And feerful lambkyns, when theie hunted bee, Theyre ynfante hunters doe theie ofte awhape; Thus stoode Campynon, greete but hertlesse knyghte, [fyghte. When feere of dethe made hym for deathe to
Alfwoulde began to dyghte hymselfe for fyghte,
Meanewhyle hys menne on everie syde dyd slee,
Whan on his lyfted sheelde withe alle hys myghte
Campynon's swerde in burlie-brande dyd dree;
Bewopen Alfwoulde fellen on hys knee;
Hys Brystowe menne came in hym for to save;
Eftsoons upgotten from the grounde was hee,
And dyd agayne the touring Norman brave;
He graspd hys bylle in syke a drear arraie,
Hee seem'd a lyon catchynge at hys preie.
Upon the Normannes brazen adventayle
The thondrynge bill of mightie Alfwould came;
It made a dentful bruse, and then dyd fayle,
Fromme rattlynge weepons shotte a sparklynge
Eftsoons agayne the thondronge bill ycame, [flame;
Peers'd thro hys adventayle and skyrts of lare;
A tyde of purple gore came wyth the same,
As out bys bowells on the feelde it tare ;
Campynon felle, as when some cittie-walle
Inne dolefulle terrours on its mynours falle.
He felle, and dyd the Norman rankes dyvyde;.
So when an oke,* that shotte ynto the skie,
* As when the mountain oak, or poplar tall,
Or pine, fit mast for some great admiral,
Groans to the oft heav'd axe with many a wound,
Then spreads a length of ruin on the ground.
Feeles the broad axes peersynge hys broade syde,
Slowlie he falls and on the grounde doth lie,
Pressynge all downe that is with hym anighe,
And stoppynge wearie travellers on the waie;
So straught upon the playne the Norman hie
Bled, gron'd and dyed: the Normanne knyghtes astound
To see the bawsin champyon preste upon the grounde.
As when the hygra of the Severne roars,
And thunder ugsom on the sandes below,
The cleembe reboundes to Wedeceters shore,
And sweeps the black sande rounde its horie
So bremie Alfwoulde thro the warre dyd goe;
Hys Kenters and Brystowans slew ech syde,
Betreinted all alonge with bloudless foe,
And seemd to swymm alonge with bloudie tyde;
Fromme place to place besmeard with bloud they
[sprente
And rounde aboute them swarthless corse be
A famous Normanne who yclepd Aubene,
Of skyll in bow, in tylte, and handesworde fyghte,
That daie yn feelde han manie Saxons sleene,
Forre he in sothen was a manne of myghte;
Fyrste dyd his swerde on Adelgar alyghte,
As he on horseback was, and peersd hys gryne,
Then upward wente: in everlastynge nyghte
Hee closd hys rollying and dymsighted eyne.
Next Eadlyn, Tatwyn, and fam'd Adelred,
Bie various causes sunken to the dead.
But now to Alfwoulde he opposynge went,
To whom compar'd hee was a man of stre,
And wyth bothe hondes a myghtie blowe he sente
At Alfwouldes head, as hard as hee could dree;
But on hys payncted sheelde so bismarlie
Aslaunte his swerde did go ynto the grounde;
Then Alfwould hym attack'd most furyouslie,
Athrowe hys gaberdyne hee dyd him wounde,
Then soone agayne hys swerde hee dyd upryne,
And clove his creste and split hym to the eyne.
A HYMN FOR CHRISTMAS DAY.
From a copy by sir Herbert Croft, in the same volume.
ALMIGHTY framer of the skies!
O let our pure devotion rise,
Like incense in thy sight!
Wrapt in impenetrable shade
The texture of our souls were made
Till thy command gave light.
The Sun of Glory gleam'd the ray,
Refin'd the darkness into day,
And bid the vapours fly :
Impell'd by his eternal love
He left his palaces above
To cheer our gloomy sky.
How shall we celebrate the day,
When God appeared in mortal clay
The mark of worldly scorn;
When the Archangel's heavenly lays
Attempted the Redeemer's praise,
And hail'd salvation's morn!
A humble form the Godhead wore,
The pains of poverty he bore,
To gaudy pomp unknown:
Tho' in a human walk he trod,
Still was the Man Almighty God,
In glory all his own.
Despis'd, oppress'd, the Godhead bears
The torments of this vale of tears;
Nor bad his vengeance rise ;
He saw the creatures he had made
Revile his power, his peace invade;
He saw with mercy's eyes.
How shall we celebrate his name,
Who groan'd beneath a life of shame
In all afflictions try'd;
The soul is raptur'd to conceive
A truth, which being must believe,
The God Eternal dy'd.
My soul, exert thy powers, adore,
Upon devotion's plumage soar
To celebrate the day:
The God from whom creation sprung
Shall animate my grateful tongue;
From him I'll catch the lay!
TO THE POEMS OF CHATTERTON.
Abest, humbled, or brought down
Aborne, burnished
Abounde, do service, or benefit
Aboune, make ready
Abredynge, upbraiding
Abrewe, brew
Abrodden, abruptly
Acale, freeze
Accaie, assuage
Acheke, choke
Achevments, services
Achments, achievements
Acome, come
Acrool, faintly
Adave, dawned upon
Adawe, awake
Adeene, worthily
Adente, fastened
Adented, fastened, annexed
Adented, indented, bruised.
Aderne, cruel, fierce
Adigne, noble, worthy
Adoe, delay
Adradde, afraid
Adrames, churls
Adrewe, drew
Adventaile, armour
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