Sir Orfeo Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFF GGHHEEII JJEE DDDDKKDDDDEELLMMNNDD EEHHOOHHEEPP QQHHHHRRDDBB EERRSSTTSSUUDD DDVVDDDDDDDDEE DDDDEEDDNNDDWWCCEEX YYSSZZEEA2 B2B2E DDDDEEB EEDDEEHHEEDDTTDDDDDD HHA2ODDEEDDSSEEN DDZ V EEWWDDDDSSQQDD CCC2C2DDDDKKJJEERREE EEDDE JJJ

We often read and written findA
as learned men do us remindA
that lays that now the harpers singB
are wrought of many a marvellous thingB
Some are of weal and some of woeC
and some do joy and gladness knowC
in some are guile and treachery toldD
in some the deeds that chanced of oldD
some are of jests and ribaldryE
and some are tales of Fa rieE
Of all the things that men may heedF
'tis most of love they sing indeedF
-
In Britain all these lays are writG
there issued first in rhyming fitG
concerning adventures in those daysH
whereof the Britons made their laysH
for when they heard men anywhereE
tell of adventures that there wereE
they took their harps in their delightI
and made a lay and named it rightI
-
Of adventures that did once befallJ
some can I tell you but not allJ
Listen now lordings good and trueE
and 'Orfeo' I will sing to youE
-
Sir Orfeo was a king of oldD
in England lordship high did holdD
valour he had and hardihoodD
a courteous king whose gifts were goodD
His father from King Pluto cameK
his mother from Juno king of fameK
who once of old as gods were namedD
for mighty deeds they did and claimedD
Sir Orfeo too all things beyondD
of harping's sweet delight was fondD
and sure were all good harpers thereE
of him to earn them honour fairE
himself he loved to touch the harpL
and pluck the strings with fingers sharpL
He played so well beneath the sunM
a better harper was there noneM
no man hath in this world been bornN
who would not hearing him have swornN
that as before him Orfeo playedD
to joy of Paradise he had strayedD
and sound of harpers heavenlyE
such joy was there and melodyE
This king abode in TracienceH
a city proud of stout defenceH
for Winchester 'tis certain thenO
as Tracience was known to menO
There dwelt his queen in fairest blissH
whom men called Lady HeurodisH
of ladies then the one most fairE
who ever flesh and blood did wearE
in her did grace and goodness dwellP
but none her loveliness can tellP
-
It so did chance in early MayQ
when glad and warm doth shine the dayQ
and gone are bitter winter showersH
and every field is filled with flowersH
on every branch the blossom blowsH
in glory and in gladness growsH
the lady Heurodis the queenR
two maidens fair to garden greenR
with her she took at drowsy tideD
of noon to stroll by orchard sideD
to see the flowers there spread and springB
and hear the birds on branches singB
-
There down in shade they sat all threeE
beneath a fair young grafted treeE
and soon it chanced the gentle queenR
fell there asleep upon the greenR
Her maidens durst her not awakeS
but let her lie her rest to takeS
and so she slept till midday soonT
was passed and come was afternoonT
Then suddenly they heard her wakeS
and cry and grievous clamour makeS
she writhed with limb her hands she wrungU
she tore her face till blood there sprungU
her raiment rich in pieces rentD
thus sudden out of mind she wentD
-
Her maidens two then by her sideD
no longer durst with her abideD
but to the palace swiftly ranV
and told there knight and squire and manV
their green it seemed was sudden madD
'Go and restrain her ' they them badeD
Both knights and ladies thither spedD
and more than sixty damsels fledD
to the orchard to the queen they wentD
with arms to lift her down they bentD
and brought her to her bed at lastD
and raving there they held her fastD
but ceaselessly she still would cryE
and ever strove to rise and flyE
-
When Orfeo heard these tidings sadD
more grief than ever in life he hadD
and swiftly with ten knights he spedD
to bower and stood before her bedD
and looking on her ruefullyE
'Dear life ' he said 'what troubles theeE
who ever quiet hast been and sweetD
why dost thou now so shrilly greetD
Thy body that peerless white was bornN
is now by cruel nails all tornN
Alas thy cheeks that were so redD
are now as wan as thou wert deadD
thy fingers too so small and slimW
are stained with blood their hue is dimW
Alas thy lovely eyes in woeC
now stare on me as on a foeC
A lady mercy I imploreE
These piteous cries come cry no moreE
but tell me what thee grieves and howX
and say what may thee comfort now '-
-
Then lo at last she lay there stillY
and many bitter tears did spillY
and thus unto the king she spakeS
'Alas my lord my heart will breakS
Since first together came our lifeZ
between us ne'er was wrath nor strifeZ
but I have ever so loved theeE
as very life and so thou meE
Yet now we must be torn in twainA2
and go I must for all thy pain '-
-
'Alas ' said he 'then dark my doomB2
Where wilt thou go and go to whomB2
But where thou goest I come with theeE
and where I go thou shalt with me '-
-
'Nay nay sir words avail thee naughtD
I will tell thee how this woe was wroughtD
as I lay in the quiet noontideD
and slept beneath our orchard sideD
there came two noble knights to meE
arrayed in armour gallantlyE
'We come ' they said 'thee swift to bringB
to meeting with our lord and king '-
Then answered I both bold and trueE
that dared I not and would not doE
They spurred then back on swiftest steedD
then came their king himself with speedD
a hundred knights with him and moreE
and damsels too were many a scoreE
all riding there on snow white steedsH
and white as milk were all their weedsH
I saw not ever anywhereE
a folk so peerless and so fairE
The king was crowned with crown of lightD
not of red gold nor silver whiteD
but of one single gem 'twas hewnT
that shone as bright as sun at noonT
And coming straightway he me soughtD
and would I or no he up me caughtD
and made me by him swiftly rideD
upon a palfrey at his sideD
and to his palace thus me broughtD
a dwelling fair and wondrous wroughtD
He castles showed me there and towersH
Water and wild and woods and flowersH
and pastures rich upon the plainA2
and then he brought me home againO
and to our orchard he me ledD
and then at parting this he saidD
'See lady tomorrow thou must beE
right here beneath this grafted treeE
and then beside us thou shalt rideD
and with us evermore abideD
If let or hindrance thou dost makeS
where'er thou be we shall thee takeS
and all thy limbs shall rend and tearE
no aid of man shall help thee thereE
and even so all rent and tornN
thou shalt away with us be borne ''-
-
When all those tidings Orfeo heardD
then spake he many a bitter wordD
'Alas I had liever lose my lifeZ
than those thee thus my queen and wife '-
He counsel find him help or planV
-
On the morrow when the noon drew nearE
in arms did Orfeo appearE
and full ten hundred knights with himW
all stoutly armed all stern and grimW
and with their queen now went that bandD
beneath the grafted tree to standD
A serried rank on every sideD
they made and vowed there to abideD
and die there sooner for her sakeS
than let men thence their lady takeS
And yet from midst of that arrayQ
the queen was sudden snatched awayQ
by magic was she from them caughtD
and none knew whither she was broughtD
-
Then was there wailing tears and woeC
the king did to his chamber goC
and oft he swooned on floor of stoneC2
and such lament he made and moanC2
that nigh his life then came to endD
and nothing could his grief amendD
His barons he summoned to his boardD
each mighty earl and famous lordD
and when they all together cameK
'My lords ' he said 'I here do nameK
my steward high before you allJ
to keep my realm whate'er befallJ
to hold my place instead of meE
and keep my lands where'er they beE
For now that I have lost my queenR
the fairest lady men have seenR
I wish not woman more to seeE
Into the wilderness I will fleeE
and there will live for evermoreE
with the wild beasts in forests hoarE
But when ye learn my days are spentD
then summon ye a parliamentD
and choose ye there a king anewE
With all I have now deal ye true '-
-
Then weeping was there in the hallJ
and great lament there made they allJ
and hardlJ

Anonymous Olde English



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