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The Tournament of Tottenham
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Of all thes kene conquerours to carpe it were kinde;
Of fele feghting-folk ferly we finde;
The Turnament of Tottenham have we in minde:
It were harme sich hardiness were holden bihinde—
In story as we rede—
Of Hawkin, of Herry,
Of Tomkin, of Terry,
Of them that were doughty
And stalworth in dede.
Of fele feghting-folk ferly we finde;
The Turnament of Tottenham have we in minde:
It were harme sich hardiness were holden bihinde—
In story as we rede—
Of Hawkin, of Herry,
Of Tomkin, of Terry,
Of them that were doughty
And stalworth in dede.
It befell in Totenham, on a dere day,
Ther was mad a shurting be the hyway.
Theder com all the men of the contray—
Of Hyssyltoun, of Hygate, and of Hakenay,
And all the swete swinkers.
Ther hopped Hawkin,
Ther daunsed Dawkin,
Ther trumped Tomkin—
And all were trewe drinkers . . .
Ther was mad a shurting be the hyway.
Theder com all the men of the contray—
Of Hyssyltoun, of Hygate, and of Hakenay,
And all the swete swinkers.
Ther hopped Hawkin,
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Ther trumped Tomkin—
And all were trewe drinkers . . .
Till the day was gon and evin-song past,
That they shuld rekin ther scot and ther contes cast.
Perkin the potter in to the press past
And said, “Rondol the refe, a doghter thou hast,
Tyb the dere.
Ther-for wit wold I
Which of all this bachelery
Were best worthy
To wed hur to his fere.”
That they shuld rekin ther scot and ther contes cast.
Perkin the potter in to the press past
And said, “Rondol the refe, a doghter thou hast,
Tyb the dere.
Ther-for wit wold I
Which of all this bachelery
Were best worthy
To wed hur to his fere.”
Up stirt thes gadelings with ther long staves
And said, “Randal the refe, lo! this lad raves!
Baldely amang us thy doghter he craves
And we er richer men then he and more good haves
Of catel and corn.”
Then said Perkyn, “To Tybbe I have hight
That I shall be alway redy in my right,
If that it shuld be this day sevenight,
Or ellis yet to-morn.”
And said, “Randal the refe, lo! this lad raves!
Baldely amang us thy doghter he craves
And we er richer men then he and more good haves
Of catel and corn.”
Then said Perkyn, “To Tybbe I have hight
That I shall be alway redy in my right,
If that it shuld be this day sevenight,
Or ellis yet to-morn.”
Then said Randolfe the refe, “Ever be he waried
That about this carping lenger wold be taried!
I wold not that my doghter that sho were miscarried,
But at hur most worship I wold sho were married.
Ther-for a turnament shall begin
This day sevenight
With a flail for to fight
And he that is of most might
Shall brouke hur with winne.
That about this carping lenger wold be taried!
I wold not that my doghter that sho were miscarried,
But at hur most worship I wold sho were married.
Ther-for a turnament shall begin
This day sevenight
With a flail for to fight
And he that is of most might
Shall brouke hur with winne.
“Whoso beris him best in the turnament,
Him shall be granted the gree, be the comon assent,
For to winne my doghter with dughtiness of dent
And Coppeld, my brode-henne, was broght out of Kent,
And my donnid cowe.
For no spens will I spare,
For no catel will I care.
He shall have my gray mare
And my spottid sowe.”
Him shall be granted the gree, be the comon assent,
For to winne my doghter with dughtiness of dent
And Coppeld, my brode-henne, was broght out of Kent,
And my donnid cowe.
For no spens will I spare,
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He shall have my gray mare
And my spottid sowe.”
Ther was many bold lad ther bodies to bede.
Than they toke their leve and homward they yede
And all the woke afterward they graithed ther wede,
Till it come to the day that they shuld do ther dede.
They armed ham in mattis;
They set on ther nollis
For to kepe ther pollis
Gode blake bollis
For battring of battis
Than they toke their leve and homward they yede
And all the woke afterward they graithed ther wede,
Till it come to the day that they shuld do ther dede.
They armed ham in mattis;
They set on ther nollis
For to kepe ther pollis
Gode blake bollis
For battring of battis
They sowed tham in shepe-skinnes for they shuld not brest;
Ilkon toke a blak hat insted of a crest,
A harrow brod as a fanne aboune on ther brest
And a flaile in ther hande for to fight prest.
Furth gon they fare.
Ther was kid mekil fors
Who shuld best fend his cors.
He that had no gode hors,
He gat him a mare.
Ilkon toke a blak hat insted of a crest,
A harrow brod as a fanne aboune on ther brest
And a flaile in ther hande for to fight prest.
Furth gon they fare.
Ther was kid mekil fors
Who shuld best fend his cors.
He that had no gode hors,
He gat him a mare.
Sich another gadring have I not sene oft!
When all the gret cumpany com ridand to the croft.
Tyb on a gray mare was set upon loft,
On a sek full of seedis, for sho shuld sit soft . . .
And led hur to the gap.
For crieng of all the men
Forther wold not Tyb then
Till she had hur gode brode-hen
Set in hur lap.
When all the gret cumpany com ridand to the croft.
Tyb on a gray mare was set upon loft,
On a sek full of seedis, for sho shuld sit soft . . .
And led hur to the gap.
For crieng of all the men
Forther wold not Tyb then
Till she had hur gode brode-hen
Set in hur lap.
A gay girdil Tyb had on, borrwed for the nonis,
And a garland on hur hed, full of rounde bonis,
And a broche on hur brest full of safer stonis—
With the holy rode tokening was wrethin for the nonis.
No catel was ther spared!
When joly Gyb saw hure thare,
He gird so his gray mere
That she lete a faucon-fare
At the rereward.
And a garland on hur hed, full of rounde bonis,
And a broche on hur brest full of safer stonis—
With the holy rode tokening was wrethin for the nonis.
No catel was ther spared!
When joly Gyb saw hure thare,
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That she lete a faucon-fare
At the rereward.
“I vow to God,” quod Herry, “I shall not leve behende!
May I mete with Bernard, on Bayard the blinde,
Ich man kepe him out of my winde!
For whatsoever that he be befor me I finde
I wot I shall him greve!”
“Wele said,” quod Hawkyn.
“And I avow,” quod Dawkyn,
“May I mete with Tomkyn,
His flail him reve.”
May I mete with Bernard, on Bayard the blinde,
Ich man kepe him out of my winde!
For whatsoever that he be befor me I finde
I wot I shall him greve!”
“Wele said,” quod Hawkyn.
“And I avow,” quod Dawkyn,
“May I mete with Tomkyn,
His flail him reve.”
“I vow to God,” quod Hud, “Tyb, sone shall thou see
Which of all this bachelery grant is the gree!
I shall scomfet thaim all, for the love of thy.
In what place so I come, they shall have dout of me,
Min armes are so clere.
I bere a reddil and a rake,
Poudred with a brennand drake
And three cantell of a cake
In icha cornare.”
Which of all this bachelery grant is the gree!
I shall scomfet thaim all, for the love of thy.
In what place so I come, they shall have dout of me,
Min armes are so clere.
I bere a reddil and a rake,
Poudred with a brennand drake
And three cantell of a cake
In icha cornare.”
“I vow to God,” quod Hawkyn, “if I have the gout,
All that I finde in the felde presand here about,
Have I twies or thries redin thurgh the route,
In icha stede ther they me see, of me they shall have doute
When I begin to play.
I make a vow that I ne shall,
But-if Tybbe will me call,
Or I be thries doun fall,
Right onis com away.”
All that I finde in the felde presand here about,
Have I twies or thries redin thurgh the route,
In icha stede ther they me see, of me they shall have doute
When I begin to play.
I make a vow that I ne shall,
But-if Tybbe will me call,
Or I be thries doun fall,
Right onis com away.”
Then said Terry and swore by his crede,
“Saw thou never yong boy forth his body bede,
For when they fight fastest and most are in drede,
I shall take Tyb by the hand and hur away lede.
I am armed at the full.
In min armis I bere wele
A dough trough and a pele,
A sadill withouten a panel
With a fles of woll.”
“Saw thou never yong boy forth his body bede,
For when they fight fastest and most are in drede,
I shall take Tyb by the hand and hur away lede.
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In min armis I bere wele
A dough trough and a pele,
A sadill withouten a panel
With a fles of woll.”
“I vow to God,” quod Dudman, “and swor be the stra,
Whils me is left my mere, thou getis hur not swa!
For sho is wele shapen and light as the ro.
Ther is no capul in this mile befor hur shall ga!
She will me noght begile;
She will me bere, I dar wele say,
On a lang someris day,
Fro Hyssyltoun to Hakenay,
Noght other half mile!”
Whils me is left my mere, thou getis hur not swa!
For sho is wele shapen and light as the ro.
Ther is no capul in this mile befor hur shall ga!
She will me noght begile;
She will me bere, I dar wele say,
On a lang someris day,
Fro Hyssyltoun to Hakenay,
Noght other half mile!”
“I vow to God,” quod Perkyn, “thou spekis of cold rost!
I shall wirch wiselier, withouten any bost!
Fif of the best capullis that ar in this ost,
I wot I shall thaim winne and bring thaim to my cost;
And here I graunt tham Tybbe.
Wele, boyes, here is he
That will fight and not flee;
For I am in my jolyté.
With yo forth, Gybbe!”
I shall wirch wiselier, withouten any bost!
Fif of the best capullis that ar in this ost,
I wot I shall thaim winne and bring thaim to my cost;
And here I graunt tham Tybbe.
Wele, boyes, here is he
That will fight and not flee;
For I am in my jolyté.
With yo forth, Gybbe!”
When they had ther vowes made, furth gan they hye,
With flailes and hornes and trumpes made of tree.
Ther were all the bacheleris of that contré;
They were dight in array as thamselfe wold be.
Their banners were full bright,
Of an old roten fell;
The cheverone, of a plow-mell
And the shadow of a bell,
Poudred with mone-light.
With flailes and hornes and trumpes made of tree.
Ther were all the bacheleris of that contré;
They were dight in array as thamselfe wold be.
Their banners were full bright,
Of an old roten fell;
The cheverone, of a plow-mell
And the shadow of a bell,
Poudred with mone-light.
I wot it is no childer-game whan they togedir met!
When icha freke in tha feld on his felay bet
And laid on stifly; for nothing wold they let!
And faght ferly fast till ther horses swet,
And fewe wordis spoken.
Ther were flailes all to-slatred,
Ther were sheldis all to-clatred,
Bollis and dishes all to-shatred,
And many hedis brokin.
When icha freke in tha feld on his felay bet
And laid on stifly; for nothing wold they let!
And faght ferly fast till ther horses swet,
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Ther were flailes all to-slatred,
Ther were sheldis all to-clatred,
Bollis and dishes all to-shatred,
And many hedis brokin.
Ther was clinking of cart-sadellis and clattiring of cannes;
Of fele frekis in the feld, brokin were ther fannes;
Of sum were the hedis brokin, of sum the brain-panes;
And ill ware it be sum or they went thens,
With swipping of swepillis.
The boyes were so wery for-fught
That they might not fight mare oloft,
But creped then about in the croft
As they were crooked crepils.
Of fele frekis in the feld, brokin were ther fannes;
Of sum were the hedis brokin, of sum the brain-panes;
And ill ware it be sum or they went thens,
With swipping of swepillis.
The boyes were so wery for-fught
That they might not fight mare oloft,
But creped then about in the croft
As they were crooked crepils.
Perkyn was so wery that he began to loute;
“Help, Hud! I am ded in this ilk route!
A hors for forty pens, a gode and a stoute,
That I may lightly come of my noye out!
For no cost will I spare.”
He stirt up as a snaile
And hent a capul be the taile
And raght Dawkyn his flaile
And wan ther a mare.
“Help, Hud! I am ded in this ilk route!
