The Poetical Works of the late Mrs Mary Robinson including many pieces never before published. In Three Volumes |
 | I. |
 | II. |
BOSWORTH FIELD. |
| III. |
 | The Poetical Works of the late Mrs Mary Robinson |  |
39
BOSWORTH FIELD.
Gliding o'er the moonlight heath,
Mark the shad'wy tribes of Death!
Hark! their airy voices say,
“Haste thee, Mortal! haste away!
Mark the shad'wy tribes of Death!
Hark! their airy voices say,
“Haste thee, Mortal! haste away!
“While our clashing halberts bright
Glisten by the lamp of night;
While our hosts, in hostile pride,
O'er the thistled desart glide;
Glisten by the lamp of night;
While our hosts, in hostile pride,
O'er the thistled desart glide;
“Soon shall turbid clouds absorb
Spectred midnight's paly Orb!
Soon shall Horror grasp its ray:—
Wand'ring Mortal, haste away!
Spectred midnight's paly Orb!
Soon shall Horror grasp its ray:—
Wand'ring Mortal, haste away!
40
“Chilly blows the northern blast;
Deadly dews are rising fast;
Quit, oh! quit this haunted heath,
Sacred to the tribes of Death!
Deadly dews are rising fast;
Quit, oh! quit this haunted heath,
Sacred to the tribes of Death!
“Screech-owls warn thee of thy fate,
Fly thee, ere it be too late!
All is sad, and all is drear,
Wherefore, mortal, wander here?”
Fly thee, ere it be too late!
All is sad, and all is drear,
Wherefore, mortal, wander here?”
All is silent!—yon black cloud
Soon the waning Moon will shroud:
All is dark!—the moaning wind
Turbid vapours haste to bind.
Soon the waning Moon will shroud:
All is dark!—the moaning wind
Turbid vapours haste to bind.
Now the sev'ring skies again
Chear with light the spangled plain:
Now low murmurs sadly say,
“Stay thee, gentle wand'rer, stay.”
Chear with light the spangled plain:
Now low murmurs sadly say,
“Stay thee, gentle wand'rer, stay.”
What art thou, slow gliding by,
With snowy robe, and glaring eye?
Quickly fleeting shadow, say
Whither wouldst thou bend thy way?
With snowy robe, and glaring eye?
Quickly fleeting shadow, say
Whither wouldst thou bend thy way?
41
Why invite my steps along
To yon pale and warlike throng?
Wherefore wave thy lily hand,
Beck'ning back the ghastly band?
To yon pale and warlike throng?
Wherefore wave thy lily hand,
Beck'ning back the ghastly band?
“Stranger, hear my mournful strain,
Ere the day-star gilds the plain;
Ere the rosy beams of light
Bid me fade from mortal sight!
Ere the day-star gilds the plain;
Ere the rosy beams of light
Bid me fade from mortal sight!
“This is Bosworth's fatal field,
Plough'd with many a shatter'd shield!
This is Bosworth's silent grave
Of chieftains bold, and bowmen brave!
Plough'd with many a shatter'd shield!
This is Bosworth's silent grave
Of chieftains bold, and bowmen brave!
“Here the flow'r of England's pride,
Wading through a purple tide,
Forc'd the ranks the tyrant led
O'er the heaps of mighty dead!
Wading through a purple tide,
Forc'd the ranks the tyrant led
O'er the heaps of mighty dead!
“While, amidst a sea of blood,
Norfolk! Oxford! Pembroke! stood;
England's bane, and England's boast,
Rush'd to arms,—a dauntless host!
Norfolk! Oxford! Pembroke! stood;
England's bane, and England's boast,
Rush'd to arms,—a dauntless host!
42
“Yonder valiant Richmond's breast
Onward to the tyrant press'd!
Yonder, mad with many a wound,
Hellish Richard gnaw'd the ground!
Onward to the tyrant press'd!
Yonder, mad with many a wound,
Hellish Richard gnaw'd the ground!
“See his faulchion deep embu'd
With valiant Brandon's vital blood;
See its crimson'd fragments glare
Hideous through the stagnant air!
With valiant Brandon's vital blood;
See its crimson'd fragments glare
Hideous through the stagnant air!
“Start not, Mortal!—Hear my tale:
See my cheek so deadly pale,
Once the fairest freshest flow'r,
Plac'd by Heav'n in Leicester's bow'r.
See my cheek so deadly pale,
Once the fairest freshest flow'r,
Plac'd by Heav'n in Leicester's bow'r.
“Peerless Bertha was my name,
First in beauty, first in fame!
Gallant Hubert was my pride:
Hubert fell, and Bertha died!
First in beauty, first in fame!
Gallant Hubert was my pride:
Hubert fell, and Bertha died!
43
“Ermin'd robe and tissu'd vest
Never more shall wrap this breast;
Now my death-bed trappings view,
Pale and gem'd with frozen dew!
Never more shall wrap this breast;
Now my death-bed trappings view,
Pale and gem'd with frozen dew!
“Perfect was my Hubert's mind,
Train'd to arms, by love refin'd!
Speaking was his hazle eye,
Smooth his cheek, of ruddy dye.
Train'd to arms, by love refin'd!
Speaking was his hazle eye,
Smooth his cheek, of ruddy dye.
“Raven black his glossy hair,
Shading o'er his forehead fair:
Night's impervious curtains so
Veil the mountain's spotless snow!
Shading o'er his forehead fair:
Night's impervious curtains so
Veil the mountain's spotless snow!
“Onward rush'd his palfry white,
Deck'd with silver bosses bright;
Bosses, doom'd their rays to shed
O'er my Hubert's funeral bed!
Deck'd with silver bosses bright;
Bosses, doom'd their rays to shed
O'er my Hubert's funeral bed!
“O'er his golden helmet gay
Gaudy plumage fann'd the day:
Hapless plumes! ye wave no more,
Hubert's crest is drench'd in gore!
Gaudy plumage fann'd the day:
Hapless plumes! ye wave no more,
Hubert's crest is drench'd in gore!
44
“When the battle's fierce alarms
Lur'd my hero from my arms,
Who my parting throb can tell?
Who, but those that love as well?
Lur'd my hero from my arms,
Who my parting throb can tell?
Who, but those that love as well?
“But, when o'er the tented heath
Horror wing'd the lance of Death;
When my gallant Hubert fell,
None, alas! my woes can tell.
Horror wing'd the lance of Death;
When my gallant Hubert fell,
None, alas! my woes can tell.
“Three short moons beheld me rave
O'er my mangled lover's grave!
Countless moons shall see my ghost
Hov'ring near yon shad'wy host!
O'er my mangled lover's grave!
Countless moons shall see my ghost
Hov'ring near yon shad'wy host!
“Nightly will I glide along
Near the vast terrific throng!
Nightly shall my mournful strain
Echo o'er this haunted plain!
Near the vast terrific throng!
Nightly shall my mournful strain
Echo o'er this haunted plain!
“For, perchance, amidst the throng
Hubert's shade shall catch the song;
Though a strain of rending woe,
Hubert Bertha's strain will know!
Hubert's shade shall catch the song;
Though a strain of rending woe,
Hubert Bertha's strain will know!
45
“Then, my love again may join
Tender sighs and plaints to mine;
Or to some more peaceful shore
We may glide, to part no more!
Tender sighs and plaints to mine;
Or to some more peaceful shore
We may glide, to part no more!
“See, the yellow dawn appears!
Gentle wand'rer, check thy tears:
See, my shadow shuns the day!
Haste thee, mortal, haste away!”
Gentle wand'rer, check thy tears:
See, my shadow shuns the day!
Haste thee, mortal, haste away!”
| The Poetical Works of the late Mrs Mary Robinson | |