The Rowley Poems by Thomas Chatterton (inspirational books to read .txt) 📖

alle to make her foemen blede;

    Sythe shame or deathe onne eidher syde wylle bee,

  Mie harte I wylle upryse, & inne the battelle slea.

 

 

 

 

  ÆLLA, CELMONDE, & ARMIE _near_ WATCHETTE.

 

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    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 Ælla 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 shore.                       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,

    Ælla & 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 space;

    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, Ælla, onn; we longe for bloddie fraie;

    Wee longe to here the raven synge yn vayne;

    Onn, Ælla, 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 massie swerde of deathe.                            670

 

  SOLDYERRES.

 

    From thee, O Ælla, alle oure courage reygnes;

  Echone yn phantasie do lede the Danes ynne chaynes.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Mie countrymenne, mie friendes, your noble 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 helle;

    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 Ælla 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 goddes! 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 goddes, 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

    Goddes! 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.

 

    Ælla 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 Ælla 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.

    Lyche a talle rocke yatte ryseth heaven-were,                         760

    Lyche a yonge wolfynne brondeous & strynge,

    Soe dydde he goe, & myghtie warriours hedde;

  Wythe gore-depycted wynges masterie arounde hym fledde.

 

    The battelle jyned; swerdes uponne swerdes dyd rynge;

    Ælla was chased, as lyonns madded bee;                                765

    Lyche fallynge starres, he dydde the javlynn flynge;

    Hys mightie anlace mightie menne dyd slea;

    Where he dydde comme, the flemed[97] foe dydde flee,

    Or felle benethe hys honde, as fallynge rayne,

    Wythe syke a fhuyrie he dydde onn 'hemm dree,                         770

    Hylles of yer bowkes dyd ryse opponne the playne;

    Ælla, thou arte--botte staie, mie tynge; saie nee;

  Howe greate I hymme maye make, stylle greater hee wylle bee.

 

    Nor dydde hys souldyerres see hys actes yn vayne.

    Heere a stoute Dane uponne hys compheere felle;                       775

    Heere lorde & hyndlette sonke uponne the playne;

    Heere sonne & fadre trembled ynto helle.

    Chief Magnus sought hys waie, &, shame to telle!

    Hee soughte hys waie for flyghte; botte Ælla's speere

    Uponne the flyynge Dacyannes schoulder felle.                         780

    Quyte throwe hys boddie, & hys harte ytte tare,

    He groned, & sonke uponne the gorie greene,

  And wythe hys corse encreased the pyles of Dacyannes sleene.

 

    Spente wythe the fyghte, the Danyshe champyons stonde,

    Lyche bulles, whose strengthe & wondrous myghte ys fledde;            785

    Ælla, a javelynne grypped yn eyther honde,

    Flyes to the thronge, & doomes two Dacyannes deadde.

    After hys acte, the armie all yspedde;

    Fromm everich on unmyssynge javlynnes flewe;

    Theie straughte yer doughtie swerdes; the foemenn bledde;             790

    Fulle three of foure of myghtie Danes dheie slewe;

    The Danes, wythe terroure rulynge att their head,

  Threwe downe theyr bannere talle, & lyche a ravenne fledde.

 

    The soldyerres followed wythe a myghtie crie,

    Cryes, yatte welle myghte the stouteste hartes affraie.               795

    Swefte, as yer shyppes, the vanquyshed Dacyannes flie;

    Swefte, as the rayne uponne an Aprylle daie,

    Pressynge behynde, the Englysche soldyerres slaie.

    Botte halfe the tythes of Danyshe menne remayne;

    Ælla commaundes 'heie shoulde the sleetre staie,                      800

    Botte bynde 'hem prysonners on the bloddie playne.

    The fyghtynge beynge done, I came awaie,

  In odher fieldes to fyghte a moe unequalle fraie.

    Mie servant squyre!

 

 

 

 

  CELMONDE, SERVITOURE.

 

 

  CELMONDE.

 

    Prepare a fleing horse,

    Whose feete are wynges, whose pace ys lycke the wynde,                805

    Whoe wylle outestreppe the morneynge lyghte yn course,

    Leaveynge the gyttelles of the merke behynde.

    Somme hyltren matters doe mie presence fynde.

    Gyv oute to alle yatte I was sleene ynne fyghte.

    Gyff ynne thys gare thou doest mie order mynde,                       810

    Whanne I returne, thou shalte be made a knyghte;

    Flie, flie, be gon; an howerre ys a daie;

  Quycke dyghte mie beste of stedes, & brynge hymm heere--awaie!

 

  CELMONDE.

 

    Ælla ys woundedd sore, & ynne the toune

    He waytethe, tylle hys woundes bee broghte to ethe.                   815

    And shalle I from hys browes plocke off the croune,

    Makynge the vyctore yn hys vyctorie blethe?

    O no! fulle sooner schulde mie hartes blodde smethe,

    Fulle soonere woulde I tortured bee toe deathe;

    Botte--Birtha ys the pryze; ahe! ytte were ethe                       820

    To gayne so gayne a pryze wythe losse of breathe;

    Botte thanne