The Rowley Poems Part 47

[Footnote 9: the sky, the atmosphere.]

[Footnote 10: Arose.]

[Footnote 11: hiding, shrouding.]

[Footnote 12: at once.]

[Footnote 13: beauteous.]

[Footnote 14: It would have been _charitable_, if the author had not pointed at personal characters in this Ballad of Charity. The Abbot of St. G.o.dwin's at the time of the writing of this was Ralph de Bellomont, a great stickler for the Lancastrian family. Rowley was a Yorkist.]

[Footnote 15: beggarly.]

[Footnote 16: filled with.]

[Footnote 17: beggar.]

[Footnote 18: clouded, dejected. A person of some note in the literary world is of opinion, that _glum_ and _glom_ are modern cant words; and from this circ.u.mstance doubts the authenticity of Rowley's Ma.n.u.scripts. Glum-mong in the Saxon signifies twilight, a dark or dubious light; and the modern word _gloomy_ is derived from the Saxon _glum_.]

[Footnote 19: dry, sapless.]

[Footnote 20: The grave.]

[Footnote 21: accursed, unfortunate.]

[Footnote 22: coffin.]

[Footnote 23: a sleeping room.]

[Footnote 24: sun-burnt.]

[Footnote 25: smoke.]

[Footnote 26: drink.]

[Footnote 27: _pall_, a contraction from _appall_, to fright.]

[Footnote 28: fly.]

[Footnote 29: lightning.]

[Footnote 30: steam, or vapours.]

[Footnote 31: flames.]

[Footnote 32: noisy.]

[Footnote 33: moves.]

[Footnote 34: swelled, strengthened.]

[Footnote 35: Frighted.]

[Footnote 36: burst.]

[Footnote 37: a small round hat, not unlike the shapournette in heraldry, formerly worn by Ecclesiastics and Lawyers.]

[Footnote 38: painted.]

[Footnote 39: He told his beads backwards; a figurative expression to signify cursing.]

[Footnote 40: poor, needy.]

[Footnote 41: a cloke.]

[Footnote 42: a loose white robe, worn by Priests.]

[Footnote 43: A lord.]

[Footnote 44: I believe this trade is still in being, though but seldom employed.]

[Footnote 45: a beggar, or vagabond.]

[Footnote 46: A short surplice, worn by Friars of an inferior cla.s.s, and secular priests.]

[Footnote 47: joy.]

[Footnote 48: ease.]

[Footnote 49: nought.]

[Footnote 50: unhappy.]

[Footnote 51: a short under-cloke.]

[Footnote 52: Glory.]

[Footnote 53: mighty, rich.]

BATTLE OF HASTINGS.

[No 1.]

O Chryste, it is a grief for me to telle, How manie a n.o.bil erle and valrous knyghte In fyghtynge for Kynge Harrold n.o.blie fell, Al sleyne in Hastyngs feeld in bloudie fyghte.

O sea-oerteeming Dovor! han thy floude, 5 Han anie fructuous entendement, Thou wouldst have rose and sank wyth tydes of bloude.