Now had the glowing Amourist, who won 1
fair faithless Larissæa’s love, incline’d
his steeds where lies, girt by the great Lagoon[45]
Temistitam, the western world behind:
Favonius’ breath the brenning of the Sun
cooleth, and o’er the nat’ural tanks his wind
crisps the sea-mirror, and awakes the Lily
slumb’ering with Jasmin through the noontide stilly:
When the fair Nymphs, who each her lover led, 2
hand linkt in hand, conforming and content,
trooped where the radiant Pleasaunce reared its head
all gay with gold and metals lucident;
when bade the Queen that tables there be spread
with varied viands chosen, excellent
for loved and loving vigour to restore,
the pow’ers which Love from weary nature bore.
There on the radiant thrones, rich, chrystalline, 3
sit the blithe couples, cavalier and dame;
while on the golden daïs in state recline
the lovely Goddess, Gama loved by Fame:
Delicious dainties, delicate, divine,
that ántique Egypt’s lux’ury sink to shame,
heap the huge chargers of the tawny gold
from far Atlantis-treas’ury hither roll’d.
The wines of fragrant scent not sole excel 4
Falernus’ vintage, proud Italia’s boast,
but e’en th’ Ambrosia Jove esteems so well
and eke esteems his sempiternal Host;
in cups where steely file may not prevail,
they spume crisp foam that glads man’s innermost
bosom, and warms his heart with sudden glow;
and with ice-water temper’d, leap and flow.
Told were a thousand tales of joy and mirth; 5
sweet smiles met subtle sayings warm with wit
which to this course and that gave double worth,
and sharpened edge to blunted appetite:
Nor of the Harp harmonious was there dearth,
(which in profoundest Pit the naked Sprite
awhile can respite from eternal pain),
sweeten’d by Siren-voice of Angel-strain.
Thus sang that Nymph, the fairest of her kind,-- 6
her descant ech’oing down the halls sublime,--
with consonance of instrument combine’d
and all conforming to one tone and time:
A sudden silence husheth every Wind,
and makes the Wavelet plash with softer chime,
while salvage animals in nat’ural lair
to slumber charmed, a dreamy musick hear.
Her voice of silver raiseth to the skies 7
the coming race of Barons high renown’d,
whose prototypes were shown to Proteus’ eyes
within the hollow Sphere’s diaph’anous round;[46]
Jove’s goodly present and the choicest prize
giv’en him in vision. To the Realm profound
the tale prophetick told he, and the Maid
in Mem’ory’s depths the glorious hist’ory laid.
Subject of buskin ’tis, and not for sock, 8
what in that vasty Lake the Nymph made known,
things from Iópas hid and Demodoque;
Phœacian this, and that of Carthage-town.
Thee, my Calliope! I now invoke
in this mine éxtreme labour, thou alone
canst for my writing to my sprite restore
the gust of writing, which I ’joy no more.
My years glide downwards, and my Summer’s pride 9
mergeth in Autumn, passing, ah! how soon;
Fortune my Genius chills, and loves to chide
my Poet-soul no more my boast and boon:
Hopes long deferrèd bear me to the tide
of black Oblivion, and eternal Swoon:
But deign to grant me thou, the Muses’ Queen,
to praise my People with my proper strain!
Sang the fair Goddess how the wide Seas o’er 10
from Tagus bank, whence Gama cut his path,
shall sail strong Navies, conq’uering ev’ry shore
where Indic Ocean sucks his mighty breath:
How all the Kings, who Géntoo gods adore,
and dare our yoke reject shall rue the wrath
of hard and hardy Arms, with steel and lowe,
till low to Gama or to Death they bow:[47]
Of one she chaunted that in Malabar[48] 11
held of the Priesthood highest dignity,
who, lest be loosen’d with the singular
Barons the knot of love and amity,
shall see his towns, his cities in the war
with fire and sword, and wrath and cruelty
undone, which potent Samorim shall wage:
Against the stranger such shall be his rage.
And eke she singeth how shall join the Fleet 12
in Belem moor’d, to ’bate this deadly bane,
when of his burthen nought could Ocean weet,
our great Pacheco,[49] ’Achilles Lusitan:
Lo! as he ent’ereth all his weight shall greet
the curvèd timber and the fervid Main,
as in the waters every keel that groaneth
sits deeper swimming than its nature owneth.
But hardly landed on those Orient ends, 13
and, leaving with the royal Unbeliever
of Cochim-realm, some native troops where bends
its salty branches Cochim’s snakey river;
the Nayrs’ infernal bands he breaks and rends,
in the Pass Cambalam,[50] whereat shall shiver
with freezing fear the Orient’s fiery glow,
seeing so few so many men o’erthrow.
The Samorim shall summon fresh allies; 14
Kings hurry’ing come from Bipur and Tanor,[51]
and where Narsinga’s serrièd crests arise
vowing high valour to their Grand Seignior:
Lo! at his bidding every Nayr-man hies,
that dwells ’twixt Calecut and Cananor,
two hostile peoples linkt at War’s demand,
by sea the Moormen come, Géntoos by land.
Again shall scatter all their strong array 15
Pacheco grandly bold on shore and Main;
the mighty Meiny he shall crush and slay,
and be the Marvel of the Mal’abar plain:
Again shall dare the Pagan sans delay
to offer battle for his bitter bane;
taunting his Host and off’ering vainest vows
his deaf, and dumb, and heedless Gods to ’rouse.
No more the Passes only now defending, 16
he shall with fire consume thorpe, fane and town:
The Hound, waxt wood to see with toil unending
his fencéd Cities on the plain bestrown,
shall drive his soldiers, life so freely spending,
against Pacheco, who with wings hath flown
for double movement: But at single bout
hither and thither all he puts to rout.
Shall come in person Sam’orim fight to dare, 17
to cheer his forces and fresh force enjoin;
but soon a bullet singing through the air
shall stain him red in lofty palanquin.
Naught now availeth him, ne wile ne snare
ne force Pacheco deemeth like to win;
he shall vain venoms deal, deal treasons base
which aye gain less of gain by God’s good grace.
“He[52] shall a seventh time,” she sang, “aspire 18
the brave beleaguer’d Lusian to assail,
whom toil and travail lack the strength to tire;
but save confusion nothing shall avail:
Then shall he bring to battle dread and dire
machines of timber, unknown, terrible,
to sink the Carvels by the board assailèd,
when force and fraud both tried alike have failèd.
“On water-plain upheaping fiery hill 19
he now shall ’tempt the Lusian Fleet to ’flame:
But soldier-science and the war-man’s will
the strength shall weaken wherewithal he came.
Ne’er hath a Baron famed for martial skill,
that starward soarèd on the wings of Fame,
rivallèd this, who Palms from all hath won:--
Illustrious Greece, or Rome, my words condone!
“For, such fierce battles in such manner gainèd 20
by a poor hundred or few more, such fight,
such feints, such strength, such stratagems sustainèd
so many hounds not heartless hurled to flight;
such feats, I say, must seem as Fables feignèd,
or that the Hosts of Heav’en invoked, alight
earthward to aid him, shall to him impart
daring and doing, heart and warrior art.
“Nor he who in the chámpaign Marathonian, 21
Darius’ mighty powers piecemeal rendeth;
nor with four thousand men Lacedæmonian
he who the Pass Thermopylæ defendeth;
nor youthful Cocles of the strain Ausonian,
who with the whole Etrurian host contendeth
the Bridge to hold, nor Quintus Fabius e’er
like this in war showed strength and savoir-faire.”
But here the Nymph’s triumphant measure dies, 22
shifting to sadden’d murmur low and slow,
she sings ’mid tears and ill-suppressèd sighs
the mighty Gestes that did no grat’itude know.
“Oh, Belisarius! thou who aye shalt rise
in ninefold Choir, and ever nobler grow,
if Mars dishonour’d didst behold in thee
one to console thee here thy Shade shall see!
“Thou hast a Rival, not alone in deed 23
but in his dolence and his guerdon dour:
In thee and him two breasts of noblest breed
we see degraded to low state obscure:
To die in ’spital, on the bed of need,
who King and Law like wall of i’ron secure!
Thus do capricious Kings, whose will demandeth
more than what Justice or what Truth commandeth:
“Thus do the Kings who, drunk with flatt’ery, feel 24
the charm of show that gains their hearts’ content;
the doles of Ajax’ arm the due they deal
to tongue of vain Ulysses fraudulent:
But,--oh Revenge!--these goods of little weal,
wasted on those who ghosts of Good present,
if brave and gentle Knights miss all their grants,
such grants but glut their greedy sycophants.
“Yet thou! who paidest in such sorry ways, 25
such liege, oh King! unjust in this alone,
if ne’er ’twas thine to give him grade and praise,
’twas his to give his King a golden throne.
Long as Apollo bathes with blessèd rays
this ball of Earth, I swear, shall aye be known
amid the Great and Good his name and fame,
and thine for Av’arice aye shall bear the blame!
“See now!” she sang, “another[53] comes in pride 26
of the Blood Royal, and he brings from home
the Son, whose name shall sound o’er Ocean-tide,
high as the Roman’s in best days of Rome.
The two with warrior arms to hearts affied,
shall deal to fertile Quiloa dreadful doom,
and crown a gentler King of loyal strain,
who ends the Tyrant’s fell perfidious reign.
“Mombasah-city, with her brave array 27
of sumptuous palace, proudest edifice,
defaced, deformed by fire and steel shall pay
in kind the tale of byegone malefice.
Thence on those Indian shores which proud display
their hostile fleets, and warlike artifice
’gainst the Lusians, with his sail and oar
shall young Lourenço work th’ extremes of war.
“What mighty vessels Sam’orim’s orders own 28
covering Ocean, with his iron hail
poured from hot copper-tube in thunder-tone
all shall he shatter, rudder, mast and sail;
then with his grapples boldly, deftly thrown,
the hostile Ammiral he shall assail,
board her, and only with the lance and sword
shall slay four hecatombs of Moors abhor’d.
“But God’s prevision ’scaping human sight, 29
alone who knows what good best serves His end,
shall place the Hero where ne toil ne might
his lost young life availeth to forfend.
In Cháúl-bay, where fierce and furious fight
with fire and steel shall fervid seas offend,
th’ Infidel so shall deal that end his days
where Egypt’s navy doth conjoin Cambay’s.
“There shall the pow’er of man’ifold enemies,-- 30
for only stronger force strong force can tire,--
and Winds defaulting and fierce injuries
of Ocean, ’gainst a single life conspire:
Here let all olden men from death arise
to see his Valour, catch his noble fire:
A second Scæva[54] see who, hackt and torn,
laughs at surrender, quarter holds in scorn.
“With the fierce torture of a mangled thigh, 31
torn off by bullet which at random past,
his stalwart arms he ceaseth not to ply,
that fiery Spirit flaming to the last:
Until another ball clean cuts the tie
so frail that linkèd Soul and Body fast;--
the Soul which loosèd from her prison fleets
whither the prize eterne such Conq’ueror greets.
“Go, Soul! to Peace from Warfare turbulent 32
wherein thou meritedst sweet Peace serene!
for those torn tortured limbs, that life so rent
who gave thee life prepareth vengeance keen:
I hear e’en now the furious storm ferment,
threating the terrible eternal teen,
of Chamber, Basilisco, Saker-fire,
to Mameluke cruel and Cambayan dire.
“See with stupendous heart the war to wage, 33
driven by rage and grief the Father flies,
paternal fondness urging battle-gage,
fire in his heart and water in his eyes:
Promise the sire’s distress, the soldier’s rage,
a bloody deluge o’er the knees shall rise
on ev’ry hostile deck: This Nyle shall fear,
Indus shall sight it, and the Gange shall hear.
“As when some lusty Bull would train and teach 34
his limbs for cruel fight, with horns he playeth
on trunk of builder-oak, or mast-like beech,
and wounding empty air his might essayeth:
Thus ere his keels Cambaya’s Gulf can reach
Francisco, fierce with vengeful ardour preyeth
on Dabul,[55] op’ulent harbour, whets his brand
and ’bates the tumid bragging of the land:
“And soon shall scatter, sailing up the Bight, 35
of Diu[56] enfamed for siege and battle dread,
Calecut’s strong Armada weak of fight,
that trusts to paddles steely mail instead:
She of Melique Yáz, who boasts her might
of balls by thee, O Vulcan! scatterèd,
shall see her Carvels to the frore deep sent
where hidden sleeps the humid element.
“While she of Mir Hosem[57] which, linkèd fast 36
with grapples waits th’ Avenger side by side,
shall sight the lopt-off arms and legs float past,
sans owner-bodies, o’er the shifting tide:
Like flamey bolt on Earth by thunder cast
in blinding mist of blood the Braves shall ride:
There naught shall strike the shrinking ear and eye
save fire and steel-flash, shout and slogan-cry.
“But, ah! that homeward from such wars victorious, 37
bound for the Tagus of his Fatherland,
he nigh should forfeit meeds so great and glorious,
by sad black chance I see in Fortune’s hand!
The Cape of Storms that guards his name memorious
shall guard his bones, nor blush shall stain its strand,
that noble spirit from the world to tear,
Egyptian strength ne’er tore nor Indian snare.
“There salvage Caffres shall have pow’er to do 38
what ne’er could do the pow’er of dext’erous foe;
and the rude fire-charred club and staff subdue
whom ne’er subduèd ball nor artful bow.
Forsooth His judgments hide from human view!
Vain fools who vainly judge what none may know,
call a misfortune, term a fate malign,
what is but Providence pure, all-wise, divine.
“But, oh! what lustrous Light illumes mine eyes,” 39[58]
resumed the Nymph, as rose again her tone,
“there where Melinde’s blood-dyed Ocean lies
from Lamo, Oja, Brava-town, o’erthrown
by hand of Cunha, such a deed ne’er dies,
o’er farthest seas his name shall aye be known
that lave those Austral Islands, and the shore
Saint Lawrence[59] hight and ring the wide world o’er.
“This Light is glance and glare of lucent arm 40
wherewith your Albuquerque’s hand shall tame
the Hormuz Parsi’s heart which be his harm,
refusing gentle rule as yoke of shame.
There shall he see of shafts the strident swarm,
in air revolving with recurvèd aim
upon his archer, for our God shall aid,
who holy faith of Mother Church would spread.”
Then waxt the woeful wail a sorer strain,
“Oh, God, what vision in the further days!
That fair young Prince of Gaul’s imperial vein,
so knightly valiant, fain of fame and praise:
I see him fighting, stricken, fallen, slain,
piercèd in front by Caffre assegais:--
Blush, Albion! blush, when Britons dare to flee
and leave such Prince such óbscure doom to dree!”
“There the Salt Mountains[60] never shall defend 41
corruption from remains of men that met
War’s doom, and o’er the seas and shores extend
of Gerum Isle,[61] Maskat and Calayat:
Till by pure force of arms they learn to bend
the subject neck, and pay the scot of Fate:
Compulsion sore this wicked Reign shall vex
and tithe of pearl that Barem’s oyster decks.
“What wreaths of glorious Palms I see them weave 42
wherewith by Victory’s hand his head is crown’d;
when he sans shade of fear or shame shall reave
illustrious Goa’s Island world-renown’d.
See, forced by Need’s hard law his prize to leave,
he seeks new favouring chance; and, soon as found,
the taken he retakes; such Arm and Art
shall conquer Fortune and the self of Mart.
“Lo! he returns and bursts what dares oppose, 43
thro’ bullet, lance-plump, steel, fire, strongest hold;
breaks with his brand the squadded host of foes,
the serried Moor, the Géntoo manifold.
His inclyt sold’iery more of fury shows
than rampant Bulls, or Lyons hunger-bold,
that Day[62] for ever celebrate and digne
of Egypt’s Martyr-maid, Saint Catherine.
“Nor shalt thou ’scape the fate to fall his prize, 44
albeit so wealthy, and so strong thy site
there on Aurora’s bosom, whence thy rise,
thou Home of Opulence, Malacca hight!
The poysoned arrows which thine art supplies
the Kríses[63] thirsting, as I see, for fight,
th’ enamoured Malay-men, the Javan braves,
all of the Lusian shall become the slaves.”
She had more stanzas sung in Siren-strain, 45
lauding her Albuquerque’s high renown,
when she recalled the pass’ionate deed, the stain
on his white fame that o’er the world hath shone.
The mighty Captain whom the Fates ordain
to view his toils win Glory’s lasting Crown,
should ever ’prove him kind and loved compeer
of his own men, not cruel judge severe.
In days of hunger and of dire distress, 46
sickness, bolts, arrows, thunder, lightning-glint,
when the sore seasons and sad sites oppress
his soldiers, rendering services sans stint;
it seemeth salvage act of wild excess,
of heart inhuman, bosom insolent,
to make last penalty of Laws atone
for sins our frailty and our love condone.
Abominable incest shall not be 47
his sin, nor ruffian rape of virgin pure,[64]
not e’en dishonour of adultery,
but lapse with wanton slave-girl, vile, obscure:
If urged by jealous sting, or modesty,
or used to cruelty and harshness dour,
Man from his men mad anger curbeth not,
his Fame’s white shield shall bear black ugly blot.
Learnt Alexander that Apelles lovèd 48
and his Campaspe gave with glad consent,
though was the Painter not his Soldier provèd,
nor in hard urgent siege his force was pent.
Felt Cyrus, eke, Panthéa deeply movèd
Araspas, by the fire of Passion brent,
though he had tane her charge, and pledged his oath
dishonest love should never break his troth:
But see’ing the noble Persian ’slaved and sway’d 49
by pow’er of Passion, sans in fine defence,
he gives light pardon, and thus gained his aid
in gravest case, the fittest recompense.
Himself perforce the mate of Judith made
Baldwin hight “Bras-de-fer,” but his offence
her father, Charles, for troublous times condone’d,
and gave him life the Flanders’ reign to found.
Again the Lyre its soul of musick sheds, 50
and sings the Nymph how shall Soáres fly
air-winn’owing flags whose terror far o’erspreads
the ruddy coasted lands of Araby:
Th’ abominable town, Medina, dreads
as Meca dreads and Gidá, and where lie
Abassia’s ultime shores: while Barbora fears
the fate that floodeth Zeyla-mart with tears.
“And, eke, the noble Island Taproban, 51
whose ancient name ne’er fail’d to give her note,
as still she reigns superb and sovereign
by boon of fragrant tree-bark, biting-hot:
Toll of her treasure to the Lusitan
ensign shall pay, when proud and high shall float
your breezy banners from the lofty tower,
and all Columbo fear your castled power.
“Sequeira,[65] too, far sailing for the shore, 52
of Erythras, new way shall open wide
to thee, Great Empire! who canst vaunt of yore
to be Candáce’s and the Sheban’s nide:
Masuá[66] that hoards in tanks her watery store,
he shall behold by Port Arquico’s side;
and send explorers to each distant isle,
till novel wonder all the world beguile.
“Succeeds Menézes;[67] less enfamed his sword 53
shall be in Asia than in Africk-land:
he shall chastise high Hormuz’ erring horde
and twofold tribute claim with conq’uering hand.
Thou also, Gama! shalt have rich reward
for ban of exile, when to high command
entitled, ‘County’ thou shalt be restorèd
to the fair region this thy Feat explorèd.
“But soon that fatal Debt all flesh must pay, 54
wherefrom our Nature no exception knows,
while deckt with proudest Royalty’s array,
from Life shall reave thee and Life’s toils and woes
Other Menézes[68] cometh sans delay,
who few of years but much of prudence shows
in rule; right happy this Henrique’s lot
by human story ne’er to be forgot.
“Conquer he shall not only Malabar, 55
destroy Panáné and Coulété waste,
hurling the bombards, which through hurtled air
deal horrid havock on th’ opposing breast;
but, dower’d with virtues truly singular,
he deals to seven-fold Spirit-foes his hest:
Covetise with Incont’inence he shall spurn,--
the highest conquest in the years that burn.
“Him, when his presence shall the stars invite 56
O Mascarenhas brave![69] thou shalt succeed;
and if injurious men shall rob thy right
eternal Fame I promise for thy meed!
That ev’ry hostile tongue confess thy might
and lofty valour, Fate for thee decreed
far more of Palm-wreaths shall thy glory crown,
than the Good Fortune due to thy renown.
“Where Bintam’s[70] reign her baleful head uprears, 57
Maláca humbling with her harmful hate,
in one short day the thousand tyrannous years
with bravest bosoms shalt avenge and ’bate:
Inhuman travails, perils without peers,
a thousand iron reefs, and dangerous strait,
stockade and bulwark, lances, arr’owy sleet,
all shalt thou break, I swear, all shalt submit.
“But Inde’s Ambition, and her Lucre-lust, 58
for ever flaunting bold and brazen face
in front of God and Justice, shall disgust
thy heart, but do thine honour no disgrace.
Who works vile inj’ury with unreas’oning trust
in force, and footing lent by rank and place,
conquereth nothing, the true Conq’ueror he
who dares do naked Justice fair and free.
“Yet to Sampaio[71] will I not gainsay 59
a noble valour shown by shrewdest blows,
that shall o’er Ocean flash like thunder-ray,
curded with thousand corpses of his foes.
He shall in Bacanor make fierce assay
on Malabar, till owns in terror-throes
Cutiále,[72] beaten with his battered Fleet
the dreadful ruin of a rout complete.
“Nor less of Diu the fierce and fere Armade, 60
the dread of Cháúl, daring, proudly man’d,
with single glance shall fall, till all have fled
our Hector da Sylveira’s heavy hand:
Our Hector Portingall, of whom ’tis said,
that o’er yon ever armed Cambayan strand,
such wrath on Guzerats ’tis his to wreak
as Trojan Hector wreakèd on the Greek.
“Then shall succeed to fierce Sampaio’s powers 61
Cunha,[73] and hold the helm for many a year;
building of Chálé-town the lofty towers,
while quakes illustrious Diu his name to hear:
Bassein to him her sturdy standard lowers,
yet not sans bloodshed, for with groan and tear
Melíque[74] se’eth his proudest estocade
storm’d not by firebrand but by sway of blade.
“Next comes Noronha,[75] whose auspicious sway 62
Diu from the barbarous Rumé-warman rends;
Diu, which beleaguer’d in his warrior way
Antonio da Sylveira well defends:
Soon must Noronha doom of death obey,
when branch of thine,[76] O Gama! aidance lends
to govern empire, and his fiery zeal
Fear’s pallid hue to Red Sea waves shall deal.
“From thine Estevam’s hands shall take the rein, 63
one raised already to a high degree
by his Brazilian wars, and trophies tane
from the French Pyrat[77] homed upon the sea:
Then dubbèd Amm’irall of our Indian Main,
Damán’s proud Valverte in her panoply
he scales, the first that open gate to thread
by flames and thousand fletchers coverèd.
“To him Cambaya’s King, that haughtest Moor, 64
shall yield in wealthy Diu the famous fort,
that he may gain against the Grand Mógor
’spite his stupendous pow’er, your firm support:
Thence shall he wend, most valiant conqueror,
to hem the Géntoo King, in Cal’ecut port
so let and hinder’d, he and all who hied
with him, retirèd in their blood red dyed.
“Low shall he lay the city Repelim 65
her Monarch forcing with his men to run;
then well-nigh reached the Cape ’clept Comorim,
another wreath of Fame by him is won;
the strongest squadron of the Samorim
who doubted not to see the world undone,
he shall destroy with rage of fire and steel:
Be’adálá’s self his martial yoke shall feel.
“Then from all Indus-land thus swept the foes, 66
the Conqu’eror, coming scepter’d state to claim,
finds no resistance where none dare oppose,
for nations tremble at his terrible name.
Alone shall risk of War the scourging woes
Baticalá[78] and dree Be’adálá’s shame:
Here blood and corpses shall defile the land
deformed by thund’erous gun and fiery brand.
“This shall be Martin, who the name of Mart 67
beareth and eke the deeds the name that gave:
As much esteemed for arms in every part,
as wise in stratagem, in counsel grave
Castro[79] succeeds, who Lusia’s estandart
shall bear for ever in the front to wave;
Successor the Succeeded’s work who endeth;
that buildeth Diu, this buildèd Diu defendeth.
“The fightful Perse, th’ Abassian, and the Rume 68
who hath revived the name of Rome, their liege,
of varied customs, various in costume,
fell tribes a thousand flocking to the siege;
on Earth against the Heav’ens shall vainly fume
that gars such handful so their lands abridge:
In blood of Portingalls this Paynimry
voweth its crookt and curved moustache to dye.
“Dread Basiliscos, Lyons’ fiery flare, 69
fierce Catapults, and mines that hidden spring,
shall Mascarenhas[80] and his Barons dare,
and to th’ assurèd Death glad mien shall bring:
Till, when all Hope is fled and reigns Despair,
Castro, the saviour, cometh offering
his sons’ young lives, and wills their names survive
God’s sacrifices aye in Death to live.
“One son, Fernando, sci’on of tree so high, 70
where violentest flames with loudest roar
blow shatter’d ramparts to the smoky sky,
there, stricken down on Earth, shall Heav’enward soar:
Alvaro, when mankind dread Winter fly
and shift from humid path for arid shore,
opens the waters ’spite what risks oppose,
and fighteth winds and waves to fight the foes.
“When, see! the Father cuts the wavy waste, 71
leading what resteth of the Lusitan;
with warman’s arm and arts which e’er be best
he offers battle’s rem’edy sovereign:
These scale the remparts and at gateways jest,
those cut broad gates through squads with rage insane:
Deeds they shall do so digne memorious glory,
song shall not suit nor Hist’ory hold the story.
“He shall once more upon the field appear 72
a strong intrepid victor, where his sight
Cambaya’s puissant King[81] shall strike with fear,
and hideous hosts of quadrupeds[82] affright:
Nor less shall fail his puissant reign t’ uprear
the Hydalcham,[83] when mighty arms shall smite
chastisèd Dábul, mistress of the coast,
nor shall spare Pondà’s distant inland post.
“Barons like these, with peers from various parts, 73
all worthy marvel and all mastering Fame,
raisèd to rank of Mart by martial arts,
shall come the pleasures of this Isle to claim:
Their hands shall wave triumphant estandarts
wherever keel-edge cutteth Ocean-stream:
Such men these Nymphs these banquets aye shall find,
Honours and Glories to high Gestes assign’d.”
Thus sang the Siren, while her sister-choir 74
with their sonorous plaudits filled the hall;
wherewith to hail the hour of glad desire
crowning the happy marriage-festival.
“However Fortune’s wheel shall turn its tire,”
with one harmonious accent chaunted all,
“renownèd People! rest your souls secure
of Honour, Valour, Fame, while worlds endure!”
When man’s corporeal necessity 75
was with the noble viands satisfied,
and when in sweet melodious suavity,
all had their lofty future feats descried;
Tethys, with grace adorned and gravity,
that with a higher pomp and double pride
be crowned the revels of this joyous day,
to glad and happy Gama thus ’gan say:--
“To thee Supremest Wisdom guerdon gave, 76
Baron! who hast beheld with fleshly eyne
what things the Future hath the pow’er to save
from Mortals’ petty pride and science vain.
Follow me firmly, prudent as thou’rt brave,
to yonder craggy brake with all thy train!”
Thus she, and straightway through a long wood led
arduous, gloomy, fere for foot to tread.
Nor far they steppèd when on culm’inant height 77
where stretcht a gem-enamel’d mead they stood;
Smaragd and Ruby-strewn, so rich the sight
presumed ’twas Paradisial floor they trod:
Here swimmeth air a Globe,[84] through which the light
of purest radiance piercèd in such mode
that as its polisht surface clearest clear,
so doth its centre and its core appear.
What mote its matter be escapes their eyes, 78
yet ’scapes them not it holdeth in embrace
var’ious Orbs, by wand of Him All-wise
disposed to circle round one central place:
Rolling it sinks and then returns to rise,
and yet ne sinks ne rises; while one face
is shown to all and every part, each part
begins in fine and ends with heav’enly art:
Uniform, perfect, and self-poised it be, 79
like th’ Archetype who drew the grand design.
Stood Gama overwhelmed this globe to see
with joy, and hope its nature to divine:
When thus the Goddess:--“Here th’ Epitome,
in little volume, to those eyes of thine
I give the gen’eral World, so shalt thou view
where goest thou, shalt go, and what shalt do.
“Here see the mighty World-machine appear, 80
ethereal where the fourfold el’ements blend,
made by His deep design, His lofty lere,
who lacks beginning and who has no end.
He who surrounding holds this shapely sphere,
this globe in filèd surface packt and pen’d,
is God: But what God is th’ intelligence
of mortal genius ne’er shall dare pretence.
“This primal Orb, that rolling doth enclose 81
the lesser circles in its lines confin’d;
this Sphere, whose flood of clearest radiance flows
blinding man’s vision and his vulgar mind
is hight th’ Empyrean:[85] Here the Blest repose,
here perfect Spirits bliss eternal find,
inéffable joys which He alone may ken
Who hath no likeness in the World of Men.
“Only to this Imperial Sphere belong 82
the Gods of Truth; for Saturn, Janus, I,
Jove and his Juno are a fabled throng,
a mortal figment, a blind phantasy:
Only to deck the Poet’s sprightly song
we servèd; and, if more humanity
we gained of man, ’twas that his wit hath given
our names and natures to the stars of Heaven:
“And, eke, because that Holy Providence,-- 83
the Jupiter of mythologick strain,--
by thousand Spirits wise in perfect sense,
ruleth all mundane things it doth sustain.
Prophetick Science doth this Truth dispense,
a Truth so many instances maintain:
Sprites that be good aye guide and favour man,
the bad his course impede whene’er they can.[86]
“Here willèd Picture, lief with change to play 84
pleasing and teaching, mixing gay and grave,
to give them titles which your olden lay
to fabled Gods in poet-fables gave:
For even th’ Angels of th’ eternal day
as Gods enrollèd were in sacred stave;
which e’en denies not such exalted name
sometimes to sinner though with falsest claim.
“In fine the God Supreme who works His will 85
by second worldly causes, all commands:
Return we now the works profound to tell
of His divine and venerated Hands.
Beneath this circle, where all blissful dwell
pure godly Sprites, which fixt for ever stands,
another rolleth, and so swift none see
its course: This is the Primum Mobilé:[87]
“And with its rapt[88] and rapid whirl it drags 86
all lesser spherelets which its womb containeth:
By work of this the Sun who never flags
with alien courses Day and Night sustaineth:
’Neath this swift orb another orb slow lags,[89]
so slow, so hard a curb its ardour reineth,
while Phœbus makes, with ever splendid face,
two hundred rounds, this moves a single pace.
“Lower this other view,[90] enamel’d gay 87
with burnisht figures gleaming radiant bright;
which in it too hold constant ordered way,
orbs on their axes scintillant empight:
Thou seest well ’tis dight with brave array
of broad and golden Zone, the Zodiac hight,
wherein twelve starry forms of an’imals shine,
that Phœbus’ mansions limit and define.
“Behold in other parts the portraiture, 88
limned by the Stars that sparkling glances shed:
Behold the Wain, attend the Cynosure,
and, with her fierce Worm-father, Andromed:
See Cassiopeia’s beauty lovely pure,
with turbulent Orion’s gesture dread:
Behold the Swan that doth in song expire,
the Hare and Hounds, the Ship and dulcet Lyre.
“Beneath this firmamental canopy 89
thou seest Saturn’s sky, that Godhead old:
With faster flight doth Jove below him fly,
and Mars yet lower, bellick planet bold:
In the fourth seat shines Heaven’s radiant eye;
then Venus leadeth all her Loves enrol’d;
Mercury wends with eloquence divine;
and ’neath him Dian showeth faces trine.
“In all these orbits motion different 90
shalt see; in these ’tis swift, in those ’tis slow;
now fly they farthest from the firmament,
then sweep they nearest earth that lurks below;
even so willed the Sire Omnipotent,
who made the Fire and Air, the Wind and Snow:
These lie more inward, as thou shalt be shown,
and Earth with Ocean for their centre own.
“Within this centre, Inn[91] of humankind, 91
whose reckless spirits not alone defy
suff’erings and ills to stable Earth confine’d,
but e’en the Sea’s fierce instability;
thou shalt see various Continents define’d
by blindly raging tides, where parted lie
the various Realms which various monarchs sway,
whose varied Customs varied laws obey.
“See high, haught Europe that adores the Rood, 92
for pow’er and polity o’er all renown’d:
See Africk grudging ev’ery worldly good,
yon rough, incult and monster-haunted ground;
whose Stormy Cape till now your search withstood,
by Nature ’stablished as her Austral bound:
Behold this quarter where the Blackmoors dwell
sans-loys, sans-foys, whose numbers none can tell.
“Behold the Ben’omotápa’s puissant reign 93
of salvage Negros, nude and noisome race,
where shall for Holy Faith be foully slain
martyr’d Gonçalo,[92] suffering sore disgrace:
This hidden Hemisphere to golden vein
gives birth, which man must win by sweat of face
See from yon Lake, whence Nilus rolls his tide,
how springs Cuáma[93] from the farther side.
“Behold those Blackmoors and their huts that stand 94
sans doors, each castled in his natal nest,
they trust of Royal Justice the command,
and in the candour of the neighbour’s breast:
Behold how furious flies the bestial band
like flock of dingy stares thick packt and prest;
to fight Sofala’s fortress they pretend
which dext’erous Nhaia’s arm and wits defend:
“See there the Lakes that cradle Father Nyle 95[94]
whose ultime sources men of old ne’er knew:
See how he waters, ’gend’ering cockadrille,
Abassia-lond whose sons to CHRIST be true:
Behold how bare of bulwarks (novel style)
they show a better front against the foe:
See Meroe-island whilom known to fame,
which now the wild inhabitants Nobá name.
“On distant Africk hills a son of thee 96
in Turkish wars shall win the fame of Brave;
hight Dom Christóvam shall the hero be,
but flesh from destined Death no skill shall save.
Here view the Coast where shelter from the sea
and glad relief to thee Melinde gave:
Note how yon Rhaptus[95]-stream, whose wide expanse
natives call Obi, ent’ereth in Quilmance.
“The Cape which Antients ‘Aromatic’ clepe 97
behold, yclept by Moderns Guardafú;
where opes the Red Sea mouth, so wide and deep,
the Sea whose ruddy bed lends blushing hue:
This as a bourne was far thrust out to keep
Asia distinct from Africk, and a few
of the best markets Negro seaboards claim
Arquico are, Masuá and Súanquem.
“View éxtreme Suez where, old Annals say, 98
once stood the city hight Hero’opolis;
by some Arsin’oe called, and in our day
she holdeth Egypt’s fleets and argosies:
Behold the watery depths, where clove his way
Moses the mighty in past centuries:
Asia beginneth here her huge extent
in regions, kingdoms, empires opulent.
“See Sinai mountain,[96] with her boast and pride 99
the silver bier of saintly Catherine:
See Toro-port and Gidá, scant supplied
with fountain-water soft and crystalline:
Behold the Straits which end the southern side
of arid Aden-realms, that here confine
with tall Arzíran range, nude stone and live,
whence soft sweet rains of Heaven ne’er derive.
“See threefold Ar’aby, cov’ering so much ground, 100
where tawny peoples vague o’er vasty space;
whence come the Rabytes,[97] best for battle found,
light-limbed, high-fettled, noble-blooded race.
Behold the coast that trends to bind and bound
yon other Persian Strait, where sight can trace
the Headland proud the potent name to own
of Fartak-city, erst to Fame well-known.
“Behold insign Dofar that doth command 101
for Christian altars sweetest incense-store:
But note, beginning now on further band
of Rosalgáté’s[98] ever greedy shore,
yon Hormuz Kingdom strown along the strand,
whose fame for riches still shall higher soar
when the Turk’s galleys, and his fierce Armade
see Castel-Branco[99] bare his deadly blade.
“Behold of Asabón the Head, now hight 102
Mosandam, by the men who plough the Main:
Here lies the Gulf whose long and lake-like Bight
parts Araby from fertile Persia’s plain.
Attend yon Barem Isle, with depths bedight
by the rich pearly shell whose blushes feign
Auroran tints; and view in Ocean brine
Euphrate and Tygre in one bed conjoin.
“Great Persia’s noble Empire here behold, 103
ever on Destr’ier or in Camp of War,
whose sons disdain the copper-tube to mould,
and hands not horny with the Cymitar.
But see yon Gerum Isle the tale unfold
of mighty things which Time can make or mar;
for of Armúza-town yon shore upon
the name and glory this her rival won.
“Here Dom Philippe de Menézes view 104
approved a doughty valiant man-at-arms,
who with his Portughueze exceeding few
shall quell the Lára[100] Parsi’s potent swarms:
Pedro de Sousa too shall make them rue
reversèd Fortunes, Warfare’s deadliest harms,
who had his prowess in Ampáza[101] shown,
and took the land by sweep of sword alone.
“But now the Narrows and their noted head 105
Cape Jask, Carpella called by those of yore,
quit we, the dry terrene scant favourèd
by Nature niggard of her normal store:
Whilere Carmánia ’twas intitulèd:
But view fair Indus-flood whose waters pour
adown his natal heights, and in the range
of neighbour-mountains see the source of Gange.
“Behold Ulcindé’s most luxuriant land 106
and of Jaqueta-shore yon intime bay;
the monster Bore which roaring floods the strand,
and ebb which flieth with like force away.
See where Cambaya’s rich feracious band
boundeth re-entering seas, the Gulf Cambay;
and thousand Cities which I leave untold,
here hoard their wealth for you to have and hold.[102]
“See, runs the cel’ebrate seaboard Hindostánian 107
southward till reached its point, Cape Comori,
erst ‘Cori’ called, where th’ Island Taprobanian
(’tis now Ceylon) encrowns the fronting sea:
Besides these waves thy people Lusitanian,
who with their doughty arms will follow thee,
by conq’uering wars shall lands and towns debel,
wherein your sons and sons of sons shall dwell.
“The regions lying ’twixt these Rivers twain,[103] 108
thou see’st, with various tribes are infinite:
Here rule the Moslems; there the Géntoos reign
whose Holy Writ the Devil did indite:
See where Narsinga’s seigniories contain
the saintly relicks blessing human sprite,
Thomé’s remains, the Miss’ioner sanctified
who thrust his finger in Lord Jesu’s side.
“Here rose the potent City, Meliapor 109
namèd, in olden time rich, vast and grand:
Her sons their olden idols did adore
as still adoreth that iniquious band:
In those past ages stood she far from shore,
when to declare glad tidings o’er the land
Thomé came preaching, after he had trod
a thousand regions taught to know his God.
“Here came he preaching, and the while he gave 110
health to the sick, revival to the dead;
when Chance one day brought floating o’er the wave
a forest-tree of size unmeasurèd:
The King a Palace building lief would save
the waif for timber, and determinèd
the mighty bulk of trunk ashore to train
by force of engines, elephants and men.
“Now was that lumber of such vasty size, 111
no jot it moves, however hard they bear;
when lo! th’ Apostle of CHRIST’S verities
wastes in the business less of toil and care:
His trailing waist-cord to the tree he ties,
raises and sans an effort hales it where
a sumptuous Temple he would rear sublime,
a fixt example for all future time.
“Right well he knew how ’tis of Faith aver’d 112
‘Faith moveth mountains’ will or nill they move,
lending a listening ear to Holy Word:
As CHRIST had taught him, so ’twas his to prove:
By such a mir’acle much the mob was stir’d;
the Brahmins held it something from above;
for, seen his signs and seen his saintly life,
they fear the loss of old prerogative.
“These be the Sacerdotes of Géntoo-creed, 113
that of sore jealousy felt most the pain;
they seek ill-ways a thousand and take rede
Thomé to silence or to gar him slain:
The Principal who dons the three-twine thread,[104]
by a deed of horror makes the lesson plain,
there be no Hatred fell, and fere, and curst,
as by false Virtue for true Virtue nurst.
“One of his sons he slaughters, and accuses 114
Thomé of murther, who was innocent:
Bringing false witnesses, as there the use is,
him to the death they doom incontinent.
The Saint, assurèd that his best excuses
are his appeals to God Omnipotent,
prepares to work before the King and Court
a publick marvel of the major sort.
“He bids be brought the body of the slain 115
that it may live again, and be affied
to name its slayer, and its word be tane
as proof of testimony certified.
All saw the youth revive, arise again
in name of Jesu CHRIST the Crucified:
Thomé he thanks when raised to life anew
and names his father as the man who slew.
“So much of marvel did this Mir’acle claim, 116
straightway in Holy Water bathes the King
followed by many: These kiss Thomé’s hem
while those the praises of his Godhead sing.
Such ire the Brahmans and such furies ’flame,
Envy so pricks them with her venom’d sting,
that rousing ruffian-rout to wrath condign
a second slaughter-plot the priests design.
“One day when preaching to the folk he stood 117
they feigned a quarrel ’mid the mob to ’rise:
Already CHRIST his Holy man endow’d
with saintly martyrdom that opes the skies.
Rainèd innumerable stones the crowd
upon the victim, sacred sacrifice,
and last a villain, hast’ier than the rest,
pierced with a cruel spear his godly breast.
“Wept Gange and Indus, true Thomé! thy fate, 118
wept thee whatever lands thy foot had trod;
yet weep thee more the souls in blissful state
thou led’st to don the robes of Holy Rood.
But Angels waiting at the Par’adise-gate
meet thee with smiling faces, hymning God.
We pray thee, pray that still vouchsafe thy Lord
unto thy Lusians His good aid afford.
“And you, ye others, who usurp the name 119
of God’s Apostles, miss’ioners like Thomé,
say, an ye boast of apostolick claim
why fare not Holy Faith to preach and pray?
If ye be salt see how yourselves ye shame,
cleaving to home, where none the Prophet play;
how shall be salted in dark days as these
(Pagans I leave) such hosts of heresies?
“But now this per’ilous theme I pass beyond; 120
gain we again the limnèd shore and site.
Here with the City whereof Fame is fond,
bends the long bow-line of Gangetick Bight:
Runneth Narsinga rich and potent lond,
runneth Orissa vaunting tissues bright,
and at the bottom of the Bay’s long line,
illustrious Ganges seeks his home, the brine:
“Ganges whose acc’olents bathe, and bathing die, 121
and die in lively faith withal secure
whatever sins upon their spirits lie,
the Holy Waters lave them sinless-pure.
See Cathigam,[105] amid the highest high
in Bengal-province, proud of varied store
abundant, but behold how placed the Post
where sweeps the shore-line t’wards the southing coast.
“Arracan-realm behold, behold the seat 122
of Pegu peopled by a monster-brood;
monsters that ’gendered meeting most unmeet
of whelp and woman in the lonely wood.
Here bells of sounding orichalc they fit
upon their bodies, by the craftihood
of subtle Queen, who such new custom plan’d
to ’bate th’ accursèd Sin and Crime nefand.
“Behold Táváí City,[106] whence begin 123
Siam’s dominions, Reign of vast extent;
Tenassarí, Quedá of towns the Queen
that bear the burthen of the hot piment.
There farther forwards shall ye make, I ween,
Maláca’s market grand and opulent,
whither each Province of the long seaboard
shall send of merchantry rich varied hoard.
“From this Peninsula, they say, the sea 124
parted with puissant waves, and ent’ering tore
Samátra’s noble island, wont to be
joined to the Main as seen by men of yore.
’Twas callèd Chersonèse, and such degree
it gained by earth that yielded golden ore,
they gave a golden ep’ithet to the ground:
Some be who fancy Ophir here was found.
“But on her Lands-end throned see Cingapúr, 125
where the wide sea-road shrinks to narrow way:
Thence curves the coast to face the Cynosure,
and lastly trends Auroraward its lay:
See Pam, Patáne,[107] and in length obscure,
Siam, that ruleth all with royal sway;
behold Menam, who rolls his lordly tide
from Source Chiámái called, Lake long and wide.
“Thou see’st in spaces of such vast extent 126
nations of thousand names and yet unnamèd;
Láós in land and people prepotent,
Avás and Bramás[108] for vast ranges famèd.
See how in distant wilds and wolds lie pent
the self-styled Gueons,[109] salvage folk untamèd:
Man’s flesh they eat: their own they paint and sear,
branding with burning iron,--usage fere!
“See Mecom river fret Cambodia’s coast, 127
his name by ‘Water-Captain’ men explain;
in summer only when he swelleth most,
he leaves his bed to flood and feed the Plain:
As the frore Nyle he doth his freshets boast;
his peoples hold the fond belief and vain,
that pains and glories after death are ’signed
to brutes and soulless beasts of basest kind.
“This Stream with gentle, bland repose shall greet 128
in his embrace the Song,[110] that swam to land
from sad and piteous shipwreck dripping wet,
’scaped from the reefs and rocks that fang the strand;
from hunger-tortures and the perilous strait,
what time went forth the dour unjust command
on him, whose high sonorous lyre shall claim
such want of Fortune and such wealth of Fame.
“Here courseth, see, the callèd Champa[111] shore, 129
with woods of od’orous wood ’tis deckt and dight:
See Cauchichina still of note obscure,
and of Ainam[112] yon undiscoverèd Bight:
Here the proud Empire famed evermore
for wide-spread lands and wealth and matchless might,
of China runs, and boasts the whole her own
’twixt torrid Cancer and the frigid Zone.
“Behold yon wondrous and incred’ible Wall, 130
this and that other Region built to part;
most certain symbol this which shows to all,
Imperial Puissance proud in arm and art:
These their born Princes to the throne ne’er call,
Nor Son succeedeth Sire in subject heart;
the prop’erest man as Monarch they devise,
Some Knight for virtue famèd, brave and wise.
“Parforce hide other vasty lands from thee 131
until what time no land remain unfound:
But leave thou not those Islands of the Sea,[113]
where Nature rises to Fame’s highest round:
This Realm half-shadowed, China’s empery
afar reflecting, whither ships are bound,
is the Japan, whose virgin silver mine
shall shine still sheen’ier with the Law Divine.[114]
“Here see o’er Oriental seas bespread 132
infinite island-groups and alwhere strewed:
Tidore, Ternáte view, whose burning head
lanceth the wavy flame and fiery flood:
There see the groves the biting clove-bud shed,
bought with the price of Portughueze’s blood;
here dwell the golden fowls, whose home is air
and never earthward save in death may fare.
“See Banda’s Islets, which enamelled glow 133
various painted by the rosy fruits;
variegate birds, that flit from bough to bough,
take tithe and tribute of the greeny nuts:
See Borneo’s sea-girt shore where ever flow
the perfumed liquor’s thick and curded gouts,
the tears of forest-trees men ‘Camphor’ clepe,
wherefore that Island crop of Fame shall reap.
“Timor thence further sendeth forth her store 134
of fragrant Saunders, wood medicinal:
See Sunda’s Isle,[115] so stretch her farther shore
that hideth Auster’s regions of appall:
The wand’ering men who inner wilds explore,
tell of a stream whose marvels never pall;
for, where its lone and single current floweth,
dead wood that in it falls a live stone groweth.
“Behold yon land, made island of the sea[116] 135
by Time, whose trembling flame in vapour swelleth,
see Petroil-fountain, and the prodigy
of od’orous juice the weeping tree distilleth;[117]
sweeter than scent-tears shed in Araby
by Cin’yras’ daughter, where for aye she dwelleth;
and see, how holding all that others hold,
soft silk she hoardeth and the nugget-gold.
“See in Ceylon that Peak[118] so stark, so gaunt, 136
shooting high o’er the clouds or mocking sight:
The native peoples hold it sacrosanct
for the famed Stone where print of foot is pight:
O’er lone Maldivia’s islets grows the plant,[119]
beneath profoundest seas, of sov’ereign might;
whose pome of ev’ry Theriack is confest
by cunning leech of antidotes the best.
