“Arm,armatonce!“anhundredsquadronscried,Andwiththeircrytoarmthemallbegin。
  Godfreyarose,thatdayhelaidasideHishauberkstronghewontstocombatin,Anddonnedabreastplatefair,ofproofuntried,Suchoneasfootmenuse,light,easy,thin。
  Scantlythewarlordthusclothedhadhisgromes,WhenagedRaymondtohispresencecomes。
  XXI
  Andfurnishedtouswhenhethemanbeheld,Byhisattirehissecretthoughtheguessed,“Whereis,“quothhe,“yoursureandtrustyshield?
  Yourhelm,yourhauberkstrong?wherealltherest?
  Whybeyouhalfdisarmed?whytothefieldApproachyouintheseweakdefencesdressed?
  Iseethisdayyoumeanacoursetorun,Whereinmayperilmuch,smallpraisebewon。
  XXII
  “Alas,doyouthatidlepriseexpect,Tosetfirstfootthisconqueredwallabove?
  OflessaccountsomeknighttheretoobjectWhoselosssogreatandharmfulcannotprove;
  Mylord,yourlifewithgreatercareprotect,Andloveyourselfbecauseallusyoulove,Yourhappylifeisspirit,soul,andbreathOfallthiscamp,preserveitthenfromdeath。“
  XXIII
  Tothisheansweredthus,“Youknow,“hesaid,“InClarimontbymightyUrban’shandWhenIwasgirdedwiththisnobleblade,ForChrist’struefaithtofightineveryland,ToGodeventhenasecretvowImade,NotasacaptainherethisdaytostandAndgivedirections,butwithshieldandswordTofight,towin,ordieforChristmyLord。
  XXIV
  “WhenallthiscampinbattlestrongshallbeOrdainedandordered,welldisposedall,AndallthingsdonewhichtothehighdegreeAndsacredplaceIholdbelongenshall;
  Thenreasonisit,nordissuadethoume,ThatIlikewiseassaultthissacredwall,LestfrommyvowtoGodlatemadeIswerve:
  Heshallthislifedefend,keepandpreserve。“
  XXV
  Thusheconcludes,andeveryhardyknightHissamplefollowed,andhisbrethrentwain,Theotherprincesputonharnesslight,Asfootmenuse:butallthePagantrainTowardthatsidebenttheirdefensivemightWhichliesexposedtoviewofCharles’swainAndZephyrus’sweetblasts,foronthatpartThetownwasweakest,bothbysideandart。
  XXVI
  Onallpartselsethefortwasstrongbysite,Withmightyhillsdefencedfromforeignrage,AndtothispartthetyrantganuniteHissubjectsbornandbandsthatserveforwage,Fromthisexploithesparednorgreatnorlite,Theagedmen,andboysoftenderage,Tofireofangrywarstillbroughtnewfuel,Stones,darts,lime,brimstoneandbitumencruel。
  XXVII
  Allfullofarmsandweaponswasthewall,Underwhosebasisthatfairplaindothrun,TherestoodtheSoldanlikeagianttall,SostoodatRhodestheColossofthesun,Waisthigh,Argantesshowedhimselfwithal,AtwhosesternlookstheFrenchtoquakebegun,Clorindaonthecornertoweralone,InsilverarmslikerisingCynthiashone。
  XXVIII
  Herrattlingquiverathershouldershung,Thereinaflashofarrowsfeatheredweel。
  Inherlefthandherbowwasbendedstrong,Thereinashaftheadedwithmortalsteel,SofittoshootshesingledforthamongHerfoeswhofirstherquarries’strengthshouldfeel,SofittoshootLatona’sdaughterstoodWhenNiobeshekilledandallherbrood。
  XXIX
  TheagedtyranttotteredonhisfeetFromgatetogate,fromwalltowallheflew,Hecomfortsallhisbandswithspeechessweet,Andeveryfortandbastiondothreview,ForeveryneedpreparedineverystreetNewregimentsheplacedandweaponsnew。
  ThematronsgravewithintheirtempleshighToidolsfalseforsuccorscallandcry,XXX
  “OMacon,breakintwainthesteeledlanceOnwickedGodfreywiththyrighteoushands,Againstthynamehedothhisarmadvance,Hisrebelbloodpouroutuponthesesands;“
  ThesecrieswithinhisearsnoenteranceCouldfind,fornaughthehears,naughtunderstands。
  Whilethusthetownforherdefenceordains,HisarmiesGodfreyorderethontheplains;
  XXXI
  Hisforcesfirstonfootheforwardbrought,Withgoodlyorder,providenceandart,Andgainstthesetowerswhichtoassailhethought,Inbattlestwainhisstrengthhedothdepart,Betweenthemcrossbowsstood,andengineswroughtTocastastone,aquarry,oradart,Fromwhencelikethunder’sdintorlightningsnewAgainstthebulwarkstonesandlancesflew。
  XXXII
  Hismenatarmsdidbackhisbandsonfoot,Thelighthorseridefaroffandserveforwings,Hegavethesign,somightywastheroutOfthosethatshotwithbowsandcastwithslings,Suchstormsofshaftsandstonesflewallabout,ThatmanyaPaganproudtodeathitbrings,Somedied,someattheirloopsdurstscantoutpeep,Somefledandlefttheplacetheytooktokeep。
  XXXIII
  ThehardyFrenchmen,fullofheatandhaste,Ranboldlyforwardtotheditcheslarge,Ando’ertheirheadsanironpenticevastTheybuilt,byjoiningmanyashieldandtarge,Somewiththeirenginesceaselessshotandcast,Andvolleyshugeofarrowssharpdischarge,UpontheditchessomeemployedtheirpainTofillthemoatandevenitwiththeplain。
  XXXIV
  Withslimeormudtheditcheswerenotsoft,Butdryandsandy,voidofwatersclear,ThoughlargeanddeeptheChristiansfillthemoft,Withrubbish,fagots,stones,andtreestheybear:
  Adrastusfirstadvancedhiscrestaloft,Andboldlyganastrongscaladorear,AndthroughthefallingstormdidupwardclimbOfstones,darts,arrows,fire,pitchandlime:
  XXXV
  ThehardySwitzernowsofarwasgoneThathalfwayupwithmicklepainhegot,Athousandweaponshesustainedalone,Andhisaudaciousclimbingceasednot;
  Atlastuponhimfellamightystone,Asfromsomeenginegreatithadbeenshot,Itbrokehishelm,hetumbledfromtheheight,ThestrongCircassiancastthatwondrousweight;
  XXXVI
  Notmortalwastheblow,yetwiththefallOnearthsorebruisedthemanlayinaswoon。
  Argantesganwithboastingwordstocall,“Whocomethnext?thisfirstistumbleddown,Come,hardysoldiers,come,assaultthiswall,Iwillnotshrink,norfly,norhidemycrown,Ifinyourtrenchyourselvesfordreadyouhold,Thereshallyoudielikesheepkilledintheirfold。“
  XXXVII
  Thusboastedhe;butintheirtrenchesdeep,Thehiddensquadronskeptthemselvesfromscath,ThecurtainmadeofshieldsdidwelloffkeepBothdartsandshot,andscornedalltheirwrath。
  Butnowtheramupontherampierssteep,Onmightybeamshisheadadvancedhath,Withdreadfulhornsofirontoughtreegreat,Thewallsandbulwarkstrembledathisthreat。
  XXXVIII
  AnhundredablemenmeanwhileletfallTheweightsbehind,theenginetumbleddownAndbatteredflatthebattlementsandwall:
  SofellTaigetushillonSpartatown,Itcrushedthesteeledshieldinpiecessmall,Andbeatthehelmettothewearers’crown,Andontheruinsofthewallsandstones,Dispersedlefttheirbloodtheirbrainsandbones。
  XXXIX
  ThefierceassailantskeptnolongercloseUndcrtheshelteroftheirtargetfine,Buttheirboldfrontstochanceofwarexpose,Andgainstthosetowerslettheirvirtueshine,Thescalingladdersuptoskiesarose,Theground-worksdeepsomecloselyundermine,ThewallsbeforetheFrenchmenshrinkandshake,Andgapingsignofheadlongfallingmake:
  XL
  Andfallentheyhad,sofarthestrengthextendsOfthatfierceramandhisredoubtedstroke,ButthatthePagan’scaretheplacedefendsAndsavedbywarlikeskillthewallnighbroke:
  Fortowhatpartsoe’ertheenginebends,Theirsacksofwooltheyplacetheblowtochoke,Whoseyieldingbreaksthestrokesthereonwhichlight,Soweaknessoftsubduesthegreatestmight。
  XLI
  WhilethustheworthiesofthewesterncrewMaintainedtheirbraveassaultandskirmishhot,HermightybowClorindaoftendrew,Andmanyasharpanddeadlyarrowshot;
  AndfromherbownosteeledshaftthereflewButthatsomebloodthecursedenginegot,Bloodofsomevaliantknightormanoffame,Forthatproudshootressscornedweakergame。
  XLII
  ThefirstshehitamongtheChristianpeersWastheboldsonofEngland’snobleking,Abovethetrenchhimselfhescantlyrears,Butsheanarrowloosedfromthestring,Thewickedsteelhisgauntletbreaksandtears,Andthroughhisrighthandthrustthepiercingsting;
  Disabledthusfromfight,heganretire,Groaningforpain,butfrettingmoreforire。
  XLIII
  LordStephenofAmboiseontheditch’sbrim,Andonaladderhigh,Clothariusdied,Frombacktobreastanarrowpiercedhim,Theotherwasshotthroughfromsidetoside:
  Thenashemanagedbravehiscoursertrim,OnhisleftarmhehittheFlemings’guide,Hestopped,andfromthewoundthereedout-twined,Butlefttheironinhisfleshbehind。
  XLIV
  AsAdemarestoodtobeholdthefightHighonthebank,withdrawntobreatheaspace,Afatalshaftuponhisforeheadlight,Hishandhelifteduptofeeltheplace,Whereonasecondarrowchancedright,Andnailedhishanduntohiswoundedface,Hefell,andwithhisblooddistainedtheland,Hisholybloodshedbyavirgin’shand。
  XLV
  WhilePalamedestoodnearthebattlement,Despisingperilsall,andallmishap,Andupwardstillhishardyfootingsbent,Onhisrighteyehecaughtadeadlyclap,ThroughhisrighteyeClorinda’sseventhshaftwent,Andinhisneckbrokeforthabloodygap;
  Heunderneaththatbulwarkdyingfell,Whichlatetoscaleandwinhetrustedwell。
  XLVI
  Thusshotthemaid:thedukewithhardassayAndsharpassault,meanwhilethetownoppressed,AgainstthatpartwhichtohiscampwardlayAnenginehugeandwondrousheaddressed,Atowerofwoodbuiltforthetown’sdecayAshighaswerethewallsandbulwarksbest,Aturretfullofmenandweaponspent,Andyetonwheelsitrolled,moved,andwent。
  XLVII
  Thisrollingforthisnighapproachesmade,Anddartsandarrowsspitagainsthisfoes,Asshipsarewontinfight,soitassayedWiththestrongwalltograppleandtoclose,ThePagansoneachsidethepieceinvade,Andalltheirforceagainstthismassoppose,Sometimesthewheels,sometimesthebattlementWithtimber,logsandstones,theybrokeandrent,XLVIII
  Sothickflewstonesanddarts,thatnomanseesTheazureheavens,thesunhisbrightnesslost,Thecloudsofweapons,liketoswarmsofbees,Movetheair,andthereeachothercrossed:
  Andlookhowfallingleavesdropdownfromtrees,Whenthemoistsapisnippedwithtimelyfrost,Orapplesinstrongwindsfrombranchesfall;
  TheSaracenssotumbledfromthewall。