The Rowley Poems Part 14

The barganette[44]; yee mynstrelles tune the strynge, Somme actyonn dyre of auntyante kynges now synge.

MYNSTRELLES.

Wyllyamm, the Normannes floure botte Englondes thorne, The manne whose myghte delievretie[45] hadd knite[46], Snett[46] oppe hys long strunge bowe and sheelde aborne[47], 45 Behesteynge[48] all hys hommageres[49] to fyghte.

Goe, rouze the lyonn fromm hys hylted[50] denne, Lett thie floes[51] drenche the blodde of anie thynge bott menne.

Ynn the treed forreste doe the knyghtes appere; Wyllyamm wythe myghte hys bowe enyronn'd[52] plies[53]; 50 Loude dynns[54] the arrowe ynn the wolfynn's eare; Hee ryseth battent[55] roares, he panctes, hee dyes.

Forslagenn att thie feete lett wolvynns bee, Lett thie floes drenche theyre blodde, bott do ne bredrenn flea.

Throwe the merke[56] shade of twistynde trees hee rydes; 55 The flemed[57] owlett[58] flapps herr eve-speckte[59] wynge; The lordynge[60] toade ynn all hys pa.s.ses bides; The berten[61] neders[62] att hymm darte the stynge; Styll, stylle, hee pa.s.ses onn, hys stede astrodde, Nee hedes the daungerous waie gyff leadynge untoe bloodde. 60

The lyoncel, fromme sweltrie[63] countries braughte, Coucheynge binethe the sheltre of the brierr, Att commyng dynn[64] doth rayse hymselfe distraughte[65], He loketh wythe an eie of flames of fyre.

Goe, sticke the lyonn to hys hyltren denne. 65 Lette thie floes[66] drenche the blood of anie thynge botte menn.

Wythe pa.s.sent[67] steppe the lyonn mov'th alonge; Wyllyamm hys ironne-woven bowe hee bendes, Wythe myghte alyche the roghlynge[68] thonderr stronge; The lyonn ynn a roare hys spryte foorthe sendes. 70 Goe, slea the lyonn ynn hys blodde-steyn'd denne, Botte bee thie takelle[69] drie fromm blodde of odherr menne.

Swefte fromm the thyckett starks the stagge awaie; The couraciers[70] as swefte doe afterr flie.

Hee lepethe hie, hee stondes, hee kepes att baie, 75 Botte metes the arrowe, and eftsoones[71] doth die.

Forslagenn atte thie fote lette wylde beastes bee, Lett thie floes drenche yer blodde, yett do ne bredrenn slee.

Wythe murtherr tyredd, hee sleynges hys bowe alyne[72].

The stagge ys ouch'd[73] wythe crownes of lillie flowerrs. 80 Arounde theire heaulmes theie greene verte doe entwyne; Joying and rev'lous ynn the grene wode bowerrs.

Forslagenn wyth thie floe lette wylde beastes bee, Feeste thee upponne theire fleshe, doe ne thie bredrenn flee.

KYNGE.

Nowe to the Tourneie[74]; who wylle fyrste affraie[75]? 85

HERAULDE.

Nevylle, a baronne, bee yatte[76] honnoure thyne.

BOURTONNE.

I clayme the pa.s.sage.

NEVYLLE.

I contake[77] thie waie.

BOURTONNE.

Thenn there's mie gauntlette[78] onn mie gaberdyne[79].

HEREHAULDE.

A leegefull[80] challenge, knyghtes & champyonns dygne[81], A leegefull challenge, lette the flugghorne sounde. 90 [Syrr Symonne _and_ Nevylle _tylte_.

Nevylle ys goeynge, manne and horse, toe grounde.

[Nevylle _falls_.

Loverdes, how doughtilie[82] the tylterrs joyne!

Yee champyonnes, heere Symonne de Bourtonne fyghtes, Onne hee hathe quacedd[83], a.s.sayle[84] hymm, yee knyghtes.

FERRARIS.

I wylle anente[85] hymm goe; mie squierr, mie s.h.i.+elde; 95 Orr onne orr odherr wyll doe myckle[86] scethe[87]

Before I doe departe the lissedd[88] fielde, Mieselfe orr Bourtonne hereupponn wyll blethe[89].

Mie s.h.i.+elde.

BOURTONNE.

Comme onne, & fitte thie tylte-launce ethe[90].

Whanne Bourtonn fyghtes, hee metes a doughtie foe. 100 [_Theie tylte_. Ferraris _falleth_.

Hee falleth; nowe bie heavenne thie woundes doe smethe[91]; I feere mee, I have wroughte thee myckle woe[92].

HERAWDE.

Bourtonne hys seconde beereth to the feelde.

Comme onn, yee knyghtes, and wynn the honnour'd sheeld.

BERGHAMME.

I take the challenge; squyre, mie launce and stede. 105 I, Bourtonne, take the gauntlette; forr mee staie.

Botte, gyff thou fyghteste mee, thou shalt have mede[93]; Somme odherr I wylle champyonn toe affraie[94]; Perchaunce fromme hemm I maie possess the daie, Thenn I schalle bee a foemanne forr thie spere. 110 Herehawde, toe the bankes of Knyghtys saie, De Berghamme wayteth forr a foemann heere.

CLINTON.

Botte longe thou schalte ne tend[95]; I doe thee fie[96].

Lyche forreying[97] levynn[98], schalle mie tylte-launce flie.

[Berghamme & Clinton _tylte_. Clinton _fallethe_.

BERGHAMME.

Nowe, nowe, Syrr Knyghte, attoure[99] thie beeveredd[100] eyne.

I have borne downe, and este[101] doe gauntlette thee.

Swythenne[102] begynne, and wrynn[103] thie shappe[104] orr myne; Gyff thou dyscomfytte, ytt wylle dobblie bee.

[Bourtonne & Burghamm _tylteth_. Berghamme _falls_.

HERAWDE.

Symonne de Bourtonne haveth borne downe three, And bie the thyrd hathe honnoure of a fourthe. 120 Lett hymm bee sett asyde, tylle hee doth see A tyltynge forr a knyghte of gentle wourthe.

Heere commethe straunge knyghtes; gyff corteous[105] heie[106], Ytt welle beseies[107] to yeve[108] hemm ryghte of fraie[109].

FIRST KNYGHTE.

Straungerrs wee bee, and homblie doe wee clayme 125 The rennome[110] ynn thys Tourneie[111] forr to tylte; Dherbie to proove fromm cravents[112] owre goode name, Bewrynnynge[113] thatt wee gentile blodde have spylte.

HEREHAWDE.

Yee knyghtes of cortesie, these straungerrs, saie, Bee you fulle wyllynge forr to yeve hemm fraie? 130 [_Fyve Knyghtes tylteth wythe the straunge Knyghte, and bee everichone[114] overthrowne._