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Beaumains and Lionesse
Contemporary Spelling
Squire
Lets us speak plain and not refrain
But make the matter clear
Why maidens do quick love eschew
Requiring all both great and small
Both commoner and peer
Before they might draw near
And set a quest, at their behest
Of hardship and of pain.
Though they fulfill their lovers' will
Maids still their love disdain.
Puella
I shall grant you that you speak true
In part, I do confess
But not in all, to your thought call
Beaumains and Lionesse.
He bore each trial, both fierce and vile,
While she did him assess.
When he did prove deserved of love,
God did their union bless.
Then come sweetheart let's play each part
And thus to truth attain
But wot that she is much like me
We would not love in vain.
Squire
So let it be and speak to me
Like haughty Lionesse
Who prized her birth of too high worth
And caused such great distress
Of heart unto her lover true
And sought not to redress
The offence done unto the one
Who served with eagerness
So play the part of that cold heart
That cruely did remain
So heartless to her lover true
And did his love disdain.
Puella
Then do you take for honor's sake
The part of good Beaumains
For I know you like that knight true
Suffer a lover's pains
He thought that love came from above
Like sudden storms and rains
But such love dries like dew and dies
And no drop long remains
Good Beaumains' love she'd not reprove
Indeed she was full fain
To grant his will but waited still
She would not love in vain.
Squire
Why is it love you stay above
And ågainst me bar your door
Your dreaded foe I have laid low
You need fear him no more
So be not strange but now exchange
A kiss in sweet ardor
I pledge to you I shall be true
And only you adore
So come my love let me above
No longer show restrain
I did stake all for your sake
Do not my love disdain.
Puella
You shan't ascend to me my friend
For you are far too low
I know your birth beneath my worth
Your station you must know
A kitchen page must not engage
With noble peers I trow
But keep his place for he is base
And therefore stands below.
You must be sure I'm grateful for
Your efforts and your pain
Though you are true I reject you
I would not love in vain.
Squire
I'm Arthur's knight and bear the right
Of that exalted band
And well I wot the buffet got
By bold Lancelot's hand
For toe to toe and blow for blow
'Gainst that knight I did stand
Till we did break for friendship's sake
And sheathed again the brand.
And so you see I am worthy
So much is very plain
Stainless my sword as is my word
Do not my love disdain.
Puella
I do commend your puissance friend
But force is not virtue
For well I wot bold Lancelot
Is not as large as you
With the device of your great size
True wonders you might do
But though mighty you're not for me
And so kind sir adieu
Though you're a knight possessed of might
Alas I say again
Tis not enough to win my love
I would not love in vain.
Squire
Though you despise my strength and size
For fear I am too crude
Inquire yet of fair Linette
She'll tell you of my good
How I bore all to heed you call
Although she spoke me rude
With vilest scorn both night and morn
I ever ready stood
To do her will and guard her still
With all my might and main
And brought her here to give you cheer
Do not my love disdain.
Puella
Though you brought here my sister dear
And bore her scolding tongue
Far worse would be the misery
With which I might be stung
If to a churl I gave the pearl
That in my heart is strung
To yield that jewel, to play the fool,
All for a warrior young.
For well know I that love may fly
Young love can bear no chain
But like a bee will flit and flee.
I would not love in vain.
Squire
I pledge to you that I am true
To only you alone
There is no sin my heart within
For which I must atone
Not e'en the child of Persant wild
Could bend my will of stone
Though she was fair and stripped quite bare
My virtue is your own
Temptation still can't break my will
Nor give you cause of pain
I'm loyal to no one but you
Do not my love disdain.
Puella
Your virtue bright shines out sir knight
But still I must abjure
For as I live if I should give
My heart to you I'm sure
My kith and kin would count it sin
Would our love deplore.
For they would scorn you as low born
Good knight we can't ignore
The weight and worth of noble birth
Therefore I must refrain
For though you prove deserved of love
I would not love in vain.
Squire
The truth I'll tell and wit you well
For a king's son am I
Arthur, brother to my mother,
Is king of Britons, aye,
And good Gawaine, who bears no stain,
My brother so deny
To me no more to ope' your door
For my birth is most high
I love but you and will be true
No longer love restrain
Come to me now and åchange a vow.
Do not my love disdain.
Ambo
Maids may demure and close their door
'Gainst lovers of no worth
For love is fair and true love rare
As anything on earth
A man must prove deserved of love
In virtue and in birth
Ere a maid part with her true heart
As verdant as a firth
In living glee but misery
And mockery and pain
Is hurled onto a maiden who
Alas, should love in vain.
Beaumains and Lionesse
Period Spellings (incomplete)
Squyer
Let us speake playne and not refrene
But make the matter clear
Why maidens do quicke loue eschue
And pryce thier harts most dere
Requyring all both great and small
Both communer and pier
To trewlie proue deserued of loue
Byforne they myght draw nere
And set a quest at thier byheste
Of hardship and of pane.
Thow they fulfil thier louers' will
Maids still thier loue disdayn.
Puella
I shall graunt yow that yow speake trewe
In part, I do confesse
But not in all, to your thought call
Beaumains and Lionesse.
He bore each tryayl, both ferce and vyle,
Whyle she did hym assess.
When he did proue deserued of loue,
God did thier louing blisse.
Then cumme swete herte let's play each parte
And thus the truth attayne
But wot that she is moche lyke me
We would not loue in vayne.
Squyre
So let it be and speake to me
Lyke hawty Lionesse
Who prysed her byrthe of to hy worth
And caused such great distresse
Of hart unto her louer trewe
And sought not to redress
The offence done unto the one
Who serued with eygrenesse
So play the part of that colde hart
That cruelly did remaine
So hartless to her louer trewe
And did his loue disdayn.
Puella
Then do yow taike for honor's sake
The parte of good Beaumains
For I know yow like that knight trewe
Suffer a louer's panes.
He thought that loue came from aboue
Lyke sodayn stormes and raynes
But schiche loue dryes lyke due and deyes
And no drop long remaines
Good Beaumains' loue she'd not reprove
In dede she was full fain
To graunt his will but waited still
She would not loue in vayne.
Squire
Why is it loue yow stay aboue
And ågainst me bar your dur
Your dreded foe I have layed lowe
You nede feare hym no more
So be not strange but now exchange
A kysse in swete ardor
I pledge to yow I schall be trewe
And onely yow adore
So cumme my loue let me aboue
No longer show restrayn
I did stake all for your sake
Do not my loue disdayn.
Notes on Poetic Form
The poem is based on The Nut-Brown Maid, which is an anonymous English poem from the early 16th century (circa 1503).(1) It is written in a modified ballad form with each stanza made up of three ballad stanzas in 8 and 6 with a few variances in scancion which are probably the result of translation into modern English. Each line of 8 is contains an interior rhyme unique to that line as illustrated below. The first and second ballad stanzas have the same rhyme on all 4 lines of 6. The poem is a dialog between a youth and a maid on the topic of loyalty and love. The final line of each character's stanzas end with the same or very similar lines. The poem ends with a summary stanza.
Illustration of Rhyme and Meter
He
XXXAXXXA
XXXXXB
XXXCXXXC
XXXXXB
XXXDXXXD
XXXXXB
XXXEXXXE
XXXXXB
XXXFXXXF
XXXXXG
XXXHXXXH
XXXXXG
She
XXXIXXXI
XXXXXJ
XXXKXXXK
XXXXXJ
XXXLXXXL
XXXXXJ
XXXMXXXM
XXXXXJ
XXXNXXXN
XXXXXO
XXXPXXXP
XXXXXO
1 The Oxford Book of Sixteenth Century Verse, ed. E.K. Chambers, Clarendon Press 1961, pp. 1 - 14.
Notes on the Theme of the Poem
I have based the poem on the story of Beaumains and Lionesse from the 8th book of Le Morte d'Arthur, which was written in the 1470's and published for the first time in 1485.(2) Though the work that inspired my poem was written outside the frame of the 16th century, it and other Arthurian legends were very popular during the 16th century and William Caxton the publisher printed many copies of Le Morte d'Arthur.(3) In William Caxton's introduction to Le Morte D'Arthur it is made clear that he published the book after relieving many requests, even from His Majesty, Edward IV.(4) For these reasons it is reasonable enough to believe that any educated Englishman during the early 16th century would be familiar with Sir Thomas Malory's book.
Notes on the Process of Composing Beaumains and Lionesse
I began the research into the story of Beaumains and Lionesse and the poetic structure of the Nut-Brown Maid on 10/22/02 and I began writing the poem on 10/26/02. By far the most time consuming and tedious part of this process was checking the words I used in the poem.
After composing each set of verses I checked the words I used against the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary. If there was an alternate spelling example for a word during the first half of the sixteenth century I substituted it for the modern spelling. I realize that there are many factors that influenced the spelling of English words during this period and what I have accomplished by substituting period spellings in this fashion is equivalent to assembling a garment of scraps and patches but it yields and interesting linguistic texture to the poem and makes me more aware of the sound of the piece.
2 Selections from Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur, ed. Douglas W. Swiggett, MacMillan Co. 1922. p. XV.
3 Ibid. p. XVII.
4 Ibid. p. XXVIII.
The Nut-Brown Maid can be found at: http://www.bartleby.com/101/25.html
Le Morte d'Arthur can be found at: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/
Anachronistic Word Uses
Words that are used in an anachronistic fashion are noted in boldface within the poem.
Spellings Altered by Logical Inference
Words that have had their spelling altered not because of historic example but because of logical inference based on similarity in phonic structure and grammatical category have been noted in italics.
Altered Spellings
I have made an attempt to use spellings that existed during the first half of the 16th century.
All of the alternative spellings are based on entries in the Online version of the Oxford English Dictionary and they are noted below.
c1530 LD. BERNERS Arthur Lyt. Bryt. 134 He was served rychely with many goodly squyers, who dyd nothing elles but..served hym alwayes.
1535 COVERDALE Isaiah lxvi. 19 The Iles..that haue not herde speake of me.
1514 BARCLAY Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.) p. lxvii, Think that none their playne errour note.
1533 BELLENDEN Livy II. xxv. (S.T.S.) I. 232 Nowthir schame nor fere of are Inemyis mycht refrene ame.
a1548 HALL Chron., Hen. VI 169 And therfore willed her in so quicke a mischief, to provide a hasty remedy.
1535 COVERDALE 2 Sam. i. 26 Thy loue hath bene more speciall vnto me, then the loue of wemen.
1526 TINDALE 2 Cor. viii. 20 Thus we eschue thatt eny man shulde rebuke us in this aboundance.
1561 tr. Calvin's Foure Godlye Serm. iii. Giijb, It is..suche a special prerogatyue as can not for ye great dignitie therof sufficiently be pryced to remaine and lyue in the churche.
1522 Rutland Papers (Camden) 84 To putt all thier stuf of householde in euery office.
1558 KNOX First Blast (Arb.) 36 A principle..depelie printed in the hart of man.
1470-85 MALORY Arthur I. xvii, There may no rychesse be to dere for them. 1596 SHAKES. Merch. V. I. i. 62 Your worth is very deere in my regard.
a1533 LD. BERNERS Huon lix. 205 Syrs, I requyre you arme you quyckely.
1534 LD. BERNERS Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Hvijb, He dyned at a knyghtes bridale, and woulde not eate at the bridale of a communer.
1559 Mirr. Mag., Rich. II 5 The Piers and Lordes that did his cause uphold.
1563 WINET Four Scoir Thre Quest. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 121 The haill Kirk of God, professing trewlie Christ Iesus.
1552 HULOET, Deserued, meritus.
1513 BRADSHAW St. Werburge (1848) 38 As our mother sayd to the byforne.
1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 5b, For the lawe myght not delyuer them.
1523 CROMWELL in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 35 By the mowthe of hys most nere and cheffest Counsaylour.
1528 MORE Heresyes I. Wks. 157/2 That thei should kepe his byhestes.
c1560 A. SCOTT Poems (S.T.S.) xxviii. 1 To luve vnluvit it is ane pane.
a1529 SKELTON Agst. Garnesche 124 Thow a Sarsens hed ye bere.
1529 MORE Comf. agst. Trib. I. Wks. 1151/2 Theyr owne conscience..may fulfil their heartes wyth spiritual ioy.
1509 HAWES Past. Pleas. XVI. lvii, I fere to sore I shal disdayned be.
1512 J. WASTELL in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 609 The said John Wastell graunteth to gyff...xx. markes.
1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 15 To him I yow commit baith small and greit.
a1529 SKELTON Dk. Albany 4 These tidinges newe Whiche be as trewe As the gospell.
1526 TINDALE John i. 20 And he confessed and denyed not, and sayde playnly: I am not Christ.
1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 108 The tryall of our fayth, & examinacyon or proue of our hope.
1570 B. GOOGE Pop. Kingd. 10 With countenaunce ferce and grim.
1560 J. DAUS tr. Sleidane's Comm. 83 Many thousandes of men..lead away in so miserable & vyle captivitie.
1529 MORE Dyaloge I. xv. 20/1, I shall loue her ye worse whyle I lyue.
1509 BARCLAY Shyp of Folys. (1874) I. 56 Wel is hym that wyth pacience can indure.
1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Confirm., Then shal the Busshop blisse the children, thus saying.
