The Dawn in Britain :: :: University of Virginia Library

With pomp and retinue of shrill painted chariots,
Come by the river's ford, again, to Isca:
Chanting old warlike deeds, as they fast ride.
Those enter, soon, in mead-hall to Duneda:
Kamlan them fills great horn of the wild bull,
Whose lip of beaten gold, with the best mead.
Those all then standing round the king Duneda;
Each, dipped therein his finger, he makes oath,
In words of the king's druid; to witness called,
(Whilst drink they all thereout,) the holy gods!

Early at morrow's day, depart those lords.
How shine their running wheels, against the sun,
That mounts! The third eve, with their bands of warriors,
They all shall gather armed, to king Duneda.

Nigh to the town; (above that river-field,
Where daily march, to warlike exercises,
Forth Isca's youth, the effort of their strength,
To prove; and learn skill of manslaying arms;)
Is grove, whereas no common foot may tread;
But druids, with Aesgar, have, therein abode.
Some all unwitting of the Syrian brethren,
Seeking, where might they pray, sequestered place;
Now enter, singing hymns, with a glad voice.

Saw them one Llys, a brain-sick sorcerer,

Of demon-gods; which, after them, aye crieth.
So that their hearts were straitened, in their breasts:
And gaze men after Llys, in Isca street;
Marvelling, so lewd a servant have the gods!
And yield him room, whereso this, muttering, goeth;
Most like an hound, without companion.
Foul is the wretch, and gore-stained, aye, his face:
For, where this cometh by shambles, he, with both
His hands, like to kite's claws, stuffs his fell chaps.
Durst none deny him, were he lief or loath.
And, as he goeth, Llys howls, to his dire gods.

Upon the awry shoulders of this wight,
A wolf's spoil hangs; and else he wears no cloth.
Through the wolf's gape, he looks, with grinning teeth.
Now hath this Llys, great adder found and tamed;
Which, on his arm, his scaly boughts upwreathes:
And threatens, still, the worm, with horrid crest,
Who nighs the loathly wight; that, with foul hands,
Smites whom he will, and buffets with his feet.
Thus him, dread mockery, his demon-gods have dight;
And egg, with dire outcries, to vex Christ's saints.
He foams, when they are seen; and his lewd tongue
Defiles the innocent air, with blasphemies.

The saints had little gone forth, in that grove;
When certain meet with them, men of the druids.

Then these invite them, with deceitful looks,
With them, to wend; making as, further, aught,
They would enquire, touching the strangers' gods.
So, led of those, they come to Aesgar's hall;
Whereas, but from the threshold, shines dim light.
Of good and human kindness, void; that place
Is full of demons, which their hearts oppress!
Young men sit, on the floor, with dangerous looks;
Chanting dark lays, lip-discipline of vain druids.

The saints salute them: none, again, them greet.
Who bring them in, (was froward their intent,)
Them lead, in murk, to sit, in place unmeet;
Where ashes of their hearth. So cometh-in Aesgar,
Hound-faced; who makes as though the saints he saw not.
Then he, on splayed ox-hide, under the wall,
From them, apart, sate down; with heinous cheer,
Of priest, in whose heart dwells no power of love;
But seems he prophet of some evil god!

He of those shipwrecked strangers, after pause;
Speaking, through an interpreter, requires
Name of their god; and touching the soul, both
What thing they deem; and of this body's death.

Then fell the Spirit, on Shalum; who, for burns
His heart, rose-up; and spake, by Pistos' mouth;

Allfather, to low circle of the earth,
His Son sent down, to save our souls from death:
Nor can they ever die, which, in Him, trust;
For, in them, liveth the everlasting Christ;
Though die and, even now, doth fade our flesh.
And Aesgar hear! Shall broken be, God saith,
Your idols vain, cast out in places waste;
Defouled, and trodden, under, of wild beasts!
But forasmuch as, in thy froward malice,
Thou askedst, the Lord's Name, of all the earth;
It may not uttered be of mortal breath!

Shine, in that gloom, the angry eyes, as snakes,
Of druids, men which would slay those saints of Christ!
Heard, then, hoarse clamour of mad Llys, without;
But even who druids abhor his loathly looks.
They thrust aback, they put him from their place!
When, after this, the brethren would depart;
By way, those lead them, from the druids' hall,
Where opens, namely, a little wicket gate;
So low, that uneath, creeping, might they pass.

Beyond, lo, a paved court, full of bees' hives;
Where, chest on chest, is all the air ahum,
Of the sweet honey-flies. Thence, to great gate,

An alley leads; wherethrough, they, needs, must pass,
By certain cabans; whence comes confused voice,
Unto their ears, as yowling of wild beasts.
Then, were they ware, of some climbed by the thatch;
Men of the druids, and of beasts' sties, beneath.
Straight, those draw hatches up! Wolves, hideous,
Outleap; ramp horrid bears, with open throat!
Yerning, with dreadful teeth, upon Christ's saints;
That lift to God, All-seeing, their troubled hearts!

Their eyes being opened, they, again, the Angel
Behold, which saved them, fleeting in vast deep;
Standing to save. Saw him the beasts: they crouch
And whine, for dread; they creep back to their dens!
Albion uplifts the gate, of immense bars,
From off his hinge; and beckoning to them, bade
His heavenly voice, (like multitude, that sounded,
Of waves!) they haste to Isca, on swift feet.

Touching those forest beasts, were wont tell druids,
Did Sarron take him whelps, of several kinds;
That might, by such, be known what man's kin was;
Ere tamed, by laws and worship of the gods!

So come those brethren, to the rest, in Isca:
And all-thing they, from point to point, rehearse.
Then Joseph deems, were meet they sought speech, erst,

Of king Duneda. Brings them Kamlan in,
Before the king; to whom they them submit.

Duneda sitteth long in doubt; nor spake
Yet word. Then cometh in one of his armed men;
Who tells, how Aesgar loosed the druids' ban,
Forbidding, to these shipwrecked, fire and meat,
Of any, to be given. And, should be none
So hardy; and that, on pain of the great curse,
Aid or abet them. The king sends for Kowain!
Who come; he gives him charge, with thirty spears,
To place of safety, to convey these strangers;
Knowing, that Aesgar now intends their deaths.

But sith, the after-morrow, he from Isca,
Himself should fare, unto Silures war;
To holms of Avalon, hath devised Duneda,
(Garden of apples named, in chants of druids,)
Those shipwrecked send. Isle Avalon, which named Alban,
A Sanctuary is, mongst all tribes of South Britons;
Where none may enter in, with weaponed hand.