Dramatic chapters, poems and songs By Charles Swain |
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| XXI. |
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THE WIFE OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH. |
 | Dramatic chapters, poems and songs |  |
259
THE WIFE OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH.
“Tell Fortune of her blindnesse,
Tell Nature of decay,
Tell Friendship of unkindnesse,
Tell Justice of delay:
And if they dare reply,
Then give them all the lye.”
Sir Walter Raleigh.
Tell Nature of decay,
Tell Friendship of unkindnesse,
Tell Justice of delay:
And if they dare reply,
Then give them all the lye.”
Sir Walter Raleigh.
Day, like a warrior, stood
Upon the western height,
And pour'd his bright spears like a flood
Against the hosts of Night;
While banner-cloud and gleamy crest
Grew crimson in the stormy West!
Upon the western height,
And pour'd his bright spears like a flood
Against the hosts of Night;
While banner-cloud and gleamy crest
Grew crimson in the stormy West!
Night called her hosts of pride,
To mark the Sun-King die;
And threw her starry pennons wide,
In triumph o'er the sky.
The monarch of the world of light
Fell throneless 'neath the foot of Night!
To mark the Sun-King die;
And threw her starry pennons wide,
In triumph o'er the sky.
The monarch of the world of light
Fell throneless 'neath the foot of Night!
264
From morn to cloudy eve
One paced the castle-tower;
So beautiful—oh, could she grieve
Who looked as though each hour
Brought roses to her lips, her cheek;
As music stayed to hear her speak!
One paced the castle-tower;
So beautiful—oh, could she grieve
Who looked as though each hour
Brought roses to her lips, her cheek;
As music stayed to hear her speak!
And yet she wept, as one
Whose happiness was o'er;
The sunlight of whose soul was gone,
Whose life might bloom no more;
Whose years had faded fast, though few;
Like leaves whose veins ran lightning through!
Whose happiness was o'er;
The sunlight of whose soul was gone,
Whose life might bloom no more;
Whose years had faded fast, though few;
Like leaves whose veins ran lightning through!
For he—her loved, her lord,
Her husband, whose renown
Lent fame to Britain's state and sword,
Shed glory o'er its crown—
Learnt that the debts which nations owe
Find cancel brief in headsman's blow!
Her husband, whose renown
Lent fame to Britain's state and sword,
Shed glory o'er its crown—
Learnt that the debts which nations owe
Find cancel brief in headsman's blow!
He whose heroic hand
Proved ever first to guard
The bulwarks of his native land,
Unmindful of reward,
Save that illustrious spirits claim
Within the godlike rolls of Fame!—
Proved ever first to guard
The bulwarks of his native land,
Unmindful of reward,
Save that illustrious spirits claim
Within the godlike rolls of Fame!—
265
He, the observed of all
Amidst the courtly throng,
Whom laurelled Spenser once did call
The nightingale of song;
Whose gifts to win all hearts appear'd—
Was't he the rabble scoffed and jeered?
Amidst the courtly throng,
Whom laurelled Spenser once did call
The nightingale of song;
Whose gifts to win all hearts appear'd—
Was't he the rabble scoffed and jeered?
Oh, noble to the last,
And to his death resigned,
He smiled upon the world, and passed
To seek that World of Mind,
That bright, that intellectual spring,
Hid 'neath the Everlasting wing!
And to his death resigned,
He smiled upon the world, and passed
To seek that World of Mind,
That bright, that intellectual spring,
Hid 'neath the Everlasting wing!
Nor murmur, nor complaint,
Nor sigh for hopes decayed,
Nor did his manly heart once faint,
When grasp'd the headsman's blade!
“'Tis a sharp medicine to endure,”
He said, “but rarely fails to cure!”
Nor sigh for hopes decayed,
Nor did his manly heart once faint,
When grasp'd the headsman's blade!
“'Tis a sharp medicine to endure,”
He said, “but rarely fails to cure!”
Long past the hour his head
Fell gory 'neath the steel,
His wife yet listened for his tread;
Some hearts would surely feel!
All were not hardened as the throne;
Some rescue yet would save her own!
Fell gory 'neath the steel,
His wife yet listened for his tread;
Some hearts would surely feel!
All were not hardened as the throne;
Some rescue yet would save her own!
266
And still the castle-tower
She paced each dreary day;
She knew, she said, it was his hour;
He would not long delay:
He loved his child with love too strong,
Living or dead, to quit them long!
She paced each dreary day;
She knew, she said, it was his hour;
He would not long delay:
He loved his child with love too strong,
Living or dead, to quit them long!
And thus she hourly pined,
Till winter o'er her breast
Shed paleness, and her bloom declined
Like rose some foot hath press'd.
The light which could that bloom renew
Shone only 'midst the angel dew!
Till winter o'er her breast
Shed paleness, and her bloom declined
Like rose some foot hath press'd.
The light which could that bloom renew
Shone only 'midst the angel dew!
How, like a broken reed,
All worldly trust departs!
There is no hope for earthly need,
No rest for weary hearts,
Save his whose trust the Cross hath blest,
Eternal Hope! immortal Rest!
All worldly trust departs!
There is no hope for earthly need,
No rest for weary hearts,
Save his whose trust the Cross hath blest,
Eternal Hope! immortal Rest!
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