1528 in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. App. xxiv. 64, He was very sory, that he could not cumme soner..and now cummen he wold not faile to do the best he could.
1509 HAWES Past. Pleas. xvi. (Percy Soc.) 65 Alas! fayre lady, and myne owne swete herte.
1571 DIGGES Pantom. II. xxiv. Piij, To attayne the quantitie of this longer portion, ye shall thus worke.
1509 BARCLAY Shyp of Folys (1874) I. 76 Of other folys yet is a moche nomber.
1514 BARCLAY Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.) 28 What is more folysshe, or lyker to madnesse, Than to spend the lyfe for glory, & rychesse?
1535 COVERDALE Job ii. 3 Yet is it in vayne, for he contynueth still in his godlynesse.
1530 PALSGR. 315/1 Hawty as one that is proude, haultain.
1538 in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 209 The prysed memoryes and perpetuall renowned factes of the famouse princes of Israel.
1527 Ibid. II. xi. 69 Jacob..had boughte the firste byrthes and slyly geten his faders blessynge.
1535 COVERDALE Num. xvi. 3 Ye make to moch a doo.
c1500 Three Kings' Sons 81 Wise ynough to conduyte an hy matier.
1481 CAXTON Myrr. II. xxii. 114 The ayer that is shette fast within, the whiche is enclosed in grete distresse.
1590 SPENSER F.Q. I. i. 32 In wastfull wildernesse..by whichno living wight May euer pass, but thorough great distresse.
1535 COVERDALE Tit. iii. 3 For we oure selues also were..seruynge lustes
1558 WARDE tr. Alexis' Secr. (1568) 106a, Sugre for to moderate the eygrenesse of the Alome.
1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 140 In the colde wynter and foule wether.
1535 COVERDALE Ps. lvi. 4, I lye with my soule amonge the cruell lyons.
1535 COVERDALE Josh. x. 40 Thus Iosua smote all the londe.., with all their kynges, and let not one remaine ouer.
1538 KATH. BULKELEY in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 230 He..will not taike my answere.
1495 in Sharp Cov. Myst. (1825) 36 Payd for copyyng of the ij knyghts partes, & demons.
1584 Ibid. 38 To Jhon Copestake, for playenge of Esron his parte xxd.
1514 BARCLAY Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.) 28 What is more folysshe, or lyker to madnesse,
1514 BARCLAY Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.) 8 Tempest & sodayne storme of rayne.
1512-13 Trevelyan Papers III. (Camden) 9 Schiche mo[r]tuaries as ys due.
1551 CROWLEY Pleas. & Pain 482 Christe doeth drye all teares from the oppressedis eye.
1508 FISHER Wks. (1876) 176 Make them moyst with the due of thy grace.
a1500 Nutbrown Maid xxiv. in Arnolde's Chron. (1811) 202, I [shal] dey sone after ye be gone.
1535 COVERDALE Josh. x. 40 Thus Iosua smote all the londe.., with all their kynges, and let not one remaine ouer.
1526 TINDALE Luke xxiv. 34 The lorde is risen in dede and hath apered to Simon.
1523 LD. BERNERS Froiss. I. ccxliii. 363 He graunted to the warr with an yuell wyll.
1546 J. HEYWOOD Prov. (1867) 16 Ye beg at a wrong mans dur [rime stur].
1508 FISHER 7 Penit. Ps. Wks. (1876) 28 The drede of god putteth awaye synne.
1535 COVERDALE Lev. i. 8 Ye peces..shal they laye vpon the wodd.
a1548 HALL Chron., Edw. IV 233b, The towne standeth lowe, and the Ryver passeth thorough.
1545 R. ASCHAM Toxophilus II. (Arb.) 139 Stoppynge of heades..wyth leade..shall not nede now.
1548 HALL Chron. 166 Women in Fraunce to feare their yong children, would crye, the Talbot commeth.
1509 BARCLAY Shyp of Folys. (1874) I. 56 Wel is hym that wyth pacience can indure.
1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 278b, Kysse me lorde, with the kysse of thy mouth.
1525 SAMPSON in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. I. I. 261 A synnar..nevyr..schall..deserve such a singulier goodnesse.
?a1500 Chester Pl. ii. 129 Hit is not good man onely to be.
1523 SIR W. BULMER in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. I. I. 328 He com to me when the water was hyg.
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