There ys ne house, athrow
thys shap-scurged[85] isle,
Thatte has ne loste a kynne
yn these fell fyghtes,
Fatte blodde has sorfeeted
the hongerde soyle, 605
And townes enlowed[86] lemed[87]
oppe the nyghtes.
Inne gyte of fyre oure hallie
churche dheie dyghtes;
Oure sonnes lie storven[88]
ynne theyre smethynge gore;
Oppe bie the rootes oure tree
of lyfe dheie pyghtes,
Vexynge oure coaste, as byllowes
doe the shore. 610
Yee menne, gyf ye are menne,
displaie yor name,
Ybrende yer tropes, alyche the roarynge
tempest flame.
Ye Chrystyans, doe as wordhie
of the name;
These roynerres of oure hallie
houses slea;
Braste, lyke a cloude, from
whence doth come the flame, 615
Lyche torrentes, gushynge
downe the mountaines, bee.
And whanne alonge the grene
yer champyons flee,
Swefte as the rodde for-weltrynge[89]
levyn-bronde,
Yatte hauntes the flyinge
mortherer oere the lea,
Soe flie oponne these royners
of the londe. 620
Lette those yatte are unto
yer battayles fledde,
Take slepe eterne uponne a feerie lowynge
bedde.
Let cowarde Londonne see herre
towne onn fyre,
And strev wythe goulde to
staie the royners honde,
AElla & Brystowe havethe thoughtes
thattes hygher, 625
Wee fyghte notte forr ourselves,
botte all the londe.
As Severnes hyger lyghethe
banckes of sonde,
Pressynge ytte downe binethe
the reynynge streme,
Wythe dreerie dynn enswolters[90]
the hyghe stronde,
Beerynge the rockes alonge
ynn fhurye breme, 630
Soe wylle wee beere the Dacyanne
armie downe,
And throughe a storme of blodde wyll reache
the champyon crowne.
Gyff ynn thys battelle locke
ne wayte oure gare,
To Brystowe dheie wylle tourne
yeyre fhuyrie dyre;
Brystowe, & alle her joies,
wylle synke toe ayre, 635
Brendeynge perforce wythe
unenhantende[91] fyre:
Thenne lette oure safetie
doublie moove oure ire,
Lyche wolfyns, rovynge for
the evnynge pre,
See[ing] the lambe & shepsterr
nere the brire,
Doth th’one forr safetie,
th’one for hongre slea; 640
Thanne, whanne the ravenne
crokes uponne the playne,
Oh! lette ytte bee the knelle to myghtie
Dacyanns slayne.
Lyche a rodde gronfer, shalle
mie anlace sheene,
Lyche a strynge lyoncelle
I’lle bee ynne fyghte,
Lyche fallynge leaves the
Dacyannes shalle bee sleene, 645
Lyche [a] loud dynnynge streeme
scalle be mie myghte.
Ye menne, who woulde deserve
the name of knyghte,
Lette bloddie teares bie all
your paves be wepte;
To commynge tymes no poyntelle
shalle ywrite,
Whanne Englonde han her foemenn,
Brystow slepte. 650
Yourselfes, youre chyldren,
& youre fellowes crie,
Go, fyghte ynne rennomes gare, be brave,
& wynne or die.