The Collected Works of William Morris With Introductions by his Daughter May Morris |
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| III, IV, V, VI. |
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| XII. |
 | XIV. |
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| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XXI. |
| XXIV. |
 | The Collected Works of William Morris |  |
So when we were all met again
The dead men on the bier we laid
And crossed the desert with much pain,
Nor were we any more afraid
The dead men on the bier we laid
And crossed the desert with much pain,
Nor were we any more afraid
Of any thing that we might meet,
Being now a goodly company
All armed, for every maiden sweet
Rode girt with sword about the thigh.
Being now a goodly company
All armed, for every maiden sweet
Rode girt with sword about the thigh.
The land was desolate and rough,
And waterless till the fourth day,
Then came a green plain fair enough
Where many a head of neat did play.
And waterless till the fourth day,
Then came a green plain fair enough
Where many a head of neat did play.
For two days more we travelled on
And rich and fair the land was still.
The third at early morn we won
The top of a round-headed hill.
And rich and fair the land was still.
The third at early morn we won
The top of a round-headed hill.
Then showed the ladies how their town
Lay in the valley, and thereby
A river toward the sea ran down,
Where many a keel we did espy.
Lay in the valley, and thereby
A river toward the sea ran down,
Where many a keel we did espy.
125
Thence did we send a messenger,
One of the ladies from that place,
Off to their Queen upon the spur
To show her lightly all the case.
One of the ladies from that place,
Off to their Queen upon the spur
To show her lightly all the case.
And as we drew anigh thereto
The folk came thronging thick and fast
Or out upon the walls they drew,
Until through the great gate we passed.
The folk came thronging thick and fast
Or out upon the walls they drew,
Until through the great gate we passed.
Great was the town and built nobly
And all with black was hung about,
Which down they tore as we went by
And hung rich golden carpets out.
And all with black was hung about,
Which down they tore as we went by
And hung rich golden carpets out.
Soon to a mighty hall we came,
And there upon a throne of gold
In gold raiment, a noble dame
Ancient and grey we did behold.
And there upon a throne of gold
In gold raiment, a noble dame
Ancient and grey we did behold.
Then on their knees the ladies fell,
And fain we would have done the same
And shown her reverence full well;
But down from off her throne she came
And fain we would have done the same
And shown her reverence full well;
But down from off her throne she came
And took us by the hands and said:
“Which is your Lord, that I may give
My crown to him from off my head,
And make him king while he shall live?
“Which is your Lord, that I may give
My crown to him from off my head,
And make him king while he shall live?
And you, Sirs, ask for heaps of gold
And lands and houses; do not fear
In any thing to be too bold.”
Now when this saying I did hear,
And lands and houses; do not fear
In any thing to be too bold.”
Now when this saying I did hear,
And saw our knights with wild eyes stare
Upon those maids fit to entice
A wise man into foolish ways,
I thought, here ends our Paradise.
Upon those maids fit to entice
A wise man into foolish ways,
I thought, here ends our Paradise.
126
Then spoke Sir Nicholas and said,
“O Queen, it seemeth unto me
I ask a great thing, by my head!
The body of my sweet lady.”
“O Queen, it seemeth unto me
I ask a great thing, by my head!
The body of my sweet lady.”
Therewith the leader of the band
That came that day into the vale
Did he lead forward by the hand;
And she by turns both red and pale
That came that day into the vale
Did he lead forward by the hand;
And she by turns both red and pale
Her head upon his shoulder leant;
And of the other maidens, some
Blushing, their dear eyes downward bent;
While from our knights there rose a hum,
And of the other maidens, some
Blushing, their dear eyes downward bent;
While from our knights there rose a hum,
And some stood all pale and upright
Looking aloof with troubled eyes—
Sirs, there can be no fairer sight
In any hall of Paradise.
Looking aloof with troubled eyes—
Sirs, there can be no fairer sight
In any hall of Paradise.
Then did the Queen laugh out and say,
“O Sir, your boon seems small enow,
To ancient folk like me and grey.
Have here the crown upon your brow:
“O Sir, your boon seems small enow,
To ancient folk like me and grey.
Have here the crown upon your brow:
And no light thing therewith ye have
For ye shall lead us in the war
And from our foes this city save,
Many and grievous as they are.”
For ye shall lead us in the war
And from our foes this city save,
Many and grievous as they are.”
Then answered Nicholas again,
“O Queen, ye make too much of this:
We were well paid for all our pain
With no more guerdon than a kiss.
“O Queen, ye make too much of this:
We were well paid for all our pain
With no more guerdon than a kiss.
But if of us ye please to make
Your knights and soldiers, will we then
Do noble battle for your sake;
For neither are we borel men:
Your knights and soldiers, will we then
Do noble battle for your sake;
For neither are we borel men:
127
From Harald Fair-Hair am I sprung
And thence from Odin in right line,
Who was a God, as skalds have sung.
Ye see this jewelled collar shine
And thence from Odin in right line,
Who was a God, as skalds have sung.
Ye see this jewelled collar shine
About my armour; this to me
The King of England with his hand
Did give, upon his own galley
By Sluse hard by the Flemish Land.
The King of England with his hand
Did give, upon his own galley
By Sluse hard by the Flemish Land.
And these are knights and gentlemen
Who know no fear, well skilled in war
And each a worthy match for ten
Of such folk as your foemen are.
Who know no fear, well skilled in war
And each a worthy match for ten
Of such folk as your foemen are.
With these men and your country-folk
Will we well guard this fair walled town
And you from this felon's yoke;
But never will I wear your crown
Will we well guard this fair walled town
And you from this felon's yoke;
But never will I wear your crown
For of your law I know not ought,
And you are old and ripe in wit;
On many a hard thing have you thought
And have been used long time to sit,
And you are old and ripe in wit;
On many a hard thing have you thought
And have been used long time to sit,
Judging the people day by day.”
“Sir,” said the Queen, “so be it then,
Yet am I bond woman alway
To you and to your noble men.
“Sir,” said the Queen, “so be it then,
Yet am I bond woman alway
To you and to your noble men.
And, for your ancestor Odin
A noble temple shall he have
With a gold altar set therein
Which many a skillful man shall grave.”
A noble temple shall he have
With a gold altar set therein
Which many a skillful man shall grave.”
“Lady,” he said, “by no dead man
Were we brought to the lions' jaws,
Through many waters wild and wan:
I rede you know our holy laws,
Were we brought to the lions' jaws,
Through many waters wild and wan:
I rede you know our holy laws,
128
And learn to know the Trinity
The Mother of God and All Hallows;
And leave your false Gods.” Silently
She stood and listened with bent brows,
The Mother of God and All Hallows;
And leave your false Gods.” Silently
She stood and listened with bent brows,
While our mass-priest took up the word
And showed her much about her faith,
And many things about the Lord,
And what the holy Gospel saith.
And showed her much about her faith,
And many things about the Lord,
And what the holy Gospel saith.
At last she said, “Sir Holy Man
Too many things at once ye show;
I will believe all that I can:
But pray you cease for a while now.
Too many things at once ye show;
I will believe all that I can:
But pray you cease for a while now.
Truly it makes the senses reel
To hear all this so suddenly—
The Gods we sought in woe and weal
Devils, or else a painted lie.
To hear all this so suddenly—
The Gods we sought in woe and weal
Devils, or else a painted lie.
And many things must we believe,
That now for the first time we know
And from you by mere chance receive,
Or lie in endless fiery woe.
That now for the first time we know
And from you by mere chance receive,
Or lie in endless fiery woe.
Sirs, ye are noble, and we think
Ye would not bid us trust a lie,
Or from a muddied river drink.
Your God has served you faithfully,
Ye would not bid us trust a lie,
Or from a muddied river drink.
Your God has served you faithfully,
So in some fountain wash away,
If so ye will, our forebear's sin
Who stole the apple as ye say;
Faith an ill deed he did therein.
If so ye will, our forebear's sin
Who stole the apple as ye say;
Faith an ill deed he did therein.
And that good Lord of whom ye tell,
Who all his life did nought but good,
And loved the people passing well;
And whom, upon a cross of wood,
Who all his life did nought but good,
And loved the people passing well;
And whom, upon a cross of wood,
129
For his reward they foully hung—
Would God I had been there that day!
Another song ye might have sung,
Your faith been turned another way.
Would God I had been there that day!
Another song ye might have sung,
Your faith been turned another way.
Now for a while let these things be—
And for the rest, I dare well say
That who will choose as foolishly
As your chief, none will say him nay.
And for the rest, I dare well say
That who will choose as foolishly
As your chief, none will say him nay.
And therewithal, Sirs, will we give
Some house and goods and needful weed
To each; that while with us ye live
Such common things ye may not need.”
Some house and goods and needful weed
To each; that while with us ye live
Such common things ye may not need.”
Then from the presence did we go;
And over my shoulder as we went
I looked full oft that I might know
If my maid's eyes were on me bent.
And over my shoulder as we went
I looked full oft that I might know
If my maid's eyes were on me bent.
But she held ever down her head
Toward the ground and smiled gently,
Moving her lips as if she said
Some little ballad inwardly.
Toward the ground and smiled gently,
Moving her lips as if she said
Some little ballad inwardly.
Then to a chamber did we come
Where, being unarmed, on us they did
Such gowns as there were none in Rome
Ere of the Cæsars they were rid.
Where, being unarmed, on us they did
Such gowns as there were none in Rome
Ere of the Cæsars they were rid.
Then came we to another hall
Spread for a feast, and hung around
With histories, where ladies tall
In strife with men full many a wound
Spread for a feast, and hung around
With histories, where ladies tall
In strife with men full many a wound
Both gave and took: and there we met
Unarmed and gay the maidens sweet,
With gems in their white bosoms set,
And naked arms, and gold-shod feet.
Unarmed and gay the maidens sweet,
With gems in their white bosoms set,
And naked arms, and gold-shod feet.
130
Not half so sweet the west wind smells
That blows in spring through the may-bush;
Sweeter their voice than he that tells
The coming summer, or the thrush;
That blows in spring through the may-bush;
Sweeter their voice than he that tells
The coming summer, or the thrush;
Or Philomela that bewails
The wrongs of many hundred years,
And fills our hearts with speechless tales,
Our ears with sweet and causeless tears.
The wrongs of many hundred years,
And fills our hearts with speechless tales,
Our ears with sweet and causeless tears.
Softly they bid us to the feast
Which was full noble, and withal
Was many a pageant and strange beast
Brought for our pleasure through the hall.
Which was full noble, and withal
Was many a pageant and strange beast
Brought for our pleasure through the hall.
There saw we how that Theseus slew
The Beast, by help of a poor may,
To whom not long abode he true;
There saw we the Knight Perseus slay
The Beast, by help of a poor may,
To whom not long abode he true;
There saw we the Knight Perseus slay
The evil thing by the sea-side;
There was the noble story told
Of those good knights that wandered wide
With Jason for the Fleece of Gold.
There was the noble story told
Of those good knights that wandered wide
With Jason for the Fleece of Gold.
Thereafter all the feast being done
We wandered in a garden green;
And I for my part went alone
With her that was my joy and Queen.
We wandered in a garden green;
And I for my part went alone
With her that was my joy and Queen.
Sweet follies there we said and did,
I list not tell now, being old:
Only I know, her face half-hid
Among her rippled hair of gold,
I list not tell now, being old:
Only I know, her face half-hid
Among her rippled hair of gold,
She burst out singing suddenly
While I was telling of our quest
And of the land we thought to see
In some far ocean of the west.
While I was telling of our quest
And of the land we thought to see
In some far ocean of the west.
| The Collected Works of William Morris | |