 | Plays and poems |  |
331
THE SIEGE OF CABEZON.
“La justicia del rey Don Pedro.”
Don Pedro before Cabezon
A weary time had lain,
Through summer's heat, through winter's frost,
Through sunshine and through rain.
A weary time had lain,
Through summer's heat, through winter's frost,
Through sunshine and through rain.
Still Trastamara's rebel flag
Flapped in the mountain gale,
And still the baffled monarch paced
In ire the tented vale.
Flapped in the mountain gale,
And still the baffled monarch paced
In ire the tented vale.
“Now, by my crown,” Don Pedro swore,
And clashed his arméd hand,
“I 'd give my dearest year of life,
Upon that rock to stand!
And clashed his arméd hand,
“I 'd give my dearest year of life,
Upon that rock to stand!
“I 'd sprinkle all the path between
This valley and yon crag,
With my best blood, to lay a hand
Upon that vaunting flag!”
This valley and yon crag,
With my best blood, to lay a hand
Upon that vaunting flag!”
“As well Don Pedro might besiege
The eagle's dizzy nest,”
A knight replied; and idly trimmed
The favors on his crest.
The eagle's dizzy nest,”
A knight replied; and idly trimmed
The favors on his crest.
332
“A train of damsels were as well,
To stare at yonder tower,
As this array of martial men,
Drawn out with useless power.”
To stare at yonder tower,
As this array of martial men,
Drawn out with useless power.”
“Ay,” laughed Don Pedro, moodily,
Beneath his lowering brow,
“Arms might be kept for holidays,
If always used as now.
Beneath his lowering brow,
“Arms might be kept for holidays,
If always used as now.
“Yet here I'll lie, hap what will hap,
Till famine drive them out.”—
Just then, from the left wing arose
A long, triumphant shout.
Till famine drive them out.”—
Just then, from the left wing arose
A long, triumphant shout.
“What means that cry?”—“Two men-at-arms,
Flying from Cabezon,
Were by an outpost of your line
Surprised, and seized upon.”
Flying from Cabezon,
Were by an outpost of your line
Surprised, and seized upon.”
“Bring in the prisoners.”—Down they knelt
Beneath Don Pedro's eye.
“Ha! traitors, have ye fled your liege,
And come to me to die?”
Beneath Don Pedro's eye.
“Ha! traitors, have ye fled your liege,
And come to me to die?”
“To die, Don Pedro, if you will,
Rather than bear the stain
Of those worse traitors unto heaven
Who at their posts remain.”
Rather than bear the stain
Of those worse traitors unto heaven
Who at their posts remain.”
“Speak out: I'll listen. Do not fear
To make your story long:
Gramercy! we have time enough
To tire a woman's tongue!”
To make your story long:
Gramercy! we have time enough
To tire a woman's tongue!”
333
Don Pedro yawned, and stretched himself;
But, as the story ran,
I ween, he bounded to his feet.
Thus spake the foremost man:
But, as the story ran,
I ween, he bounded to his feet.
Thus spake the foremost man:
“We guarded rocky Cabezon—
Unfaltering, nothing loath—
Till faith turned into mutiny,
And guilt sprang up from sloth;
Unfaltering, nothing loath—
Till faith turned into mutiny,
And guilt sprang up from sloth;
“Till all our lazy garrison
Stood muttering apart,
And framing wicked stratagems,
To vex the Governor's heart.
Stood muttering apart,
And framing wicked stratagems,
To vex the Governor's heart.
“And now 't was this, and now 't was that—
Fierce murmurs, huge demands—
Forever closing with the threat
To yield them to your hands.
Fierce murmurs, huge demands—
Forever closing with the threat
To yield them to your hands.
“The Governor rendered all to them,
Rather than aught to you:
But, day by day, his care-worn face
Paler and paler grew.
Rather than aught to you:
But, day by day, his care-worn face
Paler and paler grew.
“Daily his wife and daughter found
The once so ready smile
Came slower to his lips, and staid
Thereon a shorter while.
The once so ready smile
Came slower to his lips, and staid
Thereon a shorter while.
“Yet daily, by the old man's side,
They paced around the wall,
Until they saw how with one look
The men pursued them all:
They paced around the wall,
Until they saw how with one look
The men pursued them all:
334
“Until they saw audacious leers
Upon their persons cast,
Or snatched their skirts from mailéd hands
That clutched them as they passed.
Upon their persons cast,
Or snatched their skirts from mailéd hands
That clutched them as they passed.
“Or heard such jests as well might start
A very wanton's blood,—
Jests that forced modest cheeks to flame
Beneath the close-drawn hood.
A very wanton's blood,—
Jests that forced modest cheeks to flame
Beneath the close-drawn hood.
“Then to their bower they fled amain,
And hid their dangerous charms;
And strove to talk away their tears,
And lull their wild alarms.
And hid their dangerous charms;
And strove to talk away their tears,
And lull their wild alarms.
“Bolder and bolder grew the men,
The Governor grew more wan:
At length, from out a whispering knot,
Strode one, and thus began:
The Governor grew more wan:
At length, from out a whispering knot,
Strode one, and thus began:
“Bring us your wife and daughter, fool,
Or down this flag shall come.—
With a back-handed blow, our chief
Struck the gross ruffian dumb.
Or down this flag shall come.—
With a back-handed blow, our chief
Struck the gross ruffian dumb.
“At once swords flashed, and visors closed,
And spears gleamed all around;
And, with his dagger in his hand,
The wretch sprang from the ground.
And spears gleamed all around;
And, with his dagger in his hand,
The wretch sprang from the ground.
“We spoke in vain”—“But he—your chief?”
Broke in Don Pedro's voice:
Then held his breath, and bent his ear,
To hear the Governor's choice.
Broke in Don Pedro's voice:
Then held his breath, and bent his ear,
To hear the Governor's choice.
335
“This said he—Hold that flag secure,
And ere to-morrow's sun
All mine be yours.”—“Heavens!” cried the king,
“The like was never done!
And ere to-morrow's sun
All mine be yours.”—“Heavens!” cried the king,
“The like was never done!
“Shall he outdo us? Herald, ho!
And let a parley sound.
Summon the Governor to the wall,
And call my guard around.
And let a parley sound.
Summon the Governor to the wall,
And call my guard around.
“Ho! Governor, send your traitors down,
And, in return again,
I'll send you, man for man, my best,
All belted knights of Spain;
And, in return again,
I'll send you, man for man, my best,
All belted knights of Spain;
“Who shall be sworn, by book and cross
To keep you safe from siege
Against all comers, whosoe'er,
Even against their liege.”
To keep you safe from siege
Against all comers, whosoe'er,
Even against their liege.”
Low bowed the Governor: “King fair words
Are barren pay and cold;
Yet God takes up a poor man's debt,
And turns his thanks to gold.
Are barren pay and cold;
Yet God takes up a poor man's debt,
And turns his thanks to gold.
“A thousand times may Heaven o'erpay
The deed you do for me;
And, served I not a better liege,
I 'd draw my sword for thee.”
The deed you do for me;
And, served I not a better liege,
I 'd draw my sword for thee.”
The king smiled. “Knights, my future foes,
File through yon rocky arch.—
You, with the love-knots in your crest,
Be you the first to march!”
File through yon rocky arch.—
You, with the love-knots in your crest,
Be you the first to march!”
336
Up through the gates of Cabezon
Don Pedro's bravest went,
And straggling down the narrow path
The sullen traitors sent.
Don Pedro's bravest went,
And straggling down the narrow path
The sullen traitors sent.
Around the miscreants silently
The royal soldiers drew.
“Now, ballesteros,” cried the king,
“Ye know what work to do!
The royal soldiers drew.
“Now, ballesteros,” cried the king,
“Ye know what work to do!
“Stand back, thou ghostly man of God!
Thou shalt not pray nor shrive:
If 't were within my power, to hell
I 'd hurry them alive!”
Thou shalt not pray nor shrive:
If 't were within my power, to hell
I 'd hurry them alive!”
A hundred maces swang aloft,
A hundred blows were given,
And crushed into one mangled mass
The traitors lay unshriven.
A hundred blows were given,
And crushed into one mangled mass
The traitors lay unshriven.
The drawbridge rose, the castle gates
Rolled slowly back; and when
The king looked up, he saw the walls
Glitter with mail-clad men.
Rolled slowly back; and when
The king looked up, he saw the walls
Glitter with mail-clad men.
Slowly Don Pedro walked, as one
Who turns a purpose o'er,
Plucking the lilies in his path,
Unconscious what he bore:
Who turns a purpose o'er,
Plucking the lilies in his path,
Unconscious what he bore:
Slowly Don Pedro towards his camp
Walked through the setting sun;
And patiently next morn he lay
Besieging Cabezon.
Walked through the setting sun;
And patiently next morn he lay
Besieging Cabezon.
| Plays and poems | |