Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems by the late Thomas Haynes Bayly; Edited by his Widow. With A Memoir of the Author. In Two Volumes |
 | I. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. | VIII.
THE MISLETOE BOUGH. |
|
|
| II. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
|
|
|
| I. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems |  |
VIII. THE MISLETOE BOUGH.
------The happiest of the happy,
When a spring-lock, that lay in ambush there,
Fasten'd her down for ever.
Rogers.
When a spring-lock, that lay in ambush there,
Fasten'd her down for ever.
Rogers.
The misletoe hung in the castle hall,
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall;
And the baron's retainers were blithe and gay,
And keeping their Christmas holiday.
The baron beheld, with a father's pride;
His beautiful child, young Lovell's bride;
While she, with her bright eyes, seem'd to be
The star of the goodly company.
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall;
And the baron's retainers were blithe and gay,
And keeping their Christmas holiday.
The baron beheld, with a father's pride;
His beautiful child, young Lovell's bride;
While she, with her bright eyes, seem'd to be
The star of the goodly company.
“I'm weary of dancing now;” she cried;
“Here tarry a moment—I'll hide—I'll hide!
“And, Lovell, be sure thou'rt first to trace
“The clue to my secret lurking place.”
Away she ran—and her friends began
Each tower to search, and each nook to scan;
And young Lovell cried, “Oh! where dost thou hide?
“I'm lonesome without thee, my own dear bride.”
“Here tarry a moment—I'll hide—I'll hide!
“And, Lovell, be sure thou'rt first to trace
“The clue to my secret lurking place.”
Away she ran—and her friends began
Each tower to search, and each nook to scan;
And young Lovell cried, “Oh! where dost thou hide?
“I'm lonesome without thee, my own dear bride.”
They sought her that night! and they sought her next day!
And they sought her in vain, when a week pass'd away!
In the highest—the lowest—the loneliest spot,
Young Lovell sought wildly—but found her not.
And years flew by, and their grief at last
Was told as a sorrowful tale long past;
And when Lovell appear'd the children cried,
“See! the old man weeps for his fairy bride.”
And they sought her in vain, when a week pass'd away!
In the highest—the lowest—the loneliest spot,
Young Lovell sought wildly—but found her not.
233
Was told as a sorrowful tale long past;
And when Lovell appear'd the children cried,
“See! the old man weeps for his fairy bride.”
At length an oak chest, that had long lain hid
Was found in the castle—they raised the lid—
And a skeleton form lay mouldering there,
In the bridal wreath of that lady fair!
Oh! sad was her fate!—in sportive jest
She hid from her lord in the old oak chest.
It closed with a spring!—and, dreadful doom,
The bride lay clasp'd in her living tomb!
Was found in the castle—they raised the lid—
And a skeleton form lay mouldering there,
In the bridal wreath of that lady fair!
Oh! sad was her fate!—in sportive jest
She hid from her lord in the old oak chest.
It closed with a spring!—and, dreadful doom,
The bride lay clasp'd in her living tomb!
| Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems | |