University of Virginia Library


121

BALLADS.


123

THE CAMPEADOR'S SPECTRE HOST.

What are these
So withered, and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,
And yet are on't?
Macbeth.

I

On Leon's towers deep midnight lay;
Grim clouds had blotted the stars away;
By fits 'twas silent, by fits the gale
Swept through heaven like a funeral wail.

II

Heard ye that distant, that dismal hum,
That trumpet-blare, and that roll of drum,
That clashing of cymbals—and now again
The wail of the night wind, the rush of rain?

III

Know ye whence comes it? 'Tis like the shock
Of torrents o'erleaping some barrier rock.
Hearken again! 'Tis more near, more loud,
Like the opening burst of the thunder-cloud.

124

IV

List ye not now, on the echoing street,
The trampling of horses, the tread of feet,
The clashing of arms? 'Tis a host of might,
Marching in mask of the starless night.

V

St Isidro! at thy deep-browed gate,
Who crowding throng, who knocking wait?

This slight ballad is founded on a very striking passage in the Chronicle of the Cid, to the admirable translation of which, by Mr Southey, I would direct the attention of the English reader, as a repertory of chivalrous and romantic incident, singularly at antipodes to the prosaic utilitarianism of our own time. Its pervading idea—that of the patriotic retaining their love of country even beyond death, and a zeal for its rescue from oppression and danger—is a high and ennobling one; and is so natural as to have found a place in the traditional superstitions of almost every people, from the Calmuc Tartar to the Scots and Swiss. The three founders of the Helvetic Confederacy are thought to sleep in a cavern near the lake of Lucerne; and the herdsmen call them the Three Tells. They say that they lie there in their antique garb, in quiet slumber; and, when Switzerland is in her utmost need, that they will awaken and reconquer its liberties. Mrs Hemans' fine lyric, “The Cavern of the Three Tells,” is founded on this legend. The very spirited French ballad of “The Drunomer,” or “Napoleon's Midnight Review,” of which we have several good translations, originates in a similar sentiment; as also one of the stanzas in Campbell's matchless “Mariners of England”—

“The spirits of your fathers
Shall start from every wave!
For the deek it was their field of fame,
And ocean was their grave.”

Ferrando the Great was buried in the Royal Monastery of St Isidro, at Leon. The time when of this spiritual belligerence was during the reign of Queen Alphonso, on the night before the decisive battle of the Navas de Tolosa; of which it is chronicled that sixty thousand of the Mahometans were then and there slain.


The Frere, from his midnight vigil there
Upstarting, scales the turret stair.

VI

Aghast he trembles; that turmoil loud
Might waken the corse in its leaden shroud;
And thickens the blood in his veins thro' fear,
As unearthly voices smite his ear.

VII

“Ho! warriors, rouse ye! Ho! dead arise!
Haste, gird your good swords on your thighs;
Hauberk and helm from grave-rust free;
And rush to the rescue of Spain with me!

VIII

“Pelayo is with us; and who despairs,
When his Cross of Oak in our van he bears?

The badge of Pelayo was an Oaken Cross, which he is said to have always had carried in the van of his army, when he led it on to battle.


Come—muster ye must to my call once more—
'Tis I, your Cid—the Campeador!

The surname of Campeador, applied to the Cid Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, has been a stumbling-block to antiquarians. I am inclined to adopt the solution of Verstegan, who derives it from the word Cemp or Kemp, “properly one that fighteth hand to hand, whereunto the name in Teutonic of Kemp fight accordeth, and in French of Combat.” From a note at p. 5 of Southey's Introduction to The Chronicle of the Cid, that distinguished scholar would seem to infer, from some peculiar Spanish expression it contains, that it is a composition even more ancient than the General Chronicles of Spain, known to have been written before 1384. The legends of the Cid are perhaps, beyond all others in Spain—as those of the Wallace and Bruce in Scotland—the most favourite and frequent subject of the old minstrels of that country; and such is their spirit-stirring character that the English reader can never tire of him in the congenially glowing pages of Southey, Frere, and Lockhart.



125

IX

“Awaken, arise! through our land in arms
The host of the Miramamolin swarms;
Shall our Cross before their Crescent wane?
Shall Moorish dogs rule Christian Spain?

X

“Arouse ye in might—in your shirts of steel,
With spear in hand, and spur on heel;
Shake from your Red Cross flags the dust,
And wash in blood your swords from rust.

XI

“Haste! burst your cerements; here we wait
For thee, Ferrando, once the Great;
Knock on your porter, Death, until he
Withdraw the bolts, and turn the key!

XII

“Hither—haste hither, and join our hosts—
A mighty legion of stalwart ghosts;
'Tis I, Ruy Diaz, who call, and here
Gonzalez couches in rest his spear!

“The story of Fernan Gonzalez,” writes Mr Lockhart, “is detailed in the Chronica Antiqua de España with so many romantic circumstances, that certain modern critics have been inclined to consider it as entirely fabulous. Of the main parts recorded there seems, however, no good reason to doubt. . . . . He lived at the beginning of the tenth century. It was under his rule, according to the Chronicles, that Castile first became an independent Christian state; and it was by his exertions that the first foundations were laid of that system of warfare by which the Moorish power in Spain was ultimately overthrown. . . . . There is, as might be expected, a whole body of old ballads concerning the adventures of Fernan Gonzalez.”—Ancient Spanish Ballads, p. 28, 29.


XIII

“Awake! arise ye on every hand!
The love a patriot bears his land
Departs not with departing breath,
But warms his very dust in death!


126

XIV

“Quail shall the boldest, the timid yield,
When sweeps our spectre-host the field;
Vultures in clouds, to the feast of the slain,
Scream from sierras and seek the plain.

XV

“Ho! hurry with us then away, away,
Ere the warning cock-crow herald day;
Bid blast of trumpet, and roll of drum
Proclaim to the Moslem, we come, we come!”

XVI

Into the darkness the Frere gazed forth—
The sounds rolled onwards towards the North;
The murmur of tongues, the tramp and tread
Of a mighty army to battle led.

XVII

At midnight, slumbering Leon through,
Throng'd to the Navas that spectral crew;
At blush of day red Tolosa showed
That more than men had fought for God!

127

THE HIGHLANDER'S RETURN.

I

Young Donald Bane, the gallant Celt, unto the wars had gone,
And left within her Highland home his plighted love alone;
Yet though the waves between them roll'd, on eastern Egypt's shore,
As he thought of Mhairi Macintyre, his love grew more and more.

II

It was a sullen morning when he breathed his last adieu,
And down the glen, above his men, the chieftain's banner flew;
When bonnets waved aloft in air, and war-pipes scream'd aloud,
And the startled eagle left the cliff for shelter in the cloud.

128

III

Brave Donald Bane, at duty's call, hath sought a foreign strand,
And Donald Bane amid the slain hath stood with crimson brand;
And when the Alexandrian beach with Gallic blood was dyed,
Stream'd the tartan plaid of Donald Bane at Abercromby's side.

IV

And he had seen the Pyramids, Grand Cairo, and the bay
Of Aboukir, whereon the fleet of gallant Nelson lay;
And he had seen the Turkish hosts in their barbarian pride,
And listen'd as from burial fields the midnight chacal cried.

V

Yes, many a sight had Donald seen in Syrian deserts lone,
To many a shore had Donald been, but none that matched his own;
Amid the dates and pomegranates, the temples and the towers,
He thought of Albyn's cliffy huts, begirt with heather flowers.

129

VI

So joyous beat the soldier's heart again from deck to see,
Rising from out the German wave, the island of the free;
And stately was his step when crowds, with plaudits from the main,
Welcom'd once more to Britain's shore its heroes back again!

VII

Hush'd was the war din that in wrath from coast to coast had roar'd,
And stay'd were slaughter's beagle fangs, and sheath'd the patriot's sword,
When—'twas the pleasant summer time—arose in green again,
His own dear Highland mountains on the sight of Donald Bane.

