Anonymous Olde English

Here you will find theLong PoemGuy and Amarantof poet Anonymous Olde English

Guy and Amarant

人对这使地面旅行as the Jewes fayre citye sometime stood, Wherin our Saviours sacred head was crownd, And where for sinfull man he shed his blood. To see the sepulcher was his intent, The tombe that Joseph unto Jesus lent. With tedious miles he tyred his wearye feet, And passed desart places full of danger; At last with a most woefull wight did meet, A man that unto sorrow was noe stranger. For he had fifteen sonnes made captives all To slavish bondage, in extremest thrall. A gyant called Amarant detaind them, Whom noe man durst encounter for his strength, Who, in a castle which he held, had chaind them. Guy questions where, and understands at length The place not farr. - 'Lend me thy sword,' quoth hee; 'Ile lend my manhood all thy sonnes to free.' With that he goes and lays upon the dore Like one that sayes, I must and will come in. The gyant never was soe rowz'd before, For noe such knocking at his gate had bin; Soe takes his keyes and clubb, and cometh out, Staring with ireful countenance about. 'Sirra,' quoth hee, 'what busines hast thou heere? Art come to feast the crowes about my walls? Didst never heare noe ransome can him cleere That in the compasse of my furye falls? For making me to take a porters paines, With this same clubb I will dash out thy braines.' 'Gyant,' quoth Guy, 'y'are quarrelsome, I see; Choller and you seem very neere of kin; Most dangerous at the clubb belike you bee; I have bin better armd, though nowe goe thin. But shew thy utmost hate, enlarge thy spight, Keene is my weapon, and shall doe me right.' Soe draws his sword, salutes him with the same About the head, the shoulders, and the side, Whilst his erected clubb doth death proclaime, Standinge with huge Colossus' spacious stride, Putting such vigour to his knotty beame That like a furnace he did smoke extreame. But on the ground he spent his strokes in vaine, For Guy was nimble to avoyde them still, And ever ere he heav'd his clubb againe, Did brush his plated coat against his will: At such advantage Guy wold never fayle To bang him soundlye in his coate of mayle. Att last through thirst the gyant feeble grewe, And sayd to Guy, 'As thou'rt of humane race, Show itt in this, give natures wants their dewe; Let me but goe and drinke in yonder place; Thou canst not yeeld to 'me' a smaller thing Than to graunt life thats given by the spring.' 'I graunt thee leave,' quoth Guye, 'goe drink thy last, Go pledge the dragon and the salvage bore, Succeed the tragedyes that they have past; But never thinke to taste cold water more; Drinke deepe to Death and unto him carouse; Bid him receive thee in his earthen house.' Soe to the spring he goes, and slakes his thirst, Takeing the water in extremely like Some wracked shipp that one a rocke is burst, Whose forced hulke against the stones does stryke; Scooping it in soe fast with both his hands That Guy, admiring, to behold it stands. 'Come on,' quoth Guy, 'let us to work againe; Thou stayest about thy liquor overlong; The fish which in the river doe remaine Will want thereby; thy drinking doth them wrong; But I will see their satisfaction made; With gyants blood they must and shall be payd.' 'Villaine,' quoth Amarant, 'Ile crush thee streight; Thy life shall pay thy daring toungs offence! This clubb, which is about some hundred weight, Is deathes commission to dispatch thee hence! Dresse thee for ravens dyett, I must needes, And breake thy bones as they were made of reedes!' Incensed much by these bold pagan bostes, Which worthye Guy cold ill endure to heare, He hewes upon those bigg supporting postes Which like two pillars did his body beare. Amarant for those wounds in choller growes, And desperatelye att Guy his clubb he throwes, Which did directly on his body light Soe violent and weighty therewithall, That downe to ground on sudden came the knight; And ere he cold recover from the fall, The gyant gott his clubb againe in fist, And aimd a stroke that wonderfullye mist. 'Traytor,' quoth Guy, 'thy falshood Ile repay, This coward act to intercept my bloode.' Sayes Amarant, 'Ile murther any way; With enemyes, all vantages are good; O could I poyson in thy nostrills blowe, Besure of it I wold dispatch thee soe!' 'Its well,' said Guy, 'thy honest thoughts appeare Within that beastlye bulke where devills dwell, Which are thy tenants while thou livest heare, But will be landlords when thou comest in hell. Vile miscreant, prepare thee for their den, Inhumane monster, hatefull unto men! 'But breathe thy selfe a time while I goe drinke, For flameing Phoebus with his fyerye eye Torments me soe w