The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker Edited from the original manuscripts and annotated copies together with a prefatory notice and bibliography by Alfred Wallis |
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THE FIRST PRINCE OF WALES.
A.D. 1284. |
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 | The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker |  |
THE FIRST PRINCE OF WALES. A.D. 1284.
[_]
At the death of Llewellyn, the Welsh demanded a native Prince: so King Edward I. of England, who was then in Wales, sent for Eleanor his Queen, and she, soon after her arrival at Caernarvon Castle, was delivered of a son whom the King presented to the Welsh chieftains, and whom they acknowledged as their native Prince. Llwyd.
“Weep, noble lady, weep no more,
The woman's joy is won:
Fear not! thy time of grief is o'er,
And thou hast borne a son.”
The woman's joy is won:
Fear not! thy time of grief is o'er,
And thou hast borne a son.”
Then ceased the Queen from pain and cry,
And as she sweetly smiled,
The tears stood still within her eye,
The mother saw her child.
And as she sweetly smiled,
The tears stood still within her eye,
The mother saw her child.
“Now bear him to the castle-gate:”
Thus did the King command;
There, stern and stately all, they wait,
The warriors of the land.
Thus did the King command;
There, stern and stately all, they wait,
The warriors of the land.
100
They met—another lord to claim—
And loud their voices rung:
“We will not brook the stranger's name,
Nor serve a Saxon tongue.”
And loud their voices rung:
“We will not brook the stranger's name,
Nor serve a Saxon tongue.”
“Our king shall breathe a British birth,
And speak with native voice;
He shall be famous in the earth,
The chieftain of our choice.”
And speak with native voice;
He shall be famous in the earth,
The chieftain of our choice.”
Then might you hear the drawbridge fall,
And echoing footsteps nigh:
And hearken! by yon haughty wall
A low and infant cry,
And echoing footsteps nigh:
And hearken! by yon haughty wall
A low and infant cry,
“God save your Prince!” King Edward said;
“Your wayward wish is won:
Behold him from his mother's bed,
My child—my firstborn son!”
“Your wayward wish is won:
Behold him from his mother's bed,
My child—my firstborn son!”
“Here in his own, his native place,
His future feet shall stand,
And rule the children of your race
In language of the land.”
His future feet shall stand,
And rule the children of your race
In language of the land.”
'Twas strange to see; so sternly smiled
Those warriors grey and grim.
How little thought King Edward's child
Who thus would welcome him!
Those warriors grey and grim.
How little thought King Edward's child
Who thus would welcome him!
Nor knew they then how proud the tone
They taught their native vales;
The sound whole nations lived to own—
“God save the Prince of Wales!”
They taught their native vales;
The sound whole nations lived to own—
“God save the Prince of Wales!”
1841.
| The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker | |