The Rowley Poems Part 15

BOURTONNE.

Nowe bie Seyncte Marie, gyff onn all the fielde Ycrasedd[115] speres and helmetts bee besprente[116], Gyff everyche knyghte dydd houlde a piercedd[117] sheeld, Gyff all the feelde wythe champyonne blodde bee stente[118], Yett toe encounterr hymm I bee contente. 135 Annodherr launce, Marshalle, anodherr launce.

Albeytte hee wythe lowes[119] of fyre ybrente[120], Yett Bourtonne woulde agenste hys val[121] advance.

Fyve haveth fallenn downe anethe[122] hys speere, Botte hee schalle bee the next thatt falleth heere. 140

Bie thee, Seyncte Marie, and thy Sonne I sweare, Thatt ynn whatte place yonn doughtie knyghte shall fall Anethe[123] the stronge push of mie straught[124] out speere, There schalle aryse a hallie[125] chyrches walle, The whyche, ynn honnoure, I wylle Marye calle, 145 Wythe pillars large, and spyre full hyghe and rounde.

And thys I faifullie[126] wylle stonde to all, Gyff yonderr straungerr falleth to the grounde.

Straungerr, bee boune[127]; I champyonn[128] you to warre.

Sounde, sounde the flughornes, to bee hearde fromm farre. 150 [Bourtonne & _the_ Straungerr _tylt_. Straunger _falleth_.

KYNGE.

The Mornynge Tyltes now cease.

HERAWDE.

Bourtonne ys kynge.

Dysplaie the Englyshe bannorre onn the tente; Rounde hymm, yee mynstrelles, songs of achments[129] synge; Yee Herawdes, getherr upp the speeres besprente[130]; To Kynge of Tourney-tylte bee all knees bente. 155 Dames faire and gentle, forr youre loves hee foughte; Forr you the longe tylte-launce, the swerde hee shente[131]; Hee joustedd, alleine[132] havynge you ynn thoughte.

Comme, mynstrelles, sound the strynge, goe onn eche syde, Whylest hee untoe the Kynge ynn state doe ryde. 160

MYNSTRELLES.

Whann Battayle, smethynge[133] wythe new quickenn'd gore, Bendynge wythe spoiles, and bloddie droppynge hedde, Dydd the merke[134] woode of ethe[135] and rest explore, Seekeynge to lie onn Pleasures downie bedde, Pleasure, dauncyng fromm her wode, 165 Wreathedd wythe floures of aiglintine, Fromm hys vysage washedd the bloude, Hylte[136] hys swerde and gaberdyne.

Wythe syke an eyne shee swotelie[137] hymm dydd view, Dydd foe ycorvenn[138] everrie shape to joie, 170 Hys spryte dydd chaunge untoe anodherr hue, Hys armes, ne spoyles, mote anie thoughts emploie.

All delyghtsomme and contente, Fyre enshotynge[139] fromm hys eyne, Ynn hys arms hee dydd herr hente[140], 175 Lyche the merk[141]-plante doe entwyne.

Soe, gyff thou lovest Pleasure and herr trayne, Onknowlachynge[142] ynn whatt place herr to fynde, Thys rule yspende[143], and ynn thie mynde retayne; Seeke Honnoure fyrste, and Pleasaunce lies behynde. 180

[Footnote 1: sport, or play.]

[Footnote 2: bounded, or measured.]

[Footnote 3: curiously devised.]

[Footnote 4: fancys or devices.]

[Footnote 5: painted, or displayed.]

[Footnote 6: fiery.]

[Footnote 7: ornamented, enameled.]

[Footnote 8: a young lion.]

[Footnote 9: drawings, paintings.]

[Footnote 10: that.]

[Footnote 11: soul.]

[Footnote 11: dispenser.]

[Footnote 12: quickly.]

[Footnote 13: give.]

[Footnote 14: armer.]

[Footnote 15: burnish.]

[Footnote 16: many.]

[Footnote 17: young, weak, tender.]

[Footnote 18: grows.]

[Footnote 19: body.]

[Footnote 20: nothing.]

[Footnote 21: alone.]

[Footnote 22: so.]

[Footnote 23: herald.]

[Footnote 24: a contraction of _them_.]

[Footnote 25: _Guie de Sancto Egidio_, the most famous tilter of his age.]

[Footnote 26: William Rufus.]

[Footnote 27: run.]

[Footnote 28: against.]

[Footnote 29: feeble.]

[Footnote 30: honour, glory.]

[Footnote 31: useless.]

[Footnote 32: a kind of claryon.]

[Footnote 33: sound.]

[Footnote 34: quickly.]