And him he thanked many a sythe.24 370 And some that had been brought thereto, 375 There was great joy amongst them all. 380 I will well that it be so, I will that thou of her be blithe." He took her by the hand anon, With right good will they out are gone, 440 445 450 When he had looked on all this thing, He kneeled down before the King, And asked him if his will it were And who the kingdom had in hand. The humble beggar in his cote, Answering, told him every grote; How that the Queen was fetched away 455 Then said the King: "And what art thou, To the land of faerie on a day, Who come into my presence now? And how the King did after go, Myself nor none that is with me, But to what place no man can know. Have ever yet sent after thee. The Steward, he says, the land doth hold; 395 So, many tidings he them told. 460 The morrow at the noone tide It is the custom of us all To come to every lordės hall, Many a man him came to see, Men and wives and maidens fair, And though we may not welcome be, Gathered fast to see him there; 405 And marvelled much as him they view, How thick the moss upon him grew; 470 410 "His beard is grown right to his knee, 475 Fair lilies blow. Their mates the wild drakes find, Each creature seeks his kind. As stream that trickles slow, We plain when life is drear, Unchecked must flow. The moon sends forth her light, And birds sing well. Dews drench the soft young grass, And whispering lovers pass, Their tale to tell; Snakes woo beneath the clod, Women grow wondrous proud 10 15 A happy lot to me is sent, etc. With love I'm worn and watchings late, Lest any rob me of my mate. Better to bear awhile a sore Hearken to my rune: A happy lot to me is sent, I know from heaven 'tis to me lent, BLOW, NORTHERN WIND I know a maid in bower bright, I know not ever none So fair in all the land. Blow, Northern Wind, blow, blow, blow. 35 4C 10 Send thou me my sweeting For one most fair of everything. To me she bliss may bring: To serve her is my boon. Blow, Northern Wind, Send thou me my sweeting Blow, Northern Wind, blow, blow, blow. 20 A happy lot to me is sent, Her face is full of light, I know from heaven 'tis to me lent, 10 As a lantern in the night From women all my love is bent She sheds a radiance bright, 26 And fixed on Alysoun. So fair is she and fine. In hue her hair is fair to see, Her neck is slender to enfold, Her brows are brown, her eyes are black, With loving laugh she looked at me! 15 Her loving arms bring joy untold, Her little hands are soft to hold, Her waist is small, of slender make, Unless as hers she will me take To be her mate, my life I'll break, My life itself I will forsake 1 A spring flower; the woodruff. 1 April. Would God that she were mine. Blow, Northern Wind, Send thou me my sweeting 80 Blow, Northern Wind, blow, blow, blow. 2 Distracted, mad. 1 Bower. 25 She is popinjay abaiting my torment and bale, In his note is her name, nameth it none? 30 1 The Wirral, the land between the rivers Dee and Mersey, in Cheshire. 1 This ballad is found in an old Chronicle, The Brut of Engelonde, (c. 1350) where we are told that "the maidens made a songe therefore in that cuntre of Kynge Edwarde of Engelonde and in this manner thei songe.' Then follows the song. 2 These phrases "probably indicate the occurrence of a dance movement emphasized by special gestures, or the beating of musical instruments." With sorrow shalt wend away. 35 40 45 55 And queen of all mercy! All that are to greets Without deadly sin, Forty dayes of pardoún 20 A DESCRIPTION OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR (From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, translated by J. A. GILES) If any would know what manner of man King William was, the glory that he obtained, and of how many lands he was lord; then will we describe him as we have known him, we, 5 who have looked upon him, and who once lived in his court. This King William, of whom we are speaking, was a very wise and a great man, and more honored and more powerful than any of his predecessors. He was mild to those good 10 men who loved God, but severe beyond measure towards those who withstood his will. He founded a noble monastery on the spot where God permitted him to conquer England, and he established monks in it, and he made it very In his days the great monastery at 15 rich. 1 Hail star of the sea. Yet ever a virgin. 2 Dear Mother of God. To supplicate, to greet Mary with an Ave. 1 The portion of the Chronicle given here is included in the entry for 1087: the year of the death of William the Conqueror. The passage is presumably the work of a contemporary who writes (as he declares) from personal knowledge. 50 Look thou well beforn. |