Capystranus: A Metrical Romance

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O Myghty fader in heuen on hye

One god and persones thre

That made bothe daye and nyght

And after as it was thy wyll

Thyn owne sone thou sent vs tyll Thyn owne] Thy nowne 1527

In a mayden to lyght

Syth the Iewes that were wylde

Hanged hym that was so mylde

And to dethe hym dyght

Whan he was deed the sothe to saye

To lyfe he rose on the thyrde daye

Thoroughe his owne myght

Then to helle he wente anone

And toke out soules many one

Out of that holde he hente

Maugre the fendes that were bolde

He toke the prysoners out of holde

With them to heuen he wente

On his faders ryght hande he hym sette

That all sholde knowe withouten lette

That he was omnypotente

And after wysdome he was sente

That all sholde kepe his commaundemente

And for to byleue in hym verray

That is our sauyour

That borne was of that blyssed floure

That hyght Mary I saye

That shall vs deme withouten mysse

Some to payne and some to blysse

At dredefull domes-daye

Tho that byleue on hym a_ryght

To blysse they gone with aungelles bryght

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[To bl]ysse and Ioye for aye To blysse] To blysse 1527The leaf is torn at the edge resulting in loss of text here and in the next line

[No]w Ihesu as thou bought vs dere Now] Now 1527

Gyue them Ioye this gest wyll here

And herken on a_ryght

Some men loueth to here tell

Of doughty knyghtes that were fell

And some of ladyes bryght

And some myracles that are tolde

And some of venterous knyghtes olde

That for our lorde dyde fyght

As Charles dyde that noble kynge

That hethen downe dyde brynge

Thrughe the helpe of god almyght almyght] almyghty 1515, 1527

He wanne fro the hethen houndes

The spere and nayles of crystes woundes

And also the crowne of thorne

And many a ryche relyke mo

Mawgre of them he wanne also

And kylled them euen and morne

The turkes and the paynyms bolde

He felled doune many a folde

Durst none stande hym beforne

Charles gan them so affraye

That the catyues myght curse the daye

And the tyme that they were borne

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NOw Machamyte that turke vntrue

To our lorde Cryst_Ihesu

And to his lawe also

Many crysten men slayne hath [h]e he] be 1515, he 1527

And wanne constantyne that noble cyte

With many townes mo

He brent and slewe / and lefte none on lyfe

Neyther man / chylde / ne wyfe

To dethe he made them go

Yonge Innocentes that neuer dyde gylte

That false turke hath them spylte

He played the kynge Pharao

All the stretes of Constantyne

Ranne blode reder than wyne

That meruayle was to se

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There coude no man his fote downe sette

I gyue you knowlege witho[u]ten lette

But on a deed body

The crysten men wente to wrake

The chirches and our ymages they brake

That were made of stone and tree stone] stones 1527

The crucyfyxe of our sauyour

They kest it downe with dyshonour

And also our lady

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The[y] slewe our preestes at the masse They] The 1515, They 1527

Goddes men had no grace

They kylled them downe in euery stede

Bothe preestes and clerkes they put to dede

Within goddes holy place

The turkes kene with shelde and spere

Our preestes before the hye aultere

They ranne thrughe in a ra[c]e race] rage 1515, 1527

Many gan dye for crystes loue

Aungelles theyr soules bare aboue

To blysse and moche solace

Thus the turke the wycked quede

Crysten people he put to dede

And lefte fewe vpon lyue

The hethen cryed with grete dyspyte

On mahounde and Macamyte

The turkes men full ryue

100

There was [n]one that durst on Ihesu crye

But they were taken and slayne in hye

Anone and that byleue

The turke hym-selfe a crye dyde make

There sholde no man a prysoner take

105

God lette them neuer thryue

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Then the dogges that byleued on mahounde

The crysten people kylled to the grounde

No golde myght be theyr mede

The Crysten sawe that they sholde dye

110

And on theyr maysters layde hande quycly

And faught a wele good spede

Euery prysoner then on lyue

Kylled of the turkes foure or fyue

To helle theyr soules yede

115

Or our prysoners after were take

Many a turke they made blake

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There was no helme nor haubergyon

