Chapter 14
As when the shepster in the shadie bowre In jintle slumbers chase the heat of daie, Hears doublyng echoe wind the wolfins rore, That neare hys flocke is watchynge for a praie, He tremblynge for his sheep drives dreeme awaie, 85 Gripes faste hys burled croke, and sore adradde Wyth fleeting strides he hastens to the fraie, And rage and prowess fyres the coistrell lad; With trustie talbots to the battel flies, And yell of men and dogs and wolfins tear the skies. 90
Such was the dire confusion of eche wite, That rose from sleep and walsome power of wine; Theie thoughte the foe by trechit yn the nyghte Had broke theyr camp and gotten paste the line; Now here now there the burnysht sheeldes and byll-spear shine; 95 Throwote the campe a wild confusionne spredde; Eche bracd hys armlace siker ne desygne, The crested helmet nodded on the hedde; Some caught a flughorne, and an onsett wounde; Kynge Harolde hearde the charge, and wondred at the sounde. 100
Thus Leofwine; O women cas'd in stele! Was itte for thys Norwegia's stubborn sede Throughe the black armoure dyd the anlace fele, And rybbes of solid brasse were made to bleede? Whylst yet the worlde was wondrynge at the deede. 105 You souldiers, that shoulde stand with byll in hand, Get full of wine, devoid of any rede. Oh shame! oh dyre dishonoure to the lande! He sayde; and shame on everie visage spredde, Ne sawe the erlies face, but addawd hung their head. 110
Thus he; rowze yee, and forme the boddie tyghte. The Kentysh menne in fronte, for strenght renownd, Next the Brystowans dare the bloudie fyghte, And last the numerous crewe shall presse the grounde. I and my king be wyth the Kenters founde; 115 Bythric and Alfwold hedde the Brystowe bande; And Bertrams sonne, the man of glorious wounde, Lead in the rear the menged of the lande; And let the Londoners and Suffers plie Bie Herewardes memuine and the lighte skyrts anie. 120
He saide; and as a packe of hounds belent, When that the trackyng of the hare is gone, If one perchaunce shall hit upon the scent, With twa redubbled fhuir the alans run; So styrrd the valiante Saxons everych one; 125 Soone linked man to man the champyones stoode; To 'tone for their bewrate so soone 'twas done, And lyfted bylls enseem'd an yron woode; Here glorious Alfwold towr'd above the wites, And seem'd to brave the fuir of twa ten thousand fights. 130
Thus Leofwine; today will Englandes dome Be fyxt for aie, for gode or evill state; This sunnes aunture be felt for years to come; Then bravelie fyghte, and live till deathe of date. Thinke of brave Ælfridus, yclept the grete, 135 From porte to porte the red-haird Dane he chasd, The Danes, with whomme not lyoncels coud mate, Who made of peopled reaulms a barren waste; Thinke how at once by you Norwegia bled Whilste dethe and victorie for magystrie bested. 140
Meanwhile did Gyrthe unto Kynge Harolde ride, And tolde howe he dyd with Duke Willyam fare. Brave Harolde lookd askaunte, and thus replyd; And can thie say be bowght wyth drunken cheer? Gyrthe waxen hotte; fhuir in his eyne did glare; 145 And thus he saide; oh brother, friend, and kynge, Have I deserved this fremed speche to heare? Bie Goddes hie hallidome ne thoughte the thynge. When Tostus sent me golde and sylver store, I scornd hys present vile, and scorn'd hys treason more. 150
Forgive me, Gyrthe, the brave Kynge Harolde cryd; Who can I trust, if brothers are not true? I think of Tostus, once my joie and pryde. Girthe saide, with looke adigne; my lord, I doe. But what oure foemen are, quod Girth, I'll shewe; 155 By Gods hie hallidome they preestes are. Do not, quod Harolde, Girthe, mystell them so, For theie are everich one brave men at warre. Quod Girthe; why will ye then provoke theyr hate? Quod Harolde; great the foe, so is the glorie grete. 160
And nowe Duke Willyam mareschalled his band, And stretchd his armie owte a goodlie rowe. First did a ranke of arcublastries stande, Next those on horsebacke drewe the ascendyng flo, Brave champyones, eche well lerned in the bowe, 165 Theyr asenglave acrosse theyr horses ty'd, Or with the loverds squier behinde dyd goe, Or waited squier lyke at the horses syde. When thus Duke Willyam to a Monke dyd saie, Prepare thyselfe wyth spede, to Harolde haste awaie. 170
Telle hym from me one of these three to take; That hee to mee do homage for thys lande, Or mee hys heyre, when he deceasyth, make, Or to the judgment of Chrysts vicar stande. He saide; the Monke departyd out of hande, 175 And to Kyng Harolde dyd this message bear; Who said; tell thou the duke, at his likand If he can gette the crown hee may itte wear. He said, and drove the Monke out of his syghte, And with his brothers rouz'd each manne to bloudie fyghte. 180
A standarde made of sylke and jewells rare, Wherein alle coloures wroughte aboute in bighes, An armyd knyghte was seen deth-doynge there, Under this motte, He conquers or he dies. This standard rych, endazzlynge mortal eyes, 185 Was borne neare Harolde at the Renters heade, Who chargd hys broders for the grete empryze That straite the hest for battle should be spredde. To evry erle and knyghte the worde is gyven, And cries _a guerre_ and slughornes shake the vaulted heaven. 190
As when the erthe, torne by convulsyons dyre, In reaulmes of darkness hid from human syghte, The warring force of water, air, and fyre, Brast from the regions of eternal nyghte, Thro the darke caverns seeke the reaulmes of lyght; 195 Some loftie mountaine, by its fury torne, Dreadfully moves, and causes grete affryght; Now here, now there, majestic nods the bourne, And awfulle shakes, mov'd by the almighty force, Whole woods and forests nod, and ryvers change theyr course. 200
So did the men of war at once advaunce, Linkd man to man, enseemed one boddie light; Above a wood, yform'd of bill and launce, That noddyd in the ayre most straunge to syght. Harde as the iron were the menne of mighte, 205 Ne neede of slughornes to enrowse theyr minde; Eche shootynge spere yreaden for the fyghte, More feerce than fallynge rocks, more swefte than wynd; With solemne step, by ecchoe made more dyre, One single boddie all theie marchd, theyr eyen on fyre. 210
And now the greie-eyd morne with vi'lets drest, Shakyng the dewdrops on the flourie meedes, Fled with her rosie radiance to the West: Forth from the Easterne gatte the fyerie steedes Of the bright sunne awaytynge spirits leedes: 215 The sunne, in fierie pompe enthrond on hie, Swyfter than thoughte alonge hys jernie gledes, And scatters nyghtes remaynes from oute the skie: He sawe the armies make for bloudie fraie, And stopt his driving steeds, and hid his lyghtsome raye. 220
Kynge Harolde hie in ayre majestic raysd His mightie arme, deckt with a manchyn rare; With even hande a mighty javlyn paizde, Then furyouse sent it whystlynge thro the ayre. It struck the helmet of the Sieur de Beer; 225 In vayne did brasse or yron stop its waie; Above his eyne it came, the bones dyd tare, Peercynge quite thro, before it dyd allaie; He tumbled, scritchyng wyth hys horrid payne; His hollow cuishes rang upon the bloudie pleyne. 230
This Willyam saw, and soundynge Rowlandes songe He bent his yron interwoven bowe, Makynge bothe endes to meet with myghte full stronge, From out of mortals syght shot up the floe; Then swyfte as fallynge starres to earthe belowe 235 It slaunted down on Alfwoldes payncted sheelde; Quite thro the silver-bordurd crosse did goe, Nor loste its force, but stuck into the feelde; The Normannes, like theyr sovrin, dyd prepare, And shotte ten thousande floes uprysynge in the aire. 240
As when a flyghte of cranes, that takes their waie In householde armies thro the flanched skie, Alike the cause, or companie or prey, If that perchaunce some boggie fenne is nie. Soon as the muddie natyon theie espie, 245 Inne one blacke cloude theie to the erth descende; Feirce as the fallynge thunderbolte they flie; In vayne do reedes the speckled folk defend: So prone to heavie blowe the arrowes felle, And peered thro brasse, and sente manie to heaven or helle. 250
Ælan Adelfred, of the stowe of Leigh, Felte a dire arrowe burnynge in his breste; Before he dyd, he sente hys spear awaie, Thenne sunke to glorie and eternal reste. Nevylle, a Normanne of alle Normannes beste, 255 Throw the joint cuishe dyd the javlyn feel, As hee on horsebacke for the fyghte addressd, And sawe hys bloude come smokynge oer the steele; He sente the avengynge floe into the ayre, And turnd hys horses hedde, and did to leeche repayre. 260
And now the javelyns, barbd with deathhis wynges, Hurld from the Englysh handes by force aderne, Whyzz dreare alonge, and songes of terror synges, Such songes as alwaies clos'd in lyfe eterne. Hurld by such strength along the ayre theie burne, 265 Not to be quenched butte ynn Normannes bloude; Wherere theie came they were of lyfe forlorn, And alwaies followed by a purple floude; Like cloudes the Normanne arrowes did descend, Like cloudes of carnage full in purple drops dyd end. 270
Nor, Leofwynus, dydst thou still estande; Full soon thie pheon glytted in the aire; The force of none but thyne and Harolds hande Could hurle a javlyn with such lethal geer; Itte whyzzd a ghastlie dynne in Normannes ear, 275 Then thundryng dyd upon hys greave alyghte, Peirce to his hearte, and dyd hys bowels tear, He closd hys eyne in everlastynge nyghte; Ah! what avayld the lyons on his creste! His hatchments rare with him upon the grounde was prest. 280
Willyam agayne ymade his bowe-ends meet, And hie in ayre the arrowe wynged his waie, Descendyng like a shafte of thunder sleete, Lyke thunder rattling at the noon of daie, Onne Algars sheelde the arrowe dyd assaie, 285 There throghe dyd peerse, and stycke into his groine; In grypynge torments on the feelde he laie, Tille welcome dethe came in and clos'd his eyne; Distort with peyne he laie upon the borne, Lyke sturdie elms by stormes in uncothe wrythynges torne. 290
Alrick his brother, when hee this perceevd, He drewe his swerde, his lefte hande helde a speere, Towards the duke he turnd his prauncyng steede, And to the Godde of heaven he sent a prayre; Then sent his lethale javlyn in the ayre, 295 On Hue de Beaumontes backe the javelyn came, Thro his redde armour to hys harte it tare, He felle and thondred on the place of fame; Next with his swerde he 'sayld the Seiur de Roe, And braste his sylver helme, so furyous was the blowe. 300
But Willyam, who had seen hys prowesse great, And feered muche how farre his bronde might goe, Tooke a strong arblaster, and bigge with fate From twangynge iron sente the fleetynge floe. As Alric hoistes hys arme for dedlie blowe, 305 Which, han it came, had been Du Roees laste, The swyfte-wyngd messenger from Willyams bowe Quite throwe his arme into his syde ypaste; His eyne shotte fyre, lyke blazyng starre at nyghte, He grypd his swerde, and felle upon the place of fyghte. 310
O Alfwolde, saie, how shalle I synge of thee Or telle how manie dyd benethe thee falle; Not Haroldes self more Normanne knyghtes did slee, Not Haroldes self did for more praises call; How shall a penne like myne then shew it all? 315 Lyke thee their leader, eche Bristowyanne foughte; Lyke thee, their blaze must be canonical, Fore theie, like thee, that daie bewrecke yroughte: Did thirtie Normannes fall upon the grounde, Full half a score from thee and theie receive their fatale wounde. 320
First Fytz Chivelloys felt thie direful force; Nete did hys helde out brazen sheelde availe; Eftsoones throwe that thie drivynge speare did peerce Nor was ytte stopped by his coate of mayle; Into his breaste it quicklie did assayle; 325 Out ran the bloude, like hygra of the tyde; With purple stayned all hys adventayle; In scarlet was his cuishe of sylver dyde: Upon the bloudie carnage house he laie, Whylst hys longe sheelde dyd gleem with the sun's rysing ray. 330
Next Fescampe felle; O Chrieste, howe harde his fate To die the leckedst knyghte of all the thronge! His sprite was made of malice deslavate, Ne shoulden find a place in anie songe. The broch'd keene javlyn hurld from honde so stronge 335 As thine came thundrynge on his crysted beave; Ah! neete avayld the brass or iron thonge, With mightie force his skulle in twoe dyd cleave; Fallyng he shooken out his smokyng braine, As witherd oakes or elmes are hewne from off the playne. 340
