 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
THE GHOST IN ARMOR.
A LEGEND OF ST. MICHAEL'S EVE.
PART FIRST.
Sir Walter De Guyon is surly and sad,
There 's trouble a-brewing, I think;
The Steward is certain Sir Walter is mad,
And the Butler declares, “He is took very bad,—
This morning he doubled his drink!”
There 's trouble a-brewing, I think;
The Steward is certain Sir Walter is mad,
And the Butler declares, “He is took very bad,—
This morning he doubled his drink!”
And why is he ranting and raving, I pray,
And calling his daughter such names?
He stands by the Green in the sturdiest way;
And Alice has mounted the Orange today,
And laughed at the runaway James!
And calling his daughter such names?
He stands by the Green in the sturdiest way;
And Alice has mounted the Orange today,
And laughed at the runaway James!
And then Sir Walter has heard beside,
From one of his vigilant spies,
How Alice his daughter, his darling and pride,
With young De Ruyter, last evening, was spied,—
You may guess at the knight's surprise!
From one of his vigilant spies,
How Alice his daughter, his darling and pride,
With young De Ruyter, last evening, was spied,—
You may guess at the knight's surprise!
Beneath the casement the maiden was seen,
With this gay gallant at her feet;
Holding her hand his own between,
And calling her “love,” and “life,” and “queen,”
With kisses many and sweet!
With this gay gallant at her feet;
Holding her hand his own between,
And calling her “love,” and “life,” and “queen,”
With kisses many and sweet!
De Ruyter,—a captain of William's band;
And counted a worthy scion
Of an ancient house in the Dutchman's land;
But what is he to offer his hand
To one of the race De Guyon?
And counted a worthy scion
Of an ancient house in the Dutchman's land;
But what is he to offer his hand
To one of the race De Guyon?
De Ruyter,—“a squire of low degree,”
And an anti-Jacobite war-man;
And what is he, whoever he be,
To match his de with the mighty De
That was known before “the Norman”?
And an anti-Jacobite war-man;
And what is he, whoever he be,
To match his de with the mighty De
That was known before “the Norman”?
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“The saucy varlet!” Sir Walter said;
“The fellow deserves to swing;
Before my castle to show his head!
I'll serve the dog as I 'd like instead
To serve his villainous king!”
“The fellow deserves to swing;
Before my castle to show his head!
I'll serve the dog as I 'd like instead
To serve his villainous king!”
In vain the maiden bemoans his fate;
Already the fierce Sir Walter
Has set his guards at every gate.
He is fain to fly, but all too late;
He is doomed to feel the halter.
Already the fierce Sir Walter
Has set his guards at every gate.
He is fain to fly, but all too late;
He is doomed to feel the halter.
There 's a dismal cell, a dungeon, in sooth,
Hard by the banqueting-room
(Sir Walter de Guyon has little ruth),
And there, alas! the venturous youth,
De Ruyter, is waiting his doom.
Hard by the banqueting-room
(Sir Walter de Guyon has little ruth),
And there, alas! the venturous youth,
De Ruyter, is waiting his doom.
Sir Walter de Guyon is rather elate
At the capital job he has done;
So he summons his friends, the small and the great,
To come and assist at an elegant fête,
Devoted to feasting and fun.
At the capital job he has done;
So he summons his friends, the small and the great,
To come and assist at an elegant fête,
Devoted to feasting and fun.
PART SECOND.
They are eating and drinking with glee,
The guests at this notable feast;
Lords, nobles of every degree,
All merry as merry can be,
With fifty retainers at least.
The guests at this notable feast;
Lords, nobles of every degree,
All merry as merry can be,
With fifty retainers at least.
In the midst of the revelry rose
Sir Walter de Guyon, to say,
“You all are aware, I suppose,
“'T is St. Michael's evening,”—but shows
Some symptoms of fainting away.
Sir Walter de Guyon, to say,
“You all are aware, I suppose,
“'T is St. Michael's evening,”—but shows
Some symptoms of fainting away.
A bottle of Burgundy stood
By chance in the orator's reach,
Which drinking as well as he could,
And swearing the tipple was good,
Sir Walter went on with his speech.
By chance in the orator's reach,
Which drinking as well as he could,
And swearing the tipple was good,
Sir Walter went on with his speech.
“'T was this very night, as you know,
My ancestor, once on a time,
As sundry old chronicles show
('T was ages and ages ago),
Committed a horrible crime.
My ancestor, once on a time,
As sundry old chronicles show
('T was ages and ages ago),
Committed a horrible crime.
“A black-armored knight, it is told,
Who slept in a neighboring room,
Was murdered ('t was thought for his gold),—
The room which now happens to hold
The Dutchman awaiting his doom.
Who slept in a neighboring room,
Was murdered ('t was thought for his gold),—
The room which now happens to hold
The Dutchman awaiting his doom.
“My ancestor noised it about,
The minions of Justice to blind,
That the stranger arose and went out;
But he never could settle the doubt
Why the man left his armor behind.
The minions of Justice to blind,
That the stranger arose and went out;
But he never could settle the doubt
Why the man left his armor behind.
“Belike you have heard it before,—
The credulous peasants believe
His ghost, in the armor he wore,
Comes stalking abroad, as of yore,
On every St. Michael his Eve.”
The credulous peasants believe
His ghost, in the armor he wore,
Comes stalking abroad, as of yore,
On every St. Michael his Eve.”
“What think you?” he laughingly said,
“Perhaps we may see him to night;
As often in books we have read”—
Ah! sees he the ghost of the dead?
Why blanches Sir Walter with fright?
“Perhaps we may see him to night;
As often in books we have read”—
Ah! sees he the ghost of the dead?
Why blanches Sir Walter with fright?
What meaneth that terrible din,
Like the sound of a bursting door?
See! black as the angel of sin,
The Ghost in the Armor comes in,
And marches across the floor!
Like the sound of a bursting door?
See! black as the angel of sin,
The Ghost in the Armor comes in,
And marches across the floor!
Aghast at the horrible sight,
Down, down they tumble, and lay
Spent with terror and fright,
Through all that terrible night,
Quite into the following day!
Down, down they tumble, and lay
Spent with terror and fright,
Through all that terrible night,
Quite into the following day!
Now where is De Ruyter, I pray,
And Alice? (she 's vanished from sight!)
There 's a letter from London to say
The lovers had ridden away
On a saddle and pillion that night.
And Alice? (she 's vanished from sight!)
There 's a letter from London to say
The lovers had ridden away
On a saddle and pillion that night.
His manner of leaving, of course,
His own reprobation had earned;
He owned he was full of remorse
Concerning the armor and horse,
But both should be quickly returned.
His own reprobation had earned;
He owned he was full of remorse
Concerning the armor and horse,
But both should be quickly returned.
And with her good father's consent,
That is, should he kindly invite her,
It was Alice's settled intent
To make him a visit in Lent,
Along with her own De Ruyter!
That is, should he kindly invite her,
It was Alice's settled intent
To make him a visit in Lent,
Along with her own De Ruyter!
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |