Capystranus a Metrical Romance  

O Mighty father in heaven on high  
One god and persons three  
That made both day and night  
And after as it was thy will  
Thine own son thou sent us till  
In amayden to light  
Sith the jews that were wild  
Hanged him that was so mild  
And to death him dight  
When he was deed the sooth to say  
To life he rose on the third day  
thorough his own might  
Then to hell he went anon  
And took out souls many one  
Out of that hold he hent  
Maugre the fiends that were bold  
He took the prisoners out of hold  
With them to heaven he went  
On his faders right hand he him set  
That all should know withouten let  
That he was omnypotente  
And after wisdom he was sent  
That all should keep his commandment  
And for to believe in him very  
That is our saviour  
That borne was of that blessed flower  
That byght Mary I say  
That shall us dame withouten miss  
Some to pain and some to bliss  
At dreadful domes day  
though that believe on him a right  
To bliss they gove with angels bright  
marysse and joy for aye  
〈◊〉 Ihesu as thou bought us dear  
give them joy this gest will here  
And hearken on a right  
Some men loveth to here tell  
Of doughty knights that were fell  
And some of ladies bright  
And some miracles that are told  
And some of venturous knights old  
That for our lord died fight  
As Charles died that noble king  
That heathen down died bring  
through the help of god almighty  
He wan fro the heathen hounds  
The spear and nails of Christ's wounds  
And also the crown of thorn  
And many a rich relic more  
maugre of them he wan also  
And killed them even and morn  
The turks and the paynims bold  
He felled down many a fold  
Durst none stand him before  
Charles 'gan them so affray  
That the catyves might curse the day  
And the time that they were borne   

 depiction of Turks and Christians doing battle  

NOw Machamyte that turk untrue  
To our lord christ Ihesu  
And to his law also  
Many christian men slain hath be  
And wan constantyne the noble city  
With many towns more  
He brent and slew/ & left none on life  
Neither man/ child/ ne wife  
To death he made them go  
Young Innocentes the never died guilt  
That false turk hath them spilt  
He played the king Pharaoh  
All the streets of Constantyne  
Ran blood reader than wine  
That marvel was to see  
There could no man his foot down set  
I give you knowledge withonten let  
But on a deed body  
The christian men went to wreck  
The churches and our images they broke  
That were made of stone and tree  
The crucifix of our saviour  
They kest it down with dishonour  
And also our lady  
The slew our priests at the mass  
God's men had no grace  
They killed them down in every stead  
Both priests & clerks they put to deed  
Within gods holy place  
The turks keen with shield and spear  
Our priests before the high altar  
They ran through in a rage  
Many 'gan die for Christ's love  
Angels their souls bore above  
To bliss and moche solace  
Thus the turk the wicked quede  
christian people he put to deed  
And left few upon live  
The heathen cried with great dysyte  
On mahounde and Macamyte  
The turks men full rive  
There was vone that durst on Ihesu cry  
But they were taken and slain in high  
Anon and that believe  
The turk himself a cry died make  
There should no man a prisoner take  
God let them never thrive  
Then the dogs the believed on mahounde  
The christian people killed to the ground  
No gold might be their meed  
The christian saw that they should die  
And on their masters laid hand quickly  
And fought a weal good speed  
Every prisoner then on live  
Killed of the turks four or five  
To hell their souls go  
Or our prisoners after were take  
Many a turk they made black  
There was no helm nor haubergyon  
Plate or male nor good aucton  
Their dints might refrain  
Macamyte saw his men so die  
And loud on mahound ehe 'gan cry  
In heart he was not fain  
Our christian needed no weepen crave  
The streets lay full take who would have  
To fight with men of main  
Anon within a little throw  
five. M. turks on a row  
In the streets lay slain  
When Mychamyte that spied  
Out on mahounde he cried  
And as a fiend died yell  
Our christian stood in full great doubt  
As doughty men laid fast about  
Upon the hounds of hell  
Our christian men were then to few  
For the turks came ever new  
In sooth as I you tell  
Our men hewed on hastily  
And made turks loud to cry  
The false down they fell  
Thus countred with sarazens keen  
Till lxxx M. were laid be done  
In a little thought  
Mychamyte was never so we  
To see so few so many slo  
His sorrow was not short  
He cried Mahounde as he would burst  
Our christian on Ihesu cried fast  
That all the world wrought  
Some scaped away with god's grace  
On live maugre the turks face  
But many than 'gan die  
At the destruction of civis  
Were not so many slain iwis  
As were ou both parties  
Alas safe christian will of heaven  
Our christian were made uneven  
With a false company  
For of the turks and sarasyns keen  
An. C. were withouten ween  
Against one of our many    

 depiction of Turks and Christians doing battle during the seige of Belgrade  

THe emperor of Constantyne  
A doughty man at a time  
The turk him took that heathen bound  
And gave him many a grisly wound  
I pray god give him grame  
He bound him till the blood out burst  
And bad him forsake Ihesu in haste  
Or else thou shalt have shame  
Have done anon/ and him defy  
And also his mother mary  
That thou callest his dame  
valerian answered and said nay  
Thou shalt never see that day  
That I shall him forsake  
Turn the turk and all thy men  
Or else in hell thou shalt burn  
Among the fiends black  
Leave in Ihesu full of might  
And that maiden that he in light  
For christian men sake  
Than the turk waxed evil a paid  
Commanded his men at a brayed  
Anon to make him naked  
He had them beat him with scourges keen  
And after bore out his eyen  
With wymbles hot and reed  
They plucked his heart by and by  
And both his eeres on hy  
They cut of his heed  
With pinsons his teach they broke  
Bad him anon his god forsake  
Or should never eat breed  
They saw in no wise that it would be  
Anon they made a saw of tree  
And sawed him to deed  
though the turks with moche pain  
This doughty men have they slain  
For Crystes sake I say  
And so they died with many more  
The turks might curse the time also  
That they there came that day  
Of Christ's people was many a part mart  
There was no turk paid of his part  
By the last end of the fray  
They had hell fo● their fight  
They christian went to heaven bright  
To buy in bliss for aye  
Thus is constantyne the noble city won  
beaten down with many a gone  
And christian people slain  
There the turk with his main  
keeped still that noble city  
Durst no man him with sayne  
Forty mile round about  
Durst no man by him rout  
Neither on hill ne plain  
The turk kept the field many a day  
christian people in the country  
Of him were dread Isayne  
Where they might any christian get  
I tell you now withouten doubt  
They left there life to wed  
All suffered death for Crystes sake  
That this turk might overtake  
But thus they for him fled  
Thereof heard a holy frere  
The works of the fiends fere  
And to Rome him sped  
johan capystranus the frere height  
I dare say he was god's knight  
An holy man was he  
To the pope anon he wan  
Capystranus that holy man  
And kneeled upon his knee  
He said father for Christ's lone of heaven  
That made this world and days seven  
hearken now to me  
There is a turk I understand  
That burns and slees gods land  
great dole it is to see  
The turk his purpose is  
I let you were withouten miss  
To win all hungry  
Therefore father put thy holy hand  
And help to war god's land  
His true vicar if thou be  
He brenneth churches in every place  
christian men goeth to death a pace  
To behold is great pity  
Now father help with thy succour  
For mary's love that sweet flower  
Our hope is moche in the  
With two hundred this same day  
To Grecuswyssyngburgh he took the way  
This is no scorn  
Many a thousand there shall die  
If he win that rial city  
All hungry is forlorn  
I am the messynger of Jesus'  
Truly lord it will be thus  
As I have said before  
Therefore help with all thy might  
For goddess love for to fight  
That was of mary borne  
Than the pope said anon  
Good brother frere John  
As I understand  
Thou preachest gods words wide  
In the country on evecy side  
In many a diverse land  
Thou knowest many a noble man  
Take a capitain where thou can  
Whyder that he be free or bond  
And as I am god's bycar true  
This false turk his rese shall rue  
And thereto my holy hand  
Now father I thank the heartily  
To cheese a capitain the bid me  
Certain without any miss  
Now holy father withouten lain  
This shall be my capitain  
He said the pope ymys  
A banner of Christ's pyssyon  
That man's soul died redemption  
And brought them from pain to light  
hollow it with thy hand  
The people may the better stand  
That under it doth fight  
This shall be my capitain  
An other would I have fain  
That is thy bull of lead  
That all that under it doth fight  
For gods love most of might  
Ever in any land  
If it happen them to be slain  
That their souls come never in pain  
After that they be deed  
The people said blessed might thou be  
A holy man I hold the  
I will do after thy rede  
Anon the banner was made and hallowed  
The bull cealed and up folded  
And the pardon of grace  
delivered it to the frere truly  
The people blessed him times three  
And thus his leave he taketh  
Barefote he bore out of the town  
The banner of Christ's passyoune  
Toward the turk he hasteth  
And preached god's law as he go  
And much people to him 'gan speed  
To get their soul's solace  
great gold and silver was him given  
And ever he dealt it even  
though people that with him go  
So certainly as I you say  
All roman for him died pray  
And so it was great need  
Such freres we have to few  
Pray all we christ Ihesu  
To be his help and speed  
For of this I find a fit  
Ferther and ye will sit  
Herkyn and take good heed    


