Until through the great gate we past

  Great was the town & built nobly

  And all with black was hung about

  Which down they tore as we went by

  And hung rich golden carpets out.

  Soon to a mighty hall we came

  And there upon a throne of gold

  In raiment a noble dame

  Ancient & grey we did behold

  Then on their knees the ladies fell

  And fain we would have done the same

  And shown her reverence full

  But there from off her throne she came

  And took us by the hands & said

  Which is your lord that I may give

  My crown to him from off my head

  And make him king while he shall live

  And you Sirs ask for heaps of gold

  And lands & houses do not fear

  In anything to be too bold –

  Now when this saying I did hear

  And saw our knights with wild eyes gaze

  Upon those maids fit to entice

  A wise man into foolish ways

  I thought here ends our paradise

  Then spoke Sir Nicholas & said

  O Queen it seemeth unto me

  I ask a great gift by my head

  The body of this fair lady

  Therewith the leader of the band

  Who came that day into the vale

  Did he lead forward by the hand

  And she by turns both red & pale

  Her head upon his shoulder leant

  And of the other maidens some

  blushing their dear eyes downward bent

  While from our knights there rose a humm

  And some stood all pale & upright

  Looking aloof with troubled eyes

  Sirs there can be no fairer sight

  In any hall of paradise

  Then did the Queen laugh out & say

  O Sir your boon seems small enow

  To ancient folk like me and grey

  Have here this crown upon your brow

  Yea no light thing therewith ye have

  For ye shall lead us all in the war

  And from our foes this city save

  Many & grievous foes they are

  Then answered Nicholas again

  O Queen ye make too much of this

  We were well paid for all our pain

  With no more guerdon than a kiss

  But if of us ye please to make

  Your knight & soldiers will we then

  Do noble battle for your sake

  For neither are we borel men

  From Harald fair hair am I sprung

  And thence from Odin in right line

  Who was a God as skalds have sung

  Ye see this jewelled collar shine

  About my armour this to me

  The King of England with his hand

  Did give me in his own galley

  By Sleuse town in the Flemish land

  And these are knights & gentlemen

  That know not fear well skilled in war

  And each a worthy match for ten

  Of such folk as your foemen are

  With these men and your country folk

  Will I well guard this fair walled town

  And save you from this false king’s yoke

  But never will I wear your crown

  For of your law I know not ought

  And ye are old and ripe in wit

  On many a hard thing have ye thought

  And have been used long time to sit

  Judging the people day by day

  Sir said the Queen so be it then

  Yet am I bondwoman alway

  To you & to your noble men

  And for your ancestor Odin

  A noble temple shall he have

  And a gold altar set therein

  That many a skillful man shall grave

  Lady he said by no dead man

  Were we brought to the lions jaws

  Through many waters wild & wan

  I read you learn our holy laws

  And learn to know the Trinity

  The Mother of God and all Hallows

  And leave your false Gods – silently

  She stood and listened with bent brows

  While our mass priest took up the word

  And showed her much about our faith

  And many things about the Lord

  And what the holy Gospel saith

  At last she said Sir Holy Man

  Too many things at once ye show

  I will believe all that I can

  But pray you cease for a while now

  Truly it makes the senses reel

  To hear all this all so suddenly

  The Gods we sought in woe & weal

  Devils or else a painted lie.

  And many things we must believe

  That now for the first time we know

  And from you by mere chance receive

  Or lie in endless fiery woe

  Sirs ye are noble & we think

  Ye would not bid us trust a lie

  Or from a muddied river well head drink

  Your God has served you faithfully

  So in some fountain wash away

  if so ye please our forebear’s sin

  Who stole the apple as ye say

  Faith an ill deed he did therein-

  And that good Lord of whom you tell

  Who all his days did nought but good

  And loved the people passing well

  And whom upon a cross of wood

  For his reward they foully hung

  Would God I had been there that day

  Another song ye might have sung

  Your faith been turned another way

  Now for a while let these things be

  And for the rest I dare well say

  That whoso choses foolishly

  As your chief none will say him nay

  And therewithal Sirs will we give

  Some house and goods & needful weed

  To each that while with us ye

  Such common things ye may not need

  Then from the presence did we go

  And over my shoulder as we went

  I looked full oft that I might know

  If my maids eyes were on me bent

  But she held ever down her head

  Toward the ground & smiled gently

  Moving her lips as if she said

  Some little ballad inwardly

  Then to a chamber did we come

  Where being unarmed on us they did

  Such gowns as there were none in Rome

  Ere of the Cesars they were rid

  Then came we to another hall

  Spread for a feast and hung around

  With histories where ladies -~all

  In strife with men full many a wound

  Both gave & took and there we met

  Unarmed & gay the ladies sweet

  With gems in white bosoms set

  And naked arms and naked feet

  Not half so sweet the west wind smells

  That blows in spring through the may bush

  Sweeter their voice than he that tells

  The coming summer or the thrush

  Or Philomela that bewails

  The wrongs of many hundred years

  And fills our hearts with speechless tales

  Our eyes with-sweet & causeless tears

  Softly they bid us to the feast

  Which was full noble & withal

  Was many a pageant & strange beast

  Brought for our pleasure through the hall

  There saw we how that Theseus slew

  The bea’st by aid of a poor may

  To whom not long abode he true

  There saw we the Knight Perseus slay

  The evil thing by the sea side

  There was the noble story told

  Of those good knights that wandered wide

  With Jason for the fleece of gold

  O love wither do you go

  Spear in hand & belted so

  I go to win a crown my love

  To put your golden hair above

  I go to fight & travail sore

  That you may cling to-me the more

  I will wear a crown of green

  With red roses set between

  If it be not rich enow

  Then sweet kisses shall you sow

  In between the flowers red

  Round about my golden head

  I will cling so hardily

  You shall never go from me

  O my love soon goes the day

  O my Love soon comes the night

  All my glory goes away

  Comes my hour of delight

  Thereafter all the feast being done

  We wandered in a garden green

  And I for my part went alone

  With her that was my joy & Queen

  Sweet follies there we said & did

  I list not tell off now being old

  Only I know her face half hid

  Among her rippled hair of gold

  She burst out singing suddenly

  While I was telling of our quest

  And of the land we thought to see

  In some far ocean of the west

  O God how sweet the kisses were

  Upon her lips & breast & brow

  Amid the glory of her hair

  Ah folly to remember now

  When I am old and soon to die

  Sirs to my tale. So went away

  The golden days most happily

  In many a quaint disport and play

  For there were tiltings with the spear

  Music in gardens & in halls

  Sweet converse with our ladies dear &

  Dancing between gilded walls

  And beautiful old tales were sung

  By minstrels that were well beseen

  On fair long wooden stages hung.

  With palaces & gardens green

  And soon the maids were christened

  With much pomp in the great church, then

  Full richly were we fellows wed

  And were the happiest of all

  And amid all these pleasant days

  Sir Nicholas went to & fro

  Strengthening the city by all ways

  Lest the Great King should come thereto

  In time indeed for on a day

  His Herald to the city came

  With a foul message by my fay

  Whose best word was but blood & flame

  That he would sow the place with salt

  And yoke young maidens to his plough

  And take such vengeance for their fault

  That no grass any more should grow

  In all the land that those that fell

  By the sharp sword should fare the best

  That when the scourge & had torn them well

  Fierce fire should burn up the rest

  But first a great drove would he drive

  Unto his country that his men

  Might see them naked, and alive

  Into the fire send them then

  That for the strangers who had come

  By water when their eyes were out

  By water he would send them home

  With great stones tied their necks about

  Now we when this thief we had heard

  Went near to slay him evilly

  But at the last his hair & beard

  We shaved, and ugly devils three

  Upon his tabard did we paint

  And sent him back, and by my head

  Now was no time for us to faint

  For then were we as good as dead

  If my tale here could have an end

  O my masters I might say now

  That though our lives we well might mend

  Yet were we happy men enough

  Further afield our story goes

  And drags us through most evil ways

  And woes past all our other woes

  Unbearable & heavy days

  For there we all lived happily

  Until our youth was wholly gone

  And wives & friends began to die

  Then on a day I walked alone

  And as I walked there all about

  The merry children at their play

  Ran by with many an earnest shout

  And there went singing many a may

  Thereby a house was built richly

  Behind a garden walled with stone

  Therein upon the grass did lie

  A fair maid singing all alone

  In the white-flowered hawthorn brake

  Sweet be merry for my sake

  Twine the flowers in my hair

  Kiss me where I am most fair

  Ah kiss me love for who knoweth

  What thing cometh after death

  Love hold back the golden hair

  That hides you where you are most fair

  Love, within the hawthorn brake

  Pray you be merry for my sake

  While I last, for who knoweth

  How near I may be my death.

  Sweet, be long in growing old

  Life and love in age grow cold,

  Hold fast to life, for who knoweth

  What thing cometh after death.

  Trouble must be kept afar

  Therefore go I to the war;

  Less trouble, love, among the spears

  Than with harsh words about your ears.

  Love me then, my sweet and fair

  And curse the folk that drive me there,

  Kiss me sweet, for who knoweth

  What thing cometh after death. SFT2

  Let me kiss the rose tinged snow

  Ah! the time goes fast or slow

  Kiss me sweet for who knoweth

  What thing cometh after death

  Shall we weep for a dead days

  Or set sorrow in our way

  Will you weep that the days wear

  Hidden in my golden hair

  Kiss me love etc

  O Love weep that the days flit

  As on my neck I feel your breath

  That I may then remember it

  When I am old & near my death

  Kiss me sweet &ce

  Whether with music or with pain

  Of moody thought touched to the quick

  I know not but like summer rain

  My tears upon the dust fell thick

  And far away my thoughts were brought

  When I was but a boy at play

  Nor yet on life or death had thought

  But only on some coming day

  The great hall where the people ate

  The church half hidden by the hill

  The pier where in the evening late

  The covered ship lay grim & still

  The gold coped chanters in the quire

  My mothers hand upon my head

  The stories round the big yule fire

  The snow upon the tower lead

  The rough old vassels cap in hand

  Unto the master of the house,

  The steward with his silver wand

  Yea even many a bird or mouse

  Rose up before my swimming eyes

  And still that maid sang loud & clear

  Like some lark in her extasies

  That half pierced to my muffled ear

  But from the house’came suddenly

  An old crone propped with crutches tied

  With many a bandage that with high

  And shrill voice did the damsel chide

  Till she arose & entered in

  She and her singing gone away

  My dreams fled as-a saint flees sin

  And all the sunlight left the day

  Then on I went distraught moody

  Doubtful unhappy in my heart

  Counting the few years left to me

  The fair things death would from me part

  In this mood came I to the quay

  Where lay the ships both great & small

  Some just at point to go away

  Some just letting their anchors fall

  There did I find Sir Nicholas

  Whose wife was dead now for this year

  Yet moody of speech he was

  He saw me not as I drew near

  For at a ship he was gazing

  Whose folk were loosening her prow

  From the great: cable of the ring

  That bound her to the shore but now

  At my touch round he turned to me

  And for awhile along the quay

  We walked together silently

  Till I found heart at last to say

  Now was it but a word and blow

  For the 3rd day we saw the smoke

  Of the burnt homesteads upward go

  All round the city & poor folk

  Came hurrying within the gates

  Men ancient folks and maids weeping

  Then did we arm us with our mates

  And go to look upon the King

  Soon met we certain of his folk

  Burning a village & at first

  We slew some 100 in the smoke

  And afterwards put to the worse

  Another band more orderly

  And as the foe came thicker then

  We gat us’ back to the city

  Leaving but two of all our men

  And at our heels a rabble came

  At whom so well the archers shot

  They scattered with no little shame

  And with our walls they meddled not

  Whom straight as afterwards we learned

  The Great King met as fast they fled

  And caused some of them to be burned

  Some to be scourged till they were dead

  Then soon with much folk & great show

  And cymbals and great horns sounding

  There came one whom the maids did know

  By his apparel for the King.

  Who having sacrificed a bull

  To some dead dog gave straightly word

  That they should take that city full

  Of living souls & to the sword

  Put all the men and old women

  But take the young women alive

  And shut them fettered in a pen

  A fierce assault then did they give

  But nothing won but loss & harm

  So past the next day & the next

  Nor any day without alarm

  With all day long their camp we vext

  With flights & arrows and of stones

  And oft they shot wild fire forth

  That burnt the marrow & bones

  At last Sir Nicholas grew wrath,

  And swore to end the thing or die

  So the tenth night from a small gate

  We issued out we fellows only

  When moonless was the night & late

  Then to the Kings tent did we go

  And found him drunk amid his men

  THE STORY OF DOROTHEA

  AN UNPUBLISHED TALE FROM THE EARTHLY PARADISE

  ARGUMENT.

 

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