[Numbers refer to checklist entries. All unpublished poems and fragments, except early or alternate drafts of published work (entries *34 and *48, the latter in places nearly illegible), have been included.]
9. The ruined Castle.
[f. 32] The dream of a castle, standing alone
In the midst of a leafless wood;
A ruined castle under the moon;
Three walls and a turret stood.
The ancients surely were fools thought I
When they talked of the huntress moon,
I think she screams, for she dwells in the sky
Both day and night alone:
The clouds are below her, far below,
And the stars are far above,
Neither stars above, nor clouds below
The lonely moon do love.
And the withered leaves in the castle walls
Do mock her, spinning around,
The brittle bough from the poplar falls,
Carved figures lie on the ground.
But the brazen vane on the turretted stair
That faced the steady west wind,
It seemed to love the moon so drear
In the moonlight it looked kind --
Wild, wild, with love she had left her home
She had wandered into the night;
Through the three drear walls long time she did roam
In the midst of the ghostly light.
[f. 32v] For bright by times, and dull by times
Did the yearning moon look on her;
And the long steady wind through the leafless limes
Blew the withered leaves upon her.
She cast her eyes on the turreted stair,
The stair that led to nothing;
Chipped was the rugged stone, and there
Lay a broken mail coat rusting.
There were great brown stains on the granite stair;
They looked so much like blood,
In darksome corner, very drear,
An armed statue stood.
It had lain in the chapel many a night
While the monks say miserere,
There it lay as if resting after the fight,
Of the fight with the dragon weary
But now it standeth bolt upright
It is shadowed as with a curtain
In the top of its battered helm, the light
Falls from the moon uncertain.
A dismal tale rang in the lady's head
Of a lord of that castle old;
'Twas [a] dismal tale of men long dead [MS, as]
By a bright fireside once told:
How an ancient lord of gloomy cheer
Slew his lovely lady bright
[f. 33] And buried her under the turret stair
In the winter-moon's ghastly light;
And, how throughout that castle old,
Since the day when the deed was done,
On wall and floor grew fearful red mould,
There ever since it has grown.
It grew in spots on floor and wall
In the midst of the banquet's light,
From it blood ran on floor and wall,
On the murdered lady's night.
Now the vane went creaking round in the wind,
To the east the wind swept suddenly,
And the late gaunt poplar 'gan to find
Its branches dipping plungingly.
While the west wind blew the yellow eyed owl
Stared from the ivy quietly,
When the wind swept round, with a scream, the owl
Flew from the ivy heavily.
Then the dismal tale, and the lady's thought
In her brain a strange whirl wound,
Owl vane and wind strange dreaming wrought,
On the leaves she lay in a swound.
When she woke the moon was low in the west,
It was changing from gold to white,
The lark was singing, leaving his nest,
As the day rose out from the night.
f. 33v] Through the fall of her golden, shining hair
She could see a face above her;
Two eyes shone moist in the morning air,
Truly they seemed to love her --
10. The Dedication of the Temple
[f. 6] Ornan threshed wheat upon the threshing floor
When all about a strange light shone that made
His face look wild; he hid himself, with him
His four sons hid themselves: and then alone
The glory shone, making all common things
Look fearful in its light: behind the straw
They crouched, but soon they looked out timidly.
The fearful thing looked from the rocky ledge
Towards the City: in its hand a sword
Waved as its fiery wings waved fearfully. 10
Often those men that hid behind the straw
Had heard of Angels singing before God
For ever and for ever: often heard
Of how the Captain of the Lord's own host
Stood before Joshua long ago: of how
Aaron rushed in between the quick & dead
His censer clanging in the tainted air.
They knew the Angel, and about them crept
A horror like to his who stands alone
Upon a moor, when black clouds creep along 20
Against the east wind blowing sullenly,
Bringing the thunder towards the sultry wind
Which has prayed for it blowing many days
Towards the house of thunder: So felt they
For ne'er before upon that threshing floor
Had such a wind blown the small straws about
As that, which blowing from the fiery wings,
Raised the curls up upon his snow-white brow
And let them fall again, as the lull came
Which the great wings swept back, or for awhile 30
Rested, an arch of light above his head
Of light that scorched not; so for long time stood
The awful angel on that threshing floor,
And Ornan trembled, till he heard a step,
As if of one burdened with many woes,
Come slowly towards the straw he hid him in.
He heard a sigh drawn from the inmost heart
Of one so pressed upon by misery.
He could not tremble at the angel there
But only wept and wept; while evermore 40
His long robe dragged the stones along the ground.
He knew the King, King David whom he loved
And straightway fell before his feet, for love
Had all o'er mastered fear, and he forgot
The Angel, who still stood upon the floor;
His great wings sweeping grandly to and fro
[f. 7] And while he stood there calmly looking forth,
Without a doubt upon his loving soul,
An altar rose, and from it went the smoke,
About, about, in many curls and wreaths 50
Up to God's throne, who answered David there
As he lay praying, thinking of the flowers
That grow about the hills of Bethlehem.
Who knoweth how the dreadful angel went?
Or how he came upon the threshing floor?
But he was gone and from the city rose
Grand hymns in very solemn rolls of sound
That dwelt for long about the o'erhanging hills
Entangled in the Olives. Years passed by
The temple rose up from the rocky ledge. 60
No tool of iron smote upon the stone
The white chips flying from it: silently
The gold was clasped upon the cedar wood:
And silently the cherubim stretched out
Their heavy wings, on which the gold lay thick.
The brazen lilies round the sea of brass
Threw wondrous shadows when the moon was up
On the clear water under them, through up:
The brass showed yellow darker than the moon[.]
The narrow windows let the sun come in 70
And strike the gold, and redden where it struck
As though it drew out blood -- A solemn place
Even before the glory of the Lord
Had entered it: and when the moon alone
Shone there by night, the sun alone by day:
A solemn place -- but soon a day came on,
When all the people stood about the rock[.]
How many thousands! hushed in deep despair
With solemn heads bowed down unto the dust
While the king blessed them then he turned him round 80
And prayed many things upon his knees,
And they prayed with him till the Altar blazed
With fierce white flame that licked the victim up[.]
The Lord had come down to his sanctuary.
An aweful place the temple was that night.
The moon was on it, there was something else
Shone in it and about it, not the moon
For when the sun rose from above the hills
And struck it from the east, he changèd not
The wondrous light that shone for ever there. 90
For ever? Ah! how many shameful sins
Were wrought upon the bosom of the Land:
[f. 8] For ever! Ah how many were the hills
On which the west wind blew the palms about
With all their branches blackened by the smoke
That foully rose from altars which the Lord
Held cursed always: So the temple fell,
How terribly the gorgeous temple fell
The brass all vanished from the polished rose[,]
The gold all vanished from Araunah's floor 100
The wild winds threshed the charrèd cedar beams
As erst the tread of oxen threshed the grain.
Where once the incense stirred the purple veil
With its low breathing, now the wind bent down
The green grass waving o'er the Holy place.
How strangely shines the moon in Bethlehem,
How strangely fall the shadows on the hills;
While sit the warriors keeping watch by night,
Not like the quiet watch the shepherds kept,
When shone the moon upon the word made Man 110
When shone the moon upon the manger wall,
Making a shadow larger than the life
Upon the white wall, of a babe and maid,
A babe and Mother; aye the moon shone bright
Upon a hill where three black crosses stood,
Black, and black shadowed; where the white sky lay,
Broken and ghastly on the withered grass.
Then in a garden fair the moon shone once,
The light fell full upon a sepulchre,
Hewn in the rock, with armèd men around; 120
There where the light was grey about the tree,
And the moon sunk, the sun not risen yet,
Then women came to view the sepulchre
With eyes that weeping had made red, with hands
That twitched at their garments evermore,
Twisting them unto knots; with faint slow steps
Bringing to Him Who lay no longer there
Sweet spices: many a summer flower sprung up;
Famished and withered in that garden sweet;
Beneath the sun and wind, beneath the cold. 130
But now the garden and the trees are gone;
From far off lands both men and women come,
Strong men and weak, and women very weak
[f. 9] That they may lie upon that blessèd stone
Where lay the piercèd body of the Lord,
That they may die upon it, kissing it;
That they may kiss their sins away on it,
Such reverence pay they e'en to dead cold stone,
That could not feel God's body as It lay
Wrapt in the linen, hidden in the rock. 140
And Oman's threshing floor! Years years ago,
A marble temple stood, where stood of old
That other temple with the gilded beams
Of cedar and of olive -- years ago
The marble burned slowly into dust
While shouts and shrieks rang round it: filthy things
Are filled now upon the level rock,
Instead of marble pilèd into walls
With splendour on them from the morning dew
With splendour on them from the summer winds, 150
That sweetly slid along the marble smooth.
And now the warriors are upon the hill.
Some sleep and dream, not of the clashing swords
Dreaming of faces very far away
Some sit and twist the grass about their hands
Dreaming awake: some talk about the fight,
And some there are, who pacing up and down
Are weary, weary, with the watch they keep.
About them stand all glittering in the moon
Tall things bright-headed, blades, but not of grass[,] 160
Bright-headed, but they will be dulled soon
When blood dries brown on them, these are the men
Who have swept over many lands with these
Tall spears bright-headed that I tell about.
What people stood before them? on they come.
How may the dwellers in Jerusalem
Keep close their gates against them? very soon
The gates are opened, and the lances gleam
From street to street in dots of trembling light
From which the women shrink back shuddering[.] 170
The warriors who lay dreaming on the hills
Lie dreaming now within their quiet graves
Or seem to dream, for there the white bones lie
With nothing moving them: Ornan is dead
And in its sheath his great sword perishes
As the rust eats it: On Araunah[']s floor
Another temple lifts its splendour up,
So gorgeous, that perchance some simple ones
Think it the same that Solomon did build
Without the sound of hammers: it is sweet 180
To see the many marble pillars stand,
To see within, the many arches cross:
[f. 10] To see the arches other arches make
In dark and light upon the marble floor.
In sooth it is a very beauteous place.
And I perchance could rest within its walls
Could rest within its smooth and barred walls
But round me ever a confused noise,
Swells up and falls and clearer swells again.
Well know I what it means that aweful sound. 190
O North! O north! about thy quiet hills
How fair thy flowers are in summer time.
O north! O north how oft the west-wind brings
The purple haze to lie upon the elms,
And make them purple too, in autumn eves
When twilight shades the streets and underneath
The thick trees, darkness makes. O north! O north! [MS, O! north O! north]
Under thy hills now fairly dance the waves
Showing the slate stones lying in the lake,
And throwing shadows on them from the sun. 200
O! south sky without a cooling cloud,
O! sickening yellow sand without a break,
O! palm with dust a-lying on thy leaves,
O! scarlet flowers burning with the sun.
I cannot love thee South for all thy sun,
For all thy scarlet flowers or thy palms[,]
But in the North for ever dwells my heart.
The North with all its human sympathies,
The glorious North, where all amidst the sleet
Warm hearts do dwell, warm hearts sing out with joy. 210
The North that ever loves the poet well,
The north where in the spring the primrose lies
So thick amongst the moss and hazel roots,
The North, where all the purple clouds do course
From out the north-west making green the trees[,]
Shout for the North, O! brothers shout with me
Pray for the North. O brothers pray with me.
A piteous tale that holy hermit told
In all the listening ears of Christendom,
A piteous tale to all the swelling hearts: 220
He told of pilgrims dying at the gate,
The wardens mocking at their agony[.]
He told of bishops with their hoary beards
A-lying in the grasp of Saracens[,]
Of Christ's name cursèd in the very place
Where he had blessed so many solemnly[.]
[f. 11] To those new warriors that are on the hills,
The hills that hang about Jerusalem,
Come from the North that they might free the tomb
Of Him who bought them they have come from far[,] 230
From towns where all over the houses rise
White spires in the light: from pleasant hills
Which look down on the river where the trees
Are dark above the stream and dark below:
Where all the bank and all the pollard trees
Lie in the water clearer than above
They come from woods where underneath the beech
The ground is hard, the air is almost green
From the green leaves above, while in the den
The notchèd fern is laughing merrily[.] 240
Ah me they come from many a lovely place[,]
And there their voices are weeping in the night
And there their children breathing heavily
Dreaming of horrors as the night goes on
With changes of the clouds -- they dream perhaps
Of all the horrors that lie round about
The line of march the Christian soldiers took.
Perchance they dream that there for many a mile
Great bones be whitening in the southern sun,
And over armour crawls the loathly asp[,] 250
His flat head clubbing at the close steel rings
Of broken swords, whose hilts are wrought about
With what the Saints have suffered for the Lord,
That they may die while on the army goes.
Of friends that stay behind, to die with them
And hold the cross against their parched lips.
It may be that their sire is such a one,
A-dying on the sand, but there all night
The soldiers watch about Jerusalem.
Shout! for the ladder catching on the wall, 260
Shout! for the mailcoat falling back again
From the knees slackening underneath its fold:
Shout! As the Christians press against the foe[.]
Shout! as the turbans wave despairingly:
Shout as the swords clash on the parapet
And fall in shivers underneath the wall,
Shout for the brave knight raising well his knee
Amid the glimmer of the scimitars:
Shout as the sword rises above his head
And falls again amidst the turbaned ones. 270
[f. 12] Hurrah! for sloping down the narrow streets
Hurrah! for rushing unto Omar's mosque
Where all the marble pillars stand aghast
As if they feared the shadows of the men
Shall cross the shadows of the arches there.
Ah m! they slew the woman [and] the babe[,]
They slew the old man with his hoary hair[,]
The youth who asked not mercy, and the child
Who prayed sore that he might see the sun
Some few days more -- those soldiers of the Cross[.] 280
Pray Christians for the sins of Christian men[.]
Then for long years the mosque of Omar felt
The long hymns which beat against the domed roof[,]
The hymns which Solomon had sung of old[,]
His full heart swelling, in the golden wall,
His gift, from which the Cherubim looked down[,]
It saw the image of the Crucified
Over the Altar, and it saw the priest
Stand with his chasuble in heavy folds[,]
The jewels on it hiding from the sun. 290
About the arches rolled the incense-cloud
As once it rolled about the cedar roof --
Now all is changed -- When will the cross once more
Be lifted high above its central Home?
Never perhaps. Yet many wondrous things
That silent dome has looked on quietly.
And truly very many wondrous things
The rock on which the temple stood has seen.
I wonder what Araunah's floor was like
Before the flood came down upon the Earth - 300
11.
[f. 13] From all other moving shadows
Today before the sun went down
Behind the purple hills
The maple tree with its buds was blown
O'er the hollow the primrose fills.
That hollow under the maple tree
The primrose fills alway:
In the autumn and summer the broad leaves be,
In the spring the blossoms gay.
In the winter the ground is hard and the snow
Is white above the ground:
But the primrose roots they lie below
With the maple leaves around.
So today before the sun was set
The wind blew on one cloud:
Towards the east hand the rock was wet
With the water splashing up loud.
And a young knight stood by the maple tree:
With his right hand resting on it:
And in his left hand you might see
A letter, his blue eyes upon it.
Now the west was all a blaze with the sun,
There were purple clouds in the blaze:
The colours kept changing; the sun going down
And the east was soft with haze.
And the knight he gazed at the letter still
With his hand on the maple tree,
Till the sun was hidden by the hill
And he scarce could the letter see.
The wind sank down, when the sun went down,
And still the rock was wet:
And the daisies bent their heads adown
For they knew the sun was set.
Then the knight from the letter lifted his eyes
And he looked down on the night [?]
12.
[f. 14] And then as the ship moves over the deep,
She moves with her mariners all asleep;
They dream very sweetly.
And so our ship moved on through the night
Swiftly sailed, under the light,
Swiftly and gently.
And all our mariners lay asleep
I did not dream, I did not sleep.
The Mermaid sang gently.
Under the moon I saw the surf,
I heard the mermaid gently laugh,
As we sailed to it.
I knew the coral reef was there
I could not speak I could not stir
Though we sailed to it.
