Concerning Geffray Teste Noire Poem Rhyme Scheme

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William Morris

Concerning Geffray Teste Noire Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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And if you meet the Canon of Chimay	A
As going to Ortaise you well may do	B
Greet him from John of Castel Neuf and say	C
All that I tell you for all this is true	B
	-
This Geffray Teste Noire was a Gascon thief	D
Who under shadow of the English name	A
Pilled all such towns and countries as were lief	D
To King Charles and St Denis thought it blame	A
	-
If anything escaped him so my lord	E
The Duke of Berry sent Sir John Bonne Lance	F
And other knights good players with the sword	E
To check this thief and give the land a chance	F
	-
Therefore we set our bastides round the tower	G
That Geffray held the strong thief like a king	H
High perch'd upon the rock of Ventadour	G
Hopelessly strong by Christ It was mid spring	H
	-
When first I joined the little army there	G
With ten good spears Auvergne is hot each day	C
We sweated armed before the barrier	G
Good feats of arms were done there often Eh	I
	-
Your brother was slain there I mind me now	J
A right good man at arms God pardon him	A
I think 'twas Geffray smote him on the brow	J
With some spiked axe and while he totter'd dim	A
	-
About the eyes the spear of Alleyne Roux	B
Slipped through his camaille and his throat well well	K
Alleyne is paid now your name Alleyne too	B
Mary how strange but this tale I would tell	K
	-
For spite of all our bastides damned Blackhead	B
Would ride abroad whene'er he chose to ride	B
We could not stop him many a burgher bled	B
Dear gold all round his girdle far and wide	B
	-
The villaynes dwelt in utter misery	G
'Twixt us and thief Sir Geffray hauled this way	C
By Sir Bonne Lance at one time he gone by	L
Down comes this Teste Noire on another day	C
	-
And therefore they dig up the stone grind corn	M
Hew wood draw water yea they lived in short	B
As I said just now utterly forlorn	M
Till this our knave and blackhead was out fought	B
	-
So Bonne Lance fretted thinking of some trap	N
Day after day till on a time he said	B
John of Newcastle if we have good hap	N
We catch our thief in two days How I said	B
	-
Why Sir to day he rideth out again	O
Hoping to take well certain sumpter mules	P
From Carcassonne going with little train	Q
Because forsooth he thinketh us mere fools	P
	-
But if we set an ambush in some wood	B
He is but dead so Sir take thirty spears	R
To Verville forest if it seem you good	B
Then felt I like the horse in Job who hears	S
	-
The dancing trumpet sound and we went forth	T
And my red lion on the spear head flapped	B
As faster than the cool wind we rode north	T
Towards the wood of Verville thus it happed	B
	-
We rode a soft pace on that day while spies	U
Got news about Sir Geffray the red wine	V
Under the road side bush was clear the flies	U
The dragon flies I mind me most did shine	V
	-
In brighter arms than ever I put on	W
So Geffray said our spies would pass that way	C
Next day at sundown then he must be won	X
And so we enter'd Verville wood next day	C
	-
In the afternoon through it the highway runs	Y
'Twixt copses of green hazel very thick	Z
And underneath with glimmering of suns	Y
The primroses are happy the dews lick	Z
	-
The soft green moss 'Put cloths about your arms	A2
Lest they should glitter surely they will go	B2
In a long thin line watchful for alarms	A2
With all their carriages of booty so	B2
	-
Lay down my pennon in the grass Lord God	B
What have we lying here will they be cold	B
I wonder being so bare above the sod	B
Instead of under This was a knight too fold	B
	-
Lying on fold of ancient rusted mail	C2
No plate at all gold rowels to the spurs	D2
And see the quiet gleam of turquoise pale	C2
Along the ceinture but the long time blurs	D2
	-
Even the tinder of his coat to nought	B
Except these scraps of leather see how white	B
The skull is loose within the coif He fought	B
A good fight maybe ere he was slain quite	B
	-
No armour on the legs too strange in faith	E2
A little skeleton for a knight though ah	F2
This one is bigger truly without scathe	E2
His enemies escaped not ribs driven out far	G
	-
That must have reach'd the heart I doubt how now	J
What say you Aldovrand a woman why '	-
Under the coif a gold wreath on the brow	J
Yea see the hair not gone to powder lie	L
	-
Golden no doubt once yea and very small	G2
This for a knight but for a dame my lord	B
These loose hung bones seem shapely still and tall	G2
Didst ever see a woman's bones my Lord	B
	-
Often God help me I remember when	O
I was a simple boy fifteen years old	B
The Jacquerie froze up the blood of men	O
