the ballad of the white horse - gilbert chesterton

8/10/2019 The ballad of the white horse - Gilbert Chesterton

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THE BALLAD OF THE WHITE HORSE

By G.K. Chesterton



Prefatory Note

This ballad needs no historical notes, for the simple reason that it does not profess to behistorical. All of it that is not frankly fictitious, as in any prose romance about the past,is meant to emphasize tradition rather than history. King Alfred is not a legend in thesense that King Arthur may be a legend; that is, in the sense that he may possibly be alie. But King Alfred is a legend in this broader and more human sense, that the legendsare the most important things about him.

The cult of Alfred was a popular cult, from the darkness of the ninth century to thedeepening twilight of the twentieth. It is wholly as a popular legend that I deal with himhere. I write as one ignorant of e erything, e!cept that I ha e found the legend of a Kingof "esse! still ali e in the land. I will gi e three curt cases of what I mean. A traditionconnects the ultimate ictory of Alfred with the alley in Berkshire called the #ale of the "hite $orse. I ha e seen doubts of the tradition, which may be alid doubts. I do

not know when or where the story started; it is enough that it started somewhere andended with me; for I only seek to write upon a hearsay, as the old balladists did. %or thesecond case, there is a popular tale that Alfred played the harp and sang in the &anishcamp; I select it because it is a popular tale, at whate er time it arose. %or the third case,there is a popular tale that Alfred came in contact with a woman and cakes; I select it

because it is a popular tale, because it is a ulgar one. It has been disputed by gra ehistorians, who were, I think, a little too gra e to be good 'udges of it. The two chief charges against the story are that it was first recorded long after Alfred(s death, and that)as *r. +man urges Alfred ne er really wandered all alone without any thanes or soldiers. Both these ob'ections might possibly be met. It has taken us nearly as long tolearn the whole truth about Byron, and perhaps longer to learn the whole truth about

-epys, than elapsed between Alfred and the first writing of such tales. And as for theother ob'ection, do the historians really think that Alfred after "ilton, or apoleon after /eipsic, ne er walked about in a wood by himself for the matter of an hour or two0 Tenminutes might be made sufficient for the essence of the story. But I am not concerned to

pro e the truth of these popular traditions. It is enough for me to maintain two things1that they are popular traditions; and that without these popular traditions we should ha e

bothered about Alfred about as much as we bother about 2adwig.

+ne other consideration needs a note. Alfred has come down to us in the best way )thatis, by national legends solely for the same reason as Arthur and 3oland and the other giants of that darkness, because he fought for the 4hristian ci ilization against theheathen nihilism. But since this work was really done by generation after generation, bythe 3omans before they withdrew, and by the Britons while they remained, I ha esummarised this first crusade in a triple symbol, and gi en to a fictitious 3oman, 4elt,and 5a!on, a part in the glory of 2thandune. I fancy that in fact Alfred(s "esse! was of ery mi!ed bloods; but in any case, it is the chief alue of legend to mi! up the

centuries while preser ing the sentiment; to see all ages in a sort of splendidforeshortening. That is the use of tradition1 it telescopes history.

6.K.4.



Contents

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DEDICATIONOf great limbs gone to chaos,

A great face turned to night— Why bend above a shapeless shroud

Seeking in such archaic cloud Sight of strong lords and light?

Where seven sunken Englands Lie buried one by one, Why should one idle spade, !onder, Shake up the dust of thanes like thunder "o smoke and choke the sun?

n cloud of clay so cast to heaven What shape shall man discern? "hese lords may light the mystery Of mastery or victory,

And these ride high in history, #ut these shall not return$

%ored on the &orman gonfalon "he %olden 'ragon died( We shall not !ake !ith ballad strings "he good time of the smaller things, We shall not see the holy kings )ide do!n by Severn side$

Stiff, strange, and *uaintly coloured As the broidery of #ayeu+ "he England of that da!n remains, And this of Alfred and the 'anes Seems like the tales a !hole tribe feigns "oo English to be true$

Of a good king on an island "hat ruled once on a time And as he !alked by an apple tree "here came green devils out of the sea With sea-plants trailing heavily And tracks of opal slime$

.et Alfred is no fairy tale /is days as our days ran, /e also looked forth for an hour On peopled plains and skies that lo!er, 0rom those fe! !indo!s in the to!er "hat is the head of a man$

#ut !ho shall look from Alfred1s hood Or breathe his breath alive? /is century like a small dark cloud 'rifts far it is an eyeless cro!d, Where the tortured trumpets scream aloud And the dense arro!s drive$

Lady, by one light only We look from Alfred1s eyes, We kno! he sa! ath!art the !reck "he sign that hangs about your neck,



Where One more than 2elchi3edek s dead and never dies$

"herefore bring these rhymes to you Who brought the cross to me, Since on you flaming !ithout fla!

sa! the sign that %uthrum sa! When he let break his ships of a!e, And laid peace on the sea$

'o you remember !hen !e !ent 4nder a dragon moon, And 1mid volcanic tints of night Walked !here they fought the unkno!n fight And sa! black trees on the battle-height, #lack thorn on Ethandune?

And thought, 5 !ill go !ith you, As man !ith %od has gone, And !ander !ith a !andering star, "he !andering heart of things that are, "he fiery cross of love and !ar "hat like yourself, goes on$5

O go you on!ard !here you are Shall honour and laughter be, 6ast purpled forest and pearled foam, %od1s !inged pavilion free to roam, .our face, that is a !andering home, A flying home for me$

)ide through the silent earth*uake lands, Wide as a !aste is !ide, Across these days like deserts, !hen 6ride and a little scratching pen /ave dried and split the hearts of men, /eart of the heroes, ride$

4p through an empty house of stars, #eing !hat heart you are, 4p the inhuman steeps of space As on a staircase go in grace, 7arrying the firelight on your face #eyond the loneliest star$

"ake these in memory of the hour We strayed a space from home And sa! the smoke-hued hamlets, *uaint With Westland king and Westland saint, And !atched the !estern glory faint Along the road to 0rome$



BOOK I. THE VISION OF THE KING#efore the gods that made the gods

/ad seen their sunrise pass, "he White /orse of the White /orse 8ale

Was cut out of the grass$

#efore the gods that made the gods /ad drunk at da!n their fill, "he White /orse of the White /orse 8ale Was hoary on the hill$

Age beyond age on #ritish land, Aeons on aeons gone, Was peace and !ar in !estern hills, And the White /orse looked on$

0or the White /orse kne! England

When there !as none to kno! /e sa! the first oar break or bend, /e sa! heaven fall and the !orld end, O %od, ho! long ago$

0or the end of the !orld !as long ago, And all !e d!ell to-day As children of some second birth, Like a strange people left on earth After a 9udgment day$

0or the end of the !orld !as long ago, When the ends of the !orld !a+ed free, When )ome !as sunk in a !aste of slaves, And the sun dro!ned in the sea$

When 7aesar1s sun fell out of the sky And !hoso hearkened right 7ould only hear the plunging Of the nations in the night$

When the ends of the earth came marching in "o torch and cresset gleam$ And the roads of the !orld that lead to )ome Were filled !ith faces that moved like foam, Like faces in a dream$

And men rode out of the eastern lands, #road river and burning plain "rees that are "itan flo!ers to see, And tiger skies, striped horribly, With tints of tropic rain$

Where nd1s enamelled peaks arise Around that inmost one, Where ancient eagles on its brink, 8ast as archangels, gather and drink "he sacrament of the sun$

And men brake out of the northern lands, Enormous lands alone, Where a spell is laid upon life and lust



And the rain is changed to a silver dust And the sea to a great green stone$

And a Shape that moveth murkily n mirrors of ice and night, /ath blanched !ith fear all beasts and birds,

As death and a shock of evil !ords #last a man1s hair !ith !hite$

And the cry of the palms and the purple moons, Or the cry of the frost and foam, S!ept ever around an inmost place, And the din of distant race on race 7ried and replied round )ome$

And there !as death on the Emperor And night upon the 6ope( And Alfred, hiding in deep grass, /ardened his heart !ith hope$

A sea-folk blinder than the sea #roke all about his land, #ut Alfred up against them bare And gripped the ground and grasped the air, Staggered, and strove to stand$

/e bent them back !ith spear and spade, With desperate dyke and !all, With foemen leaning on his shield And roaring on him !hen he reeled And no help came at all$

/e broke them !ith a broken s!ord A little to!ards the sea, And for one hour of panting peace, )inged !ith a roar that !ould not cease, With golden cro!n and girded fleece 2ade la!s under a tree$ "he &orthmen came about our land A 7hristless chivalry( Who kne! not of the arch or pen, %reat, beautiful half-!itted men 0rom the sunrise and the sea$

2isshapen ships stood on the deep 0ull of strange gold and fire, And hairy men, as huge as sin With horned heads, came !ading in "hrough the long, lo! sea-mire$

Our to!ns !ere shaken of tall kings With scarlet beards like blood( "he !orld turned empty !here they trod, "hey took the kindly cross of %od And cut it up for !ood$

"heir souls !ere drifting as the sea, And all good to!ns and lands "hey only sa! !ith heavy eyes, And broke !ith heavy hands,



"heir gods !ere sadder than the sea, %ods of a !andering !ill, Who cried for blood like beasts at night, Sadly, from hill to hill$

"hey seemed as trees !alking the earth,

As !itless and as tall, .et they took hold upon the heavens And no help came at all$

"hey bred like birds in English !oods, "hey rooted like the rose, When Alfred came to Athelney "o hide him from their bo!s

"here !as not English armour left, &or any English thing, When Alfred came to Athelney "o be an English king$

0or earth*uake s!allo!ing earth*uake 4prent the Wesse+ tree "he !hirlpool of the pagan s!ay /ad s!irled his sires as sticks a!ay When a flood smites the sea$

And the great kings of Wesse+ Wearied and sank in gore, And even their ghosts in that great stress %re! greyer and greyer, less and less, With the lords that died in Lyonesse And the king that comes no more$

And the %od of the %olden 'ragon Was dumb upon his throne, And the lord of the %olden 'ragon )an in the !oods alone$

And if ever he climbed the crest of luck And set the flag before, )eturning as a !heel returns, 7ame ruin and the rain that burns, And all began once more$

And naught !as left :ing Alfred #ut shameful tears of rage, n the island in the river n the end of all his age$

n the island in the river /e !as broken to his knee( And he read, !rit !ith an iron pen, "hat %od had !earied of Wesse+ men And given their country, field and fen, "o the devils of the sea$

And he sa! in a little picture, "iny and far a!ay, /is mother sitting in Egbert1s hall, And a book she sho!ed him, very small, Where a sapphire 2ary sat in stall



With a golden 7hrist at play$

t !as !rought in the monk1s slo! manner, 0rom silver and sanguine shell, Where the scenes are little and terrible, :eyholes of heaven and hell$

n the river island of Athelney, With the river running past, n colours of such simple creed All things sprang at him, sun and !eed, "ill the grass gre! to be grass indeed And the tree !as a tree at last$

0earfully plain the flo!ers gre!, Like the child1s book to read, Or like a friend1s face seen in a glass /e looked and there Our Lady !as, She stood and stroked the tall live grass As a man strokes his steed$

/er face !as like an open !ord When brave men speak and choose, "he very colours of her coat Were better than good ne!s$

She spoke not, nor turned not, &or any sign she cast, Only she stood up straight and free, #et!een the flo!ers in Athelney, And the river running past$

One dim ancestral 9e!el hung On his ruined armour grey, /e rent and cast it at her feet( Where, after centuries, !ith slo! feet, 2en came from hall and school and street And found it !here it lay$

52other of %od,5 the !anderer said, 5 am but a common king, &or !ill ask !hat saints may ask, "o see a secret thing$

5"he gates of heaven are fearful gates Worse than the gates of hell &ot !ould break the splendours barred Or seek to kno! the thing they guard, Which is too good to tell$

5#ut for this earth most pitiful, "his little land kno!, f that !hich is for ever is, Or if our hearts shall break !ith bliss, Seeing the stranger go?

5When our last bo! is broken, ;ueen, And our last 9avelin cast, 4nder some sad, green evening sky, /olding a ruined cross on high, 4nder !arm !estland grass to lie,



Shall !e come home at last?5

And a voice came human but high up, Like a cottage climbed among "he clouds or a serf of hut and croft "hat sits by his hovel fire as oft,

#ut hears on his old bare roof aloft A belfry burst in song$

5"he gates of heaven are lightly locked, We do not guard our gain, "he heaviest hind may easily 7ome silently and suddenly 4pon me in a lane$

5And any little maid that !alks n good thoughts apart, 2ay break the guard of the "hree :ings And see the dear and dreadful things hid !ithin my heart$

5"he meanest man in grey fields gone #ehind the set of sun, /eareth bet!een star and other star, "hrough the door of the darkness fallen a9ar, "he council, eldest of things that are, "he talk of the "hree in One$

5"he gates of heaven are lightly locked, We do not guard our gold, 2en may uproot !here !orlds begin, Or read the name of the nameless sin #ut if he fail or if he !in "o no good man is told$

5"he men of the East may spell the stars, And times and triumphs mark, #ut the men signed of the cross of 7hrist %o gaily in the dark$

5"he men of the East may search the scrolls 0or sure fates and fame, #ut the men that drink the blood of %od %o singing to their shame$

5"he !ise men kno! !hat !icked things Are !ritten on the sky, "hey trim sad lamps, they touch sad strings, /earing the heavy purple !ings, Where the forgotten seraph kings Still plot ho! %od shall die$

5"he !ise men kno! all evil things 4nder the t!isted trees, Where the perverse in pleasure pine And men are !eary of green !ine And sick of crimson seas$

5#ut you and all the kind of 7hrist Are ignorant and brave, And you have !ars you hardly !in



And souls you hardly save$

5 tell you naught for your comfort, .ea, naught for your desire, Save that the sky gro!s darker yet And the sea rises higher$

5&ight shall be thrice night over you, And heaven an iron cope$ 'o you have 9oy !ithout a cause, .ea, faith !ithout a hope?5

Even as she spoke she !as not, &or any !ord said he, /e only heard, still as he stood 4nder the old night1s nodding hood, "he sea-folk breaking do!n the !ood Like a high tide from sea$

/e only heard the heathen men, Whose eyes are blue and bleak, Singing about some cruel thing 'one by a great and smiling king n daylight on a deck$

/e only heard the heathen men, Whose eyes are blue and blind, Singing !hat shameful things are done #et!een the sunlit sea and the sun When the land is left behind$

BOOK II. THE GATHERING OF THE CHIEFS4p across !indy !astes and up

Went Alfred over the sha!s, Shaken of the 9oy of giants, "he 9oy !ithout a cause$

n the slopes a!ay to the !estern bays, Where blo!s not ever a tree, /e !ashed his soul in the !est !ind And his body in the sea$

And he set to rhyme his ale-measures, And he sang aloud his la!s, #ecause of the 9oy of the giants, "he 9oy !ithout a cause$

"he :ing !ent gathering Wesse+ men, As grain out of the chaff "he fe! that !ere alive to die, Laughing, as littered skulls that lie After lost battles turn to the sky An everlasting laugh$

"he :ing !ent gathering 7hristian men,



As !heat out of the husk Eldred, the 0ranklin by the sea, And 2ark, the man from taly, And 7olan of the Sacred "ree, 0rom the old tribe on 4sk$

"he rook croaked home!ard heavily, "he !est !as clear and !arm, "he smoke of evening food and ease )ose like a blue tree in the trees When he came to Eldred1s farm$

#ut Eldred1s farm !as fallen a!ry, Like an old cripple1s bones, And Eldred1s tools !ere red !ith rust, And on his !ell !as a green crust, And purple thistles up!ard thrust, #et!een the kitchen stones$

#ut smoke of some good feasting Went up!ards evermore, And Eldred1s doors stood !ide apart 0or loitering foot or labouring cart, And Eldred1s great and foolish heart Stood open like his door$

A mighty man !as Eldred, A bulk for casks to fill, /is face a dreaming furnace, /is body a !alking hill$

n the old !ars of Wesse+ /is s!ord had sunken deep, #ut all his friends, he signed and said, Were broken about Ethelred And bet!een the deep drink and the dead /e had fallen upon sleep$

57ome not to me, :ing Alfred, Save al!ays for the ale( Why should my harmless hinds be slain #ecause the chiefs cry once again, As in all fights, that !e shall gain, And in all fights !e fail?

5.our scalds still thunder and prophesy "hat cro!n that never comes 0riend, !ill !atch the certain things, S!ine, and slo! moons like silver rings, And the ripening of the plums$5

And Alfred ans!ered, drinking, And gravely, !ithout blame, 5&or bear boast of scald or king, "he thing bear is a lesser thing, #ut comes in a better name$

5Out of the mouth of the 2other of %od, 2ore than the doors of doom, call the muster of Wesse+ men 0rom grassy hamlet or ditch or den, "o break and be broken, %od kno!s !hen,



#ut have seen for !hom$

5Out of the mouth of the 2other of %od Like a little !ord come 0or go gathering 7hristian men 0rom sunken paving and ford and fen,

"o die in a battle, %od kno!s !hen, #y %od, but kno! !hy$

5And this is the !ord of 2ary, "he !ord of the !orld1s desire 1&o more of comfort shall ye get, Save that the sky gro!s darker yet And the sea rises higher$15

"hen silence sank$ And slo!ly Arose the sea-land lord, Like some vast beast for mystery, /e filled the room and porch and sky, And from a cob!ebbed nail on high 4nhooked his heavy s!ord$

4p on the shrill sea-do!ns and up Went Alfred all alone, "urning but once e1er the door !as shut, Shouting to Eldred over his butt, "hat he bring all spears to the !oodman1s hut /e!n under Egbert1s Stone$

And he turned his back and broke the fern, And fought the moths of dusk, And !ent on his !ay for other friends 0riends fallen of all the !ide !orld1s ends, 0rom )ome that !rath and pardon sends And the grey tribes on 4sk$

/e sa! gigantic tracks of death And many a shape of doom, %ood steadings to grey ashes gone And a monk1s house !hite like a skeleton n the green crypt of the combe$

And in many a )oman villa Earth and her ivies eat, Sa! coloured pavements sink and fade n flo!ers, and the !indy colonnade Like the spectre of a street$

#ut the cold stars clustered Among the cold pines Ere he !as half on his pilgrimage Over the !estern lines$

And the !hite da!n !idened Ere he came to the last pine, Where 2ark, the man from taly, Still made the 7hristian sign$

"he long farm lay on the large hill-side, 0lat like a painted plan, And by the side the lo! !hite house,



Where d!elt the southland man$

A bron3ed man, !ith a bird1s bright eye, And a strong bird1s beak and bro!, /is skin !as bro!n like buried gold, And of certain of his sires !as told

"hat they came in the shining ship of old, With 7aesar in the pro!$

/is fruit trees stood like soldiers 'rilled in a straight line, /is strange, stiff olives did not fail, And all the kings of the earth drank ale, #ut he drank !ine$

Wide over !asted #ritish plains Stood never an arch or dome, Only the trees to toss and reel, "he tribes to bicker, the beasts to s*ueal #ut the eyes in his head !ere strong like steel, And his soul remembered )ome$

"hen Alfred of the lonely spear Lifted his lion head And fronted !ith the talian1s eye, Asking him of his !hence and !hy, :ing Alfred stood and said(

5 am that oft-defeated :ing Whose failure fills the land, Who fled before the 'anes of old, Who chaffered !ith the 'anes !ith gold, Who no! upon the Wesse+ !old /ardly has feet to stand$

5#ut out of the mouth of the 2other of %od have seen the truth like fire, "his—that the sky gro!s darker yet And the sea rises higher$5

Long looked the )oman on the land "he trees as golden cro!ns #la3ed, drenched !ith da!n and de!-empearled While faintlier coloured, freshlier curled, "he clouds from underneath the !orld Stood up over the do!ns$

5"hese vines be ropes that drag me hard,5 /e said$ 5 go not far Where !ould you meet? 0or you must hold /alf Wiltshire and the White /orse !old, And the "hames bank to O!senfold, f Wesse+ goes to !ar$

5%uthrum sits strong on either bank And you must press his lines n!ards, and east!ard drive him do!n doubt if you shall take the cro!n "ill you have taken London to!n$ 0or me, have the vines$5



5 f each man on the <udgment 'ay 2eet %od on a plain alone,5 Said Alfred, 5 !ill speak for you As for myself, and call it true "hat you brought all fighting folk you kne! Lined under Egbert1s Stone$

