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His deeds the son had heard; and when a boy.
Listening delighted to the old man's tale,
His little hand would lift the weighty spear
In warlike pastime: he had left behind
An infant offspring, and did fondly deem
He too in age the exploits of his youth

Should tell, and in the Stripling's bosom rouss
The fire of glory.

Conrade the next foe

Smote where the heaving membrane separates
The chambers of the trunk. The dying man,
In his Lord's castle dwelt, for many a year,
A well-beloved servant: he could sing

Carols for Shrove-tide, or for Candlemas,

*

Songs for the Wassel, and when the Boar's head,

*Two carols for this occasion are preserved in Mr. Ritson's valuable collection of Ancient Songs. The first of these, here alluded to, is as follows:

Caput apri defero

Reddens laudes domino.

Crown'd with gay garlands, and with Rosemary, Smoaked on the Christmas board: he went to war

Following the Lord he loved, and saw him fall

Beneath the arm of Conrade, and expir'd,

Slain on his Master's body.

Nor the fight

Was doubtful long. Fierce on the invading host Press the French troops impetuous, as of old, When, pouring o'er his legion slaves on Greece, The Eastern Despot bridged the Hellespont,

The bore's heed in hand bring I
With garlands gay and rosemary,
I pray you all synge merely

Qui estis in convivio.

The bore's heed I understande

Is the chefe servyce in this lande,
Loke where ever it be fande

Servite cum cantico.

Be gladde lordes bothe more and lasse
For this hath ordeyned our stewarde,
To chere you all this christmasse
The bore's heed with mustarde.

The rushing sea against the mighty pile
Roll'd its full weight of waters; far away
The fearful Satrap mark'd on Asia's coasts
The floating fragments, and with ominous fear
Trembled for the Great King.

Still Talbot strove,

His foot firm planted, his uplifted shield
Fencing that breast that never yet had known
The throb of fear. But when the warrior's eye,
Quick glancing round the fight, beheld the foe
Pressing to conquest, and his heartless troops
Striking with feebler force in backward step,
Then o'er his cheek he felt the patriot flush
Of shame, and loud he lifted up his voice,
And cried, "fly cravens! leave your aged chief
"Here in the front to perish! his old limbs
"Are not like yours so supple * in the flight."

* Τες δε παλαιότερες, ων εκετι γενατ' ελαφρά, Μη καταλειποντες φεύγετε τις γεραίες.

"Go tell your countrymen how ye escaped

"When Talbot fell !"

In vain the warrior spake,

In the uproar of the fight his voice was lost;
And they, the nearest, who had heard, beheld
The martial Maid approach, and every thought
Was overwhelm'd in terror. But the son

Of Talbot marked her thus across the plain
Careering fierce in conquest, and the hope
Of glory rose within him. Her to meet
He spurr'd his horse, by one decisive deed

Or to retrieve the battle, or to fall

With honour. Each beneath the others blow

Bowed down; their lances shivered with the shock:

Αισχρον γαρ δη τετο μετα προμάχοισι πεσοντα
Κεισθαι προσθε νεων ανδρα παλαρότερον,

Ηδη λευκον εχοντα καρη, πολιον τε γενείον,
Θυμον αποπνείοντ' αλκιμον εν κονίη.

ΤΥΡΤΑΙΟΣ.

To earth their coursers fell: at once they rose,
He from the saddle * bow his falchion caught
Rushing to closer combat, and she bared

The lightning † of her sword. In vain the youth

* In the combat between Francus and Phouere, Ronsard says de la main leurs coutelas trouverent

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Bien aiguisez qui de l'arçon pendoyent.

On this passage the commentator observes, "l'autheur arme ces deux chevaliers à la mode de nos gendarmes François, la lance en la main, la coutelace ou la mace à l' arçon, et l'espée au costé.

Thus Desmarests says of the troops of Clovis

A tous pend de l'arçon, à leur mode guerrierre,
Et la hache tranchante, et la masee meurtriere.

And when Clovis on foot and without a weapon hears the shrieks of a woman, he sees his horse

Jette l'œil sur l'arcon, et void luire sa hache.

Lope de Vega speaks of the sword being carried in the same manner, when he describes Don Juan de Aguila as

desatando del arçon la espada.

Desnudo el rayo de la ardiente espada.

Jerusalen Conquistada.

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