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 | Poems Old and New by Charles D. Bell |  |
VII.
From out the royal bed the queen thus to her women said:
“What great arrival has there been? Why has the trumpet brayed?
The morning's light had hardly fall'n upon the dewy ground,
When the pillars of my bed did shake 'neath the loud and joyous sound.
Why shout the mob? I pray you tell. What mean these voices loud?
Why rings the sky with praises high, as from a mighty crowd?”
“What great arrival has there been? Why has the trumpet brayed?
The morning's light had hardly fall'n upon the dewy ground,
When the pillars of my bed did shake 'neath the loud and joyous sound.
Why shout the mob? I pray you tell. What mean these voices loud?
Why rings the sky with praises high, as from a mighty crowd?”
“Merlin, the noble Bard, is come, the citizens rejoice;
Therefore you hear the trumpet's flare, and the people's shouting voice.
There comes with him an aged crone, and there walketh at her side
Your fair young son who is to have your daughter for his bride.”
When the king he hears the tidings, he hurries out right fast,
And runs to meet old Merlin, and to the Bard doth haste.
Therefore you hear the trumpet's flare, and the people's shouting voice.
There comes with him an aged crone, and there walketh at her side
Your fair young son who is to have your daughter for his bride.”
167
And runs to meet old Merlin, and to the Bard doth haste.
“Arise, good herald, from thy bed, awake, arise, arise,
And publish through the land the news, proclaim it in this wise:
‘Who will may to the marriage come, may join the wedding feast;
All people in the land may come, from highest unto least.
For eight days shall the feast be held all in my palace here,
In honour of my sweet Lindore, my child, my daughter dear.’”
To the marriage all the nobles ride, the nobles of Bretagne,
The judges and the gallant knights, each true and princely man.
And first the Counts, and then the poor, and eke the rich beside,
They swiftly to the palace come from all the countryside.
And publish through the land the news, proclaim it in this wise:
‘Who will may to the marriage come, may join the wedding feast;
All people in the land may come, from highest unto least.
For eight days shall the feast be held all in my palace here,
In honour of my sweet Lindore, my child, my daughter dear.’”
To the marriage all the nobles ride, the nobles of Bretagne,
The judges and the gallant knights, each true and princely man.
And first the Counts, and then the poor, and eke the rich beside,
They swiftly to the palace come from all the countryside.
“Silence! keep silence, all who come, and hear the king's command:
The marriage of the royal maid! For eight days from the land
Let come who will—ay, come ye sirs, come ye both one and all;
No matter what your rank or age, come ye both great and small.
To the marriage all ye nobles hie, ye nobles of Bretagne,
Ye judges and ye gallant knights, Churchmen and warlike man;
Come first the mighty Counts, and then come both ye rich and poor—
The rich and poor, who shall not lack of gold or silver store.
Nor shall they want, or meat or drink, or wine or hydromel,
Or couches soft on which to rest, or men to serve them well.
Two porkers fat shall here be slain, two hundred bulls or more,
Two hundred heifers, and of deer as many as five score;
Two hundred beeves, half black, half white, whose horns shall given be
To all who come from far and near this wedding high to see.
Then for the priests, an hundred robes of wool as white as snow,
An hundred collars all of gold, with pearls in every row;
Each warrior shall have one,—shall have it for his own,
And wear it as a loyal badge of fealty to the throne.
A chamber filled with cloaks all blue—blue as the sky above—
For ladies young, and fair, and chaste, and gentle as the dove.
Eight hundred warm new garments to the poorest shall be given,
For well we know how dear they are, how cared for up in heaven.
And lastly, in their seats aloft, both through the night and day,
One hundred well-skilled minstrels upon their harps shall play;
While Merlin, Bard, amidst the court shall celebrate, I ween,
The marriage-rite, and all shall say, such feast was never seen.”
The marriage of the royal maid! For eight days from the land
Let come who will—ay, come ye sirs, come ye both one and all;
No matter what your rank or age, come ye both great and small.
168
Ye judges and ye gallant knights, Churchmen and warlike man;
Come first the mighty Counts, and then come both ye rich and poor—
The rich and poor, who shall not lack of gold or silver store.
Nor shall they want, or meat or drink, or wine or hydromel,
Or couches soft on which to rest, or men to serve them well.
Two porkers fat shall here be slain, two hundred bulls or more,
Two hundred heifers, and of deer as many as five score;
Two hundred beeves, half black, half white, whose horns shall given be
To all who come from far and near this wedding high to see.
Then for the priests, an hundred robes of wool as white as snow,
An hundred collars all of gold, with pearls in every row;
Each warrior shall have one,—shall have it for his own,
And wear it as a loyal badge of fealty to the throne.
A chamber filled with cloaks all blue—blue as the sky above—
For ladies young, and fair, and chaste, and gentle as the dove.
Eight hundred warm new garments to the poorest shall be given,
For well we know how dear they are, how cared for up in heaven.
169
One hundred well-skilled minstrels upon their harps shall play;
While Merlin, Bard, amidst the court shall celebrate, I ween,
The marriage-rite, and all shall say, such feast was never seen.”
“List, all ye skilful cooks, I pray,—what! is the marriage o'er?”
“It is: the splendid pageant's passed, such shall be seen no more.”
“It is: the splendid pageant's passed, such shall be seen no more.”
For fifteen joyous days it held, and all was glad and gay,
And now unto their homes again they all have passed away;
Nor went they empty to their homes, but laden with rich store
Of royal gifts and venison which to their land they bore.
The bridegroom to fair Leon's land his bride with joy he bears,
And all are happy but the king: his eyes are full of tears,
His heart is sad and sorrowful: his heart is sick and sore;
His daughter she has left his home; he shall see her nevermore.
And now unto their homes again they all have passed away;
Nor went they empty to their homes, but laden with rich store
Of royal gifts and venison which to their land they bore.
The bridegroom to fair Leon's land his bride with joy he bears,
And all are happy but the king: his eyes are full of tears,
His heart is sad and sorrowful: his heart is sick and sore;
His daughter she has left his home; he shall see her nevermore.
Merlin again is lost to sight, none know where bideth he,
Whether in cavern of the earth, in air, or in the sea.
Whether in cavern of the earth, in air, or in the sea.
| Poems Old and New by Charles D. Bell | |