45 sword this day." So when he came to the churchyard, Sir Arthur alighted and tied his horse to the stile, and so he went to the tent, and found no knights there, for they were at the jousting. And so he handled the sword by the handles, and lightly and fiercely pulled it out of the stone, and took 50 his horse and rode his way until he came to his brother Sir Kay, and delivered him the sword. And as soon as Sir Kay saw the sword, he wist well it was the sword of the stone, and so he rode to his father Sir Ector, and said: "Sir, lo here is the sword of the stone, wherefore I must be 55 king of this land." When Sir Ector beheld the sword, he returned again and came to the church, and there they alighted all three, and went into the church. And anon he made Sir Kay swear upon a book how he came to that sword. 'Sir," said Sir Kay, "by my brother Arthur, for he 60 brought it to me." "How gat ye this sword?" said Sir Ector to Arthur. "Sir, I will tell you. When I came home for my brother's sword, I found nobody at home to deliver me his sword; and so I thought my brother Sir Kay should not be swordless, 65 and so I came hither eagerly and pulled it out of the stone without any pain." "Found ye any knights about this sword?" said Sir Ector. "Nay," said Arthur. "Now," said Sir Ector to Arthur, "I understand ye must 70 be king of this land." "Wherefore I," said Arthur, "and for what cause?" "Sir," said Ector, "for God will have it so; for there should never man have drawn out this sword, but he that shall be right-wise king of this land. Now let me see whether 75 ye can put the sword there as it was, and pull it out again.” "That is no mastery," said Arthur, and so he put it in the stone; wherewithal Sir Ector assayed to pull out the sword and failed. "Now assay," said Sir Ector unto Sir Kay. And anon he pulled at the sword with all his might; but it would not be. 80 "Now shall ye essay," said Sir Ector to Arthur. "I will well," said Arthur, and pulled it out easily. And therewithal Sir Ector knelt down to the earth, and Sir Kay. And so anon was the coronation made. And there was he sworn unto his lords and the commons for to be a true king, 85 to stand with true justice from thenceforth the days of this life. SIR THOMAS WYATT How the Lover Perisheth in his Delight, as the Fly in the Fire Some fowls there be that have so perfect sight And some, because the light doth them offend, HENRY HOWARD, EARL OF SURREY Description of Spring The soote season, that bud and bloom forth brings, 5 10 Summer is come, for every spray now springs; The Death of Priam (From translation of the Aeneid, Book II) Amid the court, under the heaven, all bare, Which with his shadow did embrace the gods. His armour, like as though he had been young: "What furious thought my wretched spouse," quod she, Such succour, ne yet such defenders now : Come hither; this altar shall save us all : Or we shall die together." Thus she said. But lo! Polites, one of Priam's sons, And the void courts; whom Pyrrhus all in rage And now in hand, well near strikes with his spear, corpse Which repuls'd from the brass where it gave dint, Without sound, hung vainly in the shield's boss. Quod Pyrrhus: "Then thou shalt this thing report: 50 On message to Pelide my father go; Shew unto him my cruel deed, and how Neoptolem is swerved out of kind. Now thou shalt die," quod he. And with that word At the altar him trembling 'gan he draw 55 Wallowing through the bloodshed of his son : And his left hand all clasped in his hair, WILLIAM TYNDALE The Beatitudes 1. When he sawe the people, he went up into a mountayne; and when he was set, his diciples cam unto hym. 2. And he openned his mought, and taught them, saynge, 3. Blessed are the poore in sprete, for theirs is the kyng5 dome off heven. 10 4. Blessed are they that morne, for they shalbe comforted. 5. Blessed are the meke, for they shall inheret the erth. 6. Blessed are they which honger and thurst for rightewesnes, for they shalbe filled. 7. Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obteyne mercy. 8. Blessed are the pure in herte, for they shall se God. 9. Blessed are the maynteyners of peace, for they shalbe called the chyldren of God. 10. Blessed are they which suffre persecucion for right15 ewesnes sake, for theirs ys the kyngdome off heven. 11. Blessed are ye, when men shall revyle you, and persecute you, and shall falsly say all manner of yvell saynges agaynst you ffor my sake. 12. Reioyce, and be glad, for greate is youre rewarde in 20 heven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before youre dayes. JOHN LYLY Queen Elizabeth (From Euphues and His England) This queen being deceased, Elizabeth, being of the age of twenty-two years, of more beauty than honor, and yet of more honor than any earthly creature, was called from a prisoner to be a prince, from the castle to the crown, from the 5 fear of losing her head, to be supreme head. |