74
“Returned the King sublime, in fine, with sprite
by the just doom of Judge divine chastisèd,
and when of Santarem in pride of might
the Saracen a bootless siege devisèd;
and when of Vincent, martyr benedight,
the precious Corse by Christian people prizèd,
from Sacrum Promontorium66 was conveyed
and reverent-wise in Ulysséa laid:
75
“Faster to push the projects still in hand,
the toil-spent Father sent his stout young son,
bidding him pass to Alemtejo’s land,
with warlike gear and soldiers many a one.
Sancho, a sov’ereign wielder of the brand,
straight forward passing, gore-red gars to run
the stream67 whose waters feed Seville and flood,
dyed by the brutish Moormen’s barb’rous blood.
76
“With hunger whetted by this new success,
now resteth not the Youth till sight his eyes
another slaughter, sore as this, oppress
the barb’rous host that circling Beja lies:
Not long the Prince whom fortune loves to bless,
waits the fair end where leads his dear emprize.
But now the routed Moors to vengeance cleave,
their only hope such losses to retrieve.
77
“They crowd the mighty Mount whereof Meduse
robbèd his body who the skies upbore:
They flock in thousands from Cape Ampeluse
and from Tangier, Antaeus’ seat of yore.
Abyla’s68 dweller offereth scant excuse;
who with his weapon hasteth him the more,
when heard the Moorish clarions shrilly-tonèd,
and all the reign high Juba whilom ownèd.
78
“The Mir-almuminin,69 who led the throng,
from the Dark Cont’inent past to Portugal:
Thirteen Moor kings he led, high, haught, and strong,
to his Imperial sceptre subject all:
Thus wreaking forceful every tyrant Wrong,
wherever easy Wrong mote sate his gall,
Sancho in Santarem he flies t’ invest,
yet his was hardly of success the best.
79
“Gives asp’erous battle, fighting fury-fraught
the hateful Moor a thousand feints designing;
ne horrid catapult avails him aught,
ne forceful batt’ering-ram, ne hidden mining:
Afonso’s son, conserving force and thought,
and firm resolve with warlike skill combining,
foreseeth all with prudent heart and art,
and stern resistance brings to every part.
80
“But now the Vet’ran—doomed by years to ease
and gentle rest, from life of toil and teen,
be’ing in the city,70 down whose pastured leas
Mondego’s wavelets kiss the hem of green;—
when learnt how close his son beleaguer’d is
in Santarem by Moormen blind with spleen,
close from the City flies the fone to meet,
age-idlesse spurning with fast eager feet.
81
“He heads his army, tried in war and known,
his son to succour; and his well-led host
shows wonted Port’ingall-fury all their own,
till in brief time the Moor is broke and lost.
The Battle-plain—whose blood-stained front is strown
with steely coats, and caps of varied cost,
horse, charger, harness, rich and worthy prize—
heaped with their owners’ mangled corpses lies.
82
“Forth fares the remnant of the Paynimry
from Lusitania, hurled in headlong flight:
But Mir-almuminin may never flee,
for ere he flee his life hath fled the light.
To Him whose arm vouchsafed such Victory
in praise and stintless prayer our hosts unite:
Chances so passing strange make clear to ken
God’s arm smites sorer than all arms of men.
83
“Such crown of conquest still bedeckt the brow
of old Afonso, Lord of lofty fame;
when he, in fine, who ever foiled his foe,
was foiled by ancient Time’s unyielding claim:
Past the death-sickness o’er his pallid brow
its frigid hand, and wrung his feeble frame;
and thus the debt on mortal shoulders laid
his years to gloomy Libitína paid.
84
“His loss the lofty Promontories mourn,
and from the wavy rivers floods of grief
with lakelets overspread the fieldèd corn,
and trickling tears are sorrow’s sole relief:
But ring so loud o’er Earth’s extremest bourne
the fame and exploits of our great lost chief,
that evermore shall Echo for his reign
‘Afonso! Afonso!’ cry, and cry in vain.
85
“Sancho, his lusty son, the worthy heir
of his great Father’s valour, force and might,
as did his early doings clear declare,
when Baetis71 fled ensanguin’d from the fight,
and from Andalusía forced to fare
the barb’arous King and peoples Ishmaelite;
and more, when they who vainly Beja girt
of his shrewd blows themselves had borne the hurt:
86
“After he had been raised to Royal hest,
and held for years a few his father’s land,
he wends the city Sylves to invest,
plowèd whose plain the barb’arous peasant’s hand:
With allies val’orous was his daring blest
the sturdy Germans, whose Armada man’d
by furnisht host was flying o’er the wave,
the lost Judaea to regain and save.
87
“To join in holy enterprise they went
Red Frederick, who did first to move begin
his mighty armament and succour sent
to ward the town where Christ had died for men;
When Guy, whose Croisers were by thirst bespent,
yielded his sword to gallant Saladin
there, where the Muslim host was well supplied
with wat’ery store to those of Guy denied.72
88
“But that majestical Armade that came
by dint of storm-wind o’er the Lisbon bar,
would aid our Sancho the foul foe to tame,
all being bounden for the Holy War:
As to his Father, happed to him the same;
and Lisbon fell to fortunes similar;
aided by Germans, Sylves town he takes
and the fierce dweller slays or subject makes.
89
“And if so many trophies from Mahound
his valour snatchèd, eke denies his pride
the Leoneze in peace to till their ground,
whom Mart with martial usage loved to guide:
Till on the bended neck his yoke he bound
of haughty Túi and all its country-side;
where many a city felt the dreaded blow
which with thine arms thou, Sancho! broughtest low.
90
“But ’mid his many palms this Prince waylaid
the stroke of tem’erous Death; his heir prefer’d
was that esteemèd son whom all obey’d,
second Afonso, of our Kings the third.
He reigning, Alcacér-do-Sal was made
ours, snatcht for ever from the Moorish herd;
that erst was taken by the Moor beset,
and now parforce he pays of Death the Debt.
91
“Afonso dying, straight to him succeedeth
a second Sancho, easy-going soul,
