Page:Fugitive Poetry 1600-1878.djvu/446
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THE DAYS OF CHIVALRY.
In those good "olden times," a "ladye bright"
Might sit within her turret or her bower,
While lovers sang and played without all night,
And deemed themselves rewarded by a flower.
Might sit within her turret or her bower,
While lovers sang and played without all night,
And deemed themselves rewarded by a flower.
Yet, if one favoured swain would persevere,
In despite of her haughty scorn and laugh,
Perchance she threw him, with the closing year,
An old odd glove, or else a worn-out scarf.
In despite of her haughty scorn and laugh,
Perchance she threw him, with the closing year,
An old odd glove, or else a worn-out scarf.
And he a thousand oaths of love would swear,
As in an ecstasy he caught the prize,
Then would he gallop off, no one knows where,
Telling another thousand monstrous lies;
As in an ecstasy he caught the prize,
Then would he gallop off, no one knows where,
Telling another thousand monstrous lies;
All picturing her matchless beauty, which
He might discern, I ween, not much about,
Seeing he could but see her 'cross the ditch
As she between the lattice peeped out.
He might discern, I ween, not much about,
Seeing he could but see her 'cross the ditch
As she between the lattice peeped out.
Off then, away he'd ride o'er sea and land,
And dragons fell and mighty giants smite,
With the tough spear he carried in his hand;
And all to prove himself her own true knight.
And dragons fell and mighty giants smite,
With the tough spear he carried in his hand;
And all to prove himself her own true knight.
Meanwhile a thousand more, as wild as he,
Were all employed upon the self-same thing;
And when each knight had rode hard for his "ladye,"
They all came back and met within a ring.
Were all employed upon the self-same thing;
And when each knight had rode hard for his "ladye,"
They all came back and met within a ring.
Where all the men who were entitled "syr"
Appeared with martial air and haughty frown,
Bearing "long poles, each other up to stir,"
And, in the stir up, thrust each other down.
Appeared with martial air and haughty frown,
Bearing "long poles, each other up to stir,"
And, in the stir up, thrust each other down.
And then they galloped round with dire intent,
Each knight resolved another's pride to humble;
And laughter rang around the tournament
As oft as any of them had a tumble.
Each knight resolved another's pride to humble;
And laughter rang around the tournament
As oft as any of them had a tumble.
And when, perchance, some ill-starred wight might die,
The victim of a stout, unlucky poke,
Mayhap some fair one wiped one beauteous eye,
The rest smiled calmly on the deadly joke.
The victim of a stout, unlucky poke,
Mayhap some fair one wiped one beauteous eye,
The rest smiled calmly on the deadly joke.
Soon, then, the lady, whose grim stalwart swain
Had got the strongest horse and toughest pole,
Bedecked him, kneeling, with a golden chain,
And plighted troth before the motley whole.
Had got the strongest horse and toughest pole,
Bedecked him, kneeling, with a golden chain,
And plighted troth before the motley whole.