Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, POEM: 10, by LAURENCE MINOT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

POEM: 10, by                    
First Line: I wald noght spare for to speke, wist I to spede
Last Line: For when þe stode in powre strenkith -- þe war all to stout.
Subject(s): Courts & Courtiers; Sailing & Sailors; Spain; War


I WALD noght spare for to sþeke, -- wist I to sþede,
Of wight men with wapin -- and worthly in wede,
þat now er driuen to dale -- and ded all þaire dede,
þai sail in þe see-gronde -- fissches to fede;
Fele fissches þai fede -- for all þaire grete fare,
It was in þe waniand -- þat þai come pare.

þai sailed furth in þe Swin -- in a somers tyde,
With tromþes and taburns -- and mekill oþer pride;
þe word of po weremen -- walked full wide;
þe gudes þat þai robbed -- in holl gan þai it hide,
In holl þan þai hided -- grete welthes, als I wene,
Of gold and of siluer -- of skarlet and grene.

When þai sailed westward, -- po wight men in were,
þaire hurdis, þaire ankers -- hanged þai on here;
Wight men of þe west -- neghed pam nerr.
And gert pam snaþer in þe snare, -- might þai no ferr,
ffer might þai noght flit -- bot pare most þai fine,
And þat þai bifore reued -- þan most þai tyne.

Boy with pi blac berd, -- I rede þat pou blin,
And sone set þe to schriue -- with sorow of pi syn;
If pou were on Ingland -- noght saltou win,
Cum pou more on þat coste -- pi bale sall bigin:
pare kindels pi care -- kene men sall þe keþe,
And do þe dye on a day -- and domp in þe deþe.

þe broght out of Bretayne -- powre custom with care,
þe met with þe marchandes -- and made pam ful bare;
It es gude reson and right -- þat þe euill misfare,
When þe wald in Ingland -- lere of a new lare,
New lare sall þe lere, -- sir Edward to lout:
For when þe stode in powre strenkith -- þe war all to stout.





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