For, Norcie, could thie myghte and skilfulle lore Preserve thee from the doom of Alfwold's speere; Couldste thou not kenne, most skyll'd Astrelagoure. How in the battle it would wythe thee fare? When Alfwolds javelyn, rattlynge in the ayre, 345 From hande dyvine on thie habergeon came, Oute at thy backe it dyd thie hartes bloude bear, It gave thee death and everlastynge fame; Thy deathe could onlie come from Alfwolde arme, As diamondes onlie can its fellow diamonds harme. 350
Next Sire du Mouline fell upon the grounde, Quite throughe his throte the lethal javlyn preste, His soule and bloude came roushynge from the wounde; He closd his eyen, and opd them with the blest. It can ne be I should behight the rest, 355 That by the myghtie arme of Alfwolde felle, Paste bie a penne to be counte or expreste, How manie Alfwolde sent to heaven or helle; As leaves from trees shook by derne Autumns hand, So laie the Normannes slain by Alfwold on the strand. 360
As when a drove of wolves withe dreary yelles Assayle some flocke, ne care if shepster ken't, Besprenge destructione oer the woodes and delles; The shepster swaynes in vayne theyr lees lement; So foughte the Brystowe menne; ne one crevent, 365 Ne onne abashd enthoughten for to flee; With fallen Normans all the playne besprent, And like theyr leaders every man did flee; In vayne on every syde the arrowes fled; The Brystowe menne styll ragd, for Alfwold was not dead. 370
Manie meanwhile by Haroldes arm did falle, And Leofwyne and Gyrthe encreasd the slayne; 'Twould take a Nestor's age to synge them all, Or telle how manie Normannes preste the playne; But of the erles, whom recorde nete hath slayne, 375 O Truthe! for good of after-tymes relate, That, thowe they're deade, theyr names may lyve agayne, And be in deathe, as they in life were, greate; So after-ages maie theyr actions see, And like to them æternal alwaie stryve to be. 380
Adhelm, a knyghte, whose holie deathless fire For ever bended to St. Cuthbert's shryne, Whose breast for ever burnd with sacred fyre. And een on erthe he myghte be calld dyvine; To Cuthbert's church he dyd his goodes resygne, 385 And lefte hys son his God's and fortunes knyghte; His son the Saincte behelde with looke adigne, Made him in gemot wyse, and greate in fyghte; Saincte Cuthberte dyd him ayde in all hys deedes, His friends he lets to live, and all his fomen bleedes. 390
He married was to Kenewalchae faire, The fynest dame the sun or moone adave; She was the myghtie Aderedus heyre, Who was alreadie hastynge to the grave; As the blue Bruton, rysinge from the wave, 395 Like sea-gods seeme in most majestic guise. And rounde aboute the risynge waters lave, And their longe hayre arounde their bodie flies, Such majestic was in her porte displaid, To be excelld bie none but Homer's martial maid. 400
White as the chaulkie clyffes of Brittaines isle, Red as the highest colour'd Gallic wine, Gaie as all nature at the mornynge smile, Those hues with pleasaunce on her lippes combine, Her lippes more redde than summer evenynge skyne, 405 Or Phoebus rysinge in a frostie morne, Her breste more white than snow in feeldes that lyene, Or lillie lambes that never have been shorne, Swellynge like bubbles in a boillynge welle, Or new-braste brooklettes gently whyspringe in the delle. 410
Browne as the fylberte droppyng from the shelle, Browne as the nappy ale at Hocktyde game, So browne the crokyde rynges, that featlie fell Over the neck of the all-beauteous dame. Greie as the morne before the ruddie flame 415 Of Phoebus charyotte rollynge thro the skie, Greie as the steel-horn'd goats Conyan made tame, So greie appeard her featly sparklyng eye; Those eyne, that did oft mickle pleased look On Adhelm valyaunt man, the virtues doomsday book. 420
