The Rose of Rouen is a poem written in the 1460’s about Edward Earl of March, who became King Edward IV.
Note: Where p is in italics this replaces a historic literary / publishing device that typically but not always translates to th. An outline of the nicknames used for key individuals within the poem can be found on the Wikipedia entry about the poem, here.
The Rose of Rouen
Now is the Rose of Ronea growen to a gret honoure,
Therfore syng we euerychone, I-blessid be that floure!
I warne you euerychone, for [ye] shuld vnderstonde,
There sprange a Rose in Rone, and sprad into Englonde;
He J at moued oure mone, oroughe pe grace of Goddes sonde,
That Rose stonte alone pe chef flour of this londe.
I-blessid be the tyme, that euer God sprad that floure!
Blessid be pt Rose ryalle, that is so fresshe of hewe,
Almighty Jhesu blesse that soule, pl pe sede sewe,
And blessid be pe gardeyne, per the Rose grewe;
Cristes blessyng haue Jei alle, p* to p* Rose be trewe!
And blessid be pe tyme, p* euer God sprad p* floure!
Be-twix Cristmas and Candelmas, a litel before pe Lent,
Alle pe lordes of pe northe J?ei vr0ugt by oon assent;
For to stroy pe sowthe cuntre did alle hur entent.
Had not the Rose of Rone be, al Englond had be shent.
I-blessid be pe tyme, pt euer God sprad p* floure!
Upon a Shrof Tuesday/ on a grene leeded
Be-twix Sandricchee and Saynt Albons many man gan blede;
On an Aswedynsday we levid in mykel drede,
Than cam pe Rose of Rone downe, to halp vs at oure nede.
Blessid be pe tyme, J at euer God sprad p* floure!
The nor[ther]n men made her bost, whan pei had done p* dede,
” We wol dwelle in pe southe cuntrey, and take al y we nede;
These wifes and hur doughters, oure purpose shal Jei spede,”
Than seid pe Rose of Rone, ” Nay, p* werk shal I for-bede.”
Blessid be the tyme, p* euer God sprad p* floure!
For to saue al Englond pe Rose did his entent,
W Calays and w Londone, w Essex and w Kent;
And al pe southe of Englond, vnto pe watyr of Trent,
And whan he saw pe tyme best, pe Rose from London went.
Blessid be the tyme, y euer God sprad p at floure!
The way into pe northe cuntre Je Rose ful fast he sought,
W* hym went pe Ragged Staf, p many man dere bought;
So than did pe White Lyon, ful worthely he wrought,
Almighti Jhesu blesse his soule, p po armes ought!
And blessid be pe tyme, y euer God sprad pat floure!
The Fisshe Hoke’ cam into pe felde, w* ful egre mode,
So did pe Cornysshe Chowghe, and brougt forthe alle hir brode;
per was the Blak Ragged Staf, p is hope trewe and goode,
pe Brideld Horse, pe Watyr Bougem by pe Horse stode.
Blessid be the tyme, p euer God spred that floure!
The Grehound and pe Hertes Hede, pei quyt hem wele p day,
So did p Harow of Caunterbury, and Clynton p w* his Kay;
pe White Ship of Brystow, he feryd not Y fray,
pe Blak Ram of Couentre, he said not one nay.
Blessid be Je tyme y euer God spred y floure !
The Fawcon and pe Fetherlok was per that tyde,
pe Blak Buller also hym self he wold not hyde;
pe Dolfyn cam fro Walys, iij. Carpis be his syde,
The prowde Libert of Salesbury, he gapid his gomes wide.
Blessid be pe tyme, that euer God spred that floure!
The Wolf cam fro Worcetre, ful sore he poust to byte,
pe Dragon cam fro Glowcestre, he bent his tayle to smyte;
The Griffon cam fro Leycestre, fleyng in as tyte,
The George cam fro Notyngham, w* spere for to fyte.
Blessid be pe tyme, that euer God spred pat floure !
The Boris Hede fro Wyndesover, w tusses sharp and kene,
pe Estriche Feders was in pe felde, y many men myst sene;
The Wild Rat fro Norhamptone, w hur brode nose,
ber was many a fayre pynone, wayting vpon be Rose.
Blessid be be tyme, bat euer God spred that floure!
The nor[ther]n party made hem strong w spere and w shelde,
On Palmesonday, affter pe none, bei met vs in pe felde;
W* in an owre bei were right fayne to fie, and eke to yelde,
xxvij, thousand” be Rose kyld in be felde.
Blessid be pe tyme, bat euer God spred b* floure!
The Rose wan pe victorye, pe feld, and also be chace,
Now may be housband in the southe dwelle in his owne place;
His wif and eke his faire dougfltre, and al be goode he has,
Soche menys hab the Rose made, by vertu and by grace.
Blessid be the tyme, bat euer God sprad that floure!
The Rose cam to London ful ryally rydyng,
ij. erchebisshops of England pei crouned be Rose kyng;
Almighti Jhesu save be Rose, and geue hym his blessyng,
And al be reme of England ioy of his crownyng,
*we may blesse be tyme, p* euer God sprad p floure !
Amen, pur charite.
References
Frederic Madden (1842). XXV. Political Poems of the reigns of Henry VI. and Edward IV.,
communicated by Sir Frederic Madden, K.H., in a Letter to John Gage Rokewode, Esq. Director
S.A.. Archaeologia, 29, pp 318347 doi:10.1017/S0261340900002125