The Civil Wars (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCBDEE AFGFGFGHH A IAIAIAJJ I JKJKKKLL MKMKMKII IKIKIKFF A A A KK KNKNKNOO A K K K A I I I KK A KKKKKKKK A KIKIKIPQ A RKRKLKKK I KKKKKKFF IIIIIIKK K SININIRN K KTKOKTKK K KKKKKKKK A KIKIKIKK A IUIVIVKK A KTKOKOKK

XXXVIA
The swift approach and unexpected speedB
The king had made upon this new rais'd forceC
In the unconfirmed troops much fear did breedB
Untimely hind'ring their intended courseC
The joining with the Welsh they had decreedB
Was hereby dash'd which made their cause the worseD
Northumberland with forces from the northE
Expected to be there was not set forthE
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XXXVIIA
And yet undaunted Hotspur seeing the kingF
So near arriv'd leaving the work in handG
With forward speed his forces marshallingF
Sets forth his farther coming to withstandG
And with a cheerful voice encouragingF
His well experienc'd and adventurous bandG
Brings on his army eager unto fightH
And plac'd the same before the king in sightH
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XXXVIIIA
-
This day saith he my valiant trusty friendsI
Whatever it doth give shall glory giveA
This day with honour frees our state or endsI
Our misery with fame that still shall liveA
And do but think how well the same he spendsI
Who spends his blood his country to relieveA
What have we hands and shall we servile beJ
Why were swords made but to preserve men freeJ
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XXXIXI
-
Besides the assured hope of victoryJ
Which we may even promise on our sideK
Against this weak constrained companyJ
Whom force and fear not will and love doth guideK
Against a prince whose foul impietyK
The heavens do hate the earth cannot abideK
Our number being no less our courage moreL
No doubt we have it if we work thereforeL
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XL-
-
This said and thus resolv'd even bent to chargeM
Upon the king who well their order view'dK
And wary noted all the course at largeM
Of their proceeding and their multitudeK
And deeming better if he could dischargeM
The day with safety and some peace concludeK
Great proffers sends of pardon and of graceI
If they would yield and quietness embraceI
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XLI-
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Which though his fears might drive him to proposeI
To time his business for some other endK
Yet sure he could not mean t' have peace with thoseI
Who did in that supreme degree offendK
Nor were they such as would be won with showsI
Or breath of oaths or vows could apprehendK
So that in honour the offers he doth makeF
Were not for him to give nor them to takeF
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XLII-
-
And yet this much his courses do approveA
He was not bloody in his natural-
And yield he did to more then might behoveA
His dignity to have dispens'd withal-
And unto Worcester he himself did moveA
A reconcilement to be made of all-
But Worcester knowing it could not be secur'dK
His nephews onset yet for all procur'dK
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XLIII-
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Which seeing the king with greater wrath incens'dK
Rage against fury doth with speed prepareN
And though said he I could have well dispens'dK
With this day's blood which I have sought to spareN
That greater glory might have recompens'dK
The forward worth of these that so much dareN
That we might good have had by th' overthrownO
And the wounds we make might not have been our ownO
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XLIVA
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Yet since that other men's iniquityK
Calls on the sword of wrath against my will-
And that themselves exact this crueltyK
And I constrained am this blood to spill-
Then on brave followers on courageouslyK
True hearted subjects against traitors ill-
And spare not them who seek to spoil us all-
Whose foul confused end soon see you shall-
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XLVA
-
Forthwith began these fury moving soundsI
The notes of wrath the music brought from Hell-
The rattling drums which trumpets voice confoundsI
The cries the encouragements the shouting shrill-
That all about the beaten air reboundsI
Confused thundering murmurs horrible-
To rob all sense except the sense to fightK
Well hands may work the mind hath lost his sightK
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XLVIA
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O war begot in pride and luxuryK
The child of malice and revengeful hateK
Thou impious good and good impietyK
That art the foul refiner of a stateK
Unjust just scourge of men's iniquityK
Sharp easer of corruptions desperateK
Is there no means but that a sin sick landK
Must be let blood with such a boisterous handK
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XLVIIA
-
How well mightst thou have here been spar'd this dayK
Had not wrong counsell'd Percy been perverseI
Whose forward hand inur'd to wounds makes wayK
Upon the sharpest fronts of the most fierceI
Where now an equal fury thrusts to stayK
And back repel that force and his disperseI
Then these assail then those re chase againP
Till stay'd with new made hills of bodies slainQ
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XLVIIIA
-
There lo that new appearing glorious starR
Wonder of arms the terror of the fieldK
Young Henry labouring where the stoutest areR
And even the stoutest forced back to yieldK
There is that hand bolden'd to blood and warL
That must the sword in wondrous actions wieldK
Though better he had learn'd with others' bloodK
A less expense to us to him more goodK
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XLIXI
-
-
Yet here had he not speedy succour lentK
To his endanger'd father near oppress'dK
That day had seen the full accomplishmentK
Of all his travails and his final restK
For Mars like Douglas all his forces bentK
To encounter and to grapple with the bestK
As if disdaining any other thingF
To do that day but to subdue a kingF
-
L-
-
-
And three with fiery courage he assailsI
Three all as kings adorn'd in royal wiseI
And each successive after other quailsI
Still wond'ring whence so many kings should riseI
And doubting lest his hand or eyesight failsI
In these confounded on a fourth he fliesI
And him unhorses too whom had he spedK
He then all kings in him had vanquishedK
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LIK
-
-
For Henry had divided as it wereS
The person of himself into four partsI
To be less known and yet known everywhereN
The more to animate his people's heartsI
Who cheered by his presence would not spareN
To execute their best and worthiest partsI
By which two special things effected areR
His safety and his subjects' better careN
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LIIK
-
-
And never worthy prince a day did quitK
With greater hazard and with more renownT
Than thou didst mighty Henry in this fightK
Which only made thee owner of thine ownO
Thou never prov'dst the tenure of thy rightK
How thou didst hold thy easy gotten crownT
Till now and now thou shew'st thyself chief lordK
By that especial right of kings the swordK
-
LIIIK
-
-
And dear it cost and much good blood is shedK
To purchase thee a saving victoryK
Great Stafford thy high constable lies deadK
With Shorly Clifton Gawsell CalverlyK
And many more whose brave deaths witnessedK
Their noble valour and fidelityK
And many more had left their dearest bloodK
Behind that day had Hotspur longer stoodK
-
LIVA
-
-
But he as Douglas with his fury ledK
Rushing into the thickest woods of spearsI
And brakes of swords still laying at the headK
The life of th' army whiles he nothing fearsI
Or spares his own comes all invironedK
With multitude of power that over bearsI
His manly worth who yields not in his fallK
But fighting dies and dying kills withalK
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LVA
-
-
What ark what trophy what magnificenceI
Of glory Hotspur had'st thou purchas'd hereU
Could but thy cause as fair as thy pretenceI
Be made unto thy country to appearV
Had it been her protection and defenceI
Not thy ambition made thee sell so dearV
Thyself this day she must have here made goodK
An everlasting statue for thy bloodK
-
LVIA
-
-
Which thus mis spent thy army presentlyK
As if they could not stand when thou wert downT
Dispers'd in rout betook them all to flyK
And Douglas faint with wounds and overthrownO
Was taken who yet won the enemyK
Which took him by his noble valour shownO
In that day's mighty work and was preserv'dK
With all the grace and honour he deserv'dK
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Samuel Daniel



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