 | Young Arthur |  |
BRANDON HALL.
In Brandon-hall the festive board is spread,
Tho' pensive there reclines fair Edith's head;
Edith, by Ernest with youth's ardour woo'd,
And many a check the gallant youth withstood;
Her Allan liv'd, nay, in her path had gleam'd,
His eye—O 'twas not anger that it beam'd,
Nor beam'd it hope; nor yet inflicted pain;
Soon—'twas no sport of chance—they met again.
Their eyes too met—enough—their souls are known,
Allan is Edith's, Edith all his own;
'Twas but a look, which neither dar'd improve,
But what looks are decypher, ye who love.
Sir Ernest woo'd and he woo'd in vain,
His aim Sir Brandon saw;
And he hop'd that knight the heart might gain
Of the child of his joy, of his pride, and pain,
For his days towards evening draw.
Tho' pensive there reclines fair Edith's head;
Edith, by Ernest with youth's ardour woo'd,
And many a check the gallant youth withstood;
Her Allan liv'd, nay, in her path had gleam'd,
His eye—O 'twas not anger that it beam'd,
Nor beam'd it hope; nor yet inflicted pain;
Soon—'twas no sport of chance—they met again.
Their eyes too met—enough—their souls are known,
Allan is Edith's, Edith all his own;
'Twas but a look, which neither dar'd improve,
But what looks are decypher, ye who love.
Sir Ernest woo'd and he woo'd in vain,
His aim Sir Brandon saw;
And he hop'd that knight the heart might gain
214
For his days towards evening draw.
He wish'd to bestow the maiden's hand
On some such gallant knight;
For soon he might wend to the unknown land,
And to leave her unguarded by wedlock's band
Would many a pang excite.
On some such gallant knight;
For soon he might wend to the unknown land,
And to leave her unguarded by wedlock's band
Would many a pang excite.
But he left fair Edith free to choose,
Who never had knight approv'd;
And Sir Brandon griev'd his hope to lose,
For he saw her many a knight refuse,
But little dreamt he she lov'd.
Who never had knight approv'd;
And Sir Brandon griev'd his hope to lose,
For he saw her many a knight refuse,
But little dreamt he she lov'd.
And Allan the lovely Edith met
By that ruin, to him love's bower;
There ever his wandering way was set,
And the evening had not fallen yet
When Edith approach'd the tower.
By that ruin, to him love's bower;
There ever his wandering way was set,
And the evening had not fallen yet
When Edith approach'd the tower.
Sudden they met, nor could withdraw,
Their hearts that instant shown:
True love knows no other than Nature's law,
And its transcript in each others eyes they saw,
And to each others arms they've flown.
Their hearts that instant shown:
215
And its transcript in each others eyes they saw,
And to each others arms they've flown.
Uncertain love has a jealous eye,
And Ernest at distance stray'd;
Despair had been busy a clue to espy
To the chilling, tho' delicate, apathy
Of the sweet, mysterious maid.
And Ernest at distance stray'd;
Despair had been busy a clue to espy
To the chilling, tho' delicate, apathy
Of the sweet, mysterious maid.
He saw the ruin, and soon survey'd
Young Allan, who wander'd there;
Then trembled Ernest—he saw the maid
Pensive approaching the lonely shade,
And he saw—his heart's despair!
Young Allan, who wander'd there;
Then trembled Ernest—he saw the maid
Pensive approaching the lonely shade,
And he saw—his heart's despair!
He saw them meet, and he saw them part;
Each slowly coming he saw,
But each homeward hied with a lightsome heart—
When the bosom is pierc'd how keen the smart
The arrow to withdraw!
Each slowly coming he saw,
But each homeward hied with a lightsome heart—
When the bosom is pierc'd how keen the smart
The arrow to withdraw!
But Ernest must now the arrow draw
Which its quiver had made his heart;
Not his to betray the scene he saw,
Tho' to woo her he had her father's law,
Yet from ev'ry hope must part.
Which its quiver had made his heart;
216
Tho' to woo her he had her father's law,
Yet from ev'ry hope must part.
True valour ne'er play'd the traitor's game,
Nor may envy his bosom move;
Emulation may ever direct his aim,
But failing, perchance, in his noble claim
Regret he may only prove.
Nor may envy his bosom move;
Emulation may ever direct his aim,
But failing, perchance, in his noble claim
Regret he may only prove.
He buried that love scene in his heart,
For neither had seen him there;
And he press'd the hour he must needs depart,
But promis'd return with a blameless art,
For who would return to care?
For neither had seen him there;
And he press'd the hour he must needs depart,
But promis'd return with a blameless art,
For who would return to care?
And now Sir Ernest's farewell day is fix'd,
And Edith, smiling, with the revels mix'd;
Mix'd with the revels; for in days of yore
Wide stood old hospitality's large door;
And ever and anon the banquet brave,
With ponderous plenty, generous grandeur gave;
And, at or fashion's beck or friendship's call,
An host, made welcome, fill'd the Baron's hall.
Hence should the banquet in my verse appear
Too full, too frequent, for refinement's ear,
Reflect, with Britons now as then the fact,
Whate'er the purpose, or whate'er the pact,
Feasting must seal and ratify the act.
A splendid feast Sir Brandon had prepar'd,
And many a guest the generous welcome shar'd;
Among them one of dark and scowling eye
Survey'd Sir Ernest; chancing to espy
The cross he wore, the ruby cross he won
When death's just work was on Sir Gorman done.
Brooding he sat: his eyes obliquely trace
Each varied feature of that manly face;
And, while the guests impell'd the circling glass,
As glides the serpent thro' the covert grass
It's prey descried, the victim to secure,
He stole, unheeded, thro' the friendly door.
The night wore on, for now the joy was high,
Repeated pledges the large flagons dry;
But soon replenish'd the drain'd flasks return,
All with new ardour glow, and brighter spirits burn.
And Edith, smiling, with the revels mix'd;
Mix'd with the revels; for in days of yore
Wide stood old hospitality's large door;
And ever and anon the banquet brave,
With ponderous plenty, generous grandeur gave;
And, at or fashion's beck or friendship's call,
An host, made welcome, fill'd the Baron's hall.
217
Too full, too frequent, for refinement's ear,
Reflect, with Britons now as then the fact,
Whate'er the purpose, or whate'er the pact,
Feasting must seal and ratify the act.
A splendid feast Sir Brandon had prepar'd,
And many a guest the generous welcome shar'd;
Among them one of dark and scowling eye
Survey'd Sir Ernest; chancing to espy
The cross he wore, the ruby cross he won
When death's just work was on Sir Gorman done.
Brooding he sat: his eyes obliquely trace
Each varied feature of that manly face;
And, while the guests impell'd the circling glass,
As glides the serpent thro' the covert grass
It's prey descried, the victim to secure,
He stole, unheeded, thro' the friendly door.
The night wore on, for now the joy was high,
Repeated pledges the large flagons dry;
But soon replenish'd the drain'd flasks return,
All with new ardour glow, and brighter spirits burn.
Loud is the thunder that storms the door,
And the mandate comes at the king's command;
The Marshal is there, with his silver oar,
While halberdiers in the court-yard stand:
And the body of Ernest delivered must be,
And he must be tried for piracy.
And the mandate comes at the king's command;
218
While halberdiers in the court-yard stand:
And the body of Ernest delivered must be,
And he must be tried for piracy.
| Young Arthur | |