 | Romance and revery |  |
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THE WISE PAGE.
The brave lord, Baldwin de Poinceville,
In his castle-court doth stand,
Helmeted, spurred and armed in steel,
Ere he rides to the Holy Land.
In his castle-court doth stand,
Helmeted, spurred and armed in steel,
Ere he rides to the Holy Land.
His full grave brow hath a weary mark
And his lips are drawn with pain,
As he stays his stately steed and dark
By a touch on its jewelled rein.
And his lips are drawn with pain,
As he stays his stately steed and dark
By a touch on its jewelled rein.
And he whispers now, with a solemn care
Lest his deep voice break for tears,
To the gentle page with the yellow hair,
So wise beyond his years.
Lest his deep voice break for tears,
To the gentle page with the yellow hair,
So wise beyond his years.
And he charges: “Be thou leal to serve
Thy lady, the chaste and good;
Let not thy stanch young spirit swerve
From seemliest vassalhood.
Thy lady, the chaste and good;
Let not thy stanch young spirit swerve
From seemliest vassalhood.
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“Nor lightlier serve, for thy sweet part,
Because thou long hast known
I cannot win her pure young heart
To trust and love mine own.
Because thou long hast known
I cannot win her pure young heart
To trust and love mine own.
“And bitter though the thought must be
That she stands not here this day,
To pledge a parting cup with me
And to speed me on my way,
That she stands not here this day,
To pledge a parting cup with me
And to speed me on my way,
“Still, guard her with proud zeal and glad,
With homage that reveres,
As thou art loyal-souled, my lad,
And wise beyond thy years!” ...
With homage that reveres,
As thou art loyal-souled, my lad,
And wise beyond thy years!” ...
So charges Baldwin de Poinceville,
And he sighs one sombre sigh.
But therewithal doth his young page kneel
And with trembling tones reply:
And he sighs one sombre sigh.
But therewithal doth his young page kneel
And with trembling tones reply:
“Heed me in this I do aver,
Since I joy to swear it here:
With my zeal and homage both, sweet sir,
Shall I guard thy lady dear!” ...
Since I joy to swear it here:
With my zeal and homage both, sweet sir,
Shall I guard thy lady dear!” ...
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Away rides Baldwin de Poinceville,
Stout knight, to the Holy War;
And the page to his lady's bower doth steal,
And knocks at his lady's door.
Stout knight, to the Holy War;
And the page to his lady's bower doth steal,
And knocks at his lady's door.
“Open,” he cries, “O my lady fair,
And having no more sad fears,
Come, kiss your page with the yellow hair,—
So wise beyond his years!”
And having no more sad fears,
Come, kiss your page with the yellow hair,—
So wise beyond his years!”
| Romance and revery | |