Scarce can I my wild tale tell
While the wave sounds like a knell.
Now my hair is very grey;
On the morning of that day
Black it curled about my brow[,]
That was very long ago.
That night beneath the moon
To the surf we sailed on;
As I gazed, it seemed to me
That it was the rock, not we,
That moved over the sea.
O! how horrible was the crash,
And a fiery straining flash
Dazzled my doomed eyes
Instead of the light of the skies
Which were so blue above
Where the moon and the clouds did mrove.
Jesu! how the shrieks rang out!
How the shriek rang, and the shout!
As the ship staggered;
As the masts wavered
As the ship sank through the blue water
* * * * * * * * * * *
Over are waved the boughs of the palm
When I woke up all things were calm
In the dreary desert isle.
How many years have I wandered here,
By the purple sea, through the purple air,
In the dreary desert isle?
Notches I cut for each day in the year
In the bark of the palm, that rises in air
In the dreary desert isle.
14. The Blackbird
[f. 34] Listen [to] the blackbird singing
To the red flush in the west!
Of all that sing the spring in
The blackbird singeth best
O! how the music swelleth!
As he flutters there hard by,
For joy of the tales he telleth,
For the song that shall never die.
The young lime where he singeth
Will remember all his song,
When on his trunk time bringeth
The mosses clinging long.
To the bees by the blossoms humming
The leaves will tell the tale
In the summer that is coming
As they flutter in the gale
His singing riseth higher
To the small clouds overhead,
It goeth on to the fire
By the small clouds that is fed.
Sunsets will keep his singing,
When the lime is on the ground.
In the ivy about it clinging
Will thoughts of the song be found.
30.
A time there was in days long past away
Whereof the romance telleth when all laws
Were kept far better than they are today
That time no man escaped without due cause
That time as Gods knowing both good and ill
With unsealed eyes upon the judgement seat
Sat dukes and kings and wrought out all their will
And those were glad who sat beneath their feet
Yet verily as all the wise men say
Man may know much the high God knoweth all
Yea such a man a man [sic] was righteous yesterday
Today he sinneth let[?] the sword fall
So say they not being merciful like God
Who lets him live the next day and do well
So comes it many bones beneath the sod
Lie buried quietly whom the hangman fell
Had dealt with but that God the pitiful
At some bad times when they were full of fear
And all seemed failing made their judges dull [?]
Lo such a tale as this is written here
A knight there was and he was young enow
But battered in the wars of many lands
And likewise in estate was fallen so low
Nothing he had but what his sword and hands
Might win from year to year nevertheless
The maid at court of noble house and state
Gave him her love and in all recklessness
A desperate man he quite forgot his fate
And cherished it and warmed himself thereat
To mind today tomorrow God may mind
Look you it was high treat for one who sat
Not so high up above the salt to find
The silkwound vellum fall before his feet
While red as fire yet with what Count Guy
Had just now said or while his heart y beat
With smothered rage at Earl John's stations [?] high.
