Poems on Various Subjects By John Thelwall. In Two Volumes |
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 | Poems on Various Subjects |  |
19
ALLEN AND MATILDA.
“Farewel my cot, of wood contriv'd,
“'Gainst storms and tempests proof,
“Round which the grape-vine long has thriv'd,
“And climb'd the rushy roof!
“'Gainst storms and tempests proof,
“Round which the grape-vine long has thriv'd,
“And climb'd the rushy roof!
“Farewel my garden's pride and joy,
“With gosses fenc'd around,
“Where flow'rs in scented beauty vie,
“And useful herbs abound!
“With gosses fenc'd around,
“Where flow'rs in scented beauty vie,
“And useful herbs abound!
“Farewel my little orchard too,
“Whence I full oft, with care,
“The sweetest fruits of brightest hue
“Have pluck'd to please my fair!
“Whence I full oft, with care,
“The sweetest fruits of brightest hue
“Have pluck'd to please my fair!
“Farewel thou brook, whose babbling stream,
“As slow it roll'd along,
“Full oft inspir'd my moral theme,
“Or tun'd my mournful song!
“As slow it roll'd along,
“Full oft inspir'd my moral theme,
“Or tun'd my mournful song!
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“No more my sheep at middle day
“Shall brouze upon thy side,
“Or sportive on thy margin play,
“Or drink thy cooling tide;
“Shall brouze upon thy side,
“Or sportive on thy margin play,
“Or drink thy cooling tide;
“Allen no more that flock shall tend:—
“That flock is Ella's now.
“That roof shall Cedrec hence defend;
“For him the grape shall grow:
“That flock is Ella's now.
“That roof shall Cedrec hence defend;
“For him the grape shall grow:
“For ah! Matilda scorns my love,
“And mocks my little store:
“Then shall the wars my state improve,
“Or I return no more.
“And mocks my little store:
“Then shall the wars my state improve,
“Or I return no more.
“Yet sure the tender glancing eye
“With which she kens me oft,
“The swelling breast, the stifled sigh,
“Bespeak emotions soft.
“With which she kens me oft,
“The swelling breast, the stifled sigh,
“Bespeak emotions soft.
“And sure the partial praise she gives
“To my unskilful theme;
“And sure the praise my pipe receives
“Are tokens of esteem.
“To my unskilful theme;
“And sure the praise my pipe receives
“Are tokens of esteem.
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“And sure the frequent pride she took,
“With flow'rets gaily twin'd,
“To deck my lambs beside the brook,
“Bespoke a partial mind.
“With flow'rets gaily twin'd,
“To deck my lambs beside the brook,
“Bespoke a partial mind.
“For ne'er were Ella's younglings fair
“With wreathing flow'rets hung;
“Nor did she lend a partial ear
“When Edwin sweetly sung.
“With wreathing flow'rets hung;
“Nor did she lend a partial ear
“When Edwin sweetly sung.
“'Tis prudence then forbids the fair
“To wed a swain so poor:
“Then shall the wars my state repair,
“Or I return no more.”
“To wed a swain so poor:
“Then shall the wars my state repair,
“Or I return no more.”
“Stay, Allen, stay,” Matilda cried,
And issued from the grove,
Where sweet-briar with the woodbines vied
Which round the saplings wove;
And issued from the grove,
Where sweet-briar with the woodbines vied
Which round the saplings wove;
“O'er yonder dewy mountain's head
“The morning scarce appears;
“No linnets yet their wings have spread;
“No lark the welkin cheers.
“The morning scarce appears;
“No linnets yet their wings have spread;
“No lark the welkin cheers.
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“Then where does Allen rove so soon?
“Yet ah Matilda knows!—
“For by that look, that tear, is shewn
“The cause of Allen's woes.
“Yet ah Matilda knows!—
“For by that look, that tear, is shewn
“The cause of Allen's woes.
“Yet cease to mourn, thou tender youth,
“For fortune frowns no more;
“Matilda's love shall crown thy truth,—
“And wealth a plenteous store.
“For fortune frowns no more;
“Matilda's love shall crown thy truth,—
“And wealth a plenteous store.
“For yester-night a reverend sire
“Approach'd my cottage gate,
“In silver mail, and rich attire;—
“He seem'd of high estate.
“Approach'd my cottage gate,
“In silver mail, and rich attire;—
“He seem'd of high estate.
“It was my father; whom my tears
“Were wont so oft deplore,
“Made pris'ner in my infant years
“All on a distant shore.
“Were wont so oft deplore,
“Made pris'ner in my infant years
“All on a distant shore.
“Full well thou know'st how Kendal's lord
“His lands and castle seiz'd,
“Which, all in vain, I oft implor'd
“To be to me releas'd.
“His lands and castle seiz'd,
“Which, all in vain, I oft implor'd
“To be to me releas'd.
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“But when my sire his freedom gain'd,
“And back to Mercia came,
“He challeng'd him who thus detain'd
“His true and lawful claim.
“And back to Mercia came,
“He challeng'd him who thus detain'd
“His true and lawful claim.
“Before the king in listed fight,
“Tho' now in arms grown old,
“He bravely prov'd his question'd right,
“And slew his rival bold.
“Tho' now in arms grown old,
“He bravely prov'd his question'd right,
“And slew his rival bold.
“Then all in quest of me he came,
“Nor to disarm would stay;
“For he had heard it told by fame
“I friendless pin'd away.
“Nor to disarm would stay;
“For he had heard it told by fame
“I friendless pin'd away.
“Then Allen be thy heart elate,
“For thou shalt surely share
“The blessings of my alter'd state,”
Exclaim'd the gen'rous fair.
“For thou shalt surely share
“The blessings of my alter'd state,”
Exclaim'd the gen'rous fair.
To pining flocks not dewy plains
Can greater joys impart,
Nor day-light to bewilder'd swains,
Than this to Allen's heart.
Can greater joys impart,
Nor day-light to bewilder'd swains,
Than this to Allen's heart.
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He caught her fondly in his arms,
He clasp'd her to his breast;
He gaz'd on all her blushing charms,
And kiss'd and fondly prest.
He clasp'd her to his breast;
He gaz'd on all her blushing charms,
And kiss'd and fondly prest.
The tear of transport wets each eye,
Down either cheek it flows;
As dew-drops in the harebell lie,
Or on the blushing rose.
Down either cheek it flows;
As dew-drops in the harebell lie,
Or on the blushing rose.
But not the bell which dew refines
Can match Matilda's eyen;
Nor humid rose so sweetly shines
As does her blushing mien.
Can match Matilda's eyen;
Nor humid rose so sweetly shines
As does her blushing mien.
“And will Matilda, will my love,”
The happy Allen cried,
“A poor unfortun'd youth approve,
“And be a shepherd's bride?”
The happy Allen cried,
“A poor unfortun'd youth approve,
“And be a shepherd's bride?”
“Yes, yes; for you I can resign
“The court's enticing pride:
“Let Allen be but only mine,
“I'll be a shepherd's bride.
“The court's enticing pride:
“Let Allen be but only mine,
“I'll be a shepherd's bride.
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“To bless my Allen with the news,
“I left my sleepless bed,
“And tow'rds his cottage, o'er the dews
“With eager haste I fled.
“I left my sleepless bed,
“And tow'rds his cottage, o'er the dews
“With eager haste I fled.
“For what of joy can wealth impart,
“Or fortune's smile so fair,
“Till we can gild a lover's heart,
“Or chace a friend's despair?”
“Or fortune's smile so fair,
“Till we can gild a lover's heart,
“Or chace a friend's despair?”
As turtles in the woodland shade
Their tender vows prolong,
Or woodlarks warble thro' the glade
Their loves in mutual song.
Their tender vows prolong,
Or woodlarks warble thro' the glade
Their loves in mutual song.
They yielding all to harmless love,
Their artless passion vow;
When rush'd Sir Thudor from the grove,
With anger on his brow.
Their artless passion vow;
When rush'd Sir Thudor from the grove,
With anger on his brow.
“Degenerate girl,” enrag'd he cries,
“Thou art no child of mine,
“That dost no more thy honour prize,
“But wouldst disgrace thy line.
“Thou art no child of mine,
“That dost no more thy honour prize,
“But wouldst disgrace thy line.
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“In wonder what so soon could lead
“Thy restless feet this way,
“I trac'd thee o'er the dew-white mead;
“And now thy shame survey.
“Thy restless feet this way,
“I trac'd thee o'er the dew-white mead;
“And now thy shame survey.
“Degenerate girl! that to a swain
“Of low and mean degree
“Wouldst give thy hand, my house to stain,
“And shame thyself and me.
“Of low and mean degree
“Wouldst give thy hand, my house to stain,
“And shame thyself and me.
“But know that I have promis'd thee,
“And will perform my word,
“To one of rich and high degree,
“A valiant Lombard lord.
“And will perform my word,
“To one of rich and high degree,
“A valiant Lombard lord.
“But as for thee, thou saucy groom,
“That durst so high aspire;
“No longer to my child presume,
“Or dread my rising ire.”
“That durst so high aspire;
“No longer to my child presume,
“Or dread my rising ire.”
When this the trembling fair-one hears,
She sinks upon the earth;
And, while her eyes o'erflow with tears,
She mourns her lofty birth.
She sinks upon the earth;
And, while her eyes o'erflow with tears,
She mourns her lofty birth.
