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

Stonde thou bie mee; nowe saie thie name & londe;

    Or swythyne schall mie swerde thie boddie tare.

 

  CELMONDE.

 

    Bothe I wylle shewe thee bie mie brondeous[116] honde.

 

  HURRA.

 

    Besette hym rounde, yee Danes.

 

  CELMONDE.

 

    Comme onne, and see

  Gyff mie strynge anlace maie bewryen whatte I bee.                     1075

    [_Fyghte al anenste_ Celmonde, _meynte Danes he fleath,

       and faleth to_ Hurra.

 

  CELMONDE.

 

    Oh! I forslagen[117] be! ye Danes, now kenne,

    I amme yatte Celmonde, seconde yn the fyghte,

    Who dydd, atte Watchette, so forslege youre menne;

    I fele myne eyne to swymme yn æterne nyghte;--

    To her be kynde.     [_Dieth_.

 

  HURRA.

 

                  Thenne felle a wordhie knyghte.                        1080

    Saie, who bee you?

 

  BIRTHA.

 

    I am greate Ælla's wyfe.

 

  HURRA.

 

    Ah

 

  BIRTHA.

 

    Gyff anenste hym you harboure soule despyte,

    Nowe wythe the lethal anlace take mie lyfe,

    Mie thankes I ever onne you wylle bestowe,

  From ewbryce[118] you mee pyghte, the worste of mortal woe.            1085

 

  HURRA.

 

    I wylle; ytte scalle bee foe: yee Dacyans, heere.

    Thys Ælla havethe been oure foe for aie.

    Thorrowe the battelle he dyd brondeous teare,

    Beyng the lyfe and head of everych fraie;

    From everych Dacyanne power he won the daie,                         1090

    Forslagen Magnus, all oure schippes ybrente;

    Bie hys felle arme wee now are made to straie;

    The speere of Dacya he ynne pieces shente;

    Whanne hantoned barckes unto our londe dyd comme,

  Ælla the gare dheie sed, & wysched hym bytter dome.                    1095

 

  BIRTHA.

 

    Mercie!

 

  HURRA.

 

    Bee stylle.

    Botte yette he ys a foemanne goode and fayre;

    Whanne wee are spente, he foundethe the forloyne;

    The captyves chayne he tosseth ynne the ayre,

    Cheered the wounded bothe wythe bredde & wyne;

    Has hee notte untoe somme of you bynn dygne?                         1100

    You would have smethd onne Wedecestrian fielde,

    Botte hee behylte the flughorne for to cleyne,

    Throwynge onne hys wyde backe, hys wyder spreddynge shielde.

    Whanne you, as caytysned, yn fielde dyd bee,

  Hee oathed you to bee stylle, & strayte dydd sette you free.           1105

 

    Scalle wee forslege[119] hys wyfe, because he's brave?

    Bicaus hee fyghteth for hys countryes gare?

    Wylle hee, who havith bynne yis Ælla's slave,

    Robbe hym of whatte percase he holdith deere?

    Or scalle we menne of mennys sprytes appere,                         1110

    Doeynge hym favoure for hys favoure donne,

    Swefte to hys pallace thys damoiselle bere,

    Bewrynne oure case, and to oure waie be gonne?

    The last you do approve; so lette ytte bee;

  Damoyselle, comme awaie; you safe scalle bee wythe mee.                1115

 

  BIRTHA.

 

    Al blessynges maie the seynctes unto yee gyve!

    Al pleasaunce maie youre longe-straughte livynges bee!

    Ælla, whanne knowynge thatte bie you I lyve,

    Wylle thyncke too smalle a guyfte the londe & sea.

    O Celmonde! I maie deftlie rede bie thee,                            1120

    Whatte ille betydethe the enfouled kynde;

    Maie ne thie cross-stone[120] of thie cryme bewree!

    Maie alle menne ken thie valoure, fewe thie mynde!

    Soldyer! for syke thou arte ynn noble fraie,

  I wylle thie goinges 'tende, & doe thou lede the waie.                 1125

 

  HURRA.

 

    The mornynge 'gyns alonge the Easte to sheene;

  Darklinge the lyghte doe onne the waters plaie;

    The feynte rodde leme slowe creepeth oere the greene,

    Toe chase the merkyness of nyghte awaie;

    Swifte flies the howers thatte wylle brynge oute the daie;           1130

    The softe dewe falleth onne the greeynge grasse;

    The shepster mayden, dyghtynge her arraie,

    Scante[121] sees her vysage yn the wavie glasse;

    Bie the fulle daylieghte wee scalle Ælla see.

  Or Brystowes wallyd towne; damoyselle, followe mee.                    1135

 

 

 

 

  AT BRYSTOWE.