Plate or male nor good aucton

120

Theyr dyntes myght refrayne

Macamyte sawe his men so dye

And loude on mahounde he gan crye

In herte he was not fayne

Our crysten neded no wepen craue

125

The stretes laye full take who wolde haue

To fyght with men of mayne

Anone within a lytell throwe

Fyue .M. turkes on a rowe

In the stretes lay slayne

130

Whan Mychamyte that spyed

Out on mahounde he cryed

And as a fende dyde yell

Our crysten stode in full grete doubte

As doughty men layde fast aboute

135

Upon the houndes of helle

Our crysten men were then to fewe

For the turkes came euer newe

In sothe as I you tell

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Our men hewed on hastely

140

And made turkes loude to crye

The false downe they fell

Thus countred with sarasyns kene

Tyll .lxxx.M. were layde be_dene

In a lytell thought

145

Mychamyte was neuer so wo

To se so fewe so many slo

His sorowe was not shorte

He cryed Mahounde as he wolde braste

Our crysten on Ihesu cryed faste

150

That all the worlde wrought

Some scaped away with goddes grace

On lyue maugre the turkes face

But many than gan dye

At the dystruccyon of Cyuys

155

Were not so many slayne ywys

As were o[n] bothe partye partye] partyes 1515

Alas saufe cryste[s] wyll of heuen crystes] crysten 1515

Our crysten were [m]ade vneuen

With a false company

160

For of the turkes and sarasyns kene

An .C. were withouten wene

Agaynst one of our meny

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THe emperour of Constantyne

A doughty man at a tyme a] that 1530

165

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The turke hym toke that hethen hounde

And gaue hym many a grysly wounde

I praye god gyue hym grame

He bounde hym tyll the blode outbraste

170

And badde hym forsake Ihesu in haste

Or elles thou shalte haue shame

Haue done anone / and hym defye

And also his moder Marye

That thou callest his dame

175

Ualeryan answered and sayd nay

Thou shalte neuer se that daye

That I shall hym forsake

Turne the turke and all thy men

Or elles in helle thou shalte brenne

sig: [B1v]

180

Amonge the fendes blacke

Leue in Ihesu full of myght

And that mayden that he in lyght

For crysten men[nes] sake mennes] men 1515, mennes 1530

Than the turke wexed euyll a_payed

185

Commaunded his men at a brayed

Anone to make hym nake nake] naked 1515, 1530

He bad them bete him with scourges kene

And after bore out his eyen

With wymbles hote and reed

190

They plucked his her[r]e by and by herre] herte 1515, heare 1530

And bothe his eeres on hy

They cut of his heed

With pynsons his te[t]he they brake tethe] teche 1515, tethe 1530

Bad hym anone his god forsake

195

Or [he] sholde neuer ete breed he] 1515 omits, he 1530; breed] no breed 1530

They sawe in no wyse that it wolde be

Anone they made a sawe of tre

They sawed hym to deed

Tho the turkes with moche payne

200

This doughty m[a]n haue they slayne man] men 1515, man 1530

For Crystes sake I saye

And so they dyde with many mo

The turkes myght curse the tyme also

That they there came that daye

205

Of crystes people was many a part marte marte] mate 1530

There was no turke payed of his parte

By the laste ende of the fraye

They had helle for theyr fyght

[The] crysten wente to heuen bryght The] They 1515

210

To bye in blysse for aye

Thus is constantyne the noble cyte wonne

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Beten doune with many a gonne

And crysten people slayne

There the turke with his meyne meyne] men 1530

215

Keped styll that noble cyte

Durste no man hym with_sayne

Forty myle rounde aboute

Durst no man by hym route

Neyther on hyll ne playne

220

The turke kepte the felde many a day

Crysten people in the countray

Of hym were dredde I sayne

Where they myght ony crysten gete

I tell you now withouten doute

225

They lefte there lyfe to wedde

All suffred dethe for Crystes sake

That this turke myght ouertake

But thus they for hym fledde thus] there 1530

Therof herde a holy frere

230

The werkes of the fendes fere

And to Rome hym spedde

Iohan_capystranus the frere hyght

I dare say he was goddes knyght

An holy man was he

235

To the pope anone he wanne

Capystranus that holy man

And kneled vpon his kne

He sayd fader for crystes lo[u]e of heuen

That made this worlde and dayes seuen

240

Herken now to me

There is a turke I vnderstande

That brennes and slees goddes lande

Grete dole it is to se

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The turke his pur[p]ose is purpose] purose 1515, purpose 1530

245

I lete you wete withouten mys

To wynne all hungree

Therfore fader put thy holy hande

And helpe to w[e]rre goddes lande werre] warre 1515, 1530See OED s.v. were v 'guard', 'defend'; or perhaps emend to warde.

