A Lay Of St. Nicholas Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Richard Harris Barham

A Lay Of St. Nicholas Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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'Statim sacerdoti apparuit diabolus in specie puell pulchritudinis mir et ecce Divus fide catholica et cruce et aqua benedicta armatus venit et aspersit aquam in nomine Sanct et Individu Trinitatis quam quasi ardentem diabolus nequaquam sustinere valens mugitibus fugit '	A
Roger Hoveden	B
	-
Lord Abbot Lord Abbot I'd fain confess	C
I am a weary and worn with woe	D
Many a grief doth my heart oppress	C
And haunt me whithersoever I go '	-
	-
On bended knee spake the beautiful Maid	E
'Now lithe and listen Lord Abbot to me '	-
'Now naye Fair Daughter ' the Lord Abbot said	F
'Now naye in sooth it may hardly be	G
	-
'There is Mess Michael and holy Mess John	B
Sage Penitauncers I ween be they	H
And hard by doth dwell in St Catherine's cell	I
Ambrose the anchorite old and grey '	-
	-
' Oh I will have none of Ambrose or John	B
Though sage Penitauncers I trow they be	G
Shrive me may none save the Abbot alone	B
Now listen Lord Abbot I speak to thee	G
	-
'Nor think foul scorn though mitre adorn	B
Thy brow to listen to shrift of mine	B
I am a Maiden royally born	B
And I come of old Plantagenet's line	B
	-
'Though hither I stray in lowly array	H
I am a Damsel of high degree	G
And the Compte of Eu and the Lord of Ponthieu	G
They serve my father on bended knee	G
	-
'Counts a many and Dukes a few	J
A suitoring came to my father's Hall	K
But the Duke of Lorraine with his large domain	B
He pleased my father beyond them all	K
	-
'Dukes a many and Counts a few	J
I would have wedded right cheerfullie	K
But the Duke of Lorraine was uncommonly plain	B
And I vow'd that he ne'er should my bridegroom be	G
	-
'So hither I fly in lowly guise	L
From their gilded domes and their princely halls	M
Fain would I dwell in some holy cell	K
Or within some Convent's peaceful walls '	-
	-
Then out and spake that proud Lord Abbot	N
'Now rest thee Fair Daughter withouten fear	O
Nor Count nor Duke but shall meet the rebuke	P
Of Holy Church an he seek thee here	Q
	-
'Holy Church denieth all search	R
'Midst her sanctified ewes and her saintly rams	S
And the wolves doth mock who would scathe her flock	T
Or especially worry her little pet lambs	S
	-
'Then lay Fair Daughter thy fears aside	U
For here this day shalt thou dine with me '	-
'Now naye now naye ' the fair maiden cried	U
'In sooth Lord Abbot that scarce may be	G
	-
'Friends would whisper and foes would frown	B
Sith thou art a Churchman of high degree	G
And ill mote it match with thy fair renown	B
That a wandering damsel dine with thee	G
	-
'There is Simon the Deacon hath pulse in store	V
With beans and lettuces fair to see	G
His lenten fare now let me share	W
I pray thee Lord Abbot in charitie '	-
	-
'Though Simon the Deacon hath pulse in store	V
To our patron Saint foul shame it were	X
Should wayworn guest with toil oppress'd	Y
Meet in his abbey such churlish fare	W
	-
'There is Peter the Prior and Francis the Friar	X
And Roger the Monk shall our convives be	G
Small scandal I ween shall then be seen	B
They are a goodly companie '	-
	-
The Abbot hath donn'd his mitre and ring	Z
His rich dalmatic and maniple fine	B
And the choristers sing as the lay brothers bring	Z
To the board a magnificent turkey and chine	B
	-
The turkey and chine they are done to a nicety	G
Liver and gizzard and all are there	W
Ne'er mote Lord Abbot pronounce Benedicite	G
Over more luscious or delicate fare	W
	-
But no pious stave he no Pater or Ave	H
Pronounced as he gazed on that maiden's face	A2
She ask'd him for stuffing she ask'd him for gravy	G
She ask'd him for gizzard but not for Grace	A2
	-
Yet gaily the Lord Abbot smiled and press'd	G
And the blood red wine in the wine cup fill'd	G
And he help'd his guest to a bit of the breast	G
And he sent the drumsticks down to be grill'd	G
	-
There was no lack of old Sherris sack	B2
