The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems

er Harp

ish Castle

ight in the English service, a

CUR

prisoners, that

t St. John's h

asons; we have

skill to set

PE

o

e their

CUR

cques A

r Plombi

PE

olour'

? has Jacques

CUR

est: what matte

r's leg

PE

n, Joh

ason's tools dow

and Jacques; T

not bui

URZON

call t

ir? and yet, si

them still; sir

ing as

ne that he sho

ld? the walls a

masons and a

still m

PE

should have a

enant! I must

urely as St.

iends the masons:

CUR

good ser

PE

ow, an

tter out; there

s with, neither

CUR

rry, sir, some

PE

rong enough t

etch us stone

time they would

nchmen ride ab

CUR

d some villayn

PE

at we cannot b

off to Cliss

we were weak i

for, look you,

nger does the

glish names; o

uster-rolls. A

may even yet

beat in dying

isoner; Phelto

uried in the

n turn'd thes

ed in prison;

ce lies underne

ng is dead, a

oth the curls o

es to rack -

ten; if they com

ot to lean on

but once, will

in your hand, tho

s we have done

? So God will

has yo

CUR

, s

l the last mom

'er you tell

ve the walls; we

than I think fo

ns of stone, if

PE

pray you watch t

ubt

CUR

I will watch

PE

lump! and yet,

p. Why then, if

tones from h

elter of his

eady work wi

se - some dozen

n my basnet

re cross purp

r

s hard: a

tes' talk had

Alice; if sh

less her! I scar

r hammer, hamm

ter fail'd at

s grown moody

ert, think now!

cousin, could

alk tended tow

instance Lambe

, you see, on

e

t have seen h

n they se

e to

s me, makes my h

her, what I sh

rling, would ha

s perc

her sitt

seat, not look

aps, and I

s up, chokes a

le to red, but,

eel down there o

y, have I sinn

ou ever let

rden, that you

, that ever

alk away when

e you, will yo

answer I wou

neeling

y have fr

, and clumsily

name; but afte

this means; th

e, and can you

put her hand

t, yea feel, lov

: Good knight, co

s as I sat th

r silly girl

things they tal

e you did not

love! you could

as in su

ould

n, all things

ome to you?

had held us

rriers I had m

been but slain

in a marish

te at last: you

and horses a

ambert said wa

lies; as you can

ight my hand a

tle at Sir La

she listen'd

Then with mois

ps, that scarcel

d: I lo

ords we

hat hour; her ha

ad; she kiss'

hrough the tan

le finge

, my

way: my lord b

ayings were take

day I was to

nst the French

ut of th

nely garde wit

bring aid if G

ny o

a penn

l

constable's:

it bear? Thre

nd; my cousin

like to kill

'd by him: [A

for a

oes not mean a

John C

herald of ou

CUR

sir, concerni

will to ta

PE

ts

him, close by t

e un

CUR

, in a l

PE

bring me hithe

leeves, and und

eave, a secret

end me, John,

with Paul wroug

arry it insi

eady always;

set up many s

lances, in the

the south poste

n, be ready to

rear when I cry

CUR

l you attack

y him u

PE

e, John

he comes here w

s up. So, let u

nd Sir Peter seated; guards attending each, the res

PE

se to take th

oes it h

LAMB

hurt

ring, Why take

e me not? Look

n altogether

e upon the r

all, it wishe

should: cousin

pe up fat, that

w two ways ag

wrong-head

longings; and

English, o

ards through all

ght and wrong t

k, their strength.

h win, on eith

en, good at a

setting batt

queezing taxe

nature we Fre

g land: [Sir Pe

Peter!

kes you

PE

you swea

w so well; but

ege of

LAMB

I know

PE

wrong, as wrong

k, they found

len going thro

tle common t

pick a flower) s

great beauty,

eep her living

up together.

of knowing th

ht well, and e

off the ground b

height, did th

ip at last; wher

men, reading

Trojans; as I

the best knig

o

ot do this thi

I come to co

side: men wil

ector, dead s

d, of how thi

ght the right;

ast, doing some

care do now, a

ase and mon

, I like the

l to hold up th

great. See yo

well together

happy: happy

thoughts begin

just to figh

my neck, would

well off

d talk,

man has come

I talk

LAMB

side wer

hough you lost;

raitor, bein

.' What are Ed

icha

PE

here, my La

al should bring

all me

LAMB

more, m

lippery on you

deaux I was

y so, and could

something in his

TER, r

you lie, not fo

t there, fumblin

len p

LAMB

r in you

; St. Denis a

Sir Peter wi

king him flatli

thief! so there, f

nne! glaives fo

u are but dead

n the earth. St

n Curzon, how

he C

CUR

o with all thes

PE

all to ransom,

ut not too ligh

e them on the

money, that b

out of doors

r Lambert gu

CUR

air sir.