5"hough be in the dust ere then, kno! !here you !ill be$5 And shouldering suddenly his spear /e faded like some elfin fear, Where the tall pines ran up, tier on tier "ree overtoppling tree$

/e shouldered his spear at morning And laughed to lay it on, #ut he leaned on his spear as on a staff, With might and little mood to laugh, Or ever he sighted chick or calf Of 7olan of 7aerleon$

0or the man d!elt in a lost land Of boulders and broken men, n a great grey cave far off to the south Where a thick green forest stopped the mouth, %iving darkness in his den$

And the man !as come like a shado!, 0rom the shado! of 'ruid trees, Where 4sk, !ith mighty murmurings, 6ast 7aerleon of the fallen kings, %oes out to ghostly seas$

Last of a race in ruin— /e spoke the speech of the %aels /is kin !ere in holy reland, Or up in the crags of Wales$

#ut his soul stood !ith his mother1s folk, "hat !ere of the rain-!rapped isle, Where 6atrick and #randan !esterly Looked out at last on a landless sea And the sun1s last smile$

/is harp !as carved and cunning, As the 7eltic craftsman makes, %raven all over !ith t!isting shapes Like many headless snakes$

/is harp !as carved and cunning, /is s!ord prompt and sharp, And he !as gay !hen he held the s!ord, Sad !hen he held the harp$

0or the great %aels of reland Are the men that %od made mad, 0or all their !ars are merry, And all their songs are sad$

/e kept the )oman order, /e made the 7hristian sign



#ut his eyes gre! often blind and bright, And the sea that rose in the rocks at night )ose to his head like !ine$

/e made the sign of the cross of %od, /e kne! the )oman prayer,

#ut he had unreason in his heart #ecause of the gods that !ere$

Even they that !alked on the high cliffs, /igh as the clouds !ere then, %ods of unbearable beauty, "hat broke the hearts of men$

And !hether in seat or saddle, Whether !ith fro!n or smile, Whether at feast or fight !as he, /e heard the noise of a nameless sea On an undiscovered isle$

Lifting the great green ivy And the great spear lo!ering, One said, 5 am Alfred of Wesse+, And am a con*uered king$5

And the man of the cave made ans!er, And his eyes !ere stars of scorn, 5And better kings !ere con*uered Or ever your sires !ere born$

5What goddess !as your mother, What fay your breed begot, "hat you should not die !ith 4ther And Arthur and Lancelot?

5#ut !hen you !in you brag and blo!, And !hen you lose you rail, Army of eastland yokels &ot strong enough to fail$5

5 bring not boast or railing,5 Spake Alfred not in ire, 5 bring of Our Lady a lesson set, "his—that the sky gro!s darker yet And the sea rises higher$5

"hen 7olan of the Sacred "ree "ossed his black mane on high, And cried, as rigidly he rose, 5And if the sea and sky be foes, We !ill tame the sea and sky$5

Smiled Alfred, 5Seek ye a fable 2ore di33y and more dread "han all your mad barbarian tales Where the sky stands on its head?

5A tale !here a man looks do!n on the sky "hat has long looked do!n on him A tale !here a man can s!allo! a sea "hat might s!allo! the seraphim$



5#ring to the hut by Egbert1s Stone All bills and bo!s ye have$5 And Alfred strode off rapidly, And 7olan of the Sacred "ree Went slo!ly to his cave$

BOOK III. THE HARP OF ALFREDn a tree that ya!ned and t!isted

"he :ing1s fe! goods !ere flung, A mass-book milde!ed, line by line, And !eapons and a skin of !ine, And an old harp unstrung$

#y the ya!ning tree in the t!ilight "he :ing unbound his s!ord, Severed the harp of all his goods, And there in the cool and soundless !oods Sounded a single chord$

"hen laughed and !atched the finches flash, "he sullen flies in s!arm, And !ent unarmed over the hills, With the harp upon his arm, 4ntil he came to the White /orse 8ale And sa! across the plains, n the t!ilight high and far and fell, Like the fiery terraces of hell, "he camp fires of the 'anes—

"he fires of the %reat Army "hat !as made of iron men, Whose lights of sacrilege and scorn )an around England red as morn, 0ires over %lastonbury "horn— 0ires out on Ely 0en$

And as he !ent by White /orse 8ale /e sa! lie !an and !ide "he old horse graven, %od kno!s !hen, #y gods or beasts or !hat things then Walked a ne! !orld instead of men And scra!led on the hill-side$

And !hen he came to White /orse 'o!n "he great White /orse !as grey, 0or it !as ill scoured of the !eed, And lichen and thorn could cra!l and feed, Since the foes of settled house and creed /ad s!ept old !orks a!ay$

:ing Alfred ga3ed all sorro!ful At thistle and mosses grey, "hen laughed and !atched the finches flash, "ill a rally of 'anes !ith shield and bill



)olled drunk over the dome of the hill, And, hearing of his harp and skill, "hey dragged him to their play$

And as they !ent through the high green grass "hey roared like the great green sea

#ut !hen they came to the red camp fire "hey !ere silent suddenly$

And as they !ent up the !astes a!ay "hey !ent reeling to and fro #ut !hen they came to the red camp fire "hey stood all in a ro!$

0or golden in the firelight, With a smile carved on his lips, And a beard curled right cunningly, Was %uthrum of the &orthern Sea, "he emperor of the ships—

With three great earls :ing %uthrum Went the rounds from fire to fire, With /arold, nephe! of the :ing, And Ogier of the Stone and Sling, And Elf, !hose gold lute had a string "hat sighed like all desire$

"he Earls of the %reat Army "hat no men born could tire, Whose flames anear him or aloof "ook hold of to!ers or !alls of proof, 0ire over %lastonbury roof And out on Ely, fire$

And %uthrum heard the soldiers1 tale And bade the stranger play &ot harshly, but as one on high, On a marble pillar in the sky, Who sees all folk that live and die— 6igmy and far a!ay$

And Alfred, :ing of Wesse+, Looked on his con*ueror— And his hands hardened but he played, And leaving all later hates unsaid, /e sang of some old #ritish raid On the !ild !est march of yore$

/e sang of !ar in the !arm !et shires, Where rain nor fruitage fails, Where England of the motley states 'eepens like a garden to the gates n the purple !alls of Wales$

/e sang of the seas of savage heads And the seas and seas of spears, #oiling all over Offa1s 'yke, What time a Wesse+ club could strike "he kings of the mountaineers$

"ill /arold laughed and snatched the harp,



"he kinsman of the :ing, A big youth, beardless like a child, Whom the ne! !ine of !ar sent !ild, Smote, and began to sing—

And he cried of the ships as eagles

"hat circle fiercely and fly, And s!eep the seas and strike the to!ns 0rom 7yprus round to Skye$

/o! s!iftly and !ith peril "hey gather all good things, "he high horns of the forest beasts, Or the secret stones of kings$

50or )ome !as given to rule the !orld, And gat of it little 9oy— #ut !e, but !e shall en9oy the !orld, "he !hole huge !orld a toy$

5%reat !ine like blood from #urgundy, 7loaks like the clouds from "yre, And marble like solid moonlight, And gold like fro3en fire$

5Smells that a man might s!ill in a cup, Stones that a man might eat, And the great smooth !omen like ivory "hat the "urks sell in the street$5

/e sang the song of the thief of the !orld, And the gods that love the thief And he yelled aloud at the cloister-yards, Where men go gathering grief$

5Well have you sung, O stranger, Of death on the dyke in Wales, .our chief !as a bracelet-giver #ut the red unbroken river Of a race runs not for ever, #ut suddenly it fails$

5'oubtless your sires !ere s!ord-s!ingers When they !aded fresh from foam, #efore they !ere turned to !omen #y the god of the nails from )ome

5#ut since you bent to the shaven men, Who neither lust nor smite, "hunder of "hor, !e hunt you A hare on the mountain height$5

:ing %uthrum smiled a little, And said, 5 t is enough, &ephe!, let Elf retune the string A boy must needs like bello!ing, #ut the old ears of a careful king Are glad of songs less rough$5

#lue-eyed !as Elf the minstrel, With !omanish hair and ring,



.et heavy !as his hand on s!ord, "hough light upon the string$

And as he stirred the strings of the harp "o notes but four or five, "he heart of each man moved in him

Like a babe buried alive$

And they felt the land of the folk-songs Spread south!ard of the 'ane, And they heard the good )hine flo!ing n the heart of all Allemagne$

"hey felt the land of the folk-songs, Where the gifts hang on the tree, Where the girls give ale at morning And the tears come easily$

"he mighty people, !omanlike, "hat have pleasure in their pain As he sang of #alder beautiful, Whom the heavens loved in vain$

As he sang of #alder beautiful, Whom the heavens could not save, "ill the !orld !as like a sea of tears And every soul a !ave$

5"here is al!ays a thing forgotten When all the !orld goes !ell A thing forgotten, as long ago, When the gods forgot the mistletoe, And soundless as an arro! of sno! "he arro! of anguish fell$

5"he thing on the blind side of the heart, On the !rong side of the door, "he green plant gro!eth, menacing Almighty lovers in the spring "here is al!ays a forgotten thing, And love is not secure$5

And all that sat by the fire !ere sad, Save Ogier, !ho !as stern, And his eyes hardened, even to stones, As he took the harp in turn

Earl Ogier of the Stone and Sling Was odd to ear and sight, Old he !as, but his locks !ere red, And 9ests !ere all the !ords he said .et he !as sad at board and bed And savage in the fight$

5.ou sing of the young gods easily n the days !hen you are young #ut go smelling ye! and sods, And kno! there are gods behind the gods, %ods that are best unsung$

5And a man gro!s ugly for !omen,



And a man gro!s dull !ith ale, Well if he find in his soul at last 0ury, that does not fail$

5"he !rath of the gods behind the gods Who !ould rend all gods and men,

Well if the old man1s heart hath still Wheels sped of rage and roaring !ill, Like cataracts to break do!n and kill, Well for the old man then—

5While there is one tall shrine to shake, Or one live man to rend 0or the !rath of the gods behind the gods Who are !eary to make an end$

5"here lives one moment for a man When the door at his shoulder shakes, When the taut rope parts under the pull, And the barest branch is beautiful One moment, !hile it breaks$

5So rides my soul upon the sea "hat drinks the ho!ling ships, "hough in black 9est it bo!s and nods 4nder the moons !ith silver rods, kno! it is roaring at the gods, Waiting the last eclipse$

5And in the last eclipse the sea Shall stand up like a to!er, Above all moons made dark and riven, /old up its foaming head in heaven, And laugh, kno!ing its hour$

5And the high ones in the happy to!n 6ropped of the planets seven, Shall kno! a ne! light in the mind, A noise about them and behind, Shall hear an a!ful voice, and find 0oam in the courts of heaven$

5And you that sit by the fire are young, And true love !aits for you #ut the king and gro! old, gro! old, And hate alone is true$5

And %uthrum shook his head but smiled, 0or he !as a mighty clerk, And had read lines in the Latin books When all the north !as dark$

/e said, 5 am older than you, Ogier &ot all things !ould rend, 0or !hether life be bad or good t is best to abide the end$5

/e took the great harp !earily, Even %uthrum of the 'anes, With !ide eyes bright as the one long day On the long polar plains$



0or he sang of a !heel returning, And the mire trod back to mire, And ho! red hells and golden heavens Are castles in the fire$

5 t is good to sit !here the good tales go, "o sit as our fathers sat #ut the hour shall come after his youth, When a man shall kno! not tales but truth, And his heart fail thereat$

5When he shall read !hat is !ritten So plain in clouds and clods, When he shall hunger !ithout hope Even for evil gods$

50or this is a heavy matter, And the truth is cold to tell 'o !e not kno!, have !e not heard, "he soul is like a lost bird, "he body a broken shell$

5And a man hopes, being ignorant, "ill in !hite !oods apart /e finds at last the lost bird dead( And a man may still lift up his head #ut never more his heart$

5"here comes no noise but !eeping Out of the ancient sky, And a tear is in the tiniest flo!er #ecause the gods must die$

5"he little brooks are very s!eet, Like a girl1s ribbons curled, #ut the great sea is bitter "hat !ashes all the !orld$

5Strong are the )oman roses, Or the free flo!ers of the heath, #ut every flo!er, like a flo!er of the sea, Smelleth !ith the salt of death$

5And the heart of the locked battle s the happiest place for men When shrieking souls as shafts go by And many have died and all may die "hough this !ord be a mystery, 'eath is most distant then$

5'eath bla3es bright above the cup, And clear above the cro!n #ut in that dream of battle We seem to tread it do!n$

5Wherefore am a great king, And !aste the !orld in vain, #ecause man hath not other po!er, Save that in dealing death for do!er, /e may forget it for an hour



5.our lord sits high in the saddle, A broken-hearted king, #ut our king Alfred, lost from fame, 0allen among foes or bonds of shame, n kno! not !hat mean trade or name,

/as still some song to sing

5Our monks go robed in rain and sno!, #ut the heart of flame therein, #ut you go clothed in feasts and flames, When all is ice !ithin

5&or shall all iron dooms make dumb 2en !ondering ceaselessly, f it be not better to fast for 9oy "han feast for misery$

5&or monkish order only Slides do!n, as field to fen, All things achieved and chosen pass, As the White /orse fades in the grass, &o !ork of 7hristian men$

5Ere the sad gods that made your gods Sa! their sad sunrise pass, "he White /orse of the White /orse 8ale, "hat you have left to darken and fail, Was cut out of the grass$

5"herefore your end is on you, s on you and your kings, &ot for a fire in Ely fen, &ot that your gods are nine or ten, #ut because it is only 7hristian men %uard even heathen things$

50or our %od hath blessed creation, 7alling it good$ kno! What spirit !ith !hom you blindly band /ath blessed destruction !ith his hand .et by %od1s death the stars shall stand And the small apples gro!$5

And the :ing, !ith harp on shoulder, Stood up and ceased his song And the o!ls moaned from the mighty trees, And the 'anes laughed loud and long$

BOOK IV. THE WO AN IN THE FOREST"hick thunder of the snorting s!ine,

Enormous in the gloam, )ending among all roots that cling, And the !ild horses !hinnying, Were the night1s noises !hen the :ing



Shouldering his harp, !ent home$

With eyes of o!l and feet of fo+, 0ull of all thoughts he !ent /e marked the tilt of the pagan camp, "he paling of pine, the sentries1 tramp,

And the one great stolen altar-lamp Over %uthrum in his tent$

#y scrub and thorn in Ethandune "hat night the foe had lain Whence ran across the heather grey "he old stones of a )oman !ay And in a !ood not far a!ay "he pale road split in t!ain$

/e marked the !ood and the cloven !ays With an old captain1s eyes, And he thought ho! many a time had he Sought to see 'oom he could not see /o! ruin had come and victory, And both !ere a surprise$

Even so he had !atched and !ondered 4nder Ashdo!n from the plains With Ethelred praying in his tent, "ill the !hite ha!thorn s!ung and bent, As Alfred rushed his spears and rent "he shield-!all of the 'anes$

Even so he had !atched and !ondered, :no!ing neither less nor more, "ill all his lords lay dying, And a+es on a+es plying, 0lung him, and drove him flying Like a pirate to the shore$

Wise he had been before defeat, And !ise before success Wise in both hours and ignorant, :no!ing neither more nor less$

As he !ent do!n to the river-hut /e kne! a night-shade scent, O!ls did as evil cherubs rise, With little !ings and lantern eyes, As though he sank through the under-skies #ut do!n and do!n he !ent$

As he !ent do!n to the river-hut /e !ent as one that fell Seeing the high forest domes and spars$ 'im green or torn !ith golden scars, As the proud look up at the evil stars, n the red heavens of hell$

0or he must meet by the river-hut "hem he had bidden to arm, 2ark from the to!ers of taly, And 7olan of the Sacred "ree, And Eldred !ho beside the sea



/eld heavily his farm$

"he roof leaned gaping to the grass, As a monstrous mushroom lies Echoing and empty seemed the place #ut opened in a little space

A great grey !oman !ith scarred face And strong and humbled eyes$

:ing Alfred !as but a meagre man, #right eyed, but lean and pale( And s!ordless, !ith his harp and rags, /e seemed a beggar, such as lags Looking for crusts and ale$

And the !oman, !ith a !oman1s eyes Of pity at once and ire, Said, !hen that she had glared a span, 5"here is a cake for any man f he !ill !atch the fire$5

And Alfred, bo!ing heavily, Sat do!n the fire to stir, And even as the !oman pitied him So did he pity her$

Saying, 5O great heart in the night, O best cast forth for !orst, "!ilight shall melt and morning stir, And no kind thing shall come to her, "ill %od shall turn the !orld over And all the last are first$

5And !ell may %od !ith the serving-folk 7ast in /is dreadful lot s not /e too a servant, And is not /e forgot?

50or !as not %od my gardener And silent like a slave "hat opened oaks on the uplands Or thicket in graveyard gave?

5And !as not %od my armourer, All patient and unpaid, "hat sealed my skull as a helmet, And ribs for hauberk made?

5'id not a great grey servant Of all my sires and me, #uild this pavilion of the pines, And herd the fo!ls and fill the vines, And labour and pass and leave no signs Save mercy and mystery?

50or %od is a great servant, And rose before the day, 0rom some primordial slumber torn #ut all !e living later born Sleep on, and rise after the morn, And the Lord has gone a!ay$



5On things half sprung from sleeping, All sleepy suns have shone, "hey stretch stiff arms, the ya!ning trees, "he beasts blink upon hands and knees, 2an is a!ake and does and sees—

#ut /eaven has done and gone$

50or !ho shall guess the good riddle Or speak of the /oliest, Save in faint figures and failing !ords, Who loves, yet laughs among the s!ords, Labours, and is at rest?

5#ut some see %od like %uthrum, 7ro!ned, !ith a great beard curled, #ut see %od like a good giant, "hat, labouring, lifts the !orld$

5Wherefore !as %od in %olgotha, Slain as a serf is slain And hate /e had of prince and peer, And love /e had and made good cheer, Of them that, like this !oman here, %o po!erfully in pain$

5#ut in this grey morn of man1s life, 7ometh sometime to the mind A little light that leaps and flies, Like a star blo!n on the !ind$

5A star of no!here, a nameless star, A light that spins and s!irls, And cries that even in hedge and hill, Even on earth, it may go ill At last !ith the evil earls$

5A dancing sparkle, a doubtful star, On the !aste !ind !hirled and driven #ut it seems to sing of a !ilder !orth, A time discro!ned of doom and birth, And the kingdom of the poor on earth 7ome, as it is in heaven$

5#ut even though such days endure, /o! shall it profit her? Who shall go groaning to the grave, With many a meek and mighty slave, 0ield-breaker and fisher on the !ave, And !oodman and !aggoner$

5#ake ye the big !orld all again A cake !ith kinder leaven .et these are sorry evermore— 4nless there be a little door, A little door in heaven$5

And as he !ept for the !oman /e let her business be, And like his royal oath and rash "he good food fell upon the ash



And blackened instantly$

Screaming, the !oman caught a cake .et burning from the bar, And struck him suddenly on the face, Leaving a scarlet scar$

:ing Alfred stood up !ordless, A man dead !ith surprise, And torture stood and the evil things "hat are in the childish hearts of kings An instant in his eyes$

And even as he stood and stared 're! round him in the dusk "hose friends creeping from far-off farms, 2arcus !ith all his slaves in arms, And the strange spears hung !ith ancient charms Of 7olan of the 4sk$

With one !hole farm marching afoot "he trampled road resounds, 0arm-hands and farm-beasts blundering by And 9ars of mead and stores of rye, Where Eldred strode above his high And thunder-throated hounds$

And grey cattle and silver lo!ed Against the unlifted morn, And stra! clung to the spear-shafts tall$ And a boy !ent before them all #lo!ing a ram1s horn$

As mocking such rude revelry, "he dim clan of the %ael 7ame like a bad king1s burial-end, With dismal robes that drop and rend And demon pipes that !ail—

n long, outlandish garments, "orn, though of anti*ue !orth, With 'ruid beards and 'ruid spears, As a resurrected race appears Out of an elder earth$

And though the :ing had called them forth And kne! them for his o!n, So still each eye stood like a gem, So spectral hung each broidered hem, %rey carven men he fancied them, /e!n in an age of stone$

And the t!o !ild peoples of the north Stood fronting in the gloam, And heard and kne! each in its mind "he third great thunder on the !ind, "he living !alls that hedge mankind, "he !alking !alls of )ome$

2ark1s !ere the mi+ed tribes of the !est, Of many a hue and strain,



%urth, !ith rank hair like yello! grass, And the 7ornish fisher, %orlias, And /almer, come from his first mass, Lately bapti3ed, a 'ane$

#ut like one man in armour

"hose hundreds trod the field, 0rom red Arabia to the "yne "he earth had heard that marching-line, Since the cry on the hill 7apitoline, And the fall of the golden shield$

And the earth shook and the :ing stood still 4nder the green!ood bough, And the smoking cake lay at his feet And the blo! !as on his bro!$

"hen Alfred laughed out suddenly, Like thunder in the spring, "ill shook aloud the lintel-beams, And the s*uirrels stirred in dusty dreams, And the startled birds !ent up in streams, 0or the laughter of the :ing$

And the beasts of the earth and the birds looked do!n, n a !ild solemnity, On a stranger sight than a sylph or elf, On one man laughing at himself 4nder the green!ood tree—

"he giant laughter of 7hristian men "hat roars through a thousand tales, Where greed is an ape and pride is an ass, And <ack1s a!ay !ith his master1s lass, And the miser is banged !ith all his brass, "he farmer !ith all his flails

"ales that tumble and tales that trick, .et end not all in scorning— Of kings and clo!ns in a merry plight, And the clock gone !rong and the !orld gone right, "hat the mummers sing upon 7hristmas night And 7hristmas 'ay in the morning$

5&o! here is a good !arrant,5 7ried Alfred, 5by my s!ord 0or he that is struck for an ill servant Should be a kind lord$

5/e that has been a servant :no!s more than priests and kings, #ut he that has been an ill servant, /e kno!s all earthly things$

56ride flings frail palaces at the sky, As a man flings up sand, #ut the firm feet of humility "ake hold of heavy land$

56ride 9uggles !ith her toppling to!ers, "hey strike the sun and cease,



#ut the firm feet of humility "hey grip the ground like trees$

5/e that hath failed in a little thing /ath a sign upon the bro! And the Earls of the %reat Army

/ave no such seal to sho!$

5"he red print on my forehead, Small flame for a red star, n the van of the violent marching, then When the sky is torn of the trumpets ten, And the hands of the happy ho!ling men 0ling !ide the gates of !ar$

5"his blo! that return not "en times !ill return On kings and earls of all degree, And armies !ide as empires be Shall slide like landslips to the sea f the red star burn$

5One man shall drive a hundred, As the dead kings drave #efore me rocking hosts be riven, And battering cohorts back!ards driven, 0or am the first king kno!n of /eaven "hat has been struck like a slave$

54p on the old !hite road, brothers, 4p on the )oman !alls= 0or this is the night of the dra!ing of s!ords, And the tainted to!er of the heathen hordes Leans to our hammers, fires and cords, Leans a little and falls$

50ollo! the star that lives and leaps, 0ollo! the s!ord that sings, 0or !e go gathering heathen men, A terrible harvest, ten by ten, As the !rath of the last red autumn—then When 7hrist reaps do!n the kings$

50ollo! a light that leaps and spins, 0ollo! the fire unfurled= 0or riseth up against realm and rod, A thing forgotten, a thing do!ntrod, "he last lost giant, even %od, s risen against the !orld$5

)oaring they !ent o1er the )oman !all, And roaring up the lane, "heir torches tossed a ladder of fire, /igher their hymn !as heard and higher, 2ore s!eet for hate and for heart1s desire, And up in the northern scrub and brier, "hey fell upon the 'ane$



BOOK V. ETHAND!NE" THE FIRST STROKE:ing %uthrum !as a dread king,

Like death out of the north Shrines !ithout name or number

/e rent and rolled as lumber, 0rom 7hester to the /umber /e drove his foemen forth$

"he )oman villas heard him n the valley of the "hames, 7ome over the hills roaring Above their roofs, and pouring On spire and stair and flooring #rimstone and pitch and flames$

Sheer o1er the great chalk uplands And the hill of the /orse !ent he,

"ill high on /ampshire beacons /e sa! the southern sea$

/igh on the heights of Wesse+ /e sa! the southern brine, And turned him to a con*uered land, And !here the northern thorn!oods stand, And the road parts on either hand, "here came to him a sign$

:ing %uthrum !as a !ar-chief, A !ise man in the field, And though he prospered !ell, and kne! /o! Alfred1s folk !ere sad and fe!, &ot less !ith !eighty care he dre! Long lines for pike and shield$

:ing %uthrum lay on the upper land, On a single road at ga3e, And his foe must come !ith lean array, 4p the left arm of the cloven !ay, "o the meeting of the !ays$

And long ere the noise of armour, An hour ere the break of light, "he !oods a!oke !ith crash and cry, And the birds sprang clamouring harsh and high, And the rabbits ran like an elves1 army Ere Alfred came in sight$

"he live !ood came at %uthrum, On foot and cla! and !ing, "he nests !ere noisy overhead, 0or Alfred and the star of red, All life !ent forth, and the forest fled #efore the face of the :ing$

#ut halted in the !ood!ays 7hrist1s fe! !ere grim and grey, And each !ith a small, far, bird-like sight Sa! the high folly of the fight And though strange 9oys had gro!n in the night,



'espair gre! !ith the day$

And !hen !hite da!n cra!led through the !ood, Like cold foam of a flood, "hen !eakened every !arrior1s mood, n hope, though not in hardihood

And each man sorro!ed as he stood n the fashion of his blood$

0or the Sa+on 0ranklin sorro!ed 0or the things that had been fair 0or the dear dead !oman, crimson-clad, And the great feasts and the friends he had #ut the 7eltic prince1s soul !as sad 0or the things that never !ere$

n the eyes talian all things #ut a black laughter died And Alfred flung his shield to earth And smote his breast and cried—

5 !ronged a man to his slaying, And a !oman to her shame, And once looked on a s!orn maid "hat !as !ed to the /oly &ame$

5And once took my neighbour1s !ife, "hat !as bound to an eastland man, n the starkness of my evil youth, #efore my griefs began$

56eople, if you have any prayers, Say prayers for me( And lay me under a 7hristian stone n that lost land thought my o!n, "o !ait till the holy horn is blo!n, And all poor men are free$5

"hen Eldred of the idle farm Leaned on his ancient s!ord, As fell his heavy !ords and fe! And his eyes !ere of such alien blue As gleams !here the &orthman saileth ne! nto an unkno!n fiord$

5 !as a fool and !asted ale— 2y slaves found it s!eet !as a fool and !asted bread, And the birds had bread to eat$

5"he kings go up and the kings go do!n, And !ho kno!s !ho shall rule &e+t night a king may starve or sleep, #ut men and birds and beasts shall !eep At the burial of a fool$

5O, drunkards in my cellar, #oys in my apple tree, "he !orld gro!s stern and strange and ne!, And !ise men shall govern you, And you shall !eep for me$



5#ut yoke me my o!n o+en, 'o!n to my o!n farm 2y o!n dog !ill !hine for me, 2y o!n friends !ill bend the knee, And the foes sle! openly

/ave never !ished me harm$5

And all !ere moved a little, #ut 7olan stood apart, /aving first pity, and after /earing, like rat in rafter, "hat little !orm of laughter "hat eats the rish heart$

And his grey-green eyes !ere cruel, And the smile of his mouth !a+ed hard, And he said, 5And !hen did #ritain #ecome your burying-yard?

5#efore the )omans lit the land, When schools and monks !ere none, We reared such stones to the sun-god As might put out the sun$

5"he tall trees of #ritain We !orshipped and !ere !ise, #ut you shall raid the !hole land through And never a tree shall talk to you, "hough every leaf is a tongue taught true And the forest is full of eyes$

5On one round hill to the sea!ard "he trees gro! tall and grey And the trees talk together When all men are a!ay$

5O1er a fe! round hills forgotten "he trees gro! tall in rings, And the trees talk together Of many pagan things$

5.et could lie and listen With a cross upon my clay, And hear unhurt for ever What the trees of #ritain say$5

A proud man !as the )oman, /is speech a single one, #ut his eyes !ere like an eagle1s eyes "hat is staring at the sun$

5'ig for me !here die,5 he said, 5 f first or last fall— 'ead on the fell at the first charge, Or dead by Wantage !all

5Lift not my head from bloody ground, #ear not my body home, 0or all the earth is )oman earth And shall die in )ome$5



"hen Alfred, :ing of England, #ade blo! the horns of !ar, And fling the %olden 'ragon out, With crackle and acclaim and shout, Scrolled and aflame and far$

And under the %olden 'ragon Went Wesse+ all along, 6ast the sharp point of the cloven !ays, Out from the black !ood into the bla3e Of sun and steel and song$

And !hen they came to the open land "hey !heeled, deployed and stood 2idmost !ere 2arcus and the :ing, And Eldred on the right-hand !ing, And left!ards 7olan darkling, n the last shade of the !ood$

#ut the Earls of the %reat Army Lay like a long half moon, "en poles before their palisades, With !ide-!inged helms and runic blades )ed giants of an age of raids, n the thornland of Ethandune$

2idmost the saddles rose and s!ayed, And a stir of horses1 manes, Where %uthrum and a fe! rode high On horses sei3ed in victory #ut Ogier !ent on foot to die, n the old !ay of the 'anes$

0ar to the :ing1s left Elf the bard Led on the eastern !ing With songs and spells that change the blood And on the :ing1s right /arold stood, "he kinsman of the :ing$

.oung /arold, coarse, !ith colours gay, Smoking !ith oil and musk, And the pleasant violence of the young, 6ushed through his people, giving tongue 0oe!ards, !here, grey as cob!ebs hung, "he banners of the 4sk$

#ut as he came before his line A little space along, /is beardless face broke into mirth, And he cried( 5What broken bits of earth Are here? 0or !hat their clothes are !orth !ould sell them for a song$5

0or 7olan !as hung !ith raiment "attered like autumn leaves, And his men !ere all as thin as saints, And all as poor as thieves$

&o bo!s nor slings nor bolts they bore, #ut bills and pikes ill-made



7olan stood bare and !eaponless, Earl /arold, as in pain, Strove for a smile, put hand to head, Stumbled and suddenly fell dead And the small !hite daisies all !a+ed red

With blood out of his brain$

And all at that marvel of the s!ord, 7ast like a stone to slay, 7ried out$ Said Alfred( 5Who !ould see Signs, must give all things$ 8erily 2an shall not taste of victory "ill he thro!s his s!ord a!ay$5

"hen Alfred, prince of England, And all the 7hristian earls, 4nhooked their s!ords and held them up, Each offered to 7olan, like a cup Of chrysolite and pearls$

And the :ing said, 5'o thou take my s!ord Who have done this deed of fire, 0or this is the manner of 7hristian men, Whether of steel or priestly pen, "hat they cast their hearts out of their ken "o get their heart1s desire$

5And !hether ye s!ear a hive of monks, Or one fair !ife to friend, "his is the manner of 7hristian men, "hat their oath endures the end$

50or love, our Lord, at the end of the !orld, Sits a red horse like a throne, With a bra3en helm and an iron bo!, #ut one arro! alone$

5Love !ith the shield of the #roken /eart Ever his bo! doth bend, With a single shaft for a single pri3e, And the ultimate bolt that parts and flies 7omes !ith a thunder of split skies, And a sound of souls that rend$

5So shall you earn a king1s s!ord, Who cast your s!ord a!ay$5 And the :ing took, !ith a random eye, A rude a+e from a hind hard by And turned him to the fray$

0or the s!ords of the Earls of 'aneland 0lamed round the fallen lord$ "he first blood !oke the trumpet-tune, As in monk1s rhyme or !i3ard1s rune, #eginneth the battle of Ethandune With the thro!ing of the s!ord$



"ill on the helm of a high chief 0ell shatteringly his brand, And the helm broke and the bone broke And the s!ord broke in his hand$

"hen from the yelling &orthmen 'riven splintering on him ran 0ull seven spears, and the seventh Was never made by man$

Seven spears, and the seventh Was !rought as the faerie blades, And given to Elf the minstrel #y the monstrous !ater-maids

#y them that d!ell !here luridly Lost !aters of the )hine 2ove among roots of nations, #eing sunken for a sign$

4nder all graves they murmur, "hey murmur and rebel, 'o!n to the buried kingdoms creep, And like a lost rain roar and !eep O1er the red heavens of hell$

"hrice dro!ned !as Elf the minstrel, And !ashed as dead on sand And the third time men found him "he spear !as in his hand$

Seven spears !ent about Eldred, Like stays about a mast #ut there !as sorro! by the sea 0or the driving of the last$

Si+ spears thrust upon Eldred Were splintered !hile he laughed One spear thrust into Eldred, "hree feet of blade and shaft$

And from the great heart grievously 7ame forth the shaft and blade, And he stood !ith the face of a dead man, Stood a little, and s!ayed—

"hen fell, as falls a battle-to!er, On smashed and struggling spears$ 7ast do!n from some uncon*uered to!n "hat, rushing earth!ard, carries do!n Loads of live men of all reno!n— Archers and engineers$

And a great clamour of 7hristian men Went up in agony, 7rying, 50allen is the to!er of Wesse+ "hat stood beside the sea$5

7entre and right the Wesse+ guard %re! pale for doubt and fear,



And the flank failed at the advance, 0or the death-light on the !i3ard lance— "he star of the evil spear$

5Stand like an oak,5 cried 2arcus, 5Stand like a )oman !all=

Eldred the %ood is fallen— Are you too good to fall?

5When !e !ere !an and bloodless /e gave you ale eno! "he pirates deal !ith him as dung, %od= are you bloodless no!?5

5%rip, Wulf and %orlias, grip the ash= Slaves, and make you free= Stamp, /ildred hard in English land, Stand %urth, stand %orlias, %a!en stand= /old, /alfgar, !ith the other hand, /almer, hold up on knee=

5"he lamps are dying in your homes, "he fruits upon your bough Even no! your old thatch smoulders, %urth, &o! is the 9udgment of the earth, &o! is the death-grip, no!=5

0or thunder of the captain, &ot less the Wesse+ line, Leaned back and reeled a space to rear As Elf charged !ith the )hine maids1 spear, And roaring like the )hine$

0or the men !ere borne by the !aving !alls Of !oods and clouds that pass, #y di33y plains and drifting sea, And they mi+ed %od !ith glamoury, %od !ith the gods of the burning tree And the !i3ard1s to!er and glass$

#ut 2ark !as come of the glittering to!ns Where hot !hite details sho!, Where men can number and e+pound, And his faith gre! in a hard ground Of doubt and reason and falsehood found, Where no faith else could gro!$

#elief that gre! of all beliefs One moment back !as blo!n And belief that stood on unbelief Stood up iron and alone$

"he Wesse+ crescent back!ards 7rushed, as !ith bloody spear Went Elf roaring and routing, And 2ark against Elf yet shouting, Shocked, in his mid-career$

)ight on the )oman shield and s!ord 'id spear of the )hine maids run #ut the shield shifted never,



"he s!ord rang do!n to sever, "he great )hine sang for ever, And the songs of Elf !ere done$

And a great thunder of 7hristian men Went up against the sky,

Saying, 5%od hath broken the evil spear Ere the good man1s blood !as dry$5

5Spears at the charge=5 yelled 2ark amain$ 5'eath on the gods of death= Over the thrones of doom and blood %oeth %od that is a craftsman good, And gold and iron, earth and !ood, Loveth and laboureth$

5"he fruits leap up in all your farms, "he lamps in each abode %od of all good things done on earth, All !heels or !ebs of any !orth, "he %od that makes the roof, %urth, "he %od that makes the road$

5"he %od that he!eth kings in oak Writeth songs on vellum, %od of gold and flaming glass, 7onfregit potentias Acrcuum, scutum, %orlias, %ladium et bellum$5

Steel and lightning broke about him, #attle-bays and palm, All the sea-kings s!ayed among Woods of the Wesse+ arms upflung, "he trumpet of the )oman tongue, "he thunder of the psalm$

And midmost of that rolling field )an Ogier ragingly, Lashing at 2ark, !ho turned his blo!, And brake the helm about his bro!, And broke him to his knee$

"hen Ogier heaved over his head /is huge round shield of proof #ut 2ark set one foot on the shield, One on some sundered rock upheeled, And to!ered above the tossing field, A statue on a roof$

'ealing far blo!s about the fight, Like thunder-bolts a-roam, Like birds about the battle-field, While Ogier !rithed under his shield Like a tortoise in his dome$

#ut hate in the buried Ogier Was strong as pain in hell, With bare brute hand from the inside /e burst the shield of brass and hide, And a death-stroke to the )oman1s side



Sent suddenly and !ell$

"hen the great statue on the shield Looked his last look around With level and imperial eye And 2ark, the man from taly,

0ell in the sea of agony, And died !ithout a sound$

And Ogier, leaping up alive, /urled his huge shield a!ay 0lying, as !hen a 9uggler flings A !hi33ing plate in play$

And held t!o arms up rigidly, And roared to all the 'anes( 50allen is )ome, yea, fallen "he city of the plains=

5Shall no man born remember, "hat breaketh !ood or !eald, /o! long she stood on the roof of the !orld As he stood on my shield$

5"he ne! !ild !orld forgetteth her As foam fades on the sea, /o! long she stood !ith her foot on 2an As he !ith his foot on me$

5&o more shall the bro!n men of the south 2ove like the ants in lines, "o *uiet men !ith olives Or madden men !ith vines$

5&o more shall the !hite to!ns of the south, Where "iber and &ilus run, Sitting around a secret sea Worship a secret sun$

5"he blind gods roar for )ome fallen, And forum and garland gone, 0or the ice of the north is broken, And the sea of the north comes on$

5"he blind gods roar and rave and dream Of all cities under the sea, 0or the heart of the north is broken, And the blood of the north is free$

5'o!n from the dome of the !orld !e come, )ivers on rivers do!n, 4nder us s!irl the sects and hordes And the high dooms !e dro!n$

5'o!n from the dome of the !orld and do!n, Struck flying as a skiff On a river in spate is spun and s!irled 4ntil !e come to the end of the !orld "hat breaks short, like a cliff$

5And !hen !e come to the end of the !orld



0or me, count it fit "o take the leap like a good river, Shot shrieking over it$

5#ut !hatso hap at the end of the !orld, Where &othing is struck and sounds,

t is not, by "hor, these monkish men "hese humbled Wesse+ hounds—

5&ot this pale line of 7hristian hinds, "his one !hite string of men, Shall keep us back from the end of the !orld, And the things that happen then$

5 t is not Alfred1s d!arfish s!ord, &or Egbert1s pigmy cro!n, Shall stay us no! that descend in thunder, )ending the realms and the realms thereunder, 'o!n through the !orld and do!n$5

"here !as that in the !ild men back of him, "here !as that in his o!n !ild song, A di33y throbbing, a drunkard smoke, "hat da3ed to death all Wesse+ folk, And s!ept their spears along$

8ainly the s!ord of 7olan And the a+e of Alfred plied— "he 'anes poured in like a brainless plague, And kne! not !hen they died$

6rince 7olan sle! a score of them, And !as stricken to his knee :ing Alfred sle! a score and seven And !as borne back on a tree$

#ack to the black gate of the !oods, #ack up the single !ay, #ack by the place of the parting !ays 7hrist1s knights !ere !hirled a!ay$

And !hen they came to the parting !ays 'oom1s heaviest hammer fell, 0or the :ing !as beaten, blind, at bay, 'o!n the right lane !ith his array, #ut 7olan s!ept the other !ay, Where he smote great strokes and fell$

"he thorn-!oods over Ethandune Stand sharp and thick as spears, #y night and fur3e and forest-harms 0ar sundered !ere the friends in arms "he loud lost blo!s, the last alarms, 7ame not to Alfred1s ears$

"he thorn-!oods over Ethandune Stand stiff as spikes in mail As to the /aut :ing came at morn 'ead )oland on a doubtful horn, Seemed unto Alfred lightly borne "he last cry of the %ael$



BOOK VII. ETHAND!NE" THE LAST CHARGEA!ay in the !aste of White /orse 'o!n

An idle child alone 6layed some small game through hours that pass, And patiently !ould pluck the grass, 6atiently push the stone$

On the lean, green edge for ever, Where the blank chalk touched the turf, "he child played on, alone, divine, As a child plays on the last line "hat sunders sand and surf$

0or he d!elleth in high divisions "oo simple to understand, Seeing on !hat morn of mystery "he 4ncreated rent the sea With roarings, from the land$

"hrough the long infant hours like days /e built one to!er in vain— 6iled up small stones to make a to!n, And evermore the stones fell do!n, And he piled them up again$

And crimson kings on battle-to!ers, And saints on %othic spires, And hermits on their peaks of sno!, And heroes on their pyres,

And patriots riding royally, "hat rush the rocking to!n, Stretch hands, and hunger and aspire, Seeking to mount !here high and higher, "he child !hom "ime can never tire, Sings over White /orse 'o!n$

And this !as the might of Alfred, At the ending of the !ay "hat of such smiters, !ise or !ild, /e !as least distant from the child, 6iling the stones all day$

0or Eldred fought like a frank hunter "hat killeth and goeth home And 2ark had fought because all arms )ang like the name of )ome$

And 7olan fought !ith a double mind, 2oody and madly gay #ut Alfred fought as gravely As a good child at play$

/e sa! !heels break and !ork run back



And all things as they !ere And his heart !as orbed like victory And simple like despair$

"herefore is 2ark forgotten, "hat !as !ise !ith his tongue and brave

And the cairn over 7olan crumbled, And the cross on Eldred1s grave$

"heir great souls !ent on a !ind a!ay, And they have not tale or tomb And Alfred born in Wantage )ules England till the doom$

#ecause in the forest of all fears Like a strange fresh gust from sea, Struck him that ancient innocence "hat is more than mastery$

And as a child !hose bricks fall do!n )e-piles them o1er and o1er, 7ame ruin and the rain that burns, )eturning as a !heel returns, And crouching in the fur3e and ferns /e began his life once more$

/e took his ivory horn unslung And smiled, but not in scorn( 5Endeth the #attle of Ethandune With the blo!ing of a horn$5

On a dark horse at the double !ay /e sa! great %uthrum ride, /eard roar of brass and ring of steel, "he laughter and the trumpet peal, "he pagan in his pride$

And Ogier1s red and hated head 2oved in some talk or task #ut the men seemed scattered in the brier, And some of them had lit a fire, And one had broached a cask$

And !aggons one or t!o stood up, Like tall ships in sight, As if an outpost !ere encamped At the cloven !ays for night$

And 9oyous of the sudden stay Of Alfred1s routed fe!, Sat one upon a stone to sigh, And some slipped up the road to fly, "ill Alfred in the fern hard by Set horn to mouth and ble!$

And they all abode like statues— One sitting on the stone, One half-!ay through the thorn hedge tall, One !ith a leg across a !all, And one looked back!ards, very small, 0ar up the road, alone$



%rey t!ilight and a yello! star /ung over thorn and hill "!o spears and a cloven !ar-shield lay Loose on the road as cast a!ay, "he horn died faint in the forest grey,

And the fleeing men stood still$

5#rothers at arms,5 said Alfred, 5On this side lies the foe Are slavery and starvation flo!ers, "hat you should pluck them so?

50or !hether is it better "o be prodded !ith 'anish poles, /aving he!n a chamber in a ditch, And hounded like a ho!ling !itch, Or smoked to death in holes?

5Or that before the red cock cro! All !e, a thousand strong, %o do!n the dark road to %od1s house, Singing a Wesse+ song?

5"o s!eat a slave to a race of slaves, "o drink up infamy? &o, brothers, by your leave, think 'eath is a better ale to drink, And by all the stars of 7hrist that sink, "he 'anes shall drink !ith me$

5"o gro! old co!ed in a con*uered land, With the sun itself discro!ned, "o see trees crouch and cattle slink— 'eath is a better ale to drink, And by high 'eath on the fell brink "hat flagon shall go round$

5"hough dead are all the paladins Whom glory had in ken, "hough all your thunder-s!orded thanes With proud hearts died among the 'anes, While a man remains, great !ar remains( &o! is a !ar of men$

5"he men that tear the furro!s, "he men that fell the trees, When all their lords be lost and dead "he bondsmen of the earth shall tread "he tyrants of the seas$

5"he !heel of the roaring stillness Of all labours under the sun, Speed the !ild !ork as !ell at least As the !hole !orld1s !ork is done$

5Let /ildred hack the shield-!all 7lean as he hacks the hedge Let %urth the fo!ler stand as cool As he stands on the chasm1s edge



5Let %orlias ride the sea-kings As %orlias rides the sea, "hen let all hell and 'enmark drive, .elling to all its fiends alive, And not a rag care !e$5

When Alfred1s !ord !as ended Stood firm that feeble line, Each in his place !ith club or spear, And fury deeper than deep fear, And smiles as sour as brine$

And the :ing held up the horn and said, 5See ye my father1s horn, "hat Egbert ble! in his empery, Once, !hen he rode out commonly, "!ice !hen he rode for venery, And thrice on the battle-morn$

5#ut heavier fates have fallen "he horn of the Wesse+ kings, And ble! once, the riding sign, "o call you to the fighting line And glory and all good things$

5And no! t!o blasts, the hunting sign, #ecause !e turn to bay #ut !ill not blo! the three blasts, "ill !e be lost or they$

5And no! blo! the hunting sign, 7harge some by rule and rod #ut !hen blo! the battle sign, 7harge all and go to %od$5

Wild stared the 'anes at the double !ays Where they loitered, all at large, As that dark line for the last time 'oubled the knee to charge—

And caught their !eapons clumsily, And marvelled ho! and !hy— n such degree, by rule and rod, "he people of the peace of %od Went roaring do!n to die$

And !hen the last arro! Was fitted and !as flo!n, When the broken shield hung on the breast, And the hopeless lance !as laid in rest, And the hopeless horn blo!n,

"he :ing looked up, and !hat he sa! Was a great light like death, 0or Our Lady stood on the standards rent, As lonely and as innocent As !hen bet!een !hite !alls she !ent And the lilies of &a3areth$

One instant in a still light /e sa! Our Lady then,



/er dress !as soft as !estern sky, And she !as a *ueen most !omanly— #ut she !as a *ueen of men$

Over the iron forest /e sa! Our Lady stand,

/er eyes !ere sad !ithouten art, And seven s!ords !ere in her heart— #ut one !as in her hand$

"hen the last charge !ent blindly, And all too lost for fear( "he 'anes closed round, a roaring ring, And t!enty clubs rose o1er the :ing, 0our 'anes he!ed at him, halloing, And Ogier of the Stone and Sling 'rove at him !ith a spear$

#ut the 'anes !ere !ild !ith laughter, And the great spear s!ung !ide, "he point stuck to a straggling tree, And either host cried suddenly, As Alfred leapt aside$

Short time had shaggy Ogier "o pull his lance in line— /e kne! :ing Alfred1s a+e on high, /e heard it rushing through the sky,

/e co!ered beneath it !ith a cry— t split him to the spine( And Alfred sprang over him dead, And ble! the battle sign$

"hen bursting all and blasting 7ame 7hristendom like death, :icked of such catapults of !ill, "he staves shiver, the barrels spill, "he !aggons !aver and crash and kill "he !aggoners beneath$

#arriers go back!ards, banners rend, %reat shields groan like a gong— /orses like horns of nightmare &eigh horribly and long$

/orses ramp high and rock and boil And break their golden reins, And slide on carnage clamorously, 'o!n !here the bitter blood doth lie, Where Ogier !ent on foot to die, n the old !ay of the 'anes$

5"he high tide=5 :ing Alfred cried$ 5"he high tide and the turn= As a tide turns on the tall grey seas, See ho! they !aver in the trees, /o! stray their spears, ho! knock their knees, /o! !ild their !atchfires burn=

5"he 2other of %od goes over them,



Walking on !ind and flame, And the storm-cloud drifts from city and dale, And the White /orse stamps in the White /orse 8ale, And !e all shall yet drink 7hristian ale n the village of our name$

5"he 2other of %od goes over them, On dreadful cherubs borne And the psalm is roaring above the rune, And the 7ross goes over the sun and moon, Endeth the battle of Ethandune With the blo!ing of a horn$5

0or back indeed disorderly "he 'anes !ent clamouring, "oo !orn to take ane! the tale, Or da3ed !ith insolence and ale, Or stunned of heaven, or stricken pale #efore the face of the :ing$

0or dire !as Alfred in his hour "he pale scribe !itnesseth, 2ore mighty in defeat !as he "han all men else in victory, And behind, his men came murderously, 'ry-throated, drinking death$

And Edgar of the %olden Ship /e sle! !ith his o!n hand, "ook Lud!ig from his lady1s bo!er, And smote do!n /armar in his hour, And vain and lonely stood the to!er— "he to!er in %uelderland$

And "orr out of his tiny boat, Whose eyes beheld the &ile, Wulf !ith his !ar-cry on his lips, And /arco born in the eclipse, Who blocked the Seine !ith battleships )ound 6aris on the sle$

And /acon of the /arvest-Song, And 'irck from the Elbe he sle!, And 7nut that melted 'urham bell And 0ulk and fiery Oscar fell, And %oderic and Sigael, And 4riel of the .e!$

And highest sang the slaughter, And fastest fell the slain, When from the !ood-road1s blackening throat A cro!ning and crashing !onder smote "he rear-guard of the 'ane$

0or the dregs of 7olan1s company— Lost do!n the other road— /ad gathered and gro!n and heard the din, And !ith !ild yells came pouring in, &aked as their old #ritish kin, And bright !ith blood for !oad$



/e chid the saints !ith rods,

/e took this hollo! !orld of ours 0or a cup to hold his !ine n the parting of the !ood!ays "here came to him a sign$

n Wesse+ in the forest, n the breaking of the spears, We set a sign on %uthrum "o bla3e a thousand years$

Where the high saddles 9ostle And the horse-tails toss, "here rose to the birds flying A roar of dead and dying n deafness and strong crying We signed him !ith the cross$

0ar out to the !inding river "he blood ran do!n for days, When !e put the cross on %uthrum n the parting of the !ays$

BOOK VIII. THE SCO!RING OF THE HORSEn the years of the peace of Wesse+,

When the good :ing sat at home .ears follo!ing on that bloody boon When she that stands above the moon Stood above death at Ethandune And sa! his kingdom come—

When the pagan people of the sea 0led to their palisades, &ailed there !ith 9avelins to cling And !onder smote the pirate king, And brought him to his christening And the end of all his raids$

>0or not till the night1s blue slate is !iped Of its last star utterly, And fierce ne! signs !rit there to read, Shall eyes !ith such ama3ement heed, As !hen a great man kno!s indeed A greater thing than he$

And there came to his chrism-loosing Lords of all lands afar, And a line !as dra!n north-!esterly "hat set :ing Egbert1s empire free, %iving all lands by the northern sea "o the sons of the northern star$

n the days of the rest of Alfred, When all these things !ere done,



And Wesse+ lay in a patch of peace, Like a dog in a patch of sun—

"he :ing sat in his orchard, Among apples green and red, With the little book in his bosom

And the sunshine on his head$

And he gathered the songs of simple men "hat s!ing !ith helm and hod, And the alms he gave as a 7hristian Like a river alive !ith fishes ran And he made gifts to a beggar man As to a !andering god$

And he gat good la!s of the ancient kings, Like treasure out of the tombs And many a thief in thorny nook, Or noble in sea-stained turret shook, 0or the opening of his iron book, And the gathering of the dooms$

"hen men !ould come from the ends of the earth, Whom the :ing sat !elcoming, And men !ould go to the ends of the earth #ecause of the !ord of the :ing$

0or folk came in to Alfred1s face Whose 9avelins had been hurled On monsters that make boil the sea, 7rakens and coils of mystery$ Or thrust in ancient sno!s that be "he !hite hair of the !orld$

And some had knocked at the northern gates Of the ultimate icy floor, Where the fish free3e and the foam turns black, And the !ide !orld narro!s to a track, And the other sea at the !orld1s back 7ries through a closed door$

And men !ent forth from Alfred1s face, Even great gift-bearing lords, &ot to )ome only, but more bold, Out to the high hot courts of old, Of negroes clad in cloth of gold, Silence, and crooked s!ords,

Scra!led screens and secret gardens And insect-laden skies— Where fiery plains stretch on and on "o the purple country of 6rester <ohn And the !alls of 6aradise$

And he kne! the might of the "erre 2a9eure, Where kings began to reign Where in a night-rout, !ithout name, Of gloomy %oths and %auls there came White, above candles all aflame, Like a vision, 7harlemagne$



0rom Wantage "o!n to 6lymouth #luff, #ecause am not !ise enough "o rule so small a thing$5

And it fell in the days of Alfred, n the days of his repose,

"hat as old customs in his sight Were a straight road and a steady light, /e bade them keep the White /orse !hite As the first plume of the sno!s$

And right to the red torchlight, 0rom the trouble of morning grey, "hey stripped the White /orse of the grass As they strip it to this day$

And under the red torchlight /e !ent dreaming as though dull, Of his old companions slain like kings, And the rich irrevocable things Of a heart that hath not openings, #ut is shut fast, being full$

And the torchlight touched the pale hair Where silver clouded gold, And the frame of his face !as made of cords, And a young lord turned among the lords And said( 5"he :ing is old$5

And even as he said it A post ran in amain, 7rying( 5Arm, Lord :ing, the hamlets arm, n the horror and the shade of harm, "hey have burnt #rand of Aynger1s farm— "he 'anes are come again=

5'anes drive the !hite East Angles n si+ fights on the plains, 'anes !aste the !orld about the "hames, 'anes to the east!ard—'anes=5

And as he stumbled on one knee, "he thanes broke out in ire, 7rying( 5 ll the !atchmen !atch, and ill "he sheriffs keep the shire$5

#ut the young earl said( 5 ll the saints, "he saints of England, guard "he land !herein !e pledge them gold "he dykes decay, the :ing gro!s old, And surely this is hard,

5"hat !e be never *uit of them "hat !hen his head is hoar /e cannot say to them he smote, And spared !ith a hand hard at the throat, 1%o, and return no more$15

"hen Alfred smiled$ And the smile of him Was like the sun for po!er$ #ut he only pointed( bade them heed



"hose peasants of the #erkshire breed, Who plucked the old /orse of the !eed As they pluck it to this hour$

5Will ye part !ith the !eeds for ever? Or sho! daisies to the door?

Or !ill you bid the bold grass %o, and return no more?

5So ceaseless and so secret "hrive terror and theft set free "reason and shame shall come to pass While one !eed flo!ers in a morass And like the stillness of stiff grass "he stillness of tyranny$

5Over our !hite souls also Wild heresies and high Wave prouder than the plumes of grass, And sadder than their sigh$

5And go riding against the raid, And ye kno! not !here am #ut ye shall kno! in a day or year, When one green star of grass gro!s here 7haos has charged you, charger and spear, #attle-a+e and battering-ram$

5And though skies alter and empires melt, "his !ord shall still be true( f !e !ould have the horse of old, Scour ye the horse ane!$

5One time follo!ed a dancing star "hat seemed to sing and nod, And ring upon earth all evil1s knell #ut no! !ot if ye scour not !ell )ed rust shall gro! on %od1s great bell And grass in the streets of %od$5

7eased Alfred and above his head "he grand green domes, the 'o!ns, Sho!ed the first legions of the press, 2arching in haste and bitterness 0or 7hrist1s sake and the cro!n1s$

#eyond the cavern of 7olan, 6ast Eldred1s by the sea, )ose men that o!ned :ing Alfred1s rod, 0rom the !indy !astes of E+e untrod, Or !here the thorn of the grave of %od #urns over %lastonbury$

0ar north!ard and far !est!ard "he distant tribes dre! nigh, 6lains beyond plains, fell beyond fell, "hat a man at sunset sees so !ell, And the tiny coloured to!ns that d!ell n the corners of the sky$

#ut dark and thick as thronged the host,



With drum and torch and blade, "he still-eyed :ing sat pondering, As one that !atches a live thing, "he scoured chalk and he said,

5"hough give this land to Our Lady,

"hat helped me in Athelney, "hough lordlier trees and lustier sod And happier hills hath no flesh trod "han the garden of the 2other of %od #et!een "hames side and the sea,

5 kno! that !eeds shall gro! in it 0aster than men can burn And though they scatter no! and go, n some far century, sad and slo!, have a vision, and kno! "he heathen shall return$

5"hey shall not come !ith !arships, "hey shall not !aste !ith brands, #ut books be all their eating, And ink be on their hands$

5&ot !ith the humour of hunters Or savage skill in !ar, #ut ordering all things !ith dead !ords, Strings shall they make of beasts and birds, And !heels of !ind and star$

5"hey shall come mild as monkish clerks, With many a scroll and pen And back!ard shall ye turn and ga3e, 'esiring one of Alfred1s days, When pagans still !ere men$

5"he dear sun d!arfed of dreadful suns, Like fiercer flo!ers on stalk, Earth lost and little like a pea n high heaven1s to!ering forestry, —"hese be the small !eeds ye shall see 7ra!l, covering the chalk$

5#ut though they bridge St$ 2ary1s sea, Or steal St$ 2ichael1s !ing— "hough they rear marvels over us, %reater than great 8ergilius Wrought for the )oman king

5#y this sign you shall kno! them, "he breaking of the s!ord, And man no more a free knight, "hat loves or hates his lord$

5.ea, this shall be the sign of them, "he sign of the dying fire And 2an made like a half-!it, "hat kno!s not of his sire$

5What though they come !ith scroll and pen, And grave as a shaven clerk,



#y this sign you shall kno! them, "hat they ruin and make dark

5#y all men bond to &othing, #eing slaves !ithout a lord, #y one blind idiot !orld obeyed,

"oo blind to be abhorred

5#y terror and the cruel tales Of curse in bone and kin, #y !eird and !eakness !inning, Accursed from the beginning, #y detail of the sinning, And denial of the sin

5#y thought a cra!ling ruin, #y life a leaping mire, #y a broken heart in the breast of the !orld, And the end of the !orld1s desire

5#y %od and man dishonoured, #y death and life made vain, :no! ye the old barbarian, "he barbarian come again—

5When is great talk of trend and tide, And !isdom and destiny, /ail that undying heathen "hat is sadder than the sea$

5 n !hat !ise men shall smite him, Or the 7ross stand up again, Or charity or chivalry, 2y vision saith not and see &o more but no! ride doubtfully "o the battle of the plain$5

And the grass-edge of the great do!n Was cut clean as a la!n, While the levies thronged from near and far, 0rom the !arm !oods of the !estern star, And the :ing !ent out to his last !ar On a tall grey horse at da!n$

And ne!s of his far-off fighting 7ame slo!ly and brokenly 0rom the land of the East Sa+ons, 0rom the sunrise and the sea$

0rom the plains of the !hite sunrise, And sad St$ Edmund1s cro!n, Where the pools of Esse+ pale and gleam Out beyond London "o!n—

n mighty and doubtful fragments, Like faint or fabled !ars, 7limbed the old hills of his reno!n, Where the bald bro! of White /orse 'o!n s close to the cold stars$

#ut a!ay in the eastern places



"he !ind of death !alked high, And a raid !as driven ath!art the raid, "he sky reddened and the smoke s!ayed, And the tall grey horse !ent by$

"he gates of the great river

Were breached as !ith a barge, "he !alls sank cro!ded, say the scribes, And high to!ers populous !ith tribes Seemed leaning from the charge$

Smoke like rebellious heavens rolled 7urled over coloured flames, 2irrored in monstrous purple dreams n the mighty pools of "hames$

Loud !as the !ar on London !all, And loud in London gates, And loud the sea-kings in the cloud #roke through their dreaming gods, and loud 7ried on their dreadful 0ates$

And all the !hile on White /orse /ill "he horse lay long and !an, "he turf cra!led and the fungus crept, And the little sorrel, !hile all men slept, 4n!rought the !ork of man$

With velvet finger, velvet foot, "he fierce soft mosses then 7rept on the large !hite common!eal All folk had striven to strip and peel, And the grass, like a great green !itch1s !heel, 4n!ound the toils of men$

And clover and silent thistle throve, And buds burst silently, With little care for the "hames 8alley Or !hat things there might be—

"hat a!ay on the !idening river, n the eastern plains for cro!n Stood up in the pale purple sky One turret of smoke like ivory And the smoke changed and the !ind !ent by, And the :ing took London "o!n$

the ballad of the white horse - gilbert chesterton

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