Classic Poem

[SCENE V.]

Enter Sir C LYOMON , Knight of G. S .

Clyo . Now, Clyomon, a knight thou art, though some perhaps may say
Thou cowardly cam'st to Clamydes and stole his right away.
No, no,
It was no cowardly part to come in presence of a king,
And in the face of all his court to do so worthy a thing;
Amidst the mates that martial be and stern knights of his hall,
To take the knighthood from their prince even maugre of them all,
It gives a guerdon of good-will to make my glory glance;
When warlike wights shall hear thereof, my fame they will advance:
And where I was pretended late to Denmark King, my sire,
His royal grace to see, homeward to retire,
Now is my purpose altered by bruit of late report;
And where fame resteth to be had, thither Clyomon will resort.
For, as I understand by fame, that worthy prince of might,
The conqueror of conquerors, who Alexander hight,
Returning is to Macedon from many a bloody broil,
And there to keep his royal court now after weary toil;
Which makes the mind of Clyomon with joys to be clad,
For there, I know, of martial mates is company to be had.
Adieu, therefore, both Denmark King and Suavia Prince beside:
To Alexander's court I will; the gods my journey guide!

Enter C LAMYDES and S HIFT

Clam . Come, Knowledge, here he is. — Nay, stay, thou cowardly knight,
That, like a dastard, cam'st to steal away my right.
Clyo . What, what? you rail, sir princox-prince, me coward for to call.
S. Shift . And't shall please you, he is a coward; he would have hired me, amidst your father's hall,
To have done it for him, being himself in such fear
That scarcely he durst before your presence appear.
Clyo . Why, how now, Knowledge! what, forsake thy master so soon?
S. Shift . Nay, master was, but not master is; with you I have done.
Clam . Well, for what intent camest thou my honour to steal away?
Clyo . That I took aught from thee, I utterly denay.
Clam . Didst not thou take the honour which my father to me gave?
Clyo . Of that thou hadest not, I could thee not deprave.
Clam . Didst not thou take away my knighthood from me?
Clyo . No, for I had it before it was given unto thee;
And having it before thee, what argument canst thou make
That ever from thee the same I did take?
S. Shift . That's true; he received the blow before at you it came,
And therefore he took it not from you, because you had not the same.
Clam . Well, what hight thy name? let me that understand;
And wherefore thou travelled'st here in my father's land,
So boldly to attempt in his court such a thing?
Clyo . The bolder the attempt is, more fame it doth bring:
But what my name is desirest thou to know?
S. Shift . Nay, he hath stoln sheep, I think, for he is asham'd his name for to show
Clam . What thy name is I would gladly perstand.
Clyo . Nay, that shall never none know, unless by force of hand
He vanquish me in fight, such a vow have I made;
And therefore to combat with me thyself do persuade,
If thou wilt know my name.
Clam . Well, I accord to the same.
S. Shift . Nay, then, God be with you! if you be at that point, I am gone;
If you be of the fighter's disposition, I'll leave you alone.
Clam . Why, stay, Knowledge: although I fight, thou shalt not be molested.
S. Shift . And't shall please you, this fear hath made me beray myself with a proin-stone that was not digested.
Clyo . Well, Clamydes, stay thyself, and mark my sayings here,
And do not think I speak this same for that thy force I fear,
But that more honour may redound unto the victor's part:
Wilt thou here give thy hand to me, withouten fraud of heart,
Upon the faith which to a knight doth rightly appertain?
And by the loyalty of a knight I'll swear to thee again
For to observe my promise just; which is, if thou agree
The fifteenth day next following to meet, sir prince, with me
Before King Alexander's grace, in Macedonia soil,
Who all the world subject hath through force of warlike toil,
For he is chief of chivalry and king of martial mates,
And to his royal court, thou know'st, repair all estates:
Give me thy hand upon thy faith of promise not to fail,
And here is mine to thee again, if Fortune's froward gale
Resist me not, the day forespoke to meet, sir prince, with thee,
Before that king to try our strengths: say if thou dost agree;
For triple honour will it be to him that gets the victory
Before so worthy a prince as he and nobles all so publicly,
Where otherwise, if in this place we should attempt the same,
Of the honour that were got thereby but small would be the fame.
Clam . Well, sir knight, here is my hand, I'll meet in place forespoke.
Clyo . And, by the loyalty of a knight, I'll not my words revoke.
Clam . Till then adieu; I'll keep my day.
Clyo . And I, if fates do not gainsay.
S. Shift . What, is he gone, and did take no leave of me?
Jesu, so unmannerly a gentleman did any man see?
But now, my lord, which way will you travel, declare.
Clam . Sith I have fifteen days' respite myself to prepare,
My lady's charge for to fulfill, behold, I do intend
S. Shift . Your lady! and't shall please you, why, who is your lady? may a man be so bold as ask and not offend?
Clam . Juliana, daughter to the King of Denmark, lo, is she,
Whose knight I am, and from her hands this shield was given to me
In sign and token of good-will; whose noble grace to gain,
I have protested in her cause for to omit no pain
Nor travail till I have subdued the flying serpent's force,
Which in the Forest of Marvels is, who taketh no remorse
Of womenkind, but doth devour all such as are astray,
So that no one dares go abroad nor wander forth the way;
And sith I have yet fifteen days myself for to prepare
To meet the Knight of the Golden Shield, my heart is void of care:
I will unto the forest wend, sith it is in my way,
And for my Juliana's sake that cruel serpent slay
S. Shift . What, are you a madman? will you wilfully be slain?
If you go into that forest, you will never come out again
Clam . Why so, Knowledge? dost thou think the serpent I fear?
S. Shift . No; but do you not know of Bryan Sans-foy, the champion, dwells there?
Clam . A cowardly knight, Knowledge, is he, and dares fight with no man.
S. Shift . Ah, a noble match! couple him and me together than.
Yea, but although he dares not fight, an enchanter he is,
And whosoever comes in that forest to enchant he doth not miss.
Clam . Tush, tush, I fear him not, Knowledge; and therefore come away.
S. Shift . Well, seeing you are so wilful, go you before, I'll not stay.
Ah sirrah, now I know all my master's mind, the which I did not before:
He adventureth for a lady — well, I say no more.
But to escape the enchantments of Bryan Sans-foy, —
That's Bryan Without-faith, — I have devised a noble toy;
For he and I am both of one consanguinity;
The veriest cowardly villain that ever was born, that's of a certainty,
I'll fight with no man; no more will Bryan, that's plain,
But by his enchantments he putteth many to great pain,
And in a forest of strange marvels doth he keep,
Altogether by enchantments to bring men asleep
Till he have wrought his will of them. To Bryan straight will I,
And of my master's coming to the forest inform him privily:
So shall I win his favour; and, Subtle Shift, in the end
Thou shalt escape his enchantment, for he will be thy friend.
Well, unknown to my master, for mine own safeguard, this will I do;
And now, like a subtle shifting knave, after him I'll go.