Abrantes town he takes accompanied
by the hard Infidel, his Moorish mate:
But see a Portingall with pow’er so spare
rout him, and stoutly lead him prisoner:
23
“Martim Lopés the Knight by name is known
who from the traitors palms and laurels took.
But here behold the Bishop Mil’itant shown,
who changed for steely Lance his golden Crook:
See him, ’mid faithless faithful found alone,
fight to refuse refusing, shake and shock
the cruel Moorman: See in shining skies
the sign whereby his few he multiplies.
24
“See, fly the Kings of Cord’oba and Sevile
routed, with other twain in shortest tale:
Routed! nay, rather, ruined. Miracle
God-wrought, not worked by arm of mortal frail!
See Alcacer low bend her haughty will;
ne tow’ers of flesh, ne walls of steel avail
’gainst Lisbon’s Bishop, Dom Mathéus: See!
crowned with the palmy crown there standeth he.
25
“Behold a Master of Castilian line,167
a Portingall by right of birth, o’errun
Algarves Kingdom till she shows no sign
of men-at-arms his force hath not undone:
By guile, and might and main, and star benign
towns, castles, cities, all are stormed and won.
Soon ’spite her townsmen Tavila-town he breaks,
and for the Se’ven slain Hunters vengeance takes.
26
“See him with bellic arts from Moormen gain
Sylves, they gainèd with enormous host:
Paio Corrêa ’tis, whose might and main
and cunning purpose men aye envy most.
Nor pass the fighting three168 in France and Spain
who won a name that never shall be lost
for tournay, challenges and joustings gay;
winning of public trophies proud display:
27
“See’st them? how clept ‘Adventurers,’ they came
Castileward, whence alone the prize and pride
they bore, the winnings of Bellona’s game
as to their loss all found a fall who tried:
See them strike down the Knights of proudest fame
who of the three the principal defied,
’tis Gónçalo Ribéiro, name so brave
hath nought to fear from Lethe’s whelmy wave.
28
“To one attend, whose Fame so far extendeth,
that with no fame of old she rests content,
who, when his country on a thread dependeth
lends stalwart shoulders to the burden bent;
See’st not how anger-flusht he reprehendeth
the cowèd throng’s suspicions cold and lent;
and makes the wretches hail the gentle rein
of home-born King, not foreign Suzerain?
29
“See him, with daring and advice replete
God-guarded only and by Holy Star,
make possible th’ impossible, and defeat
one-handed, proud Castilia’s pow’er of war.
See how by valour aided, might and wit,
in second slaughter vict’ory similar
he gains o’er those who, fierce as infinite, dwell
betwixt Tartessus and Guadiána’s vale?
30
“See’st not already all but overthrown
our Lusitanian pow’er, when left his line
the Capitayne devout, who wends alone
t’ invoke that Essence, the Most Highest Trine?
Now see him summoned hast’ily by his own,
who plead that Fortune must parforce incline
to whelming force, and pray his presence cheer
the soldiers, and enforce their feeble fear.
31
“Yet see the careless holy confidence,
wherewith ‘ ’Tis not yet time,’ he answerèd;
as one in God reposing trust immense
of human vict’ory won by heav’enly aid:
E’en so Pompilius, hearing the offence
of en’emies urging o’er his land the raid,
to him who brought the heavy news replies,
‘But I, you see, am off’ering sacrifice!’
32
“If one whose Brave’ry rests his God upon,
perchance thou wouldest know how named and known,
‘Portugale’s Scipio’ is the name he won,
but ‘Nuno Alvares’ claims more renown.
Happy the Land that bare her such a son!
or, rather sire: For long as Suns look down
on Earth where Ceres and joint Neptune reign
for such a Scion she shall sigh in vain.
33
“In the same Warfare see what prizes gaineth
this other Captain of a slender band;
driving commanders he the drove regaineth
which they had lifted with audacious hand:
See how the lance again in gore he staineth
only to free, at Friendship’s firm command,
his thrallèd friend whom Honour made a thrall:—
Pero Rodrigues ’tis of Landroal.
34
“Look on this Treachetour169 and how he payeth
his caitiff trick’ery and his perj’ury fell;
Gil Fernandes of Elvas ’tis that slayeth
the wretch, and sends him to his proper Hell:
Harrying Xeres-plain the crops he layeth
with floods of blood that raineth proud Castile:
But see how Rúy Pereira’s face and front
enshield the galleys, bearing battle-brunt.
35
“See yon sev’enteen to Lusus who belong
upon this hillock standing, life defend
against the Spaniards who four hundred strong,
to take them captive in their rear extend:
But to their sorrow these shall find ere long
the stout defenders also can offend:
Feat digne to last till Earth succumb to Time;—
in the far Past, in Present day sublime!
36
“How the three hundred Braves, ’twas known of old,
did with a thousand Romans battle wage,
in the good times when virile deeds and bold
which Viriátus did, illumed his age:
He snatcht memorious triumphs from their hold,
bequeathing this our noblest heritage,
the Brave though few shall ne’er the Many fear,
as sithence thousand times we proved full clear.
37
“Pedro and Henry view, those Infants twain
of kingly John the gen’erous progeny:
That gars his fame illustrious to remain
in German-land and doometh Death to die:
This Prince inspired by Heaven claimed the Main
as her Explorer; and lay bare the lie
of tumid Moor’s vain boast in Ceita’s wall,
and, forced the gateway, entered first of all.
38
“See’st Country Pedro,170 daring to support
two sieges laid by Barb’ary’s might entire;
and see’st yon other Count171 who shows the port
of earthly Mars in martial force and fire:
Sufficeth not to fence Alcacer-fort
from swarming hosts; his spirit flieth higher,
his King’s beloved life the Brave defends
as stone-wall standing till his own he ends.
39
“And here the Painters who in Art prevail,
pardie, had many painted and portray’d;
but fail their pencils and their colours, fail
prize, praise, and premium, of Art’s life the bread.
Fault of the vices flowing from th’ entail
of men degen’erate, who so far have stray’d
from valour’s paths where trod their lustrous sires,
deep mired in
