Ballads and Other Poems By Mary Howitt |
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 | Ballads and Other Poems |  |
142
V. PART V.
How Willie o' Wyburn receives a Boon from the Abbot of Elverslie, and how he has a Library of his own.
The dews hung sparkling on the grass,
And freshly blew the breeze,
And the morning smoke of Elverslie
Curled high above the trees.
And freshly blew the breeze,
And the morning smoke of Elverslie
Curled high above the trees.
Says the minstrel, “I shall tell thee nought:
The abbot for thee hath sent;
Perchance thy Latin was done amiss,
And thou'lt be sorely shent.”
The abbot for thee hath sent;
Perchance thy Latin was done amiss,
And thou'lt be sorely shent.”
“Nay, nay,” says Willie, “I fear not that,
Yet I am puzzled sore;
For I never was summoned to Elverslie
In such a way before.”
Yet I am puzzled sore;
For I never was summoned to Elverslie
In such a way before.”
“Who knows,” replied the minstrel youth,
And hastened more his speed,
“But they some crabbed old books have got,
Which they want a clerk to read.”
And hastened more his speed,
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Which they want a clerk to read.”
“Perchance,” said Willie, “it may be so,
Perchance it so may be;
Some wise, old book, which doth belong
To the pilgrim company.”
Perchance it so may be;
Some wise, old book, which doth belong
To the pilgrim company.”
When the twain set out from Wyburn,
'T was with the rising sun;
And when they came to Elverslie
The matins just were done.
'T was with the rising sun;
And when they came to Elverslie
The matins just were done.
Amazed was Wyburn Willie,
As he came in, to see
The abbot, the monks, and the pilgrims all,
In the hall at Elverslie.
As he came in, to see
The abbot, the monks, and the pilgrims all,
In the hall at Elverslie.
It must be a rare old book, indeed,
Thought Willie, but nought he said;
It must be a rare, old book, to bring
The abbot from out his bed!
Thought Willie, but nought he said;
It must be a rare, old book, to bring
The abbot from out his bed!
144
Amazed was Willie, but more amazed
When he heard them all to say,
“Here's welcome to Wyburn Willie,
A welcome good this day!”
When he heard them all to say,
“Here's welcome to Wyburn Willie,
A welcome good this day!”
Then the abbot he prayed them all be still,
And let their welcomes wait;
And he called up Willie o' Wyburn
To the board-head where he sate.
And let their welcomes wait;
And he called up Willie o' Wyburn
To the board-head where he sate.
And, said he, “For the deed which thou hast done,
This noble deed and good;
For the saving the house of Elverslie
From the spoiler, Robin Hood;
This noble deed and good;
For the saving the house of Elverslie
From the spoiler, Robin Hood;
“Now ask whatever thou wilt, my son,”
Said he, “and ask it soon;
“Thou didst win thy boon from an outlaw,
Thou shalt win from me thy boon.”
Said he, “and ask it soon;
“Thou didst win thy boon from an outlaw,
Thou shalt win from me thy boon.”
Willie he lifted up his face,
As red as the rising day,
And said he, “I know not, holy sire,
What it is that now you say.
As red as the rising day,
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What it is that now you say.
Said the abbot, “See this parchment,
Though the spelling is not good,
It secures the house of Elverslie
From the spoiler, Robin Hood.
Though the spelling is not good,
It secures the house of Elverslie
From the spoiler, Robin Hood.
“‘And all for Willie o' Wyburn's sake,’—
'T is written, as thou mayst see,—
‘Sith he is a clerk of great renown,
And hath claimed this boon of me.’
'T is written, as thou mayst see,—
‘Sith he is a clerk of great renown,
And hath claimed this boon of me.’
“’T is all indited on goodly skin,
And sealed with a seal secure;
And all men know, though an outlaw,
That he will keep it sure.
And sealed with a seal secure;
And all men know, though an outlaw,
That he will keep it sure.
“Now, ask such boon as may thee list;
And God will give thee grace
To ask aright, sith thee he chose
To save his holy place.”
And God will give thee grace
To ask aright, sith thee he chose
To save his holy place.”
146
Willie looked down, and wiped away
A falling tear with his hand;
And, “This,” said he, “is of God's good grace,
And more than I understand.
A falling tear with his hand;
And, “This,” said he, “is of God's good grace,
And more than I understand.
“I owe to the house of Elverslie
Far more than I can repay;
'T was some good saint, not words of mine,
That moved him yesterday.”
Far more than I can repay;
'T was some good saint, not words of mine,
That moved him yesterday.”
But, “The boon! the boon!” they all gan cry;
And the harper 'mong them all,
For joy he scarce could keep him still,
So loud as he did call.
And the harper 'mong them all,
For joy he scarce could keep him still,
So loud as he did call.
“The boon! the boon!” the abbot said,
“Now name a boon, my son;
And whate'er thy asking, by the rood,
It surely shall be done!”
“Now name a boon, my son;
And whate'er thy asking, by the rood,
It surely shall be done!”
Willie looked up with his pale face,
And, “Blessed be God!” said he;
“Give unto me the lodge in the wood
That looketh over the lea.
And, “Blessed be God!” said he;
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That looketh over the lea.
“In the lodge in the wood lives no one now,
And it stands this house anear;
It brought to the coffers of Elverslie
But seven marks by the year.
And it stands this house anear;
It brought to the coffers of Elverslie
But seven marks by the year.
“My mother she loves that forest-lodge;
She there was born and bred,
And there the white does used to come
To my grandsire to be fed.”
She there was born and bred,
And there the white does used to come
To my grandsire to be fed.”
“'Tis thine! 'tis thine!” said the abbot,
“'Tis thine for evermore!
With seven good acres of the lea,
And of forest-land a score.
“'Tis thine for evermore!
With seven good acres of the lea,
And of forest-land a score.
“The tame and the wild within the bounds,
And the fish within the river;
The wood to fell, and the land to plough,
Shall be thine, and thine for ever!”
And the fish within the river;
The wood to fell, and the land to plough,
Shall be thine, and thine for ever!”
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Some they clapped, and some they stamped,
And some did shout amain;
And, “Well done, abbot of Elverslie!”
Rang o'er and o'er again.
And some did shout amain;
And, “Well done, abbot of Elverslie!”
Rang o'er and o'er again.
“And, more than this,” the abbot went on:
“For that thy rents are small,
I will give thee twenty pounds by the year,
To buy thee books withal.”
“For that thy rents are small,
I will give thee twenty pounds by the year,
To buy thee books withal.”
No answer made Willie o' Wyburn,
No answer but this made he;
“Oh! what will my mother say? but yet,
Non nobis, Domine!”
No answer but this made he;
“Oh! what will my mother say? but yet,
Non nobis, Domine!”
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