Analysis of The Banner of Five Byzants

St. George for merrie England !
Fling our banner to the breeze ;
That flag is borne to sweep the shore,
As it has swept the seas.

St. George for merrie England !
Our step is on the land,
Oh France ! thy sun is wrong to shine
On English battle-brand.

The pennons float o'er gallant ranks,
With heart and eye of flame :
Some ride to win their lady's grace ;
Some for a warrior's name.

I wear no colours in my cap,
And little do I care,
When monkish chronicles are writ,
Though my name be not there.

I will not fight for lady's love,
Life is a price too high ;
I will not shed my blood for what
A few soft words will buy.

And still less reck I of the fame
For which the madman bleeds ;
'Tis but a record on the page,
One of a thousand reads.

See, yonder sweeps my pennon brave,
With byzants scattered o'er
But sparingly, — they were my last —
Now I must fight for more.

I love the festal hall, where smiles
Light up the purple wine ;
And ever to win entrance there,
Or gold or steel must shine.

My banner, with its red byzants,
Points out the soldier's way —
On, on ! that golden crest must be,
The foremost in the fray !

The subject of this ballad is taken from an account of a young knight, Allan le Zouch, at the seige (sic) of Caerlaverock, who bore a banner set with five byzants.