Appendix 2 - Liminary verses in John Cruso’s English publications

Summary

THE COMPLETE CAPTAIN (1640)

To his worthy friend Captain Cruso upon his excellent translation of the Duke of Rohan's Le parfaict Capitaine

CAEsar, whose brain contriv’d at once the fate

Of his great self and of the Romane State,

With mightie action caus’d, where-ere he stood,

The trembling place to sweat forth humane bloud.

Who tam’d rebellion so, as in that sinn

His own contrivance had the traitour bin.

How nimble-ear’d! and with what piercing sight

He could discern advantage! And then fight.

Cold, waves, winds, hunger, watching, labour, warre

Were accidents through which he oft did dare.

How patient for his ends! How quickly he

Unthought of could defeat his enemy!

Whose expedition, as an engine hurl’d

Him from one side to th’other of the world;

Whose way of victory begot the fame,

That he but went and saw and overcame.

Dark stratagem, quick action, and the all

Of him built up a mighty Generall.

And to make wonder gaze more, he could be

Th’Historiographer and th’Historie:

As if his mightie acts to vanquish men

Had been on purpose done to trie his pen.

Oblivion so threw dust upon what he

Most fairly wrote unto posteritie.

And thou, brave man at arms, great Roan, hast tane

His lively portraict out of Mars his fane,

And arm’d thy self by him: yea, shown to all,

Thou knew’st to write, and be a Generall.

See with what art the Chymist deals, and how

Spirits from bodies he extracts, so thou.

How smart he gives his strategemes, and where

Their hidden virtue lies he makes appeare!

Mark with how curious hand he those doth trie

And fit unto our times, and so apply.

The Grecian tacticks Cesar brought to Rome,

And this brave Duke to us, as from their tombe.

What weapons and what forms may fit again

He well revives which seem’d before but vain.

If e’r Pythagoras were right to hold

A transmigration, he doth it unfold.

But view his own directions, quick and wife;

He makes towns strong, but strangely doth surprise:

He rouzeth lazie minds, and seems to write

Men into field, and teach them how to fight.