תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

I'll go unto my Gonorell;

My fecond child, I know,

Will be more kind and pitiful,

And will relieve my woe.

Full faft he hies then to her court;
Where when she heard his moan
Return'd him answer, That she griev'd,
That all his means were gone:
But no way could relieve his wants
Yet if that he would stay

Within her kitchen, he would have
What fcullions gave away.

When he had heard with bitter tears
He made his answer then;
In what I did let me be made

Example to all men.

I will return again, quoth he,
Unto my Ragan's court;
She will not use me thus, I hope,

But in a kinder fort.

Where when he came, fhe gave command

To drive him thence away:

When he was well within her court

(She faid) he would not stay.

Then back again to Gonorell,

The woeful king did hie,

That in her kitchen he might have
What fcullion boys set by.

But there of that he was deny'd,
Which fhe had promis'd late:
For once refufing, he should not
Come after to her gate.

Thus twixt his daughters, for relief
He wandred up and down;
Being glad to feed on beggars food,
That lately wore a crown.

And calling to remembrance then
His youngest daughters words,
That faid the duty of a child
Was all that love affords:
But doubting to repair to her,
Whom he had banish'd fo,
Grew frantick mad; for in his mind

He bore the wounds of woe:

Which made him rend his milk-white locks,

And treffes from his head,

And all with blood beftain his cheeks,

[blocks in formation]

and honour spread:

To hills and woods and watry founts,

He made his hourly moan,

Till hills and woods, and fenffefs things,
Did feem to figh and groan.

Even thus poffeft with difcontents,
He paffed o're to France,
In hopes from fair Cordelia there,

To find fome gentler chance.

Moft virtuous dame! which when she heard

Of this her father's grief,

As duty bound, fhe quickly fent

Him comfort and relief:

And by a train of noble peers,
In brave and gallant sort,

She gave in charge he should be brought
To Aganippus' court;

Whose royal king, with noble mind

So freely gave confent,

To mufter up his knights at arms,

To fame and courage bent,

And so to England came with speed,

To repoffeffe king Leir

And drive his daughters from their thrones

By his Cordelia dear:

Where fhe, true-hearted noble queen,
Was in the battel flain:

Yet he good king, in his old days,
Poffeft his crown again.

But when he heard Cordelia's death,
Who died indeed for love
Of her dear father, in whose cause
She did this battel move;
He fwooning fell upon her breaft,
From whence he never parted:
But on her bofom left his life,
That was fo truly hearted.

The lords and nobles when they faw

The end of thefe events,

The other fifters unto death

They doomed by consents:

And being dead, their crowns they left Unto the next of kin :

Thus have you feen the fall of pride, And difobedient fin.

THE FRIAR OF ORDERS GRAY.

T was a friar of orders

gray,

I Walkt forth to tell his beades;

And he met with a lady faire,

Clad in a pilgrime's weedes.

Now Chrift thee fave, thou reverend friar,

pray thee tell to me,

If ever at you holy fhrine

My true love thou didst fee.

And how fhould I know your true love,
From many another one?

O by his cockle hat, and staff,
And by his fandal fhoone.

But chiefly by his face and mien,
That were fo fair to view;

His flaxen locks that fweetly curl'd,
And eyne of lovely blue.

O lady, he is dead and gone!
Lady, he's dead and gone!

And at his head a green grass turfe,
And at his heels a ftone.

F

« הקודםהמשך »