286 THE GRAVE OF KORNER. The earth grew silent when thy voice departed, Here, with the Lyre and Sword! Have ye not met ere now ?-So let those trust SONG. BY HARTLEY COLERIDGE. SHE is not fair to outward view, Until she smiled on me: Oh, then I saw her eye was bright- But now her looks are coy and cold, Her very frowns are better far PRINCE WILLIAM OF ENGLAND. The melancholy death, by shipwreck, of this young Prince, has often been held up to commiseration. His fate may, however, suggest other ideas than those of mere compassion, when it is recollected he had frequently declared, that when he came to the throne of England, he would treat the English as slaves, and reduce them to the condition of beasts of burden. PRINCE WILLIAM's bark swept on, He trod the deck with all A future monarch's pride; And his stately form grew yet more tall He thought upon the hour When his unfettered hand Should stretch the rod of regal power But hate, and wrath, and cruelty, "Like oxen, they shall drag The plough for us, their lords; We'll spur them with our swords." 283 PRINCE WILLIAM OF ENGLAND. And loud the Normans laughed But youthful hearts soon spring Swift rushed the vessel on, And France was left behind; And loud and louder round Rose song and shout of glee, For, who could dream that danger frowned But three long days have past, And still upon the main King Henry's anxious eyes are cast, To seek his son-in vain. He lay the waves beneath; And many an ocean gem Was round his brow-a mockery wreath A LAMENT FOR CHIVALRY. ALAS! the days of Chivalry are fled ! The brilliant tournament exists no more! Our loves are cold and dull as ice or lead, And courting is a most enormous bore! In those good "olden times," a "ladye bright" Might sit within her turret or her bower, While lovers sang and played without all night, And deemed themselves rewarded by a flower. Yet, if one favoured swain would persevere, And he a thousand oaths of love would swear, All picturing her matchless beauty, which Off then, away he'd ride o'er sea and land, Meanwhile, a thousand more, as wild as he, Were all employed about the selfsame thing; And when each had rode hard for his "ladye," They all came back and met within a ring. 290 A LAMENT FOR CHIVALRY. Where all the men who were entitled "syr" And, in the stir up, thrust each other down. And then they galloped round with dire intent, Each knight resolved another's pride to humble; And laughter rang around the tournament As oft as any of them chanced to tumble. And when, perchance, some ill-starred wight might die, The victim of a stout unlucky poke, Mayhap some fair one wiped one beauteous eye, Soon then the lady, whose grim stalwart swain And plighted troth before the motley whole. Then trumpets sounded, bullocks whole were dressed, Priests with shorn heads and lengthy beards were seen; 'Mid clamorous shouts the happy pair was blessed, For Chivalry won Beauty's chosen queen. And when fair daughters bloomed like beauteous flowers, To bless the gallant knight and stately dame, They shut them up within their lonely towers, That squires might fight for them and win them fame. *See Lady Morgan's chivalric defiance to the knights of the inky plume. |