Ballads and Other Poems By Mary Howitt |
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 | Ballads and Other Poems |  |
IV. PART IV.
How the Pilgrims halt at Elverslie, and how the Minstrel Youth gets a Bond from Robin Hood.
When Willie upon the morrow went
To the house of Elverslie,
He found it as full as it could hold
Of the pilgrim company.
To the house of Elverslie,
He found it as full as it could hold
Of the pilgrim company.
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How strange it was, in that quiet place,
To hear such stir and din;
The stabled steeds that stood without,
The bustle there was within!
To hear such stir and din;
The stabled steeds that stood without,
The bustle there was within!
There was not a monk at Elverslie
But sought the news to know;
The abbot had guests on his parlour hearth,
The cook had guests also.
But sought the news to know;
The abbot had guests on his parlour hearth,
The cook had guests also.
How happy was Willie o' Wyburn
To hear what they could say!
'T was an easy task, and a short one,
That Willie read that day.
To hear what they could say!
'T was an easy task, and a short one,
That Willie read that day.
Nor was it till vespers all were done,
And the candles burnëd bright,
And the guests sat nodding in their chairs,
That Willie went home that night.
And the candles burnëd bright,
And the guests sat nodding in their chairs,
That Willie went home that night.
And scarcely Willie a mile had gone
Under the greenwood tree,
When the minstrel youth, with harp in hand,
Walked up to Elverslie.
Under the greenwood tree,
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Walked up to Elverslie.
And as he stood on the old door sill,
Under the archway tall,
He touched his harp, and its harpings came
To the guests within the hall.
Under the archway tall,
He touched his harp, and its harpings came
To the guests within the hall.
He touched his harp yet once again,
And sang with such delight,
That the sleepy guests raised up their heads,
And sat in their chairs upright.
And sang with such delight,
That the sleepy guests raised up their heads,
And sat in their chairs upright.
The abbot himself looked round about,
And, “Bid yon harper in;
For,” said he, “the skill of yon harper
His supper this night shall win.”
And, “Bid yon harper in;
For,” said he, “the skill of yon harper
His supper this night shall win.”
Then the minstrel youth stepped lightly in,
With a gay and graceful air;
The abbot and every guest was glad
To see a youth so fair.
With a gay and graceful air;
The abbot and every guest was glad
To see a youth so fair.
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He bent himself with a noble grace;
And, “By your leave,” said he,
“I'll sing a song I made this day
All under the greenwood tree.”
And, “By your leave,” said he,
“I'll sing a song I made this day
All under the greenwood tree.”
Then he touched his harp to a prelude soft,
And wild as a bird i' the wood;
And he sang of Willie o' Wyburn,
And the outlaw, Robin Hood.
And wild as a bird i' the wood;
And he sang of Willie o' Wyburn,
And the outlaw, Robin Hood.
He sang of Wyburn Willie,
How far his fame was told;
Yet how he was so meek and good,
Like a youthful saint of old.
How far his fame was told;
Yet how he was so meek and good,
Like a youthful saint of old.
He sang how Willie o' Wyburn
Went down upon his knee,
And saved from the spoiler, Robin Hood,
The house of Elverslie.
Went down upon his knee,
And saved from the spoiler, Robin Hood,
The house of Elverslie.
The abbot he lookëd round about,
His brow all pale with fear;
And, “Is the outlaw, Robin Hood,”
Said he, “in the forest here?”
His brow all pale with fear;
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Said he, “in the forest here?”
Then the minstrel youth again went on,
And sang how Robin Hood
Had sworn, for Willie o' Wyburn's sake,
An oath within the wood:
And sang how Robin Hood
Had sworn, for Willie o' Wyburn's sake,
An oath within the wood:
“That neither he, nor his merry men,
Wherever they might be,
Should touch a hair of what belonged
To the house of Elverslie.
Wherever they might be,
Should touch a hair of what belonged
To the house of Elverslie.
“That every soul from Elverslie
The forest-roads might take
Early or late, and should go free
For Willie o' Wyburn's sake.
The forest-roads might take
Early or late, and should go free
For Willie o' Wyburn's sake.
“And this, for Willie o' Wyburn's sake,
Is the thing that he will do.”
And with it he gave a parchment
That was sealed and signëd too.
Is the thing that he will do.”
And with it he gave a parchment
That was sealed and signëd too.
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The abbot looked up with glad amaze,
And the very roof did ring
With the name of Wyburn Willie,
For whom was done this thing.
And the very roof did ring
With the name of Wyburn Willie,
For whom was done this thing.
Then a cup of wine the abbot took,
And golden pieces nine;
And said to the minstrel, “Take thou these,
For this good song of thine.
And golden pieces nine;
And said to the minstrel, “Take thou these,
For this good song of thine.
“But where is Willie o' Wyburn?
I pray thee say in sooth.”
And every guest spake loudly forth,
“Let's see this wondrous youth!”
I pray thee say in sooth.”
And every guest spake loudly forth,
“Let's see this wondrous youth!”
The minstrel smiling took the gold,
And drank the wine so clear;
And says he, “I'll bring this Willie,
By early morning, here.”
And drank the wine so clear;
And says he, “I'll bring this Willie,
By early morning, here.”
| Ballads and Other Poems | |