Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79. | | | | Spain: Saint Just (San Yuste), the Convent | | San Yuste | | Luis Çapata |
| | Translated by Sir W. S. Maxwell
SO Charles the emperor, whose mighty reign | |
| The globe itself scarce held within its bound, | |
| At Yuste, a fair abbey of our Spain, | |
| A lowly home and quiet haven found: | |
| Here, half his heart in heaven, did he remain, | 5 |
| Tranquil as Jove with sovran glories crowned; | |
| In all things save the hood a holy friar, | |
| In Christian graces peerless in the choir. | |
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| Kings erst have left their sceptred state and sway, | |
| Pale terror prompting, not calm strength of soul; | 10 |
| Flashed, in their dreams, the falchion’s dreadful ray, | |
| Lurked, in their fears, the drug within the bowl; | |
| (So beavers, hunted, cast their spoils away,) | |
| Yet fame’s loud tongues the noble deed extol: | |
| But greater Charles, with glory all his own, | 15 |
| Resigned a peaceful, sure, and splendid throne. * * * * * | |
| His end at last foreknowing, like the swan, | |
| The emperor to his side bids quickly bring | |
| The opening Austrian flower, his young Don John; | |
| Reveals his birth; and to the absent king | 20 |
| Commends in loving wise this other son; | |
| Then, soothed with holy rites, his soul takes wing, | |
| With fitful flickering like a lamp that dies, | |
| To God’s high seat and bliss beyond the skies. | | | | |
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