201
WHAT IF SOME LITTLE PAIN THE PASSAGE HAVE... What if some little paine the passage have,That makes fraile flesh to feare the bitter wave?Is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease,And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet grave?Sleep after toyle, port after stormie seas,Ease after warre, death after live does greatly please....Edmund Spenser
... What if some little paine the passage have,That makes fraile flesh to feare the bitter wave?Is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease,And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet grave?Sleep after toyle, port after stormie seas,Ease after warre, death after live does greatly please....Edmund Spenser
... What if some little paine the passage have,That makes fraile flesh to feare the bitter wave?Is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease,And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet grave?Sleep after toyle, port after stormie seas,Ease after warre, death after live does greatly please....Edmund Spenser
... What if some little paine the passage have,
That makes fraile flesh to feare the bitter wave?
Is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease,
And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet grave?
Sleep after toyle, port after stormie seas,
Ease after warre, death after live does greatly please....
Edmund Spenser
202
HENRY BEFORE AGINCOURT:October25, 1415... Our King went up upon a hill highAnd looked down to the valleys low:He saw where the Frenchmen came hastilyAs thick as ever did hail or snow.Then kneeled our King down, in that stound,[95]And all his men on every side:Every man made a cross and kissed the ground,And on their feet fast gan abide.Our King said, "Sirs, what time of the day?""My Liege," they said, "it is nigh Prime.""Then go we to our journey,By the grace ofJesu, it is good time:For saints that lie in their shrineToGodfor us be praying.All the Religious of England, in this time,Ora pro nobisfor us they sing."St. Georgewas seen over the host:Of very truth this sight men did see.Down was he sent by theHoly Ghost,To give our King the victory....John Lydgate
... Our King went up upon a hill highAnd looked down to the valleys low:He saw where the Frenchmen came hastilyAs thick as ever did hail or snow.Then kneeled our King down, in that stound,[95]And all his men on every side:Every man made a cross and kissed the ground,And on their feet fast gan abide.Our King said, "Sirs, what time of the day?""My Liege," they said, "it is nigh Prime.""Then go we to our journey,By the grace ofJesu, it is good time:For saints that lie in their shrineToGodfor us be praying.All the Religious of England, in this time,Ora pro nobisfor us they sing."St. Georgewas seen over the host:Of very truth this sight men did see.Down was he sent by theHoly Ghost,To give our King the victory....John Lydgate
... Our King went up upon a hill highAnd looked down to the valleys low:He saw where the Frenchmen came hastilyAs thick as ever did hail or snow.Then kneeled our King down, in that stound,[95]And all his men on every side:Every man made a cross and kissed the ground,And on their feet fast gan abide.Our King said, "Sirs, what time of the day?""My Liege," they said, "it is nigh Prime.""Then go we to our journey,By the grace ofJesu, it is good time:For saints that lie in their shrineToGodfor us be praying.All the Religious of England, in this time,Ora pro nobisfor us they sing."St. Georgewas seen over the host:Of very truth this sight men did see.Down was he sent by theHoly Ghost,To give our King the victory....John Lydgate
... Our King went up upon a hill high
And looked down to the valleys low:
He saw where the Frenchmen came hastily
As thick as ever did hail or snow.
Then kneeled our King down, in that stound,[95]
And all his men on every side:
Every man made a cross and kissed the ground,
And on their feet fast gan abide.
Our King said, "Sirs, what time of the day?"
"My Liege," they said, "it is nigh Prime."
"Then go we to our journey,
By the grace ofJesu, it is good time:
For saints that lie in their shrine
ToGodfor us be praying.
All the Religious of England, in this time,
Ora pro nobisfor us they sing."
St. Georgewas seen over the host:
Of very truth this sight men did see.
Down was he sent by theHoly Ghost,
To give our King the victory....
John Lydgate
203
ALEXANDER THE GREATFour men stood by the grave of a man,The grave of Alexander the Proud:They sang words without falsehoodOver the prince from fair Greece.Said the first man of them:"Yesterday there were around the kingThe men of the world—a sad gathering!Though to-day he is alone.""Yesterday the king of the brown worldRode upon the heavy earth:Though to-day it is the earthThat rides upon his neck.""Yesterday," said the third wise author,"Philip's son owned the whole world:To-day he has noughtSave seven feet of earth.""Alexander the liberal and greatWas wont to bestow silver and gold:To-day," said the fourth man,"The gold is here, and it is nought."Thus truly spoke the wise menAround the grave of the high-king:It was not foolish women's talkWhat those four sang.
Four men stood by the grave of a man,The grave of Alexander the Proud:They sang words without falsehoodOver the prince from fair Greece.Said the first man of them:"Yesterday there were around the kingThe men of the world—a sad gathering!Though to-day he is alone.""Yesterday the king of the brown worldRode upon the heavy earth:Though to-day it is the earthThat rides upon his neck.""Yesterday," said the third wise author,"Philip's son owned the whole world:To-day he has noughtSave seven feet of earth.""Alexander the liberal and greatWas wont to bestow silver and gold:To-day," said the fourth man,"The gold is here, and it is nought."Thus truly spoke the wise menAround the grave of the high-king:It was not foolish women's talkWhat those four sang.
Four men stood by the grave of a man,The grave of Alexander the Proud:They sang words without falsehoodOver the prince from fair Greece.
Four men stood by the grave of a man,
The grave of Alexander the Proud:
They sang words without falsehood
Over the prince from fair Greece.
Said the first man of them:"Yesterday there were around the kingThe men of the world—a sad gathering!Though to-day he is alone."
Said the first man of them:
"Yesterday there were around the king
The men of the world—a sad gathering!
Though to-day he is alone."
"Yesterday the king of the brown worldRode upon the heavy earth:Though to-day it is the earthThat rides upon his neck."
"Yesterday the king of the brown world
Rode upon the heavy earth:
Though to-day it is the earth
That rides upon his neck."
"Yesterday," said the third wise author,"Philip's son owned the whole world:To-day he has noughtSave seven feet of earth."
"Yesterday," said the third wise author,
"Philip's son owned the whole world:
To-day he has nought
Save seven feet of earth."
"Alexander the liberal and greatWas wont to bestow silver and gold:To-day," said the fourth man,"The gold is here, and it is nought."
"Alexander the liberal and great
Was wont to bestow silver and gold:
To-day," said the fourth man,
"The gold is here, and it is nought."
Thus truly spoke the wise menAround the grave of the high-king:It was not foolish women's talkWhat those four sang.
Thus truly spoke the wise men
Around the grave of the high-king:
It was not foolish women's talk
What those four sang.
204
THE MYRTLE BUSH GREW SHADY"The myrtle bush grew shadyDown by the ford."—"Is it even so?" said my lady."Even so!" said my lord."The leaves are set too thick togetherFor the point of a sword.""The arras in your room hangs close,No light between!You wedded one of thoseThat see unseen."—"Is it even so?" said the King's Majesty."Even so!" said the Queen.Mary Coleridge
"The myrtle bush grew shadyDown by the ford."—"Is it even so?" said my lady."Even so!" said my lord."The leaves are set too thick togetherFor the point of a sword.""The arras in your room hangs close,No light between!You wedded one of thoseThat see unseen."—"Is it even so?" said the King's Majesty."Even so!" said the Queen.Mary Coleridge
"The myrtle bush grew shadyDown by the ford."—"Is it even so?" said my lady."Even so!" said my lord."The leaves are set too thick togetherFor the point of a sword."
"The myrtle bush grew shady
Down by the ford."—
"Is it even so?" said my lady.
"Even so!" said my lord.
"The leaves are set too thick together
For the point of a sword."
"The arras in your room hangs close,No light between!You wedded one of thoseThat see unseen."—"Is it even so?" said the King's Majesty."Even so!" said the Queen.Mary Coleridge
"The arras in your room hangs close,
No light between!
You wedded one of those
That see unseen."—
"Is it even so?" said the King's Majesty.
"Even so!" said the Queen.
Mary Coleridge
205
THE FORT OF RATHANGANThe fort over against the oak-wood,Once it was Bruidge's, it was Cathal's,It was Aed's, it was Ailill's,It was Conaing's, it was Cuiline's,And it was Maelduin's;The fort remains after each in his turn—And the kings asleep in the ground.
The fort over against the oak-wood,Once it was Bruidge's, it was Cathal's,It was Aed's, it was Ailill's,It was Conaing's, it was Cuiline's,And it was Maelduin's;The fort remains after each in his turn—And the kings asleep in the ground.
The fort over against the oak-wood,Once it was Bruidge's, it was Cathal's,It was Aed's, it was Ailill's,It was Conaing's, it was Cuiline's,And it was Maelduin's;The fort remains after each in his turn—And the kings asleep in the ground.
The fort over against the oak-wood,
Once it was Bruidge's, it was Cathal's,
It was Aed's, it was Ailill's,
It was Conaing's, it was Cuiline's,
And it was Maelduin's;
The fort remains after each in his turn—
And the kings asleep in the ground.