William Morris Archive

Why do they make these lists in the great square?

Fragment pub. CW, XXI, xix. May Morris describes this as "a tale of the Froissart type."
Draft in Fitz. MS 2, 14/1917. In the table of contents, Murray describes this as the beginning of a romance.

Remained unpublished in Morris's lifetime.

CW, XXI

[xix] Why do they make these lists in the great square
This July night and spend much velvet fair
Upon the canopies and good cloth of Rheims?
How is it the pealing of the chimes
Are little heard amid the din and sway
Of many people eager as in day ...