New Poems And Variant Readings

THE VANQUISHED KNIGHT n
THE VANQUISHED KNIGHT
I HAVE left all upon the shameful field, Honour and Hope, my God, and all but life ;
Spurless, with sword reversed and dinted shield, Degraded and disgraced, I leave the strife.
From him that hath not, shall there not be taken E'en that he hath, when he deserts the strife ?
Life left by all life's benefits forsaken,
O keep the promise, Lord, and take the life
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF NORTHERN LIGHTS
I SEND to you, commissioners, A paper that may please ye, sirs (For troth they say it might be worse
An7 I believe't) And on your business lay my curse
Before I leav't.
I thocht I'd serve wi' you, sirs, yince But Fve thocht better of it since ; The maitter I will nowise mince,
But tell ye true : I'll service wi3 some ither prince,
An' no wi' you.