“Eke shalt thou see toforn the Red Sea strait 137
Socotra, famed for Aloë’s bitter growth:
I subject other sea-girt Isles to ’wait
your steps where sandy Africk seaboard show’th;
and yieldeth floating mass[120] rare, odorate,
but whence it cometh none of mortals know’th:
Of Sam Lourenço see yon famous Isle,
which certain travellers Madagascar style.
“Here distant Orient’s new-found climates see, 138
climes on the world by this your Feat bestowèd
that opened Ocean-portals patent-free,
whose vasty plain with doughty hearts you plowèd.
But in the Ponent als a reason be,
a Lusian’s noble exploit be avowèd,
who being greatly by his King aggrieved,
shall force a passage Fancy ne’er conceived.[121]
“See yon huge Region whose contin’uous lines 139
course from Callisto to the contr’ary Pole;
superb shall’t be by boast of lucent mines
whose veins Apollo’s golden tincture stole.
Castile, your ally, worthily designs
to make its barb’arous neck her yoke to thole:
In varied regions bide its various tribes,
with different rites which different use prescribes.
“But here where Earth spreads wider, ye shall claim 140
realms by the ruddy Dye-wood made renown’d:
These of the ‘Sacred Cross’[122] shall win the name:
By your first Navy shall that world be found.
Along this seaboard, which your arm shall tame,
shall wend him seeking Earth’s extremest bound
Magellan who, good sooth, by birth shall be
a Portughueze in all save loyalty.
“And when his courses pass the midway place 141
which from the Pole Antarctick parts the Line,
he shall behold an all but Giant race[123]
holding the countries which therewith confine:
Still onwards lie the Straits that aye shall grace
his name, which sea with sea through land conjoin;
a sea and land where horrid Auster bideth,
and ’neath his frozen wings their measure hideth.[124]
“Thus far, O Portingalls! to you was given 142
the feats of future ages now to know;
how o’er those Oceans which your keels have riven
great-hearted Barons grandest deeds shall do:
And hence, since all with mighty toils have striven,
toils by whose Fame your favour aye shall grow
with your eternal Spouses debonnair,
who shall weave glorious crowns for you to wear:
“Ye can embark, for fav’ouring blows the Wind 143
and to your well-loved home the seas be clear.”
Thus spake the Goddess, and the Braves incline’d
from the glad Island of sweet Love to steer.
They bear refreshment of the noblest kind,
they bear the longed-for Comp’any, each his Fere,
the Nymph that ever shall in heart abide,
long as the sunshine warmeth land and tide.
So fared they, cutting through the Main serene 144
with favouring breezes that ne’er blew in ire,
till they had sighted that familiar scene
their Fatherland, and ever fond desire.
They past the Tagus-mouth, our stream amene,
and gave their Country and their dread loved Sire,
who willed their voyage, glory and renown
and added lustrous titles to his crown.
* * * * *
No more, my Muse![125] no more, for now my Lyre 145
untunèd lies, and hoarse my voice of Song;
not that of singing tire I, but I tire
singing for surd and horny-hearted throng.
Favours which Poet-fancy mostly fire
our Land gives not, ah, no! ’tis plunged too long
in lust of lucre, whelmed in rudest folly
of vile, austere and vulgar melancholy.
Nor ken I wherefore, by what Fate indign 146
she ’joys ne genial pride, ne gen’eral taste,
which strengthen mortal spirit and incline
to face all travail with a happy haste.
Wherefore, O King! thou whom the Will Divine
hath on the kingly throne for purpose place’d
look that thou be (and see the realms of Earth)
sole Lord of vassals peerless in their worth!
Look how they gladly wend by many a way, 147
with raging Bulls’ or rampant Lyons’ might,
self-doomed to sleepless night and foodless day,
to fire and steel, shaft-show’er and bullet-flight:
To torrid Tropicks, Arcticks frore and grey,
the Pagan’s buffet and the Moor’s despight;
to risks invis’ible threating human life,
to wrack, sea-monsters and the waves’ wild strife.
All risks to serve thy cause they dare affront, 148
to thee though distant yield they homage due,
of ev’ry hard command they bear the brunt
sans answer, ever prompt and ever true:
On single look of favour could they count,
infernal Demons, black with Hell’s own hue,
with thee they fain encounter, and they dare
unconquer’d Conqueror their King declare.
Favour them alway, gladden every face 149
with thy fair Presence, blithe Humanity;
of rig’orous rule relieve them, deal the grace
of milder law that leads to sanctity:
impart to long Experience rank and place,
an with Experience ’habit Honesty
to work thy Sovran will; thus all shall trow
what things befall them, Whence and When and How.
All favour thou in Duty’s different way, 150
as in each life the storèd talent lies:
Let the Religious for thy gov’ernance pray,
and beg a blessing on each high emprize;
fast they and fash their flesh for those who stray
in vulgar vices, and as wind despise
Ambition, ne’er shall holy Priest mislead
glare of vain-glory, nor of gain the greed.
Foster the Cavaliers with fair esteem, 151
that oft their fearless, fiery blood have lent
to spread not only Heaven’s law supreme,
but eke thy royal Rule pre-eminent.
Such men who fare to face each fell extreme
of climate in thy cause aye diligent,
conquer a double foe; the fone that live,
and (deadlier task) with dark, dumb danger strive.
So do, my Sire! that sons of famous lands 152
Britons, Italians, Germans and the Gaul,
ne’er vaunt that might of mortal man commands
thy Portingalls, who should command them all.
Take counsel only with experienced hands,
men who long years, long moons, saw rise and fall:
Many for gen’eral science fitness show,
yet the partic’ulars none save experts know.
Elegant Phormion’s philosophick store, 153
see how the practised Hannibal deridèd,
when lectured he with wealth of bellick lore
and on big words and books himself he pridèd.
Senhor! the Soldier’s discipline is more
than men may learn by mother-fancy guidèd:
Not musing, dreaming, reading what they write;
’tis seeing, doing, fighting, teach to fight.
But I, what dare I say, rude, humble, low, 154
to thee unknown, yes, even in thy dreams?
Yet oft from lips of Babes and Sucklings flow,
I trow, the words of wisdom man esteems:
Right honest studies my career can show
with long Experience blent as best beseems,
and Genius here presentèd for thy view;--
gifts, that conjoinèd appertain to few.
For serving thee an arm to Arms addrest; 155
for singing thee a soul the Muses raise;
nought lacks me save of thee to stand confest,
whose duty ’tis the Good to prize and praise:
If Heav’en concede me this, and if thy breast
deign incept worthy of a Poet’s lays;--
as doth presage my spirit vaticine
viewing thee pace the human path divine:--
Or do’ing such derring-do, that ne’er Meduse 156
shall Atlas-mountain like thy glances shake,
or battling on the plains of Ampeluse
Marocco’s mures[126] and Terodant to break;
my now esteemèd and rejoicing Muse
thy name o’er Earth, I swear, so famed shall make,
an Alexander shall in Thee be shown
who of Achilles envy ne’er shall own.