The Poetical Works of Reginald Heber | ||
390
BALLAD.
I
“Oh, captain of the Moorish hold,Unbar thy gates to me,
And I will give thee gems and gold,
To set Fernando free.
For I a sacred oath have plight
A pilgrim to remain,
Till I return with Lara's knight,
The noblest knight of Spain.”
II
“Fond Christian youth,” the captain said,“Thy suit is soon denied,
Fernando loves a Moorish maid,
And will with us abide.
Renounc'd is every Christian rite,
The turban he hath ta'en,
And Lara thus hath lost her knight,
The boldest knight of Spain.”
391
III
Pale, marble pale, the pilgrim turn'd,A cold and deadly dye;
Then in his cheeks the blushes burn'd,
And anger in his eye.
(From forth his cowl a ringlet bright
Fell down of golden grain,)
“Base Moor! to slander Lara's knight,
The boldest knight of Spain!
IV
“Go, look on Lugo's gory field!Go look on Tayo's tide!
Can ye forget the red-cross shield,
That all your host defied?
Alhama's warriors turn'd to flight,
Granada's sultan slain,
Attest the worth of Lara's knight,
The boldest knight of Spain!”
V
“By Allah, yea!” with eyes of fireThe lordly paynim said,
“Granada's sultan was my sire,
Who fell by Lara's blade;
392
The ransom were but vain
To purchase back thy Christian knight,
The boldest knight of Spain.”
VI
“Ah, Moor! the life that once is shedNo vengeance can repay;
And who can number up the dead
That fall in battle fray?
Thyself in many a manly fight
Hast many a father slain;
Then rage not thus 'gainst Lara's knight,
The boldest knight of Spain.”
VII
“And who art thou, whose pilgrim vestThy beauties ill may shroud;
The locks of gold, the heaving breast,
A moon beneath a cloud?—
Wilt thou our Moorish creed recite,
And here with me remain?
He may depart,—that captive knight,
The conquer'd knight of Spain.”
393
VIII
“Ah, speak not so!” with voice of woe,The shuddering stranger cried;
“Another creed I may not know,
Nor live another's bride!
Fernando's wife may yield her life,
But not her honour stain,
To loose the bonds of Lara's knight,
The noblest knight of Spain!”
IX
“And know'st thou, then, how hard a doomThy husband yet may bear?
The fetter'd limbs, the living tomb,
The damp and noisome air?
In lonely cave, and void of light,
To drag a helpless chain,
Thy pride condemns the Christian knight,
The prop and pride of Spain!”
X
“Oh that within that dungeon's gloomHis sorrows I might share,
And cheer him in that living tomb,
With love, and hope, and prayer!
394
Unbroken must remain,
And God will help the captive knight,
And plead the cause of Spain!”
XI
“And deem'st thou from the Moorish holdIn safety to retire,
Whose locks outshine Arabia's gold,
Whose eyes the diamond's fire!”
She drew a poniard small and bright,
And spake in calm disdain,
“He taught me how, my Christian knight,
To guard the faith of Spain!”
XII
The drawbridge falls! with loud alarmThe clashing portals fly!
She bar'd her breast, she rais'd her arms,
And knelt, in act to die!
But ah, the thrill of wild delight
That shot through every vein!
He stood before her,—Lara's knight,
The noblest knight of Spain!
The Poetical Works of Reginald Heber | ||