Various - In the Saddle - A Collection of Poems on Horseback-Riding

"But a woman's will dies hard, in the hall or on the sward!" —
Toll slowly.
"By that grave, my lords, which made me orphaned girl and dowered lady,
I deny you wife and ward."

Unto each she bowed her head, and swept past with lofty tread.
Toll slowly.
Ere the midnight-bell had ceased, in the chapel had the priest
Blessed her, bride of Linteged.

Fast and fain the bridal train along the night-storm rode amain: —
Toll slowly.
Hard the steeds of lord and serf struck their hoofs out on the turf,
In the pauses of the rain.

Fast and fain the kinsmen's train along the storm pursued amain —
Toll slowly.
Steed on steed-track, dashing off – thickening, doubling, hoof on hoof,
In the pauses of the rain.

And the bridegroom led the flight on his red-roan steed of might, —
Toll slowly.
And the bride lay on his arm, still, as if she feared no harm,
Smiling out into the night.

"Dost thou fear?" he said at last; – "Nay!" she answered him in haste, —
Toll slowly.
"Not such death as we could find – only life with one behind —
Ride on fast as fear – ride fast!"

Up the mountain wheeled the steed – girth to ground, and fetlocks spread, —
Toll slowly.
Headlong bounds, and rocking flanks, – down he staggered – down the banks,
To the towers of Linteged.

High and low the serfs looked out, red the flambeaus tossed about, —
Toll slowly.
In the courtyard rose the cry – "Live the Duchess and Sir Guy!"
But she never heard them shout.

On the steed she dropt her cheek, kissed his mane and kissed his neck, —
Toll slowly.
"I had happier died by thee, than lived on a Lady Leigh,"
Were the first words she did speak.

But a three months' joyaunce lay 'twixt that moment and to-day, —
Toll slowly.
When five hundred archers tall stand beside the castle wall,
To recapture Duchess May.

And the castle standeth black, with the red sun at its back, —
Toll slowly.
And a fortnight's siege is done – and, except the Duchess, none
Can misdoubt the coming wrack.

Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west, —
Toll slowly.
On the tower the castle's lord leant in silence on his sword,
With an anguish in his breast.

With a spirit-laden weight, did he lean down passionate. —
Toll slowly.
They have almost sapped the wall, – they will enter therewithal,
With no knocking at the gate.

Then the sword he leant upon, shivered – snapped upon the stone, —
Toll slowly.
"Sword," he thought, with inward laugh, "ill thou servest for a staff
When thy nobler use is done!

"Sword, thy nobler use is done! – tower is lost, and shame begun" —
Toll slowly.
"If we met them in the breach, hilt to hilt or speech to speech,
We should die there, each for one.

"If we met them at the wall, we should singly, vainly fall," —
Toll slowly.
"But if I die here alone, – then I die, who am but one,
And die nobly for them all.

"Five true friends lie for my sake, – in the moat and in the brake," —
Toll slowly.
"Thirteen warriors lie at rest, with a black wound in the breast,
And not one of these will wake.

"And no more of this shall be! – heart-blood weighs too heavily," —
Toll slowly.
"And I could not sleep in grave, with the faithful and the brave
Heaped around and over me.

"Since young Clare a mother hath, and young Ralph a plighted faith," —
Toll slowly.
"Since my pale young sister's cheeks blush like rose when Ronald speaks,
Albeit never a word she saith —

"These shall never die for me – life-blood falls too heavily." —
Toll slowly.
"And if I die here apart, – o'er my dead and silent heart
They shall pass out safe and free.

"When the foe hath heard it said – 'Death holds Guy of Linteged,'" —
Toll slowly.
"That new corse new peace shall bring, and a blessed, blessed thing
Shall the stone be at its head.

"Then my friends shall pass out free, and shall bear my memory," —
Toll slowly.
"Then my foes shall sleek their pride, soothing fair my widowed bride
Whose sole sin was love of me.

"With their words all smooth and sweet, they will front her and entreat," —
Toll slowly.
"And their purple pall will spread underneath her fainting head
While her tears drop over it.

"She will weep her woman's tears, she will pray her woman's prayers," —
Toll slowly.
"But her heart is young in pain, and her hopes will spring again
By the suntime of her years.

"Ah, sweet May – ah, sweetest grief! – once I vowed thee my belief," —
Toll slowly.
"That thy name expressed thy sweetness, – May of poets, in completeness!
Now my May-day seemeth brief."

All these silent thoughts did swim o'er his eyes grown strange and dim, —
Toll slowly.
Till his true men in the place wished they stood there face to face
With the foe instead of him.

"One last oath, my friends that wear faithful hearts to do and dare!"
Toll slowly.
"Tower must fall, and bride be lost! – swear me service worth the cost!"
– Bold they stood around to swear.

"Each man clasp my hand and swear, by the deed we failed in there," —
Toll slowly.
"Not for vengeance, not for right, will ye strike one blow to-night!" —
Pale they stood around – to swear.

"One last boon, young Ralph and Clare! faithful hearts to do and dare!" —
Toll slowly.
"Bring that steed up from his stall, which she kissed before you all, —
Guide him up the turret-stair.

"Ye shall harness him aright, and lead upward to this height!" —
Toll slowly.
"Once in love and twice in war, hath he borne me strong and far,
He shall bear me far to-night."

Then his men looked to and fro, when they heard him speaking so. —
Toll slowly.
– "'Las! the noble heart," they thought, – "he in sooth is grief-distraught.
Would, we stood here with the foe!"

But a fire flashed from his eye, 'twixt their thought and their reply, —
Toll slowly.
"Have ye so much time to waste? We who ride here, must ride fast,
As we wish our foes to fly."

They have fetched the steed with care, in the harness he did wear, —
Toll slowly.
Past the court and through the doors, across the rushes of the floors,
But they goad him up the stair.

Then from out her bower chambère, did the Duchess May repair. —
Toll slowly.
"Tell me now what is your need," said the lady, "of this steed,
That ye goad him up the stair?"