14

ELEGY

ON A LADY WHOM GRIEF FOR THE DEATH OF HER

BETROTHED KILLED

ASSEMBLE, all ye maidens, at the door,
And all ye loves, assemble; far and wide
Proclaim the bridal, that proclaimed before
Has been deferred to this late eventide :
For on this night the bride,

The days of her betrothal over,

Leaves the parental hearth for evermore; To-night the bride goes forth to meet her lover.

Reach down the wedding vesture, that has lain Yet all unvisited, the silken gown:

Bring out the bracelets, and the golden chain Her dearer friends provided: sere and brown Bring out the festal crown,

And set it on her forehead lightly:

Though it be withered, twine no wreath again; This only is the crown she can wear rightly.

Cloke her in ermine, for the night is cold,
And wrap her warmly, for the night is long,
In pious hands the flaming torches hold,
While her attendants, chosen from among
Her faithful virgin throng,

May lay her in her cedar litter,

Decking her coverlet with sprigs of gold, Roses, and lilies white that best befit her.

Sound flute and tabor, that the bridal be
Not without music, nor with these alone;
But let the viol lead the melody,

With lesser intervals, and plaintive moan
Of sinking semitone;

And, all in choir, the virgin voices

Rest not from singing in skilled harmony The song that aye the bridegroom's ear rejoices.

Let the priests go before, arrayed in white,
And let the dark-stoled minstrels follow slow,
Next they that bear her, honoured on this night,
And then the maidens, in a double row,

Each singing soft and low,

And each on high a torch upstaying: Unto her lover lead her forth with light, With music, and with singing, and with praying.

'Twas at this sheltering hour he nightly came,
And found her trusty window open wide,
And knew the signal of the timorous flame,
That long the restless curtain would not hide
Her form that stood beside;

As scarce she dared to be delighted, Listening to that sweet tale, that is no shame To faithful lovers, that their hearts have plighted.

But now for many days the dewy grass

Has shown no markings of his feet at morn :
And watching she has seen no shadow pass
The moonlit walk, and heard no music borne
Upon her ear forlorn.

In vain has she looked out to greet him;
He has not come, he will not come, alas!
So let us bear her out where she must meet him.

Now to the river bank the priests are come :
The bark is ready to receive its freight :

Let some prepare her place therein, and some
Embark the litter with its slender weight:
The rest stand by in state,

And sing her a safe passage over;

While she is oared across to her new home,
Into the arms of her expectant lover.

And thou, O lover, that art on the watch,
Where, on the banks of the forgetful streams,
The pale indifferent ghosts wander, and snatch
The sweeter moments of their broken dreams,-

Thou, when the torchlight gleams,

When thou shalt see the slow procession, And when thine ears the fitful music catch, Rejoice, for thou art near to thy possession.

15

RONDEAU

His poisoned shafts, that fresh he dips
In juice of plants that no bee sips,
He takes, and with his bow renown'd
Goes out upon his hunting ground,
Hanging his quiver at his hips.

He draws them one by one, and clips
Their heads between his finger-tips,
And looses with a twanging sound
His poisoned shafts.

But if a maiden with her lips.

Suck from the wound the blood that drips,

And drink the poison from the wound,

The simple remedy is found

That of their deadly terror strips

His poisoned shafts.

16

TRIOLET

WHEN first we met we did not guess
That Love would prove so hard a master;
Of more than common friendliness
When first we met we did not guess.
Who could foretell this sore distress,
This irretrievable disaster

When first we met?-We did not guess
That Love would prove so hard a master.

17

TRIOLET

ALL women born are so perverse

No man need boast their love possessing. If nought seem better, nothing's worse: All women born are so perverse.

From Adam's wife, that proved a curse Though God had made her for a blessing, All women born are so perverse

No man need boast their love possessing.

BOOK II

ΤΟ

THE MEMORY OF

G. M. H.

I

MUSE.

WILL Love again awake,

That lies asleep so long?

РОЕТ.

O hush! ye tongues that shake
The drowsy night with song.

MUSE.

It is a lady fair

Whom once he deigned to praise,

That at the door doth dare

Her sad complaint to raise.

POET.

She must be fair of face, As bold of heart she seems, If she would match her grace With the delight of dreams.