So may ye read’ily fall an easy prey
as you be poorly furnisht for the fray!”
8
And eke the Gama, now considering
the time had come for him to quit the Port,
and that no gladder tidings from the King
he could expect who doth the Moors support;
the Factors left ashore straight summoning,
he bade them haste aboard: And, lest report
of such a flitting might their flight impede,
he bids them privily their steps to speed.
9
But in the shortest space had Rumour flown
on res’onant wing, nor here as wont did lie,
that both the Factors were in prison thrown,
when found attempting from the town to fly.
Without delay the true report was known
to the shrewd Captain, who incont’inently
reprisals dealt on certain who had sought
the Fleet to traffick with the gems they brought.
10
Now those detained are merchants grave and old,
richards of Calecut in good repute;
and in their absence all their brethren hold
the ships withhold them and full true the bruit.
But in the Fleet our Mar’iners brave and bold
the capstans man, and each in several suit
is told to task; these haul the cables in,
those with hard breasts to shove the bars177 begin.
11
Others to yard-arms hanging on let go
the sail that bellies with a bell’owing sound;
yet the King heareth louder sounds which show
that fast the Squadron fareth homeward-bound:
The wives and children, dight to die of woe
for their lost loved ones, crowd in tears around
the Samorim, and piteously complain
from these their fathers, mates from those are tane.
12
Forthwith the Lusian Factors he restoreth
with stuffs in fullest tale and all-tax free,
despite the rancorous Moor who all abhorreth,
so might the prison’d lieges renderèd be:
Pardon for his deceit the King imploreth.
The Captain greeteth, far more glad to see
Factors than phrases hear; sets loose some Blacks
and, making sail, adown the coast he tacks.
13
Down coast he tacketh, for he comprehendeth
that with the Géntoo King ’twere labour vain
to knit those peaceful bonds, which he intendeth
should strengthen commerce and her object gain:
But seeing how the glorious Realm that trendeth
Aurora-ward, must aye well-known remain,
with these glad news he seeks dear Fatherland,
sure tokens taking of what things he fand.
14
He taketh eke some Malabars aboard
parforce, the fellows by the Samorim sent
when were the Factor-pris’oners restor’d:
Of purchased stores he taketh hot piment:
Nor is of Banda the dried flow’er178 ignor’d,
nutmeg and swarthy clove, which excellent
makes new Malucan Isle,179 with cinnamon
the wealth, the boast, the beauty of Ceylon.
15
All this was gathered by the deft design
of true Monsaydé, borne aboard the Fleet:
who thus of Angel-influences digne
is register’d in Christ His roll-call writ:
Blest African! whom clemency divine
in prison-gloom with Gospel-light hath lit,
who thus couldst find, from country forced to roam,
the way to mortal man’s true heav’enly home!
16
Then turning from that coast of torrid heat
the vent’urous Prores their southing courses bend,
where Nature pleased to place her farthest mete,
the Good Hope Cape, where Austrine shorelands end;
bearing the joyful news, and hopes to greet
their Lisbon homes from Morning-land they wend,
again resigned to snares of terror spread
by seas uncertain, glad, withal in dread:
17
The joy one’s own dear Land once more to view,
sweet home and kith and kin to sight again,
with whom old voyage-feats we face anew,
and tell of climates strange and stranger men;
to taste the honey’d draught of praises due
by long mischances, toil, and ill and pain,
each hath of pleasure such a perfect store,
the shallow vessel of man’s heart brims o’er.
18
Natheless the Cyprian goddess, who ordainèd
had been her Lusitanian sons to guard;
and by the Sire Eterne had been constrainèd,
through rolling years to lend them watch and ward;
the Glory gallant toils and travails gainèd
the weals that nobly suffered ills reward,
for them ordaining was, who did intend
all their sea-sorrows in sea-joys should end.
19
In thought revolving for a season brief
how they had faced the might’iest Sea that flows;
and thinking how the God sore gall and grief
worked, who in Amphionean Thebae rose;
she had already planned right glad relief
a prize outweighing all their passing woes,
to find them rare delight and gentle rest
deep in the liquid crystal’s tranquil breast:
20
Something, in fine, of that repose so sweet,
refocillating bodies weary-wan,
for these her wanderers, and pay interest meet
of toil, that short’eneth life of short-lived Man.
Then to secure the ear it seemèd fit
of her Son-god, whose might of Gram’arye can
degrade the high Divine to low terrene,
and raise our human clay to Heav’en serene.
21
And, duly pond’ering, all her thoughts incline
there to bespread upon their wat’ery way,
’mid waves of Ocean-stream, some Isle divine
with bloom enamel’d and with green’ery gay;
for she hath many, where her realms confine
with the First Mother180 girt by ’bosoming bay,
besides those Gardens of the Midland Seas,
within the portals oped by Hercules.
22
There ’tis her will, the watery Damosels
await the coming of her hero-train,
the Nymphs who worth’ily bear the name of belles,
for eyne a pleasure and for hearts a pain;
with choirs and dances, and by potent spells
bring secret hoards of Love their love to gain,
that all should labour with the best of will
the Youths they love with lover-joys to thrill.
23
Erst so she schemèd for the son she bare
to her Anchises, that he welcome found
in the fair country, where by subtle snare
a single ox-hide spanned the spacious ground:
She seeks his aidance whom she may not spare,
fierce Cupid, in whose force her force is bound;
that e’en as in her olden enterprise
he aided, aid he now to pluck the prize.
24
Yoked to her chariot are the Birds whose song
doth exequies of Death in Life’s own tide,
and they whose figure took in syne gone long,
Peristera181 who pluckt the daisies pied.
Behind the
