The Rowley Poems Part 28

MAGNUS.

I to the knyghtes onne everyche syde wylle burne, 585 Telleynge 'hem alle to make her foemen blede; Sythe shame or deathe onne eidher syde wylle bee, Mie harte I wylle upryse, & inne the battelle slea.

aeLLA, CELMONDE, & ARMIE _near_ WATCHETTE.

aeLLA.

Now havynge done oure mattynes & oure vowes, Lette us for the intended fyghte be boune, 590 And everyche champyone potte the joyous crowne Of certane mastershhyppe upon hys glestreynge browes.

As for mie harte, I owne ytt ys, as ere Itte has beene ynne the sommer-sheene of fate, Unknowen to the ugsomme gratche of fere; 595 Mie blodde embollen, wythe masterie elate, Boyles ynne mie veynes, & rolles ynn rapyd state, Impatyente forr to mete the persante stele, And telle the worlde, thatte aella dyed as greate As anie knyghte who foughte for Englondes weale. 600 Friends, kynne, & soldyerres, ynne blacke armore drere, Mie actyons ymytate, mie presente redynge here.

There ys ne house, athrow thys shap-scurged[85] isle, Thatte has ne loste a kynne yn these fell fyghtes, Fatte blodde has sorfeeted the hongerde soyle, 605 And townes enlowed[86] lemed[87] oppe the nyghtes.

Inne gyte of fyre oure hallie churche dheie dyghtes; Oure sonnes lie storven[88] ynne theyre smethynge gore; Oppe bie the rootes oure tree of lyfe dheie pyghtes, Vexynge oure coaste, as byllowes doe the sh.o.r.e. 610 Yee menne, gyf ye are menne, displaie yor name, Ybrende yer tropes, alyche the roarynge tempest flame.

Ye Chrystyans, doe as wordhie of the name; These roynerres of oure hallie houses slea; Braste, lyke a cloude, from whence doth come the flame, 615 Lyche torrentes, gushynge downe the mountaines, bee.

And whanne alonge the grene yer champyons flee, Swefte as the rodde for-weltrynge[89] levyn-bronde, Yatte hauntes the flyinge mortherer oere the lea, Soe flie oponne these royners of the londe. 620 Lette those yatte are unto yer battayles fledde, Take slepe eterne uponne a feerie lowynge bedde.

Let cowarde Londonne see herre towne onn fyre, And strev wythe goulde to staie the royners honde, aella & Brystowe havethe thoughtes thattes hygher, 625 Wee fyghte notte forr ourselves, botte all the londe.

As Severnes hyger lyghethe banckes of sonde, Pressynge ytte downe binethe the reynynge streme, Wythe dreerie dynn enswolters[90] the hyghe stronde, Beerynge the rockes alonge ynn fhurye breme, 630 Soe wylle wee beere the Dacyanne armie downe, And throughe a storme of blodde wyll reache the champyon crowne.

Gyff ynn thys battelle locke ne wayte oure gare, To Brystowe dheie wylle tourne yeyre fhuyrie dyre; Brystowe, & alle her joies, wylle synke toe ayre, 635 Brendeynge perforce wythe unenhantende[91] fyre: Thenne lette oure safetie doublie moove oure ire, Lyche wolfyns, rovynge for the evnynge pre, See[ing] the lambe & shepsterr nere the brire, Doth th'one forr safetie, th'one for hongre slea; 640 Thanne, whanne the ravenne crokes uponne the playne, Oh! lette ytte bee the knelle to myghtie Dacyanns slayne.

Lyche a rodde gronfer, shalle mie anlace sheene, Lyche a strynge lyoncelle I'lle bee ynne fyghte, Lyche fallynge leaves the Dacyannes shalle bee sleene, 645 Lyche [a] loud dynnynge streeme scalle be mie myghte.

Ye menne, who woulde deserve the name of knyghte, Lette bloddie teares bie all your paves be wepte; To commynge tymes no poyntelle shalle ywrite, Whanne Englonde han her foemenn, Brystow slepte. 650 Yourselfes, youre chyldren, & youre fellowes crie, Go, fyghte ynne rennomes gare, be brave, & wynne or die.

I saie ne moe; youre spryte the reste wylle saie; Youre spryte wylle wrynne, thatte Brystow ys yer place; To honoures house I nede notte marcke the waie; 655 Inne youre owne hartes you maie the foote-pathe trace.

'Twexte shappe & us there ys botte lyttelle s.p.a.ce; The tyme ys nowe to proove yourselves bee menne; Drawe forthe the bornyshed bylle wythe fetyve grace, Rouze, lyche a wolfynne rouzing from hys denne. 660 Thus I enrone mie anlace; goe thou shethe; I'lle potte ytt ne ynn place, tyll ytte ys sycke wythe deathe.

SOLDYERS.

Onn, aella, onn; we longe for bloddie fraie; Wee longe to here the raven synge yn vayne; Onn, aella, onn; we certys gayne the daie, 665 Whanne thou doste leade us to the leathal playne.

CELMONDE.

Thie speche, O Loverde, fyrethe the whole trayne; Theie pancte for war, as honted wolves for breathe; Go, & sytte crowned on corses of the slayne; Go, & ywielde the ma.s.sie swerde of deathe. 670

SOLDYERRES.

From thee, O aella, alle oure courage reygnes; Echone yn phantasie do lede the Danes ynne chaynes.

aeLLA.

Mie countrymenne, mie friendes, your n.o.ble sprytes Speke yn youre eyne, & doe yer master telle.

Swefte as the rayne-storme toe the erthe alyghtes, 675 Soe wylle we fall upon these royners felle.

Oure mowynge swerdes shalle plonge hem downe to h.e.l.le; Theyre throngynge corses shall onlyghte the starres; The barrowes brastynge wythe the sleene schall swelle, Brynnynge[92] to commynge tymes our famous warres; 680 Inne everie eyne I kenne the lowe of myghte, Sheenynge abrode, alyche a hylle-fyre ynne the nyghte.

Whanne poyntelles of oure famous fyghte shall saie, Echone wylle marvelle atte the dernie dede, Echone wylle wyssen hee hanne seene the daie, 685 And bravelie holped to make the foemenn blede; Botte for yer holpe oure battelle wylle notte nede; Oure force ys force enowe to staie theyre honde; Wee wylle retourne unto thys grened mede, Oer corses of the foemen of the londe. 690 Nowe to the warre lette all the slughornes sounde, The Dacyanne troopes appere on yinder rysynge grounde.

Chiefes, heade youre bandes, and leade.

DANES _flyinge, neare_ WATCHETTE.

FYRSTE DANE.

Fly, fly, ye Danes; Magnus, the chiefe, ys sleene; The Saxonnes comme wythe aella atte theyre heade; 695 Lette's strev to gette awaie to yinder greene; Flie, flie; thys ys the kyngdomme of the deadde.

SECONDE DANE.

O G.o.ddes! have thousandes bie mie anlace bledde, And muste I nowe for safetie flie awaie?

See! farre besprenged alle oure troopes are spreade, 700 Yette I wylle synglie dare the bloddie fraie.

Botte ne; I'lle flie, & morther yn retrete; Deathe, blodde, & fyre, scalle[93] marke the goeynge of my feete.

THYRDE DANE.

Enthoghteynge forr to scape the brondeynge foe, As nere unto the byllowd beche I came, 705 Farr offe I spied a fyghte of myckle woe, Oure spyrynge battayles wrapte ynn sayles of flame.

The burled Dacyannes, who were ynne the same, Fro syde to syde fledde the pursuyte of deathe; The swelleynge fyre yer corrage doe enflame, 710 Theie lepe ynto the sea, & bobblynge yield yer breathe; Whylest those thatt bee uponne the bloddie playne, Bee deathe-doomed captyves taene, or yn the battle slayne.

HURRA.

Nowe bie the G.o.ddes, Magnus, dyscourteous knyghte, Bie cravente[94] havyoure havethe don oure woe, 715 Dyspendynge all the talle menne yn the fyghte, And placeyng valourous menne where draffs mote goe.

Sythence oure fourtunie havethe tourned foe, Gader the souldyers lefte to future shappe, To somme newe place for safetie wee wylle goe, 720 Inne future daie wee wylle have better happe.

Sounde the loude flughorne for a quicke forloyne[95]; Lette alle the Dacyannes swythe untoe oure banner joyne.

Throw hamlettes wee wylle sprenge sadde dethe & dole, Bathe yn hotte gore, & wasch oureselves thereynne; 725 G.o.ddes! here the Saxonnes lyche a byllowe rolle.

I heere the anlacis detested dynne.

Awaie, awaie, ye Danes, to yonder penne; Wee now wylle make forloyne yn tyme to fyghte agenne.

CELMONDE, _near_ WATCHETTE.

O forr a spryte al feere! to telle the daie, 730 The daie whyche scal astounde the herers rede, Makeynge oure foemennes envyynge hartes to blede, Ybereynge thro the worlde oure rennomde name for aie.

Bryghte sonne han ynne hys roddie robes byn dyghte, From the rodde Easte he flytted wythe hys trayne, 735 The howers drewe awaie the geete of nyghte, Her sable tapistrie was rente yn twayne.

The dauncynge streakes bedecked heavennes playne, And on the dewe dyd smyle wythe shemrynge eie, Lyche gottes of blodde whyche doe blacke armoure steyne, 740 Sheenynge upon the borne[96] whyche stondeth bie; The souldyers stoode uponne the hillis syde, Lyche yonge enlefed trees whyche yn a forreste byde.

aella rose lyche the tree besette wyth brieres; Hys talle speere sheenynge as the starres at nyghte, 745 Hys eyne ensemeynge as a lowe of fyre; Whanne he encheered everie manne to fyghte, Hys gentle wordes dyd moove eche valourous knyghte; Itte moovethe 'hem, as honterres lyoncelle; In trebled armoure ys theyre courage dyghte; 750 Eche warrynge harte forr prayse & rennome swelles; Lyche flowelie dynnynge of the croucheynge streme, Syche dyd the mormrynge sounde of the whol armie seme.

Hee ledes 'hem onne to fyghte; oh! thenne to saie How aella loked, and lokyng dyd encheere, 755 Moovynge alyche a mountayne yn affraie, Whanne a lowde whyrlevynde doe yttes boesomme tare, To telle howe everie loke wulde banyshe feere, Woulde aske an angelles poyntelle or hys tyngue.