Specimens of English Literature from the 'Ploughmans Crede' to the 'Shepheardes Calender', A. D. 1394-A.D. 1579Walter William Skeat |
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a-nother Æneid agayne batayle byble Chaucer Christ Court Custance dayes dede doth eche edition English euery fayre forto French Friars furth Gods worde grekes grene gret grete hath haue hede herte in-to JOHN LYDGATE JOHN SKELTON kepe king knyghtes kyng kyng Arthur Latin loke lorde loue lusty lyke maister maner Mery moche Mordred myght mynde neuer noble nocht nought Nut-brown Maid Old text ouer poem Priam printed quene Quhilk quod Royster sall saue sawe sayd saye sche scho scripture serue shal shew shold shulde slayne sone sonne swerde syr Bedwere syr Mordred thai thar thee ther therfore therof theyr thing THOMAS OCCLEVE thou thow thre thyng tonge translated trewe trouth Tydeus tyll tyme vnder vnto vpon Warton whan Wiat wolde word wyll wyse wyst wyth þat þei
Popular passages
Page 387 - I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house. Also I had great possessions of great and small cattle, above all that were in Jerusalem before me. I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings ; and of the provinces I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts ; so I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem.
Page 394 - To drive the deer with hound and horn Earl Percy took his way ; The child may rue that is unborn The hunting of that day.
Page 84 - a! my lord Arthur, what shal become of me now ye goo from me. And leue me here allone emonge 80 myn enemyes ?' ' Comfort thy self,' sayd the kyng, ' and doo as wel as thou mayst; for in me is no truste for to truste in. For I wyl in to the vale of auylyon, to hele me of my greuous wounde. And yf thou here neuer more of me, praye for my soule;' but euer the quenes and ladyes wepte and shryched that hit was pyte to here.
Page 352 - Winter is come that blowes the bitter blaste, And after Winter dreerie death does hast. Gather together ye my little flocke, My little flock, that was to me so liefe ; Let me, ah ! lette me in your foldes ye lock, Ere the breme' Winter breede you greater griefe. Winter is come, that blowes the balefull breath, And after Winter commeth timely death.
Page 339 - The sonne of all the world is dimme and darke: The earth now lacks her wonted light, And all we dwell in deadly night: O heavie herse!
Page 352 - So now my yeare drawes to his latter terme, My spring is spent, my sommer burnt up quite ; My harveste hasts to stirre up Winter sterne, And bids him clayme with rigorous rage hys right : So nowe he stormes with many a sturdy stoure ; So now his blustring blast eche coste dooth scoure.
Page 396 - Atthe same time that our poet shews a laudable partiality to his countrymen, he represents the Scots after a manner not unbecoming so bold and brave a people : Earl Douglas on a milk-white steed, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of the company, Whose armour shone like gold.
Page 343 - Why wayle we then? why weary we the gods with playnts, As if some evill were to her betight? She raignes a goddesse now emong the saintes, That whilome was the saynt of shepheards light: And is enstalled nowe in heavens hight. 1 see thee, blessed soule, I see, Walke in Elisian fieldes so free.
Page 109 - Tane leif at nature with ane orient blast; And lusty May, that muddir is of flouris, Had maid the birdis to begyn thair houris Amang the tendir odouris reid and quhyt, Quhois armony to heir it wes delyt...
Page 397 - Vicisti, et victum tendere palmas Ausonii videre. jEn. xii. 936. The Latin chiefs have seen me beg my life. DRYDEN. Earl Percy's lamentation over his enemy is generous, beautiful, and passionate : I must only caution the reader not to let the simplicity of the style, which one may well pardon in so old a poet, prejudice him against the greatness of the thought...