First page of text from Richard Field’s 1593 printing of
Shakespeare’s “Venus and Adonis”
(Internet Shakespeare Editions, University of Victoria)
THE ſunne roſe on the morning of my yeares,
And Fortune offer’d me a noble goale:
To ſtand as firſt of France’s Caualiers,
To fight with pride, and liue by my parole,
VVith Charles the Dolphin letter’d, ſchool’d and ſquir’d,
And train’d to do whateuer was requir’d:
Seruir le lis.
Too early call’d to duty and diſplay,
A dozzen yeares, and then a throne and crown;
Yet knowne as “VVell-Beloued”, Le Bien Aimé,
My King was deſtin’d euer for renowne:
But madnes took the ſcepter from his hand;
Yet ſtill I iourney’d forth at his command:
Seruir le lis.
In tournament I ſought for no reward
But glory for the lily on my ſhield;
In Genoa, made Gouernour and Lord,
In far Conſtantinople, forc’d to yield:
But ranſom paid, I iourney’d forth once more,
To anſwer duty’s call and ride to warre:
Seruir le lis.
At Agincourt I ioined friend Delabreth,
VVith muſter’d force, our ſtrategems agreed,
But Cæſars will not follow into death,
Nor ſuffer common men to plot or lead;
Before day’s end, I knew our cauſe was loſt,
But ſtill I fought on, heedleſſe of the coſt:
Seruir le lis.
I fell a captiue, taken as a prize,
And kneel’d to Engliſh Henry in my ſhame
I ſaw a Souldier’s Souldier in his eyes,
And in his word and deed no hint of blame:
He marries royall Katherine, Heire of France;
May God prouide them Sonnes, and grant the chance
Seruir le lis.
At ſunſet now my Euenſong I ſing.
And pray before I cloſe my eyes in ſleepe
I dreame that I am riding with my King,
A world to win, and honor ſtill to keepe;
VVith Henry will my faith at laſt abide,
As we ride out together, ſide by ſide:
Seruir le lis.
FINIS