Lament for the Decline of Chivalry
Well hast thou cried, departed Burke,All chivalrous romantic workIs ended now and past!--That iron age--which some have thoughtOf metal rather overwrought--Is now all overcast!
Ay! where are those heroic knightsOf old--those armadillo wightsWho wore the plated vest?--Great Charlemagne and all his peersAre cold--enjoying with their spearsAn everlasting rest!
The bold King Arthur sleepeth sound;So sleep his knights who gave that RoundOld Table such eclat!Oh, Time has pluck'd the plumy brow!And none engage at tourneys nowBut those that go to law!
Grim John o' Gaunt is quite gone by,And Guy is nothing but a Guy,Orlando lies forlorn!--Bold Sidney, and his kidney--nay,Those "early champions"--what are theyBut "Knights without a morn"?
No Percy branch now perseveres,Like those of old, in breaking spears--The name is now a lie!--Surgeons, alone, by any chance,Are all that ever couch a lanceTo couch a body's eye!
Alas for Lion-Hearted Dick,That cut the Moslems to the quick,His weapon lies in peace:Oh, it would warm them in a trice,If they could only have a spiceOf his old mace in Greece!
The famed Rinaldo lies a-cold,And Tancred too, and Godfrey bold,That scaled the holy wall!No Saracen meets Paladin,We hear of no great Saladin,But only grow the small!
Our Cressys, too, have dwindled sinceTo penny things--at our Black PrinceHistoric pens would scoff:The only one we moderns hadWas nothing but a Sandwich lad,And measles took him off!
Where are those old and feudal clans,Their pikes, and bills, and partisans,Their hauberks, jerkins, buffs?A battle was a battle then,A breathing piece of work; but menFight now--with powder puffs!
The curtal-axe is out of date;The good old crossbow bends--to Fate;'Tis gone, the archer's craft!No tough arm bends the spinning yew,And jolly draymen ride, in lieuOf Death, upon the shaft!
The spear,--the gallant tilter's pride,The rusty spear, is laid aside,--Oh, spits now domineer!The coat of mail is left alone,--And where is all chain armor gone?Go ask at Brighton Pier.
We fight in ropes, and not in lists,Bestowing hand-cuffs with our fists,A low and vulgar art!--No mounted man is overthrown:A tilt!--it is a thing unknown--Except upon a cart!
Methinks I see the bounding barb,Clad like his Chief in steely garb,For warding steel's appliance!Methinks I hear the trumpet stir!'Tis but the guard, to Exeter,That bugles the "Defiance"!
In cavils when will cavaliersSet ringing helmets by the ears,And scatter plumes about?Or blood--if they are in the vein?That tap will never run again--Alas! the Casque is out!
No iron-crackling now is scoredBy dint of battle-axe or sword,To find a vital place--Though certain doctors still pretend,Awhile, before they kill a friend,To labor through his case.
Farewell, then, ancient men of might!Crusader, errant squire, and knight!Our coats and customs soften;To rise would only make you weep--Sleep on, in rusty-iron sleep,As in a safety coffin!
Words in this poem 24
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- overwrought p. p.
- Wrought upon excessively; overworked; overexcited.
- overcast v. t.
- To cast or cover over; hence, to cloud; to darken.
- vest n.
- An article of clothing covering the person; an outer garment; a vestment; a dress; a vesture; a robe. [L. vestis a garment, vesture; akin to Goth. wasti, and E. wear: cf. F. veste. See Wear to carry on the person, and cf. Divest, Invest, Travesty.]
- eclat n.
- Brilliancy of success or effort; splendor; brilliant show; striking effect; glory; renown. [F. éclat a fragment, splinter, explosion, brilliancy, splendor, fr. éclater to splinter, burst, explode, shine brilliantly, prob. of German origin; cf. OHG. sle]
- plumy a.
- Covered or adorned with plumes, or as with plumes; feathery.
- gaunt a.
- Attenuated, as with fasting or suffering; lean; meager; pinched and grim. [Cf. Norw. gand a thin pointed stick, a tall and thin man, and W. gwan weak.]
- forlorn a.
- Deserted abandoned; lost. [OE., p.p. of forlesen to lose utterly, AS. forleósan (p.p. forloren); pref. for- + leósan (in comp.) to lose; cf. D. verliezen to lose, G. verlieren, Sw. förlor]
- morn n.
- The first part of the day; the morning; -- used chiefly in poetry. [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]
- trice v. t.
- To pull; to haul; to drag; to pull away. [OE. trisen; of Scand. or Low German origin; cf. Sw. trissa a sheave, pulley, triss a spritsail brace, Dan. tridse a pulley, tridse to haul by means of a pulley,]
- scaled a.
- Covered with scales, or scalelike structures; -- said of a fish, a reptile, a moth, etc.
- paladin n.
- A knight-errant; a distinguished champion; as, the paladins of Charlemagne. [F., fr.It. paladino, fr. L. palatinus an officer of the palace. See Palatine.]
- historic a.
- Of or pertaining to history, or the record of past events; as, an historical poem; the historic page. [L. historicus, Gr. historique. See History.]
- craft n.
- Strength; might; secret power. [AS. cr strength, skill, art, cunning; akin to OS., G., Sw., & Dan. kraft strength, D. kracht, Icel. kraptr; perh. originally, a drawing together, stretching, fr]
- methinks v.
- It seems to me; I think. See Me. [AS. þyncan to seem, me þynceedh, me þuhte, OE. me thinketh, me thoughte; akin to G. dünken to seem, denken to think, and E. think. See Me, and Think.]
- clad v.
- To clothe. Holland.
- steely a.
- Made of steel; consisting of steel.
- garb n.
- External appearance, as expressive of the feelings or character; looks; fashion or manner, as of speech. [OF. garbe looks, countenance, grace, ornament, fr. OHG. garawi, garwi, ornament, dress. akin to E. gear. See Gear, n.]
- appliance n.
- The act of applying; application; subservience.
- casque n.
- A piece of defensive or ornamental armor (with or without a vizor) for the head and neck; a helmet. [F. casque, fr. Sp. casco See Cask.]
- dint n.
- A blow; a stroke. [OE. dint, dent, dunt, a blow, AS. dynt; akin to Icel. dyntr a dint, dynta to dint, and perh. to L. fendere (in composition). Cf. 1st Dent, Defend.]
- awhile adv.
- For a while; for some time; for a short time. [Adj. a + while time, interval.]
- crusader n.
- One engaged in a crusade; as, the crusaders of the Middle Ages.
- errant n.
- One who wanders about. Fuller.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Lament for the Decline of Chivalry is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood, Project Gutenberg ebook #15652; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Thomas Hood, Lament for the Decline of Chivalry, in The Song of the Shirt, and Other Poems (1826–1845), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #15652, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/hood-poetical-works/lament-for-the-decline-of-chivalry.html, id L20211.
Form and metre
Lament for the Decline of Chivalry is 96 lines in 16 stanzas of 6 lines each. The rhyme scheme is AABCCB, complete in 11 of its 16 stanzas. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 93%).
See other poems in iambic tetrameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AABCCB burkeA · workA · pastB · thoughtC · overwroughtC · overcastB
- 2 --ABBA knights · wights · vestA · peersB · spearsB · restA
- 3 AA-BB- soundA · roundA · eclat · browB · nowB · law
- 4 AABCCB byA · guyA · forlornB · nayC · theyC · mornB
- 5 AABCCB perseveresA · spearsA · lieB · chanceC · lanceC · eyeB
- 6 AABCCB dickA · quickA · peaceB · triceC · spiceC · greeceB
- 7 AABCCB coldA · boldA · wallB · paladinC · saladinC · smallB
- 8 AABCCB sinceA · princeA · scoffB · hadC · ladC · offB
- 9 AABCCB clansA · partisansA · buffsB · thenC · menC · puffsB
- 10 AABCCB dateA · fateA · craftB · yewC · lieuC · shaftB
- 11 AAB--B prideA · asideA · domineerB · alone · gone · pierB
- 12 AABCCB listsA · fistsA · artB · overthrownC · unknownC · cartB
- 13 AAB--B barbA · garbA · applianceB · stir · exeter · defianceB
- 14 AABCCB cavaliersA · earsA · aboutB · veinC · againC · outB
- 15 AABCCB scoredA · swordA · placeB · pretendC · friendC · caseB
- 16 AA-BB- mightA · knightA · soften · weepB · sleepB · coffin
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Well hast thou cried, departed Burke, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| All chivalrous romantic work | 8 | ·/˘˘˘/˘· |
| Is ended now and past!-- | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| That iron age--which some have thought | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Of metal rather overwrought-- | 8 | ·/˘/˘·˘/ |
| Is now all overcast! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Ay! where are those heroic knights | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Of old--those armadillo wights | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Who wore the plated vest?-- | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Great Charlemagne and all his peers | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Are cold--enjoying with their spears | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| An everlasting rest! | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| The bold King Arthur sleepeth sound; | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| So sleep his knights who gave that Round | 8 | ········ |
| Old Table such eclat! | 6 | ·/˘·˘/ |
| Oh, Time has pluck'd the plumy brow! | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| And none engage at tourneys now | 8 | ··˘/·/˘· |
| But those that go to law! | 6 | ······ |
| Grim John o' Gaunt is quite gone by, | 8 | ········ |
| And Guy is nothing but a Guy, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Orlando lies forlorn!-- | 6 | ˘/˘·˘/ |
