The Rowley Poems Part 34

SERVYTOURE.

Loverde! I am aboute the trouthe to saie.

Laste nyghte, fulle late I dydde retourne to reste.

As to mie chamber I dydde bende mie waie, To Birtha onne hys name & place addreste; Downe to hym camme shee; b.u.t.te thereof the reste 1180 I ken ne matter; so, mie hommage made--

aeLLA.

O! speake ne moe; mie harte flames yn yttes heste; I once was aella; nowe bee notte yttes shade.

Hanne alle the fuirie of mysfortunes wylle Fallen onne mie benned[124] headde I hanne been aella stylle. 1185

Thys alleyn was unburled[125] of alle mie spryte; Mie honnoure, honnoure, frownd on the dolce[126] wynde, Thatte steeked on ytte; nowe wyth rage Im pyghte; A brondeous unweere ys mie engyned mynde.

Mie hommeur yette somme drybblet joie maie fynde, 1190 To the Danes woundes I wylle another yeve; Whanne thos mie rennome[127] & mie peace ys rynde, Itte were a recrandize to thyncke toe lyve; Mie huscarles, untoe everie asker telle, Gyffe n.o.blie aella lyved, as n.o.blie aella felle. 1195 [_Stabbeth hys breste_.

SERVYTOURE.

aella ys sleene; the flower of Englonde's marrde!

aeLLA.

Be stylle: swythe lette the chyrches rynge mie knelle.

Call hyther brave Coernyke; he, as warde Of thys mie Brystowe castle, wyll doe welle.

[_Knelle ryngeth_.

aeLLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE, COERNYKE.

aeLLA.

Thee I ordeyne the warde; so alle maie telle. 1200 I have botte lyttel tym to dragge thys lyfe; Mie lethal tale, alyche a lethalle belle, Dynne yn the eares of her I wyschd mie wyfe!

Botte, ah! shee maie be fayre.

EGWINA.

Yatte shee moste bee.

aeLLA.

Ah! saie notte foe; yatte worde woulde aella dobblie flee. 1205

aeLLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE, COERNYKE, BIRTHA, HURRA.

aeLLA.

Ah! Birtha here!

BIRTHA.

Whatte dynne ys thys? whatte menes yis leathalle knelle?

Where ys mie aella? speeke; where? howe ys hee?

Oh aella! art thou yanne alyve and welle!

aeLLA.

I lyve yndeed; botte doe notte lyve for thee.

BIRTHA.

Whatte menes mie aella?

aeLLA.

Here mie meneynge see. 1210 Thie foulness urged mie honde to gyve thys wounde, Ytte mee unsprytes[128].

BIRTHA.

Ytte hathe unspryted mee.

aeLLA.

Ah heavens! mie Birtha fallethe to the grounde!

Botte yette I am a manne, and so wylle bee.

HURRA.

aella! I amme a Dane; botte yette a friende to thee. 1215

Thys damoyselle I founde wythynne a woode, Strevynge fulle harde anenste a burled swayne; I sente hym myrynge ynne mie compheeres blodde, Celmonde hys name, chief of thie warrynge trayne.

Yis damoiselle foughte to be here agayne; 1220 The whyche, albeytte foemen, wee dydd wylle; So here wee broughte her wythe you to remayne.

COERNIKE.

Yee n.o.bylle Danes! wythe goulde I wyll you fylle.

aeLLA.

Birtha, mie lyfe! mie love! oh! she ys fayre.

Whatte faultes coulde Birtha have, whatte faultes could aella feare?

BIRTHA.