LORD WILLIAM. No eye beheld when William plunged Submissive all the vassals own'd The murderer for their Lord, The ancient house of Erlingford And often the way-faring man But never could Lord William dare In vain, at midnight's silent hour, Sleep closed the murderer's eyes, In every dream the murderer saw Young Edmund's form arise. In vain by restless conscience driven Far from the scenes that saw his guilt, To other climes the pilgrim fled, Slow were all passing hours, yet swift A day that William never felt For well had conscience kalendar'd A fearful day was that! the rains In vain Lord William sought the feast, The tempest, as its sudden swell With cold and death-like feelings seem'd Reluctant now, as night came on, His lonely couch he prest; And wearied out, he sunk to sleep,To sleep-but not to rest. Beside that couch his brother's form, Lord Edmund, seem'd to stand, Such and so pale as when in death He grasp'd his brother's hand; Such and so pale his face as when With faint and faultering tongue, To William's care, a dying charge, He left his orphan-son. "I bade thee with a father's love He started up, each limb convulsed With agonizing fear: He only heard the storm of night,'Twas music to his ear. When lo! the voice of loud alarm What ho! Lord William, rise in haste! He rose in haste, beneath the walls It hemm'd him round, 'twas midnight now, He heard the shout of joy, for now They crowd for safety all. My boat is small, the boatman cried, Strange feeling fill'd them at his voice, That, save their Lord, there was not one But William leapt into the boat, Thou shalt have half my gold, he cried, The boatman plied the oar, the boat The boatman paused: Methought I heard A child's distressful cry! "Twas but the howling wind of night, Lord William made reply. Haste, haste-ply swift and strong the oar! A soldier with his knapsack on Haste-haste across the stream! Again Lord William heard a cry Like Edmund's drowning scream. I heard a child's distressful voice, O God! Lord William, dost thou know How horrible it is to sink Beneath the closing stream, To stretch the powerless arms in vain, In vain for help to scream! The shriek again was heard: it came More deep, more piercing loud; That instant o'er the flood the moon Shone through a broken cloud; And near them they beheld a child, Upon a crag he stood, A little crag, and all around Was spread the rising flood. The boatman plied the oar, the boat Now reach thine hand! the boatman cried, Then William shriek'd; the hand he touch'd The boat sunk down, the murderer sunk He rose, he shriek'd,—no human ear THE CROSS-ROADS. THERE was an old man breaking stones He leant his back against a post, Came travelling o'er the down; The sun was strong and he was tired, And he of the old man enquired: How far to Bristol town? Half an hour's walk for a young ma By lanes and fields and stiles; But you the foot-path do not know, And if along the road you go Why then 'tis three good miles. The soldier took his knapsack off, Old friend! in faith, the soldier says, In such a sweltering day as this The old man laugh'd and moved---I val That ever brought it there. There's a poor girl lies buried here, Beneath this very place, The earth upon her corpse is prest The stake is driven into her breast, And a stone is on her face. The soldier had but just leant back. God rest her! she is still enough She lies where four roads meet. I have past by about that hour When men are not most brave; It did not make my courage fail. And I have heard the nightingale Sing sweetly on her grave. I have past by about that hour When Ghosts their freedom have; But there was here no ghastly sight. And quietly the glow-worm's light Was shining on her grave. They have whetted their teeth against the stones, And now they pick the Bishop's bones, They gnaw'd the flesh from every limb, For they were sent to do judgment on him! KING CHARLEMAIN. François Petrarque,fort renommé entre les Poëtes Italiens, discourant en une epistre son voyage de France et de l'Allemagne, nous raconte que passant par la ville d'Aix, il apprit de quelques Prestres une histoire prodigieuse qu'ils tenoient de main en main pour tres véritable. Qui estait que Charles le Grand, apres avoir conquesté plusieurs pays, s'esperdit de telle façon en l'smour d'une simple femme, que mettant tout bonneur et reputation en arriere, il oublia non seulement les affaires de son royaume, mais aussi le soin de sa propre personne, au grand desplaisir de chacun estant seulement ententif a courtiser ceste dame: laquelle par bonheur commença s'aliter d'une grosse maladie, qui lui apporta la mort. Dont les Princes et grands Seigneurs furent fort resjouis, esperans que par ceste mort, Charles reprendroit comme devant et ses esprits et les affaires du royaume en main: tontesfois il se trouva tellement infatué de ceste amour, qu' encores cherissoit-il ce cadavre, l'embrassant, baisant, accolant de la mesme façon que devant, et au lieu de prester l'oreille aux lega tions qui lui survenoient, il l'entretenoit de mille bayes, comme s'il eust esté plein de vie Ce corps commençoit deja non seulement à mal sentir, mais aussi se tournoit en putrefaction, et neantmoins n'y avoit aucun de ses favoris qui luy en osast parler; dont advint que l'Arche vesque Turpin mieux advisé que les autres, pourpensa que telle chose ne pouvoit estre advent sans quelque sorcellerie. Au moyen de quay espiant un jour l'heure que le Roy s'estoit al senté de la chambre, commença de fouiller le corps de toutesparts, finalement trouva dans sa bouche au dessous de sa langue un anneau qu'l lui osta. Ce jour mesme Charlemaigne retearnant sur ses premieres brisées, se trouva fort estonné de voir une carcasse ainsi puante. Par quoy, comme s'il se fust resveillé d'un profond sommeil, commanda que l'on l'ensevelist prompt ment. Ce qui fut fait; mais en contr'eschange de ceste folie, il tourna tous ses pensemens ven l'Archevesque porteur de cest anneau, ne poovant estre de là en avant sans lui, et le suiva en tous les endroits. Quoy voyant ce sage Prelat et craignant que cest anneau ne tombast en mains de quelque autre, le jetta dans un lac prochain de la ville. Depuis lequel temps on dit que e Roy se trouve si espris de l'amour du lien, qu'îl ne desempara la ville d'Aix, ou il batit un P lais, et un Monastere, en l'un desquels il paris le reste de ses jours et en l'autre voulut estre ensevely, ordonnant par son testament que tou les Empereurs de Rome eussent a se faire sacrer premierement en ce lieu. PASQUIER 1611. |