 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
145
EDWARD and CLARA.
“Haste, Edward, haste—Oh, quickly haste,
“Like Lightning speed away;
“And to where Love and Safety dwell,
“Thy Clara swift convey.
“Like Lightning speed away;
“And to where Love and Safety dwell,
“Thy Clara swift convey.
“Nor darksome Night, or Forest drear,
“Can frightful thoughts inspire,
“Since from a hated Lover freed,
“And an unfeeling Sire.
“Can frightful thoughts inspire,
“Since from a hated Lover freed,
“And an unfeeling Sire.
“The sacred Rites, the fatal Pomp,
“Proclaim my destin'd doom;
“But sooner shall to-morrow's sun
“Behold me in my tomb.
“Proclaim my destin'd doom;
“But sooner shall to-morrow's sun
“Behold me in my tomb.
“Cou'd Parent see his kneeling Child,
“And not incline an ear?
“Not ev'n the Vulture will the heart
“Of his own offspring tear.
“And not incline an ear?
“Not ev'n the Vulture will the heart
“Of his own offspring tear.
“What's Mercia's haughty Lord to me?
“I scorn a pageant crown;
“While in my Edward's heart I reign,
“On Monarchs I look down.
“I scorn a pageant crown;
“While in my Edward's heart I reign,
“On Monarchs I look down.
146
“Have I a Parent lost?—My Friends,
“My Kindred all unkind?
“Ah no!—all these, and much, much more,
“In Edward I shall find.
“My Kindred all unkind?
“Ah no!—all these, and much, much more,
“In Edward I shall find.
“What tho' I boast a Thane my Sire,
“Thou'rt not of low degree:
“But what's, compar'd to Worth like thine,
“A Tinfel Ancestry?
“Thou'rt not of low degree:
“But what's, compar'd to Worth like thine,
“A Tinfel Ancestry?
“Come, Edward, come; far from this scene
“Of danger we'll remove;
“To stay is Death: 'Tis worse than Death,
“Depriv'd of what we love.
“Of danger we'll remove;
“To stay is Death: 'Tis worse than Death,
“Depriv'd of what we love.
“Haste, Edward, haste—thy Clara calls;
“Oh, whence this long delay?
“Alas! I fear—Thou wert not wont
“Thus to prolong thy stay.”
“Oh, whence this long delay?
“Alas! I fear—Thou wert not wont
“Thus to prolong thy stay.”
She said—and lo, a voice was heard,
Not Thunder more cou'd wound:
“O Heaven!” she cry'd—for well she knew
Her Father's awful sound.
Not Thunder more cou'd wound:
“O Heaven!” she cry'd—for well she knew
Her Father's awful sound.
“Degen'rate wretch! think not unknown
“Thy purpos'd scheme,” he cry'd;
“Pursu'd, o'erta'en, thy low-born choice
“Has for Presumption dy'd.”—
“Thy purpos'd scheme,” he cry'd;
“Pursu'd, o'erta'en, thy low-born choice
“Has for Presumption dy'd.”—
Her eyes she rais'd:—Poor Edward lay,
With many a wound defac'd;
She scream'd—and falling on the Bier,
His bleeding corps embrac'd.
With many a wound defac'd;
She scream'd—and falling on the Bier,
His bleeding corps embrac'd.
147
No short-liv'd eloquence of tears
Her inward conflicts show,
But in her eye, all wild, appears
Unutterable woe.
Her inward conflicts show,
But in her eye, all wild, appears
Unutterable woe.
“Unfeeling, barb'rous, cruel Sire!
“We never more will part;”
She drew a dagger from her zone,
She pierc'd her faithful heart.
“We never more will part;”
She drew a dagger from her zone,
She pierc'd her faithful heart.
United now in one pure stream,
The crimson channels flow;
And, conscious of their blended fate,
Blush with a richer glow.
The crimson channels flow;
And, conscious of their blended fate,
Blush with a richer glow.
An only Child destroy'd—the Thane
Repentance feels too late;
And an unpity'd broken heart,
Soon gives him to his fate.
Repentance feels too late;
And an unpity'd broken heart,
Soon gives him to his fate.
Clara, Daughter of Earl Witgulph, being enamoured of Edward, a young Gentleman of inferior Rank and Fortune, made her Escape into a neighbouring Forest, (where she had appointed to meet Edward) in order to avoid a Marriage with Edred Earl or Mercia, to whom her Father had determined to sacrifice her the next Day.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |