And now th’ Armada near’d the Morning-land,
many so much desirèd to have seen,
Reigns by those Indic currents moated, and
by Gange who dwelleth in the sky terrene.
Up Braves! and at them, an your valiant hand,
to snatch victorious Palms determined bene
Here ends your warfare; here before you lies
the realm of riches and your rightful prize.

To you, O race from Lusus sprung! I say,
to whom such puny part of Earth is dole’d
nay, what say I of Earth, but of His sway
who ruleth all the rounded skies enfold?
You, whom ne dangers dure ne dire dismay
from conqu’ering brutal Heathenesse withhold,
but eke no greed of gain may wean from love
of Mother-essence147 throned the Heavens above.

Ye, Portingalls! as forceful as ye’re few,
who e’er disdain to weigh your weakly weight;
ye, who at cost of various deaths be true
the Laws of Life Eternal to dilate:
Cast by the heav’enly lots your lot ye drew,
however poor or mean your mundane state,
great deeds for Holy Christendom to show:
So high, O Christ! exaltest Thou the low!

See them, those Germans, stiff-neckt, herd-like horde
who browse the pastures of such wide extent,
to him rebellious who hath Peter’s ward,
choose a new Shepherd, a new Sect invent:
See them absorbed in ugly wars abhor’d
(nor yet with blinded errant ways content!)
fight, not the haught tyrannick Othoman,
but th’ apostolick yoke they fain unspan.

See the hard Englander148 proclaim his right
of that old Sacred City King to be,
where reigns and rules the base-born Ishmaelite
(Honour of Truth so nude who e’er did see!);
’mid Boreal snows he taketh sad delight
to mould new mode of old Christianity:
For those of Christ he bares the ready brand,
not to rethrone Lord Christ in Holy Land.

Holds for himself meanwhile a faithless Roy,149
Jerus’alem City, the terrestrial;
who holds not holy law, but dares defy
Jerus’alem City, the celestial.
Then what of thee, vile Gaul150 what need say I?
who wouldst thy vaunting self “Most Christian” call,
not that such title wouldest ward and guard,
but that the name thro’ thee be smircht and mar’d!

Thy claim to conquer Christian lands beseems
one who so much and such fair land doth claim?
why seek not Cinyps151 and the Nilus, streams
which ever hate that ántique Holy Name?
There should they feel of steel the hard extremes,
who would the Church’s truthful song defame:
Of Charles, of Louis,152 name thou didst inherit
and lands;⁠—why not of justest wars the merit?

What shall I say of those who ’mid delights,
which vilest Idlesse bare for manhood’s bane,
spend life and love to waste the gold that blights,
and clean forget their ancient valiant strain?
Tyrannick best to hostile act incites,
which virile races view as foulest stain:
To thee I speak, O It’aly! sunk by curse
of thousand sins, who dost thyself adverse.

Ah, wretched Christians, who such cross incur,
be you perchance the teeth by Cadmus sown,
that waste of brother-blood ye thus prefer
when all by self-same mother-womb are grown?
How durst you see yon Holy Sepulture
owned by the bandogs who such feuds disown,
who come to hold and have your ancient ground,
their warlike prowess making them renown’d?

Ye know ’tis now their usance and decree,
whereof they are observantists entire,
to levy restless hosts of Heathenry,
and harm the hearts that dear Christ’s love desire:
While fierce Alecto ’mid your chivalry
for ever soweth tares of wrath and ire:
Look! an your eyes to risks like these ye close,
how they and you to you be deadliest foes.

If lust of lucre and of lordship led
your course to conquer far and foreign lands,
see you not Hermus and Pactólus shed
adown their fertile valleys aureate sands?
Assyria, Lydia, spin the golden thread,
lurk veins of sheeny ore in Africk strand:
Let these rich treasures sluggish sprites arouse
since rouse you not the rights of Holy House.

Those fierce projectiles, of our days the work,
murtherous engines, dire artilleries,
against Byzantine walls, where dwells the Turk,
should long before have belcht their batteries.
Oh, hurl it back in forest-caves to lurk
where Caspian crests and steppes of Scythia freeze,
that Turkish ogre-prog’eny multiplied
by op’ulent Europe’s policy and pride.153

Georgians, Armenians, Grecians, hapless Thrace
cry on your name to quell th’ unspeakable horde
that dooms parforce their darlings to embrace
Alcoran’s precepts (tax of blood abhor’d!):
Prove, when you punish yon inhuman race,
the Sage’s spirit and the Soldier’s sword;
nor covet arr’ogant praise and vainest boast
of vaunting valour o’er a brother-host.

But while ye blindly thirst to drink the blood
of your own veins, Oh hapless Race insane!
never hath failèd Christian hardihood
in this our little household Lusitane:
Her seats are set by Africk’s salty flood;
she holds in Asian realms the largest Reign;
She sows and ears o’er all the Fourth new-found;
and there would hasten had but Earth more ground.

Meanwhile behold we what new chance befell
the seld-seen Voyagers who Fame would earn,
Since gentle Venus deigned the gale to quell,
and futile furies of fierce winds to spurn;
when they the large-spread Land’s appearance hail,
of stubborn obst’inate toil the bound and bourne,
and where the Saviour’s seed they wend to sow,
enthrone new lords, new lights, new laws bestow.

Soon as along the stranger-shores they lay,
a fragile fleet that fishing people bare
they found, and by such guidance learnt the way
to Calecut, whose denizens they were:
Thither inclined the Prores without delay;
for ’twas the City fairest ’mid the fair
in land of Malabar and where abode
the King, whose orders all that Region owe’d.

Outside of Indus, inside Ganges, lies
a wide-spread country famed enough of yore;
northward the peaks of caved Emódus154 rise,
and southward Ocean doth confine the shore:
She bears the yoke of various sovranties
and various eke her creeds: While these adore
vicious Mafóma, those to stock and stone
bow down, and eke to brutes among them grown.

There, deep i’ the mighty Range, that doth divide
the land, and cutteth Asian continent,
whose crests are known by names diversified,
of ev’ry country where its trend is bent;
outburst the fountains, which commingling glide
in pow’erful streams, that die when travel-spent
in Indic Ocean, and the arms of these
convert the country to a Chersonèse:

Twixt either river from this breadth of base
puts forth the spacious land a long thin horn,
quasi-pyramidal, which in th’ embrace
of Ocean lies with Isle Ceylón toforn:
And, near the source that shows the natal place
of Gange, if olden Fame of Truth be born,
the happy Peoples of th’ adjacent bowers,
feed on the fragrance of the finest flowers;

But now of many usance, mode and name
are all the tribes who have and hold the ground;
Pathans and Delhis urge the proudest claim
to land and numbers, for they most abound:
Deccanis, Oriás, who both misclaim
salvation in the sounding flood is found
by Ganges rolled; and here the land Bengal
is rich in sort her wealth exceedeth all.

The sovranty of bellicose Cambay,
(men say ’twas puissant Porus’ olden reign);
Narsinga’s Kingdom, with her rich display
of gold and gems but poor in martial vein:
Here seen yonside where wavy waters play
a range of mountains skirts the murmuring Main,
serving the Malabar for mighty mure,
who thus from him of Canará dwells secure.

The country-people call this range the Ghaut,
and from its foot-hills scanty breadth there be
whose seaward-sloping coast-plain long hath fought
’gainst Ocean’s natural ferocity:
Here o’er her neighbour Cities, sans a doubt,
Calecut claimeth highest dignity,
crown of the kingdom fair and flourishing:
Here he entitled “Samorim”155 is King.

Arrived the Squadron off that wealthy land,
she sent a Portingall to make report,
so mote the Géntoo monarch understand
who hath arrivèd in his distant port:
A stream the Herald struck which, leaving land
entereth Ocean; and his novel sort,
his hue, his strange attire, his stranger-ways
made all the lieges gather round to gaze.

Amid the swarming rout that thronged to view,
cometh a Muslim, who was born and bred
in distant Barb’ary ’mid her barbarous crew,
there, where in ancient day Antaeus sway’d:
Right well the Lusitanian realm he knew,
or by the scanty distance thither led,
or ’signèd by the Sword and Fortune’s brand,
to long-drawn exile in a foreign land.

With jocund mien our Messenger to sound,
for-that he speaketh well the speech of Spain,
he thus:⁠—“Who brought thee to this new world’s bound,
far from thy Fatherland, the Lusitan?”
“Op’ening,” respondeth he, “the seas profound
which never openèd the race of man;
for Indus’ mighty flood we hither bore,
to win for Holy Faith one triumph more.”

By the long voyage sore astonied stood
the Moor Monsaydé, thus his name was known;
when told the Lusian how the terr’ible flood
had all the temper of a tyrant shown:
But, as that errand’s drift, he understood,
concern’d the Ruler of the Land alone,
he tells the stranger how the Monarch lay
outside the city at a little way:

And that while travelled to the royal ear
news of that advent strange, if judged he meet,
repairing to his humble dwelling near,
’twere well refreshment of the land to eat;
whence by short rest restorèd and good cheer,
the twain together might regain the Fleet;
for life has nothing like the joy and glee
wherewith near neighbours meet in far countrie.

The Portingall, accepting not ingrate
what glad Monsaydé for his guest deviseth;
as though their friendship were of olden date,
eats, drinks, and does whate’er the host adviseth:
Now from the City wend they, making straight
towards the Squadron which the Moor agniseth;
and scale the Flagship’s flank, where all the crew
with kindly glances Moor Monsaydé view.

Embraceth him our Chief, whom hugely please
the well-remembered accents of Castile;
seateth him near, and asketh him at ease
anent the land and folk therein that dwell.
Even as flockt on Rhodopé the trees,
to hear the Lover of the Damosel
Eurydice, his lyre of gold resound,
the Folk to hearken flockt the Moor around.

Then he: “O Nation! who by Nature’s hand
was ’stablished neighbour to my natal nide,
what mighty Chance, what Destiny’s command
upon such voyage drave you far and wide?
Not causeless, no; though darkly, deeply plan’d
from unknown Minho, distant Tagus-tide,
your course o’er Oceans aye by keel unplow’d
to Reigns such distance and such dangers shroud.

“God bringeth you, pardie! for He intendeth
some special service which your works await:
For this alone He guideth and defendeth
from en’emies, Ocean and the winds’ wild hate.
Know, that ye look on Inde wherein extendeth
a world of nations, rich and fortunate
in lucent gold, and gems of princely price,
and odorif’erous fumes and biting spice.

“This Province, in whose Port your ships have tane
refuge, the Malabar by name is known;
its ántique rite adoreth idols vain,
Idol-religion being broadest sown:
Of divers Kings it is; but ’twas the Reign,
as olden legend saith, of only one,
hight the last King was Sarmá Perimal,156
who ’neath one sceptre held the Kingdom all.

“But as this region there and then was sought
by other races from the Arab Bight,
who Muhammadic worship with them brought⁠—
the same my parents planted in my sprite⁠—
it hapt their wisdom and their pray’ers so wrought
upon the Perimal; and lit such light
that to the Faith convert with fervour high,
he only hoped a Saint in it to die.

“He mans his ships and loads with merchandise
and many an offering curious, rare and rich,
and there religious life to lead he hies
where lies our Prophet who our Law did preach:
But ere abandon’d home, his satrapies,
that lackèd lawful heir, he parts to each
and all he lovèd: Hence his intimates he
from want made wealthy, and from serfdom free.

“To this Cochim, to that falls Cananor,
one hath Chalé, another th’ Isle Piment,
a third Coulam, a fourth takes Cranganor,
the rest is theirs with whom he rests content.
Only one Youth, for whom warm love he bore,
when all was parted, did himself present:
Nothing save Calecut for him remainèd,
which, by her traffick, wealth and rank had gainèd.

“On him the title par’amount he bestows
of Emperor, with sway o’er ev’ery state;
and, made this partage, there he dil’igent goes,
where, after Santon-life, he met his fate:
Thus ’twas the name of Samorim arose⁠—
of all this region proudest potentate⁠—
borne by the Youth, and by his heirs from whom
this who now wields imperial pow’er is come.

“The Law that holds the people, high and low,
is fraught with false fantastick tales long past:
they go unclothèd, but a wrap they throw
for decent purpose round the loins and waist:
Two modes of men are known; the nobles know
the name of Nayrs, who call the lower caste
Poléas, whom their haughty laws contain
from intermingling with the higher strain:

“For men who aye had office in one guise
with mates of other office ne’er may wive;
nor may the son the calling exercise
save sire’s and foresires’ long as he shall live.
These Nayrs as sin and shame, forsooth, despise
the touch of outcasts, and they fain believe
that, peradventure, if the touch occur,
a thousand rites must wash their bodies pure.

“In sim’ilar form the Júdaean folk of old
touch’d not the peoples of Samaria-reign:
But strangenesses far stranger than I’ve told
of varied usages shall meet your eyne.
None save the Nayrs affront the manifold
chances of war, who like stone-wall sustain
their King from enemies, arms aye in hand,
in left the target, and in right the brand.

“Entitled Brahmins are their ghostly race,
time-honour’d title of high eminence:
His far-famed precepts, eke, they still embrace
who first to Science lent a modest sense:157
A living thing to kill they hold as base,
such be from ev’ery flesh their abstinence:
Only in joys venereal their delight
hath more of licence and a laxer rite.

“Common the women are, although confine’d
to those belonging to their husbands’ blood:
Happy condition! happy humankind,
who over jealous wrongs may never brood!
These and more customs various shall ye find
among the Mal’abar men still holding good:
Great is the country, rich in ev’ery style
of goods from China sent by sea to Nyle.”

Thus spake the Moorman: Now on vagueing wing
about the city Rumour wildly flew
with bruit of foreign comers; when the King
sent out his servants seeking tidings true:
Then through the streets begirt by mighty ring
of ev’ery age and sex that flockt to view,
came the Grandees who by the King were bade
to bring the Captain of the strange Armade.

But he by royal leave allow’d for land
to change his floating home, accompanied
by his stout Portingalls, a chosen band
in richest robes to meet the Monarch hied:
The beauteous contrasts of the hues command
the crowd’s approval, who with wonder eyed:
Smiteth the cadence’d oar with cooly gleam
now the salt ocean, then the frore fresh stream.

There stood a Regent of the Realm ashore,
a chief, in native parlance “Cat’ual”158 hight,
by noble Nayrs surrounded, waiting for
illustrious Gama, with a strange delight:
Now to the land our Chief in arms he bore,
and a rich-cushion’d couch in litter light
he proff’ereth as a coach (an usage old),
which bearer-people on their shoulders hold.

Thus he of Lusus, he of Malabar,
wend whither sitteth ’waiting them the King:
Follow the Portingalls in form of War
for foot-troops, marching fierce and threatening:
The people, buzzing with confusèd jar
to see the strangers, fain of questioning
gather’d, but in the cent’uries long gone by
the Babel-tower did such hope deny.

Now with the Cat’ual Gama speech exchangèd
on things th’ occasion and the moment chose:
Interpreteth the tongues so far estrangèd
Monsaydé, for the twain right well he knows.
Thus the procession through the City rangèd,
whither a noble, splendid pile arose;
and, reached the precincts of a sumptuous Fane,
through the tall portals paced on equal plane.

Here frightful forms of men’s idolatries
stand carved in lifeless stock and death-cold stone,
varied in gestures, various of dyes,
e’en as by feigning Fiend to man made known:
Abominable forms the sight surprise
with mingled members like Chimaera shown:
The Christians, wont to see their God-in-Man,
these hybrid monsters with blank wonder scan.

One bore two horns insculpture’d on his brow
like Jove called Ammon in the Libyan wold;
this, double faces on one form did show,
like two-faced Janus limned in church of old;
that had of arms a long divided row
mocking Briareus’ members manifold;
that thing a canine front external bore,
such as th’ Anubis Memphians did adore.

The barb’arous Géntoo in his Gods’ abode
a superstitious adoration paid;
then both went straight, ne’er straying from the road,
where the vain people’s King his sojourn made:
The stream of starers fuller still o’erflow’d,
for all to sight the stranger Chief essay’d;
while to the roofs and casements gazing came
greybeard and stripling, damosel and dame.

