OldAribert'sgreat race, and greater mind Is sung, with the renown ofRhodalind. PrinceOswaldis compar'd toGondibert, And justly each distinguish'd by desert: Whose Armies are in Fame's fair Field drawn forth, To shew by discipline their Leaders worth.
1. OF all the Lombards, by their Trophies known, Who sought Fame soon, and had her favour long, King Aribert best seem'd to fill the Throne; And bred most bus'ness for Heroick Song.
2. From early Childhoods promising estate, Up to performing Manhood, till he grew To failing Age, he Agent was to Fate, And did to Nations Peace or War renew.
3. War was his studi'd Art; War, which the bad Condemn, because even then it does them aw When with their number lin'd, and purple clad, And to the good more needfull is than Law.
4. To conquer Tumult, Nature's suddain force, War, Arts delib'rate strength, was first devis'd; Cruel to those whose rage has no remorse, Lest civil pow'r should be by Throngs surpris'd.
5. The feeble Law rescues but doubtfully From the Oppressours single Arm our right; Till to its pow'r the wise wars help apply; Which soberly does Mans loose rage unite.
6. Yet since on all War never needfull was, Wise Aribert did keep the People sure By Laws from lesser dangers; for the Laws Them from themselves, and not from pow'r secure.
7. Else Conquerours, by making Laws, orecome Their own gain'd pow'r, and leave mens furie free; Who growing deaf to pow'r, the Laws grow dumb; Since none can plead where all may Judges be.
8. Prais'd was this King for war, the Laws broad shield; And for acknowledg'd Laws, the art of Peace; Happy in all which Heav'n to Kings does yield, But a successour when his cares shall cease.
9. For no Male Pledge, to give a lasting name, Sprung from his bed, yet Heav'n to him allow'd One of the gentler sex, whose Storie Fame Has made my Song, to make the Lombards proud.
10. Recorded Rhodalind! whose high renown Who miss in Books, not luckily have read; Or vex'd by living beauties of their own Have shunn'd the wise Records of Lovers dead.
11. Her Fathers prosp'rous Palace was the Sphear Where she to all with Heav'nly order mov'd; Made rigid virtue so benign appear, That 'twas without Religion's help belov'd.
12. Her looks like Empire shew'd, great above pride; Since pride ill counterfeits excessive height; But Nature publish'd what she fain would hide; Who for her deeds, not beautie, lov'd the light.
13. To make her lowly minds appearance less, She us'd some outward greatness for disguise; Esteem'd as pride the Cloist'ral lowliness, And thought them proud who even the proud despise.
14. Her Father (in the winter of his age) Was like that stormie season froward grown; Whom so her springs fresh presence did asswage, That he her sweetness tasted as his own.
15. The pow'r that with his stooping age declin'd, In her transplanted, by remove increas'd; Which doubly back in homage she resign'd; Till pow'rs decay, the Thrones worst sickness, ceas'd.
16. Oppressours big with pride, when she appear'd Blush'd, and believ'd their greatness counterfeit; The lowly thought they them in vain had fear'd; Found virtue harmless, and nought else so great.
17. Her mind (scarce to her feeble sex of kin) Did as her birth, her right to Empire show; Seem'd careless outward when imploy'd within; Her speech, like lovers watch'd, was kind and low.
18. She shew'd that her soft sex contains strong minds, Such as evap'rates through the courser Male, As through course stone Elixar passage finds, Which scarce through finer Christal can exhale.
19. Her beautie (not her own but Natures pride) Should I describe; from every Lovers eye All Beauties this original must hide, Or like scorn'd Copies be themselves laid by;
20. Be by their Poets Shunn'd, whom beautie feeds, Who beautie like hyr'd witnesses protect, Officiously averring more than needs, And make us so the needfull truth suspect.
21. And since fond Lovers (who disciples be To Poets) think in their own loves they find More beautie than yet Time did ever see, Time's Curtain I will draw ore Rhodalind;
22. Lest shewing her, each see how much he errs, Doubt since their own have less, that they have none; Believe their Poets perjur'd Flatterers, And then all Modern Maids would be undone.
23. In pitie thus, her beauty's just renown I wave for publick Peace, and will declare To whom the King design'd her with his Crown; Which is his last and most unquiet care.
24. If in alliance he does greatness prise, His Mind grown wearie, need not travel far; If greatness he compos'd of Victories, He has at home many that Victors are.
25. Many whom blest success did often grace In Fields where they have seeds of Empire sown; And hope to make, since born of princely race, Even her (the harvest of those toyls) their own.
26. And of those Victors Two are chiefly fam'd, To whom the rest their proudest hopes resign; Though young, were in there Fathers battels nam'd, And both are of the Lombards Royal Line.
27. Oswald the great, and greater Gondibert! Both from successfull conqu'ring Fathers sprung; Whom both examples made of War's high art, And far out-wrought their patterns being young.
28. Yet for full fame (as Time Fam's Judge reports) Much to Duke Gondibert Prince Oswald yields, Was less in mightie mysteries of Courts, In peacefull Cities, and in fighting Fields.
29. In Court Prince Oswald costly was and gay, Finer than near vain Kings their Fav'rites are; Out-shin'd bright Fav'rites on their Nuptial day, Yet were his Eyes dark with ambitious care.
30. Duke Gondibert was still more gravely clad, But yet his looks familiar were and clear; As if with ill to others never sad, Nor tow'rds himself could others practise fear.
31. The Prince, could Porpoise-like in Tempests play, And in Court-storms on ship-wrack'd Greatness seed; Not frighted with their fate when cast away, But to their glorious hazzards durst succeed.
32. The Duke would lasting calms to Courts assure, As pleasant Gardens we defend from winds; For he who bus'ness would from Storms procure, Soon his affairs above his mannage finds.
33. Oswald in Throngs the abject People sought With humble looks; who still too late will know They are Ambitious Quarrie, and soon caught When the aspiring Eagle stoops so low.
34. The Duke did these by stedie Virtue gain; Which they in action more than precept tast; Deeds shew the Good, and those who goodness feign By such even through their vizards are out-fac't.
35. Oswald in war was worthily renown'd; Though gay in Courts, coursly in Camps could live; Judg'd danger soon, and first was in it found; Could toil to gain what he with ease did give.
36. Yet toils and dangers through ambition lov'd; Which does in war the name of Virtue own; But quits that name when from the war remov'd, As Rivers theirs when from their Channels gon.
37. The Duke (as restless as his fame in war) With martial toil could Oswald wearie make; And calmly do what he with rage did dare, And give so much as he might deign to take.
38. Him as their Founder Cities did adore; The Court he knew to steer in storms of State; In Field a Battel lost he could restore, And after force the Victors to their Fate.
39. In Camps now chiefly liv'd, where he did aim At graver glory than Ambition breeds; Designs that yet this story must not name, Which with our Lombard Authours pace proceeds.
40. The King adopts this Duke in secret thought To wed the Nations wealth, his onely child, Whom Oswald as reward of merit sought, With Hope, Ambition's common bait, beguild.
41. This as his souls chief secret was unknown, Lest Oswald that his proudest Army led Should force possession ere his hopes were gone, Who could not rest but in the royal bed.
42. The Duke discern'd not that the King design'd To chuse him Heir of all his victories; Nor guess'd that for his love fair Rhodalind Made sleep of late a stranger to her Eyes.
43. Yet sadly it is sung that she in shades, Mildly as mourning Doves love's sorrows felt; Whilst in her secret tears her freshness fades As Roses silently in Lymbecks melt.
44. But who could know her love, whose jealous shame Deny'd her Eyes the knowledge of her glass; Who blushing thought Nature her self too blame By whom Men guess of Maids more than the face.
45. Yet judge not that this Duke (though from his sight With Maids first fears she did her passion hide) Did need love's flame for his directing light, But rather wants Ambition for his Guide.
46. Love's fire he carry'd, but no more in view Than vital heat which kept his heart still warm; This Maids in Oswald, as love's Beacon knew; The publick flame to bid them flie from harm.
47. Yet since this Duke could love, we may admire Why love ne'r rais'd his thoughts to Rhodalind; But those forget that earthly flames aspire, Whilst Heavenly beams; which purer are, descend.
48. As yet to none could he peculiar prove, But like an universal Influence (For such and so sufficient was his love) To all the Sex he did his heart dispence.
49. But Oswald never knew love's ancient Laws, The aw that Beauty does in lovers breed, Those short-breath'd fears and paleness it does cause When in a doubtfull Brow their doom they read.
50. Not Rhodalind (whom then all Men as one Did celebrate, as with confed'rate Eyes) Could he affect but shining in her Throne; Blindly a Throne did more than beauty prise.
51. He by his Sister did his hopes prefer; A beauteous pleader who victorious was O're Rhodalind, and could subdue her Ear In all requests but this unpleasant cause.
52. Gartha, whose bolder beauty was in strength And fulness plac'd, but such as all must like; Her spreading stature talness was, not length, And whilst sharp beauties pierce, hers seem'd to strike.
53. Such goodly presence ancient Poets grace, Whose songs the worlds first manliness declare; To Princes Beds teach carefulness of Bace; Which now store Courts, that us'd to store the war.
54. Such was the palace of her Mind, a Prince Who proudly there, and still unquier lives; And sleep (domestick ev'ry where) from thence, To make Ambition room, unwisely drives.
55. Of manly force was this her watchfull mind, And fit in Empire to direct and sway; If she the temper had of Rhodalind, Who knew that Gold is currant with allay.
56. As Kings (oft slaves to others hopes and skill) Are urg'd to war to load their slaves with spoyls; So Oswald was push'd up Ambition's hill, And so some urg'd the Duke to martial toyls.
57. And these who for their own great cause so high Would lift their Lords Two prosp'rous Armies, are Return'd from far to fruitfull Lombardy, And paid with rest, the best reward of War.
58. The old near Brescia lay, scarce warm'd with Tents; For though from danger safe, yet Armies then Their posture kept 'gainst warring Elements, And hardness learn'd against more warring Men.
59. Near Bergamo encamp'd the younger were, Whom to the Franks distress the Duke had led; The other Oswald's lucky Ensigns bear, Which lately stood when proud Ovenna fled.
60. These that attend Duke Gondibert's renown Where Youth, whom from his Fathers Camp he chose, And them betimes transplanted to his own; Where each the Planters care and judgement shows.
61. All hardy Youth, from valiant Fathers sprung; Whom perfect honour he so highly taught, That th' Aged fetch'd examples from the young, And hid the vain experience which they brought.
62. They danger met diverted less with fears Than now the dead would be if here again, After they know the price brave dying bears; And by their sinless rest find life was vain.
63. Temp'rate in what does needy life preserve, As those whose Bodies wait upon their Minds; Chaste as those Minds which not their Bodies serve, Ready as Pilots wak'd with sudden Winds.
64. Speechless in diligence, as if they were Nightly to close surprize and Ambush bred; Their wounds yet smarting mercifull they are, And soon from victory to pitie led.
65. When a great Captive they in fight had ta'ne, (Whom in a Filial duty some fair Maid Visits, and would by tears his Freedom gain) How soon his Victors were his Captives made?
66. For though the Duke taught rigid Discipline, He let them beauty thus at distance know; As Priests discover some especial Shrine, Which none must touch, yet all may to it bow.
67. When thus as Suitors mourning Virgins pass Through their clean camp, themselves in form they draw That they with Martial reverence may grace Beauty, the Stranger, which they seldom saw.
68. They vayl'd their Ensigns as it by did move, Whilst inward (as from Native Conscience) all Worship'd the Poets Darling Godhead, Love, Which grave Philosophers did Nature call.
69. Nor there could Maids of Captive Syres despair, But made all Captives by their beauty free; Beauty and Valour native Jewels are, And as each others onely price agree.
70. Such was the Duke's young Camp near Bergamo, But these near Brescia whom fierce Oswald led, Their Science to his famous Father owe, And have his Son (though now their Leader) bred.
71. This rev'rend Army was for age renown'd; Which long through frequent dangers follow'd Time; Their many Trophies gain'd with many a wound, And Fames last Hill, did with first vigour climb.
72. But here the learned Lombard whom I trace My forward Pen by flower Method stays; Lest I should them (less heeding time and place Than common Poets) out of season praise.
73. Think onely then (couldst thou both Camps discern) That these would seem grave Authours of the war, Met civily to teach who e're will learn, And those their young and civil Students are.
74. But painful virtue of the war ne'r pays Itself with consciousness of being good, Though Cloyster-virtue may believe even praise A sallary which there should be withstood.
75. For many here (whose virtues active heat Concurs not with cold virtue which does dwell In lazy Cells) are virtuous to be great, And as in pains so would in pow'r excell.
76. And Oswald's Faction urg'd him to aspire That by his height they higher might ascend; The Dukes to glorious Thrones access desire, But at more awfull distance did attend.
77. The royal Rhodalind is now the Prize By which these Camps would make their merit known; And think their Gen'rals but their Deputies Who must for them by Proxy wed the Crown.
78. From forreign Fields (with toyling conquest tyr'd, And groaning under spoyls) came home to rest; But now they are with emulation fir'd, And for that pow'r they should obey, contest.
79. Ah how perverse and froward is Mankind! Faction in Courts does us to rage excite; The Rich in Cities we litigious find, And in the Field th'Ambitious make us fight.
80. And fatally (as if even souls were made Of warring Elements as Bodies are) Our Reason our Religion does invade, Till from the Schools to Camps it carry war.
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