Songs of the Cavaliers and Roundheads Jacobite Ballads, &c. &c. By George W. Thornbury ... with illustrations by H. S. Marks |
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THE MAD PILGRIM'S DREAM. |
 | Songs of the Cavaliers and Roundheads |  |
304
THE MAD PILGRIM'S DREAM.
Under a palm in Galilee,
Hearing the whispers of the sea,
A vision showed itself to me.
Hearing the whispers of the sea,
A vision showed itself to me.
They bring me to a sultan's tent,
My shaven head is bowed and bent,
My golden robe is torn and rent.
My shaven head is bowed and bent,
My golden robe is torn and rent.
I toss the desert sands about,
The silken eunuchs scream and shout,
I kneel and let them mock and flout.
The silken eunuchs scream and shout,
I kneel and let them mock and flout.
I curse them and their prophet too,
And then the mad sultan dagger drew,
And on me like a panther flew.
And then the mad sultan dagger drew,
And on me like a panther flew.
I rub my ring—I am alone;
Over my head the vulture's flown,
That bore me from the tyrant's throne.
Over my head the vulture's flown,
That bore me from the tyrant's throne.
305
The Nile flows softly by my side,
The palm trees whisper—then I cried,
“O Lord, methinks I'd better died!”
The palm trees whisper—then I cried,
“O Lord, methinks I'd better died!”
Against the rosy evening sky,
The doves bound all to Cairo fly;
“O had I wings like them!” I cry.
The doves bound all to Cairo fly;
“O had I wings like them!” I cry.
I down the yellow river float,
In Egypt's mummy coffin boat;
Of what grave-plunder should I note?
In Egypt's mummy coffin boat;
Of what grave-plunder should I note?
I dig beneath the tamarisk,
Under the shattered obelisk,
Graven with planet and with disk.
Under the shattered obelisk,
Graven with planet and with disk.
I found the buried Pharoah's robe,
His serpent crown and golden globe,
I threw away my ragged tobe.
His serpent crown and golden globe,
I threw away my ragged tobe.
I leapt into the coffin craft,
Tears from the funeral urn I quaffed,
I wept, and then I rose and laughed.
Tears from the funeral urn I quaffed,
I wept, and then I rose and laughed.
I passed an iceberg all a-shine,
With flashing purple lights of wine,
With diamond lustre hyaline.
With flashing purple lights of wine,
With diamond lustre hyaline.
I floated to a sandy beach,
A dead man hailed me—but his speech
Was low, his hand I could not reach.
A dead man hailed me—but his speech
Was low, his hand I could not reach.
306
The winged Tartar horsemen came,
And bore me in a gust of flame
Through burning cities, till so tame
And bore me in a gust of flame
Through burning cities, till so tame
My wild horse grew, it licked my hand,
And watched me on the desert sand;—
I struck the gates of Samarcand.
And watched me on the desert sand;—
I struck the gates of Samarcand.
I saw black tents spread everywhere,
Neighings that shook the icy air,
The green corn rising thick and fair.
Neighings that shook the icy air,
The green corn rising thick and fair.
Bright in the distance China lay,
Pagoda's tinkling bells I may
Scarce hear—I see the wall's array.
Pagoda's tinkling bells I may
Scarce hear—I see the wall's array.
The silk-robed men with peacock plumes,
Fair, golden coats—and now there looms
A city grand with marble tombs.
Fair, golden coats—and now there looms
A city grand with marble tombs.
Great domes, and minarets, and towers;
'Tis Delhi!—priests proclaim the hours,
And call to prayers; but we are Giaours.
'Tis Delhi!—priests proclaim the hours,
And call to prayers; but we are Giaours.
Our horse-tail standards swept along,
With cymbal and barbaric song,
I was the leader of the throng.
With cymbal and barbaric song,
I was the leader of the throng.
The elephants, ten thousand, came
Like moving mountains, eyes of flame,
And all—this Bajazet to tame.
Like moving mountains, eyes of flame,
And all—this Bajazet to tame.
307
They shout, and call me Tamerlane,
I ride o'er smoking Samarcane,
And brain the idol of the fane.
I ride o'er smoking Samarcane,
And brain the idol of the fane.
I burst the bubble god, and out
Leap countless bezants round about;
The bowing millions cry and shout.
Leap countless bezants round about;
The bowing millions cry and shout.
Now Moussul and the East is mine,
From where great Baldac's turrets shine,
To Yang-fu, and the proud Nan-ghine.
From where great Baldac's turrets shine,
To Yang-fu, and the proud Nan-ghine.
I mount the Caliph's seat, and tread
The conqueror's vintage gory red;
The kings pray to me for their bread.
The conqueror's vintage gory red;
The kings pray to me for their bread.
They bring me spices, gold, and gems,
I bruise the Syrian diadems,
My Tartar horse the world o'erwhelms.
I bruise the Syrian diadems,
My Tartar horse the world o'erwhelms.
From Cush to snowiest Himaleh,
To Ceylon and its bluest bay,
Red idols strewed my chariot way.
To Ceylon and its bluest bay,
Red idols strewed my chariot way.
My crimson banners dim the sun,
The stars, my heralds, chase and run,
Hailing me lord, the sovereign one.
The stars, my heralds, chase and run,
Hailing me lord, the sovereign one.
They bring me spice and ivory,
With falcons, stately, from the sea,
And frankincense from far Nanjee.
With falcons, stately, from the sea,
And frankincense from far Nanjee.
308
I fell asleep within my tent,
As on to conquer Balkh I went;
I woke, and all my pride was rent.
As on to conquer Balkh I went;
I woke, and all my pride was rent.
My horse lay smitten by the wind,
Before, beside me, and behind,
No living creature could I find.
Before, beside me, and behind,
No living creature could I find.
One camel only calmly fed,
I leaped upon him, and his head
Turned round to see the heaps of dead.
I leaped upon him, and his head
Turned round to see the heaps of dead.
Three days and nights I wandered on;
Like fire above me burnt the sun,
My bag of rice was long since gone.
Like fire above me burnt the sun,
My bag of rice was long since gone.
The parrots screamed, and like a flame,
Flamingoes through the silence came;—
Another land, and yet the same.
Flamingoes through the silence came;—
Another land, and yet the same.
The peasant sows his melon seed,
The goats beside him crop and feed,
I heard the child the Koran read.
The goats beside him crop and feed,
I heard the child the Koran read.
Then desert strewn with pilgrim's bones,
Rich perfumes, and the Indian stones,
Lost treasures from the distant zones.
Rich perfumes, and the Indian stones,
Lost treasures from the distant zones.
I trod the gems to dust, my blood
Was fevered: “Take this gold for food,”
I cried, and gnawed the cedar wood.
Was fevered: “Take this gold for food,”
I cried, and gnawed the cedar wood.
309
Rich-fruited dates their branches fling,
The guardians of the desert spring,
Where camel-drivers pipe and sing.
The guardians of the desert spring,
Where camel-drivers pipe and sing.
I sat down to the meal—ah! then,
A fire-wind struck the beasts and men,
And drove me to a rocky den.
A fire-wind struck the beasts and men,
And drove me to a rocky den.
Where I lay faint, and saw the asp
Swell in the hot sand, that my grasp
Caught from the earth with anguished clasp.
Swell in the hot sand, that my grasp
Caught from the earth with anguished clasp.
I woke, and heard a voice as sweet
As angel's cry—“Now on your feet,
'Tis sunset, Hassan—rise and eat.”
As angel's cry—“Now on your feet,
'Tis sunset, Hassan—rise and eat.”
| Songs of the Cavaliers and Roundheads | |