I say no wonder if he scarce could see
For giddy pleasure what fair words were writ
Upon the vellum flower and bird and tree
Danced in the merry sun because of it
I say no wonder if he found it sweet
After some foil in field or tournament
Kissing together to sit feet to feet
And ever round him her two long arms went
And ever surely twas a great content
Shortly no wonder and not too much blame
If he forgot how hard the times were then
If he forgot the wretchedness and shame
His love would surely win among all men
Yea he forgot that law so pitiless
Whereby as saith the romance what Lady
Of that court fell in sinful love no less
Than burnt she was without more remedy
And though no doubt a many times he thought
All this and more yet nonetheless because
While love and honour so hard in him fought
By no process of thinking might he pause
To leave the brawl and jungle of the hall
For quiet hours in the distant place
She and her ladies dwelt in and hear fall
The conduit in its basin: face to face
Meanwhile they sat and sang and stories old
Made them but mindful of their own delight
Forgetful of their troubles and so bold
And tender did his face seem in her sight
That all seemed won already and such love
From her compassionate eyes shone down on him
Twixt falling of the blossoms from above
That thought and memory both began to swim
In giddy dream and if he could have thought
Better is love than honour he had said
For unto another world love had them brought
And there they made their own laws by my head
Upon a day there came a time at last
When both to him and her was no return
Hands off with honour love had got him fast
For weal and woe in this flame him doth [?] burn
Alas she with him
Take notice though that being as they
Fair of good estate, right many men
Loved her in one way or another way
And often was she hard put to it when
They sought her love upon the bended knee
By due answer to hold her secret fast
In spite of all out would it certainly
Swathe a Snake up in wool, at last
Out comes the head with the black forked tongue
Quivering before it all was but in vain
And openly the bitter secret thing
In spite of all the watchfulness and pain
There was Sir Aloyse in that court [a] Knight
Of name and wealth a man of cruel heart
Cold you had said[,] who nonetheless took light
And burnt with love towards her for his part
But no wise might he win her cold and proud
She was to most, although for bitter care
She trembled at such praises loud
The more through heavy thoughts her beauty [?] where
Stood Sir Aloyse with roses in his hand
And fierce love at his heart: Kiss them he said
And give them back to me. Spring was on the land
And the may blossoms rained upon her head
The warm wind blew the medlar leaves apart
And shook the starred white flowers she looked round
At him first then about for help her heart
Almost stopped beating at the grating sound
And dainty seemed right dangerous and hard
And he who held him wise loved not with her
And evilly her would beloveds fared
Of those few words because indeed they meant
More than they said, his eager eye
His flushed face smiling proud and confident
Nought in the way now meant they certainly.
She stood a moment quivering with great fear
Then turned to run he caught her by the hand
With a great spring then said nay stop and hear
A story that I know sit while I stand
She sat upon the grass and over her
Feeling his cutlace edge stood Sir Aloyse
The sound of his slow speaking reached her ear
Dreadful and dreamlike as the constant noise
Of falling waters. So, he said time goes.
I knew you as a merry child one tide
And that is past great love for you arose
Within my heart since then set that aside
I thought I had a chance once let that go
But think Margaret how in the many fights
We men of war have been in that we know
Things women do not think of and see sights
Whereof they do not dream I saw one day
Upon a battle field [a] young knight dead
There with clenched hands throat cut wide he lay
And it was I who killed him by my head
Who was it but my brother times change much
Who would have thought that he of all other men
Should thwart and thwart me till I changed too such
Close friends we were once yet I killed him then
I was not sorry I had killed him though
But sorry we had quarrelled all alas
But as go other things so goes sorrow
I grieve. Alas you will not love me now time was
I would have served you well; but for Richard
I hold it pity that you should give up
Your life for him. [T]o die so young is hard
But who so casts aside a golden cup
Let him go drink grey waters from the brook
And foul his hosen with the mud thereof
I must away I fear much I must look
To hear strange tidings while my broken love
Makes me sit brooding in my hall alone
I judge that it might happen any day
Those dreadful laws may be fulfilled to the bone
And marrow I am sorry I must say
You seem to hate me why do you look so pale
I fear it is not that you pity me
Your own grief doubtless roused up by this tale
This string of words that minglingly [?]
I have been pouring out is it farewell
Will you live Margaret years and years and years
To help you help
With love and honor--now [?] you have a bell
With Richards arms upon it yes Cicel
I think her name is your own pretty maid
Gave it to me--ah not discreet enow Tis pretty
Cicely picked it up she said
In your own bower is it farewell now
Do you reach your hand to say good bye
No let me keep the bell and give me leave
To say be careful of the sweet Cicely
For keeping secrets she is like a sief
For holding water--well I must away
Alls ended [?] the end is just begun
Margaret farewell. She was as pale as clay
While he was speaking as when he was done.
And gone away she sat and held her knees
And for awhile in rocking to and fro
Now vaguely thought she of departed peace
And now half pondered what thing she might do
To save her body and her love from death
Whether he lied or not Sir Richard's bell
That went for nothing Cicely though her breath
Went when she thought of what she knew full well [?]
