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from The Faerie Ringe by J.R.R. Spenser
Monday, 24 August 2009 07:41A Gentle Hobbitt walked on a waste,
Ycladd in ragged cloathes and elfen cloke,
Wherein with rents of hard weare were defas'd,
The cruell markes of many a steppe foresoke;
Yet journey till that time he never toke:
His angry guide did chide his captaiv rope
As much disdayning to be pull'd and choke:
Full weary halflinge he, and try'd to cope
As one for mighty giusts, tho he was without hope.
But on his hand a golden Ringe he bore,
The foule remenmant of its evil Lord,
For whose dreade sake that daungrous round he wore,
Who living wights he ever had abhor'd:
Upon his chest a wound was also scor'd,
That never healed, tho kinges his help he had:
Right faithfull true king was in deede and word,
But kingesfoill ne could ease him dollefull sad;
And Morgulle did he dread, and ever had ydrad.
Upon a dyre adventure he was bond
That goodly Gandalff Grayhame to him gave,
That greatest wizard of the Middle Lond,
To wreck the ring, and free menns deathes to stave,
Which of all earthly things he most did crave;
And ever as he trudg'd, his hart did burn
To feare despaire would not then hold him brave
Upon the crack, and needefull force would learne;
Upon the crack of Doome, most horrible and stearne.
---L.
Ycladd in ragged cloathes and elfen cloke,
Wherein with rents of hard weare were defas'd,
The cruell markes of many a steppe foresoke;
Yet journey till that time he never toke:
His angry guide did chide his captaiv rope
As much disdayning to be pull'd and choke:
Full weary halflinge he, and try'd to cope
As one for mighty giusts, tho he was without hope.
But on his hand a golden Ringe he bore,
The foule remenmant of its evil Lord,
For whose dreade sake that daungrous round he wore,
Who living wights he ever had abhor'd:
Upon his chest a wound was also scor'd,
That never healed, tho kinges his help he had:
Right faithfull true king was in deede and word,
But kingesfoill ne could ease him dollefull sad;
And Morgulle did he dread, and ever had ydrad.
Upon a dyre adventure he was bond
That goodly Gandalff Grayhame to him gave,
That greatest wizard of the Middle Lond,
To wreck the ring, and free menns deathes to stave,
Which of all earthly things he most did crave;
And ever as he trudg'd, his hart did burn
To feare despaire would not then hold him brave
Upon the crack, and needefull force would learne;
Upon the crack of Doome, most horrible and stearne.
—22 June 2004
While I'm posting Spenserian joie de vivre, there's this parody. I don't know whether "remenmant" was intentional or simple misspelling. Always a problem with faux archaisms.---L.