THis frere went to Hungry  
And many men with him truly  
That for our lord died fight  
To an university he took the way  
The greatest in hungry I dare well say  
Gottauntas it height  
Out of the university there went in fere  
Syxe and twenty. M. with the frere  
Of religious men full right  
The most party was priests I say  
everich proved him that day  
That he was god's knight  
The frere with great devotion  
Bore the banner of Christ's passion  
Among the people all  
displayed abroad great joy to see  
Men of diverse country  
Fast to him 'gan fall  
Thus passed forth Capystranus  
And met with the good earl Obedyanus  
A captain principal  
Twenty thousand and more  
Among them was but knights two  
And thus men doth them call  
richard morpath a knight of England  
And sir johan Elacke I understand  
That was a turk before  
And now he is a courteous knight  
I let you weet and a wight  
And steadfast in our lore  
Many a turk hath grieved sore  
Their lives they left behind  
He hath made them hop heedless  
Many one withouten les  
Where he might them find  
There twenty thousand met in fere  
With Obedyauns and the frere  
In helm and hauberke bright  
To grecuswyssynburgh he took the way  
There the turk at siege lay  
With many a knight  
fourteen weeks the turk had been there  
And put the christian to much fere  
To him they had no might  
five. C. gonnes he let shoot at ones  
Broke down the walls with stones  
The wild fire lemed light  
To here it was great wonder  
The noise of guns moche like the thunder  
That was a frefull din  
The noise was herd many a mile  
Obedyaunce the mean while  
Entered the town within  
At vi of the clock the sooth to say  
After noon on the Maudeleyne  
And neither less ne more  
And Capystranus good frere John  
Assoiled our men everichone  
To battle or they died gone  
And cried loud with voice clear  
let us fight for our soupere  
In heaven is ready dight  
Our banner shall I bear to day  
And to Ihesu fast shall pray  
To speed us in our right  
Anon they together met  
five. M. deed withouten let  
In helm and hauberke bright  
Obedianus that noble man  
Slew them fast that served sathan  
Thorough cryst their crowns had care  
All that he with his falcon it  
There was no salve I let you wit  
That ever might hele that sore  
There was no turk that he with met  
But he had such a buffet  
That he grieved never christian man more  
He was a doughty knight  
The falls he felled for gods right  
I pray god weal might he far  
Morpath and black johan  
That day killed turks many one  
Certain withouten let  
There was none so good armour  
That their dints might endure  
Helm nor bright basynet  
They hew upon the heathen on high  
They fire out of every side 'gan fly  
So boldly on they bet  
Many a turk there was cast  
beaten till the brains braced  
Their masters there they met  
Many a. M. of priests there was  
The turks heard never such a mass  
As they hard that day  
Our priests te deum song  
The heathen fast down they dung  
Then pax was put away  
There was school masters of the best  
Many of them were brought to rest  
That would not lere their law  
Thus our christian people died fight  
From .v. of the clock on Maudeleyne night  
Till ten on the other day  
Then came the turks with new battle  
Clean clad in plate and male  
A. C. thousand and more  
On dromydaryes 'gan they ride  
And killed our men on every side  
Two. M. were there slow  
Our men to stand they had no main  
But fled to the town anon  
With wounds wide and bloo  
Twenty thousand of our men  
Were borne down at the bridge end  
The turks were so thrown  
Dromydaryes over them ran  
And killed down both horse and man  
In the field durst none abide  
Obedianus had many a wound  
Or he would flee the ground  
For all the turks pride  
Morpath and black johan  
Had wounds many one  
That bloody were and wide  
To the town they fled on foot  
They saw it was no better boat  
Their steeds were slain that tide  
The turks followed in to the town  
And killed all before them down  
great doyll it was to see  
In to the town the great turk wan  
And killed wife child and man  
The Innocentes thick 'gan die  
johan Capystranus se that it was thus  
And hent a curcyfyxe of christ Jesus'  
Ran up till a tour on high  
The hallowed banner with him he bore  
In the top of the tour he set it there  
And cried full pytefully  
He said lord god in heaven on high  
Where is become thine old might  
That men were wont to have  
O my lord christ Jesus'  
Why hast thou forgotten us  
Now help of the we crave  
Look on thy people that do thus die  
Lord once cast down thine eye  
And help thy men to save  
Now lord send down thy moche might  
Against these fiends for to fight  
That so thy people dyspray  
Think lord how I have preached thy law  
Gone barefoot both in frost and snawe  
To please the to thy pay  
I have fasted and suffered disease  
Prayed all only the to please  
The psalms oft I say  
For all my service I have done the  
I ask no more to my fee  
But help thy men to day  
For and thou let them thus spill  
I am right in good will  
For ever to forsake thy lay  
Now marry maiden help me to day  
Or else thy matins shall I never say  
Days of all my live  
Ne no prayer that the shall please  
But if thou help now our disease  
Ne meinie thy joys five  
A point is for thy maidenhead  
That all this people suffereth deed  
Now help to stint our strive  
Now lady of thy men have pity  
Pray for them to thy son on high  
As thou art maiden and wife  
O lord father omnipotent  
Think on the miracle that thou charles sent  
That for the died fight  
through his prayer and grace  
The sone shone still three days space  
And shone with beams bright  
Pharaoh thou drowned in the see  
though that thou let go free  
Away thou led them right  
This day lord thou help thy men  
Thou art also big now as thou was then  
And of as moche might  
The frere loud on god cried  
A long mile on every side  
The people heard his voice  
Twenty. M. deed for to see  
Within the twynclyn of an eye  
To life they rose again  
Echone a weapon in hand hente  
And freely began to fight  
And field down fast their foes  
The good earl Obedianus  
fought freely for our lord Jesus'  
On every side sprung his lose  
He drove the truke out of the town  
The christian felled the false down  
And drove them to the field again  
Twenty. M. with them met  
Orelles the turk withouten let  
Surely had been slain  
Than were they fain for to fight  
Than ever was foul of day light  
Certain withouten lain   

NOw beginneth a new battle  
I let you wit withouten fail  
Of mighty men of main  
Ychone hew on other with Ire  
That all the field seemed fire  
Also light as leme of thunder  
Every man hurt other in haste  
And laid on basynettes to brains braced  
And ever the false fell under  
The blood ran all the field  
Of doughty men under shield  
To see it was great wonder  
There was he wing from the hals  
The helms and the heads als  
Rich knights were unknytte  
Many a turk withouten fail  
Tumbled top over tail  
That never rose yet  
So hard on helms they hew  
That there were turks but few  
That in sadyll could sit  
There was no turk there  
But he might tell of moche care  
I let you well wit  
There was sticked many a stead  
great dromydaryes made bleed  
though they for faint fell  
The christian men had quarrels good  
They dread nothing to shed their blood  
When Ihesu died them call  
They hewed on with swords keen  
Of helms with the heads by deene  
Tumbled as a ball  
So dealt they strokes on a brayed  
That no turk held him apaid  
The proudest of them all  
There was hurteling in fere  
Broken many a sharp spear  
And drawn many a knife  
steeds started out of strife  
And kest their masters in the way  
Utterly believe  
Many a heathen in their ghere  
His follow 'gan down bear  
And to the earth him drive  
The blood ran through the breast