Classic Poem

A: Prince out of the north shall come,
K ing borne, named babe; his brest vpon,
a Lyon rampant strong to see,
and l I S Icclippedd hee:
borne in a country rude & stonye,
yett hee couragyous, wise, & holy;
att best of strenght, his ffortunes best
he shall receiue, & therin rest,
coach as a Lyon in the den,
& lye in peace soe long till men
shall wonder, & all christendome
thinke the time long, both all and some.
Att Last he calls a Parlaiment,
& breakes itt straight in discontent;
& shortly then shall roused bee
by enemyes beyond the sea
but when in wrath he drawes his sword,
woe tha t the sleeping Lyon stured!
ffor ere he sheath the same againe,
he puts his foes to mickle paine.
& vallyant actes he shall then doe,
great Alexanders ffame outgoe:
he passeth seas, & ffame doth winn,
& many princes ioyne w i th him,
& chuse him ffor their gou er nor,
& crowne him westerne Emperour;
after a while he shal be-girt
tha t cittye ancyent and great
w hi ch vpon 7 hills scituate,
till hee her all haue ruinate.
then shall a ffoe ffrom east appeare,
the brinkes of one great riuer neere;
this Lyon rampant him shall meete;
& iff on this side hee shall ffight,
the day is Lost: but hee shall crosse
this riuer great, & being past,
shall in the strenght of his great god,
into his ffoes discouraging rode,
causing him thence take his fflight,
of Easterne K ing s succour to seekee;
during w hi ch time he is in owne
of East & west crowned Emperowne.
then shall the ffoe in ffury burne,
& ffrom the East in hast returne—
w i th aid of K ing s & princes great—
to the valley of Iehosaphatt:
then shall hee meete the Lyon stronge,
who in a battell ffeirce & longe
shall ffoyle his ffoe. then cruell death
shall take away his aged breath.