 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
149
THE LADY OF MONTFORT'S RAID.
BRITTANY, A.D. 1342.
What time to Nantes one pleasant day the Count of Montfort came,
And all our burghers welcomed him, and most his lovely dame;
Not one amid that shouting throng could ever have foretold
The timid woman at his side would prove a warrior bold;
And when her lord in prison died would make the fight alone,
To place her son in Brittany upon the ducal throne.
And all our burghers welcomed him, and most his lovely dame;
Not one amid that shouting throng could ever have foretold
The timid woman at his side would prove a warrior bold;
And when her lord in prison died would make the fight alone,
To place her son in Brittany upon the ducal throne.
The courage of a man was hers. She felt no craven fear;
She waged a fight for her young son's right, and has for many a year;
She kept the town of Hennebon safe, that other had been lost,
Till now Sir Walter Manny's troops the English sea have crossed;
And well, a woman though she be, she wielded axe and blade,
And led her knights and men-at-arms upon a gallant raid.
She waged a fight for her young son's right, and has for many a year;
She kept the town of Hennebon safe, that other had been lost,
Till now Sir Walter Manny's troops the English sea have crossed;
And well, a woman though she be, she wielded axe and blade,
And led her knights and men-at-arms upon a gallant raid.
It was when Charles of Blois, who claimed the duchy as his right,
Had brought his force to Hennebon, and besieged it day and night,
And raised a tower for breaching, and attempt at storming made,
Our lady, who the battle at the barriers had surveyed,
Cried to her knights, as there she stood, all steel-clad cap-a-pie:
“Their rich camp lies unguarded! who will dare to follow me?”
Had brought his force to Hennebon, and besieged it day and night,
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Our lady, who the battle at the barriers had surveyed,
Cried to her knights, as there she stood, all steel-clad cap-a-pie:
“Their rich camp lies unguarded! who will dare to follow me?”
Sir Oliver of Vendel and Sir Hugh of Monlinverde,
With thrice a hundred men-at-arms, stood forward at her word;
And, sallying through the rearmost gate, they made a circuit round,
And speedily the foemen's tents, and stores and baggage found,
Where hangings rich and velvet cloaks and silken stuffs they saw—
The bravery of the gentlemen who followed Charles of Blois.
With thrice a hundred men-at-arms, stood forward at her word;
And, sallying through the rearmost gate, they made a circuit round,
And speedily the foemen's tents, and stores and baggage found,
Where hangings rich and velvet cloaks and silken stuffs they saw—
The bravery of the gentlemen who followed Charles of Blois.
They cut and slashed to ribbons there these braveries so fine;
They burst the bags of wheaten flour and bilged the casks of wine;
They slew the knaves of armorers, and then, with hammer stroke,
They shattered casques and corslets, and great sheaves of arrows broke;
They hacked the gay pavilions, and they plundered at desire,
And piled the stuff on broken wains, and set the camp on fire.
They burst the bags of wheaten flour and bilged the casks of wine;
They slew the knaves of armorers, and then, with hammer stroke,
They shattered casques and corslets, and great sheaves of arrows broke;
They hacked the gay pavilions, and they plundered at desire,
And piled the stuff on broken wains, and set the camp on fire.
As from the tents and wains arose the clouds of smoke and flame,
The startled foe the barriers left, and furiously they came.
“Fair gentlemen,” the countess said, “these gallants mean no play;
They've placed a thousand men-at-arms to bar our homeward way;
We're far too few their force to fight; a safe retreat is best;
Now for a race, with the dogs in chase, to the castled hold of Brest.”
The startled foe the barriers left, and furiously they came.
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They've placed a thousand men-at-arms to bar our homeward way;
We're far too few their force to fight; a safe retreat is best;
Now for a race, with the dogs in chase, to the castled hold of Brest.”
The countess, with her raiders, spurred, and so the race began;
The angry foemen followed her—Lord Charles was in the van.
Sir John of Brie his fellows passed, and merrily cried he:
“Let those who will pursue the knights—the lady fair for me!
But as at horse's head he strove to grasp her bridle-rein,
The lady raised her battle-axe and sank it in his brain.
The angry foemen followed her—Lord Charles was in the van.
Sir John of Brie his fellows passed, and merrily cried he:
“Let those who will pursue the knights—the lady fair for me!
But as at horse's head he strove to grasp her bridle-rein,
The lady raised her battle-axe and sank it in his brain.
His 'squire dismounted where he fell, and gazed upon his face;
Some reined their steeds a moment there, and then kept on the chase;
And all who passed were wroth of soul that by a woman's hand
Should fall the gallant John of Brie, the flower of all the land;
Yet no one wished the lady ill, for well each rider knew
It was a deed of fair defence, if not of derring-do.
Some reined their steeds a moment there, and then kept on the chase;
And all who passed were wroth of soul that by a woman's hand
Should fall the gallant John of Brie, the flower of all the land;
Yet no one wished the lady ill, for well each rider knew
It was a deed of fair defence, if not of derring-do.
Our lady, she was mounted well; her palfrey strong and fleet
Bore her away that stirring day on never-tiring feet;
And light she laughed at those behind, who made pursuit too late,
As she and hers right cheerfully rode through the castle gate;
While Charles of Blois in wrath exclaimed: “I swear before all men,
To draw the fangs of this she-wolf if she ever come back again!”
Bore her away that stirring day on never-tiring feet;
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As she and hers right cheerfully rode through the castle gate;
While Charles of Blois in wrath exclaimed: “I swear before all men,
To draw the fangs of this she-wolf if she ever come back again!”
But, tarrying not too long in Brest, she sought the field once more,
And with six hundred men-at-arms who keen-edged weapons bore,
Before the dawn had cleared the sky she started on her way,
And, circling past where on the ground her tentless foemen lay,
She entered Hennebon, where the shouts taught braggart Charles of Blois
That, came she back as come she had, her teeth he might not draw.
And with six hundred men-at-arms who keen-edged weapons bore,
Before the dawn had cleared the sky she started on her way,
And, circling past where on the ground her tentless foemen lay,
She entered Hennebon, where the shouts taught braggart Charles of Blois
That, came she back as come she had, her teeth he might not draw.
She is a valiant dame and fair, and hard for year on year
Her troops have fought her foes of France, and held the country here;
And soon shall pass the hope of Charles our Brittany to seize
With rogues from Spain and knaves from France, and scum of Genoese;
For England's king hath succor sent to aid her in the fight,
And England's king hath sworn an oath her son shall have his right.
Her troops have fought her foes of France, and held the country here;
And soon shall pass the hope of Charles our Brittany to seize
With rogues from Spain and knaves from France, and scum of Genoese;
For England's king hath succor sent to aid her in the fight,
And England's king hath sworn an oath her son shall have his right.
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |