The Poetical Works of William Julius Mickle including several original pieces, with a new life of the author. By the Rev. John Sim |
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THE SORCERESS; OR, WOLFWOLD AND ULLA.
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 | The Poetical Works of William Julius Mickle |  |
THE SORCERESS; OR, WOLFWOLD AND ULLA.
A BALLAD.
Prisca fides.
—VIRG.
“Oh, low he lies; his cold pale cheek
“Lies lifeless on the clay;
“Yet struggling hope—O day spring, break,
“And lead me on my way.
“Lies lifeless on the clay;
“Yet struggling hope—O day spring, break,
“And lead me on my way.
114
“On Denmark's cruel bands, O heaven!
“Thy red-wing'd vengeance pour;
“Before my Wolfwold's spear be driven—
“O rise, bright morning hour!”
“Thy red-wing'd vengeance pour;
“Before my Wolfwold's spear be driven—
“O rise, bright morning hour!”
Thus Ulla wail'd, the fairest maid
Of all the Saxon race;
Thus Ulla wail'd, in nightly shade,
While tears bedew'd her face.
Of all the Saxon race;
Thus Ulla wail'd, in nightly shade,
While tears bedew'd her face.
When sudden, o'er the fir-crown'd hill,
The full orb'd moon arose;
And o'er the winding dale so still,
Her silver radiance flows.
The full orb'd moon arose;
And o'er the winding dale so still,
Her silver radiance flows.
No more could Ulla's fearful breast
Her anxious care delay;
But deep with hope and fear imprest,
She holds the moonshine way.
Her anxious care delay;
But deep with hope and fear imprest,
She holds the moonshine way.
She left the bower, and all alone,
She traced the dale so still;
And sought the cave with rue o'ergrown,
Beneath the fir-crown'd hill.
She traced the dale so still;
And sought the cave with rue o'ergrown,
Beneath the fir-crown'd hill.
Black knares of blasted oak, embound
With hemlock, fenc'd the cell:
The dreary mouth, half under ground,
Yawn'd like the gate of hell.
With hemlock, fenc'd the cell:
The dreary mouth, half under ground,
Yawn'd like the gate of hell.
Soon as the gloomy den she spy'd,
Cold horror shook her knee;
“And hear, O Prophetess,” she cry'd,
“A Princess sue to thee.”
Cold horror shook her knee;
“And hear, O Prophetess,” she cry'd,
“A Princess sue to thee.”
Aghast she stood! athwart the air
The dismal screech-owl flew;
The fillet round her auburn hair
Asunder burst in two.
The dismal screech-owl flew;
The fillet round her auburn hair
Asunder burst in two.
Her robe of softest yellow, glow'd
Beneath the moon's pale beam;
And o'er the ground, with yew-boughs strew'd,
Effus'd a golden gleam.
Beneath the moon's pale beam;
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Effus'd a golden gleam.
The golden gleam the Sorceress spy'd,
As in her deepest cell,
At midnight's magic hour she try'd
A tomb-o'erpowering spell.
As in her deepest cell,
At midnight's magic hour she try'd
A tomb-o'erpowering spell.
When, from the cavern's dreary womb,
Her groaning voice arose,
“O come, my daughter, fearless, come,
“And fearless, tell thy woes.”
Her groaning voice arose,
“O come, my daughter, fearless, come,
“And fearless, tell thy woes.”
As shakes the bough of trembling leaf,
When whirlwinds sudden rise;
As stands aghast the warrior chief,
When his base army flies;
When whirlwinds sudden rise;
As stands aghast the warrior chief,
When his base army flies;
So shook, so stood, the beauteous maid,
When from the dreary den,
A wrinkled hag came forth, array'd
In matted rags obscene.
When from the dreary den,
A wrinkled hag came forth, array'd
In matted rags obscene.
Around her brows, with hemlock bound,
Loose hung her ash-grey hair;
As from two dreary caves profound
Her blue-flamed eye-balls glare.
Loose hung her ash-grey hair;
As from two dreary caves profound
Her blue-flamed eye-balls glare.
Her skin, of earthy red, appear'd
Clung round her shoulder bones;
Like wither'd bark, by lightning sear'd,
When loud the tempest groans.
Clung round her shoulder bones;
Like wither'd bark, by lightning sear'd,
When loud the tempest groans.
A robe of squalid green and blue
Her ghostly length array'd,
A gaping rent, full to the view,
Her furrow'd ribs betray'd.
Her ghostly length array'd,
A gaping rent, full to the view,
Her furrow'd ribs betray'd.
“And tell, my daughter, fearless, tell,
“What sorrow brought thee here?
“So may my power thy cares expel,
“And give thee sweetest cheer.”
“What sorrow brought thee here?
“So may my power thy cares expel,
“And give thee sweetest cheer.”
116
“O mistress of the powerful spell,
“King Edric's daughter see,
“Northumbria to my father fell,
“But sorrow fell to me.
“King Edric's daughter see,
“Northumbria to my father fell,
“But sorrow fell to me.
“My virgin heart Lord Wolfwold won;
“My father on him smil'd:
“Soon as he gain'd Northumbria's throne,
“His pride the youth exil'd.
“My father on him smil'd:
“Soon as he gain'd Northumbria's throne,
“His pride the youth exil'd.
“Stern Denmark's ravens o'er the seas
“Their gloomy black wings spread,
“And o'er Northumbria's hills and leas
“Their dreadful squadrons sped.
“Their gloomy black wings spread,
“And o'er Northumbria's hills and leas
“Their dreadful squadrons sped.
“Return, brave Wolfwold,” Edric cried,
“O generous warrior, hear,
“My daughter's hand, thy willing bride,
“Awaits thy conquering spear.
“O generous warrior, hear,
“My daughter's hand, thy willing bride,
“Awaits thy conquering spear.
“The banish'd youth, in Scotland's court,
“Had past the weary year;
“And soon he heard the glad report,
“And soon he grasp'd his spear.
“Had past the weary year;
“And soon he heard the glad report,
“And soon he grasp'd his spear.
“He left the Scottish dames to weep;
“And wing'd with true love speed,
“Nor day, nor night, he stopt to sleep,
“And soon he cross'd the Tweed.
“And wing'd with true love speed,
“Nor day, nor night, he stopt to sleep,
“And soon he cross'd the Tweed.
“With joyful voice, and raptur'd eyes,
“He press'd my willing hand;
“I go, my fair, my love, he cries,
“To guard thy father's land.
“He press'd my willing hand;
“I go, my fair, my love, he cries,
“To guard thy father's land.
“By Edon's shore, in deathful fray,
“The daring foe we meet,
“Ere three short days I trust to lay
“My trophies at thy feet.
“The daring foe we meet,
“Ere three short days I trust to lay
“My trophies at thy feet.
“Alas, alas, that time is o'er,
“And three long days beside,
“Yet not a word from Edon's shore
“Has cheer'd his fearful bride.
“And three long days beside,
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“Has cheer'd his fearful bride.
“O mistress of the powerful spell,
“His doubtful fate decide;”—
“And cease, my child, for all is well,”
The grizzly witch replied.
“His doubtful fate decide;”—
“And cease, my child, for all is well,”
The grizzly witch replied.
“Approach my cave, and where I place
“The magic circle, stand;
“And fear not ought of ghastly face,
“That glides beneath my wand.”
“The magic circle, stand;
“And fear not ought of ghastly face,
“That glides beneath my wand.”
The grizzly witch's powerful charms
Then reach'd the labouring moon,
And cloudless at the dire alarms,
She shed her brightest noon.
Then reach'd the labouring moon,
And cloudless at the dire alarms,
She shed her brightest noon.
The pale beam struggled thro' the shade,
That black'd the cavern's womb,
And in the deepest nook betray'd
An altar and a tomb.
That black'd the cavern's womb,
And in the deepest nook betray'd
An altar and a tomb.
Around the tomb, in mystic lore,
Were forms of various mien,
And efts, and foul-wing'd serpents, bore
The altar's base obscene.
Were forms of various mien,
And efts, and foul-wing'd serpents, bore
The altar's base obscene.
Eyeless, a huge and starv'd toad sat
In corner murk aloof,
And many a snake and famish'd bat
Clung to the crevic'd roof.
In corner murk aloof,
And many a snake and famish'd bat
Clung to the crevic'd roof.
A fox and vulture's skeletons
A yawning rift betray'd;
And grappling still each others bones,
The strife of death display'd.
A yawning rift betray'd;
And grappling still each others bones,
The strife of death display'd.
“And now, my child,” the Sorceress said,
“Lord Wolfwold's father's grave,
“To me shall render up the dead,
“And send him to my cave.
“Lord Wolfwold's father's grave,
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“And send him to my cave.
“His skeleton shall hear my spell,
“And to the figur'd walls
“His hand of bone shall point and tell
“What fate his son befalls.”
“And to the figur'd walls
“His hand of bone shall point and tell
“What fate his son befalls.”
O cold, down Ulla's snow-like face,
The trembling sweat-drops fell,
And borne by sprights of gliding pace,
The corpse approach'd the cell.
The trembling sweat-drops fell,
And borne by sprights of gliding pace,
The corpse approach'd the cell.
And thrice the witch her magic wand
Wav'd o'er the skeleton;
And slowly, at the dread command,
Up rose the arm of bone.
Wav'd o'er the skeleton;
And slowly, at the dread command,
Up rose the arm of bone.
A cloven shield, and broken spear,
The finger wander'd o'er,
Then rested on a sable bier,
Distain'd with drops of gore.
The finger wander'd o'er,
Then rested on a sable bier,
Distain'd with drops of gore.
In ghastly writhes, her mouth so wide,
And black the Sorceress throws,
“And be those signs, my child,” she cried,
“Fulfill'd on Wolfwold's foes.
And black the Sorceress throws,
“And be those signs, my child,” she cried,
“Fulfill'd on Wolfwold's foes.
“A happier spell I now shall try;
“Attend, my child, attend,
“And mark what flames from altar high,
“And lowly floor ascend.
“Attend, my child, attend,
“And mark what flames from altar high,
“And lowly floor ascend.
“If of the roses softest red,
“The blaze shines forth to view,
“Then Wolfwold lives—but hell forbid
“The glimmering flame of blue!”
“The blaze shines forth to view,
“Then Wolfwold lives—but hell forbid
“The glimmering flame of blue!”
The witch then rais'd her haggard arm,
And wav'd her wand on high;
And, while she spoke the mutter'd charm,
Dark lightning fill'd her eye.
And wav'd her wand on high;
And, while she spoke the mutter'd charm,
Dark lightning fill'd her eye.
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Fair Ulla's knee swift smote the ground;
Her hands aloft were spread,
And every joint, as marble bound,
Felt horror's darkest dread.
Her hands aloft were spread,
And every joint, as marble bound,
Felt horror's darkest dread.
Her lips, ere while so like the rose,
Were now as vi'let pale,
And, trembling in convulsive throes,
Exprest o'erwhelming ail.
Were now as vi'let pale,
And, trembling in convulsive throes,
Exprest o'erwhelming ail.
Her eyes, ere while so starry bright,
Where living lustre shone,
Were now transform'd to sightless white,
Like eyes of lifeless stone.
Where living lustre shone,
Were now transform'd to sightless white,
Like eyes of lifeless stone.
And soon the dreadful spell was o'er,
And glimmering to the view,
The quivering flame rose thro' the floor,
A flame of ghastly blue.
And glimmering to the view,
The quivering flame rose thro' the floor,
A flame of ghastly blue.
Behind the altar's livid fire,
Low from the inmost cave,
Young Wolfwold rose in pale attire,
The vestments of the grave.
Low from the inmost cave,
Young Wolfwold rose in pale attire,
The vestments of the grave.
His eye to Ulla's eye he rear'd,
His cheek was wan as clay,
And half cut thro', his hand appear'd,
That beckon'd her away.
His cheek was wan as clay,
And half cut thro', his hand appear'd,
That beckon'd her away.
Fair Ulla saw the woeful shade;
Her heart struck at her side,
And burst—low bow'd her listless head,
And down she sunk and died.
Her heart struck at her side,
And burst—low bow'd her listless head,
And down she sunk and died.
| The Poetical Works of William Julius Mickle | |