mie Birtha
fallethe
to the grounde!
Thomas Chatterton - Rowley Poems
Lett mee be gone--alle curses onne thie hedde!
Was ytte for thys thou dydste a message brynge!
Lette mee be gone, thou manne of sable harte!
Or welkyn[114] & her starres wyll take a maydens parte. 1055
CELMONDE.
Sythence you wylle notte lette mie suyte avele,
Mie love wylle have yttes joie, altho wythe guylte;
Youre lymbes shall bende, albeytte strynge as stele;
The merkye seesonne wylle your bloshes hylte[115].
BIRTHA.
Holpe, holpe, yee seynctes! oh thatte mie blodde was spylte! 1060
CELMONDE.
The seynctes att distaunce stonde ynn tyme of nede.
Strev notte to goe; thou canste notte, gyff thou wylte.
Unto mie wysche bee kinde, & nete alse hede.
BIRTHA.
No, foule bestoykerre, I wylle rende the ayre,
Tylle dethe do staie mie dynne, or somme kynde roder heare. 1065
Holpe! holpe! oh godde!
CELMONDE, BIRTHA, HURRA, DANES.
HURRA.
Ah! thatts a wommanne cries.
I kenn hem; saie, who are you, yatte bee theere?
CELMONDE.
Yee hyndes, awaie! orre bie thys swerde yee dies.
HURRA.
Thie wordes wylle ne mie hartis sete affere.
BIRTHA.
Save mee, oh! save mee from thys royner heere! 1070
HURRA.
Stonde thou bie mee; nowe saie thie name & londe;
Or swythyne schall mie swerde thie boddie tare.
CELMONDE.
Bothe I wylle shewe thee bie mie brondeous[116] honde.
HURRA.
Besette hym rounde, yee Danes.
CELMONDE.
Comme onne, and see
Gyff mie strynge anlace maie bewryen whatte I bee. 1075
[_Fyghte al anenste_ Celmonde, _meynte Danes he fleath,
and faleth to_ Hurra.
CELMONDE.
Oh! I forslagen[117] be! ye Danes, now kenne,
I amme yatte Celmonde, seconde yn the fyghte,
Who dydd, atte Watchette, so forslege youre menne;
I fele myne eyne to swymme yn aeterne nyghte;--
To her be kynde. [_Dieth_.
HURRA.
Thenne felle a wordhie knyghte. 1080
Saie, who bee you?
BIRTHA.
I am greate AElla's wyfe.
HURRA.
Ah
BIRTHA.
Gyff anenste hym you harboure soule despyte,
Nowe wythe the lethal anlace take mie lyfe,
Mie thankes I ever onne you wylle bestowe,
From ewbryce[118] you mee pyghte, the worste of mortal woe. 1085
HURRA.
I wylle; ytte scalle bee foe: yee Dacyans, heere.
Thys AElla havethe been oure foe for aie.
Thorrowe the battelle he dyd brondeous teare,
Beyng the lyfe and head of everych fraie;
From everych Dacyanne power he won the daie, 1090
Forslagen Magnus, all oure schippes ybrente;
Bie hys felle arme wee now are made to straie;
The speere of Dacya he ynne pieces shente;
Whanne hantoned barckes unto our londe dyd comme,
AElla the gare dheie sed, & wysched hym bytter dome. 1095
BIRTHA.
Mercie!
HURRA.
Bee stylle.
Botte yette he ys a foemanne goode and fayre;
Whanne wee are spente, he foundethe the forloyne;
The captyves chayne he tosseth ynne the ayre,
Cheered the wounded bothe wythe bredde & wyne;
Has hee notte untoe somme of you bynn dygne? 1100
You would have smethd onne Wedecestrian fielde,
Botte hee behylte the flughorne for to cleyne,
Throwynge onne hys wyde backe, hys wyder spreddynge shielde.
Whanne you, as caytysned, yn fielde dyd bee,
Hee oathed you to bee stylle, & strayte dydd sette you free. 1105
Scalle wee forslege[119] hys wyfe, because he's brave?
Bicaus hee fyghteth for hys countryes gare?
Wylle hee, who havith bynne yis AElla's slave,
Robbe hym of whatte percase he holdith deere?
Or scalle we menne of mennys sprytes appere, 1110
Doeynge hym favoure for hys favoure donne,
Swefte to hys pallace thys damoiselle bere,
Bewrynne oure case, and to oure waie be gonne?
The last you do approve; so lette ytte bee;
Damoyselle, comme awaie; you safe scalle bee wythe mee. 1115
BIRTHA.
Al blessynges maie the seynctes unto yee gyve!
Al pleasaunce maie youre longe-straughte livynges bee!
AElla, whanne knowynge thatte bie you I lyve,
Wylle thyncke too smalle a guyfte the londe & sea.
O Celmonde! I maie deftlie rede bie thee, 1120
Whatte ille betydethe the enfouled kynde;
Maie ne thie cross-stone[120] of thie cryme bewree!
Maie alle menne ken thie valoure, fewe thie mynde!
Soldyer! for syke thou arte ynn noble fraie,
I wylle thie goinges 'tende, & doe thou lede the waie. 1125
HURRA.
The mornynge 'gyns alonge the Easte to sheene;
Darklinge the lyghte doe onne the waters plaie;
The feynte rodde leme slowe creepeth oere the greene,
Toe chase the merkyness of nyghte awaie;
Swifte flies the howers thatte wylle brynge oute the daie; 1130
The softe dewe falleth onne the greeynge grasse;
The shepster mayden, dyghtynge her arraie,
Scante[121] sees her vysage yn the wavie glasse;
Bie the fulle daylieghte wee scalle AElla see.
Or Brystowes wallyd towne; damoyselle, followe mee. 1135
AT BRYSTOWE.
AELLA AND SERVITOURES.
AELLA.
'Tys nowe fulle morne; I thoughten, bie laste nyghte
To have been heere; mie stede han notte mie love;
Thys ys mie pallace; lette mie hyndes alyghte,
Whylste I goe oppe, & wake mie slepeynge dove.
Staie here, mie hyndlettes; I shal goe above. 1140
Nowe. Birtha, wyll thie loke enhele mie spryte,
Thie smyles unto mie woundes a baulme wylle prove;
Mie ledanne boddie wylle bee sette aryghte.
Egwina, haste, & ope the portalle doore,
Yatte I on Birtha's breste maie thynke of warre ne more. 1145
AELLA, EGWINA.
EGWINA.
Oh AElla!
AELLA.
Ah! that semmlykeene to mee
Speeketh a legendary tale of woe.
EGWINA.
Birtha is--
AELLA.
Whatt? where? how? saie, whatte of shee?
EGWINA.
Gone--
AELLA.
Gone! ye goddes!
EGWINA.
Alas! ytte ys toe true.
Yee seynctes, hee dies awaie wythe myckle woe! 1150
AElla! what? AElla! oh! hee lyves agen.
AELLA.
Cal mee notte AElla; I am hymme ne moe.
Where ys shee gon awaie? ah! speake! how? when?
EGWINA.
I will.
AELLA.
Caparyson a score of stedes; flie, flie.
Where ys shee? swythynne speeke, or instante thou shalte die. 1155
EGWINA.
Stylle thie loud rage, & here thou whatte I knowe.
AELLA.
Oh! speek.
EGWINA.
Lyche prymrose, droopynge wythe the heavie rayne,
Laste nyghte I lefte her, droopynge wythe her wiere,
Her love the gare, thatte gave her harte syke peyne--
AELLA.
Her love! to whomme?
EGWINA.
To thee, her spouse alleyne[122]. 1160
As ys mie hentylle everyche morne to goe,
I wente, and oped her chamber doore ynn twayne,
Botte found her notte, as I was wont to doe;
Thanne alle arounde the pallace I dyd seere[123],
Botte culde (to mie hartes woe) ne fynde her anie wheere. 1165
AELLA.
Thou lyest, foul hagge! thou lyest; thou art her ayde
To chere her louste;--botte noe; ytte cannotte bee.
EGWINA.
Gyff trouthe appear notte inne whatte I have sayde,
Drawe forthe thie anlace swythyn, thanne mee flea.
AELLA.
Botte yette ytte muste, ytte muste bee foe; I see, 1170
Shee wythe somme loustie paramoure ys gone;
Itte moste bee foe--oh! how ytte wracketh mee!
Mie race of love, mie race of lyfe ys ronne;
Nowe rage, & brondeous storm, & tempeste comme;
Nete lyvynge upon erthe can now enswote mie domme. 1175
AELLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE.
SERVYTOURE.
Loverde! I am aboute the trouthe to saie.
Laste nyghte, fulle late I dydde retourne to reste.
As to mie chamber I dydde bende mie waie,
To Birtha onne hys name & place addreste;
Downe to hym camme shee; butte thereof the reste 1180
I ken ne matter; so, mie hommage made--
AELLA.
O! speake ne moe; mie harte flames yn yttes heste;
I once was AElla; nowe bee notte yttes shade.
Hanne alle the fuirie of mysfortunes wylle
Fallen onne mie benned[124] headde I hanne been AElla stylle. 1185
Thys alleyn was unburled[125] of alle mie spryte;
Mie honnoure, honnoure, frownd on the dolce[126] wynde,
Thatte steeked on ytte; nowe wyth rage Im pyghte;
A brondeous unweere ys mie engyned mynde.
Mie hommeur yette somme drybblet joie maie fynde, 1190
To the Danes woundes I wylle another yeve;
Whanne thos mie rennome[127] & mie peace ys rynde,
Itte were a recrandize to thyncke toe lyve;
Mie huscarles, untoe everie asker telle,
Gyffe noblie AElla lyved, as noblie AElla felle. 1195
[_Stabbeth hys breste_.
SERVYTOURE.
AElla ys sleene; the flower of Englonde's marrde!
AELLA.
Be stylle: swythe lette the chyrches rynge mie knelle.
Call hyther brave Coernyke; he, as warde
Of thys mie Brystowe castle, wyll doe welle.
[_Knelle ryngeth_.
AELLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE, COERNYKE.
AELLA.
Thee I ordeyne the warde; so alle maie telle. 1200
I have botte lyttel tym to dragge thys lyfe;
Mie lethal tale, alyche a lethalle belle,
Dynne yn the eares of her I wyschd mie wyfe!
Botte, ah! shee maie be fayre.
EGWINA.
Yatte shee moste bee.
AELLA.
Ah! saie notte foe; yatte worde woulde AElla dobblie flee. 1205
AELLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE, COERNYKE, BIRTHA, HURRA.
AELLA.
Ah! Birtha here!
BIRTHA.
Whatte dynne ys thys? whatte menes yis leathalle knelle?
Where ys mie AElla? speeke; where? howe ys hee?
Oh AElla! art thou yanne alyve and welle!
AELLA.
I lyve yndeed; botte doe notte lyve for thee.
BIRTHA.
Whatte menes mie AElla?
AELLA.
Here mie meneynge see. 1210
Thie foulness urged mie honde to gyve thys wounde,
Ytte mee unsprytes[128].
BIRTHA.
Ytte hathe unspryted mee.
AELLA.
Ah heavens!
mie Birtha fallethe to the grounde!
Botte yette I am a manne, and so wylle bee.
HURRA.
AElla! I amme a Dane; botte yette a friende to thee. 1215
Thys damoyselle I founde wythynne a woode,
Strevynge fulle harde anenste a burled swayne;
I sente hym myrynge ynne mie compheeres blodde,
Celmonde hys name, chief of thie warrynge trayne.
Yis damoiselle foughte to be here agayne; 1220
The whyche, albeytte foemen, wee dydd wylle;
So here wee broughte her wythe you to remayne.
COERNIKE.
Yee nobylle Danes! wythe goulde I wyll you fylle.
AELLA.
Birtha, mie lyfe! mie love! oh! she ys fayre.
Whatte faultes coulde Birtha have, whatte faultes could AElla feare?
BIRTHA.
Amm I yenne thyne? I cannotte blame thie feere.
Botte doe reste mee uponne mie AElla's breaste;
I wylle to thee bewryen the woefulle gare.
Celmonde dyd comme to mee at tyme of reste,
Wordeynge for mee to flie, att your requeste, 1230
To Watchette towne, where you deceasynge laie;
I wyth hym fledde; thro' a murke wode we preste,
Where hee foule love unto mie eares dyd saie;
The Danes--
AELLA.
