Analysis of The Tournament. An Interlude

Thomas Chatterton 1752 (Bristol) – 1770 (Holborn)



HERAWDE
THE Tournament begynnes; the hammerrs sounde;
The courserrs lysse about the mensuredd fielde;
The shemrynge armoure throws the sheene arounde;
Quayntyssed fons depictedd onn eche sheelde.
The feerie heaulmets, wythe the wreathes amielde ,
Supportes the rampynge lyoncell orr bear;
Wythe straunge depyctures , Nature maie nott yeelde,
Unseemelie to all orderr doe appere,
Yett yatte
Makes knowen thatt the phantasies unryghte.
of her joies,
Muste swythen goe to yeve the speeres around;
Wythe advantayle & borne I meynte emploie,
Who withoute mee woulde fall untoe the grounde.
Soe the tall oake the ivie twysteth rounde;
Soe the neshe flowerr grees ynne the woodeland shade.
The woride bie diffraunce ys ynne orderr founde;
Wydhoute unlikenesse nothynge could bee made.
As ynn the bowke nete alleyn cann bee donne,
Syke ynn the weal of kynde all thynges are partes of onne.

Herawde , bie heavenne these tylterrs staie too long.
Mie phantasie ys dyinge forr the fyghte.
The mynstrelles have begonne the thyrde warr songe,
Yett notte a speere of hemm hath grete mie syghte.
I feere there be ne manne wordhie mie myghte.
I lacke a Guid , a Wyllyamm to entylte.
To reine anente a fele embodiedd knyghte,
Ytt getts ne rennome gyff hys blodde bee spylte.
Bie heavenne & Marie ytt ys tyme they're here;
I lyche nott unthylle thus to wielde the speare.
HERAWDE
Methynckes I heare yer slugghornes dynn fromm farre.
BOURTONNE
Ah! swythenn mie shielde & tyltynge launce bee bounde .
Eftsoones beheste mie Squyerr to the warre.

HERAWDE
Thie valourous actes woulde meinte of menne astounde;
Harde bee yer shappe encontrynge thee ynn fyghte;
Anenst all menne thou berest to the grounde,
Lyche the hard hayle dothe the tall roshes pyghte .
As whanne the mornynge sonne ydronks the dew,
Syche dothe thie valourous actes drocke eche knyghte's hue.
THE LYSTES. THE KYNGE. SYRR SYMONNE DE BOURTONNE, SYRR HUGO FERRARIS, SYRR RANULPH NEVILLE, SYRR LODOVICK DE CLYNTON, SYRR JOHAN DE BERGHAMME, AND ODHERR KNYGHTES, HERAWDES, MYNSTRELLES, AND SERVYTOURS .
KYNGE
The barganette ; yee mynstrelles tune the strynge,
Somme actyonn dyre of auntyante kynges now synge.
MYNSTRELLES.
Wyllyamm, the Normannes floure botte Englondes thorne,
The manne whole myghte delievretie
oppe hys long strunge bowe and sheelide aborne
Behesteynge all hys hommageres to fyghte.
Goe, rouze the lyonn fromm hys hylted denne,
Lett thie floes drenche the blodde of anie thynge bott menne.
Ynn the treed forreste doe the knyghtes appere;
Wyllyamm wythe myghte hys bowe enyronn'd plies
Loude dynns the arrowe yn the wolfynn's eare;
Hee ryseth, battent roares, he panctes, hee dyes.
Forslagenn att thie feete lett wolvynns bee,
Lett thie floes drenche theyre blodde, bott do ne bredrenn slea.
Throwe the merke shade of twistynde trees hee rydes;
The flemed owlett flapps herr eve-speckte wynge;
The lordynge toade ynn all hys passes bides;
The berten neders att hymm darte the stynge;
Styll, slylle, hee passes onn, hys stede astrodde,
Nee hedes the daungerous waie gyff leadynge untoe bloodde.
The lyoncel, fromme sweltrie countries braughte,
Coucheynge binethe the sheltre of the brierr,
Att commyng dynn doth rayse hymselfe distraughte ,
He loketh wythe an eie of flames of fyre.
Goe, sticke the lyonn to hys hyltren denne,
Lette thie floes drenche the blood of anie thynge botte menn.
Wythe passent steppe the lyonn mov'th alonge;
Wyllyamm hys ironne-woven bowe hee bendes,
Wythe myghte alyche the roghlynge thonderr stronge;
The lyonn ynn a roare hys spryte foorthe sendes.
Goe, slea the lyonn yan hys blodde-steyn'd denne,
Botte bee thie takelle drie fromm blodde of odherr menne.
Swefte fromm the thyckett starks the stagge awaie;
The couraciers as swefte doe afterr flie.
Hee lepethe hie, hee stondes, hee kepes att baie,
Botte metes the arrowe, and eftsoones doth die.
Forslagen atte thie fote lette wylde beastes bee,
Lett thie floes drenche yer blodde, yett do ne bredrenn slee.
Wythe murtherr tyredd, hee sleynges hys bowe alyne
The stagge ys ouch'd wythe crownes of lillie flowerrs
Arounde theire heaulmes theie greene verte doe entwyne;
Joying and rev'lous ynn the grene wode bowerrs.
Forslagenn wyth thie floe lette wylde beastes bee,
Feeste thee upponne theire fleshe, doe ne thie bredrenn slee.
KYNGE.
Nowe to the Tourneie ; who wylle fyrtse affraie ?
HERAULDE.
Nevylle, a baronne, bee yatte honnoure thyne.
BOURTONNE.
I clayme the passage.
NEVYLLE.
I contake thie waie.
BOURTONNE.
Thenn there's mie gauntlet


Scheme Aaaaaababaacadaaaaaee xafaaaaaggAbEab AaaaaaxcFffcxaeahhbcbcidcfcfaaababhhfcfchhjdiaidececidFbaeEfdjEa
Poetic Form
Metre 1 01001011 01101011 0111011 111111 0111011 101111 11110111 111111 11 111011 101 111110101 111111 11111101 101101011 101111011 01111111 111111 110111111 110111111111 11111111 1111101 01110111 1101111111 111111111 11010111 1110111 111111111 110111111 111111101 1 11111111 1 11111111 1111101 1 11111111 11111111 11111101 101110111 11011101 111111111 0101111111001011101111101110111101 1 0111101 11111111 1 1011111 01111 11111011 111111 11011111 11110111111 10111011 1111111 11011011 11111111 1111111 11111111111 101111111 01111111 011111101 01111101 111101111 110111111 0111101 1101101 1111111 111111111 11011111 11110111111 11101110 11110111 1110111 011011111 110111111 1111111111 11011011 0111111 1111111110 11010111 11111111 11111111111 11111111 0111111101 11111111 100110111 11111111 1111111111 1 11011111 1 1011111 1 11010 1 1111 1 11110
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 4,394
Words 718
Sentences 48
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 21, 15, 64
Lines Amount 100
Letters per line (avg) 36
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 1,204
Words per stanza (avg) 243
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

3:38 min read
70

Thomas Chatterton

Thomas Chatterton was an English poet and forger of pseudo-medieval poetry. He committed suicide, dying of arsenic poisoning. His works and death were much discussed posthumously and had an influence on the Romantic movement. more…

All Thomas Chatterton poems | Thomas Chatterton Books

0 fans

Discuss this Thomas Chatterton poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Tournament. An Interlude" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/36240/the-tournament.-an-interlude>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    0
    days
    17
    hours
    4
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    A Persian poet writing in the 14th century who had a strong impact and influence on Goethe
    A Sa'adi
    B Ferdowsi
    C Rumi
    D Hafez