| Bold Sidney, and his kidney--nay, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Those "early champions"--what are they | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| But "Knights without a morn"? | 6 | ······ |
| No Percy branch now perseveres, | 8 | ·/˘··˘˘/ |
| Like those of old, in breaking spears-- | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| The name is now a lie!-- | 6 | ······ |
| Surgeons, alone, by any chance, | 8 | /˘˘/·/˘· |
| Are all that ever couch a lance | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| To couch a body's eye! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Alas for Lion-Hearted Dick, | 8 | ˘/·/˘/˘· |
| That cut the Moslems to the quick, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| His weapon lies in peace: | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Oh, it would warm them in a trice, | 8 | ········ |
| If they could only have a spice | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Of his old mace in Greece! | 6 | ······ |
| The famed Rinaldo lies a-cold, | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| And Tancred too, and Godfrey bold, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| That scaled the holy wall! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| No Saracen meets Paladin, | 8 | ·/˘˘·/˘˘ |
| We hear of no great Saladin, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| But only grow the small! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Our Cressys, too, have dwindled since | 8 | //˘··/˘· |
| To penny things--at our Black Prince | 8 | ·/˘··/·· |
| Historic pens would scoff: | 6 | ˘/˘··· |
| The only one we moderns had | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Was nothing but a Sandwich lad, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| And measles took him off! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Where are those old and feudal clans, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Their pikes, and bills, and partisans, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| Their hauberks, jerkins, buffs? | 6 | ···/˘· |
| A battle was a battle then, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| A breathing piece of work; but men | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Fight now--with powder puffs! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| The curtal-axe is out of date; | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| The good old crossbow bends--to Fate; | 8 | ···/···· |
| 'Tis gone, the archer's craft! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| No tough arm bends the spinning yew, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| And jolly draymen ride, in lieu | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Of Death, upon the shaft! | 6 | ······ |
| The spear,--the gallant tilter's pride, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| The rusty spear, is laid aside,-- | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| Oh, spits now domineer! | 6 | ····˘/ |
| The coat of mail is left alone,-- | 8 | ······˘/ |
| And where is all chain armor gone? | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Go ask at Brighton Pier. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| We fight in ropes, and not in lists, | 8 | ········ |
| Bestowing hand-cuffs with our fists, | 8 | ˘/˘···/· |
| A low and vulgar art!-- | 6 | ···/˘· |
| No mounted man is overthrown: | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| A tilt!--it is a thing unknown-- | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Except upon a cart! | 6 | ······ |
| Methinks I see the bounding barb, | 8 | ˘/···/˘· |
| Clad like his Chief in steely garb, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| For warding steel's appliance! | 7 | ·/˘·˘/˘ |
| Methinks I hear the trumpet stir! | 8 | ˘/···/˘· |
| 'Tis but the guard, to Exeter, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| That bugles the "Defiance"! | 7 | ·/˘·˘/˘ |
| In cavils when will cavaliers | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Set ringing helmets by the ears, | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| And scatter plumes about? | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Or blood--if they are in the vein? | 8 | ········ |
| That tap will never run again-- | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| Alas! the Casque is out! | 6 | ˘/···· |
| No iron-crackling now is scored | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| By dint of battle-axe or sword, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| To find a vital place-- | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Though certain doctors still pretend, | 8 | ·/˘/˘·˘/ |
| Awhile, before they kill a friend, | 8 | ˘/······ |
| To labor through his case. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Farewell, then, ancient men of might! | 8 | ·/·/˘··· |
| Crusader, errant squire, and knight! | 8 | ˘/˘/˘··· |
| Our coats and customs soften; | 8 | /˘··/˘/˘ |
| To rise would only make you weep-- | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Sleep on, in rusty-iron sleep, | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| As in a safety coffin! | 7 | ···/˘/˘ |
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