Of Hippocras fine or of Malmsey bright	G
And aye as he drained off his cup with a smack	B2
He grew less pious and more polite	G
	-
She pledged him once and she pledged him twice	C2
And she drank as a Lady ought not to drink	D2
And he press'd her hand 'neath the table thrice	C2
And he wink'd as an Abbot ought not to wink	D2
	-
And Peter the Prior and Francis the Friar	X
Sat each with a napkin under his chin	B
But Roger the Monk got excessively drunk	E2
So they put him to bed and they tuck'd him in	B
	-
The lay brothers gazed on each other amazed	G
And Simon the Deacon with grief and surprise	L
As he peep'd through the key hole could scarce fancy real	K
The scene he beheld or believe his own eyes	L
	-
In his ear was ringing the Lord Abbot singing	Z
He could not distinguish the words very plain	B
But 'twas all about 'Cole ' and 'jolly old Soul '	-
And 'Fiddlers ' and 'Punch ' and things quite as profane	B
	-
Even Porter Paul at the sound of such revelling	Z
With fervour began himself to bless	C
For he thought he must somehow have let the devil in	B
And perhaps was not very much out in his guess	C
	-
The Accusing Byers 'flew up to Heaven's Chancery '	-
Blushing like scarlet with shame and concern	B
The Archangel took down his tale and in answer he	G
Wept See the works of the late Mr Sterne	B
	-
Indeed it is said a less taking both were in	B
When after a lapse of a great many years	F2
They book'd Uncle Toby five shillings for swearing	Z
And blotted the fine out at last with their tears	G2
	-
But St Nicholas' agony who may paint	G
His senses at first were well nigh gone	B
The beatified Saint was ready to faint	G
When he saw in his Abbey such sad goings on	B
	-
For never I ween had such doings been seen	B
There before from the time that most excellent Prince	H2
Earl Baldwin of Flanders and other Commanders	I2
Had built and endow'd it some centuries since	H2
	-
But hark ' tis a sound from the outermost gate	G
A startling sound from a powerful blow	K
Who knocks so late it is half after eight	G
By the clock and the clock's five minutes too slow	K
	-
Never perhaps had such loud double raps	J2
Been heard in St Nicholas' Abbey before	V
All agreed 'it was shocking to keep people knocking '	-
But none seem'd inclined to 'answer the door '	-
	-
Now a louder bang through the cloisters rang	Z
And the gate on its hinges wide open flew	K
And all were aware of a Palmer there	W
With his cockle hat staff and his sandal shoe	K
	-
Many a furrow and many a frown	B
By toil and time on his brow were traced	G
And his long loose gown was of ginger brown	B
And his rosary dangled below his waist	G
	-
Now seldom I ween is such costume seen	B
Except at a stage play or masquerade	G
But who doth not know it was rather the go	K
With Pilgrims and Saints in the second Crusade	G
	-
With noiseless stride did that Palmer glide	G
Across that oaken floor	V
And he made them all jump he gave such a thump	K2
Against the Refectory door	V
	-
Wide open it flew and plain to the view	K
The Lord Abbot they all mote see	G
In his hand was a cup and he lifted it up	L2
'Here's the Pope's good health with three '	-
	-
Rang in their ears three deafening cheers	F2
'Huzza huzza huzza '	-
And one of the party said 'Go it my hearty '	-
When out spake that Pilgrim grey	H
	-
'A boon Lord Abbot a boon a boon	B
Worn is my foot and empty my scrip	M2
And nothing to speak of since yesterday noon	B
Of food Lord Abbot hath pass'd my lip	M2
	-
'And I am come from a far countree	H
And have visited many a holy shrine	B
And long have I trod the sacred sod	G
Where the Saints do rest in Palestine '	-
	-
'An thou art come from a far countree	H
And if thou in Paynim lands hast been	B
Now rede me aright the most wonderful sight	G
Thou Palmer grey that thine eyes have seen	B
	-
'Arede me aright the most wonderful sight	G
Grey Palmer that ever thine eyes did see	G
And a manchette of bread and a good warm bed	G
And a cup o' the best shall thy guerdon be '	-
	-
'Oh I have been east and I have been west	G