Classic Poem

Long held he onward till he reached the ground
Whereon that manor stood, which stood full high,
And was on every part inclosed around.
So that he lingered in the wood hard by,
Thinking to mark the passages, ere yet
Unto the gate itself he came anigh
When in an alley thick with trees inset
Presently he beheld riding a knight,
Whom above all 'twas welcome to have met.
For from his shield, which bare device full bright
He seemed to be Giroie: then Mano cried,
" Thou wicked caitiff, if thou have thy sight,
" Which to restore full many a man hath died,
To keep thee from me thou shalt have ado,
And need to use thy eyes on every side "
And therewithal full fiercely they fell to:
But Mano, when he found what way came on
That feigning semblance, to great wonder grew:
For scarcely gave he stroke, and stood to none,
Nor bore his shield on high in knightly sort,
When the strait place gave sore occasion:
But twisted in his seat, with knees drawn short:
And uttered gibes when strokes went nigh his head;
So that with wrath his very horse gan snort.
But not for ever could such game be played,
And in short time Sir Mano with great might
Upon the ground that senseless felon laid.
Whom minding to have slain for felon knight,
And rashing off his helm thereto, he found
Another man in Giroie's armour dight
Then, as he thought thereon, the windy round
Of the forest seemed to whisper: and behold,
Joanna, and the peasant in that sound!
Full soon that fallen man the peasant old
Knew for the knave who owed so much of blame,
And therewith bade the knight his hand withhold,
Since better he deserved a death of shame
Than to be nobly slain by gentle hand
— Then well Sir Mano greeted that fair dame,
Who for his sake was journeying through the land,
Albeit he knew it not: but now anon
The peasant's tale they made him understand:
And forward to the castle set they on,
Which that false knave usurped, who now was tied
Securely in the midst, his horse upon.
But when his lusty quean their coming spied,
She made the gates all fast, and on the wall
Lay watching: unto whom her father cried,
" Thou wicked offspring of hell's bitter gall,
Know thy ill deeds discovered, and thy knave
Taken, and now at hand thy fatal fall.
" If there within be any good and brave,
Open the gates, I say! and help to wreak
On her of many men the bloody grave;
" And on this quaking wretch, who cannot speak,
Revenge the heir, who is in prison pined
By this false caitiff here for many a week "
When thus he spoke, like to a rising wind
There rose a noise within: and presently
Shouts, blows, and groans, a hubbub fell and blind
Against the thieves who there did occupy
Many now sided, who liked not that sin,
And had been murmuring long in secrecy.
Then, when grew loud the fighting and the din,
Sir Mano blew his horn with mighty sound,
Whereat the gates flew open from within;
And in he hurled, and dealt such strokes around,
That in short time the victory was won,
And all the robbers who yet lived were bound
Then went they to the prison, where the son
Of the old lord was laid in bondage strong,
Whom out they drew with famine all foredone
Thin was his body, and his hair grown long,
Enwrapped was he in rags, shaking with cold;
But round his neck her arms Joanna flung.
Which when Sir Mano saw, and gan behold
The lover of the lady whom he loved,
Namely the true Giroie, that knight full bold,
A little smiled he, and himself removed,
And stood apart a little at the sight
Then to him came Giroie, as him behoved,
And gave him thanks for rescue done in fight:
For well he knew what should to worth belong,
Nor lived a kinder man in earthly light:
He then, unknowing of love's bitter wrong,
To Mano rendered thanks with countenance bright,
And him Sir Mano answered with this song: —
" Doing myself wrong, fought I for the right,
I with no quarrel drew my heavy blade,
And in advantage placed my opposite
" Out of a foe a deadlier friend I made,
A castle took I for the castellan,
Restoring him who yet therein was laid.
" For my own love freed I another man,
And 'gainst myself to fit him paid my blood;
By my own victory my defeat began
" And by this sequel it is understood
Wherefore these many weeks before this day
This knight before my lady hath not stood
" For he in prison strong forpined lay,
The while that I from her dismission gained:
But now may Christ hearken to that I say —
" Albeit I by her am thus disdained,
No force nor might of any man shall stay,
And against all it is by me maintained,
" That she be lady of my thoughts alway,
Both day and night to rule within my breast,
And that I do her service if I may. "
Then sighed Joanna, hearing him protest
To have what fate was settled to deny:
For in her hopes that storm was laid at rest
But now Giroie to Mano made reply
With eyes surprised, but yet of courteous cheer,
Saying, " If thou love her whom no less I,
" There lies no cause of wrath or hate or fear;
For, if I might all things declare to thee,
Thou shouldst not deem my part so poor in her,
" Nor think that envy so should work in me,
That I should grudge thy thoughts their happiness. "
Then Mano briefly answered, " It may be. "
But now to punishment they gan address
Their thoughts for those ill doers who remained,
The knave and his fair leman in distress,
Who still their former countenance maintained,
And in the midst being brought, the knave all pale
And streaked with blood, and both of them enchained;
Of whose fell crimes when witness did not fail,
Sir Mano said, " To mercy is my mind,
And, as my sword to win them did prevail,
" So to their father be my right resigned,
And be that sentence given that he avise. "
For to his own he deemed he would be kind
But that old man arose with heavy sighs,
And in the midst his sentence gave anon,
Which came on all who heard with full surprise.
" Daughter, " said he, " and by ill chance my son,
Full deeply have ye sinned, and trespass tried
Which few that are worst sinners would not shun;
" Slaying your parents: but if now beside
Your murdered parents none for vengeance call,
Then I forgive you, speaking on the side
" Of those poor parents; yea, forgive you all
That their grave covers, well assured that they
Would bid no spot of harm on you to fall
" But others were there in your evil day
Whom one of you with cruel torment slew,
And for false deeds besides your lives must pay.
" O children, I your father pass on you
This righteous judgment, That upon yon wall,
Within whose bound ye earned your evil due,
" Ye both be hanged on high, and so end all —
This only is it that I may decree,
Nor from just mouth may other sentence fall
" Though anguish weigh me down and misery,
Yet know I, and yourselves must own, the right,
Nor part from me in anger — woe is me! "
Thus saying went he to the youthful wight,
And spake with him full long; and at the last
The young man wept, and owned the sentence light,
To die but once for all his vileness past.
Then to his daughter likewise did he go;
But she, like a caught adder, stood aghast,
Stiffened with rage, and would not once allow
That he should touch her; so in anguish drear
That father turned away to hide his woe
Anon the ministers of death drew near,
And to the rampart high took they the road,
And met their death in sight of all men there
But first of all from out that ill abode
With stricken heart the peasant father fled:
And from the rampart each to other showed
Long time his low-bent form, and hanging head.