King Arthur's Death Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DCEC FCGC HGIG JCEC KBHB HFGF GBFB GLCL GBFB GMHM GGGG NBHB FFOF GCHF GCGC GFGG HGHG GGHG GPBP QGCG RGSG GOPG GGHG TGBG GCGG GGGG PGGO GGLG TGGG GOGT GGCG GGUG GGGG GBGG LGGG LBGG GGGG LG GG LCGG GCBG TLGL GGUG TGLG MCGC GGCG

On Trinitye Mondaye in the morneA
This sore battayle was doom'd to beeB
Where manye a knighte cry'd Well awayeC
Alacke it was the more pitt eB
-
Ere the first crowinge of the cockeD
When as the kinge in his bed layeC
He thoughte Sir Gawaine to him cameE
And there to him these wordes did sayeC
-
quot Nowe as you are mine unkle deareF
And as you prize your life this dayeC
O meet not with your foe in fightG
Putt off the battayle if yee mayeC
-
quot For Sir Launcelot is nowe in FraunceH
And with him many an hardye knighteG
Who will within this moneth be backeI
And will assiste yee in the fighte quotG
-
The kinge then call'd his nobles allJ
Before the breakinge of the dayeC
And told them howe Sir Gawaine cameE
And there to him these wordes did sayeC
-
His nobles all this counsayle gaveK
That earlye in the morning heeB
Shold send awaye an herauld at armesH
To aske a parley faire and freeB
-
Then twelve good knightes King Arthur choseH
The best of all that with him wereF
To parley with the foe in fieldG
And make with him agreement faireF
-
The king he charged all his hosteG
In readinesse there for to beeB
But noe man shold noe weapon sturreF
Unlesse a sword drawne they shold seeB
-
And Mordred on the other parteG
Twelve of his knights did likewise bringeL
The best of all his companyeC
To hold the parley with the kingeL
-
Sir Mordred alsoe charged his hosteG
In readinesse there for to beeB
But noe man sholde noe weapon sturreF
But if a sworde drawne they shold seeB
-
For he durste not his unkle trusteG
Nor he his nephewe sothe to tellM
Alacke it was a woefulle caseH
As ere in Christentye befelleM
-
But when they were together metteG
And both to faire accordance broughteG
And a month's league betweene them setteG
Before the battayle sholde be foughteG
-
An addere crept forth of a busheN
Stunge one o' th' king's knightes on the kneeB
Alacke It was a woefulle chanceH
As ever was in Christent eB
-
When the knighte found him wounded soreF
And sawe the wild worm hanginge thereF
His sworde he from his scabberde dreweO
A piteous case as ye shall heareF
-
For when the two hostes sawe the swordeG
They joyned battayle instantlyeC
Till of soe manye noble knightesH
On one side there were left but threeF
-
For all were slain that durst abideG
And but some fewe that fled awayeC
Ay mee it was a bloodye fieldeG
As ere was foughte on a summer's dayeC
-
Upon King Arthur's own partyG
Onlye himselfe escaped thereF
And Lukyn Duke of Gloster freeG
And the king's butler BedevereG
-
And when the king beheld his knightesH
All dead and scattered on the moldeG
The teares fast trickled downe his faceH
That manlye face in fight so boldeG
-
quot Nowe reste yee all brave knights quot he saidG
quot Soe true and faithful to your trustG
And must ye then ye valiant heartsH
Be lefte to moulder into dustG
-
-
quot Most loyal have yee been to meeG
Most true and faithful unto deatheP
And oh to rayse yee up againeB
How freelye could I yield my breatheP
-
quot But see the traitor's yet aliveQ
Lo where hee stalkes among the deadeG
Nowe bitterlye he shall abyeC
And vengeance fall upon his head quotG
-
quot O staye my liege quot then sayd the dukeR
quot O staye for love and charit eG
Remember what the vision spakeS
Nor meete your foe if it may bee quotG
-
quot O staye mee not thou worthye wightG
This debt my loyal knights I oweO
Betide my life betide me deathP
I will avenge them of their foe quotG
-
Then straite he grasp'd his trustye speareG
And on his horse then mounted heeG
As his butler holpe him to his horseH
His bowels gushed to his kneeG
-
quot Alas quot then sayd the noble kingT
quot That I should live this sight to seeG
To see this good knight here be slaineB
All for his love in helping meeG
-
He put his speare into his resteG
And to Sir Mordred loud gan cryeC
quot Nowe sette thyself upon thy guardeG
For traitor nowe thy death is nye quotG
-
Sir Mordred lifted up his swordeG
And fierce to meet the king ran heeG
The king his speare he through him thrustG
A fathom thorow his bod eG
-
When Mordered felt the stroke of deathP
And found that he was wounded soeG
He thrust himselfe upon the speareG
And strucke the king a deadlye bloweO
-
Then grimmlye dyed Sir MorderedG
Presentlye upon that treeG
And bloody streames ranne from the kingeL
Ere to the duke returned heeG
-
Sir Lukyn then he thus bespakeT
quot Sir Knighte thou hast been faithfulle trydeG
Nowe take my sworde ExcalibarG
That hangs so freelye by my sydeG
-
quot O take my sword ExcalibarG
And there into the river throweO
For here henceforth benethe this treeG
All use of weapons I forgoeT
-
quot And fare thee well thou trustye swordG
A better neer had valiant knighteG
With thee full ofte and many a dayeC
Have I withstood my foe in fighteG
-
With this good fauchion in my handeG
Oft have I reapd the bloody feeldeG
But nowe the fatalle houre is comeU
That never more I may thee weelde quotG
-
The duke to the river side he wentG
And there his owne sword in threwe heG
But he kept back ExcalibarG
He kept it back in privitieG
-
For all of coleyne was the bladeG
And all the hilte of precious stoneB
quot And ever alacke quot then sayd the knighteG
quot Must such a sword awaye be throwne quotG
-
Then backe he came unto the kingeL
Who sayd Sir Lukyn what did yee see quotG
quot Nothing my liege save that the windeG
Blewe oer the waters faire and free quotG
-
quot O goe againe quot then said the kingeL
quot O good Sir Lukyn goe againeB
Into the rivere throwe my swordG
Nor keepe me lingering here in paine quotG
-
The duke then to the river wentG
And the kings scabberd in threwe heeG
But he kept backe ExcalibarG
And hid it undernethe a treeG
-
Then backe he came to tell the kingeL
Who sayde quot Sir Lukyn sawe ye oughte quotG
-
quot Nothinge my liege save that the windeG
Nowe with the angrye waters fought quotG
-
quot O Lukyn Lukyn quot said the kingeL
quot Twice haste thou dealt deceytfullyeC
Alacke whom may wee ever trusteG
When suche a knighte soe false can beeG
-
quot Saye wouldst thou have thy master deadG
All for a sword that wins thine eyeC
Now goe againe and throwe it inB
Or here the one of us shall dye quotG
-
The duke all shent with this rebukeT
No aunswere made unto the kingeL
But to the rivere tooke the swordeG
And threwe it far as he coulde flingeL
-
A hande and an arme did meete the swordeG
And flourishd three times in the airG
Then sunke benethe the renninge stremeU
And of the duke was seene noe mairG
-
All sore astonied stood the dukeT
He stood as still as still mote beeG
Then hastened backe to telle the kingeL
But he was gone from under the treeG
-
But to what place he cold not tellM
For never after hee did him spyeC
But hee sawe a barge goe from the landG
And hee heard ladyes howle and cryeC
-
And whether the kinge were there or notG
Hee never knewe nor ever coldeG
For from that sad and direfulle dayeC
Hee never more was seene on moldeG

Thomas Percy



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