Oh! I die contente. -- [_dieth_.
BIRTHA.
Oh! ys mie AElla dedde?
O! I will make hys grave mie vyrgyn spousal bedde. 1235
[Birtha _feyncteth_.
COERNYKE.
Whatt? AElla deadde! & Birtha dyynge toe!
Soe falles the fayrest flourettes of the playne.
Who canne unplyte the wurchys heaven can doe,
Or who untweste the role of shappe yn twayne?
AElla, thie rennome was thie onlie gayne; 1240
For yatte, thie pleasaunce, & thie joie was loste.
Thie countrymen shall rere thee, on the playne,
A pyle of carnes, as anie grave can boaste;
Further, a just amede to thee to bee,
Inne heaven thou synge of Godde, on erthe we'lle synge of thee. 1245
THE ENDE.
[Footnote 1: robes, mantels. ]
[Footnote 2: a pen. ]
[Footnote 3: express. ]
[Footnote 4: countenance. ]
[Footnote 5: covered. ]
[Footnote 6: such. ]
[Footnote 7: another. ]
[Footnote 8: at once. ]
[Footnote 9: mighty. ]
[Footnote 10: hardy, valourous. ]
[Footnote 11: violence. ]
[Footnote 12: binding, enforcing. ]
[Footnote 13: fate. ]
[Footnote 14: lessen, decrease. ]
[Footnote 15: faith. ]
[Footnote 16: blinded. ]
[Footnote 17: lights, rays. ]
[Footnote 18: fellows, equals. ]
[Footnote 19: disdainful. ]
[Footnote 20: presents, offerings. ]
[Footnote 21: scarfs. ]
[Footnote 22: robes of scarlet. ]
[Footnote 23: bounded. ]
[Footnote 24: large. ]
[Footnote 25: elephants. ]
[Footnote 26: destroy. ]
[Footnote 27: stretched. ]
[Footnote 28: services. ]
[Footnote 29: memory, understanding. ]
[Footnote 30: Shepherd. ]
[Footnote 31: deceiver. ]
[Footnote 32: meadows. ]
[Footnote 33: The black bird. ]
[Footnote 34: Gold-finch. ]
[Footnote 35: loudly. ]
[Footnote 36: lectures. ]
[Footnote 37: Apparel. ]
[Footnote 38: At once. ]
[Footnote 39: a divine. ]
[Footnote 40: A cottage. ]
[Footnote 41: Lord. ]
[Footnote 42: stretch. ]
[Footnote 43: tender. ]
[Footnote 44: Naked. ]
[Footnote 45: Hot. ]
[Footnote 46: health. ]
[Footnote 47: Quickly. ]
[Footnote 48: Laughable. ]
[Footnote 49: Drouned. ]
[Footnote 50: Stilled, quenched. ]
[Footnote 51: Swelling. ]
[Footnote 52: Body, substance. ]
[Footnote 53: Still, dead. ]
[Footnote 54: arrows, darts. ]
[Footnote 55: Terrible. ]
[Footnote 56: Offended. ]
[Footnote 57: upbraiding. ]
[Footnote 58: cease. ]
[Footnote 59: swollen. ]
[Footnote 60: Torture. ]
[Footnote 61: asswage. ]
[Footnote 62: difficult. ]
[Footnote 63: Jewels. ]
[Footnote 64: stay. ]
[Footnote 65: Wrapped closely, covered. ]
[Footnote 66: fastened. ]
[Footnote 67: astonish'd. ]
[Footnote 68: Naked. ]
[Footnote 69: Scatterest. ]
[Footnote 70: Strange. ]
[Footnote 71: Quickly. ]
[Footnote 72: offerings. ]
[Footnote 73: mantels. ]
[Footnote 74: Enlighten. ]
[Footnote 75: Least. ]
[Editor's note: l. 467 _see Introduction p. _ xli]
[Footnote 76: Against. ]
[Footnote 77: Work. ]
[Editor's note: l. 489 sphere: _see note on p_. xli]
[Footnote 78: Terror. ]
[Footnote 79: cowards. ]
[Footnote 80: Wave. ]
[Footnote 81: Contentions. ]
[Footnote 82: frighted. ]
[Footnote 83: Lose. ]
[Footnote 84: Child. ]
[Footnote 85: Fate-scourged. ]
[Footnote 86: flamed, fired. ]
[Footnote 87: lighted. ]
[Footnote 88: dead. ]
[Footnote 89: blasting. ]
[Footnote 90: swallows, sucks in. ]
[Footnote 91: unaccustomed. ]
[Footnote 92: Declaring. ]
[Footnote 93: Shall. ]
[Footnote 94: Coward. ]
[Footnote 95: Retreat. ]
[Footnote 96: Burnish. ]
[Footnote 97: Frighted. ]
[Footnote 98: Eternal. ]
[Footnote 99: Grief. ]
[Footnote 100: Running. ]
[Footnote 101: hair. ]
[Footnote 102: complexion. ]
[Footnote 103: Water-flags. ]
[Footnote 104: Frozen, cold. ]
[Footnote 105: horse coursers, couriers. ]
[Footnote 106: Risen. ]
[Footnote 107: church-yard. ]
[Footnote 108: Promised. ]
[Footnote 109: Life. ]
[Footnote 110: Scarcely, sparingly. ]
[Footnote 111: Torch. ]
[Footnote 112: Betrayed. ]
[Footnote 113: Letchery. ]
[Footnote 114: heaven. ]
[Footnote 115: hide. ]
[Footnote 116: Furious. ]
[Footnote 117: slain. ]
[Footnote 118: Adultery. ]
[Footnote 119: Slay. ]
[Footnote 120: Monument. ]
[Footnote 121: Scarce. ]
[Footnote 122: Only, alone. ]
[Footnote 123: Search. ]
[Footnote 124: Cursed, tormented. ]
[Footnote 125: unarmed. ]
[Footnote 126: soft, gentle. ]
[Footnote 127: renown. ]
[Footnote 128: Un-souls. ]
GODDWYN;
A TRAGEDIE.
BY THOMAS ROWLEIE.
PERSONS REPRESENTED.
HAROLDE, bie _T. Rowleie_, the Aucthoure.
GODDWYN, bie _Johan de Iscamme_.
ELWARDE, bie Syrr _Thybbot Gorges_.
ALSTAN, bie Syrr _Alan de Vere_.
KYNGE EDWARDE, bie Mastre _Willyam Canynge_.
Odhers bie _Knyghtes Mynnstrells_.
PROLOGUE,
Made bie Maistre WILLIAM CANYNGE.
Whylomme[1]bie pensmenne[2] moke[3] ungentle[4] name
Have upon Goddwynne Erie of Kente bin layde:
Dherebie benymmynge[5] hymme of faie[6] and fame;
Unliart[7] divinistres[8] haveth faide,
Thatte he was knowen toe noe hallie[9] wurche[10]; 5
Botte thys was all hys faulte, he gyfted ne[11] the churche.
The aucthoure[12] of the piece whiche we enacte,
Albeytte[13] a clergyon[14], trouthe wyll wrytte.
Inne drawynge of hys menne no wytte ys lackte;
Entyn[15] a kynge mote[16] bee full pleased to nyghte. 10
Attende, and marcke the partes nowe to be done;
Wee better for toe doe do champyon[17] anie onne.
GODDWYN; A TRAGEDIE.
GODDWYN AND HAROLDE.
GODDWYN.
Harolde!
HAROLDE.
Mie loverde[18]!
GODDWYN.
O! I weepe to thyncke,
What foemen[19] riseth to ifrete[20] the londe.
Theie batten[21] onne her fleshe, her hartes bloude dryncke,
And all ys graunted from the roieal honde.
HAROLDE.
Lette notte thie agreme[22] blyn[23], ne aledge[24] stonde; 5
Bee I toe wepe, I wepe in teres of gore:
Am I betrassed[25], syke[26] shulde mie burlie[27] bronde
Depeyncte[28] the wronges on hym from whom I bore.
GODDWYN.
I ken thie spryte[29] ful welle; gentle thou art,
Stringe[30], ugsomme[31], rou[32], as smethynge[33] armyes seeme; 10
Yett efte[34], I feare, thie chefes[35] toe grete a parte,
And that thie rede[36] bee efte borne downe bie breme[37].
What tydynges from the kynge?
