Come, kings, and listen to my song:
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When Gwin, the son of Nore
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Over the nations of the north his cruel sceptre bore
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The nobles of the land did feed upon the hungry poor
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They tear the poor man’s lamb
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And drive they needy from their door
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Gordred the giant roused himself
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From sleeping in his cave
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He shook the hills, and in the clouds
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The troubled banners wave
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Beneath them rolled, like tempests black
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The numerous sons of blood;
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Like lion’s whelp, roaring abroad
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Seeking their nightly food
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Down Bleron’s hills they dreadful rush
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Their cry ascends the clouds
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The trampling horse and clanging arms
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Like rushing mighty floods
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Earth smokes with blood
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And groan and snakes
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To drink her children’s gore
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A sea of blood, nor can the eye
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See to the trembling shore
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Son of Nore
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Like the ghost of Barraton
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Who sports in stormy sky
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Gwin leads his host as black as
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Night when pestilence does fly
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With horses and with chariots
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And all his spearmen bold
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March to the sound of mournful song
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Like clouds around him rolled |
Gwin lifts his hand the nations halt
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«Prepare for war!» |
he cries
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Gordered appears, his frowning brow
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Troubles our northern skies
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And now the raging armies rushed
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Like warring mighty seas
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The heavens shake with roaring war
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The dust ascends the skies
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And on the verge of this wild sea
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Famine and death doth cry
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The cries of women and of
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Babes over the field doth fly
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The king in rage, afar
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With all his men of might
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Like blazing comets scattering death
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Through the red feverous night
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The god of war is drunk with blood
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The earth doth faint and fail
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The stench of blood makes sick the heavens
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Ghosts glut the throat of hell
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O what have kings to answer
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For before that awful throne
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When thousand deaths for vengeance cry
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And ghosts accusing groan
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Like blazing comets in the sky
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That shake the stars of light
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Which drop like fruit unto the earth
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Through the fierce burning night
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Like these did Gwin and Gordred meet
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And the first blow decides
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Down from the brow unto the breast
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Gordred his head divides
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Gwin fell, the sons of Norway fled |
All that remained alive
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The rest did fill the vale of death
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For them the eagles strive
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Gone, the son of Nore |