Sir Peter Harpdon's End Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B CDEF G HI B AA G JK B JL G BMAB B F ANM O PEN F G AQAB B G G RBB B S G BABT B B G QGBAUAVWBGXBYAGAAZAB AA2WP B B2BPC2HD2 G ME2 B M O G AD2GAD2D2D2F2PHAAAD2 AD2ZG2 MASH2AABD2GYPI2D2D2A BD2D2GABGAD2G2P D2 APGAP ACF2J2AAAG2AAG2GCYAK 2 G2BAAAAAF2L2G H AAGBAAAAPM2AAA B G B AG2 G AAA B B G BGN2AG

In an English Castle in Poictou Sir Peter Harpdon a Gascon knight in the English service and John Curzon his lieutenantA
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John CurzonB
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Of those three prisoners that before you cameC
We took down at St John's hard by the millD
Two are good masons we have tools enoughE
And you have skill to set them workingF
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Sir PeterG
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SoH
What are their namesI
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John CurzonB
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Why Jacques AquadentA
And Peter Plombiere butA
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Sir PeterG
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What colour'd hairJ
Has Peter now has Jacques got bow legsK
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John CurzonB
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Why sir you jest what matters Jacques' hairJ
Or Peter's legs to usL
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Sir PeterG
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O John John JohnB
Throw all your mason's tools down the deep wellM
Hang Peter up and Jacques they're no goodA
We shall not build manB
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John CurzonB
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goingF
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Shall I call the guardA
To hang them sir and yet sir for the toolsN
We'd better keep them still sir fare you wellM
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Muttering as he goesO
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What have I done that he should jape at meP
And why not build the walls are weak enoughE
And we've two masons and a heap of toolsN
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Goes still mutteringF
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Sir PeterG
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To think a man should have a lump like thatA
For his lieutenant I must call him backQ
Or else as surely as St George is deadA
He'll hang our friends the masons here John JohnB
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John CurzonB
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At your good service sirG
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Sir PeterG
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Come now and talkR
This weighty matter out there we've no stoneB
To mend our walls with neither brick nor stoneB
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John CurzonB
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There is a quarry sir some ten miles offS
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Sir PeterG
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We are not strong enough to send ten menB
Ten miles to fetch us stone enough to buildA
In three hours' time they would be taken or slainB
The cursed Frenchmen ride abroad so thickT
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John CurzonB
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But we can send some villaynes to get stoneB
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Sir PeterG
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Alas John that we cannot bring them backQ
They would go off to Clisson or SanxereG
And tell them we were weak in walls and menB
Then down go we for look you times are changedA
And now no longer does the country shakeU
At sound of English names our captains fadeA
From off our muster rolls At Lusac BridgeV
I daresay you may even yet see the holeW
That Chandos beat in dying far in SpainB
Pembroke is prisoner Phelton prisoner hereG
Manny lies buried in the CharterhouseX
Oliver Clisson turn'd these years agoneB
The Captal died in prison and over allY
Edward the prince lies underneath the groundA
Edward the king is dead at WestminsterG
The carvers smooth the curls of his long beardA
Everything goes to rack eh and we tooA
Now Curzon listen if they come these FrenchZ
Whom have I got to lean on here but youA
A man can die but once will you die thenB
Your brave sword in your hand thoughts in your heartA
Of all the deeds we have done here in FranceA2
And yet may do So God will have your soulW
Whoever has your bodyP
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John CurzonB
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Why sir IB2
Will fight till the last moment until thenB
Will do whate'er you tell me Now I seeP
We must e'en leave the walls well well perhapsC2
They're stronger than I think for pity thoughH
For some few tons of stone if Guesclin comesD2
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Sir PeterG
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Farewell John pray you watch the Gascons wellM
I doubt themE2
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John CurzonB
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Truly sir I will watch wellM
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GoesO
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Sir PeterG
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Farewell good lump and yet when all is saidA
'Tis a good lump Why then if Guesclin comesD2
Some dozen stones from his petrariaeG
And under shelter of his crossbows justA
An hour's steady work with pickaxesD2
Then a great noise some dozen swords and glaivesD2
A playing on my basnet all at onceD2
And little more cross purposes on earthF2
For meP
Now this is hard a month agoH
And a few minutes' talk had set things rightA
'Twixt me and Alice if she had a doubtA
As may Heaven bless her I scarce think she hadA
'Twas but their hammer hammer in her earsD2
Of 'how Sir Peter fail'd at Lusac Bridge '-
And 'how he was grown moody of late days '-
And 'how Sir Lambert think now 'his dear friendA
His sweet dear cousin could not but confessD2
That Peter's talk tended towards the FrenchZ
Which he' for instance Lambert 'was glad ofG2
Being' Lambert you see on the French side '-
WellM
If I could but have seen her on that dayA
Then when they sent me offS
I like to thinkH2
Although it hurts me makes my head twist whatA
If I had seen her what I should have saidA
What she my darling would have said and doneB
As thus perchanceD2
To find her sitting thereG
In the window seat not looking well at allY
Crying perhaps and I say quietlyP
'Alice ' she looks up chokes a sob looks graveI2
Changes from pale to red but ere she speaksD2
Straightway I kneel down there on both my kneesD2
And say O lady have I sinn'd your knightA
That still you ever let me walk aloneB
In the rose garden that you sing no songsD2
When I am by that ever in the danceD2
You quietly walk away when I come nearG
Now that I have you will you go think youA
Ere she could answer I would speak againB
Still kneeling thereG
'What they have frighted youA
By hanging burs and clumsily carven puppetsD2
Round my good name but afterwards my loveG2
I will say what this means this moment seeP
Do I kneel here and can you doubt me Yea '-
For she would put her hands upon my faceD2
'Yea that is best yea feel love am I changed '-
And she would say Good knight come kiss my lips '-
And afterwards as I sat there would sayA
'Please a poor silly girl by telling meP
What all those things they talk of really wereG
For it is true you did not help ChandosA
And true poor love you could not come to meP
When I was in such peril '-
I should sayA
'I am like Balen all things turn to blameC
I did not come to you At BergerathF2
The Constable had held us close shut upJ2
If from the barriers I had made three stepsA
I should have been but slain at Lusac tooA
We struggled in a marish half the dayA
And came too late at last you know my loveG2
How heavy men and horses are all arm'dA
All that Sir Lambert said was pure unmix'dA
Quite groundless lies as you can think sweet love'G2
She holding tight my hand as we sat thereG
Started a little at Sir Lambert's nameC
But otherwise she listen'd scarce at allY
To what I said Then with moist weeping eyesA
And quivering lips that scarcely let her speakK2
She said 'I love you '-
Other words were fewG2
The remnant of that hour her hand smooth'd downB
My foolish head she kiss'd me all aboutA
My face and through the tangles of my beardA
Her little fingers creptA
O God my AliceA
Not this good way my lord but sent and saidA
That Lambert's sayings were taken at their worthF2
Therefore that day I was to start and keepL2
This hold against the French and I am hereG
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Looks out of the windowH
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A sprawling lonely gard with rotten wallsA
And no one to bring aid if Guesclin comesA
Or any otherG
There's a pennon nowB
At lastA
But not the Constable's whose armsA
I wonder does it bear Three golden ringsA
On a red ground my cousin's by the roodA
Well I should like to kill him certainlyP
But to be kill'd by himM2
A trumpet soundsA
That's for a heraldA
I doubt this does not mean assaulting yetA
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Enter John CurzonB
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What says the herald of our cousin sirG
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John CurzonB
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So please you sir concerning your estateA
He has good will to talk with youG2
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Sir PeterG
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OutsideA
I'll talk with him close by the gate St IvesA
Is he unarm'dA
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John CurzonB
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Yea sir in a long gownB
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Sir PeterG
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Then bid them bring me hither my furr'd gownB
With the long sleeves and under it I'll wearG
By Lambert's leave a secret coat of mailN2
And will you lend me John your little axeA
I mean the one with Paul wrG

William Morris



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