Chorus
Whan Freedom, dreste yn blodde-steyned veste,
To everie knyghte her warre-songe sunge,
Uponne her hedde wylde wedes were spredde;
A gorie anlace bye her honge.
She daunced onne the heathe;
She hearde the voice of deathe;
Pale-eyned affryghte, hys harte of sylver hue,
In vayne assayled[188] her bosomme to acale[189];
She hearde onflemed[190] the shriekynge voice of woe,
And sadnesse ynne the owlette shake the dale.
She shooke the burled[191] speere,
On hie she jeste[192] her sheelde,
Her foemen[193] all appere,
And flizze[194] alonge the feelde.
Power, wythe his heasod[195] straught[196] ynto the skyes,
Hys speere a sonne-beame, and his sheelde a starre,
Alyche[197] twaie[198] brendeynge[199] gronfyres[200] rolls hys eyes, 200
Chastes[201] with hys yronne feete and soundes to war.
She syttes upon a rocke,
She bendes before his speere,
She ryses from the shocke,
Wieldynge her owne yn ayre.
Harde as the thonder dothe she drive ytte on,
Wytte scillye[202] wympled[203] gies[204] ytte to hys crowne,
Hys longe sharpe speere, hys spreddynge sheelde ys gon,
He falles, and fallynge rolleth thousandes down.
War, goare-faced war, bie envie burld[205], arist[206],
Hys feerie heaulme[207] noddynge to the ayre,
Tenne bloddie arrowes ynne hys streynynge fyste—
[Footnotes 91, 92: parts of armour.]
Notes
1 Of old, formerly.
2 writers, historians.
3 much.
4 inglorious.
5 bereaving.
6 faith.
7 unforgiving.
8 divines, clergymen, monks.
9 holy.
10 work.
11 not.
12 author.
13 though, notwithstanding.
14 clerk, or clergyman.
15 entyn, even.
16 might.
17 challenge.
18 Lord.
19 foes, enemies.
20 devour, destroy.
21 fatten.
22 Grievance; a sense of it.
23 cease, be still.
24 idly.
25 deceived, imposed on.
26 so.
27 fury, anger, rage.
28 paint, display.
29 soul.
30 strong.
31 terrible.
32 horrid, grim.
33 smoking, bleeding.
34 oft.
35 heat, rashness.
36 counsel, wisdom.
37 strength, also strong.
38 taudry, glimmering.
39 People.
40 fate, destiny.
41 nobly.
42 Cast.
43 cross, from crouche, a cross.
44 attempt, or endeavour.
45 unarmed.
46 unactive.
47 unspirited.
48 such.
49 fastened, annexed.
50 might, power.
51 mantle, or robe.
52 white, alluding to the arms of Kent, a horse saliant, argent.
53 distracting.
54 despair.
55 bleed.
56 allow.
57 ease.
58 throne.
59 pluck.
60 Becomes.
61 subjects.
62 contentions, complaints.
63 choke.
64 dark, cloudy.
65 astonish.
66 cut off, destroyed.
67 slaves.
68 loud roaring.
69 flame of fire.
70 burn, consume.
71 them.
72 slay.
73 decay.
74 make ready.
75 enterprize.
76 Notwithstanding.
77 foes.
78 mangle, destroy.
79 beauty, countenance.
80 an ancient sword.
81 fury.
82 cease.
83 deadly.
84 lake.
85 swollen.
86 hidden.
87 unknown.
88 command.
89 still.
90 Red-stained.
93 broad.
94 cause.
95 rights, liberties.
96 cutting, mangling.
97 forbidding.
98 grow.
99 furious.
100 slay.
101 strength.
102 declare.
103 sword.
104 Monastery.
105 more worthy.
106 pulled, plucked.
107 displayed.
108 over-righteous.
109 counselled, more wise.
110 uncareful, neglected.
111 Bid, command.
112 slay.
113 presently.
114 explain.
115 grievances.
116 branch.
117 wet, moist.
118 fen, moor.
119 drained.
120 swelling.
121 waves.
122 grievance.
123 assemble.
124 broad.
125 Horned.
126 white.
127 decks.
128 mightiest, most valiant.
129 slain.
130 oversets.
131 a castle.
132 revenge.
133 cause.
134 at once.
135 One who takes up the cross in order to fight against the Saracens.
136 holy.
137 rare, extraordinary, strange.
138 run, shot up.
139 assembling, gathering.
140 bursteth.
141 dry, barren.
142 Mighty.
143 slain.
144 help.
145 Lord.
146 embroidered; ’tis conjectured, embroidery was not used in England till Hen. II.
147 throne.
148 person, body.
149 lodge.
150 Marks.
151 subjects.
152 much.
153 lamentation.
154 neglected, or passed by.
155 require, ask.
156 holy.
157 help.
158 will.
159 dead.
160 doubt.
161 waves.
162 heaven-ward, or God-ward.
163 Purse, used here probably as a treasury.
164 expence.
165 receipt.
166 soon.
167 expended.
168 a contradiction of mighty.
169 Divest.
170 embrace.
171 mightiness.
172 counsel.
173 Firmness, stedfastness.
174 doubt, suspense.
175 not knowing.
176 wonder.
177 homage, obeysance.
178 they.
179 frown.
180 kill.
181 curriedowe, flatterer.
182 reward.
183 holy.
184 help.
185 allow.
186 manors.
187 alone.
188 Endeavoured.
189 freeze.
190 undismayed.
191 armed, pointed.
192 hoisted on high, raised.
193 foes, enemies.
194 fly.
195 head.
196 stretched.
197 Like.
198 two.
199 flaming.
200 meteors.
201 beats, stamps.
202 closely.
203 mantled, covered.
204 guides.
205 armed.
206 arose.
207 helmet.