A hors for forty pens, a gode and a stoute,
That I may lightly come of my noye out!
For no cost will I spare.”
He stirt up as a snaile
And hent a capul be the taile
And raght Dawkyn his flaile
And wan ther a mare.
Perkyn wan fif and Hud wan twa
Glad and blithe they ware that they had don sa;
They wold have tham to Tyb and present hur with tha.
The capull were so wery that they might not ga,
But still gon they stand.
“Allas!” quod Hudde, “my joye I lese!
Me had lever then a ston of chese
That dere Tyb had all these
And wist it were my sand.”
Glad and blithe they ware that they had don sa;
They wold have tham to Tyb and present hur with tha.
The capull were so wery that they might not ga,
But still gon they stand.
“Allas!” quod Hudde, “my joye I lese!
Me had lever then a ston of chese
That dere Tyb had all these
And wist it were my sand.”
Perkyn turnid him about in that ich thrange;
Among thes wery boyes he wrest and he wrang.
He threw tham doun to the erth and thrast thaim amang,
When he saw Tyrry away with Tyb fang,
And after him ran.
Of his hors he him drogh
And gaf him of his flail inogh.
“We, te-he!” quod Tyb and lugh,
“Ye er a dughty man.”
Among thes wery boyes he wrest and he wrang.
He threw tham doun to the erth and thrast thaim amang,
When he saw Tyrry away with Tyb fang,
And after him ran.
Of his hors he him drogh
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“We, te-he!” quod Tyb and lugh,
“Ye er a dughty man.”
Thus they tugged and rugged till it was nere night;
All the wives of Tottenham come to see that sight,
With wispes and kexis and rishis ther light,
To fech hom ther husbandes that were tham trouth-plight.
And sum brought gret harwes
Ther husbandes hom for to fech;
Sum on dores and sum on hech,
Sum on hirdillis and sum on crech,
And sum on welebarraws.
All the wives of Tottenham come to see that sight,
With wispes and kexis and rishis ther light,
To fech hom ther husbandes that were tham trouth-plight.
And sum brought gret harwes
Ther husbandes hom for to fech;
Sum on dores and sum on hech,
Sum on hirdillis and sum on crech,
And sum on welebarraws.
They gaderid Perkyn about, everich side.
And graunt him ther the gre; the more was his pride.
Tyb and he, with gret merthe homward con they ride,
And were all night togedir till the morn-tide;
And they in fere assent:
So wele his nedis he has sped
That dere Tyb he has wed;
The prise folk that hur led
Were of the turnament.
And graunt him ther the gre; the more was his pride.
Tyb and he, with gret merthe homward con they ride,
And were all night togedir till the morn-tide;
And they in fere assent:
So wele his nedis he has sped
That dere Tyb he has wed;
The prise folk that hur led
Were of the turnament.
To that ilk fest com many, for the nones.
Some come hyp-halt and sum trippand on the stonis;
Sum a staf in his hand and sum two at onis.
Of sum were the hedis to-broken and sum the shulderbonis.
With sorrow com they thedir!
Wo was Hawkyn, wo was Herry,
Wo was Tomkyn, wo was Terry,
And so was all the bachelary,
When they met togedir.
Some come hyp-halt and sum trippand on the stonis;
Sum a staf in his hand and sum two at onis.
Of sum were the hedis to-broken and sum the shulderbonis.
With sorrow com they thedir!
Wo was Hawkyn, wo was Herry,
Wo was Tomkyn, wo was Terry,
And so was all the bachelary,
When they met togedir.
At that fest they were servid with a riche array:
Every fif and fif had a cokenay.
And so they sat in jolyté all the lang day;
And at the last they went to bed, with full gret deray.
Mekil mirth was them amang.
In every corner of the hous
Was melody delicious,
For to here precious,
O six menis sang.
Every fif and fif had a cokenay.
And so they sat in jolyté all the lang day;
And at the last they went to bed, with full gret deray.
Mekil mirth was them amang.
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Was melody delicious,
For to here precious,
O six menis sang.
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