With their fell deeds not fit now to be told	B
	-
God help again we enter'd Beauvais town	H2
Slaying them fast whereto I help'd mere boy	I2
As I was then we gentles cut them down	H2
These burners and defilers with great joy	I2
	-
Reason for that too in the great church there	G
These fiends had lit a fire that soon went out	B
The church at Beauvais being so great and fair	G
My father who was by me gave a shout	B
	-
Between a beast's howl and a woman's scream	A
Then panting chuckled to me 'John look look	J2
Count the dames' skeletons ' From some bad dream	A
Like a man just awaked my father shook	J2
	-
And I being faint with smelling the burnt bones	K2
And very hot with fighting down the street	B
And sick of such a life fell down with groans	K2
My head went weakly nodding to my feet	B
	-
An arrow had gone through her tender throat	B
And her right wrist was broken then I saw	L2
The reason why she had on that war coat	B
Their story came out clear without a flaw	L2
	-
For when he knew that they were being waylaid	B
He threw it over her yea hood and all	G2
Whereby he was much hack'd while they were stay'd	B
By those their murderers many an one did fall	G2
	-
Beneath his arm no doubt so that he clear'd	B
Their circle bore his death wound out of it	B
But as they rode some archer least afear'd	B
Drew a strong bow and thereby she was hit	B
	-
Still as he rode he knew not she was dead	B
Thought her but fainted from her broken wrist	B
He bound with his great leathern belt she bled	B
Who knows he bled too neither was there miss'd	B
	-
The beating of her heart his heart beat well	K
For both of them till here within this wood	B
He died scarce sorry easy this to tell	K
After these years the flowers forget their blood	B
	-
How could it be never before that day	B
However much a soldier I might be	G
Could I look on a skeleton and say	B
I care not for it shudder not now see	G
	-
Over those bones I sat and pored for hours	D2
And thought and dream'd and still I scarce could see	G
The small white bones that lay upon the flowers	D2
But evermore I saw the lady she	G
	-
With her dear gentle walking leading in	M2
By a chain of silver twined about her wrists	N2
Her loving knight mounted and arm'd to win	M2
Great honour for her fighting in the lists	N2
	-
O most pale face that brings such joy and sorrow	B2
Into men's hearts yea too so piercing sharp	O2
That joy is that it marcheth nigh to sorrow	B2
For ever like an overwinded harp	O2
	-
Your face must hurt me always pray you now	J
Doth it not hurt you too seemeth some pain	Q
To hold you always pain to hold your brow	J
So smooth unwrinkled ever yea again	O
	-
Your long eyes where the lids seem like to drop	P2
Would you not lady were they shut fast feel	Q2
Far merrier there so high they will not stop	P2
They are most sly to glide forth and to steal	Q2
	-
Into my heart I kiss their soft lids there	G
And in green gardens scarce can stop my lips	R2
From wandering on your face but that your hair	G
Falls down and tangles me back my face slips	R2
	-
Or say your mouth I saw you drink red wine	V
Once at a feast how slowly it sank in	M2
As though you fear'd that some wild fate might twine	V
Within that cup and slay you for a sin	M2
	-
And when you talk your lips do arch and move	S2
In such wise that a language new I know	B2
Besides their sound they quiver too with love	T2
When you are standing silent know this too	B
	-
I saw you kissing once like a curved sword	B
That bites with all its edge did your lips lie	L
Curled gently slowly long time could afford	B
For caught up breathings like a dying sigh	L
	-
They gather'd up their lines and went away	B
And still kept twitching with a sort of smile	U2
As likely to be weeping presently	G
Your hands too how I watch'd them all the while	U2
	-
Cry out St Peter now quoth Aldovrand	B
I cried St Peter broke out from the wood	B
With all my spears we met them hand to hand	B
And shortly slew them natheless by the rood	B
	-
We caught not Blackhead then or any day	B
Months after that he died at last in bed	B
From a wound pick'd up at a barrier fray	B
That same year's end a steel bolt in the head	B
	-
And much bad living killed Teste Noire at last	B
John Froissart knoweth he is dead by now	J
No doubt but knoweth not this tale just past	B
Perchance then you can tell him what I show	B2
	-
In my new castle down beside the Eure	G
There is a little chapel of squared stone	V2
Painted inside and out in green nook pure	G
There did I lay them every wearied bone	V2
	-
And over it they lay with stone white hands	W2
Clasped fast together hair made bright with gold	B
This Jaques Picard known through many lands	W2
Wrought cunningly he's dead now I am old	B