Reliques of Ancient English Poetry consisting of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and other Pieces of our earlier Poets, (Chiefly of the Lyric kind.) Together with some few of later Date |
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 | Reliques of Ancient English Poetry |  |
328
XVI. LUCY AND COLIN
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—was written by Thomas Tickel, Esq; the celebrated friend of Mr. Addison, and editor of his works. He was son of a Clergyman in the north of England, had his education at Queen's college Oxon, was under-secretary to Mr. Addison and Mr. Craggs, when successively secretaries of state; and was lastly (in June, 1724) appointed secretary to the Lords Justices in Ireland, which place he held till his death in 1740. He acquired Mr. Addison's patronage by a poem in praise of the opera of Rosamond written while he was at the University.
Of Leinster, fam'd for maidens fair,
Bright Lucy was the grace;
Nor e'er did Liffy's limpid stream
Reflect so fair a face.
Bright Lucy was the grace;
Nor e'er did Liffy's limpid stream
Reflect so fair a face.
Till luckless love, and pining care
Impair'd her rosy hue,
Her coral lip, and damask cheek,
And eyes of glossy blue.
Impair'd her rosy hue,
Her coral lip, and damask cheek,
And eyes of glossy blue.
Oh! have you seen a lily pale,
When beating rains descend?
So droop'd the slow-consuming maid;
Her life now near its end.
When beating rains descend?
So droop'd the slow-consuming maid;
Her life now near its end.
329
By Lucy warn'd, of flattering swains
Take heed, ye easy fair:
Of vengeance due to broken vows,
Ye perjured swains, beware.
Take heed, ye easy fair:
Of vengeance due to broken vows,
Ye perjured swains, beware.
Three times, all in the dead of night,
A bell was heard to ring;
And at her window, shrieking thrice,
The raven flap'd his wing.
A bell was heard to ring;
And at her window, shrieking thrice,
The raven flap'd his wing.
Too well the love-lorn maiden knew
The solemn boding sound;
And thus, in dying words, bespoke
The virgins weeping round.
The solemn boding sound;
And thus, in dying words, bespoke
The virgins weeping round.
“I hear a voice, you cannot hear,
“Which says, I must not stay:
“I see a hand, you cannot see,
“Which beckons me away.
“Which says, I must not stay:
“I see a hand, you cannot see,
“Which beckons me away.
“By a false heart, and broken vows,
“In early youth I die.
“Am I to blame, because his bride
“Is thrice as rich as I?
“In early youth I die.
“Am I to blame, because his bride
“Is thrice as rich as I?
“Ah Colin! give not her thy vows;
“Vows due to me alone:
“Nor thou, fond maid, receive his kiss,
“Nor think him all thy own.
“Vows due to me alone:
“Nor thou, fond maid, receive his kiss,
“Nor think him all thy own.
330
“To-morrow in the church to wed,
“Impatient, both prepare;
“But know, fond maid, and know, false man,
“That Lucy will be there.
“Impatient, both prepare;
“But know, fond maid, and know, false man,
“That Lucy will be there.
“Then, bear my corse; ye comrades, bear,
“The bridegroom blithe to meet;
“He in his wedding-trim so gay,
“I in my winding-sheet.”
“The bridegroom blithe to meet;
“He in his wedding-trim so gay,
“I in my winding-sheet.”
She spoke, she dy'd;—her corse was borne,
The bridegroom blithe to meet;
He in his wedding-trim so gay,
She in her winding-sheet.
The bridegroom blithe to meet;
He in his wedding-trim so gay,
She in her winding-sheet.
Then what were perjur'd Colin's thoughts?
How were those nuptials kept?
The bride-men flock'd round Lucy dead,
And all the village wept.
How were those nuptials kept?
The bride-men flock'd round Lucy dead,
And all the village wept.
Confusion, shame, remorse, despair
At once his bosom swell:
The damps of death bedew'd his brow,
He shook, he groan'd, he fell.
At once his bosom swell:
The damps of death bedew'd his brow,
He shook, he groan'd, he fell.
From the vain bride (ah bride no more!)
The varying crimson fled,
When, stretch'd before her rival's corse,
She saw her husband dead.
The varying crimson fled,
When, stretch'd before her rival's corse,
She saw her husband dead.
331
Then to his Lucy's new-made grave,
Convey'd by trembling swains,
One mould with her, beneath one sod
For ever now remains.
Convey'd by trembling swains,
One mould with her, beneath one sod
For ever now remains.
Oft at their grave the constant hind
And plighted maid are seen;
With garlands gay, and true-love knots
They deck the sacred green.
And plighted maid are seen;
With garlands gay, and true-love knots
They deck the sacred green.
But, swain forsworn, whoe'er thou art,
This hallow'd spot forbear;
Remember Colin's dreadful fate,
And fear to meet him there.
This hallow'd spot forbear;
Remember Colin's dreadful fate,
And fear to meet him there.
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