PE

wish to

k I ought; he s

he saint

ambert

r Lambe

death do you

aken th

LAMB

cousin

blood; may G

to die; if

e since I was

give me yet a

hat I might was

ou and Him.

you down more

than the k

PE

stan

ch me! No, you

nsom. You, Joh

s to build a s

e; when it is b

s, 'Come, see a

ght, and set h

gman shave his

rs off close u

instrels all th

d good singing

ay of triump

Lamb

LAMB

your ow

ap this foul dis

fame thus sul

the lad

PE

her

are dead, sla

alk with you?

nt your schoo

you are not

gateway with

LAMB

y not kill me

hing; but to

fingers! yea,

CUR

make you an

s? they're much

gly J

PE

hn! [To

your

hen you shall d

w for choosing

much perplex

ll deed too, f

traitors is

e

avely, and we'r

ERT, gro

is a fiend a

ve me from him?

l not

PE

t is thi

a knight, and

now with me,

r like this! So,

t, and might say

uess'd this fro

ob would give u

n can have fo

e, yea, even a

now that when he

ast for ever, s

ie,' all that.

n: shall it be

nk san

zon, pul

go and build th

pe that never

that you'll t

ife I give you

re a rascal. J

h camp befor

r, Guesclin, Clis

PE

me the endin

ear this sick

my dry throat,

n might

SCL

fair si

een clean liv

eed not fear m

I hate you,

rt's ears here c

PE

uld not hate

for life; 'twill

of good name, ha

doubt, at any

member you

care to be r

ad runs through

old as though I

ack my

w youn

ltogether mor

French factio

hristendom? a

d!) I have bee

es; will you br

ct of justic

ds all, death!

retrieved, ye

ed, rather tha

will I get me

ll I get me so

clad in poor

mite among the

so; for I can t

I could; I kn

sharp sword cu

Clisson, in t

arning these, y

odden corn by

nearly swoonin

se, those three b

rd's edge; pray

IS

pitiful, to

Constable, I

osing some few

s man; also th

onne river li

rich, a many

f grey monks d

well for Clem

t heir, his ol

are two denier

w, but slay him

bristle up l

ears. What! do no

money, this man

him for two t

: eh! what! No

ousand

SCL

lord, muc

you, yea, good

ust die, as v

orn it, so me

m not

RT, comin

do yo

t you well, I

d, like Laurenc

sic soft and

day of triu

not,

righten'd

e, because this

pleasant to you

ch! Men mock me

spers loud,

onstable; will

er? once a-

rvants, and a

ugh the lone dim

up and spat

nd me than to

ry drunk, and

iddle of her

ad against the

on my staff, an

ed, bei

ld not sp

handsome, I

uld be glad to

ill be hung l

nce, and grow b

toes up. There

nd and talk thi

getting ready

ing something

t, talking to G

what about, p

er, while I str

is, I'd like

e hung upon a

squire Robert h

live, but han

er Peter, what I

up? why, Peter

t beat me, then

afe, you know;

ep you three da

t to eat, whic

the tax ther

should let yo

t, but I shoul

e in lieu of m

, you have n

ss why I talk

king wine while

ick at guessin

ason; here I h

growing paler,

Peter, is a

all striving

I think, good

nd my great de

had me under

, and said, 'Go

t do that thin

ng time off I co

tried forget

hating into

is! though, I th

grey so; yes,

and weep like

o now. Do not

ce, am right

iss me on the

IS

st, stand back

s eyes I'l

ng to S

sir k

my knees an

pardon me for t

much I wish yo

artily I st

s time; yea, he

so forgive me

ossible, giv

for yours; fair

hings knows this

his face some s

I tried t

PE

my

this is as

kes me feel f

l, after a t

e, I will speak

u were kind, an

y God b

u note

st now? pray yo

taunts did this

hat he said, bein

that have happ

d; and so at

ady: truly,

e than yester

reason God

ears ago, tha

lady, and be

yesterday, to

tter strong,

was

a last

kind Clisson,

mind you, to

st love to her

eep you; I mu

with thinking

et are wearied

shall be lifte

he g

too, I wept at

so, I only

beautiful l

and sweetly w

lips. O for so

er before; Al

for; Clisson

en a woman,

ickness: but I

hopelessly a

, I w

how si

ould come and

de la Bard

arde looking out of a

urely, still h

nds well; I mi

God grant the w

ights say somet

to forget: wo

rt something lik

scon with an

ought, but afte

swers to a qu

ly regretful

answer loud

sible? Christ,

ngrily; and wh

spingly afra

thousand men-at

gives me it

ccours; and in

ds: ah! here they

n Heaven

hey

risoner, for I

lay him, even t

orse turns

in H

ot to thinkin

ill not name i

or his lands. M

you after a

shall

t bear

out there, with t

ing snake wit

de my head wit

there to try an

n the wi

much noise n

o to sleep: it

I shall soon fo

that I am al

omes slow, like

eam, with long gr

slow it rises

going

so, on

d be in Ava

ies, and the y

rush my cheek, my

the stems; sof

reeping all

red; and the fl

my broad eye

ld be a noise

h water breakin

should creep: God

will run fa

a-stairs, where

h

aming, but the

t our house. Th

ws. But I must

gentle till h

ds: but he i

be sti

quire of

ay, fa

come, knowing

UI

ce de la Ba

isson, knight

tidings: I ma

count me vi

heart, nor hold

a mouthpiec

too, of one

and y

IC

talk fas

this quicker?

y you, and wha

alking fast,

d you

UI

our pard

in your eyes,

that your k

d listen! let

thousand good

hundred had h

-stone walls we

umps wherever

days about the

ves were gather

ll'd; the fourth

the crash of

mbards, rattle

ings flash'd, and

anner, and the

cried: St. Geor

re flat as Jer

me, and cut the

IC

tell me if yo

died, if you

don, the good k

UI

, in the

IC

base-

alk of? Nay,

mething gone

one turns one's

acks there with

l look a

UI

st a

e-court fought h

hand much, mo

now-a-days; ou

er he hit a d

leeding, for no

way of body a

ired, and some

I, fair lady

ith a glaive be

down he fell, s

him, crying o

rom him, tore hi

IC

I am much too

, so let

ve don

message gently

l make you chee

franks for y

quire

u

; still looki

, squire, do yo

tell me who h

only, 'tis a

lover may-be

d me once, or yo

not enough th

et? your jest wi

in now; carr

cruel: not yet

gh you loved me

en by telling

s you then wit

th: O! what

ove

UI

, forgive

am so sorry

yet f

bound hi

tall and pale to

, leant his hea

mewhile, afterw

, what sh

IC

I kno

ou may go now

UI

r your own sa

sake, too, and

old him he must

le he lifted

s own life; not

afraid to

e as many a t

that plays at

poke; not so m

nk, as, saying

ess from that b

eading; eage

ved him, and he

lant plans u

on's heart, whi

ray for him, b

I bring th

he

ou, within the

with the one

tar, every

roken walls he

Clisson did hi

will go: God

IC

from me, squir

eep myself f

been a many t

e my mother ta

em daily, bu

er way; come

I may clasp you

hat; at any

many places

ven amid thic

the altar stra

the duskness

ou and I, a

damp, dark, Po

on the coffi

n, my face on

feet, and cha

long ago. W

you there, y

even-flowing

e me well eno

fort? yea, till

beard the great

my misery,

over

clin! i

ntfort now, that

t sea come to

o about with

ent, and someh

d to catch you

ou and your som

rows wheresoe'

osses, great sp

een a lane o

e and stern an

surcoat, and

e you kneel, O

s! alas! when

do but let

l woman? I g

ens; and I ge

, and cannot

men b

I do n

has not happe

ut again and

long I can st

tch'd for news

hour ago, bef

eet is humming,

lk; some look u

heads together

pains me sore

talking makes m

ing, what is it

and love and

sing of him wh

or Wade, an

but to fail an

t to die and

ched; yea, per

s are past, ma

hough, truly I

make a story

his eyes ca

gs from

e be it

ver he

horse was

Launc

wn on h

valian

body t

he saw

aliant

r his

gh God

d his

he wa

son, Lord

gh joya

s life

theref

t's prai

wan cro

an not

ath from

mickle

in the c

rave ye

mines be

fitte ye

n pray

e this

g and