Th’ illustrious King for loyalty bepraisèd
the Portingalls, the while his spirit weigh’d
how high his value, strong his orders are,
whose Royal word is heard in land so far.
86
And, with a smiling mien and pleasèd face,
he hailed the Herald, proff’ering high esteem:—
“All black suspicions from your bosoms chase,
nor let your souls with frigid terror teem;
such be your gallant worth, your works of grace,
the World your deeds shall aye most glorious deem;
and whoso holdeth right to do you wrong
ne truth ne noble thoughts to him belong.
87
“That all you warmen may not instant land
observing ’customèd pre-eminence,
though sorely grievèd by your King’s command,
yet much we prize so much obedience:
Yet, as your orders our desire withstand;
nor we consent to see such excellence
of heart, such loyalty of soul, belied,
that our good wishes sole be gratified.
88
“But, as to-morrow’s Sun on earth shall shine,
all our Flotilla shall make holiday;
to seek your sturdy Fleet is our design
we have so longed to see full many a day:
And if your sea-tost vessels bear the sign
of angry tempests, and their tedious way,
here they shall find in friendly form and guise
pilots, munitions, vittaile and supplies.”
89
He spake; and ’neath the sea-rim sank to rest
Latona’s son, when home the Herald hied,
with the fair message to the Fleet addrest,
in a light canoe that fast outran the tide.
Now joy and gladness fillèd ev’ery breast,
all had the perfect cure at length descried—
Discov’ery of the Land, long wisht-for sight;
and thus they festival’d with glee the night.
90
Aboard is foyson of those artful rays,
whose splendours mock the trem’ulous hairy star:
Now every bombardier his boast displays,
till Ocean’s thunder answers earth and air.
The Cyclops’ art is shown in various ways,
in fire-stuffed shells, and burning bombs of war:
Others with voices which invade the skies,
make brazen notes from blaring trumps arise.
91
Echoes a loud reply the ready shore,
with buzzing fireworks forming giddy gyre;
whirl burning wheels that far in Aether soar;
sulphurous dust deep-hid explodes in fire:
Heav’en-high resounds the multitudinous roar;
the soft blue waters don Flame’s red attire;
nor blazeth land the less: ’Tis thus friends greet
their friends as foemen who in battle meet.
92
Again the restless Spheres revolving sped,
to olden drudg’ry dooming man anew:
Again did Memnon’s Mother radiance shed,
and from the sluggard’s eyne soft sleep withdrew:
The latest shadows slowly melting fled,
on earthly flow’rets weeping frigid dew;
when the Melindan King took boat that he
might view the Squad that swam the Blackmoor sea.
93
Boiling about him, swarming round the Bay,
dense crowds glad gather’d and enjoy’d the sight:
Caftans of finest purple glisten gay;
glance splendid robes with silken tissue dight:
In lieu of warrior lance, and harsegaye39
and bow whose burnisht cusps mock Luna’s light;
aloft the revellers bear the palmy bough,
the fittest crown that decks the conqueror’s brow.
94
A spacious stately barge, o’ercanopied
with dainty silks, of divers teinture stainèd
beareth Melinde’s King, accompanied
by lords and captains of the land he reignèd.
Rich clad he cometh with what pomp and pride,
his country customs and his taste ordainèd;
a precious Turbant winds around his head
of cotton wrought with gold and silken thread.
95
Caftan of costly texture Damascene—
the Tyrian colour honour’d there of eld;—
Torque round his collar, shining golden sheen,
whose wealth of work its wealth of ore excel’d:
Glitters and gleams with radiance diamantine
Dag-targe of costly price by girdle held:
And show, in fine, upon his sandal-shoon
velvets with seed-pearl and gold-spangle strewn.
96
With silken sunshade, high and round of guise
fast to its handle bound, a gilded spear,
a Minister the solar ray defies
lest hurt of baleful beam the high King bear:
High in the poop his strange glad music hies,
of asp’erous noise, most horr’ible to the ear,
of archèd trumpets writhed in curious round,
roaring a rough, rude, unconcerted sound.
97
Nor with less garnishment our Lusitanian
swift-sailing galleys from the Squadron bore,
to meet and greet the noble Melindanian,
begirt by goodly company galore.
The Gamma cometh dight in dress Hispanian;
but of French work the doublet was he wore,
Satin which Adrian Venice works and stains
crimson, a colour which such prize obtains.
98
Buttons of gold his loopèd sleeves confine,
where solar glancings dazzle gazing eyes:
Hosen of soldier fashion purfled shine
with the rich metal Fortune oft denies:
Points of the same the slashes deftly join,
gored in his doublet, with right del’icate ties:
Gold-hilted sword in mode of Italy:
Plume in his bonnet worn a little wry.
99
I’ the suite and escort of the Captain show’d
of the dye murex—Tyre’s surpassing tint—
the various shades that joy’d men’s eyne, and mode
of dress devis’d with fashion different:
Such was th’ enamel, and as bright it glow’d
with cunning colours in quaint mixture blent,
as though her rutilant bow had rear’d in air
the Maid of Thaumas, fairest of the fair.
100
Sonorous trumpets manly breasts incite
gladding the heart with martial music gay:
Churnèd the Moorish keels blue waters white
and awnings sprent with dews of pearly spray:
The horrid-sounding bombards thunder fright
while smoky hangings veil the splendid day;
roar the hot volleys hurtling sounds so loud,
fain close with hands their ears the Moorish crowd.
101
And now the King our Captain’s galley sought,
who strainèd in his arms the welcome guest:
He with the courtesy which Reason taught,
his host (who was of Royal rank) addrest.
Noted th’ admiring Moor, with marvel fraught,
his visitor’s ev’ery mode, and look, and gest,
as one regarding with a huge esteem
Folk who so far in quest of India came.
102
And to him proffers in his phrase high-flown
whatever goods his realm and haven boast;
the while commanding him to hold his own
what store might haply serve his turn the most:
Eke he assures him Fame had made well-known
the Lusian name ere Lusians reached his coast:
for long ’twas rumour’d that in realms afar
it had with peoples of his law waged war.
103
How Africk cont’inent’s farthest
