But else it is a lonely time On Sundays, too, a priest doth come And then you hear the organ's hum, But else the woods and fields are dumb And after church, when mass is done, Round the tomb to stray; And marvel at the Forms of stone, The princely Pair are left alone In the Church of Brou. III. THE TOMB. So rest, for ever rest, O princely Pair! And thou, O Princess! shalt no more receive, So sleep, for ever sleep, O marble Pair! And on the pavement round the Tomb there glints A chequer-work of glowing sapphire-tints, And amethyst, and ruby then unclose Your eyelids on the stone where ye repose, The moon through the clere-story windows shines, Hush, ye will say, it is eternity ! This is the glimmering verge of Heaven, and these The columns of the heavenly palaces! And, in the sweeping of the wind, your ear The passage of the Angels' wings will hear, And on the lichen-crusted leads above The rustle of the eternal rain of love. DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI. 1828 d 1882). THE WHITE SHIP. HENRY I. OF ENGLAND. - 25TH Nov., 1120. By none but me can the tale be told, (Lands are swayed by a King on a throne.) 'Twas a royal train put forth to sea, Yet the tale can be told by none but me. (The sea hath no King but God alone.) King Henry held it as life's whole gain 'Twas so in my youth I heard men say, King Henry of England's realm was he, The times had changed when on either coast "Clerkly Harry" was all his boast. Of ruthless strokes full many an one He had struck to crown himself and his son; And when to the chase his court would crowd, But all the chiefs of the English land And next with his son he sailed to France And every baron in Normandy 'Twas sworn and sealed, and the day had come When the King and the Prince might journey home: For Christmas cheer is to home hearts dear, And Christmas now was drawing near. Stout Fitz-Stephen came to the King, And he held to the King, in all men's sight, "Liege Lord! my father guided the ship "And cried: 'By this clasp I claim command "He was borne to the realm you rule o'er now "And thither I'll bear, an' it be my due, "The famed White Ship is mine in the bay; "With masts fair-pennoned as Norman spears Quoth the King: "My ships are chosen each one, "My son and daughter and fellowship Shall cross the water in the White Ship." HOEKZEMA, Poetry. 4th Ed. 16 The King set sail with the eve's south wind, The Prince and all his, a princely show, With noble knights and with ladies fair, And I Berold was the meanest hind The Prince was a lawless shameless youth; Eighteen years till then he had seen, And now he cried: "Bring wine from below; "Our speed shall o'ertake my father's flight Though we sail from the harbour at midnight." The rowers made good cheer without check; But at midnight's stroke they cleared the bay, The sails were set, and the oars kept tune Swifter and swifter the White Ship sped As white as a lily glimmered she Like a ship's fair ghost upon the sea. |