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As lilies overcharg'd with dew
Droop weeping on the plain,
So look'd the fair, forlorn of hue,
And thus she vents her pain:
Droop weeping on the plain,
So look'd the fair, forlorn of hue,
And thus she vents her pain:
“Oh! happier far, while friendless poor,
“A shepherd lass I liv'd,
“Than thus possess'd of wealth and store,
“And of my love bereav'd.”
“A shepherd lass I liv'd,
“Than thus possess'd of wealth and store,
“And of my love bereav'd.”
Then drew young Allen from his side
A sword both sharp and keen;
And thus, with bended knee, he cried
To Thudor of the green:
A sword both sharp and keen;
And thus, with bended knee, he cried
To Thudor of the green:
“Here Thudor, take my keen edg'd sword,
“And plunge it in my heart;
“But do not, with thy keener word,
“Me from Matilda part.
“And plunge it in my heart;
“But do not, with thy keener word,
“Me from Matilda part.
“That sword, when on his death-bed lay'd,
“To me my father gave;
“And these the latest words he said,
‘My Allen, oh be brave!
“To me my father gave;
“And these the latest words he said,
‘My Allen, oh be brave!
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‘From fierce Northumbria's warlike race
‘Thy ravish'd lands reclaim,
‘Or breathless laid in honour's chace,
‘Transmit thy deeds to fame.’
‘Thy ravish'd lands reclaim,
‘Or breathless laid in honour's chace,
‘Transmit thy deeds to fame.’
“But I, neglectful of his voice,
“Preferr'd the arts of peace;
“A calm retirement was my choice,—
“But now that calm must cease.
“Preferr'd the arts of peace;
“A calm retirement was my choice,—
“But now that calm must cease.
“Then, ah! within my aching breast
“In pity plunge the sword;
“Matilda, when my soul's at rest,
“May wed the Lombard lord.
“In pity plunge the sword;
“Matilda, when my soul's at rest,
“May wed the Lombard lord.
“But let not me their nuptials view,
“Nor me his raptures hear;
“Lest I some frantic action do
“In madness of despair.”
“Nor me his raptures hear;
“Lest I some frantic action do
“In madness of despair.”
Meanwhile, surpriz'd, Sir Thudor ey'd
The blade he knew full well:
“Thy father's name, and rank,” he cry'd,
“Oh quick young Allen tell.”
The blade he knew full well:
“Thy father's name, and rank,” he cry'd,
“Oh quick young Allen tell.”
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“Sir Eldred was my father's name,”
Reply'd the wond'ring youth;
“A title not unknown to fame
“For loyalty and truth;
Reply'd the wond'ring youth;
“A title not unknown to fame
“For loyalty and truth;
“But plunder'd by invading pow'rs
“Of his paternal lands,
“He left me, in his latest hours,
“That sword, and those commands.”
“Of his paternal lands,
“He left me, in his latest hours,
“That sword, and those commands.”
“Rise Allen, rise, for only thou
“Shalt e'er my daughter wed:
“Rise, rise, Matilda, happy now,”
The joyous father said.
“Shalt e'er my daughter wed:
“Rise, rise, Matilda, happy now,”
The joyous father said.
“Sir Eldred was my bosom friend,
“And 'twas in war our pride
“Each other nobly to defend,
“And combat side by side.
“And 'twas in war our pride
“Each other nobly to defend,
“And combat side by side.
“And when fair peace the country blest,
“With jocund hound and horn,
“With mutual lance the wolf we prest,
“And wak'd with shouts the morn.
“With jocund hound and horn,
“With mutual lance the wolf we prest,
“And wak'd with shouts the morn.
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“And when I left my native shore
“We endless friendship vow'd;
(“Alas to think! we met no more)
“And each a gift bestow'd.
“We endless friendship vow'd;
(“Alas to think! we met no more)
“And each a gift bestow'd.
“Then I receiv'd from Eldred brave
“A quiver and a bow,
“And in return this sword I gave,
“Whose make full well I know.
“A quiver and a bow,
“And in return this sword I gave,
“Whose make full well I know.
“But thou a richer gift receive,
“Matilda's willing hand;
“And long and happy may ye live,
“In wedlock's purest band.”
“Matilda's willing hand;
“And long and happy may ye live,
“In wedlock's purest band.”
“And do I call Matilda mine?”
The happy Allen cry'd;
“Yes, yes, my Allen I am thine,”
The blushing fair reply'd.
The happy Allen cry'd;
“Yes, yes, my Allen I am thine,”
The blushing fair reply'd.
“Heav'n will at last reward the pair
“Whose mutual bosoms burn;
“Estrang'd from ev'ry selfish care,
“For passions pure return.”
“Whose mutual bosoms burn;
“Estrang'd from ev'ry selfish care,
“For passions pure return.”
| Poems on Various Subjects | |