Now near they, marching with no shorten’d stride,
fair fragrant gardens and perfumèd bowers,
wherein the royal palace-buildings hide,
a structure sumptu’ous though not tall in towers:
The chiefs and nobles choose to build and ’bide
where cooly bosquets teem with fruits and flowers:
Thus dwell the rulers of the race, delighting
in seats the City and the Camp uniting.

The precinct portals by their work betray
subtleties telling of the daedal hand,
in forms whose noble presences display
the hoar antiquities of India-land:
The marvel-stories of her ancient day,
with such a living art enfigured stand,
that whoso reads them with a lore exact,
knows from the Fiction what hath been the Fact.

There puissant armies show and proudly tread
that Orient region which Hydaspes laves;
a smooth brow’d Capitayne is at the head,
and with his leafy Thyrsus leads his Braves.
By him was Nysa-city ’stablishèd
hard by the margin of the murm’urous waves;
so proper was the God e’en Semelé
her son beholding would have said, “ ’Tis he!”

And there yon arrowy river draining dry
th’ Assyrian peoples multitud’inous bear
a queenly sceptre, fem’inine seigniory,
of fair the fairest and as foul as fair.159
Fast by her side with fury flaming high
her sculptured genet proudly paweth air,
in whom her son a rival lover fand
Oh vile incont’inence! Oh amour nefand!

At farther distance trembled in their pride
the flags and banners of the glorious Greek,
of Monarchies the Third, and conqu’ering hied
far as the bill’owy Gange his sea doth seek:
That youthful Captain’s semblance is their guide,
whom Vict’ory’s wreathèd palms of valour deck,
who claims a seat among the Gods above
no longer Philip’s son, but son of Jove.

While on these mem’ories dwelt the Portughuese,
thus did the Cat’ual to the Captain say:⁠—
“Soon dawns the day when other victories
shall these thou seest, dim and disarray:
Here shall indited be new histories,
made by the Wand’erers who shall wend this way:
Thus Fate was found by wise and wizard men,
inspirèd Magians who the future ken.

“And eke inspireth them the magick sense,
that nought availeth to defend such Ill,
of all that mortals bring to their defence;
for earthly Wits must bend to heav’enly Will:
It also saith the Stranger’s excellence
in Arts of Peace, as in his bellic skill,
shall be so puissant, all the world shall know
the Conq’ueror’s measure by his conquered Foe.”

Discoursing thus they reached the levèe-hall,
wherein that great and glorious Emperor
sat on a cushion’d couch which, though ’twas small,
for work and worth was never seen before:
Showed his reclining gest imperial
a potent, grave, and prosperous Signior:
Golden his loin-cloth, and the diadem
that crowns his brow doth blaze with many a gem.

Hard by his side an old man reverent,
knelt on the floor, and now and then a few
green leaves of pungent pepper did present,
in wonted usage for the Sire to chew.
A Brahmin, personage pre-eminent,
with gliding gait beside the Gama drew,
and led him up the potent King to greet,
who with a nod designed a facing seat.

When near that splendid couch took place the guest,
and others farther off, prompt glance and keen
the Samo’rim cast on folk whose garb and gest
were like to nothing he had ever seen:
Then, speaking gravely from his stately breast,
adding authority to noble mien,
and gaining credence of the King and crowd,
his royal message spake our Chief aloud:⁠—

“A mighty King there thronèd, whither roll
voluble Heavens in eternal round,
where Earth by Earth conceals the rays of Sol,
tingeing the world he left with gloom profound;
hearing the rumours which from distant goal
respond to Echo, how on Indic ground
thine is the sole imperial Majesty,
the knot of Friendship lief would knit with thee.

“And by long devious courses his command
sent me to say, that all things mercantile,
which go by ocean or which go by land,
supplied by realms betwixt the Tage and Nyle;
from foggy Zealand’s frore Pole-fronting strand,
to the far lands where Sol ne’er changeth style
of days, that splendid shine on Aethiop shore,
all these his kingdom holds in mighty store.

“And if thou wilt, with pacts and firmest ties
of naked, sacred Peace and Friendship rare,
allow exchange of superfluities
his earth and thine with like abundance bear;
making the rents and rev’enues richer rise
(wherefore men toil and travail, sweat and fare)
for both the countries, certès, shall pertain
to him great glory and to thee great gain.

“And when thus knitted Friendship’s steadfast knot
which aye you mighty monarchs twain shall bind,
prompt will he be against all adverse lot,
by chance of warfare to thy reign design’d,
with soldiers, arms, and ships; so men shall wot
thy friend and brother they in him shall find:
He hopeth eke that when thy course is tracèd
by sure response to see my mission gracèd.”

Such royal message spake our Chief before
the Géntoo King, who thus vouchsafed reply,
that to receive such fair Ambassador
from land so far he holdeth honour high:
But that his final will fain standeth o’er
till tane the counsel of his ministry,
who shall make certain, after long debate,
what King he speaketh of, what race, what state.

Meanwhile from labours past the Chief may wend
where rest awaits him, and in brief delay
to the despatch he will due care extend,
whereby their King shall greet their homeward way.
This said, brought sombre Night the wonted end
to human labours of the livelong Day,
soothing the weary limbs with balmy swoon,
and tirèd eyne with sweet Oblivion’s boon.

The Gama, with his Portingalls remainèd,
whom, upon hospitable thought intent,
the noble Indian Regent entertainèd
with feast and joy and general content.
The Cat’ual, to his monarch’s service trainèd,
sought surest tidings; ’twas his regiment
to learn how, when, and whence the Folk had come,
what laws were theirs, what customs, and what home.

Soon as he saw the Delian Car of fire
the fair Youth drives, come forth and light restore,
he summoneth Monsaydé for desire
to know the strangers new to th’ Indian shore.
Ready and curious now he ’gins enquire
if certain signs, pure proofs, the Moorman bore
anent these foreigners, as men had said
hard by his country they were born and bred:

That punct’ual proof partic’ular he must bring
with general information; as ’twould be
notable service done to tell the King
all that could guide him in such novelty.
Rejoins Monsaydé:⁠—“Alb’eit ev’erything
I lief recount, yet count it not from me:
I only ken they bide in distant Spain,
where bathe my nest and Phoebus in the Main.

“They hold a Prophet’s Law who was begot
sinless, nor stained with carnal detriment
His Virgin-Mother; Him the Breath160 they wot
of God who holdeth Earth in government.
But what my sires ancestral ne’er forgot,
of them, is Valour fierce, sanguinolent
in arms, that on their arm resplendent gloweth,
as many a Geste with our forefathers showeth.

“For they, with brav’ery better than of man,
outdrave our grandsires from the fertile leas
where fresh Guadiána and rich Tagus ran,
with famed and memorable instances:
Still seeking triumphs, in far African
parts, spurning perils of the stormy seas
our plans of safety and of peace they foil,
they break our lofty walls, our towns they spoil.

“Nor less of force and fraud they showed, whene’er
kindled were other wars by Fate’s decree,
or when Spain’s warlike sons to fight would fare,
or there, when others poured down Pyrenee:
And thus, in fine, to thrust of foreign spear
ne’er bowed they, owning alien mastery
ne’er yet was known, I swear no man can tell us
to Hannibals like these e’er came Marcellus.

“And if my tidings faulty seem and few,
what thou requirest that to ask them send;
ask of themselves, for they be proud and true
and falsehoods most annoy them and offend:
Go see their fleet and arms, their manner view
of moulded metal, ready all to shend:
Wend thou and note the Lusians’ various art
in Peace and War, the sight shall glad thy heart.”

Flamed with desire the Idol-servant’s mind
to sight the marvels told him by the Moor:
He bade the boats be manned, and straight incline’d
to view the vessels which the Gama bore:
Both leave the foreshore, and their boat behind
came Nayran hosts, till Ocean curdled o’er:
They scale the Flagship’s gunwales strong and tall;
and, reacht the main-deck, are received by Paul.

Her purple awnings and her banners shine
with the rich tissue which the worm hath made;
whereon appear portray’d with rare design
the warlike actions of the mighty Dead:
Here show fierce accidents of ’battled line,
and there fere single-fights, a scene of dread,
wherefrom the Géntoo seeking all to ’spy
may not withdraw the pleasure of his eye.

He asks of all he sees: But Gama pray’d
he first be seated, and in cool retreat
be pleased to taste the food before him spread,
which Epicurus’ sect holds highest treat.
The spumy vases gen’erous liquors shed
which first did Noah make the world to weet:
Yet nills the Géntoo-man to break his fast,
as ’twas forbidden by the laws of Caste.

The blaring Trumpet, which in Peace the thought
of Warfare im’ages, rends the lift like thunder:
The diabolick instruments fire-fraught
wake slumb’ering echoes there, the sea-depths under.
Noted the Géntoo all: But most he sought
to read th’ intention and the works of wonder
done by the Heroes which in scanty space
Picture, mute Poesy, had power to trace.

He riseth, Gama rising by his side,
and there Coelho with the Mauritan:
With curious eyne a warlike form they eye’d,
an old white Sire of aspect sovereign,
whose name and honours in our hearts shall ’bide,
long as the World shall know the name of man:
In garb of Grecian usage stands he dight,
bearing device of leaf-branch in his right.

His right a leaf-branch bore:⁠—But oh! how blind
I madly rush to ’tempt without your stay,
ye Nymphs of Tagus and Mondego kind,
a path so varied, long and ard’uous way!
Lend me your favour while my way shall wind
o’er the deep Ocean ’mid the Storm’s affray;
for sore I fear me an ye leave the helm
the waves my fragile barque shall overwhelm.

See how my Lay so long to sing hath striven
your Tagus and the Lusians dear to you,
how oft this exile Fate from home hath driven,
new labours ever suff’ering, losses new:
Now tempting Ocean, then all helpless driven
the dread Mavortian risks and wrongs to rue;
self-doomed as Canacé to death abhor’d,
in this hand aye the Pen, in that the Sword:

Now sunk by hateful scornèd Penury
to chew the bitter bit of beggar-bread:
Then mockt by Hope already brought so nigh
to be anew and more than e’er misled:
Then with bare life in hand condemned to fly
where life depended from so fine a thread;
only a greater miracle could save,
than what to Judah’s King161 new life-lease gave.

And still, my Nymphs! ’twas not enough of pain
such sorrow-clouds around my life should close;
but they, for whom I sang the patriot-strain,
with sad return must pay my toils, my throes:
In place of Peace and Rest I hoped to gain,
in lieu of Bay-wreaths bound around my brows,
troubles by men unseen they must invent,
when ills of every kind my soul torment.

Behold, ye Nymphs! what high-bred Lords and wise
breedeth your Tagus, what a gen’erous race,
who in such fashion with such favours prize
the Bard whose boon hath lent their lordships grace!
For coming writers what examples rise
to raise Man’s genius to its Pride of Place,
to shrine memorious in the Poet’s story
Deeds that deserve to gain eternal glory!

But since such hosts of ills around me lie,
let not my Fancy of your favour fail
here chiefest wanted as the goal draws nigh,
that mighty feats wax mightier by my tale:
Aid me you only, long indeed sware I
no grace to grant where good doth not prevail,
and none to flatter whatso their degrees,
on pain of losing all my pow’er to please.

Think not, ah no, my Nymphs! I would enfame
the man who dares his country and his King
forget for private int’erest’s pit’iful claim,
by law of God and Man a felon thing.
Nor poor ambition, whose degraded aim
is to win office, shall my Song e’er sing,
whose only object in th’ ignoble prize
is larger range of Vice and Infamies.

None, who misusing pow’ers on him confer’d,
makes them the panders of his ugly greed;
none, who to court and cringe before the herd
in change of figure Proteus shall exceed.
From me, Camenae, fear no fav’ouring word
for him who comes, in grave and honest weed,
in new-born rank his King contenting more,
to fleece and flay the miserable poor.

Nor him who, holding ’tis but just and right,
his King’s severest orders to fulfil,
holds it not Justice fitly to requite
the servile brows that weary sweat distil:
Nor him whose bosom, lacking pract’ical light,
seeketh for causes, and by prudent skill
taxeth with niggard heart and hand unfair,
the toils of aliens which he doth not share.

Only of men I’ll sing the glorious name
who riskèd darling life for God, for King;
when losing life they lengthened life by fame,
and well deserved the best that Bard can sing.
Apollo and the Nine, who with me came,
redoubled fury to my song shall bring
when rest and breathing from my travail tane
I to my toil refresht shall come again.