King Cophetua And The Beggar-maid Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBBCCBCCCB DEDFAAAFEEE GCBCHHHCIIIC FJFJHHH KKKK FE CCCFBBBF HBHBEEEBEEKB AKAKCCCKKKK GCGCCCCCCKKC CCLCBBBCMMMC HBNBEEEBEAAG

I read that once in AffricaA
A princely wight did raineB
Who had to name CophetuaC
As poets they did faineB
From natures lawes he did declineB
For sure he was not of my mindeC
He cared not for women kindC
But did them all disdaineB
But marke what hapned on a dayC
As he out of his window layC
He saw a beggar all in grayC
The which did cause his paineB
-
The blinded boy that shootes so trimD
From heaven downe did hieE
He drew a dart and shot at himD
In place where he did lyeF
Which soone did pierse him to the quickeA
And when he felt the arrow prickeA
Which in his tender heart did stickeA
He looketh as he would dyeF
'What suden chance is this ' quoth heE
'That I to love must subject beE
Which never thereto would agreeE
But still did it defie '-
-
Then from the window he did comeG
And laid him on his bedC
A thousand heapes of care did runneB
Without his troubled headC
For now he meanes to crave her loveH
And now he seekes which way to prooveH
How he his fancie might remooveH
And not this beggar wedC
But Cupid had him so in snareI
That this poor beggar must prepareI
A salve to cure him of his careI
Or els he would be deadC
-
And as he musing thus did lyeF
He thought for to deviseJ
How he might have her companyeF
That so did 'maze his eyesJ
'In thee ' quoth he 'doth rest my lifeH
For surely thou shalt be my wifeH
Or else this hand with bloody knifeH
The Gods shall sure suffice '-
Then from his bed he soon aroseK
And to his pallace gate he goesK
Full little then this begger knowesK
When she the king espiesK
-
'The gods preserve your majesty '-
The beggers all gan cryF
'Vouchsafe to give your charityE
Our childrens food to buy '-
The king to them his purse did castC
And they to part it made great hasteC
This silly woman was the lastC
That after them did hyeF
The king he cal'd her back againeB
And unto her he gave his chaineB
And said 'With us you shal remaineB
Till such time as we dyeF
-
'For thou ' quoth he 'shalt be my wifeH
And honoured for my queeneB
With thee I meane to lead my lifeH
As shortly shall be seeneB
Our wedding shall appointed beE
And every thing in its degreeE
Come on ' quoth he 'and follow meE
Thou shalt go shift thee cleaneB
What is thy name faire maid ' quoth heE
'Penelophon O King ' quoth sheE
With that she made a lowe courtseyK
A trim one as I weeneB
-
Thus hand in hand along they walkeA
Unto the king's pallaceK
The king with courteous comly talkeA
This begger doth embraceK
The begger blusheth scarlet redC
And straight againe as pale as leadC
But not a word at all she saidC
She was in such amazeK
As last she spake with trembling voyceK
And said 'O King I doe rejoyceK
That you wil take me for your choyceK
And my degree so base '-
-
And when the wedding day was comeG
The king commanded straightC
The noblemen both all and someG
Upon the queene to waitC
And she behaved herself that dayC
As if she had never walkt the wayC
She had forgot her gowne of grayC
Which she did weare of lateC
The proverbe old is come to passeC
The priest when he begins his masseK
Forgets that ever clerke he wasK
He knoweth not his estateC
-
Here you may read CophetuaC
Through long time fancie fedC
Compelled by the blinded boyL
The begger for to wedC
He that did lovers lookes disdaineB
To do the same was glad and faineB
Or else he would himselfe have slaineB
In storie as we readC
Disdaine no whit O lady deereM
But pitty now thy servant heereM
Least that it hap to thee this yeareM
As to that king it didC
-
And thus they led a quiet lifeH
During their princely raineB
And in a tombe were buried bothN
As writers sheweth plaineB
The lords they tooke it grievouslyE
The ladies tooke it heavilyE
The commons cryed pitiouslyE
Their death to them was paineB
Their fame did sound so passinglyE
That it did pierce the starry skyA
And throughout all the world did flyeA
To every princes realmeG

Anonymous Olde English



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