Anonymous

“ Now will Clamydes me accuse a faithless knight to be, And eke report that cowardliness did daunt the heart of me: The worthy praise that I have won through fame shall be defaced, The name of the Knight of the Golden Shield, alas, shall be erased! Before that noble prince of might whereas Clamydes he Will show himself in combat-wise for to exclaim on me For breaking of my pointed day; and, Clyomon, to thy grief, Now art thou in a country strange, clean void of all relief, Oppressed with sickness through the rage of stormy blasts and cold:— Ah Death, come with thy direful mace! ”

“ But here I have what I desired, his shield, his coat, and head: To Denmark will I straight prepare, and there present with speed The same to Juliana’s grace, as in Clamydes’ name, Whereby I am assured I shall enjoy that noble dame; For why Clamydes he is safe for ever being free, And unto Knowledge is he left here guarded for to be. But no man knows of my pretence, ne whither I am gone; For secretly from castle I have stoln this night alone, In this order as you see, in the attire of a noble knight; But yet, poor Bryan, still thy heart holds courage in despite. ”

“ The veriest cowardly villain that ever was born, that’s of a certainty, I’ll fight with no man; no more will Bryan, that’s plain, But by his enchantments he putteth many to great pain, And in a forest of strange marvels doth he keep, Altogether by enchantments to bring men asleep Till he have wrought his will of them. To Bryan straight will I, And of my master’s coming to the forest inform him privily: So shall I win his favor; and, Subtle Shift, in the end Thou shalt escape his enchantment, for he will be thy friend. ”

“ Exit Neronis. Ah Clyomon, let dolours die, drive daunts from out thy mind! Since in the sight of Fortune now such favor thou dost find As for to have the love of her, whom thou didst sooner judge Would have denied thy loyalty and ‘gainst thy good-will grudge, But that I may here keep my day, you sacred gods provide Most happy fate unto my state, and thus my journey guide, The which I ‘tempt to take in hand Clamydes for to meet, That the whole cause of my first let to him I may repeat: So shall I seem for to excuse myself in way of right, And not be counted of my foe, a false perjured knight. ”

“ Re-enter Subtle Shift, running.
Subtle Shift
God’s ames, where are you, where are you? And you be a man, come away. Clyomon
Why, what is the matter, Knowledge? To tell thy errand stay. Subtle Shift
Stay! What talk you of staying? Why, then, all the sight will be past: Clamydes the king’s son shall be dubbed knight in all hast. Clyomon
Ah Knowledge, then come indeed, and good pastime thou shalt see! For I will take the honor from him that dubbed I may be: Upon a courageous stomach, come, let us haste thither. Subtle Shift
Lead you the way and I’ll follow; we’ll be both made knights togither. ”

“ No, no, alas, it will not serve! for many a knight in love, Most valiant hearts no doubt they have, and knightly prowess prove To get their ladies’ loyal hearts; but I in Venus’ yoke Am forced for want of valiancy my freedom to provoke, Bearing the name and port of knight, enchantments for to use, Wherewith full many a worthy wight most cowardly I abuse; As witnesseth the number now which in my castle lie, Who, if they were at liberty, in arms I durst not try The feeblest there though he unarmed, so is my courage daunted Whenas I see the glittering arms whereby each knight is vaunted. ”

“ And therefore, lady, link with me thy loyal heart for aye, For I am thine till fates untwine of vital life the stay, Protesting here, if gods assist, the serpent for to kill. Juliana
Then shalt thou of all women win the heart and great good-will, And me possess for spoused wife, who in election am To have the crown of Denmark here as heir unto the same; For why no children hath my sire besides me but one other, And he, indeed, is heir before for that he is my brother, And Clyomon so hight his name ”

“ Subtle Shift
Your lady! and’t shall please you, why, who is your lady? may a man be so bold as ask and not offend? Clamydes
Juliana, daughter to the King of Denmark, lo, is she, Whose knight I am, and from her hands this shield was given to me In sign and token of good-will; whose noble grace to gain, I have protested in her cause for to omit no pain Nor travail till I have subdued the flying serpent’s force, Which in the Forest of Marvels is, who taketh no remorse Of womenkind, but doth devour all such as are astray, So that no one dares go abroad nor wander forth the way ”

“ In truth he always must be tried: this is the total charge, That will receive a knightly name his honor to enlarge. Clamydes
O father, this your gracious counsel given to me your only son, Shall not be in oblivion cast till vital race be run. What way doth win Dame Honor’s crown, those paths my steps shall trace, And those that to Reproach doth lead, which seeketh to deface True Honor in her regal seat, I shall detest for aye, And be as utter enemy to them both night and day. By flying force of flickering fame your grace shall understand Of my behavior, noble sire, in every foreign land ”

“ Shall such as are without all faith live to impair our fame? Shall valiant hearts by cowardly charm be kept in captives’ thrall? Shall knights live subject to a wretch which hath no heart at all? Nay, first, Clamydes, claim to thee fell Atropos her stroke, Ere thou dost see such worthy knights to bear the heavy yoke Of cowardly Bryan Without-faith: his charms let daunt not thee; And for his force thou need’st not fear, the gods thy shield will be. Well, to meet the Knight of the Golden Shield yet ten days’ space I have And to set free these worthy knights ”

“ Ah cruel Fortune, why shouldst thou thus wrest my chance amiss, Knowing I do but honor seek, and thou dost me defame, In that contrary mine expect thou all things seeks to frame? The faith and loyalty of a knight thou causest me to break: Ah hateful dame, why shouldst thou thus thy fury on me wreak? Now will King Alexander judge the thing in me to be The which, since first I arms could bear, no wight did ever see. ”

“ Ah woeful dame, thou know’st not thou of what degree he is! Of noble blood his gestures show, I am assured of this. Why, belike he is some runagate, that will not show his name: Ah, why should I this allegate? he is of noble fame. Why dost thou not express thy love to him, Neronis, then? Because shamefacedness and womanhood bid us not seek to men. Ah careful dame, lo, thus I stand, as ‘twere one in a trance, And lacketh boldness for to speak which should my words advance! ”

“ Then can I not define thereof, but thus I wish it were, That you would me accept to be that ship, O lady fair, And you the finder! then it should be needless for to move If I the ship of duty ought to serve at your behoove. Neronis
Thou art the ship, O worthy knight, so shivered found by me. Clyomon
And owner have I none, dear dame, I yield me whole to thee: For as this ship, I must confess, that was a shipwreck made, Thou hast restored me unto health whom sickness caused to vade; For which I yield, O princess dear, at pleasure thine to be, If your grace, O noble dame, will so accept of me. ”

“ What fort of force, or castle strong, have I not battered down? What prince is he that now by me his princely seat and crown Doth not acknowledge for to hold? not one the world throughout But of King Alexander’s power they all do stand in doubt: They fear as fowls that hovering fly from out the falcon’s way; As lamb the lion, so my power the stoutest do obey: In field who hath not felt my force where battering blows abound? ”

“ Hath that false King of Norway stoln my love and lady dear? Ah heart, ah hand, ah head, and mind, and every sense beside, To serve your master’s turn in need do every one provide! For till that I revenged be upon that wretched king, And have again my lady dear and her from Norway bring, I vow this body takes no rest. Ah Fortune, fickle dame, That canst make glad and so soon sad a knight of worthy fame. ”

“ Then presently I them unarmed and to my castle brought, And there in prison they do lie, not knowing what was wrought. Lo, thus I range the woods to see who doth the serpent slay, That by enchantment I may take the head from him away, And it present unto the dame, as though I were her knight. Well, here comes one: I’ll shroud myself, for sure I will not fight. Enter Subtle Shift.
Subtle Shift
Gog’s blood, where might I meet with that cowardly knave, Bryan Sans-foy? I could tell him such a tale now as would make his heart leap for joy. Well, yonder I have espied one, whatsoever he be. ”

“ Know thou, therefore, Clamydes dear, to have a knightly name Is, first, above all other things, his God for to adore In truth, according to the laws prescribed to him before; Secondly, that he be true unto his lord and king; Thirdly, that he keep his faith and troth in every thing; And then before all other things that else we can commend, He be always ready prest his country to defend; The widow, poor, and fatherless, or innocent bearing blame, To see their cause redressed right a faithful knight must frame ”

“ King Alexander
My lords Your counsel doubtless I esteem, and with great thanks again I do requite your courtesy, rejecting—this is plain— All vain glory from my heart; and since the gods divine To us above all other kings this fortune doth assign, To have in our subjection the world for most part, We will at this our home-return, with fervent zeal of heart, In Pallas’ temple, to the gods such sacrifices make Of thankfulness for our success, as they in part shall take The same a gratulation sufficient from us sent: Come, therefore, let us homewards march t’ accomplish our intent. ”

“ Ah sirrah, little knows Bryan that Clamydes my master is; But to set him free from prison I intend not to miss: Yet still in my mind I can do no other but muse What practice with my master’s apparel and shield he will use. Well, seeing I have played the crafty knave with the one, I’ll play it with the other; Subtle Shift for advantage will deceive his own brother. ”

“ King or keysar, who hath not fixed his knees to me on ground? And yet, Alexander, what art thou? thou art a mortal wight, For all that ever thou hast got or won by force in fight. First Lord
Acknowledging thy state, O king, to be as thou hast said, The gods, no doubt, as they have been, will be thy shield and aid In all attempts thou tak’st in hand, if case no glory vain Thou seekest, but acknowledging thy victories and gain Through the providence of sacred gods to happen unto thee, For vain is trust that in himself man doth repose we see ”

“ So that if you should bring your power, your travail were in vain: That is not certainly the way Neronis for to gain. But this your grace may do indeed, and so I count it best; To be in all points with a ship most like a merchant prest, And sail with such as you think best, all dressed in merchants’ guise, And for to get her to your ship some secret mean devise, By showing of strange merchandise, or other such like thing: Lo, this is best advice I can, Thrasellus, lord and king. ”

“ Can food unto the hungry corps be cause of greater joy Than for the haughty heart to hear, which doth itself employ Through martial exercises much to win the bruit of fame, Where mates do meet which thereunto their fancies seems to frame: Can music more the pensive heart or daunted mind delight, Can comfort more the careful corps and over-palled sprite, Rejoice, then sound of trumpet doth each warlike wight allure, And drum and fife unto the fight doth noble hearts procure, To see in sunder shivered the lance that leads the way, And worthy knights unbeavered in field amidst the fray? ”

“ As lately lifting up the leaves of worthy writers’ works, Wherein the noble acts and deeds of many hidden lurks, Our author he hath found the glass of glory shining bright, Wherein their lives are to be seen which honor did delight, To be a lantern unto those which daily do desire Apollo’s garland by desert in time for to aspire ”

“ To hear the rattling cannons roar, and hilts on helmets ring, To see the soldiers swarm on heaps, where valiant hearts doth bring The cowardly crew into the case of careful captives’ band, Where ancients brave displayed be and won by force of hand? ”

“ Wherein the froward chances oft of fortune you shall see, Wherein the cheerful countenance of good successes be, Wherein true lovers findeth joy with hugy heaps of care, Wherein as well as famous facts, ignomious placed are, Wherein the just reward of both is manifestly shown, That virtue from the root of vice might openly be known. ”

“ For why the isle environed is with sea on every side, And landing-place, lo, is there none whereas you may have tide To set your men from ship to shore, but by one only way, And in that place a garrison great he keepeth at this day ”

“ Where deep desire hath taken root, my lords, alas, you see How that persuasion booteth not, if contrary it be Unto the first expected hope, where fancy hath take place; And vain it is for to withdraw by counsel in that case The mind who with affection is to one only thing affected, The which may not till dint of death from thence be sure rejected. ”