The Rowley Poems Part 40

KYNGE.

Mie friende, Syr Hughe, whatte tydynges brynges thee here?

HUGHE.

There is no mancas yn mie loverdes ente[163]; The hus dyspense[164] unpaied doe appere; 150 The laste receivure[165] ys eftesoones[166] dispente[167].

KYNGE.

Thenne guylde the Weste.

HUGHE.

Mie loverde, I dyd speke Untoe the mitte[168] Erle Harolde of the thynge; He raysed hys honde, and smoke me onne the cheke, Saieynge, go beare thatte message to the kynge. 155

KYNGE.

Arace[169] hym of hys powere; bie G.o.ddis worde, Ne moe thatte Harolde shall ywield the erlies swerde.

HUGHE.

Atte seeson fytte, mie loverde, lette itt bee; Botte nowe the folcke doe soe enalse[170] hys name, Inne strevvynge to slea hymme, ourselves wee slea; 160 Syke ys the doughtyness[171] of hys grete fame.

KYNGE.

Hughe, I beethyncke, thie rede[172] ys notte to blame.

Botte thou maiest fynde fulle store of marckes yn Kente.

HUGHE.

Mie n.o.ble loverde, G.o.dwynn ys the same He sweeres he wylle notte swelle the Normans ent. 165

KYNGE.

Ah traytoure! botte mie rage I wylle commaunde.

Thou arte a Normanne, Hughe, a straunger to the launde.

Thou kenneste howe these Englysche erle doe bere Such stedness[173] in the yll and evylle thynge, Botte atte the goode theie hover yn denwere[174], 170 Onknowlachynge[175] gif thereunto to clynge.

HUGHE.

Onwordie syke a marvelle[176] of a kynge!

O Edwarde, thou deservest purer leege[177]; To thee heie[178] shulden al theire mancas brynge; Thie nodde should save menne, and thie glomb[179] forslege[180]. 175 I amme no curriedowe[181], I lacke no wite [182], I speke whatte bee the trouthe, and whatte all see is ryghte.

KYNGE.

Thou arte a hallie[183] manne, I doe thee pryze.

Comme, comme, and here and hele[184] mee ynn mie praires.

Fulle twentie mancas I wylle thee alise [185], 180 And twayne of hamlettes[186] to thee and thie heyres.

So shalle all Normannes from mie londe be fed, Theie alleyn[187] have syke love as to acquyre yer bredde.

CHORUS.

Whan Freedom, dreste yn blodde-steyned veste, To everie knyghte her warre-songe sunge, 185 Uponne her hedde wylde wedes were spredde; A gorie anlace bye her honge.

She daunced onne the heathe; She hearde the voice of deathe; Pale-eyned affryghte, hys harte of sylver hue, 190 In vayne a.s.sayled[188] her bosomme to acale[189]; She hearde onflemed[190] the shriekynge voice of woe, And sadnesse ynne the owlette shake the dale.

She shooke the burled[191] speere, On hie she jeste[192] her sheelde, 195 Her foemen[193] all appere, And flizze[194] alonge the feelde.

Power, wythe his heasod[195] straught[196] ynto the skyes, Hys speere a sonne-beame, and his sheelde a starre, Alyche[197] twaie[198] brendeynge[199] gronfyres[200] rolls hys eyes, 200 Chastes[201] with hys yronne feete and soundes to war.

She syttes upon a rocke, She bendes before his speere, She ryses from the shocke, Wieldynge her owne yn ayre. 205 Harde as the thonder dothe she drive ytte on, Wytte scillye[202] wympled[203] gies[204] ytte to hys crowne, Hys longe sharpe speere, hys spreddynge sheelde ys gon, He falles, and fallynge rolleth thousandes down.

War, goare-faced war, bie envie burld[205], arist[206], 210 Hys feerie heaulme[207] noddynge to the ayre, Tenne bloddie arrowes ynne hys streynynge fyste--

[Footnote 1: Of old, formerly.]

[Footnote 2: writers, historians.]

[Footnote 3: much.]

[Footnote 4: inglorious.]

[Footnote 5: bereaving.]

[Footnote 6: faith.]

[Footnote 7: unforgiving.]

[Footnote 8: divines, clergymen, monks.]

[Footnote 9: holy.]

[Footnote 10: work.]

[Footnote 11: not.]

[Footnote 12: author.]

[Footnote 13: though, notwithstanding.]

[Footnote 14: clerk, or clergyman.]

[Footnote 15: entyn, even.]

[Footnote 16: might.]