Classic Poem

[The First Part.]

C HRIST , christen king tha t on the crosse tholed,
hadd paines & passyons to deffend our soules,
giue vs grace on the ground the greatlye to serve
for tha t royall red blood tha t rann ffrom thy side,
& take away of thy winne word as the world asketh,
tha t is richer of renowne rents or others
for boldnesse of body nor blythenesse of hart,
coninge of Clearkes ne cost vpon earth;
but all wasteth away & worthes to nought.
when death driueth att the doore w i th his darts keene,
then noe truse can be taken noe treasure on earth,
but all Lordshipps be lost & the liffe both
if thou haue pleased the prince tha t paradice weldeth,
there is noe bearne borne tha t may thy blisse recon;
but if thou haue wrongffully wrought & will not amend,
thou shalt byterlye bye or else the booke ffayleth.
therfore begin in god to greaten our workes,
& in his ffaythffull sonne tha t ffreelye him followeth
in hope of the holy ghost tha t yeeld shall neuer.
god tha t is gracyous & gouerne vs all,
bringe vs into blisse tha t brought vs out of ball!
thus ffared I through a ffryth were fflowers were manye,
bright bowes in the banke breathed ffull sweete,
the red rayling roses the riches of fflowers,
land broad on their bankes w i th their bright Leaues,
& a riuer tha t was rich runn ouer the greene
w i th still sturring streames tha t streamed ffull bright.
over the glittering ground as I there glode,
methought itt Lenghtened my liffe to looke on the bankes.
then among the fayre flowers I settled me to sitt
vnder a huge hawthorne tha t hore was of blossomes;
I bent my backe to the bole & blenched to the streames.
thus prest I on apace vnder the greene hawthorne.
ffor breme of the birds & breath of the fflowers,
& what for waching & wakinge & wandering about,
in my seate where I sate I sayed a sleepe,
lying Edgelong on the ground list all my seluen,
deepe dreames and dright droue mee to hart.
methought walking tha t I was in a wood stronge,
vpon a great Mountaine where Mores were large,
tha t I might see on euerye side 17 miles,
both of woods & wasts & walled townes,
comelye castles & Cleare w i th caruen towers,
parkes and Pallaces & pastures ffull many,
all the world full of welth vuulye to behold.
I sett me downe softlye and sayd these words:
" I will not kere out of Kythe before I know more. "
& I wayted me about wonders to know,
& I ffayrlye beffell soe fayre me bethought
I saw on the south syde a seemelye sight,
of comelye Knights full keene & knights ffull noble,
Princes in the presse proudlye attyred,
Dukes tha t were doughtye & many deere Erles,
Sweeres & swaynes tha t swarmed ffull thicke;
there was neither hill nor holte nor haunt there beside,
but itt was planted ffull of people the plaine and the roughe
there ouer tha t oste Estward I looked
into a boolish banke the brightest of other,
tha t shimered and shone as the sheere heauen
throughe the light of a Ladye tha t longed therin
shee came cheereing ffull comlye w i th companye noble,
vpon cleare clothes were all of cleare gold,
layd brode vpon the bent w i th brawders ffull riche,
before tha t ffayre on the ffeeld where shee fforth passed.
shee was brighter of her blee then was the bright sonn,
her rudd redder then the rose tha t on the rise hangeth,
meekely smiling w i th her mouth & merry in her lookes,
euer laughing for loue as shee like wold
& as shee came by the bankes the boughes eche one
they lowted to tha t Ladye & layd forth their branches
blossomes & burgens breathed ffull sweete,
fflowers fflourished in the frith where shee fforth stepedd,
& the grasse tha t was gray greened beliue;
breme birds on the boughes busilye did singe,
& all the wild in the wood winlye the ioyed.
King s kneeled on their knees knowing tha t Ladye,
& all the princes in the presse & the proud dukes,
Barrons & bachelours all they bowed ffull lowe;
all p ro frereth her to please the pore and the riche
shee welcometh them ffull winlye w i th words ffull hend,
both barnes & birds beastes & fowles
then tha t lowly Ladye on Land where shee standeth,
tha t was comelye cladd in kirtle & Mantle
of goodlyest greene tha t euer groome ware,
for the kind of tha t cloth can noe clarke tell;
& shee the most gracyous groome tha t on the ground longed;
of her druryes to deeme to dull be my witts,
& the price of her [perrie] can no P[erson] tell;
& the colour of her kirtle was caruen ffull lowe,
tha t her blisfull breastes bearnes might behold,
w i th a naked necke tha t neighed her till,
tha t gaue light on the Land as beames of the sunn.
all the Kings christened w i th their cleere gold
might not buy tha t ilke broche tha t buckeled her mantle,
& the crowne on her head was caruen in heauen,
w i th a scepter sett in her hand of selcoth gemmes:
thus louelye to looke vpon on Land shee abydeth.
merry were the Meanye of men tha t shee had,
blyth bearnes of blee bright as the sunn:
S i r Comfort, tha t K nigh t when the court dineth,
S i r Hope & S i r Hind yee sturdye beene both,
S i r Liffe & S i r Likinge & S i r Loue alsoe,
S i r Cunninge & S i r Curtesye tha t curteous were of deeds,
& S i r Honor ouer all vnder her seluen.
a stout man & a staleworth her steward I-wisse
shee had Ladyes of loue longed her about:
Dame mirth, & Dame Meekenes & Dame Mercy the hynd,
dallyance & disport 2 damsells ffull sweete,
w i th all beawtye [&] blisse bearnes to behold.
there was minstrelsye made in full many a wise, —
who-soe had craft or cuninge kindlye to showe, —
both of birds & beastes & bearnes in the leaues;
& ffishes of the fflood ffaine of her were;
birds made merrye w i th their mouth as they in mind cold.
tho I was moued w i th tha t mirth tha t maruell mee thought;
what woman tha t was that all the world lowted,
I thought speedylye to spye speede if I might.
then I kered to a knight S i r Comfort the good,
kneeling low on my knees curteouslye him praysed.
I willed him of his worshipp to witt me the sooth
of yonder La dye of loue & of her royall meanye.
hee cherished me cheerlye by cheeke & by chin,
& sayd, " certes my sonne the sooth thou shalt knowe.
this is my Lady dame Liffe tha t leadeth vs all,
shee is worthy & wise the welder of Ioye,
greatlye gouerneth the ground & the greene grasse,
shee hath ffostered & ffed thee sith thou was ffirst borne,
& yett beffore thou wast borne shee bred in thy hart.
thou art welcome, I-wisse vnto my winn Ladye
If thou wilt wonders witt feare not to ffraine,
& I shall kindlye thee ken care thou noe more. "
then I was fearfull enoughe & ffaythffullye thought
" tha t I shold long w i th dame liffe & loue her for euer,
there shall no man vpon mold my mind from her take
for all the glitteringe gold vnder the god of heauen"
thus in liking this liuinge the Longed the more
till tha t itt neighed neere noone & one hower after
there was rydinge & revell tha t ronge in the bankes
all the world was full woe winne to behold.
or itt turned from 12 till 2 of the clocke,
much of this melodye was maymed & marde:
In a nooke of the north there was a noyse hard,
as itt had beene a horne the highest of others,
w i th the biggest bere tha t euer bearne wist;
& the burlyest blast tha t euer blowne was,
throughe the rattlinge rout runge ouer the ffeelds.
the ground gogled for greeffe of tha t grim dame;
I went nere out of my witt for wayling care;
yett I bode on the bent & boldlye looked,
once againe into the north mine eye then I cast.
I there saw a sight was sorrowfull to behold
one of the vglyest ghosts tha t on the earth gone
there was no man of this sight but hee was affrayd,
soe grislye & great & grim to behold
& a quintfull queene came quakinge before,
w i th a carued crowne on her head all of pure gold,
& shee the ffoulest ffreake tha t formed was euer
both of hide & hew & heare alsoe.
shee was naked as my nayle both aboue & belowe,
shee was lapped about in Linenn breeches.
a more fearffull face no freake might behold;
for shee was long, & leane & lodlye to see;
there was noe man on the mold soe mightye of strenght,
but a looke of tha t Lady & his liffe passed.
his eyes farden as the fyer tha t in the furnace burnes;
they were hollow in her head w i th full heauye browes;
her cheekes were leane w i th lipps full side,
w i th a maruelous mouth full of long tushes,
& the nebb of her nose to her navell hanged,
& her lere like the lead tha t latelye was beaten.
shee bare in her right hand & vnrid weapon,
a bright burnisht blade all bloody beronen,
& in the left hand like the legg of a grype,
w i th the talents tha t were touchinge & teenfull enoughe.
w i th tha t shee burnisht vp her brand & bradd out her geere;
& I for feare of tha t freake ffell in a swond.
had not S i r Comfort come & my care stinted,
I had beene slaine w i th tha t sight of tha t sorrowfull Ladye.
then he lowted to me low & learned me well,
sayd, " be thou not abashed but abyde there a while;
here may thou sitt & see selcothes ffull manye.
yonder damsell is death tha t dresseth her to smyte.
loe, pryde passeth before & the price beareth,
many sorrowffull souldiers following her fast after:
both enuye & anger in their yerne weeds,
morninge & mone S i r Mis[c]heefe his ffere,
Sorrow & sicknesse & sikinge in hart;
all tha t were lothinge of their liffe were lent to her court.
when shee draweth vp her darts & dresseth her to smite,
there is no groome vnder god may garr her to stint.
then I blushed to tha t bearne & balefullye looked:
he stepped forth barefooted on the bents browne,
the greene grasse in her gate shee grindeth all to powder,
trees tremble for ffeare & tipen to the ground,
leaues lighten downe lowe & leauen their might,
fowles faylen to fflee when the heard wapen,
& the ffishes in the fflood ffaylen to swimme
ffor dread of dame death tha t dolefullye threates.
w i th tha t shee hyeth to the hill & the heard ffindeth:
in the roughest of the rout shee reacheth forth darts.
there shee fell att the first fflappe 1500
of comelyes Queenes w i th crowne & King s full noble,
proud princes in the presse prestlye shee quellethe;
of dukes tha t were doughtye shee dang out the braynes;
merry maydens on the mold shee mightilye killethe;
there might no weapon them warrant nor no walled towne
younge children in their craddle they dolefullye dyen;
shee spareth ffor no specyaltye but spilleth the gainest;
the more woe shee worketh more mightye shee seemeth.
when my Lady dame liffe looked on her deeds,
& saw how dolefullye shee dunge downe her people,
shee cast vp a crye to the hye King of heauen;
& he hearkneth itt hendlye in his hye throne,
hee called on countenance & bade his course take,
" ryde thou to the reschew of yonder wrought Ladye.
hee was bowne att his bidd & bradd on his way.
tha t wight, as the wind tha t wappeth in the skye,
he ran out of the rainebow through the ragged clowds,
& light on the Land where the Lords [lay] slaine.
& vnto dolefull death he dresses him to speake;
sayth: " thou wrathefull Queene tha t euer woe worketh,
cease of thy sorrow thy soueraigine com m andeth,
& let thy burnished blade on the bent rest,
tha t my Lady dame liffe her likinge may haue "
then death glowed & gran for gryme of her talke,
but shee did as shee dained durst shee noe other;
shee pight the poynt of her sword in the plaine earth,
& w i th a looke full layeth shee looked on the hills
then my Lady dame Liffe shee looketh full gay,
kyreth to countenance & him comelye thankes,
kissed kindlye tha t K nigh t then carped shee no more,
but vnto dolefull death shee dresseth her to speake,
sayth: " thou woefull wretch weaknesse of care,
bold birth full of bale bringer of sorrowe,
dame daughter of the devill death is thy name;
but if thy fare be thy fairer the feend haue thy soule.
couldest thou any cause ffind thou Kaitiffe wretch,
That neither reason nor wright may raigne w i th thy name?
why kills thou the body tha t neuer care rought?
the grasse nor the greene trees greeued thee neuer,
but come fforth in their kinds christyans to helpe,
w i th all beawtye & blisse tha t barne might devise.
but of my meanye thou marreth marveild I haue
how thou dare doe them to death eche day soe manye,
& the handy worke of him tha t heauen weldeth!
how keepeth thou his comandements thou kaytiffe retch!
wheras banely hee them blessed & biddeth them thriue.
waxe fforth in the word & worth vnto manye,
& thou lett them of their leake w i th thy lidder turnes!
but w i th wondering & w i th thou waiteth them full yorne,
& as a theefe in a rout thou throngeth them to death,
tha t neither nature, nor I ffor none of thy deeds
may bring vp our bearnes their bale thee betyde!
but if thou blinn of tha t bine thou buy must full deere;
they may wary the weeke tha t euer thou wast fformed. "
then death dolefullye drew vp her browes,
armed her to answer & vpright shee standeth,
& sayd: " o, louelye liffe cease thou such wordes!
thou payneth thee w i th pratinge to pray me to cease.
itt is reason & right tha t I may rent take
thus to kill of the kind both Kings & dukes,
Loyall Ladds & liuelye of ilke sort some;
all shall drye w i th the dints tha t I deale w i th my hands.
I wold haue kept the com m andement of the hye King of heauen,
but the bearne itt brake tha t thou bred vp ffirst
when Adam & Eue of the earth were shapen,
& were put into Paradice to play w i th their selues,
& were brought into blisse bidd if the wold.
he warned them nothing in the world but a wretched branche
of the ffayntyest ffruit tha t euer in ffrith grew;
yett his bidding they brake as the booke recordeth.
when Eue ffell to the ffruite w i th ffingars white,
& plucked them of the plant & poysoned them both,
I was ffaine of tha t ffray my ffawchyon I gryped,
& delt Adam such a dint tha t hee dolue euer after.
Eue & her ofspring I hitt them, I hope,
for all the musters tha t they made I mett w i th them once.
therfore, liffe, thou me leaue I loue thee but a litle;
I hate thee & thy houshold & thy hyndes all!
mee gladdeth not of their glee nor of their gay lookes;
att thy dallyance & thy disport noe dayntye I haue;
thy ffayre liffe & thy ffairenesse ffeareth me but litle;
thy blisse is my bale breuelye of others,
there is no game vnder heauen soe gladlye I wishe
as to haue a slapp w i th my ffawchyon att thy fayre state "

[The Second Part.]

Then liffe on the land Ladylike shee speakes,
sayth: " these words thou hast wasted wayte thou no other;
shall thy bitter brand neuer on my body byte
I am grounded in god & grow for euermore;
but to these men of the mold marvell me thinketh
in whatt hole of thy hart thou thy wrath keepeth:
where ioy & gentlenesse are ioyned together
betweene his wight & his wiffe & his winne children
& when ffaith & ffellowshipp are ffastened ffor aye,
loue & charitye w hi ch our lord like the,
then thou waleth them w i th wracke & wrathefully beginneth;
vncurteouslye thou cometh vnknowne of them all,
& lacheth away the land tha t the Lo rd holdeth,
or woryes his wiffe or walts downe his children.
mikle woe thus thou waketh where mirth was before.
this is a deed of the devill death, thou vsest;
but if thou leaue not thy lake & learne thee a better,
thou wilt lach att the last a lothelich name "
" doe away, damsell, " q uo th death " I dread thee nought!
of my losse tha t I losse lay thou noe thought;
thou prouet mee full prestlye of many p ro p er thinge;
I haue not all kinds soe ill as thou me vpbraydest;
where I wend on my way the world will dep ar t,
bearnes wold be ouer bold bales ffor to want,
the 7 sinnes for to serue & sett them full euer,
& giue no glory vnto god tha t sendeth vs all grace.
if the dint of my dart deared them neuer,
to lett them worke all their will itt were litle Ioy.
shold I for their fayrnesse their ffoolishnes allowe,
my liffe (giue thou me leaue) noe Leed vpon earth
but I shall master his might mauger his cheekes
as a Conquerour keene biggest of other,
to deale dolefull dints & doe as my list;
for I fayled neuer in fight but I the ffeild wan
sith the ffirst ffreake tha t formed was euer,
& will not leaue till the last bee on the beere layd
but sitt sadlye, thy liffe & soothe thou shalt know.
If euer any man vpon mold any mirth had,
tha t leaped away w i th thee, liffe & laughed me to scorne,
but I dang them w i th my dints vnto the derffe earthe.
both Adam & Eue & Abell, I killed;
Moyses & Methasula & the meeke Aronn
Iosua & Ioseph & Iacob the smoothe,
Abraham & Isace & Esau the roughe;
Samuell, for all his ffingers I slew w i th my hands,
& Ionathan, his gentle sonne in Gilboa hills;
david dyed on the dints tha t I delt oft,
soe did salomon his sonne tha t was sage holden,
& Alexander alsoe to whom all the world lowted;
in the middest of his mirth I made him to bow;
the hye honor tha t he had helped him but litle;
when I swang him on the swire to swelt him behoued.
Arthur of England & Hector the keene,
both Lancelott & leonades w i th other leeds manye,
& Gallaway the good K nigh t & Gawaine the hynde,
& all the rowte I rent ffrom the round table:
was none soe hardye nor soe hye soe holy nor soe wicked,
but I burst them w i th my brand & brought them assunder.
how shold any wight weene to winn me on ground?
haue not I Iusted gentlye w i th Iesu of heauen?
he was frayd of my fface in ffreshest of time.
yett I knocked him on the crosse & carued throughe his hart. "
& w i th tha t shee cast of her crowne & kneeled downe lowe
when shee minned the name of tha t noble prince;
soe did liffe vpon land & her leeds all
both of heauen and of earth & of hell feends,
all they lowted downe lowe their Lo rd to honor.
then liffe kneeled on her knees w i th her crowne in her hand,
& looketh vp a long while towards the hye heauen;
shee riseth vpp rudlye & dresseth her to speake,
shee calleth to her companye & biddeth them come neere,
both King s and Queenes & comelye dukes:
" worke wiselye by yo u r witts my words to heare
tha t I speake ffor yo u r speed & spare itt noe longer. "
then shee turneth to them & talketh these words,
shee sayth: " dame death, of thy deeds now is thy doome shapen
through thy wittles words tha t thou hast carped,
w hi ch thou makest w i th thy mouth & mightylye avowes.
thou hast blowen thy blast breemlye abroade
how hast thou wasted this world sith wights were first,
euer murthered & marde thou makes thy avant.
of one point lett vs proue or wee p ar t in sunder:
how didest thou Iust att Ierusalem w i th Iesu my lord,
where thou deemed his deat[h] in one dayes time?
there was thou shamed, & shent & stripped ffor aye!
when thou saw the King come w i th the crosse on his shoulder;
on the top of Caluarye thou camest him against;
like a traytour vntrew treason thou thought;
thou layd vpon my leege lord lotheliche hands,
sithen beate him on his body & buffetted him rightlye,
till the railinge red blood ran from his s[i]des,
sith rent him on the rood w i th ffull red wounds.
to all the woes tha t him wasted I wott not ffew,
tho deemedst to haue beene dead & dressed for euer.
but, death, how didst thou then w i th all thy derffe words,
when thou prickedst att his pappe w i th the poynt of a speare,
& touched the tabernackle of his trew hart
where my bower was bigged to abyde for euer?
when the glory of his godhead glented in thy face,
then was thou feard of this fare in thy false hart;
then thou hyed into hell hole to hyde thee beliue;
thy fawchon flew out of thy fist soe fast thou thee hyed;
thou durst not blushe once backe for better or worsse
but drew thee downe ffull in tha t deepe hell,
& bade them barre bigglye B ELZEBUB his gates.
then the told them tydands tha t teened them sore,
how tha t King came to kithen his strenght,
& how shee had beaten thee on thy bent & thy brand taken,
w i th euerlasting liffe tha t longed him till
then the sorrow was ffull sore att Sathans hart;
hee threw ffeends in the ffyer many ffell thousands;
&, death, thou dange itt on whilest thou dree might;
for ffalte of thy ffawchyon thou fought w i th thy hand.
bost this neuer of thy red deeds thou ravished bitche!
thou may shrinke for shame when the sooth heares.
then I leapt to my lord tha t caught me vpp soone,
& all wounded as hee was w i th weapon in hand
he fastened foote vpon earth & ffollowed thee ffast
till he came to the caue tha t cursed was holden.
he abode before Barathron tha t bearne, while he liked,
tha t was euer merke as midnight w i th mour[n]inge sorrowe;
he cast a light on the Land as beames on the sunn
then cryed tha t King w i th a cleere steuen,
" pull open yo u r ports you princes w i thin!
here shall come in the King crowned w i th ioy,
w hi ch is the hyest burne in battell to smite. "
there was ffleringe of ffeends throughe the fyer gaynest,
hundreds hurled on heapes in holes about;
the broad gates, all of brasse brake all in sunder,
& the King w i th his crosse came in before.
he leapt vnto Lucifer tha t Lo rd himselfe,
then he went to the tower where chaynes were manye,
& bound him soe biglye tha t hee for bale rored.
death, thou daredst tha t day & durst not be seene
ffor all the glitering gold vnder god himseluen.
Then to the tower hee went where chanes are many;
hee tooke Adam & Eue out of the old world,
Abraham & Isacc & all tha t hee wold,
david, & danyell & many deare bearnes
tha t were put into prison & pained ffull long.
he betooke me the treasure tha t neu er shall haue end,
tha t neu er danger of death shold me deere after.
then wee wenten fforth winlye together,
& Left the dungeon of devills & thee, death, in the middest.
& now thou prickes ffor pride praising thy seluen!
therfore bee not abashed my barnes soe deere,
of her ffauchyon soe ffeirce nor of her ffell words.
shee hath noe might, nay no meane no more you to greeue,
nor on y ou r comelye corsses to clapp once her hands.
I shall looke you ffull liuelye & latche ffull well,
& keere yee ffurther of this kithe aboue the cleare skyes.
If yee [loue] well the Ladye tha t light in the mayden,
& be christened w i th creame & in yo u r creede beleeue,
haue no doubt of yonder death my deare children;
for yonder [death] is damned w i th devills to dwell,
where is wondering, & woe & wayling ffor sorrow.
death was damned tha t day Daring ffull still.
shee hath no might, nay no maine to meddle w i th yonder ost,
against euerlasting liffe tha t Ladye soe true. "
then my Lady dame liffe w i th Lookes soe gay,
tha t was comelye cladd w i th christall and Mantle,
all the dead on the ground doughtilye shee rayseth
fairer by 2 ffold then they before were.
w i th tha t shee hyeth ouer the hills w i th hundreds ffull manye.
I wold haue ffollowed on tha t faire but no further I might;
what w i th wandering & w i th woe I waked beliue.
thus fared I throw a ffrith in a ffresh time,
where I sayd a sleepe in a slade greene;
there dreamed I the dreame w hi ch dread all befrighted
but hee tha t rent all was on the rood riche itt himseluen,
& bring vs to his blisse w i th blessings enowe!
therto Iesu of Ierusalem grant vs thy grace,
& saue there our howse holy for euer! Amen!