Jerusalem Delivered (1854) by Torquato Tasso

Author:Torquato Tasso
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Historical fiction
ISBN: 9780217853668
Publisher: Books LLC
Published: 2009-08-13T20:00:00+00:00

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Eleventh Book

THE ARGUMENT

With grave procession, songs and psalms devout

Heaven's sacred aid the Christian lords invoke;

That done, they scale the wall which kept them out:

The fort is almost won, the gates nigh broke:

Godfrey is wounded by Clorinda stout,

And lost is that day's conquest by the stroke;

The angel cures him, he returns to fight,

But lost his labor, for day lost his light.

THE Christian army's great and puissant guide,

To assault the town that all his thoughts had bent,

Did ladders, rams, and engines huge provide,

When reverend Peter to him gravely went,

And drawing him with sober grace aside,

With words severe thus told his high intent;

"Right well, my lord, these earthly strengths you move,

But let us first begin from Heaven above:

"With public prayer, zeal and faith devout,

The aid, assistance, and the help obtain

Of all the blesséd of the heavenly rout,

With whose support you conquest sure may gain;

First let the priests before thine armies stout

With sacred hymns their holy voices strain.

And thou and all thy lords and peers with thee,

Of godliness and faith examples be."

Thus spake the hermit grave in words severe:

Godfrey allowed his counsel, sage, and wise,

"Of Christ the Lord," quoth he, "thou servant dear,

I yield to follow thy divine advice,

And while the princes I assemble here,

The great procession, songs and sacrifice,

With Bishop William, thou and Ademare,

With sacred and with solemn pomp prepare."

Next morn the bishops twain, the heremite,

And all the clerks and priests of less estate,

Did in the middest of the camp unite

Within a place for prayer consecrate,

Each priest adorned was in a surplice white,

The bishops donned their albes and copes of state,

Above their rochets buttoned fair before,

And mitres on their heads like crowns they wore.

Peter alone, before, spread to the wind

The glorious sign of our salvation great,

With easy pace the choir come all behind,

And hymns and psalms in order true repeat,

With sweet respondence in harmonious kind

Their humble song the yielding air doth beat,

Lastly, together went the reverend pair

Of prelates sage, William and Ademare,

The mighty duke came next, as princes do,

Without companion, marching all alone,

The lords and captains then came two and two,

The soldiers for their guard were armed each one;

With easy pace thus ordered, passing through

The trench and rampire, to the fields they gone,

No thundering drum, no trumpet shrill they hear,

Their godly music psalms and prayers were.

To thee, O Father, Son, and sacred Sprite,

One true, eternal, everlasting King;

To Christ's dear mother, Mary, virgin bright,

Psalms of thanksgiving and of praise they sing,

To them that angels down from heaven to fight

Against the blasphemous beast and dragon bring;

To him also that of our Saviour good,

Washéd the sacred font in Jordan's flood.

Him likewise they invoke, calléd the Rock

Whereon the Lord, they say, his Church did rear,

Whose true successors close or else unlock

The blesséd gates of grace and mercy dear;

And all the elected twelve the chosen flock,

Of his triumphant death who witness bear;

And them by torment, slaughter, fire and sword

Who martyrs died to confirm his word;

And them also whose books and writings tell

What certain path to heavenly bliss us leads;

And hermits good, and ancresses that

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