Hard was it to die young and hard to face
The bitter world with lies and lies and lies
And then she thought how well she knew the place
Where she was to be burnt with what surprise
Her kindred over sea would hear of it
And would they arm for vengeance or just take
Some pounds of gold and after that would sit
In some gilt chantrey silent for her sake
Wishing the mass well over giddily
She rose at last and in her bower she lay
Wishing that that spring day were all gone by
And night were come nought recked she of the day
That in the merry wind beat up and down
Nought recked she of the ousels how they sung
The short sweet laughter of the thrushes brown
There she lay quiet--but her hands she wrung
And softly lest that anyone should hear
And yet above her breath, she called on God
And sometimes half risen up she shook for fear
If any footstep in the passage trod
About sunset the minstrels in the hall
Blew up sweet tunes while lords and knights drank wine
And heavily then on sleep she gan to fall
And sleeping wept upon her fingers fine
But in the night she woke full of[t] and wept
For very pity that she found the tears
Still wet upon her cheeks and when she slept
She dreamt of all things happening bitter fear.
But hope with it and outlet due at last
The next day and the next she lay abed
Sick as her maids told those who asked for her
For Sir Aloyse went not as he had said
And till he had gone Margaret for pure fear
Durst not to send for Richard the third day
She heard the trumpets blow up merrily
Outside her heart beat quick as there she lay
She rose and crossed the room that she might see
The base court from the other window thence
Into a corner huddled stealthily
And God shall try it in the fenced lists
Twixt him and me and trust me to the word
Shall never leave my lips that have been kist
By yours Margaret she said one day I heard
Two knights who spoke of this thing and they said
They never yet of anyone who herein
Lived and came safe therefrom--by my head
God is a mighty Lord and he will win
Ah sweet I say whatever happeneth
The little word never shall be said by me
No doubt this is the worst--for you my death
Nought to fear afterwards Margaret for see:
The Commons love us let your squires sing
Your name aloud proved innocent by then
Think well the rough-joyed puisance [?] and goose wing*
May help you well among these cruel men.
That is the worst; but why should the worst come
Think of the best Sir Aloyse gibbeted
And we at peace among our folks at home
To love together till we both are dead
But in himself he thought yet she may die
Before her trial comes she is changed much
These last days Aloys[e] wrought us this misery
I wonder in God's name why he made such
As Aloyse and I are she started up and cried
Help me Richard so faint I feel and sick
Therewith she put her hand unto her side
And sank down swooning as a dog might lick
The face of his dead master, on his knees
Over and over kissed he her sweet face
Fixed and dead pale and art nowise at peace
For the brows frowned the half opened mouth showed trace
Of pain and struggling when she woke again
And now once more could speak she touched his wrist
And languidly beheld him as if fain
To say a thing but noting as he kissed
Her lips and eyes what look his own eyes had
She held her peace and silent there sat there
Lamenting in their thoughts these changes sad
Bitterly thinking of the times that where [sic]
Brooding they sat there in such kind of dream
As I have heard that dying men have oft
When pain is gone and life and sorrow seem
A tale well told. Sweet and soft
They heard the sobbing whistle of the thrush
They heard the kestrels cry from tower to tower
They heard outside the pink flowers may bough brush
Against the painted window of the bower
Over the yellow crowns of kings who sit
White robed betwixt the sun and yellow moon
Betwixt the flowers did the finches flit
And gently through the locks did the wind croon
And in their thoughts they wandered to and fro
Sometimes it seemed an easy thing to bear
Sometimes their hearts nigh broke for bitter woe
Unbearable, but there came hope and fear
At last and woke them up to their real pain
Then with slow sigh rose Sir Richard up
And said behold you Margaret we are fain
To put aside from us this bitter cup
That love holds out to us ah yet I knew
That sweet and bitter mingled bitterer is
Than any other surely unto you
My love has been a bitter Judas kiss.
And now I cannot die but you must die
I cannot give my life for you my sweet
How shall I pray your pardon and mercy
I can scarce speak it -- then said Margaret
My head whirls neither can I think at all
How much we may have sinned but if God gives
That we come safe out of our bitter fall
For his sake we will live such holy lives
As never men lived
* goose wing - arrow