Ballads and Other Poems By Mary Howitt |
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MAY MAXWELL. |
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 | Ballads and Other Poems |  |
107
MAY MAXWELL.
O'er the broad hills of Lammermoor;
In the grey light of the morn,
Lord Maxwell and his children fair
Rode out with hound and horn;
In the grey light of the morn,
Lord Maxwell and his children fair
Rode out with hound and horn;
Lord Maxwell and his daughter May
With her bold brothers three;
And far they rode o'er the heathy hills,
A merry company.
With her bold brothers three;
And far they rode o'er the heathy hills,
A merry company.
With hawk and hound good sport had they
Those heathy wilds among;
And home they rode at eventide,
When the wood-lark poured his song.
Those heathy wilds among;
And home they rode at eventide,
When the wood-lark poured his song.
The next eve, when the wood-lark's song
Poured from the leafy spray,
All deathly pale, upon her bed
The little maiden lay:
Poured from the leafy spray,
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The little maiden lay:
With her white cheek pillowed mournfully,
And a death-look in her eye;
With her mother sitting at her head,
And her father standing by;
And a death-look in her eye;
With her mother sitting at her head,
And her father standing by;
And those bright youths, her brothers three,
Their faces dim with sorrow,
For they knew their little sister May
Would die before the morrow.
Their faces dim with sorrow,
For they knew their little sister May
Would die before the morrow.
“Now bring to me,” she meekly said,
And raised her heavy eye,
“My hawk and hound, that I once more
May see them ere I die.”
And raised her heavy eye,
“My hawk and hound, that I once more
May see them ere I die.”
They brought her hawk, and the gentle bird
Perched on her slender wrist;
And drooped his head, and nestled close
To her white lips to be kissed.
Perched on her slender wrist;
And drooped his head, and nestled close
To her white lips to be kissed.
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“Now fare ye well, my bonny bird!
We two no more shall go
O'er the broad hills of Lammermoor,
When morning breezes blow.
We two no more shall go
O'er the broad hills of Lammermoor,
When morning breezes blow.
They brought her hound, that evermore
Was fleetest in the chase;
The creature raised a piteous moan,
As he looked into her face.
Was fleetest in the chase;
The creature raised a piteous moan,
As he looked into her face.
“Now fare ye well, my gentle hound,
I loved ye well, you know;
But never more, at cheer of mine,
To the lone hills shall ye go.
I loved ye well, you know;
But never more, at cheer of mine,
To the lone hills shall ye go.
“My milk-white steed in his stable stands
And may stand in his stall;
For I never more in life shall go
From out my father's hall.
And may stand in his stall;
For I never more in life shall go
From out my father's hall.
“My hawk, and hound, and little steed,
A fair and noble three,
My gentle brothers, shall be yours;
And love them tenderly:
And, when ye ride to Lammermoor,
Have pleasant thoughts of me.
A fair and noble three,
110
And love them tenderly:
And, when ye ride to Lammermoor,
Have pleasant thoughts of me.
“Father, farewell! you have ever been
A father kind and dear;
I little thought, but yesternight,
Our parting was so near.
A father kind and dear;
I little thought, but yesternight,
Our parting was so near.
“Oh! mother, let me hold thy hand;
We two have gone together
Through leafy woods, and up the glens,
In the pleasant summer weather.
We two have gone together
Through leafy woods, and up the glens,
In the pleasant summer weather.
“And more than this, on winter nights
I sate beside thy chair,
And heard thee read in holy books,
When thou wast not aware.
I sate beside thy chair,
And heard thee read in holy books,
When thou wast not aware.
“I heard the words that were not meant,
Dear mother, for my ear;
I pondered on them night and day,
And God has made them clear.
Dear mother, for my ear;
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And God has made them clear.
“So farewell all; and do not grieve
For me, when I am gone;
There is a home in heaven for me,
And kind friends many a one.”
For me, when I am gone;
There is a home in heaven for me,
And kind friends many a one.”
And thus she died: and six fair girls,
Upon her burial day,
Bore her into the chapel where
The old Lord Maxwells lay.
Upon her burial day,
Bore her into the chapel where
The old Lord Maxwells lay.
And many a day, in that old hall,
Great mourning was there made;
And her brothers three, they sighed for her
In the greenwood, when they played.
Great mourning was there made;
And her brothers three, they sighed for her
In the greenwood, when they played.
And ne'er again to the broad green hills
Did her noble father ride,
But he sighing wished that his daughter May
Were riding at his side.
Did her noble father ride,
But he sighing wished that his daughter May
Were riding at his side.
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And ne'er did her lady-mother sit
In her chamber, reading low,
But the tears fell fast on the open page,
And her soul was dark with woe.
In her chamber, reading low,
But the tears fell fast on the open page,
And her soul was dark with woe.
Now ye who go to the Maxwell's hall,
Go into the chapel grey,
And ye'll see the tombs of the grim old lords,
And the tomb of the gentle May.
Go into the chapel grey,
And ye'll see the tombs of the grim old lords,
And the tomb of the gentle May.
Then think upon this tale of mine,
And drop a tear of sorrow;
And so may life, as it passeth on,
Bring ever a bright good-morrow!
And drop a tear of sorrow;
And so may life, as it passeth on,
Bring ever a bright good-morrow!
| Ballads and Other Poems | |