The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore Collected by Himself. In Ten Volumes |
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THE HIGH-BORN LADYE. |
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 | The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore |  |
108
THE HIGH-BORN LADYE.
In vain all the Knights of the Underwald wooed her,
Tho' brightest of maidens, the proudest was she;
Brave chieftains they sought, and young minstrels they sued her,
But worthy were none of the high-born Ladye.
Tho' brightest of maidens, the proudest was she;
Brave chieftains they sought, and young minstrels they sued her,
But worthy were none of the high-born Ladye.
“Whomsoever I wed,” said this maid, so excelling,
“That Knight must the conqu'ror of conquerors be;
“He must place me in halls fit for monarchs to dwell in;—
“None else shall be Lord of the high-born Ladye!”
“That Knight must the conqu'ror of conquerors be;
“He must place me in halls fit for monarchs to dwell in;—
“None else shall be Lord of the high-born Ladye!”
Thus spoke the proud damsel, with scorn looking round her
On Knights and on Nobles of highest degree;
Who humbly and hopelessly left as they found her,
And worshipp'd at distance the high-born Ladye.
On Knights and on Nobles of highest degree;
Who humbly and hopelessly left as they found her,
And worshipp'd at distance the high-born Ladye.
109
At length came a Knight, from a far land to woo her,
With plumes on his helm like the foam of the sea;
His vizor was down—but, with voice that thrill'd through her,
He whisper'd his vows to the high-born Ladye.
With plumes on his helm like the foam of the sea;
His vizor was down—but, with voice that thrill'd through her,
He whisper'd his vows to the high-born Ladye.
“Proud maiden! I come with high spousals to grace thee,
“In me the great conqu'ror of conquerors see;
“Enthroned in a hall fit for monarchs I'll place thee,
“And mine thou'rt for ever, thou high-born Ladye!”
“In me the great conqu'ror of conquerors see;
“Enthroned in a hall fit for monarchs I'll place thee,
“And mine thou'rt for ever, thou high-born Ladye!”
The maiden she smiled, and in jewels array'd her,
Of thrones and tiaras already dreamt she;
And proud was the step, as her bridegroom convey'd her
In pomp to his home, of that high-born Ladye.
Of thrones and tiaras already dreamt she;
And proud was the step, as her bridegroom convey'd her
In pomp to his home, of that high-born Ladye.
“But whither,” she, starting, exclaims, “have you led me?
“Here's nought but a tomb and a dark cypress tree;
“Is this the bright palace in which thou wouldst wed me?”
With scorn in her glance said the high-born Ladye.
“Here's nought but a tomb and a dark cypress tree;
110
With scorn in her glance said the high-born Ladye.
“'Tis the home,” he replied, “of earth's loftiest creatures”—
Then lifted his helm for the fair one to see;
But she sunk on the ground—'twas a skeleton's features,
And Death was the Lord of the high-born Ladye!
Then lifted his helm for the fair one to see;
But she sunk on the ground—'twas a skeleton's features,
And Death was the Lord of the high-born Ladye!
| The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore | |