eke the first dwellers of her eldest years.
22
“Here sprang the Shepherd,51 in whose name we see
forecast of virile might, of virtuous meed;
whose fame no force shall ever hold in fee,
since fame of mighty Rome ne’er did the deed.
This, by light Heaven’s volatile decree,
that ancient Scyther, who devours his seed,
made puissant pow’er in many a part to claim,
assuming regal rank; and thus it came:—
23
“A King there was in Spain, Afonso hight,
who waged such warfare with the Saracen,
that by his ’sanguined arms, and arts, and might,
he spoiled the lands and lives of many men.
When from Hercùlean Calpè winged her flight
his fame to Caucasus Mount and Caspian glen,
many a Knight, who noblesse coveteth,
comes off’ering service to such King and Death.
24
“And with intrinsic love inflamèd more
for the True Faith, than honours popular,
they troopèd gath’ering from each distant shore,
leaving their dear-loved homes and lands afar.
When with high feats of force against the Moor
they proved of sing’ular worth in Holy War,
willèd Afonso that their mighty deeds
commens’urate gifts command and equal meeds.
25
“ ’Mid them Henrique, second son, men say,
of a Hungarian King, well-known and tried,
by sort won Portugal which, in his day,
ne prizèd was ne had fit cause for pride:
His strong affection stronger to display
the Spanish King decreed a princely bride,
his only child, Theresa, to the count;
and with her made him Seigneur Paramount.
26
“This doughty Vassal from that servile horde,
Hagar the handmaid’s seed, great vict’ories won;
reft the broad lands adjacent with his sword
and did whatever Brav’ery bade be done:
Him, for his exploits exc’ellent to reward,
God gave in shortest space a gallant son,
whose arm to ’noble and enfame was fain
the warlike name of Lusitania’s reign.
27
“Once more at home this conqu’ering Henry stood
who sacred Hierosol’yma had relievèd,
his eyes had fed on Jordan’s holy flood,
which the Dear Body of Lord God had lavèd;
when Godfrey52 left no foe to be subdued,
and all Judaea conquered was and savèd,
many that in his wars had done devoir
to their own lordships took the way once more.
28
“But when this stout and gallant Hun attainèd
Life’s fatal period, age and travail-spent,
he gave, by Death’s necessity constrainèd,
his sprite to Him who had that spirit lent:
A son of tender years alone remainèd,
to whom the Sire bequeath’d his ’bodiment;
with bravest braves the youth was formed to cope,
for from such sire such son the world may hope.
29
“Yet old Report, I know not what its weight,
(for on such antique tale no man relies),53
saith that the Mother, tane in tow the state,
a second nuptial bed did not despise:
Her orphan son to disinher’ited fate
she doomed, declaring hers the dignities,
not his, with seigniory o’er all the land,
her spousal dowry by her sire’s command.
30
“Now Prince Afonso (who such style had tane
in pious mem’ory of his Grandsire’s name)
seeing no part and portion in his reign
all pilled and plunder’d by the Spouse and Dame,
by dour and doughty Mars inflamed amain,
privily plots his heritage to claim:
He weighs the causes in his own conceit
till firm Resolve its fit effect shall greet.
31
“Of Guimara’ens the field already flow’d
with floods of civil warfare’s bloody tide,
where she, who little of the Mother show’d,
to her own bowels love and land denied.
Fronting the child in fight the parent stood;
nor saw her depth of sin that soul of pride
against her God, against maternal love:
Her sensual passion rose all pow’er above.
32
“O magical Medea! O Progne dire!
if your own babes in vengeance dared ye kill
for alien crimes, and injuries of the sire,
look ye, Teresa’s deed was darker still.
Foul greed of gain, incontinent desire,
were the main causes of such bitter ill:
Scylla her agèd sire for one did slay,
for both Teresa did her son betray.
33
“Right soon that noble Prince clear vict’ory won
from his harsh Mother and her Fere indign;
in briefest time the land obeyed the son,
though first to fight him did the folk incline.
But reft of reason and by rage undone
he bound the Mother in the biting chain:
Eftsoons avenged her griefs the hand of God:
Such veneration is to parents owe’d.
34
“Lo! the superb Castilian ’gins prepare
his pow’er to ’venge Teresa’s injuries,
against the Lusian land in men so rare,
whereon ne toil ne trouble heavy lies.
Their breasts the cruel battle grandly dare,
aid the good cause angelic Potencies;
unrecking might unequal still they strive,
nay, more, their dreadful foe to flight they drive.54
35
“Passeth no tedious time, before the great
Prince a dure Siege in Guimaraens dree’d
by passing pow’er, for to ’mend his state,
came the fell en’emy, full of grief and greed:
But when committed life to direful Fate,
Egas, the faithful guardian, he was free’d,
who had in any other way been lost,
all unpreparèd ’gainst such ’whelming host.
36
“But when the loyal Vassal well hath known
how weak his Monarch’s arm to front such fight,
sans order wending to the Spanish fone,
his Sovran’s homage he doth pledge and plight.
Straight from the horrid siege th’ invader flown
trusteth the word and honour of the Knight,
Egas Moniz: But now the noble breast
of the brave Youth disdaineth strange behest.
37
“Already came the plighted time and tide,
when the Castilian Don stood dight to see,
before his pow’er the Prince bend low his pride,
yielding the promisèd obediency.
Egás who views his knightly word belied,
while still Castile believes him true to be,
sweet life resolveth to the winds to throw,
nor live with foulest taint of faithless vow.
38
“He with his children and his wife departeth
to keep his promise with a faith immense;
unshod and strippèd,55 while their plight imparteth
far more of pity than of vengeance:
‘If, mighty Monarch! still thy spirit smarteth
to wreak revenge on my rash confidence,’
quoth he, ‘behold! I
