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(Excerpt)
I. AT Rouen Richard kept his state, | |
| Released from captive thrall; | |
| And girt with many a warrior guest | |
| He feasted in the hall! | |
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| The rich metheglin mantled high, | 5 |
| The wine was berry red, | |
| When tidings came that Salisbury, | |
| His early friend, was dead; | |
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| And that his sole surviving child, | |
| The heiress of his wealth, | 10 |
| By crafty kinsmen and allies | |
| Was borne away by stealth; | |
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| Was borne away from Normandy, | |
| Where, secretly confined, | |
| She heard no voice of those she loved, | 15 |
| But sighed to the north wind. | |
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| Haply from some lone castle’s tower | |
| Or solitary strand, | |
| Even now she gazes o’er the deep, | |
| That laves her father’s land! | 20 |
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| King Richard cries, “My minstrel knights, | |
| Who will the task achieve, | |
| To seek through France and Normandy | |
| The orphan left to grieve?” | |
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| Young William Talbot then did speak, | 25 |
| “Betide me weal and woe, | |
| From Michael’s castle through the land | |
| A pilgrim I will go.” | |
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| He clad him in his pilgrim weeds, | |
| With trusty staff in hand, | 30 |
| And scallop shell, and took his way, | |
| A wanderer through the land. | |
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| For two long years he journeyed on, | |
| A pilgrim, day by day, | |
| Through many a forest dark and drear, | 35 |
| By many a castle gray. | |
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| At length, when one clear morn of frost | |
| Was shining on the main, | |
| Forth issuing from a castle gate | |
| He saw a female train! | 40 |
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| With lightsome step and waving hair, | |
| Before them ran a child, | |
| And, gathering from the sands a shell, | |
| Ran back to them, and smiled. | |
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| Himself unseen among the rocks, | 45 |
| He saw her point her hand, | |
| And cry, “I would go home, go home, | |
| To my poor father’s land.” * * * * * | |
II. THE TWO long years had passed away, | |
| When castle Galliard 1 rose, | 50 |
| As built at once by elfin hands, | |
| And scorning time or foes. | |
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| It might be thought that Merlin’s imps | |
| Were tasked to raise the wall, | |
| That unheard axes fell the woods, | 55 |
| While unseen hammers fall. | |
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| As hung by magic on a rock, | |
| The castle-keep looked down | |
| O’er rocks and rivers, and the smoke | |
| Of many a far-off town. | 60 |
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| And now, young knights and minstrels | |
| Obeyed their master’s call, | |
| And loud rejoicing held the feast | |
| In the new raftered hall. | |
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| His minstrels and his mailed peers | 65 |
| Were seated at the board, | |
| And at his side the highest sat | |
| William of the Long Sword. | |
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| This youthful knight, of princely birth, | |
| Was dazzling to behold, | 70 |
| For his chain-mail from head to foot | |
| All glistened o’er with gold. | |
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| His surcoat dyed with azure blue | |
| In graceful foldings hung, | |
| And there the golden lions ramped, | 75 |
| With bloody claws and tongue. | |
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| With crimson belt around his waist | |
| His sword was girded on; | |
| The hilt, a cross to kiss in death, | |
| Radiant with jewels shone. | 80 |
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| The names and banners of each knight | |
| It were too long to tell; | |
| Here sat the brave Montgomery, | |
| There Bertrand and Rozell. | |
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| Of Richard’s unresisted sword | 85 |
| A noble minstrel sung, | |
| Whilst to an hundred answering harps | |
| The blazing gallery rung. | |
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| So all within was merriment,— | |
| When, suddenly, a shout, | 90 |
| As of some unexpected guest, | |
| Burst from the crowd without. | |
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| Now not a sound, and scarce a breath, | |
| Through the long hall is heard, | |
| When, with a young maid by his side, | 95 |
| A vizored knight appeared. | |
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| Up the long hall they held their way, | |
| On to the royal seat; | |
| Then both together, hand in hand, | |
| Knelt at King Richard’s feet. | 100 |
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| “Talbot, a Talbot!” rang the hall | |
| With gratulation wild, | |
| “Long live brave Talbot, and long live | |
| Earl William’s new-found child! | |
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| Amid a scene so new and strange, | 105 |
| This poor maid could not speak; | |
| King Richard took her by the hand, | |
| And gently kissed her cheek; | |
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| Then placed her, smiling through a tear, | |
| By his brave brother’s side: | 110 |
| “Long live brave Longspe!” rang the hall, | |
| “Long live his future bride!” | |
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| To noble Richard this fair child, | |
| His ward, was thus restored; | |
| Destined to be the future bride | 115 |
| Of Him of the Long Sword. | |
