,notrumpetshrilltheyhear,Theirgodlymusicpsalmsandprayerswere。
VII
Tothee,OFather,Son,andsacredSprite,Onetrue,eternal,everlastingKing;
ToChrist’sdearmother,Mary,vlrginbright,Psalmsofthanksgivingandofpraisetheysing;
TothemthatangelsdownfromheaventofightGainsttheblasphemousbeastanddragonbring;
TohimalsothatofourSaviourgood,WashedthesacredfontinJordan’sflood。
VIII
Himlikewisetheyinvoke,calledtheRockWhereontheLord,theysay,hisChurchdidrear,WhosetruesuccessorscloseorelseunlockTheblessedgatesofgraceandmercydear;
Andalltheelectedtwelvethechosenflock,Ofhistriumphantdeathwhowitnessbear;
Andthembytorment,slaughter,fireandswordWhomartyrsdiedtoconfirmhisword;
IX
AndthemalsowhosebooksandwritingstellWhatcertainpathtoheavenlyblissusleads;
Andhermitsgood,andancressesthatdwellMewedupinwalls,andmumbleontheirbeads,Andvirginnunsincloseandprivatecell,Where,butshriftfathers,nevermankindtreads:
Onthesetheycalled,andonalltheroutOfangels,martyrs,andofsaintsdevout。
X
Singingandsayingthus,thecampdevoutSpreadforthherzealoussquadronsbroadandwide’;
TowardmountOlivetwentallthisroute,Socalledofolivetreesthehillswhichhide,Amountainknownbyfametheworldthroughout,Whichrisethonthecity’seasternside,FromitdividedbythevalleygreenOfJosaphat,thatfillsthespacebetween。
XI
Hitherthearmieswent,andchantedshrill,Thatallthedeepandhollowdalesresound;
Fromhollowmountsandcavesineveryhill,Athousandechoesalsosungaround,Itseemedsomeclever,thatsungwithartandskill,Dweltinthosesavagedensandshadyground,Foroftresoundsfromthebankstheyhear,ThenameofChristandofhismotherdear。
XII
UponthewallsthePagansoldandyoungStoodhushedandstill,amatedandamazed,Attheirgraveorderandtheirhumblesong,Attheirstrangepompandcustomsnewtheygazed:
Butwhentheshowtheyhadbeholdenlong,Anhideousyellthewickedmiscreantsraised,Thatwithvileblasphemiesthemountainhoar,Thewoods,thewaters,andthevalleysroar。
XIII
Butyetwithsacrednotesthehostsproceed,Thoughblasphemiestheyhearandcursedthings;
SowithApollo’sharpPantuneshisreed,SoaddershisswherePhilomelasings;
NorflyingdartsnorstonestheChristiansdreed,Norarrowsshot,norquarriescastfromslings;
Butwithassuredfaith,asdreadingnaught,Theholyworkbeguntoendtheybrought。
XIV
Atablesettheyonthemountain’sheightToministerthereonthesacrament,IngoldencandlesticksahallowedlightAteitherendofvirginwaxtherebrent;
IncostlyvestmentssacredWilliamdight,Withfearandtremblingtothealtarwent,Andprayerthereandserviceloudbegins,Bothforhisownandallthearmy’ssins。
XV
Humblytheyheardhiswordsthatstoodhimnigh,Therestfaroffuponhimbenttheireyes,Butwhenheendedhadtheservicehigh,“YouservantsoftheLorddepart,“hecries:
Hishandsheliftedthenuptothesky,Andblessedallthosewarlikecompanies;
Andtheydismissedreturnedthewaytheycame,Theirorderasbefore,theirpompthesame。
XVI
Withintheircamparrived,thisvoyageended,Towardhistentthedukehimselfwithdrew,Upontheirguidebyheapsthebandsattended,Tillhispavilion’sstatelydoortheyview,TheretotheLordhiswelfaretheycommended,Andwithhimlefttheworthiesofthecrew,Whomatacostlyandrichfeastheplaced,AndwiththehighestroomoldRaymondgraced。
XVII
NowwhenthehungryknightssufficedareWithmeat,withdrink,withspicesofthebest,Quothhe,“Whennextyouseethemorningstar,Toassaultthetownbereadyallandprest:
To-morrowisadayofpainsandwar,Thisofrepose,ofquiet,peace,andrest;
Go,takeyoureasethisevening,andthisnight,Andmakeyoustrongagainstto-morrow’sfight。“
XVIII
Theytooktheirleave,andGodfrey’sheraldsrodeTointimatehiswilloneveryside,Andpublisheditthroughallthelodgingsbroad,Thatgainstthemorneachshouldhimselfprovide;
Meanwhiletheymighttheirheartsofcaresunload,Andresttheirtiredlimbsthateveningtide;
Thusfaredtheytillnighttheireyesdidclose,Nightfriendtogentlerestandsweetrepose。
XIX
WithlittlesignasyetofspringingdayOutpeeped,notwellappearedtherisingmorn,Theploughyettorenotupthefertilelay,Nortotheirfeedthesheepfromfoldsreturn,ThebirdssatesilentonthegreenwoodsprayAmidthegrovesunheardwashoundandhorn,Whentrumpetsshrill,truesignsofhardyfights,Calleduptoarmsthesoldiers,calledtheknights: