The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker Edited from the original manuscripts and annotated copies together with a prefatory notice and bibliography by Alfred Wallis |
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THE BAPTISM OF THE PEASANT AND THE PRINCE. |
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 | The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker |  |
THE BAPTISM OF THE PEASANT AND THE PRINCE.
“Every one that is perfect shall be as His Master.”—
St. Luke vi. 40.
I climbed a poor and narrow stair,
The prince's christening day;
I sought a cottage bed, for there
A travail'd woman lay.
The prince's christening day;
I sought a cottage bed, for there
A travail'd woman lay.
With covering thin, and scanty vest,
Her babe was on her arm:
It was the strong love in her breast
That kept that infant warm.
Her babe was on her arm:
It was the strong love in her breast
That kept that infant warm.
I came, a country minister,
A servant of the Lord;
To bless that mother's child for her,
With Water and the Word.
A servant of the Lord;
To bless that mother's child for her,
With Water and the Word.
131
The dim light struggling o'er the room
Scarce reached the lowly bed:
And thus 'mid woe, and want, and gloom,
The Sacrament was shed.
Scarce reached the lowly bed:
And thus 'mid woe, and want, and gloom,
The Sacrament was shed.
Then said I—for the woman smiled
As she took back her son—
“Be glad! for lo! that little child,
Is 'mong God's children, one.
As she took back her son—
“Be glad! for lo! that little child,
Is 'mong God's children, one.
“Henceforth it hath a name on high,
Where blessèd angels shine:
Nay, one will leave his native sky,
To watch this babe of thine.
Where blessèd angels shine:
Nay, one will leave his native sky,
To watch this babe of thine.
“Be glad! this very day they meet,
In a far loftier scene,
With blessing and with vow to greet
The offspring of a Queen.
In a far loftier scene,
With blessing and with vow to greet
The offspring of a Queen.
“Bright faces beam in bannered halls,
Around the noble boy:
And princes teach the echoing walls
The glory of their joy.
Around the noble boy:
And princes teach the echoing walls
The glory of their joy.
“Yet will the self-same words be said,
Our lips have utter'd now;
And water, such as here we shed,
Must bless that princely brow.
Our lips have utter'd now;
And water, such as here we shed,
Must bless that princely brow.
“One Cross the twain shall seal and sign,
An equal grace be poured:
One Faith, one Church, one Heaven, will join
The labourer and his lord.”
An equal grace be poured:
One Faith, one Church, one Heaven, will join
The labourer and his lord.”
132
“Thanks be to God!” in language mild,
The humble woman said:
“Who sends such kindness to my child,
Here in its mother's bed:
The humble woman said:
“Who sends such kindness to my child,
Here in its mother's bed:
“And bless our Queen with health and grace,
Her's is a happy reign:
O! one smile of her baby's face
Pays her for all her pain.”
Her's is a happy reign:
O! one smile of her baby's face
Pays her for all her pain.”
January 25, 1842.
| The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker | |