the rulèd rule their ruler and their tool:
He lost the Reign, for which another pleadeth,
by private preference deprived of rule;
since, govern’d only by his minions’ will
he made him partner in their works of ill.
92
“Yet ne’er was Sancho, no, such profl’igate pest
as was that Nero wedded with a boy,
who in foul incest showing horrid zest
his mother Agrippina dared enjoy;
Ne’er with strange cruel arts did he molest
the liege, nor gar’d the torch his town destroy;
he was no waster, no Heliogabálus,73
no woman-king like soft Sardanapálus.
93
“Ne’er was his tyr’annised people so chastisèd
as wretched Sicill by her tyrant bane;
ne like the despot Phálaris, he devisèd
novel inventions for inhuman pain:
But his high-hearted realm, which ever prizèd
lords of the highest hopes and sovran strain,
would ne’er whole-soulèd such a King obey,
who showed not fittest for the kingly sway.
94
“Hence came the gov’ernance of the reign to right
the County Bolognese; and he arose
at length to kingship, when from life took flight
his brother Sancho sunk in soft repose.
This, whom the ‘Brave Afonso’ subjects hight,
when fenced his kingdom from internal foes,
strives to dilate it; what his Sire possest
is worlds too narrow for so big a breast.
95
“Of both Algarves, given to his hand
in gift of bridal dowry, greater part
his arm recovers, and outdrives the band
of Moors ill-treated now by hostile Mart.
He freed and made the Mistress of her Land
our Lusitania, such his bellic art;
till final ruin whelmed the mighty hordes
where’er Earth ownèd Lusus’ subjects lords.
96
“See, next that Diniz comes in whom is seen
the ‘brave Afonso’s’ offspring true and digne;
whereby the mighty boast obscurèd been,
the vaunt of lib’eral Alexander’s line:
Beneath his sceptre blooms the land serene
(already compast golden Peace divine)
with constitution, customs, laws and rights,
a tranquil country’s best and brightest lights.
97
“The first was he who made Coimbra own
Pallas-Minerva’s gen’erous exercise;
he called the Muses’ choir from Helicon
to tread the lea that by Mondego lies:
Whate’er of good whilere hath Athens done,
here proud Apollo keepeth ev’ery prize:
Here gives he garlands wove with golden ray,
with perfumed Nard and ever-verdant Bay.
98
“Brave towns and cities reared his hand anew,
stout fortalice, and strongly-castled mure,
while his well-nigh reformèd kingdom grew
with stalwart towers and lofty walls secure:
But when dure Atropos cut short the clew,
and shore the thin-spun thread of life mature,
arose, to filial duty nidering
the fourth Afonso, yet a brave good King.
99
“This proud Castile’s bravades with equal pride
despised, of soul and breast serenely grand;
for aye the Lusitanian’s sprite defied
fear of the strongest, though the smaller band:
But when the Mauritanian races hied
to win and wear Hesperia’s winsome land,
and marchèd boldly to debel Castile
superb Afonso went to work her weal.
100
“Ne’er did Semiramis such myriads see
who o’er the wide Hydaspick prairie trod;
nor Attila—who daunteth Italy
with dreadful boast, self-titled ‘Scourge of God,’—
hurried such Gothick hosts to victory,
as the wild Saracens’ stupendous crowd,
with all th’ excessive might Granáda yields
that flockt to battle on Tartessus’ fields.
101
“When saw Castilia’s monarch, high and haught,
such force inexpugnable fain of strife,
dreading lest all Hispania come to naught,
once lost ere this,74 far more than loss of life;
aid of our Lusian chivalry he sought
and sent the summons by his dearest wife,
his spouse who sends her, and the joy and pride
of the fond Father to whose realm she hied.
102
“Enter’d Maria, fairest of the fair,
her Father’s palace-halls of tow’ering height;
lovely her gest though joy was crusht by care
that brimmed her beauteous eyes with tears that blight:
and waved her glorious wealth of golden hair
o’er neck and shoulders iv’ory-smooth and white:
Before her gladly-greeting Sire she stood,
and told her mission in this melting mood:—
103
“ ‘Whatever various races Earth hath borne,75
the fierce strange peoples of all Africk-land
leadeth Marocco’s mighty Monarch, sworn
our noble Spain to conquer and command:
Power like this ne’er met beneath the Morn
since bitter Ocean learnt to bathe the strand:
They bring such fierceness and a rage so dread
the Living shake and quake the buried Dead.
104
“ ‘He to whose arms thou gavest me to wife,
his land defending when such foes invade,
offers himself, o’erfeeble for the strife,
to the hard mercies of the Moorish blade;
if, Sire! thou deign not aid that all-dear life,
me shalt thou see from out the kingdom fade,
widowèd, wretched, doomed to lot obscure,
sans realm, sans husband, e’en sans life secure.
105
“ ‘Wherefore, O King! of whom for purest fear,
Mulucha’s76 currents in their course congeal;
cast from thee dull delay, rise, swift appear
a second Saviour to our sad Castile:
If this thy count’enance, beaming love so dear,
set on a Father’s fond proud heart its seal,
haste, Father! succour, an thou hasten not,
haply he faileth who thy succour sought.’
106
“Not otherwise fear-filled Maria spake
her Sire, than Venus when, in saddest strain,
she pled to great All-Father for the sake
of her Aeneas tossing on the Main;
and in Jove’s breast could such compassion ’wake,
his dreadful thunders from his hand fall vain:
The clement Godhead all to her concedeth
and mourneth only that no more she needeth.
107
“But now the squadded warriors muster dense
on Eborensian plains with fierce array;
glint in the sun-glare harness, sword, spear, lance,
and richly furnisht destriers prance and neigh:
The banner’d trumpets with a blast advance,
rousing men’s bosoms from the gentle sway
of holy Peace to dire refulgent arms,
and down the dales reverb’erate War’s alarms.77
108
“Majestic marcheth, girt by all his powers,
th’ insignia of his Royal state among,
valiant Afonso, and his tall form towers
by neck and shoulders taller than the throng;
his gest alone embraves the heart that cowers,
in his stout presence wax the weaklings strong:
Thus to Castilia’s realm he leads his band,
with his fair daughter, Ladye of the Land.
109
“In fine
