Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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COUNTY HUGH. |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
404
COUNTY HUGH.
“Oh! gentle, gentlest Ladye May,
Come forth with radiant smile,
Teach a new glory to the day,
Replenished—crowned—the while!
Come forth with radiant smile,
Teach a new glory to the day,
Replenished—crowned—the while!
Those darkest eyes of thine, fair May,
Are imaged in my soul;
My peace—my joy—my strength away—
How ruthlessly they stole!
Are imaged in my soul;
My peace—my joy—my strength away—
How ruthlessly they stole!
Those darkest eyes are brighter far
Than sky-born splendours be!—
My soul confesseth to no star,
But those thine eyes show me.
Than sky-born splendours be!—
My soul confesseth to no star,
But those thine eyes show me.
405
Suns of the Sun!—they brighten earth,
And make it paradise!
Those stars are shamed things, whose birth
Is in yon distant skies!
And make it paradise!
Those stars are shamed things, whose birth
Is in yon distant skies!
Oh! gentle, gentlest Ladye May,
Come forth—with smile or frown,
For all things frown while thou'rt away,
Mine only love and own!”
Come forth—with smile or frown,
For all things frown while thou'rt away,
Mine only love and own!”
So sang the County Hugh, beneath
The eaves of Ladye May;
And she believed his flattering breath,
And gave her soul away!
The eaves of Ladye May;
And she believed his flattering breath,
And gave her soul away!
At the proud masque—the banquet gay,
The lordly chase of deer,
The gentle heart of Ladye May
Fluttered with love's fond fear.
The lordly chase of deer,
The gentle heart of Ladye May
Fluttered with love's fond fear.
406
At midnight festival, or where
The tournament took place—
Now pallid looked that maiden fair—
Now showed a blushing face.
The tournament took place—
Now pallid looked that maiden fair—
Now showed a blushing face.
For oft—although fond word and vow
He breathed in ardent tone,
She deemed, from altered eye and brow,
His love had fainter grown.
He breathed in ardent tone,
She deemed, from altered eye and brow,
His love had fainter grown.
A year—a little year had passed—
And half her bloom away
With this had flown, for care's keen blast
Had blown on Ladye May.
And half her bloom away
With this had flown, for care's keen blast
Had blown on Ladye May.
One year—one little year had passed,
Her cousin's chamber near
She visited, and heard, aghast,
A voice too deeply dear.
Her cousin's chamber near
She visited, and heard, aghast,
A voice too deeply dear.
407
“Oh! lovely Ladye Geraldine,
No eyes are like thine eyes;
No beauty may compare with thine:
List!—'tis a lover sighs!
No eyes are like thine eyes;
No beauty may compare with thine:
List!—'tis a lover sighs!
My fair and fairest Geraldine,
Sole Ladye of my love;
But whisper, whisper thou 'lt be mine—
Nor love's wild zeal reprove!
Sole Ladye of my love;
But whisper, whisper thou 'lt be mine—
Nor love's wild zeal reprove!
Let, let me hear thy voice' sweet sound,
And see thine eyes of light—
For, oh! 'twere bliss, e'en past all bound—
To perish in thy sight!”
And see thine eyes of light—
For, oh! 'twere bliss, e'en past all bound—
To perish in thy sight!”
Long had she doubted—long had feared,
Through the o'erclouded past—
Yet doubts and anguish but endeared
That Lover—lost at last.
Through the o'erclouded past—
Yet doubts and anguish but endeared
That Lover—lost at last.
408
From agony to agony
She slow had travelled on;
Now nought was left her but to die,
Heart struck—heart-crushed, undone!
She slow had travelled on;
Now nought was left her but to die,
Heart struck—heart-crushed, undone!
From agony to agony
She slow had journeyed still;
Now to the goal must she draw nigh
Of dark Despair's stern ill.
She slow had journeyed still;
Now to the goal must she draw nigh
Of dark Despair's stern ill.
The County Hugh, impatient grown,
Renewed his flattering strain,
And yet in more impassioned tone
Implored and urged again!
Renewed his flattering strain,
And yet in more impassioned tone
Implored and urged again!
In more impassioned tone he prayed
His ladye love to hear,
And fond appeal beseeching made
To win her gentle ear.
His ladye love to hear,
And fond appeal beseeching made
To win her gentle ear.
409
“Oh! dark-eyed Ladye Geraldine,
Thee only I adore!
No charms e'er touched my Soul but thine—
I never loved before!
Thee only I adore!
No charms e'er touched my Soul but thine—
I never loved before!
Faithful, unwittingly to these,
(As with prophetic heart!)
Ere thee I saw—since none could please—
I dwelt in dreams apart!—
(As with prophetic heart!)
Ere thee I saw—since none could please—
I dwelt in dreams apart!—
Fear'st thou that I could ever change?
No more such fears avow!—
He who before might never range
Shall scarce prove faithless now!
No more such fears avow!—
He who before might never range
Shall scarce prove faithless now!
Oh! gentlest Ladye Geraldine,
My life's sweet Sovran be!—
No charms e'er touched my Soul but thine,
I never loved but thee!”
My life's sweet Sovran be!—
No charms e'er touched my Soul but thine,
I never loved but thee!”
410
He raised his high and lordly brow,
Which cap and panache wore;
That lovely form of beauty, now,
Shall he behold once more?
Which cap and panache wore;
That lovely form of beauty, now,
Shall he behold once more?
He gazes up with longing eyes—
To that dear casement still—
He holds his breath—he checks his sighs—
She must come forth!—she will!
To that dear casement still—
He holds his breath—he checks his sighs—
She must come forth!—she will!
A white hand, trembling, draws aside
The gold-fringed curtain, fair—
His Geraldine—his joy—his pride—
His ladye love is there!—
The gold-fringed curtain, fair—
His Geraldine—his joy—his pride—
His ladye love is there!—
Surely his ladye love so bright
Is there in Beauty's pride!—
That little, trembling hand so white
Draws the silk folds aside!—
Is there in Beauty's pride!—
That little, trembling hand so white
Draws the silk folds aside!—
411
He looks for that bright cheek of bloom,
Of roseate sheen and fair;—
He sees a Vision of the Tomb,
A shadowy Vision there!—
Of roseate sheen and fair;—
He sees a Vision of the Tomb,
A shadowy Vision there!—
A wan, and white, and wasted cheek,
A hollow, haggard eye,
A lip unflushed by scarlet streak,
Did Count Hugh descry!
A hollow, haggard eye,
A lip unflushed by scarlet streak,
Did Count Hugh descry!
A drooping, drooping form, and frail,
Some killing Sorrow's prey—
Oh! 'twas the changed, and chill, and pale—
Heart-broken Ladye May!
Some killing Sorrow's prey—
Oh! 'twas the changed, and chill, and pale—
Heart-broken Ladye May!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |