The wandering hermit TM wak'd the form of war.
Their limbs all iron, and their fouls all flame,
A countless hoft, the red-crofs warriors came :
E'en hoary priests the facred combat wage,
And clothe in fteel the palfied arm of age;
While beardless youths and tender maids" affume
The weighty morion and the glancing plume.

m Peter, the hermit. The world has been fo long accustomed to hear the Crusades confidered as the height of frenzy and injuftice, that to undertake their defence might be perhaps a hazardous task. We muft however recollect, that, had it not been for these extraordinary exertions of generous courage, the whole of Europe would perhaps have fallen, and Christianity been buried in the ruins. It was not, as Voltaire has falfely or weakly afferted, a conspiracy of robbers; it was not an unprovoked attack on a diftant and inoffenfive nation; it was a blow aimed at the heart of a moft powerful and active enemy. Had not the Chriftian kingdoms of Afia been established as a check to the Mahometans, Italy, and the scanty remnant of Chriftianity in Spain, muft again have fallen into their power; and France herself have needed all the heroifm and good fortune of a Charles, Martel to deliver her from fubjugation.

"See Vertot, Hift. Chev. Malthe. Introduction.

In bafhful pride the warrior virgins wield

The ponderous falchion, and the fun-like fhield,
And ftart to fee their armour's iron gleam

Dance with blue luftre in Tabaria's ftream.

The blood-red banner floating o'er their van,
All madly blithe the mingled myriads ran :
Impatient Death beheld his deftin'd food,

And hovering vultures fnuff'd the scent of blood.
Not fuch the numbers nor the hoft fo dread

By northern Brenn P, or Scythian Timur P led,
Nor fuch the heart-inspiring zeal that bore

United Greece to Phrygia's reedy shore !

There Gaul's proud knights with boaftful mien ad

vance,

• Tabaria (a corruption of Tiberias) is the name used for the Sea of Galilee in the old romances.

P Brennus, and Tamerlane.

q The infolence of the French nobles twice caufed the ruin of the army; once by refufing to serve under Richard Cœur

Form the long line', and shake the cornel lance;
Here, link'd with Thrace, in close battalions ftand
Aufonia's fons, a foft inglorious band;

There the ftern Norman joins the Austrian train,
And the dark tribes of late-reviving Spain;

Here in black files, advancing firm and flow,
Victorious Albion twangs the deadly bow:-

Albion,-ftill prompt the captive's wrong to aid,

And wield in freedom's cause the freeman's generous

blade!

Ye fainted fpirits of the warrior dead,

Whose giant force Britannia's armies led!

de Lion, and again by reproaching the English with cowardice in St. Louis's expedition to Egypt. See Knolles's Hiftory of

the Turks.

The line (combat à la haye) according to Sir Walter Raleigh, was characteristic of French tactics; as the column ́ (herfe) was of the English. The English at Créçi were drawn up thirty deep.

s All the British nations ferved under the fame banner.

Sono gl' Inglefi fagittarii ed hanno

Whose bickering falchions, foremoft in the fight,

Still pour'd confufion on the Soldan's might;
Lords of the biting axe and beamy spear,
Wide-conquering Edward, lion Richard, hear!
At Albion's call your crefted pride refume,
And burft the marble flumbers of the tomb!
Your fons behold, in arm, in heart the fame,
Still prefs the footsteps of parental fame,
To Salem ftill their generous aid supply,

And pluck the palm of Syrian chivalry!

When he, from towery Malta's yielding ifle,

And the green waters of reluctant Nile,

Gente con lor, ch' è più vicina al polo,
Quefti da l'alte felve irfuti manda

La divifa dal mondo, ultima Irlanda.

Taffo, Gierufal. Lib. I. 44.

Ireland and Scotland, it is fcarcely neceffary to oblerve, were fynonimous.

The axe of Richard was very famous. See Warton's Hift. of Anc. Poetry.

Th' Apoftate chief,-from Mifraim's fubject fhore

To Acre's walls his trophied banners bore;

When the pale defert mark'd his proud array,

And Defolation hop'd an ampler fway;

What hero then triumphant Gaul dismay'd?
What arm repell'd the victor Renegade ?
Britannia's champion!-bath'd in hoftile blood,

High on the breach the dauntless SEAMAN flood:
Admiring Afia faw th' unequal fight,

E'en the pale crefcent bless'd the Christian's might..
Oh day of death! Oh thirst, beyond controul,

Of crimson conqueft in th' Invader's foul !
The flain, yet warm, by focial footsteps trod,

O'er the red moat fupplied a panting road;

O'er the red moat our conquering thunders flew,
And loftier ftill the grifly rampire grew.

While proudly glow'd above the rescu'd tower

The

wavy cross that mark'd Britannia's power.