MARY’S
TRYST.
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Young
Mary stole along the vale,
To keep her tryst with Ulnor’s
lord;
A warrior clad in coat of mail
Stood darkling by the brawling
ford.
“O let me pass, O let me pass,
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Dark
falls the night on hill and lea;
Flies, flies the bright day swift and fast,
From lordly bow’er
and greenwood tree.
The small birds twitter as they fly
To dewy bough and leaf-hid
nest;
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Dark
fold the black clouds on the sky,
And maiden terrors throng
my breast!”
“And thou shalt pass, thou bonnie maid,
If thou wilt only tell to
me—
Why hiest thou forth in lonesome shade;
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Where
may thy wish’d-for bourne be?”
“O let me by, O let me by,
My granddam dwells by Ulnor’s
shore;
She strains for me her failing eye—
Beside her lowly ivied door.”
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“I rode by Ulnor’s shore at dawn,
I saw no ancient dame and
cot;
I saw but startl’d doe and fawn—
Thy bourne thou yet hast
told me not.”
“O let me pass—my father lies
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25 |
Long-stretch’d
in coffin and in shroud,—
Where Ulnor’s turrets climb the skies,
Where Ulnor’s battlements
are proud!”
“I rode by Ulnor’s walls at noon;
I heard no bell for passing
sprite;
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And
saw no henchman straik’d for tomb;
Thou hast not told thy bourne
aright.”
“O let me pass—a monk doth dwell
In lowly hut by Ulnor’s
shrine;
I seek the holy friar’s cell,
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That
he may shrive this soul of mine.”
I rode by Ulnor’s shrine this day,
I saw no hut—no friar’s
cowl;
I heard no holy hermit pray—
I heard but hooting of the
owl!”
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“O
let me pass—time flies apace—
And since thou wilt not
let me be;
I tryst with chief of Ulnor’s race,
Beneath the spreading hawthorn
tree!” [Page 107]
“I rode beside the bonnie thorn,
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When
this day’s sun was sinking low;
I saw a damsel like the morn,
I saw a knight with hound
and bow;
The chief was chief of Ulnor’s name,
The maid was of a high degree;
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50 |
I
saw him kiss the lovely dame
I saw him bend the suitor’s
knee!
“I saw the fond glance of his eye
To her red cheek red roses
bring;
Between them, as my steed flew by,
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I saw them break a golden
ring.”
“O wouldst thou know, thou curious knight,
Where Mary’s bourne
to-night will be?
Since thou has seen such traitor sight,
Beneath the blooming hawthorn
tree.”
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Fair shone the yellow of her locks,
Her cheek and bosom’s
drifted snow;
She leap’d adown the sharp grey rocks,
She sought the sullen pool
below.
The knight his iron vizard rais’d,
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He
caught young Mary to his heart;
She lifted up her head and gaz’d—
She drew her yellow locks
apart.
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—–
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The
roses touch’d her lovely face;
The lilies white did faint
and flee;
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70 |
The
knight was chief of Ulnor’s race,—
His only true love still
was she! [Page 108]
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