 | Songs in the twilight |  |
144
WILLIAM D'ALBINEY.
A BALLAD.
Fair England's Knights and Barons brave
Rose in one noble band,
Their altars and their hearths to save
From a tyrant's cruel hand.
Rose in one noble band,
Their altars and their hearths to save
From a tyrant's cruel hand.
With fearless hearts resolved they stood
Their freedom to obtain;
Nor would they, though it cost their blood,
In serfdom base remain.
Their freedom to obtain;
Nor would they, though it cost their blood,
In serfdom base remain.
King John had trampled on their rights,
To the winds had flung the oath,
Which, on his faith, he gave his knights,
Pledging his solemn troth.
To the winds had flung the oath,
Which, on his faith, he gave his knights,
Pledging his solemn troth.
And so their men they summoned all
To join them in the fray;
Ready in such a cause to fall,
Could they not win the day.
To join them in the fray;
Ready in such a cause to fall,
Could they not win the day.
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Amongst them was a man of fame,
A valiant knight and bold;
William D'Albiney hight his name,
With a heart as true as gold.
A valiant knight and bold;
William D'Albiney hight his name,
With a heart as true as gold.
They placed him foremost in command,
A Captain true and tried,
To lead in fight the noblest band
In all the country's side.
A Captain true and tried,
To lead in fight the noblest band
In all the country's side.
Then at their head he marchèd down,
Where Thames doth broadly sweep
By meadow, village, busy town,
To Rochester's great keep.
Where Thames doth broadly sweep
By meadow, village, busy town,
To Rochester's great keep.
The Archbishop held its castle strong,
A holy man and true,
Who from his soul abhorred the wrong,
As holy man should do.
A holy man and true,
Who from his soul abhorred the wrong,
As holy man should do.
And when these trusty knights and brave
Marched there in warlike state,
Praying that entrance they might have,
He opened wide the gate.
Marched there in warlike state,
Praying that entrance they might have,
He opened wide the gate.
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They enter 'neath the archway's gloom,
They mount the narrow stair;
And now they know their cruel doom,
The place is blank and bare;
They mount the narrow stair;
And now they know their cruel doom,
The place is blank and bare;
For here there are no sheep or beeves
To smoke upon the board;
No bread is here; of harvest sheaves
There is no golden hoard.
To smoke upon the board;
No bread is here; of harvest sheaves
There is no golden hoard.
They stand dismayed, they stand aghast,
They gaze around in fear;
Has the gate been passed by them at last
That they may perish here!
They gaze around in fear;
Has the gate been passed by them at last
That they may perish here!
Then murmurs rise, both loud and deep,
Hoarse as the ocean's roar
When waters leap with an angry sweep
Upon the rock-bound shore.
Hoarse as the ocean's roar
When waters leap with an angry sweep
Upon the rock-bound shore.
“Let's quit this cursed niggard place
Before it be too late;
Better the foeman's brand to face
Than famine be our fate!”
Before it be too late;
Better the foeman's brand to face
Than famine be our fate!”
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Above the din one voice was heard,
It rose and stilled the cry;
D'Albiney's heart with rage was stirred,
A fire flashed from his eye.
It rose and stilled the cry;
D'Albiney's heart with rage was stirred,
A fire flashed from his eye.
“What, Knights! Deserters! Can it be?
Ye will not thus deny
Your manhood and your chivalry!
'Twere better far to die.”
Ye will not thus deny
Your manhood and your chivalry!
'Twere better far to die.”
Soon as his tongue had spake the words
Then sharp the war cry rose;
From scabbards leaped the polished swords,
Ready to smite their foes.
Then sharp the war cry rose;
From scabbards leaped the polished swords,
Ready to smite their foes.
The town itself shall yield them all
That they can wish or need;
They will not leave the city's wall;
The Burghers them shall feed.
That they can wish or need;
They will not leave the city's wall;
The Burghers them shall feed.
“Let but D'Albiney lead them forth,”
They cry as with one breath,
“To east, or west, or south, or north,
They'll follow him to death.”
They cry as with one breath,
“To east, or west, or south, or north,
They'll follow him to death.”
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King John when he the tidings hears,
That Rochester is ta'en,
Swears, by the holy Mother's tears,
It shall be won again.
That Rochester is ta'en,
Swears, by the holy Mother's tears,
It shall be won again.
And so he marches quickly down
The city fair to save;
Blockades the castle and the town,
With valiant men and brave.
The city fair to save;
Blockades the castle and the town,
With valiant men and brave.
Thick showers of stones and arrows fly,
Which darken all the air,
Hurled at the castle's ramparts high,
And the men besiegèd there.
Which darken all the air,
Hurled at the castle's ramparts high,
And the men besiegèd there.
But the gallant knights inside the gate
All bear themselves right well;
And if they're doomed by cruel fate,
Their lives will dearly sell.
All bear themselves right well;
And if they're doomed by cruel fate,
Their lives will dearly sell.
'Tis well that they are true of heart,
And nerved for bloody fight;
Ready with life and all to part,
Rather than yield the right;
And nerved for bloody fight;
Ready with life and all to part,
Rather than yield the right;
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For the barons who had pledged their troth
To help them and their cause,
Who on the Gospels swore an oath
They would uphold the laws,
To help them and their cause,
Who on the Gospels swore an oath
They would uphold the laws,
And help D'Albiney in his strait,
And lend to him their aid,
Now leave him, cowards! to his fate;
The cravens, sore afraid!
And lend to him their aid,
Now leave him, cowards! to his fate;
The cravens, sore afraid!
He and his men, both one and all,
Alone defy the foe;
Right gallantly they keep the wall,
And work the siegers woe.
Alone defy the foe;
Right gallantly they keep the wall,
And work the siegers woe.
One day John and a peerless knight,
In warlike pomp and state,
With armour gleaming in the light,
Rode to the castle gate.
In warlike pomp and state,
With armour gleaming in the light,
Rode to the castle gate.
The knight he bore for noble name
Savarii de Marleon;
From fields of Brittany he came
To fight for great King John.
Savarii de Marleon;
From fields of Brittany he came
To fight for great King John.
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A man with cross-bow in his hand
Stood on the castle tower;
Best of D'Albiney's noble band,
Of his body-guard the flower.
Stood on the castle tower;
Best of D'Albiney's noble band,
Of his body-guard the flower.
Then up he spoke unto his lord,
Then boldly out spoke he;
And low and earnest was his word,
But brave and fierce and free.
Then boldly out spoke he;
And low and earnest was his word,
But brave and fierce and free.
“Is it thy will, great knight,” he said,
“That I should smite the king?
A word, and John is with the dead,
By arrow from this string.
“That I should smite the king?
A word, and John is with the dead,
By arrow from this string.
The king he is our bitter foe,
Cruel as death is he;
This arrow, sire, shall lay him low,
And England shall be free.”
Cruel as death is he;
This arrow, sire, shall lay him low,
And England shall be free.”
He raised the cross-bow up on high,
Placed arrow on the string;
Full soon the wingèd bolt shall fly,
To pierce the unconscious king.
Placed arrow on the string;
Full soon the wingèd bolt shall fly,
To pierce the unconscious king.
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But up and spoke D'Albiney now,
And, oh, he spoke right loud:
And dark as the thunder was his brow,
Ere it bursts from the riven cloud.
And, oh, he spoke right loud:
And dark as the thunder was his brow,
Ere it bursts from the riven cloud.
“No, Villain, no! what! dost not fear
To lift unhallowed hand
Against the Lord's anointed here,
The king of all this land?
To lift unhallowed hand
Against the Lord's anointed here,
The king of all this land?
“Forbear, forbear the bloody deed,
And let the king pass on;
Though death indeed be tyrants' meed,
Harm not the royal John.”
And let the king pass on;
Though death indeed be tyrants' meed,
Harm not the royal John.”
To him the Villain then did say,
“This king we must not spare;
If he should worst us in the fray,
What deed will he not dare?”
“This king we must not spare;
If he should worst us in the fray,
What deed will he not dare?”
To whom the knight, with reverent head,
Did thus at once reply,
“God's will be done!” and then he said,
“Not thus King John must die.”
Did thus at once reply,
“God's will be done!” and then he said,
“Not thus King John must die.”
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Like David once, when Israel's king
Before him sleeping lay,
D'Albiney scorned to do such thing,
Or take his life away;
Before him sleeping lay,
D'Albiney scorned to do such thing,
Or take his life away;
But spared the man that was his foe,
Nor harmed his sacred head,
Although he might have struck the blow
Had laid him with the dead.
Nor harmed his sacred head,
Although he might have struck the blow
Had laid him with the dead.
But ill King John repaid the knight
For this great act of grace;
With him the might was more than right,
So mean his heart, and base.
For this great act of grace;
With him the might was more than right,
So mean his heart, and base.
When famine pressed D'Albiney sore,
And hunger gnawed his men,
And e'en the hope itself was o'er
That buoyed him up till then.
And hunger gnawed his men,
And e'en the hope itself was o'er
That buoyed him up till then.
He did on great St. Andrew's Day
A solemn council hold,
Where swarmed, like tigers held at bay,
His gallant men and bold.
A solemn council hold,
Where swarmed, like tigers held at bay,
His gallant men and bold.
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Ready they are still to hold out,
And die, if so must be;
Or sally forth with cry and shout
To meet the enemy.
And die, if so must be;
Or sally forth with cry and shout
To meet the enemy.
But, as their cause was hopeless all,
He passed the castle gate,
And marched into the royal hall
Where the king did keep his state.
He passed the castle gate,
And marched into the royal hall
Where the king did keep his state.
And then, with dauntless mien and word,
He looked John in the face,
And at his feet threw down his sword,
And asked for royal grace.
He looked John in the face,
And at his feet threw down his sword,
And asked for royal grace.
But, filled with wrath and rage, the king
By all the saints did say,
That he and all his men should swing
On gallows high that day.
By all the saints did say,
That he and all his men should swing
On gallows high that day.
Then up and spake Savarii bold—
Oh, but out and brave spake he—
“My lord the king, I pray you hold;
This must not—shall not be!
Oh, but out and brave spake he—
“My lord the king, I pray you hold;
This must not—shall not be!
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“It were a base and coward thing
To harm these soldiers brave;
Unworthy of thee, noble king,
To dig for them a grave!
To harm these soldiers brave;
Unworthy of thee, noble king,
To dig for them a grave!
“Nor is the war yet over, sire,
Its fortunes soon may turn;
The barons, filled with righteous ire,
For vengeance fierce will burn.
Its fortunes soon may turn;
The barons, filled with righteous ire,
For vengeance fierce will burn.
“And if they conquer us in fight,
Then they will work their will,
And will not spare a knave or knight,
Will hang and burn and kill.
Then they will work their will,
And will not spare a knave or knight,
Will hang and burn and kill.
“And none will rise up in thy cause,
No champion wilt thou find,
If thou dost break fair honour's laws,
And cast them to the wind.”
No champion wilt thou find,
If thou dost break fair honour's laws,
And cast them to the wind.”
King John he heard with lowering look,
With fierce and gleaming eyes;
Such counsel he was loth to brook,
Though he felt it true and wise.
With fierce and gleaming eyes;
Such counsel he was loth to brook,
Though he felt it true and wise.
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And, after time of sullen gloom,
The silence deep he broke,
And, with a brow as dark as doom,
He to Savarii spoke.
The silence deep he broke,
And, with a brow as dark as doom,
He to Savarii spoke.
D'Albiney and his men, he said,
He should not hang, but spare;
They to Corfe Castle should be led
And kept in dungeon there.
He should not hang, but spare;
They to Corfe Castle should be led
And kept in dungeon there.
And so it was. These men so bold,
Baron, and Knave, and Knight,
Were in Corfe Castle placed in hold;
Maugre both ruth and right.
Baron, and Knave, and Knight,
Were in Corfe Castle placed in hold;
Maugre both ruth and right.
But God who watches o'er the brave,
To rescue soon or late,
Let not the dungeon be their grave,
Averting such a fate.
To rescue soon or late,
Let not the dungeon be their grave,
Averting such a fate.
D'Albiney went across the main,
And dwelt on foreign strand;
Nor did he ever see again,
His green and pleasant land.
And dwelt on foreign strand;
Nor did he ever see again,
His green and pleasant land.
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A holy Monk of St. Alban's fair
His body home did bring,
And laid it reverently where
With hymns the cloisters ring.
His body home did bring,
And laid it reverently where
With hymns the cloisters ring.
In Wymondham, a saintly place,
And blessed by priestly rite—
Wherever sound sweet songs of grace,
And prayers rise day and night;
And blessed by priestly rite—
Wherever sound sweet songs of grace,
And prayers rise day and night;
They laid him with the chant and psalm,
In a great and honoured tomb,
Where he lies in deep, untroubled calm,
Till breaks the day of doom.
In a great and honoured tomb,
Where he lies in deep, untroubled calm,
Till breaks the day of doom.
And to this shrine of the noble dead
Full many a pilgrim stole,
To hear prayers read and masses said
For the good D'Albiney's soul.
Full many a pilgrim stole,
To hear prayers read and masses said
For the good D'Albiney's soul.
| Songs in the twilight | |