 | Ballads in Imitation of the Antient |  |
89
I. FIRST PART.
Wherein is displayed the sorrowful parting of the Lady Catherine and her Lord, and how she continued to bewail his unexpected flight from Alnwick-Castle.
Scarce the light grey tinge of dawning
Softly stole athwart the sky;
Scarce the rays of early morning
Flush'd the East with saffron die;
Ere the noble Hotspur stirr'd him,
From beside his Catherine bright;
Whither go'st thou, said the Lady,
Whither hies my soul's delight?
Softly stole athwart the sky;
Scarce the rays of early morning
Flush'd the East with saffron die;
Ere the noble Hotspur stirr'd him,
From beside his Catherine bright;
Whither go'st thou, said the Lady,
Whither hies my soul's delight?
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“I must quit thee, lovely Catherine,
“I must quit thee, Lady kind;
“Thou, and all I love so dearly,
“Straightways must I leave behind:
“Weighty matters will my absence,
“Lo, this is th' appointed day;
“Therefore, gentle Lady, weep not,
“Fate so wills, I must obey.”
“I must quit thee, Lady kind;
“Thou, and all I love so dearly,
“Straightways must I leave behind:
“Weighty matters will my absence,
“Lo, this is th' appointed day;
“Therefore, gentle Lady, weep not,
“Fate so wills, I must obey.”
“Wherefore, Noble Percy, quit me?
“Let me, sweet, thy will controul;
“Much I dread thy valiant temper,
“Much I fear thy warlike soul.
“Do not leave this goodly castle,
“Do not quit these turrets fair,
“Do not shun the babe that loves thee,
“Fill not Catherine's heart wtth care.
“Let me, sweet, thy will controul;
“Much I dread thy valiant temper,
“Much I fear thy warlike soul.
“Do not leave this goodly castle,
“Do not quit these turrets fair,
“Do not shun the babe that loves thee,
“Fill not Catherine's heart wtth care.
91
“To thy wife unveil the secret
“Which so long hath swell'd thy breast,
“Which by day hath made thee thoughtful,
“And by night hath broke thy rest.”
“Hist thee, Wife, I love thee dearly;
“English Earl ne'er lov'd so well.”
“If 'tis so, thou'lt not deny me,
“But thy weighty purpose tell.”
“Which so long hath swell'd thy breast,
“Which by day hath made thee thoughtful,
“And by night hath broke thy rest.”
“Hist thee, Wife, I love thee dearly;
“English Earl ne'er lov'd so well.”
“If 'tis so, thou'lt not deny me,
“But thy weighty purpose tell.”
As the Ivy to the Turret,
Or the weeping Eglantine,
So the gentle loving Lady
Round her Lord her arms did twine:
From her cheek that press'd his bosom
Dropt full many a silent tear,
Which upon his breast-plate falling,
Damp'd the steel that shone so clear.
Or the weeping Eglantine,
So the gentle loving Lady
Round her Lord her arms did twine:
From her cheek that press'd his bosom
Dropt full many a silent tear,
Which upon his breast-plate falling,
Damp'd the steel that shone so clear.
92
“Cath'rine, why this gush of anguish?
“Tell me why this show of pain;
“Wherefore should'st thou pine and languish;
“Lo, this flood of grief is vain:
“Though thy sex be made for sorrow,
“In thy breast such woes should sleep;
“Percy's bride should scorn such feelings,
“Hotspur's wife should never weep.”
“Tell me why this show of pain;
“Wherefore should'st thou pine and languish;
“Lo, this flood of grief is vain:
“Though thy sex be made for sorrow,
“In thy breast such woes should sleep;
“Percy's bride should scorn such feelings,
“Hotspur's wife should never weep.”
“Oh, my Percy, don't despise me!
“All in vain thou tell'st me so,
“For I ne'er can steel this bosom,
“Nor asswage this briny flow.
“Though my Soul's to fear a stranger,
“Yet keen sorrow have I felt;
“Though this heart contemns dread danger,
“Still for thee this heart can melt.”
“All in vain thou tell'st me so,
“For I ne'er can steel this bosom,
“Nor asswage this briny flow.
“Though my Soul's to fear a stranger,
“Yet keen sorrow have I felt;
“Though this heart contemns dread danger,
“Still for thee this heart can melt.”
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From fair Catherine's kind embracings
Quick this valiant Earl did speed,
Straightways to the Court-yard hied him,
Where the groom did tend his steed.
Mounting there his foaming war-horse,
Through fair Alnwick's gates he hied.
“Stay, my Percy, stay my Hotspur,
“Stay, my love,” fair Cath'rine cried.
Quick this valiant Earl did speed,
Straightways to the Court-yard hied him,
Where the groom did tend his steed.
Mounting there his foaming war-horse,
Through fair Alnwick's gates he hied.
“Stay, my Percy, stay my Hotspur,
“Stay, my love,” fair Cath'rine cried.
“Lo, thine infant wills to see thee;
“Do not, love, deny me this;
“Give thy babe a father's blessing,
“Give thy child a father's kiss.”
Hotspur felt a parent's yearning,
On the babe he cast a look;
Then from off fair Cath'rine's bosom
Straight the gentle infant took.
“Do not, love, deny me this;
“Give thy babe a father's blessing,
“Give thy child a father's kiss.”
Hotspur felt a parent's yearning,
On the babe he cast a look;
Then from off fair Cath'rine's bosom
Straight the gentle infant took.
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On its Sire the Babe so harmless
Bent its gaze devoid of guile;
On the manly front of Hotspur
Sweetly did the infant smile.
“Bless thee, Babe!” cried noble Percy;
“May'st thou one day boast the fire,
“May the blood of antient Percys'
“To great deeds thy soul inspire!”
Bent its gaze devoid of guile;
On the manly front of Hotspur
Sweetly did the infant smile.
“Bless thee, Babe!” cried noble Percy;
“May'st thou one day boast the fire,
“May the blood of antient Percys'
“To great deeds thy soul inspire!”
Oft he kiss'd the prattling infant,
Oft its cherry mouth he press'd;
Then to weeping Cath'rine gave him,
And the lady thus address'd:
“Should aught ill befall thy Percy,
“Rear our child to deeds of fame;
“Teach him all our kindred's glory,
“Teach him how to bear our name.”
Oft its cherry mouth he press'd;
Then to weeping Cath'rine gave him,
And the lady thus address'd:
“Should aught ill befall thy Percy,
“Rear our child to deeds of fame;
“Teach him all our kindred's glory,
“Teach him how to bear our name.”
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Thrice the Warrior wav'd his gauntlet,
Thrice his plumage fann'd the air;
Sweet he smil'd, his lips unclosing,
Cried “Farewell, my Cath'rine dear.”
Then full speed the courser bore him
Far from Cath'rine's longing eye:
Thus did part this loving Lady
And her gallant Lord Percy.
Thrice his plumage fann'd the air;
Sweet he smil'd, his lips unclosing,
Cried “Farewell, my Cath'rine dear.”
Then full speed the courser bore him
Far from Cath'rine's longing eye:
Thus did part this loving Lady
And her gallant Lord Percy.
End of the First Part.
| Ballads in Imitation of the Antient | |