VIII

Four years had lapsed in absence, wherein his steps had ranged
'Mid many a far and foreign scene, but his heart was unestranged;
And when he saw Argyle's red deer once more from thicket flee,
And again he trod Glen Etive's sod, a mountaineer was he!

130

IX

There stood the shieling of his love, beneath the sheltering trees,
Sweet sang the lark, the summer air was musical with bees;
And when he reach'd the wicket porch, old Stumah fawning fain,
First nosed him round, then licked his hand—'twas bliss to Donald Bane.

X

His heart throbb'd as he entered—no sound was stirring there,—
And in he went, and on he went, when behold his Mhairi fair!
Before her stood the household wheel unmurmurous, and the thread
Still in her fingers lay, as when its tenuous twine she led.

XI

He stood and gazed, a man half crazed: before him she reclined
In half unkerchief'd loveliness—the idol of his mind;
Bland was the sleep of innocence, as to her dreams were given
Elysian walks with him she loved, amid the bowers of Heaven!

131

XII

He gazed her beauties o'er and o'er—her shining auburn hair,
Her ivory brow, her rosebud mouth, her cheek carnation fair;
Her round white arms, her bosom's charms, that, with her breathing low,
Like swan-plumes on a ripply lake heaved softly to and fro.

XIII

He could no more—but, stooping down, he clasp'd her to his soul,
And from the honey of her lips a rapturous kiss he stole:
As hill-deer bound from bugle sound, swerved Mhairi from her rest,
It could not be—O, yes, 'tis he!—and she sank on Donald's breast.

XIV

What boots to tell what them befel?—or how, in bridal mirth,
Blithe feet did bound to music's sound, beside the mountain hearth,
Or how the festal cup was drain'd on hill-side and on plain,
To the healths of lovely Mhairi, and her faithful Donald Bane?

132

WIZZERDE WYNKIN'S DETHE.

ANE AUNCIENT BALLAD.

I

The Wizzerde's een grewe derke and dimme;
Hys troubbledde mynde wals lyke the sea,
Whenne the waaves splashhe hye to the bending skye,
And wild storme wynndes howl dismallye.

II

The Wizzerde's een grewe dulle ande dimme;
Hee shooke hys lokkis offe grizzledde whyte,
And summonsedde hys kynsmen toe come toe hym—
They stode by hys bedde twixt the daye ande nycht.

III

Hee lyfted uppe hys skynnye wrinkledde honde;
Hollowe wals hys voice, and dredde toe hear,
As the mydnight blaste cominge flychteringe past
The kirk-yarde's throughstanes drear.

133

IV

“I maye notte praye—I daure notte praye—”
'Twas thus the wytheredde oulde manne saide;
“But I must awaie, ere the glymmer offe day,
Toe the darksome landdes offe the deadde.

V

“I must now awaie—aronde the roofe
Arre Feeyndes uprysen from the yerde beneathe;
See, see their fierce eyne, and herke to their cryen,
And the gryndinge offe their yron teethe!

VI

“Myne houre is come, yette I shrynk fro the doome,
Whilke mee deedes have deservit soe welle;
Oh! whatte wolde I give, weren itte myne toe live,
Butte toe rescue me speerit fro Helle!

VII

“The Feeyndes have come fro theire dork myrk home,
Toe carrye mee doune too theire Mastere grimme;
Forre yeres thryce seven, I have mockedde atte Heavenne,
Ande payit the bloddye kaine toe hymme.

VIII

“Herke toe the stormme as itte howllis wythoutte—
Toe the roaringe blastte, ande the rushinge rainne;
There arre yemmerings dire atte the chymneye toppe;
The ravene croakes at the batteredde pane.

134

IX

“Nowe hearkene mee voice, kynde kynsfolke alle,
I pray you now herkene toe mee,
Orre youre lyfe belowe wyth feare ande wyth woe
Shall trobbledde ande darkenedde bee.

X

“Whenne mee eyne close deeppe, in Dethe's dredde sleepe,
And styffens mee corpse wyth colde,
Inne ane Hollan sheete wrappe mee hede and feete,
Ere mydnycht belle hathe tolledde.

