Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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Chivalry.
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
241
Chivalry.
There came a knight at evening-time
Unto a lonely ford;
Two children prayed to him for alms,
“For Jesus' sake our Lord!”
Unto a lonely ford;
Two children prayed to him for alms,
“For Jesus' sake our Lord!”
“Good sir!” they cried, “for Him who died,
Carry us o'er the flood!”
He lifted them on his saddle-bow,
And rode with them through the wood.
Carry us o'er the flood!”
He lifted them on his saddle-bow,
And rode with them through the wood.
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His chest was like the mountain bull's,
And he was strong of arm;
Upon his face, though seamed and scarred,
There was a Sabbath calm.
And he was strong of arm;
Upon his face, though seamed and scarred,
There was a Sabbath calm.
He rode a stately destriére,
All dappled with the gray,
And splashed into the shallowing ford,
At the closing of the day.
All dappled with the gray,
And splashed into the shallowing ford,
At the closing of the day.
A golden statue shone the knight,
Wrapped in his pliant mail;
His banner, of the crimson sheen,
Blew flapping like a sail.
Wrapped in his pliant mail;
His banner, of the crimson sheen,
Blew flapping like a sail.
The water lapped against his feet
And o'er his saddle-bow;
He rode until his charger's mane
Was washing to and fro.
And o'er his saddle-bow;
He rode until his charger's mane
Was washing to and fro.
And when he reached the gravelly bank,
Down in the violet flowers
And in the fern those children laid,
Safe from the chilling showers.
Down in the violet flowers
And in the fern those children laid,
Safe from the chilling showers.
He guarded them from wolf and boar
Until the break of day;
And at the dawn he gave them alms,
And sped them on their way.
Until the break of day;
And at the dawn he gave them alms,
And sped them on their way.
He slew the wild thief in his den;
He freed the ravaged town;
He helped the poor man at the plough,
And struck his tyrant down.
He freed the ravaged town;
He helped the poor man at the plough,
And struck his tyrant down.
In at the widow's broken pane
He flung the welcome gold;
He sacked the cruel baron's tower,
And burned the robber's hold.
He flung the welcome gold;
He sacked the cruel baron's tower,
And burned the robber's hold.
He never knelt except to God;
To good men he was meek;
But to the bad, his voice it seemed
As when the thunders speak.
To good men he was meek;
But to the bad, his voice it seemed
As when the thunders speak.
How did he die?—with back to tree,
His death-wound in his breast,
With shivered sword still raised to strike,
And broken lance in rest.
His death-wound in his breast,
With shivered sword still raised to strike,
And broken lance in rest.
And now he lies upon his tomb,
Rapt in eternal prayer;
And round him windows jewel-dyed
Shine with a radiance fair.
Rapt in eternal prayer;
And round him windows jewel-dyed
Shine with a radiance fair.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |