CHORUS.
Whan Freedom, dreste yn blodde-steyned veste,
To everie knyghte her warre-songe sunge, 185
Uponne her hedde wylde wedes were spredde;
A gorie anlace bye her honge.
She daunced onne the heathe;
She hearde the voice of deathe;
Pale-eyned affryghte, hys harte of sylver hue, 190
In vayne assayled[188] her bosomme to acale[189];
She hearde onflemed[190] the shriekynge voice of woe,
And sadnesse ynne the owlette shake the dale.
She shooke the burled[191] speere,
On hie she jeste[192] her sheelde, 195
Her foemen[193] all appere,
And flizze[194] alonge the feelde.
Power, wythe his heasod[195] straught[196] ynto the skyes,
Hys speere a sonne-beame, and his sheelde a starre,
Alyche[197] twaie[198] brendeynge[199] gronfyres[200] rolls hys eyes, 200
Chastes[201] with hys yronne feete and soundes to war.
She syttes upon a rocke,
She bendes before his speere,
She ryses from the shocke,
Wieldynge her owne yn ayre. 205
Harde as the thonder dothe she drive ytte on,
Wytte scillye[202] wympled[203] gies[204] ytte to hys crowne,
Hys longe sharpe speere, hys spreddynge sheelde ys gon,
He falles, and fallynge rolleth thousandes down.
War, goare-faced war, bie envie burld[205], arist[206], 210
Hys feerie heaulme[207] noddynge to the ayre,
Tenne bloddie arrowes ynne hys streynynge fyste—
* * * * *
[Footnote 1: Of old, formerly.]
[Footnote 2: writers, historians.]
[Footnote 3: much.]
[Footnote 4: inglorious.]
[Footnote 5: bereaving.]
[Footnote 6: faith.]
[Footnote 7: unforgiving.]
[Footnote 8: divines, clergymen, monks.]
[Footnote 9: holy.]
[Footnote 10: work.]
[Footnote 11: not.]
[Footnote 12: author.]
[Footnote 13: though, notwithstanding.]
[Footnote 14: clerk, or clergyman.]
[Footnote 15: entyn, even.]
[Footnote 16: might.]
[Footnote 17: challenge.]
[Footnote 18: Lord.]
[Footnote 19: foes, enemies.]
[Footnote 20: devour, destroy.]
[Footnote 21: fatten.]
[Footnote 22: Grievance; a sense of it.]
[Footnote 23: cease, be still.]
[Footnote 24: idly.]
[Footnote 25: deceived, imposed on.]
[Footnote 26: so.]
[Footnote 27: fury, anger, rage.]
[Footnote 28: paint, display.]
[Footnote 29: soul.]
[Footnote 30: strong.]
[Footnote 31: terrible.]
[Footnote 32: horrid, grim.]
[Footnote 33: smoking, bleeding.]
[Footnote 34: oft.]
[Footnote 35: heat, rashness.]
[Footnote 36: counsel, wisdom.]
[Footnote 37: strength, also strong.]
[Footnote 38: taudry, glimmering.]
[Footnote 39: People.]
[Footnote 40: fate, destiny.]
[Footnote 41: nobly.]
[Footnote 42: Cast.]
[Footnote 43: cross, from crouche, a cross.]
[Footnote 44: attempt, or endeavour.]
[Footnote 45: unarmed.]
[Footnote 46: unactive.]
[Footnote 47: unspirited.]
[Footnote 48: such.]
[Footnote 49: fastened, annexed.]
[Footnote 50: might, power.]
[Footnote 51: mantle, or robe.]
[Footnote 52: white, alluding to the arms of Kent, a horse saliant, argent.]
[Footnote 53: distracting.]
[Footnote 54: despair.]
[Footnote 55: bleed.]
[Footnote 56: allow.]
[Footnote 57: ease.]
[Footnote 58: throne.]
[Footnote 59: pluck.]
[Footnote 60: Becomes.]
[Footnote 61: subjects.]
[Footnote 62: contentions, complaints.]
[Footnote 63: choke.]
[Footnote 64: dark, cloudy.]
[Footnote 65: astonish.]
[Footnote 66: cut off, destroyed.]
[Footnote 67: slaves.]
[Footnote 68: loud roaring.]
[Footnote 69: flame of fire.]
[Footnote 70: burn, consume.]
[Footnote 71: them.]
[Footnote 72: slay.]
[Footnote 73: decay.]
[Footnote 74: make ready.]
[Footnote 75: enterprize.]
[Footnote 76: Notwithstanding.]
[Footnote 77: foes.]
[Footnote 78: mangle, destroy.]
[Footnote 79: beauty, countenance.]
[Footnote 80: an ancient sword.]
[Footnote 81: fury.]
[Footnote 82: cease.]
[Footnote 83: deadly.]
[Footnote 84: lake.]
[Footnote 85: swollen.]
[Footnote 86: hidden.]
[Footnote 87: unknown.]
[Footnote 88: command.]
[Footnote 89: still.]
[Footnote 90: Red-stained.]
[Footnotes 91, 92: parts of armour.]
[Footnote 93: broad.]
[Footnote 94: cause.]
[Footnote 95: rights, liberties.]
[Footnote 96: cutting, mangling.]
[Footnote 97: forbidding.]
[Footnote 98: grow.]
[Footnote 99: furious.]
[Footnote 100: slay.]
[Footnote 101: strength.]
[Footnote 102: declare.]
[Footnote 103: sword.]
[Footnote 104: Monastery.]
[Footnote 105: more worthy.]
[Footnote 106: pulled, plucked.]
[Footnote 107: displayed.]
[Footnote 108: over-righteous.]
[Footnote 109: counselled, more wise.]
[Footnote 110: uncareful, neglected.]
[Footnote 111: Bid, command.]
[Footnote 112: slay.]
[Footnote 113: presently.]
[Footnote 114: explain.]
[Footnote 115: grievances.]
[Footnote 116: branch.]
[Footnote 117: wet, moist.]
[Footnote 118: fen, moor.]
[Footnote 119: drained.]
[Footnote 120: swelling.]
[Footnote 121: waves.]
[Footnote 122: grievance.]
[Footnote 123: assemble.]
[Footnote 124: broad.]
[Footnote 125: Horned.]
[Footnote 126: white.]
[Footnote 127: decks.]
[Footnote 128: mightiest, most valiant.]
[Footnote 129: slain.]
[Footnote 130: oversets.]
[Footnote 131: a castle.]
[Footnote 132: revenge.]
[Footnote 133: cause.]
[Footnote 134: at once.]
[Footnote 135: One who takes up the cross in order to fight against the Saracens.]
[Footnote 136: holy.]
[Footnote 137: rare, extraordinary, strange.]
[Footnote 138: run, shot up.]
[Footnote 139: assembling, gathering.]
[Footnote 140: bursteth.]
[Footnote 141: dry, barren.]
[Footnote 142: Mighty.]
[Footnote 143: slain.]
[Footnote 144: help.]
[Footnote 145: Lord.]
[Footnote 146: embroidered; 'tis conjectured, embroidery was not used in England till Hen. II.]
[Footnote 147: throne.]
[Footnote 148: person, body.]
[Footnote 149: lodge.]
[Footnote 150: Marks.]
[Footnote 151: subjects.]
[Footnote 152: much.]
[Footnote 153: lamentation.]
[Footnote 154: neglected, or passed by.]
[Footnote 155: require, ask.]
[Footnote 156: holy.]
[Footnote 157: help.]
[Footnote 158: will.]
[Footnote 159: dead.]
[Footnote 160: doubt.]
[Footnote 161: waves.]
[Footnote 162: heaven-ward, or God-ward.]
[Footnote 163: Purse, used here probably as a treasury.]
[Footnote 164: expence.]
[Footnote 165: receipt.]
[Footnote 166: soon.]
[Footnote 167: expended.]
[Footnote 168: a contradiction of mighty.]
[Footnote 169: Divest.]
[Footnote 170: embrace.]
[Footnote 171: mightiness.]
[Footnote 172: counsel.]
[Footnote 173: Firmness, stedfastness.]
[Footnote 174: doubt, suspense.]
[Footnote 175: not knowing.]
[Footnote 176: wonder.]
[Footnote 177: homage, obeysance.]
[Footnote 178: they.]
[Footnote 179: frown.]
[Footnote 180: kill.]
[Footnote 181: curriedowe, flatterer.]
[Footnote 182: reward.]
[Footnote 183: holy.]
[Footnote 184: help.]
[Footnote 185: allow.]
[Footnote 186: manors.]
[Footnote 187: alone.]
[Footnote 188: Endeavoured.]
[Footnote 189: freeze.]
[Footnote 190: undismayed.]
[Footnote 191: armed, pointed.]
[Footnote 192: hoisted on high, raised.]
[Footnote 193: foes, enemies.]
[Footnote 194: fly.]
[Footnote 195: head.]
[Footnote 196: stretched.]
[Footnote 197: Like.]
[Footnote 198: two.]
[Footnote 199: flaming.]
[Footnote 200: meteors.]
[Footnote 201: beats, stamps.]
[Footnote 202: closely.]
[Footnote 203: mantled, covered.]
[Footnote 204: guides.]
[Footnote 205: armed.]
[Footnote 206: arose.]
[Footnote 207: helmet.]