The Heroical Lover - Canto V Poem by Thomas Bancroft

To Greece th' unwearied Lover hyes,
All obvious dangers doth despise;
A huge impetuous Serpent slayes,
And on the ground a Braggart layes.

The Knight now having 'gainst his passions strove,
And made them all subservient to his Love,
(That, like a Torrent, all things in its way
Ore--bare) some other aires would yet assay,
And either find his Lady, or dispread
Her fame, and make her worth more honoured.
His mind was bent on Greece, that once brought forth
Wits, beauties, courages, of highest worth;
Was Learnings fruitful mother, sending thence
All arts, as from a happy confluence;
And in such noble qualities excel'd,
As scarcely have on earth been parallel'd.
Towards that land with hoised sailes he went;
And though he heard that Pirates do frequent
Those Eastern Seas, yet forwards did he steer
With dauntless heart, scarce knowing what to fear.
On the wild Deep not many dayes he spent
(Though oft beset with dangers incident
To Sailours) ere he to Morea came,
That had from Pelops a more ancient name.
There travelling with much desire to see
Things of most fame in faithful history,
He most intensively that Isthmus view'd
(Reaching about six miles in latitude)
Which to have digged through, Caligula,
Nero, and other Princes, did assay;
That so two Seas which Nature had disjoyn'd
Might as it were in marriage be combin'd,
But Heaven forbad the March; strange prodigies
Of blood that issued forth, of frightful cries,
And sights of vengeful Furies, sent away
The Pionieres with terrour and dismay;
The Pow'rs celestial seeming thus to threat
Mortalls for acts of insolence so great.
With like desire transported was the Knight
With clear--stream'd Alpheus to compare his sight;
Upon whose flowry margin when he stood,
Viewing the motions of the sportive Floud,
He said; Fair River, that thy Arethuse
`Dost follow under Seas to Syracuse,
`But there dost thy beloved Nymph enjoy,
`I envy much thy great felicity;
`But hope withall that I, who likewise go
`Through sundry coasts for love, shall not bestow
`My paines in vaine, but finally possess
`My dear delight, my high--priz'd happiness;
`So other Lovers at that bliss of mine
`Will look with languishment, as I at thine.
After some dayes int' Attica he came,
And for Minerva's City of much fame
Did look; but nothing did like Athens see,
That sometimes was the fruitfull'st nursery
Of arts and armes; brave worthy warriours bred,
Such as elsewhere have scarce been equalled;
And through the world such streames of learning sent,
As have supply'd all wits with nourishment:
The Genius of the place (as did appeare)
Making the phansy quick, the judgment cleare.
Now in regard that Attick faith was known
T'have been so firme, that 't was proverbial grown,
Sir Antheon with fair hope did feed his mind,
That there he should his faithful Lady find.
But as an Alchymist that long hath swet,
Pufft, and projected, the rare Stone to get,
But nought save ashes finds, doth sigh and mourne,
For that his furnace seems the fatall urne
Wherein his wealth lyes buried: so the Knight,
Not finding his chiefe jewel and delight,
Felt discontents arising in his breast
Like vap'rous stormes, disturbing much his rest.
But with Philosophies instilled Balme
He cur'd the wound of griefe, and did becalme
His spirits so, that cheerfully he went
Forwards, arriving, ere much time was spent,
At those Fame--widn'd Streights, Thermopylae;
VVhere Xerxes host, which (as Historians say)
Had soakt up flouds as it along did pass,
VVas by brave Lion--like Leonidas
VVith some few Spartan troopes dismembred sore,
Full thirty thousand weltring in their gore:
Such fire strikes fortitude, when throughly steel'd
VVith resolution, that disdaines to yield.
Having well view'd that place, his way he tooke
Into the parts of Phocis, there to looke
For Pytho, famoused by mighty Jove;
VVho by a rare experiment to prove
VVhere this enflowred Globes firme navel stands,
Sent forth out of his thunder--swaying hands
Two Eagles, one of them, fro'th' shining East
Directed, th'other from the cloudy West;
These, flying, met with weary wings about
That town, and by th' encounter clear'd the doubt.
From thence the Traveller with high desire
Marcht to Parnassus, whose two tops aspire
To pass the clouds, and Embleme--wise express
Of God and Nature the clear knowledges.
At foot thereof the pure Castalian spring
(That oft had mov'd the Muses sonnes to sing)
He tasted; and beheld th' adjoyning Cave,
Whence sometime wise Apollo answers gave.
Then, as that liquor had with fluency
Inspir'd him, thus he said: How happy be
`Those wits, whom time and Fortune do allow
`To walk at leisure on the lofty brow
`Of this fair Mount; as in the Court of Iove,
`Embeam'd with starry lights, Celestials move!