 

 

  ÆLLA AND SERVITOURES.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    'Tys nowe fulle morne; I thoughten, bie laste nyghte

    To have been heere; mie stede han notte mie love;

    Thys ys mie pallace; lette mie hyndes alyghte,

    Whylste I goe oppe, & wake mie slepeynge dove.

    Staie here, mie hyndlettes; I shal goe above.                        1140

    Nowe. Birtha, wyll thie loke enhele mie spryte,

    Thie smyles unto mie woundes a baulme wylle prove;

    Mie ledanne boddie wylle bee sette aryghte.

    Egwina, haste, & ope the portalle doore,

  Yatte I on Birtha's breste maie thynke of warre ne more.               1145

 

 

 

 

  ÆLLA, EGWINA.

 

 

  EGWINA.

 

    Oh Ælla!

 

  ÆLLA.

 

        Ah! that semmlykeene to mee

    Speeketh a legendary tale of woe.

 

  EGWINA.

 

    Birtha is--

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Whatt? where? how? saie, whatte of shee?

 

  EGWINA.

 

    Gone--

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Gone! ye goddes!

 

  EGWINA.

 

                           Alas! ytte ys toe true.

    Yee seynctes, hee dies awaie wythe myckle woe!                       1150

    Ælla! what? Ælla! oh! hee lyves agen.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Cal mee notte Ælla; I am hymme ne moe.

    Where ys shee gon awaie? ah! speake! how? when?

 

  EGWINA.

 

    I will.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

            Caparyson a score of stedes; flie, flie.

    Where ys shee? swythynne speeke, or instante thou shalte die.        1155

 

  EGWINA.

 

    Stylle thie loud rage, & here thou whatte I knowe.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Oh! speek.

 

  EGWINA.

 

    Lyche prymrose, droopynge wythe the heavie rayne,

    Laste nyghte I lefte her, droopynge wythe her wiere,

    Her love the gare, thatte gave her harte syke peyne--

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Her love! to whomme?

 

  EGWINA.

 

             To thee, her spouse alleyne[122].                           1160

    As ys mie hentylle everyche morne to goe,

    I wente, and oped her chamber doore ynn twayne,

    Botte found her notte, as I was wont to doe;

    Thanne alle arounde the pallace I dyd seere[123],

  Botte culde (to mie hartes woe) ne fynde her anie wheere.              1165

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Thou lyest, foul hagge! thou lyest; thou art her ayde

    To chere her louste;--botte noe; ytte cannotte bee.

 

  EGWINA.

 

    Gyff trouthe appear notte inne whatte I have sayde,

    Drawe forthe thie anlace swythyn, thanne mee flea.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Botte yette ytte muste, ytte muste bee foe; I see,                   1170

    Shee wythe somme loustie paramoure ys gone;

    Itte moste bee foe--oh! how ytte wracketh mee!

    Mie race of love, mie race of lyfe ys ronne;

    Nowe rage, & brondeous storm, & tempeste comme;

  Nete lyvynge upon erthe can now enswote mie domme.                     1175

 

 

 

 

  ÆLLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE.

 

 

  SERVYTOURE.

 

    Loverde! I am aboute the trouthe to saie.

    Laste nyghte, fulle late I dydde retourne to reste.

    As to mie chamber I dydde bende mie waie,

    To Birtha onne hys name & place addreste;

    Downe to hym camme shee; butte thereof the reste                     1180

    I ken ne matter; so, mie hommage made--

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    O! speake ne moe; mie harte flames yn yttes heste;

    I once was Ælla; nowe bee notte yttes shade.

    Hanne alle the fuirie of mysfortunes wylle

  Fallen onne mie benned[124] headde I hanne been Ælla stylle.           1185

 

    Thys alleyn was unburled[125] of alle mie spryte;

    Mie honnoure, honnoure, frownd on the dolce[126] wynde,

    Thatte steeked on ytte; nowe wyth rage Im pyghte;

    A brondeous unweere ys mie engyned mynde.

    Mie hommeur yette somme drybblet joie maie fynde,                    1190

    To the Danes woundes I wylle another yeve;

    Whanne thos mie rennome[127] & mie peace ys rynde,

    Itte were a recrandize to thyncke toe lyve;

    Mie huscarles, untoe everie asker telle,

  Gyffe noblie Ælla lyved, as noblie Ælla felle.                         1195

                          [_Stabbeth hys breste_.

 

  SERVYTOURE.

 

    Ælla ys sleene; the flower of Englonde's marrde!

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Be stylle: swythe lette the chyrches rynge mie knelle.

    Call hyther brave Coernyke; he, as warde

    Of thys mie Brystowe castle, wyll doe welle.

                                [_Knelle ryngeth_.

 

 

 

 

  ÆLLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE, COERNYKE.

 

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Thee I ordeyne the warde; so alle maie telle.                        1200

    I have botte lyttel tym to dragge thys lyfe;

    Mie lethal tale, alyche a lethalle belle,

    Dynne yn the eares of her I wyschd mie wyfe!

    Botte, ah! shee maie be fayre.

 

  EGWINA.

 

                        Yatte shee moste bee.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

  Ah! saie notte foe; yatte worde woulde Ælla dobblie flee.              1205

 

 

 

 

 

  ÆLLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE, COERNYKE, BIRTHA, HURRA.

 

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Ah! Birtha here!

 

  BIRTHA.

 

    Whatte dynne ys thys? whatte menes yis leathalle knelle?

    Where ys mie Ælla? speeke; where? howe ys hee?

    Oh Ælla! art thou yanne alyve and welle!

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    I lyve yndeed; botte doe notte lyve for thee.

 

  BIRTHA.

 

    Whatte menes mie Ælla?

 

  ÆLLA.

 

                     Here mie meneynge see.                              1210

    Thie foulness urged mie honde to gyve thys wounde,

    Ytte mee unsprytes[128].

 

  BIRTHA.

 

                     Ytte hathe unspryted mee.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Ah heavens! mie Birtha fallethe to the grounde!

    Botte yette I am a manne, and so wylle bee.

 

  HURRA.

 

  Ælla! I amme a Dane; botte yette a friende to thee.                    1215

 

    Thys damoyselle I founde wythynne a woode,

    Strevynge fulle harde anenste a burled swayne;

    I sente hym myrynge ynne mie compheeres blodde,

    Celmonde hys name, chief of thie warrynge trayne.

    Yis damoiselle foughte to be here agayne;                            1220

    The whyche, albeytte foemen, wee dydd wylle;

    So here wee broughte her wythe you to remayne.

 

  COERNIKE.

 

    Yee nobylle Danes! wythe goulde I wyll you fylle.

 

  ÆLLA.

 

    Birtha, mie lyfe! mie love! oh! she ys fayre.

  Whatte faultes coulde Birtha have, whatte faultes could Ælla feare?

 

  BIRTHA.

 

    Amm I yenne thyne? I cannotte blame thie feere.

    Botte doe reste mee uponne mie Ælla's breaste;

    I wylle to thee bewryen the woefulle gare.

    Celmonde dyd comme to mee at tyme of reste,

    Wordeynge for mee to flie, att your requeste,                        1230

    To Watchette towne, where you deceasynge laie;

    I wyth hym fledde; thro' a murke wode we preste,

    Where hee foule love unto mie eares dyd saie;

    The Danes--

 

  ÆLLA.

 

             Oh! I die contente.--     [_dieth_.

 

  BIRTHA.

 

                              Oh! ys mie Ælla dedde?

  O! I will make hys grave mie vyrgyn spousal bedde.                     1235

                                        [Birtha _feyncteth_.

 

  COERNYKE.

 

    Whatt? Ælla deadde! & Birtha dyynge toe!

    Soe falles the fayrest flourettes of the playne.

    Who canne unplyte the wurchys heaven can doe,

    Or who untweste the role of shappe yn twayne?

    Ælla, thie rennome was thie onlie gayne;                             1240

    For yatte, thie pleasaunce, & thie joie was loste.

    Thie countrymen shall rere thee, on the playne,

    A pyle of carnes, as anie grave can boaste;

    Further, a just amede to thee to bee,

  Inne heaven thou synge of Godde, on erthe we'lle synge of thee.        1245

 

THE ENDE.

 

[Footnote 1: robes, mantels.]

 

[Footnote 2: a pen.]

 

[Footnote 3: express.]

 

[Footnote 4: countenance.]

 

[Footnote 5: covered.]

 

[Footnote 6: such.]

 

[Footnote 7: another.]

 

[Footnote 8: at once.]

 

[Footnote 9: mighty.]

 

[Footnote 10: hardy, valourous.]

 

[Footnote 11: violence.]

 

[Footnote 12: binding, enforcing.]

 

[Footnote 13: fate.]

 

[Footnote 14: lessen, decrease.]

 

[Footnote 15: faith.]

 

[Footnote 16: blinded.]

 

[Footnote 17: lights, rays.]

 

[Footnote 18: fellows, equals.]

 

[Footnote 19: disdainful.]

 

[Footnote 20: presents, offerings.]

 

[Footnote 21: scarfs.]

 

[Footnote 22: robes of scarlet.]

 

[Footnote 23: bounded.]

 

[Footnote 24: large.]

 

[Footnote 25: elephants.]

 

[Footnote 26: destroy.]

 

[Footnote 27: stretched.]

 

[Footnote 28: services.]

 

[Footnote 29: memory, understanding.]

 

[Footnote 30: Shepherd.]

 

[Footnote 31: deceiver.]

 

[Footnote 32: meadows.]

 

[Footnote 33: The black bird.]

 

[Footnote 34: Gold-finch.]

 

[Footnote 35: loudly.]

 

[Footnote 36: lectures.]

 

[Footnote 37: Apparel.]

 

[Footnote 38: At once.]

 

[Footnote 39: a divine.]

 

[Footnote 40: A cottage.]

 

[Footnote 41: Lord.]

 

[Footnote 42: stretch.]

 

[Footnote 43: tender.]

 

[Footnote 44: Naked.]

 

[Footnote 45: Hot.]

 

[Footnote 46: health.]

 

[Footnote 47: Quickly.]

 

[Footnote 48: Laughable.]

 

[Footnote 49: Drouned.]

 

[Footnote 50: Stilled, quenched.]

 

[Footnote 51: Swelling.]

 

[Footnote 52: Body, substance.]

 

[Footnote 53: Still, dead.]

 

[Footnote 54: arrows, darts.]

 

[Footnote 55: Terrible.]

 

[Footnote 56: Offended.]

 

[Footnote 57: upbraiding.]

 

[Footnote 58: cease.]

 

[Footnote 59: swollen.]

 

[Footnote 60: Torture.]

 

[Footnote 61: asswage.]

 

[Footnote 62: difficult.]

 

[Footnote 63: Jewels.]

 

[Footnote 64: stay.]

 

[Footnote 65: Wrapped closely, covered.]

 

[Footnote 66: fastened.]

 

[Footnote 67: astonish'd.]

 

[Footnote 68: Naked.]

 

[Footnote 69: Scatterest.]

 

[Footnote 70: Strange.]

 

[Footnote 71: Quickly.]

 

[Footnote 72: offerings.]

 

[Footnote 73: mantels.]

 

[Footnote 74: Enlighten.]

 

[Footnote 75: Least.]

 

[Editor's note: l. 467 _see Introduction p._ xli]

 

[Footnote 76: Against.]

 

[Footnote 77: Work.]

 

[Editor's note: l. 489 sphere: _see note on p_. xli]

 

[Footnote 78: Terror.]

 

[Footnote 79: cowards.]

 

[Footnote 80: Wave.]

 

[Footnote 81: Contentions.]

 

[Footnote 82: frighted.]

 

[Footnote 83: Lose.]

 

[Footnote 84: Child.]

 

[Footnote 85: Fate-scourged.]

 

[Footnote 86: flamed, fired.]

 

[Footnote 87: lighted.]

 

[Footnote 88: dead.]

 

[Footnote 89: blasting.]

 

[Footnote 90: swallows, sucks in.]

 

[Footnote 91: unaccustomed.]

 

[Footnote 92: Declaring.]

 

[Footnote 93: Shall.]

 

[Footnote 94: Coward.]

 

[Footnote 95: Retreat.]

 

[Footnote 96: Burnish.]

 

[Footnote 97: Frighted.]

 

[Footnote 98: Eternal.]

 

[Footnote 99: Grief.]

 

[Footnote 100: Running.]

 

[Footnote 101: hair.]

 

[Footnote 102: complexion.]

 

[Footnote 103: Water-flags.]

 

[Footnote 104: Frozen, cold.]

 

[Footnote 105: horse coursers, couriers.]

 

[Footnote 106: Risen.]

 

[Footnote 107: church-yard.]

 

[Footnote 108: Promised.]

 

[Footnote 109: Life.]

 

[Footnote 110: Scarcely, sparingly.]

 

[Footnote 111: Torch.]

 

[Footnote 112: Betrayed.]

 

[Footnote 113: Letchery.]

 

[Footnote 114: heaven.]

 

[Footnote 115: hide.]

 

[Footnote 116: Furious.]

 

[Footnote 117: slain.]

 

[Footnote 118: Adultery.]

 

[Footnote 119: Slay.]

 

[Footnote 120: Monument.]

 

[Footnote 121: Scarce.]

 

[Footnote 122: Only, alone.]

 

[Footnote 123: Search.]

 

[Footnote 124: Cursed, tormented.]

 

[Footnote 125: unarmed.]

 

[Footnote 126: soft, gentle.]

 

[Footnote 127: renown.]

 

[Footnote 128: Un-souls.]