XI. ALBERT GRÆME. It was an English ladye bright, (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,) And she would marry a Scottish knight, For Love will still be lord of all. Blithly they saw the rising sun, When he shone fair on Carlisle wall, But they were sad ere day was done, Though Love was still the lord of all. Her sire gave brooch and jewel fine, For she had lands, both meadow and lea, XII. That wine she had not tasted well, He pierced her brother to the heart, So perish all, would true love part, And then he took the cross divine, Now all ye lovers, that faithful prove, XIII. As ended Albert's simple lay, For sonnet, rhyme, and roundelay, Renowned in haughty Henry's court: The gentle Surrey loved his lyre— His was the hero's soul of fire, And his the bard's immortal name, And his was love, exalted high By all the glow of chivalry. XIV. They sought, together, climes afar, And deemed, that spirits from on high, Round where some hermit saint was laid, Were breathing heavenly melody; So sweet did harp and voice combine, XV. Fitztraver! O what tongue may say His harp called wrath and vengeance down. XVI. FITZTRAVER. T'was All-soul's eve, and Surrey's heart beat high; He heard the midnight-bell with anxious start, Which told the mystic hour approaching nigh, When wise Cornelius promised, by his art, To shew to him the ladye of his heart, Albeit betwixt them roared the ocean grim; Yet so the sage had hight to play his part, That he should see her form in life and limb, And mark, if still she loved, and still she thought of him. XVII. Dark was the vaulted room of gramarye, Save that before a mirror, huge and high, On cross, on character, and talisman, And almagest, and altar, nothing bright; For fitful was the lustre, pale and wan, As watch-light by the bed of some departing man. XVIII. But soon, within that mirror huge and high, Placed by a couch of Agra's silken loom, And part by moonshine pale, and part was hid in gloom. XIX. Fair all the pageant-but how passing fair The slender form, which lay on couch of Ind! O'er her white bosom strayed ber hazel hair, Pale her dear cheek, as if for love she pined; All in her night-robe loose she lay reclined, And, pensive, read from tablet eburnine Some strain that seemed her inmost soul to find : That favoured strain was Surrey's raptured line, That fair and lovely form, the Lady Geraldine, XX. Slow rolled the clouds upon the lovely form, The gory bridal bed, the plundered shrine, The murdered Surrey's blood, the tears of Geraldine! XXI. Both Scots, and Southern chiefs, prolong These hated Henry's name as death, |