| |
| THE FRAY began at the middle-gate, | |
| Between the night and the day; | |
| Before the matin bell was rung | |
| The foe was far away. | |
| There was no knight in the land of France | 5 |
| Could gar that foe to flee, | |
| Till up there rose a young maiden, | |
| And drove them to the sea. | |
| |
| Sixty forts around Orleans town, | |
| And sixty forts of stone! | 10 |
| Sixty forts at our gates last night— | |
| To-day there is not one! | |
| |
| Talbot, Suffolk, and Pole are fled | |
| Beyond the Loire, in fear— | |
| Many a captain who would not drink, | 15 |
| Hath drunken deeply there— | |
| Many a captain is fallen and drowned, | |
| And many a knight is dead, | |
| And many die in the misty dawn | |
| While forts are burning red. | 20 |
| |
| The blood ran off our spears all night | |
| As the rain runs off the roofs— | |
| God rest their souls that fell i’ the fight | |
| Among our horses’ hoofs! | |
| They came to rob us of our own | 25 |
| With sword and spear and lance, | |
| They fell and clutched the stubborn earth, | |
| And bit the dust of France! | |
| |
| We fought across the moonless dark | |
| Against their unseen hands— | 30 |
| A knight came out of Paradise | |
| And fought among our bands. | |
| Fight on, O maiden knight of God, | |
| Fight on and do not tire— | |
| For lo! the misty break o’ the day | 35 |
| Sees all their forts on fire! | |
| |
| Sixty forts around Orleans town, | |
| And sixty forts of stone! | |
| Sixty forts at our gates last night— | |
| To-day there is not one! | 40 |
| |
