"Now well you see how steel'd their souls to steer27
a fragile barque through dubious wat'ery way,
by paths unused, and holding nought in fear
Notus and Afer's force, wax bolder they:
How whilom ev'ry region left arear,
where suns or shorten or draw long the day,
on wings of stubborn will these men be borne
to sight the cradles of the nascent Morn.
"Promised them Fate's eternal covenant,28
whose high commandments none shall dare despise,
for years full many they shall rule th' extent
of seas that see the ruddy suns arise.
On wavy wastes hard winter have they spent;
o'erworked they come by travailing emprize;
't were meet we show them, thus it seemeth me,
the fair new region which they fain would see.
"And as their valour, so you trow, defied29
on aspe'rous voyage cruel harm and sore,
so many changing skies their manhood tried,
such climes where storm-winds blow and billows roar;
my sovereign mandate 't is, be theirs to ride
in friendly haven, on the Blackmoor shore;
whence shall the weary Fleet, with ev'ery need
garnisht, once more her long-drawn voyage speed."
