When they had their oathes made, forth can they‹ he' 130 They were dight in aray, as themselves would be: Of an old rotten fell, The cheefe was a plowmell, 135 And the shadow of a bell, quartered with the moone-light. I wot it was no childrens game, when they togither mette And layd on stifly, for nothing would they lette, 140 Bowles and dishes all to batterd, and many heads broken. There was clenking of cart-faddles, and clattering of cannes, 146 Of fell frekes in the field, broken were their fannes; With fwipping of fwipples: The ladds were fo weary for fought, That they might fight no more on-loft, 150 But creeped about in the croft, as they were crooked cripples. C 3 Perkin Ver. 130. te. P. C. V. 141. there. P. C.8. V. 145. heads therewere. Perkin was fo weary, that he beganne to lowte, For no cost will I spare. He starte up as a fnaile, And hent a capull by the taile, 155 160 And raught of Daukin his flayle, and wanne him a mare. Perkin wan five, and Hudde wan twa : Glad and blithe they were, that they had done fa: They would have them to Tibbe, and prefent her with tha: The capuls were fo weary, that they might not ga, 165. But ftill can they stonde.' Alas! quoth Hudde, my joy I leefe Mee had lever then a ftone of cheete, That deare Tibbe had all these, and wift it were my fonde. Perkin turned him about in the ilk throng, And Perkin after ran, And off his capull he him drowe, And gave him of his flayle inowe; 170 175 Then te, he! quoth Tibbe, and lowe, ye are a doughty man. Ver. 164. would not have. P. C. Ver. 166. ftand. P. C. Thus Thus they tugged, and they rugged till it was nigh night; plight, With wifpes and kixes, that was a rich fight; Her hufbands home to fetch. And fome they had in armes, That were feeble wretches, 180 And fome on wheel-barrowes, and some on critches. 185 They gatherd Perkin about on every fide, And grant him there the gree, the more was his pride : And were all night togither, till the morrow tide ; So well his needs he has sped, That deare Tibbe he shall wed; The cheefemen that her hither lead, were of the turnament. To the rich feaft come many for the nonce : Some come hop-halte, and fome tripping thither on the ftones; 195 Some with a staffe in his hand, and fome two at once; Of fome were the heads broken;offome the shoulderbones: With forrow come they thither; Wo was Hawkin; wo was Harry ; Wo was Tymkin; wo was Tirry; 200 And fo was all the company, but yet they come togither. At that feaft were they ferved in rich aray ; And fo they fat in jollity all the long day. In every corner of the house For to hear precious of fix mens fong. 205 V. FOR THE VICTORY AT AGINCOURT. That our plain and martial ancestors could wield their fwords much better than their pens, will appear from the following homely Rhymes, which were drawn up by fome poet laureat of thofe days to celebrate the immortal victory gained at Agincourt, Oct. 25, 1415. This fong or hymn is given meerly as a curiofity, and is printed from a MS copy in the Pepys collection, vol. I. folio. It is there accompanied with the mufical notes, which are copied in a small plate at the end of this volume. Ο Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria! WRE kynge went forth to Normandy, With grace and myzt of chivalry; Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria. 5 He He fette a fege, the fothe for to fay, Deo gratias, &c. Then went owre kynge, with alle his ofte, Deo gratias, &c. Than for fothe that knyzt comely Dea gratias, &c. Ther dukys, and erlys, lorde and barone, Deo gratias, &c. Now gracious God he fave owre kynge, His peple, and all his wel wyllynge, Gef him gode lyfe, and gode endynge, 30 Deo gratias: Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria. |