 | Lays of Leisure Hours |  |
THE WARRIOR'S PETITION.
I may not boast of haughty birth—
Yet let me prove my knightly worth—
Ladye! I pray thee let me prove
What I can compass for thy love!
Yet let me prove my knightly worth—
Ladye! I pray thee let me prove
What I can compass for thy love!
But promise me thy priceless smile
As the proud guerdon of my toil,
And let me see that crested Lord
Who dares to affront this fiery sword!
As the proud guerdon of my toil,
And let me see that crested Lord
Who dares to affront this fiery sword!
161
They talk of spell and mystic charm,
The blood to rouse, to nerve the arm;
Oh! never yet was charm so deep
As that sweet Hope such smile to reap.
The blood to rouse, to nerve the arm;
Oh! never yet was charm so deep
As that sweet Hope such smile to reap.
Ladye! I boast no noble blood,
But noble is the undaunted mood
That swells the loyal champion's breast—
To that how tame's the Lion-crest!
But noble is the undaunted mood
That swells the loyal champion's breast—
To that how tame's the Lion-crest!
From haughty Peer and Paladin
Thy smile and blush I yet will win,
From Kaiser crowned and sceptered King
The palm will bear, the prize will bring!
Thy smile and blush I yet will win,
From Kaiser crowned and sceptered King
The palm will bear, the prize will bring!
Since never Paladin nor Peer
Hath known to love with love so dear,
Since ermined King—since Kaiser proud,
Hath ne'er such passion's might avowed.
Hath known to love with love so dear,
Since ermined King—since Kaiser proud,
Hath ne'er such passion's might avowed.
162
And that hath more than magic charm!
The strength of hosts is in this arm,
My sword is as a sword of fire,
A ravening tempest is mine ire!
The strength of hosts is in this arm,
My sword is as a sword of fire,
A ravening tempest is mine ire!
Speak thou the word—and forth I go
To find in whom I meet—a foe;
To challenge nations in thy name,
To fight Earth's armies for thy fame!
To find in whom I meet—a foe;
To challenge nations in thy name,
To fight Earth's armies for thy fame!
Speak then the word, fair Love of mine,
Grant me the pledge, and give the sign,
And Chief and sceptered Lord shall prove
How vast a power is lent to Love!
Grant me the pledge, and give the sign,
And Chief and sceptered Lord shall prove
How vast a power is lent to Love!
The iron Rulers of the North,
Who sweep like their own storm-blasts forth,
The turbanned Kalifs of the East,
Who revel in the gory feast,
Who sweep like their own storm-blasts forth,
The turbanned Kalifs of the East,
Who revel in the gory feast,
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The Captains of chivalrous war,
Each, gallant Knighthood's shining star,
The Chiefs of savage Cohorts free,
Nature's unlaurelled Chivalry.
Each, gallant Knighthood's shining star,
The Chiefs of savage Cohorts free,
Nature's unlaurelled Chivalry.
Kalif and Kaiser, King and Chief,
Shall yield in conflict fierce and brief,
All shall be challenged and defied,
All shall be stricken in their pride;
Shall yield in conflict fierce and brief,
All shall be challenged and defied,
All shall be stricken in their pride;
All shall confess my warlike claim,
All shall be conquered in thy name,
Strength, skill, nor numbers shall avail—
When I, thy champion pledged, assail!
All shall be conquered in thy name,
Strength, skill, nor numbers shall avail—
When I, thy champion pledged, assail!
Seems this to be a boast too bold?—
No! were it urged a thousand-fold.
Not mine the power, not mine the might,
But thine the triumph—and the right!
No! were it urged a thousand-fold.
Not mine the power, not mine the might,
But thine the triumph—and the right!
164
When I have bowed an hundred Kings,
When with my Fame the wide World rings,
When boundless glory is mine own,
Then will I make the mystery known.
When with my Fame the wide World rings,
When boundless glory is mine own,
Then will I make the mystery known.
When North and South and East and West
My prowess and success attest,
When nations own my warrior sway,
And my dominion all obey—
My prowess and success attest,
When nations own my warrior sway,
And my dominion all obey—
When through the magic of my sword
I reign of countless lands the Lord,
When Leaders and their Legions yield,
And mine's the universal Field,
I reign of countless lands the Lord,
When Leaders and their Legions yield,
And mine's the universal Field,
Then will I publish and declare
The rightful Victor—bright and fair—
Forth to the enraptured World shall shine
Its Sovereign Mistress then—and mine!
The rightful Victor—bright and fair—
Forth to the enraptured World shall shine
Its Sovereign Mistress then—and mine!
165
Then shall the World its tamer see,
And then exult—enslaved by thee!
And high and haughty joy confess—
Hailing the Conqueror's Conqueress!
And then exult—enslaved by thee!
And high and haughty joy confess—
Hailing the Conqueror's Conqueress!
(And I shall grow yet prouder, sweet,
Flinging my crown wreaths at thy feet,
And unto thee transferring all
The honours to my share that fall!)
Flinging my crown wreaths at thy feet,
And unto thee transferring all
The honours to my share that fall!)
Then shall I raise the mask and show
The Nations their resistless foe—
The terrible, the stern, the dread—
Fairest of Forms on Earth that tread!
The Nations their resistless foe—
The terrible, the stern, the dread—
Fairest of Forms on Earth that tread!
Then shall I lift the veil and show
The Rulers their all Heavenly Foe!
And they shall glory to resign
Their sceptres to such hands as thine!
The Rulers their all Heavenly Foe!
And they shall glory to resign
Their sceptres to such hands as thine!
166
Then Ladye, promise thy rich smile
To pay me for my Princely toil,
And I will prove thy Champion true,
And deeds—that yet are nameless—do!
To pay me for my Princely toil,
And I will prove thy Champion true,
And deeds—that yet are nameless—do!
And Paladin, and Prince, and Peer
Shall envy me in their proud sphere,
And own—with jealous rancour own
That Love commands success alone!
Shall envy me in their proud sphere,
And own—with jealous rancour own
That Love commands success alone!
And Captain stern, and haughty Chief
Shall rage in vain with stormy grief,
Until their Victor bright they see,
And find their Conqueror, Love! in thee!
Shall rage in vain with stormy grief,
Until their Victor bright they see,
And find their Conqueror, Love! in thee!
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