XI

“And keipe werde bye mee bedde, butte lette bee saide
Norre requiemme, hymme, norre prayere,
Else the foulle Feeyndes theye wolde sweepe awaie
Mee corpse throe the starre-lit ayre.

XII

“Butte laye mee dounne inne ane coffinne meete,
Norre wordde be spokken, norre tere be shedde;
Ande lette ane grene wythe bee tiedde toe the feete,
Ande ane grene wythe toe the hede.

XIII

“Ande carrye mee outte, ere Daie's fyrst streeke
Illoominnes the mystte-cledde playne,
Forre iffe the redde cokke crowe, I am doomit toe woe,
Ande an ever ande aye offe painne!

135

XIV

“Toe the kirke offe Dumgree ye muste carrye mee,
Bye the wythies grene atte hede and foote;
Boke, candle, and belle, there maye notte bee,
Ande lette all bee stylle ande mute.

XV

“Soe whenne ye come toe the ashe-treen wylde,
Thatte sproutte fro the derke hille-toppe,
Putte mee coffinne doune onne the Elfinne-stone,
Ande stonde aloofe, as there ye stoppe.

XVI

“Take ane yonge raven, and caste her uppe—
Iff shee perce awaie throo the ayre,
Alle welle maye bee; butte iffe onne tree
Shee foldes her wynges—bewaare!”

XVII

Thrice moanedde the Wizzerde ere hee passedde,
Ande thrice hee wavit hys arm onne hie;
Loudde howlit wythoutte the fearfulle blaste,
Ande swepte the hauntedde cottage bye.

XVIII

Thenne rose loudde soundes offe woe and waile,
Arounde the rooffe-tree, ande throo the skies;
Ande skryekes were herde on the moaninge gaile;
And cries—whilke were notte earthlye cries!

136

XIX

Theye lokit in drede onne the Wizzerde dede,
Ane sylente horrour came o'ere themme alle;
He was chille, colde claye; alle muveless laye
The sheddowe offe hys face againste the walle.

XX

Their eyen were fixedde; their tongues were stille;
Theye hymnedde noe hymn, theye praied no prayere;
The wolfe-doug alone gave ane piteous mone,
As terroure bristledde hys shaggedde haire.

XXI

Then theye shroudded the corpse inne ane wynding sheete,
Ande screwedde itte the reddye coffinne withinne;
Theye fastenedde grene wythes to the hede ande feete,
Syne watchit till the paaling starres grew thinne.

XXII

Greye dawne glimmerit on banke ande brae;
The starres were goinge outte one bye one;
Whenne mountinge each onne the browne ande greye,
Theye have their frychtfulle taske begunne.

XXIII

Three have mountit their steedes offe greye,
Three have mountit their steedes offe browne;
Ere the fyrste strycke offe daie, theye have borne awaie
The Wizzerde's coffinne o'ere dale ande downe.

137

XXIV

They sparedde notte whippe, they sparedde notte spurre,
Throo the dawninge theye scouredde awaie—awaie!
The breathinge broke fro their steedes like smoke,
And foame fro their flankes like oceanne spraye.

XXV

Like byrde thatte whirrs fro the pouncinge hawke,
Like hare thatte scuddes fro yellinge hounde,
They turnedde notte backe fro their pantinge trakke;
Awaie and awaie did theye beare and bownde.

XXVI

Awaie and awaie, over banke ande brae,
Theye fledde wythe the corpse offe the Wizzerde onne;
Untille theye made halte atte the rowande-treen,
Ande restedde itte doune onne the Elfinne-stone.

XXVII

Straighte ane sudden sounde uprose fro the grounde,
And across the heathe wente boominge wide;
Eache helde bye the bitte hys startledde steede,
Lystenninge inne fere whatte mycht betyde!

XXVIII

Two fire-eyned bulles came bellowing onne,
Wyth shyning horne ande tramplinge hooffe;
Their mychty cries, and their flashinge eyes,
Made the startledde watcheres stonde aloofe.

138

XXIX

Blakke was eache hyde as the starlesse nycht,
Brighte as redde fyre werre their glancing eyne;
Volumes offe smokke from eache nostrille brokke,
Beneath themme scrotchedde was the grassye grene.

XXX

Huge staggeringe onne toe the corpse theye wente,
Wyth lashinge tailes, and bellowinges loudde;
Throo the wythies grene their hornnes they bente,
And awaie inne wrethe, like ane thundere-cloudde.

XXXI

Echoedde the grene hills their bellowinges hershe,
As wyth routte and roare they flounderit onne;
The horsemenne pursuedde throo strathe and woode,
In blude to the rowells their spurres have gone.

XXXII

Inne pursutte hollo! inne pursutte they goe,
The pantinge ridere, ande foaminge steede;
Over holte ande deane, with the coffinne betweene,
The blackke bulles galloppinge leade.

XXXIII

Westlin, westlin their course theye helde—
Wyth lashinge tailes toe the rysinge sunne;
The horses snortedde, the horsemenne halloedde,
Such chase onne grene sward was nevire runne!

139

XXXIV

Awaie and awaie toe ane hille toppe derke—
The rydderes hurriedde toe halte themme there;
But they flounderedde awaie, withoutte stoppe orre staye,
Toe the next hille-top throo the ayre.

XXXV

Hershe echoingse fille everye Nithsdale hille;
The blakke-cok crowinge forsoke the heathe;
Deepe murmuringe ranne the watere offe Branne
Their unearthly flychte beneathe.

XXXVI

Thenne the steedes were turnedde, the vale was triedde;
Butte the blakke bulls lefte themme farre behinde.
Grene-swairde trampleres muste evere faile,
Whenne matchedde wyth treaderes offe winde.

XXXVII

Yette awaie and awaie, throo the strathe rode theye,
O'er meadowe, and marish, ande springe, and banke;
The toil-droppes felle fro eache brenning brow,
The frothe fro eache reekinge flanke.

XXXVIII

Ande whenne the Closeburne heichtes they wonne,
Ande theye saw Loch Ettrichte gleaminge wide,
Wyth roare ande yelle, thatte mycht stertle Helle,
The bulles plungedde hedelonge inne the tide!

140

XXXIX

Sanke the blakke bulles downe, the coffine sanke
Inne the wave, wyth ane splashinge sounde;
Thenne the wateres theye clossede, ande alle reposedde
Inne unearthlye peace arounde.

XL

Itte was soe stille thatte, afarre onne the hille,
The murmure offe twinklinge leaves was hearde;
Ande the lapsinge shrille offe the mountaine rille,
Ande the hymne-nottes off earlye byrde.

XLI

Onne the moorlande dreare, forre manye an yeare,
The Wizzerde's dolefulle shielinge stoode;
'Twas shunnede bye alle; ande, atte eveninge falle,
Wyth the lurridde flames off bremstone glowed.

XLII

Butte the windes offe heavene, and the rainnes offe heavene,
Beatte itte downe; ande noughte is standinge nowe,
Save the molderinge rydge offe ane mosse-growne walle,
Sparedde bye the shudderinge farmere's ploughe.

XLIII

O, wandere notte neare, whenne Nychte frownes dreare;
Forre, whenne travelleres hurrye past,
Wille ofte aryse loud unworldlye cries,
Offe waile ande offe woe, onne the blaste.

141

XLIV

Ande the spectre bulles tosse their hornes onne hye,
Ande amidde the darknesse roare,
Ande spleshe the crestedde waves toe the skye,
Ande shaake the rockye shore.

XLV

Ande atte Wintere-tide, whenne the cold moone shines
On the glytteringe ice ande the sperklinge snowe,
Dismalle soundes awake onne the frozzenne lake,
Ande the Wizzerde's tongue ye knowe.

XLVI

Shunne these soundes unbleste—forre that Wizzerde's reste,
Norre Bedesman praied, norre belle dide tolle;
Norre gravestone prest on hys perjuredde brest:
Gramercye on his soulle!