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

Kynge Rycharde, lyche a lyoncel[56] of warre,

    Inne sheenynge goulde, lyke feerie[57] gronfers[58], dyghte[59],

    Shaketh alofe hys honde, and seene afarre.                             45

    Syke haveth I espyde a greter starre

    Amenge the drybblett[60] ons to sheene fulle bryghte;

    Syke sunnys wayne[61] wyth amayl'd[62] beames doe barr

    The blaunchie[63] mone or estells[64] to gev lyghte.                   50

  Sprytes of the bleste, and everich Seyncte ydedde,

  Poure owte your pleasaunce on mie fadres hedde.

 

    Distraughte[65] affraie[66], wythe lockes of blodde-red die,

    Terroure, emburled[67] yn the thonders rage,

    Deathe, lynked to dismaie, dothe ugsomme[68] flie,                     55

    Enchasynge[69] echone champyonne war to wage.

    Speeres bevyle[70] speres; swerdes upon swerdes engage;

    Armoure on armoure dynn[71], shielde upon shielde;

    Ne dethe of thosandes can the warre assuage,

    Botte salleynge nombers sable[72] all the feelde.                      60

  Sprytes of the bleste, and everych Seyncte ydedde,

  Poure owte youre pleasaunce on mie fadres hedde.

 

    The foemen fal arounde; the cross reles[73] hye;

    Steyned ynne goere, the harte of warre ys seen;

    Kyng Rycharde, thorough everyche trope dothe flie,                     65

    And beereth meynte[74] of Turkes onto the greene;

    Bie hymm the floure of Asies menn ys sleene[75];

    The waylynge[76] mone doth fade before hys sonne;

    Bie hym hys knyghtes bee formed to actions deene[77],

    Doeynge syke marvels[78], strongers be aston[79].                     70

  Sprytes of the bleste, and everych Seyncte ydedde,

  Poure owte your pleasaunce onn mie fadres hedde.

 

    The fyghte ys wonne; Kynge Rycharde master is;

    The Englonde bannerr kisseth the hie ayre;

    Full of pure joie the armie is iwys[80],                               75

    And everych one haveth it onne his bayre[81];

    Agayne to Englonde comme, and worschepped there.

    Twyghte[82] into lovynge armes, and feasted eft[83];

    In everych eyne aredynge nete of wyere[84],

    Of all remembrance of past peyne berefte.                              80

  Sprites of the bleste, and everich Seyncte ydedde,

  Syke pleasures powre upon mie fadres hedde.

 

    Syke Nigel sed, whan from the bluie sea

    The upswol[85] sayle dyd daunce before his eyne;

    Swefte as the withe, hee toe the beeche dyd flee.                      85

    And founde his fadre steppeynge from the bryne.

    Lette thyssen menne, who haveth sprite of loove,

  Bethyncke untoe hemselves how mote the meetynge proove.

 

[Footnote 1: Spirits, souls.]

 

[Footnote 2: pleasure.]

 

[Footnote 3: broad.]

 

[Footnote 4: shine, glimmer.]

 

[Footnote 5: diminished, lessened.]

 

[Footnote 6: astonished, confounded.]

 

[Footnote 7: see, discover, know.]

 

[Footnote 8: such, so.]

 

[Footnote 9: strong.]

 

[Footnote 10: heads.]

 

[Footnote 11: cut.]

 

[Footnote 12: glassy, reflecting.]

 

[Footnote 13: waves, billows.]

 

[Footnote 14: oak.]

 

[Footnote 15: a musical instrument, not unlike a hautboy.]

 

[Footnote 16: sweet.]

 

[Footnote 17: sound.]

 

[Footnote 18: confuse, contend with.]

 

[Footnote 19: sounding.]

 

[Footnote 20: thrones.]

 

[Footnote 21: seated.]

 

[Footnote 22: red.]

 

[Footnote 23: painted.]

 

[Footnote 24: carved.]

 

[Footnote 25: devices.]

 

[Footnote 26: glimmering.]

 

[Footnote 27: rising high, swelling up.]

 

[Footnote 28: they.]

 

[Footnote 29: a corruption of _estoile_, Fr. a star.]

 

[Footnote 30: evening.]

 

[Footnote 31: dark.]

 

[Footnote 32: rebus'd shields; a herald term, when the charge of the

shield implies the name of the bearer.]

 

[Footnote 33: like.]

 

[Footnote 34: along.]

 

[Footnote 35: shine.]

 

[Footnote 36: short-lived.]

 

[Footnote 37: furious.]

 

[Footnote 38: runneth.]

 

[Footnote 39: not knowing.]

 

[Footnote 40: abide.]

 

[Footnote 41: mighty.]

 

[Footnote 42: affright.]

 

[Footnote 43: woeful.]

 

[Footnote 44: covered.]

 

[Footnote 45: different kinds of boats.]

 

[Footnote 46: full soon, presently.]

 

[Footnote 47: glitter.]

 

[Footnote 48: united, assembled.]

 

[Footnote 49: running.]

 

[Footnote 50: foes.]

 

[Footnote 51: if.]

 

[Footnote 52: make ready.]

 

[Footnote 53: dark.]

 

[Footnote 54: engage.]

 

[Footnote 55: cease, stand still.]

 

[Footnote 56: a young lion.]

 

[Footnote 57: flaming.]

 

[Footnote 58: a meteor, from _gron_, a fen, and _fer_, a corruption of

fire; that is, a fire exhaled from a fen.]

 

[Footnote 59: deckt.]

 

[Footnote 60: small, insignificant.]

 

[Footnote 61: carr.]

 

[Footnote 62: enameled.]

 

[Footnote 63: white, silver.]

 

[Footnote 64: stars.]

 

[Footnote 65: distracting.]

 

[Footnote 66: affright.]

 

[Footnote 67: armed.]

 

[Footnote 68: terribly.]

 

[Footnote 69: encouraging, heating.]

 

[Footnote 70: break, a herald term, signifying a spear broken in

tilting.]

 

[Footnote 71: sounds.]

 

[Footnote 72: blacken.]

 

[Footnote 73: waves.]

 

[Footnote 74: many, great numbers.]

 

[Footnote 75: slain.]

 

[Footnote 76: decreasing.]

 

[Footnote 77: glorious, worthy.]

 

[Footnote 78: wonders.]

 

[Footnote 79: astonished.]

 

[Footnote 80: certainly.]

 

[Footnote 81: brow.]

 

[Footnote 82: plucked, pulled.]

 

[Footnote 83: often.]

 

[Footnote 84: grief, trouble.]

 

[Footnote 85: swollen.]

 

 

ECLOGUE THE THIRD.

 

    Wouldst thou kenn nature in her better parte?

    Goe, serche the logges [1] and bordels[2] of the hynde[3];

    Gyff[4] theie have anie, itte ys roughe-made arte,

    Inne hem[5] you see the blakied[6] forme of kynde[7].

    Haveth your mynde a lycheynge[8] of a mynde?                            5

    Woulde it kenne everich thynge, as it mote[9] bee?

    Woulde ytte here phrase of the vulgar from the hynde,

    Withoute wiseegger[10] wordes and knowlache[11] free?

    Gyf soe, rede thys, whyche Iche dysporteynge[12] pende;

  Gif nete besyde, yttes rhyme maie ytte commende.                         10

 

  MANNE.

 

  Botte whether, fayre mayde, do ye goe?

    O where do ye bende yer waie?

  I wille knowe whether you goe,

    I wylle not bee asseled[13] naie.

 

  WOMANNE.

 

  To Robyn and Nell, all downe in the delle,                               15

    To hele[14] hem at makeynge of haie.

 

  MANNE.

 

  Syr Rogerre, the parsone, hav hyred mee there,

    Comme, comme, lett us tryppe ytte awaie,

  We'lle wurke[15] and we'lle synge, and wylle drenche[16] of stronge beer

    As longe as the merrie sommers daie.                                   20

 

  WOMANNE.

 

  How harde ys mie dome to wurch!

        Moke is mie woe.

  Dame Agnes, whoe lies ynne the Chyrche

        With birlette[17] golde,

  Wythe gelten[18] aumeres[19] stronge ontolde,                            25

  What was shee moe than me, to be soe?

 

  MANNE.

 

    I kenne Syr Roger from afar

      Tryppynge over the lea;

    Ich ask whie the loverds[20] son

      Is moe than mee.                                                     30

 

  SYR ROGERRE.

 

    The sweltrie[21] sonne dothe hie apace hys wayne[22],

    From everich beme a seme[23]; of lyfe doe falle;

    Swythyn[24] scille[25] oppe the haie uponne the playne;

    Methynckes the cockes begynneth to gre[26] talle.

    Thys ys alyche oure doome[27]; the great, the smalle,                  35

    Mofte withe[28] and bee forwyned[29] by deathis darte.

    See! the swote[30] flourette[31] hathe noe swote at alle;

    Itte wythe the ranke wede bereth evalle[32] parte.

    The cravent[33], warrioure, and the wyse be blente[34],

  Alyche to drie awaie wythe those theie dyd bemente[35].                  40

 

  MANNE.

 

  All-a-boon[36], Syr Priest, all-a-boon,

    Bye yer preestschype nowe saye unto mee;

  Syr Gaufryd the knyghte, who lyvethe harde bie,

    Whie shoulde hee than mee

               Bee moe greate,                                             45

  Inne honnoure, knyghtehoode and estate?

 

  SYR ROGERRE.

 

    Attourne[37] thine eyne arounde thys haied mee,

    Tentyflie[38] loke arounde the chaper[39] delle[40];

    An answere to thie barganette[41] here see,

    Thys welked[42] flourette wylle a leson telle:                         50

    Arist[43] it blew[44], itte florished, and dyd welle,

    Lokeynge ascaunce[45] upon the naighboure greene;

    Yet with the deigned[46] greene yttes rennome[47] felle,

    Eftsoones[48] ytte shronke upon the daie-brente[49] playne,

    Didde not yttes loke, whilest ytte there dyd stonde,                   55

  To croppe ytte in the bodde move somme dred honde.

 

    Syke[50] ys the waie of lyffe; the loverds[51] ente[52]

    Mooveth the robber hym therfor to slea[53];

    Gyf thou has ethe[54], the shadowe of contente,

    Beleive the trothe[55], theres none moe haile[56] yan thee.            60

    Thou wurchest[57]; welle, canne thatte a trobble bee?

    Slothe moe wulde jade thee than the roughest daie.

    Couldest thou the kivercled[58] of soughlys[59] see,

    Thou wouldst eftsoones[60] see trothe ynne whatte I saie;

    Botte lette me heere thie waie of lyffe, and thenne                    65

  Heare thou from me the lyffes of odher menne.

 

  MANNE.

 

    I ryse wythe the sonne,

  Lyche hym to dryve the wayne[61],

  And eere mie wurche is don

  I synge a songe or twayne[62].                                           70

  I followe the plough-tayle,

  Wythe a longe jubb[63] of ale.

    Botte of the maydens, oh!

  Itte lacketh notte to telle;

  Syr Preeste mote notte crie woe,                                         75

  Culde hys bull do as welle.

  I daunce the beste heiedeygnes[64],

  And foile[65] the wysest feygnes[66].

    On everych Seynctes hie daie

  Wythe the mynstrelle[67] am I seene,                                     80

  All a footeynge it awaie,

  Wythe maydens on the greene.

  But oh! I wyshe to be moe greate,

  In rennome, tenure, and estate.

 

  SYR ROGERRE.

 

    Has thou ne seene a tree uponne a hylle,                               85

    Whose unliste[68] braunces[69] rechen far toe fyghte;

    Whan fuired[70] unwers[71] doe the heaven fylle,

    Itte shaketh deere[72] yn dole[73] and moke affryghte.

    Whylest the congeon[74] flowrette abessie[75] dyghte[76],

    Stondethe unhurte, unquaced[77] bie the storme:                        90

    Syke is a picte[78] of lyffe: the manne of myghte

    Is tempest-chaft[79], hys woe greate as hys forme,

    Thieselfe a flowrette of a small accounte,

  Wouldst harder felle the wynde, as hygher thee dydste mounte.

 

[Footnote 1: lodges, huts.]

 

[Footnote 2: cottages.]

 

[Footnote 3: servant, slave, peasant.]

 

[Footnote 4: if.]

 

[Footnote 5: a contraction of _them_.]

 

[Footnote 6: naked, original.]

 

[Footnote 7: nature.]

 

[Footnote 8: liking.]

 

[Footnote 9: might. The sense of this line is, Would you see every

thing in its primæval state.]

 

[Footnote 10: wise-egger, a philosopher.]

 

[Footnote 11: knowledge.]

 

[Footnote 12: sporting.]

 

[Footnote 13: answered.]

 

[Footnote 14: aid, or help.]

 

[Footnote 15: work.]

 

[Footnote 16: drink.]

 

[Footnote 17: a hood, or covering for the back part of the head.]

 

[Footnote 18: guilded.]

 

[Footnote 19: borders of gold and silver, on which was laid thin

plates of either metal counterchanged, not unlike the present spangled

laces.]

 

[Footnote 20: lord.]

 

[Footnote 21: sultry.]

 

[Footnote 22: car.]

 

[Footnote 23: seed.]

 

[Footnote 24: quickly, presently.]

 

[Footnote 25: gather.]

 

[Footnote 26: grow.]

 

[Footnote 27: fate.]

 

[Footnote 28: a contraction of wither.]

 

[Footnote 29: dried.]

 

[Footnote 30: sweet.]

 

[Footnote 31: flower.]

 

[Footnote 32: equal.]

 

[Footnote 33: coward.]

 

[Footnote 34: ceased, dead, no more.]

 

[Footnote 35: lament.]

 

[Footnote 36: a manner of asking a favour.]

 

[Footnote 37: turn.]

 

[Footnote 38: carefully, with circumspection.]

 

[Footnote 39: dry, sun-burnt.]

 

[Footnote 40: valley.]

 

[Footnote 41: a song, or ballad.]

 

[Footnote 42: withered.]

 

[Footnote 43: arisen, or arose.]

 

[Footnote 44: blossomed.]

 

[Footnote 45: disdainfully.]

 

[Footnote 46: disdained.]

 

[Footnote 47: glory.]

 

[Footnote 48: quickly.]

 

[Footnote 49: burnt.]

 

[Footnote 50: such.]

 

[Footnote 51: lord's.]

 

[Footnote 52: a purse or bag.]

 

[Footnote 53: slay.]

 

[Footnote 54: ease.]

 

[Footnote 55: truth.]

 

[Footnote 56: happy.]

 

[Footnote 57: workest.]

 

[Footnote 58: the hidden or secret part of.]

 

[Footnote 59: souls.]

 

[Footnote 60: full soon, or presently.]

 

[Footnote 61: car.]

 

[Footnote 62: two.]

 

[Footnote 63: a bottle.]

 

[Footnote 64: a country dance, still practised in the North.]

 

[Footnote 65: baffle.]

 

[Footnote 66: a corruption of _feints_.]

 

[Footnote 67: a minstrel is a musician.]

 

[Footnote 68: unbounded.]

 

[Footnote 69: branches.]

 

[Footnote 70: furious.]

 

[Footnote 71: tempests, storms.]

 

[Footnote 72: dire.]

 

[Footnote 73: dismay.]

 

[Footnote 74: dwarf.]

 

[Footnote 75: humility.]

 

[Footnote 76: decked.]

 

[Footnote 77: unhurt.]

 

[Footnote 78: picture.]

 

[Footnote 79: tempest-beaten.]

 

 

ELINOURE AND JUGA.

 

    Onne Ruddeborne[1] bank twa pynynge Maydens fate,

    Theire teares faste dryppeynge to the waterre cleere;

    Echone bementynge[2] for her absente mate,

    Who atte Seyncte Albonns shouke the morthynge[3] speare.

    The nottebrowne Elinoure to Juga fayre                                  5

    Dydde speke acroole[4], wythe languishment of eyne,

  Lyche droppes of pearlie dew, lemed[5] the quyvryng brine.

 

  ELINOURE.

 

    O gentle Juga! heare mie dernie[6] plainte,

    To fyghte for Yorke mie love ys dyghte[7] in stele;

    O maie ne sanguen steine the whyte rose peyncte,                       10

    Maie good Seyncte Cuthberte watche Syrre Roberte wele.

    Moke moe thanne deathe in phantasie I feele;

    See! see! upon the grounde he bleedynge lies;

  Inhild[8] some joice[9] of lyfe or else mie deare love dies.

 

  JUGA.

 

    Systers in sorrowe, on thys daise-ey'd banke,                          15

    Where melancholych broods, we wyll lamente;

    Be wette wythe mornynge dewe and evene danke;

    Lyche levynde[10] okes in eche the odher bente,

    Or lyche forlettenn[11] halles of merriemente,

    Whose gastlie mitches[12] holde the traine of fryghte[13],             20

  Where lethale[14] ravens bark, and owlets wake the nyghte.

 

  [ELINOURE.]

 

    No moe the miskynette[15] shall wake the morne,

    The minstrelle daunce,