His true vycar yf thou be

250

He brenneth chirches in euery place

Crysten men gothe to deth a_pace

To beholde is grete pyte

Now fader helpe with thy socoure

For Maryes loue that swete floure

255

Our hope is moche in the

With two hondred this same daye

To Grecuswyssyngburgh he toke the waye Grecuswyssyngburgh: 'Kriechisch Weissenburg', Belgrade

This is no scorne

Many a thousande there shall dye

260

If he wynne that ryall cytye

All hungrye is forlorne

I am the messynger of Ihesus

Truely lorde it wyllbe thus

As I haue sayd beforne

265

Therfore helpe with all thy myght

For goddes loue for to fyght

That was of Marye borne

Than the pope sayd anone

Good broder frere Ihon

270

As I vnderstande

Thou prechest goddes wordes wyde

In the countree on eue[r]y syde euery] euecy 1515

In many a dyuerse lande

Thou knowest many a noble-man

275

Take a capytayne where thou can

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Whyder that he be free or bonde

And as I am goddes vycar true

This false turke his rese shall rue

And therto my holy hande

280

Now fader I thanke the hartely

To chese a capytayne th[ou] bydde me thou] the 1515, ye 1530

Certayne without ony mys

Now holy fader withouten layne

This shall be my capytayne

285

He sayd the pope y[w]ys ywys] ymys 1515, 1530

A baner of crystes p[a]ssyon passyon] pyssyon 1515, passyon 1530

That mannes soule dyde redempcyon

And brought them from payne to lyght

H[a]lowe it with thy hande Halowe] Holowe 1515, Halowe 1530

290

The people may the better stande

That vnder it dooth fyght

This shall be my capytayne

An-other wolde I haue fayne

That is thy bull of leed

295

That all that vnder it dooth fyght

For goddes loue moost of myght

Euer in ony lande

If it happen them to be slayne

That theyr soules come neuer in payne

300

After that they be deed

The p[op]e sayd blyssed myght thou be pope] people 1515, pope 1530

A holy man I holde the

I wyll do after thy rede

Anone the baner was made and halowed

305

The bull cealed and vp-folded

And the pardon of grace

Delyuered it to the frere truely

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The p[op]e blyssed hym tymes thre pope] people 1515, 1530

And thus his leue he taketh

310

Barefote he bare out of the toune

The baner of crystes passyoune

Towarde the turke he hasteth

And preched goddes lawe as he yede

And moche people to hym gan spede

315

To gete theyr soules solace

Grete golde and syluer was hym gyuen

And euer he delte it euen

[To] people that with hym yede To] Tho 1515, The 1530

So certaynly as I you saye

320

All romayne for hym dyde praye romayne] Rome 1530

And so it was grete nede

Suche freres we haue to fewe

Pray all we Cryste_Ihesu

To be his helpe and spede

325

For of this I fynde a fytte

Ferther and ye wyll sytte

Herkyn and take good hede

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THis frere wente to Hungry

And many men with hym truely

330

That for our lorde dyde fyght

To an vnyuersyte he toke the waye

The gretest in Hungrye I dare well saye

Gottauntas it hyght

Out of the vnyuersyte there wente in fere

335

Syxe and twenty .M. with the frere

Of relygyous men full ryght

The moost partye was preestes I saye

Eueryche preued hym that day

That he was goddes knyght

340

The frere with grete deuocyon

Bare the baner of crystes passyon

Amonge the people all

Dysplayed abrode grete Ioye to se

Men of dyuerse countre

345

Fast to hym gan fall

Thus passed forthe Capystranus

And met with the good erle Obedyanus

A captayne pryncypall

Twenty thousande and mo

350

Amonge them was but knyghtes two

And thus men dooth them call

Rycharde_morpath a knyght of Englonde

And syr Iohan_[B]lacke I vnderstonde Blacke] Elacke 1515, 1530see 'blacke Iohan' below

That was a turke before

355

And now he is a curteys knyght

I lete you wete and a wyght

And stedfast in our lore

[........................]

360

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[........................] The apparent rhyme "lore":"sore" has perhaps led the compositor to conflate two stanzas

[........................]

365

[........................]

370

[........................]

Many a turke hath greued sore

Theyr lyues they lefte behynde

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He hath made them hop heedles

Many one withouten les

375

Where he myght theym fynde

There .xx. thousande met in fere

With Obedya[un]s and the frere Obedyauns] Obedyanus 1530cf. Obedyaunce below

In helme and hauberke bryght

To grecuswyssynburgh he toke the waye

380

There the turke at syege laye

With many a knyght

Fourtene wekes the turke had ben there

And put the crysten to moche fere

To hym they had no myght

385

Fyue .C. gonnes he lete shote at ones

Brake doune the walles with stones

The wylde-fyre lemed lyght

To here it was grete wonder

The noyse of gonnes moche lyke the thonder

390

That was a f[e]refull dynne ferefull] frefull 1515, feerfull 1530

The noyse was herde many a myle

Obedyaunce the meane-whyle Obedyaunce] Obedyanus 1530

Entred the towne within

At .vi of the clocke the sothe to saye

395

After noone on the Maudeleyne [daye] daye] 1515 omits, daye 1530

And neyther lesse ne mo

And Capystranus good frere Iohn

Assoyled our men euerychone

To batayll or they dyde go go] gone 1515, go 1530

400

And cryed loude with voyce clere voyce] a voyce 1530

Lete vs fyght for our soupere

In heuen is redy dyght

Our baner shall I bere to_daye

And to Ihesu fast shall praye praye] I praye 1530

sig: C1

405

To spede vs in our ryght

Anone they togyder mette

Fyue .M. deed withouten lette deed] dyed 1530

In helme and hauberke bryght

Obedianus that noble man

410

Slewe them fast that serued sathan

Thorowe cryst theyr crownes had care

All that he with his faucon hyt faucon: ='falchion'

There was no salue I lette you wyt

That euer myght hele that sore

415

There was no turke that he with met

But he had suche a buffet

That he greued neuer crysten man more

He was a doughty knyght

The fals he felled for goddes ryght

420

I praye god wele myght he fare

Morpath and blacke Iohan

That daye kylled turkes many one

Certayne withouten lette

There was none so good armoure

425

That theyr dyntes myght endure

Helme nor bryght basynet

They hewe vpon the hethen on hye

[The] fyre out of euery syde gan flye The] They 1515

So boldely on they bette

430

Many a turke there was cast

Beten tyll the braynes brast

Theyr maysters there they mette

Many a .M. of preestes there was

The turkes herde neuer suche a masse

435

As they harde that daye

Our preestes te deum songe

sig: [C1v]

The hethen fast downe they donge

Then pax was put awaye

There was scole-maysters of the best

440

Many of them were brought to rest

That wolde not lere theyr lawe

Thus our crysten people dyde fyght

From .v. of the clocke on Maudeleyne nyght

Tyll .x. on the other daye

445

Then came the turkes with newe batayll

Clene clad in plate and male

A .C. thousande and mo

On dromydaryes gan they ryde

And kylled our men on euery syde

450

Two .M. were there sloo

Our men to stande they had no mayne

But fledde to the towne anone Gray emends anone to agayne.

With woundes wyde and bloo

Twenty thousande of our men

455

Were borne downe at the brydge-ende

The turkes were so thro

Dromydaryes ouer them ranne

And kylled downe bothe horse and man

In the felde durst none abyde

460

Obedianus had many a wounde

Or he wolde flee the grounde

For all the turkes pryde

Morpath and blacke Iohan

Had woundes many one

465

That blody were and wyde

To the towne they fledde on fote

They sawe it was no better bote

Theyr stedes were slayne that tyde

sig: [C2]

The turkes folowed in-to the towne

470

And kylled all before them downe

Grete doyll it was to see doyll: =dole

In-to the towne the grete turke wanne

And kylled wyfe chylde and man

The Innocentes thycke gan dye

475

Iohan_Capystranus se that it was thus

And hent a c[ru]cyfyxe of cryst_Ihesus crucyfyxe] curcyfyxe 1515

Ranne vp tyll a toure on hye

The halowed baner with hym he bare

In the top of the toure he set it there

480

And cryed full pytefully

He sayd lorde god in heuen on hye Gray emends hye to hyght

Where is become thyn olde myght

That men were wonte to haue

O my lorde cryste_Ihesus

485

Why hast thou forgoten vs

Now helpe of the we craue

Loke on thy people that do thus dye

Lorde ones cast downe thyn eye

And helpe thy men to saue

490

Now lorde sende downe thy moche myght

Agaynst these fendes for to fyght

That so thy people dyspra[ue] dyspraue] dyspray 1515OED notes disprave as a 'bad form' of deprave.

Thynke lorde how I haue preched thy lawe

Gone barefote bothe in frost and snawe

495

To please the to thy paye

I haue fasted and suffred dysease

Prayed all-onely the to please

The psalmes ofte I saye

For all my seruyse I haue done the

500

I aske no more to my fee

sig: [C2v]

But helpe thy men to_day

For and thou lette them thus spyll

I am ryght in good wyll

For euer to forsake thy laye

505

Now mary mayden helpe me to_daye

Or elles thy matyns shall I neuer saye

Dayes of all my lyue

Ne no prayer that the shall please

But yf thou helpe now our desease

510

Ne menye thy Ioyes fyue

A_poynt is for thy maydenhede

That all this people suffreth dede

Now helpe to stynte our stryue

Now lady of thy men haue pyte

515

Praye for them to thy sone on hye

As thou arte mayden and wyfe

O lorde fader omnypotent

Thynke of the myracle that thou charles sent

That for the dyde fyght

520

Thrughe his prayer and grace

The sone s[tod]e styll thre dayes space stode] shone 1515

And shone with beames bryght

Pharao thou drowned in the see

Tho that thou lete go free

525

Awaye thou ledde them ryght

This daye lorde thou helpe thy men

Thou art also bygge now as thou was then

And of as moche myght

The frere loude on god cryed

530

A longe myle on euery syde

The people herde his voyse

Twenty .M. dede for to see

sig: [C3]

Within the twynclyn[g] of an eye twynclyng] twynclyn 1515

To lyfe [agayne they rose] agayne they rose] they rose agayne 1515

535

Echone a wepyn in hande hente

And frely began to fyght

And felde downe fast theyr foes

The good erle Obedianus

Faught frely for our lorde Ihesus

540

On euery syde spronge his lose

He droue the t[ur]ke out of the towne turke] truke 1515

The crysten felled the false downe

And droue them to the felde agayne

Twenty .M. with them mette

545

Or elles the turke withouten lette

Surely had ben slayne

Than were they fayne[r] for to fyght fayner] fayne 1515

Than euer was foule of daye-lyght

Certayne withouten layne

550

NOw begynneth a newe batayll

I let you wyt withouten fayle

Of myghty men of mayne

Ychone hewe on other with Ire

That all the felde semed fyre

555

Also lyght as leme of thonder

Euery man hurte other in hast

And layde on basynettes to braynes brast

And euer the false fell vnder

The blode ranne all the felde

560

Of doughty men vnder shelde

To se it was grete wonder

There was hewynge from the hals

The helmes and the hedes als

sig: [C3v]

Ryche knyghtes were vnknytte

565

Many a turke withouten fayle

Tombled top ouer tayle

That neuer rose yet

So harde on helmes they hewe

That there were turkes but fewe

570

That in sadyll coude sytte

There was no turke there

But he myght tell of moche care

I lette you well wytte

There was stycked many a stede

575

Grete dromydaryes made blede

Tho they for faynt fell

The crysten men had quarelles good

They dredde nothynge to shed theyr blode

Whan Ihesu dyde them call

580

They hewed on with swerdes kene

Of helmes with the hedes by_deene

Tumbled as a ball

So delte they strokes on a brayde

That no turke helde hym apayde

585

The proudest of them all

There was hurtelynge in fere

Broken many a sharpe spere

And drawen many a knyfe

Stedes sterted out of stryfe

590

And kest theyr maysters in the waye

Utterly byleue

Many a hethen in theyr ghere

His f[e]lowe gan downe bere felowe] folowe 1515

And to the erthe hym dryue

595

The blode ranne thrughe the brest The fragment breaks off here in 1515