| |
| A GOLDEN gillyflower to-day | |
| I wore upon my helm alway, | |
| And won the prize of this tourney. | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| However well Sir Giles might sit, | 5 |
| His sun was weak to wither it, | |
| Lord Miles’s blood was dew on it: | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| Although my spear in splinters flew | |
| From John’s steel-coat, my eye was true; | 10 |
| I wheeled about, and cried for you, | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| Yea, do not doubt my heart was good, | |
| Though my sword flew like rotten wood, | |
| To shout, although I scarcely stood, | 15 |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| My hand was steady, too, to take | |
| My axe from round my neck, and break | |
| John’s steel-coat up for my love’s sake. | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | 20 |
| |
| When I stood in my tent again, | |
| Arming afresh, I felt a pain | |
| Take hold of me, I was so fain— | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| To Lear: “Honneur aux fils des preux!” | 25 |
| Right in my ears again, and shew | |
| The gillyflower blossomed new. | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| The Sieur Guillaume against me came, | |
| His tabard bore three points of flame | 30 |
| From a red heart: with little blame— | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| Our tough spears crackled up like straw; | |
| He was the first to turn and draw | |
| His sword, that had no speck nor flaw,— | 35 |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| But I felt weaker than a maid, | |
| And my brain, dizzied and afraid, | |
| Within my helm a fierce tune play’d,— | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | 40 |
| |
| Until I thought of your dear head, | |
| Bowed to the gillyflower bed, | |
| The yellow flowers stained with red;— | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| Crash! how the swords met, “giroflée!” | 45 |
| The fierce tune in my helm would play, | |
| “La belle! la belle jaune giroflée!” | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| Once more the great swords met again, | |
| “La belle! la belle!” but who fell then? | 50 |
| Le Sieur Guillaume, who struck down ten;— | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| And as, with mazed and unarmed face, | |
| Toward my own crown and the Queen’s place | |
| They led me at a gentle pace,— | 55 |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | |
| |
| I almost saw your quiet head | |
| Bowed o’er the gillyflower bed, | |
| The yellow flowers stained with red,— | |
| Hah! hah! la belle jaune giroflée. | 60 |
| |
