A Ballade of Lost Law

By James Williams

Rondeau
        (Spirit of Lord Eldon speaks)         This England is gone staring mad,         She hath abolished Chancery,[J]         See the long lines of suitors, sad         To find themselves unwontedly         After one day of trial free.         Pleading and seals have gone their way.         "I know," said I, "that after me         Too quickly comes the evil day."         (Spirit of Lord Lyndhurst speaks)         I was Chief Baron, and I had         A Court of Law and Equity,[K]         The Courts at Westminster were clad         With ancient glory fair to see.         Now County Courts have come to be         Exalted high on our decay,         And every whit as good as we;         Too quickly comes the evil day.         (Shade of Butler speaks)         In days of yore we used to pad         Our deeds with words of certainty;         Alas! that now the office lad         Is qualified to grant in fee!         Lost is our old supremacy,         Lost is the delicate display         Of learning on pur autre vie;         Too quickly comes the evil day.         L'ENVOI         (The Three in Chorus)         Thurlow, to thee we bend the knee,         When law was law, then men were gay,         'Tis down with port and up with tea,         Too quickly comes the evil day.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem employs the creative device of presenting the voices of three distinct characters, each lamenting the rapid changes in English law and society. The spirits of Lord Eldon and Lord Lyndhurst, and the Shade of Butler, all notable figures in British legal history, represent the old guard, the tradition and antiquity that has been displaced by progress. They mourn the fall of the Chancery and traditional courts, the diminishing complexity of their craft, and the rise of a new, more egalitarian system. Their shared refrain, "Too quickly comes the evil day," is a lamentation of change and progress that they perceive as deterioration.

The tone of the poem is melancholic and nostalgic, underscored by the recurring refrain. The structure is formal, with an obvious pattern of rhyme and rhythm, adding an air of solemnity and tradition that contrasts with the modern changes the spirits bemoan. The poem closes with the collective voice of the three spirits, demonstrating unity in their shared desolation. The transition from "port" to "tea" symbolizes the broader societal change from luxury and indulgence to simplicity and moderation. The poem, therefore, explores themes of change and progress, the tension between tradition and modernity, and the subjective nature of good and evil.

Understanding Rondeau

A rondeau is a fixed French form built on two rhymes and a repeating refrain (the rentrement). Its musical return gives the poem a memorable circularity.

Core characteristics of the rondeau:

  • Structure: Traditionally 15 lines in 3 stanzas (5 / 4 / 6 lines).
  • Rhyme & Refrain: Uses only two rhymes (often noted a and b) and a refrain R made from the opening phrase. A common scheme is aabba aabR aabbaR, where R is the short repeated refrain.
  • Refrain (Rentrement): The refrain is usually the poem’s opening phrase (about a quarter to a half line) that returns at the ends of stanzas 2 and 3.
  • Meter: Historically octosyllabic (8 syllables) in French; in English, meter is flexible, but tight rhythm enhances the songlike feel.
  • Tone & Effect: The refrain reframes meaning as it returns—creating irony, deepening emotion, or sharpening focus.
  • Variations: Related forms include the rondelet and rondeau redoublé, which elaborate the refrain and repetition patterns.

In a strong rondeau, the refrain doesn’t just repeat—it evolves; each reappearance casts prior lines in a fresh light.