`They with no small delight the trackes may see
`Where th' ancient Muses danc't, so orderly,
`As th' hosts of Heaven do march; and rest in those
`Sweet Laurel--arbours, where they did compose
`Songs of choice subjects, and fresh garlands made
`For happy browes, whose fancies would not fade.
`But my condition's like the restless stone
`Of Sisyphus; and hence I must be gone,
`To seek a cure for my love--strucken heart;
`Which onely sweet Fidelta can impart.
This having utter'd with some discontent
Sign'd in his cloudy brow, forthwith he went
Towards Helicon, a mountain high in site
And fame, wherein the Muses did delight.
Coming in view thereof, the careful Swaines
That fed their cattel on the fertile plaines,
Told him how sore their country was distrest
By a huge Serpent, which did so infest
And rob their folds, that few or none could keep
Their flocks in safety, nor securely sleep.
Near to the place where famous Hesiod said
That he his frisking Lambkins pastured,
Within a hollow rock this Monster lay,
At the hils foot; not stirring thence by day;
But soon as Night did from her iron carre
Fling rusty darkness, would he forrage far
With great celerity, and take their prey
From Wolves or Lions, were they in his way.
And as th' Enchantress Circe long agoe
Did into Scylla's bay infection throw:
So into th' Muses springs he did inject
Foul poisons, and their purities infect.
His close--wrought skales were like the Crocodiles,
Scarce penetrable: nor could all the wiles
And stratagems that Rusticks could devise,
Prevail this Cattel--killer to surprize;
But he not seldome did their arts elude,
Not seldome had their greatest force subdu'd.
The hardy Knight now felt his heart on fire
At this report, so much he did desire
To benefit the country, and so much
A kind compassion did his bowels touch.
So, having purchas'd firme artillery,
Such as the great Bow--bearer us'd, when he
'Gainst Python went; and having with him took
A Guide or two that durst on danger look,
He climb'd the Mount a pretty space above
The Monsters den, & would not thence remove
Till Night with shades the Hemisphere did hide,
And forth for prey the horrid Snake did glide:
Hearing ere long his rustling skales below,
And thence presuming that he forth did goe,
From the hills side he boldly did descend
To the holes mouth, that passage to defend;
And setting some dry Laurels there on fire,
Did mean to see the direful beast retire.
About such time as the Day--Roses spring,
Back from his haunts and spoilful forraging
The Serpent sweeping comes; his bulk was vast,
And when extended, like a trailed Mast
Or oaken Beame it seem'd; his chappes besmear'd
VVith blood and poison, terrible appear'd;
His teeth like iron pikes, his eyes like fire;
And with the black fumes which he did expire,
The air was tainted, blasted was the grass,
And leaves of trees, where he along did pass.
VVhen he drew near t' his den, and saw the fire,
He forthwith kindled a more rageful ire,
Quickn'd his deadly forces, bigger yet
Did swell, and seem'd his forked tongue to whet;
Hissing so loud, as if a thunder--stone,
Enwrapt in flames, had from a cloud been thrown
Into the deep: then on with widened jawes
He comes; when straight his bow Sir Antheon draws,
And sends a shaft (that would have pierc't a coat
Of double Mail) into his gulfy throat;
Then with another quencht his flaming eye,
Ripping his heads smooth seams so fatally,
That, mad with anguish, up and down he flung;
Now wreathed round, then stretcht himself along;
Somtimes shot forwards, wheel'd somtimes aside;
Then with his sharp tail lasht the ground, & dy'de.
When hasty Fame had publisht what was done,
From all parts thither did the people run,
Straining their throats with Paeans, Eulogies,
And all expressions of triumphal joyes:
The Swaines (ambitious then to shew their skills)
Made jolly Musick with their reeds and quills;
And to their humble houses did invite
The highly--praised, ever--honour'd Knight,
Off'ring him homely kindnesses, who took
All in good part, and at good--will did look.
But when he nothing could amongst them find
To feed his hopes, or ease his love--sick mind,
His leave he took, and travell'd on to see
Some farther coasts in his discovery.
Within that countries bounds he shortly came,
VVhere warlike Castriot wonne unbounded fame;
And taking a survey of Actium (nigh
To which Augustus quell'd Mark Anthony;
As the Venetians did long after foile
The Turks, and took inestimable spoil)
He found that Fame his acts had thither blown,
And that the Serpents slaughter was well known
To th' people there, who gave him therefore great
Respect, and with much kindness did him treat.
But as a Canker creeps amongst the best
Of Plants; so Envy'mongst these civilest
Of people did appear, and did reflect
VVith all the scorneful signes of disrespect
Upon the Knight. A youngster of some note,
A lusty big--limb'd bragging Epirot,
Full of disdain, came stalking to him near,
Star'd in his face, and thus began to jeer:
`Sir Knight (if such you prove) it seems to me
`A matter of no small indignity,
`That to your self such honour you will take
`For crushing a poor worm, a silly Snake;
`Surely your hungry stomach barks for praise
`As wel as food, that strive such fame to raise.
`If Hercules a Lions skin that wore,
`Had with your impudence been skinnedore,
`He had at honour cast his club in vain,
`And had been lookt upon with much disdain.
`I'le have your mettal more acutely tride,
`And mean to prove how well you can abide
`The clashing of a sword: then (if you dare)
`Ride forth with me into the open air,
`And shew me how your doughty blade will bite;
`For Knighthood shall you shame, or with me fight.
The challenge was accepted, and anon
The Knight was mounted; but he scarce had gone
Five hundred paces, ere a stand he made,
And bade the Challenger unsheath his blade,
And mettal shew: he turn'd, and somewhat spoke
In hast; but th' other with a nimbler stroke
Cut off his speech, and some part of his cheek
Together, which he on the ground might seek.
And now that his hot humour 'gan to flow,
He felt his courage cool, nor did he know
Whether to venture for another wound;
When straight the bold Knight fell'd him to the ground,
And then dismounting, graspt him by the throat,
Whilest he for Quarter cry'd with piteous note.
`Caitiffe, said he, thy life I do disdain
`To take, or put thee to deserved pain;
`It is enough t' have proved to thy face,
`And signed with thy blood, that thou art base.
`Rise lubber that thou art with heart so cold,
`Do me some service here, my stirrop hold
`Whilst I remount; and likewise mindful be
`Thy tongue to hold in strangers company.
He readily obey'd, and quickly show'd
By's homage, that to him his life he ow'd;
Of fame regardless, so that thence he might
Traile back his limbs, & not be slaughter'd quite,
The Knight then call'd his friend (who stood aloof
To see this fighting--match, this martial proof
Of metal and with him advancing on,
Came shortly into th' coasts of Macedon;
There notice tooke of Pella, famoused
For that it had the mightiest Monarch bred;
And of Siderocaspae, where the ground
With precious minerals doth so abound,
As metals grew there, or in a royal sort
Plutus, the God of wealth, there kept his court.
But hearing nothing of that jewel there,
Which he above all treasures did indeare,
He journeyed thence to Thessaly in hast,
A country with all Natures favours grac't;
Where he Olympus view'd, so wondrous high,
It plainly seemd to shoulder up the sky,
As lofty Fame the clouds; where likewise tall
Othrys (that witness'd the rude Centaures fall)
He did survey; and with no small delight
On Ossa there and Pelion fixt this sight.
When he arriv'd at Tempe, and saw there
The face of Nature smiling all the year,
A bounteous soile, adorn'd with various flowe'rs,
Clear shining rivulets, and shady bow'rs,
VVherein the lively birds did hop and play,
And taught the wild woods many a pleasant lay;
He stood, as struck into a deep amuse,
And said: `O, if I worthy were to chuse
`My place of residence; and with me here
`This ages ornament, Fidelta were;
`Here would we gul old Time in pleasant sort,
`Inventing ('mongst the Sylvanes) quaint disport;
`Under green leavy Laurels, interwove,
`VVe would repose, and dream of nought but love;
`With soft sweet flowers would we strew our way,
`And make thereof fresh chaplets every day;
`Our loves so ful of crosses, would we carve
`In knotty Oaks that might the work preserve;
`And birds should learn our oft--repeated songs,
`Of what to true affections force belongs.
`But ah! I must be gone, the Fates ordain
`Some other meeting--place then on this Plain;
`More painful travels must I undertake,
`That may more pleasant my fruition make.
This speech being utter'd, and with sighes pursu'd,
He march ere long where he Larissa view'd,
A City honour'd for Achilles sake,
That Grecian chief, who there his birth did take.
Thence passing on with some severe delight,
He on Pharsalos lookt, near which in fight
Caesar and Pompey joyn'd, resolv'd to stand
All shockes and hazards for the worlds command.
He purpos'd to have seen hard--metall'd Thrace
Oft--frozen Hebrus, and the adjoyning place
Where the wild Maenades did piece--meal teare
Renowning Orpheus, throwing here and there
His bleeding limbes, who th' Sirens had out--sung,
And seen their instruments of musick flung
Into the Ocean. But he chang'd his mind,
When (to his greatest comfort) he did find,
That as a pleasant field, neglected, growes
Squalid, and fair fertility doth lose:
So there for want of discipline and arts,
The people were from all praise--worthy parts
Greatly estrang'd, were now grown barbarous,
Rechless, debaucht, and pusillanimous;
As loth they were the Lordly Turks should be
Taught how to reach to honours high degree;
Or else those Tyrants had for some offence
Beaten out all their sparks of excellence.
No signature of lovely vertue saw
He there that might a worthy Lady draw
Those coasts to visit, or there make her home,
If she by accident should thither come:
VVhich things well ponder'd, caused him to make
A stop, and think what next to undertake.