Majestic as the grove of okes that stoode Before the abbie buylt by Oswald kynge; Majestic as Hybernies holie woode, Where sainctes and soules departed masses synge; Such awe from her sweete looke forth issuynge 425 At once for reveraunce and love did calle; Sweet as the voice of thraslarkes in the Spring, So sweet the wordes that from her lippes did falle; None fell in vayne; all shewed some entent; Her wordies did displaie her great entendement. 430
Tapre as candles layde at Cuthberts shryne, Tapre as elmes that Goodrickes abbie shrove, Tapre as silver chalices for wine, So tapre was her armes and shape ygrove. As skyllful mynemenne by the stones above 435 Can ken what metalle is ylach'd belowe, So Kennewalcha's face, ymade for love, The lovelie ymage of her soule did shewe; Thus was she outward form'd; the sun her mind Did guilde her mortal shape and all her charms refin'd. 440
What blazours then, what glorie shall he clayme, What doughtie Homere shall hys praises synge, That lefte the bosome of so fayre a dame Uncall'd, unaskt, to serve his lorde the kynge? To his fayre shrine goode subjects oughte to bringe 445 The armes, the helmets, all the spoyles of warre, Throwe everie reaulm the poets blaze the thynge, And travelling merchants spredde hys name to farre; The stoute Norwegians had his anlace felte, And nowe amonge his foes dethe-doynge blowes he delte. 450
As when a wolfyn gettynge in the meedes He rageth sore, and doth about hym slee, Nowe here a talbot, there a lambkin bleeds, And alle the grasse with clotted gore doth stree; As when a rivlette rolles impetuouslie, 455 And breaks the bankes that would its force restrayne, Alonge the playne in fomynge rynges doth flee, Gaynste walles and hedges doth its course maintayne; As when a manne doth in a corn-fielde mowe, With ease at one felle stroke full manie is laide lowe. 460
So manie, with such force, and with such ease, Did Adhelm slaughtre on the bloudie playne; Before hym manie dyd theyr hearts bloude lease, Ofttymes he foughte on towres of smokynge slayne. Angillian felte his force, nor felte in vayne; 465 He cutte hym with his swerde athur the breaste; Out ran the bloude, and did hys armoure stayne, He clos'd his eyen in æternal reste; Lyke a tall oke by tempeste borne awaie, Stretchd in the armes of dethe upon the plaine he laie. 470
Next thro the ayre he sent his javlyn feerce, That on De Clearmoundes buckler did alyghte, Throwe the vaste orbe the sharpe pheone did peerce, Rang on his coate of mayle and spente its mighte. But soon another wingd its aiery flyghte, 475 The keen broad pheon to his lungs did goe; He felle, and groand upon the place of fighte, Whilst lyfe and bloude came issuynge from the blowe. Like a tall pyne upon his native playne, So fell the mightie sire and mingled with the slaine. 480
Hue de Longeville, a force doughtre mere, Advauncyd forwarde to provoke the darte, When soone he founde that Adhelmes poynted speere Had founde an easie passage to his hearte. He drewe his bowe, nor was of dethe astarte, 485 Then fell down brethlesse to encrease the corse; But as he drewe hys bowe devoid of arte, So it came down upon Troyvillains horse; Deep thro hys hatchments wente the pointed floe; Now here, now there, with rage bleedyng he rounde doth goe. 490
Nor does he hede his mastres known commands, Tyll, growen furiouse by his bloudie wounde, Erect upon his hynder feete he staundes, And throwes hys mastre far off to the grounde. Near Adhelms feete the Normanne laie astounde, 495 Besprengd his arrowes, loosend was his sheelde, Thro his redde armoure, as he laie ensoond, He peercd his swerde, and out upon the feelde The Normannes bowels steemd, a dedlie syghte! He opd and closd hys eyen in everlastynge nyghte. 500
Caverd, a Scot, who for the Normannes foughte, A man well skilld in swerde and soundynge strynge, Who fled his country for a crime enstrote, For darynge with bolde worde hys loiaule kynge, He at Erie Aldhelme with grete force did flynge 505 An heavie javlyn, made for bloudie wounde, Alonge his sheelde askaunte the same did ringe, Peered thro the corner, then stuck in the grounde; So when the thonder rauttles in the skie, Thro some tall spyre the shaftes in a torn clevis flie. 510