Classic Poem

Throughout : a garden greene & gay,
a seemlye sight itt was to see
how fflowers did flourish fresh and gay,
& birds doe sing Melodiouslye

in the midst of a garden there sprange a tree
w hi ch tree was of a mickle price,
& there vppon sprang the rose soe redd,
the goodlyest tha t euer sprange on rise

this rose was ffaire, ffresh to behold,
springing w i th many a royall Lance;
a crowned King, w i th a crowne of gold
ouer England, IreLand, and of ffrance.

then came in a beast men call a bore,
& he rooted this garden vpp and downe,
by the seede of the rose he sett noe store,
but afterwards itt wore the crowne.

hee tooke the branches of this rose away,
and all in sunder did them teare;
& he buryed them vnder a clodd of clay,
swore they shold neu er bloome nor beare.

then came in an Egle gleaming gay,
of all ffaire birds well worth the best;
he took the branche of the rose away,
& bore itt to Latham to his nest.

but now is this rose out of England exiled,
this certaine truth I will not Laine;
but if itt please you to sitt a while,
Ile tell you how the rose came in againe.

att Milford hauen he entered in;
to claime his right, was his delight;
he brought the blew bore in w i th him,
to encounter w i th the bore soe white.

the[n] a messenger the rose did send
to the Egles nest, & bidd him hye;
" to my ffather the old Egle I doe [me] comend,
his aide and helpe I craue speedylye. "

saies, " I desire my father att my cominge
of men and mony att my need,
& alsoe my mother of her deer blessing,
then better then I hope to speede. "

& when the messenger came before thold Egle,
he kneeled him downe vpon his knee,
saith, " well greeteth you my Lo rd the rose,
he hath sent you greetings here by me.

" safe ffrom the seas Christ hath him sent,
now he is entered England w i thin. "
" let vs thanke god, " the old Egle did say,
" he shall be the fflower of all his kine!

" wend away, messenger, w i th might and maine;
itts hard to know who a man may trust; —
I hope the rose shall fflourish againe,
& haue all things att his owne lust. "

then S i r Rice ap Thomas drawes wales w i th him:
a worthy sight itt was to see,
how the welchmen rose wholy w i th him,
& shogged him to Shrewsburye.

Att tha t time was baylye in Shrewsburye
one M aster Mitton in the towne.
the gates were strong, & he mad them ffast,
& the portcullis he lett downe;

& throug a garrett of the walls,
ouer severne these words said hee,
" att these gates no man enter shall. "
but he kept him out a night & a day.

these words Mitton did Erle Richmond tell;
I am sure the Chronicles of this will not Lye;
but when l ett res came from S i r W illia m Stanley of the holt castle,
then the gates were opened p re sentlye.

then entred this towne the noble Lord
the Erle Richmond, the rose soe redd,
the Erle of Oxford w i th a sword
wold haue smitt of the bailiffes head.

" but hold yo u r hand, " saies Erle Richmond,
" ffor his loue tha t dyed vpon a tree!
ffor if wee begin to head so soone,
in England wee shall beare no degree. "

" what offence haue I made thee, " sayd Erle Richmonde,
" tha t thou Kept me out of my towne? "
" I know no King, " sayd Mitton then,
" but Rich ard now tha t weares the crowne. "

" why, what wilt thou say, " said Erle Richmonde,
" when I haue put K ing Richard downe? "
" why, then Ile be as true to you, my Lo rd ,
after the time tha t I am sworne "

" were itt not great pitty, " sayd Erle Richmond,
" tha t such a man as this shold dye? "
such Loyall service by him done,
the cronickles of this will not Lye.

" thou shalt not be harmed in any case. "
he p ar done[d] him p re sentlye.
they stayd not past a night & a day,
but towards newp or t did they hye.

but [at] Attherston these Lords did meete;
a worthy sight itt was to see,
how Erle Richmond tooke his hatt in his hand,
& said, " Cheshire & Lancashire, welcome to me. "

but now is a bird of the Egle taken;
ffrom the white bore he cannot fflee.
therfore the old Egle makes great moane,
& prayes to god most certainly:

" O stedfast god, verament, " he did say —
" 3 p er sons in one god in Trinytye!
saue my sonne, the young Egle, this day
ffrom all ffalse craft & trecherye! "

then the blew bore the vanward had:
he was both warry and wise of witt;
the right hand of them he tooke,
the sunn & wind of them to gett.

then the Egle ffollowed fast vpon his pray;
w i th sore dints he did them smyte.
the Talbott he bitt wonderous sore,
soe well the vnicorne did him quite.

& then came in the harts head;
a worthy sight itt was to see,
they Iacketts tha t were of white & redd,
how they Laid about them lustilye.

but now is the ffeirce ffeeld foughten & ended,
& the white bore there Lyeth slaine;
& the young Egle is p re serued,
& come to his nest againe.

but now this garden fflourishes ffreshly & gay,
w i th ffragrant fflowers comely of hew;
& gardners itt doth maintaine;
I hope they will proue Iust & true.

our K ing , he is the rose soe redd,
tha t now does fflourish ffresh and gay.
Confound his ffoes, Lo rd , wee beseeche,
& loue his grace both night & day!