ancient poems-第16章

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Who；　finding　that　he　was　both　faithful　and　just；　Preferred　him　to　places　of　honour　and　trust；　He　made　him　as　great　as　his　heart　could　request；　Yet；　wanting　his　Ruth；　he　with　grief　was　oppressed。

So　great　was　his　grief　it　could　not　be　concealed；　Both　honour　and　riches　no　pleasure　could　yield；　In　private　he　often　would　weep　and　lament；　For　Ruth；　the　fair；　beautiful　lady　of　Kent。

Now；　while　he　lamented　the　loss　of　his　dear；　A　lady　of　Spain　did　before　him　appear；　Bedecked　with　rich　jewels　both　costly　and　gay；　Who　earnestly　sought　for　his　favour　that　day。

Said　she；　'Gentle　swain；　I　am　wounded　with　love；　And　you　are　the　person　I　honour　above　The　greatest　of　nobles　that　ever　was　born；　…　Then　pity　my　tears；　and　my　sorrowful　mourn！'

'I　pity　thy　sorrowful　tears；'　he　replied；　'And　wish　I　were　worthy　to　make　thee　my　bride；　But；　lady；　thy　grandeur　is　greater　than　mine；　Therefore；　I　am　fearful　my　heart　to　resign。'

'O！　never　be　doubtful　of　what　will　ensue；　No　manner　of　danger　will　happen　to　you；　At　my　own　disposal　I　am；　I　declare；　Receive　me　with　love；　or　destroy　me　with　care。'

'Dear　madam；　don't　fix　your　affection　on　me；　You　are　fit　for　some　lord　of　a　noble　degree；　That　is　able　to　keep　up　your　honour　and　fame；　I　am　but　a　poor　sailor；　from　England　who　came。

'A　man　of　mean　fortune；　whose　substance　is　small；　I　have　not　wherewith　to　maintain　you　withal；　Sweet　lady；　according　to　honour　and　state；　Now　this　is　the　truth；　which　I　freely　relate。'

The　lady　she　lovingly　squeezed　his　hand；　And　said　with　a　smile；　'Ever　blessed　be　the　land　That　bred　such　a　noble；　brave　seaman　as　thee；　I　value　no　honours；　thou'rt　welcome　to　me；

'My　parents　are　dead；　I　have　jewels　untold；　Besides　in　possession　a　million　of　gold；　And　thou　shalt　be　lord　of　whatever　I　have；　Grant　me　but　thy　love；　which　I　earnestly　crave。'

Then；　turning　aside；　to　himself　he　replied；　'I　am　courted　with　riches　and　beauty　beside；　This　love　I　may　have；　but　my　Ruth　is　denied。'　Wherefore　he　consented　to　make　her　his　bride。

The　lady　she　clothed　him　costly　and　great；　His　noble　deportment；　both　proper　and　straight；　So　charmed　the　innocent　eye　of　his　dove；　And　added　a　second　new　flame　to　her　love。

Then　married　they　were　without　longer　delay；　Now　here　we　will　leave　them　both　glorious　and　gay；　To　speak　of　fair　Ruth；　who　in　sorrow　was　left　At　home　with　her　parents；　of　comfort　bereft。

PART　III。

When　under　the　window　with　an　aching　heart；　He　told　his　fair　Ruth　he　so　soon　must　depart；　Her　parents　they　heard；　and　well　pleased　they　were；　But　Ruth　was　afflicted　with　sorrow　and　care。

Now；　after　her　lover　had　quitted　the　shore；　They　kept　her　confined　a　fall　twelvemonth　or　more；　And　then　they　were　pleased　to　set　her　at　large；　With　laying　upon　her　a　wonderful　charge：

To　fly　from　a　seaman　as　she　would　from　death；　She　promised　she　would；　with　a　faltering　breath；　Yet；　nevertheless；　the　truth　you　shall　hear；　She　found　out　a　way　for　to　follow　her　dear。

Then；　taking　her　gold　and　her　silver　also；　In　seaman's　apparel　away　she　did　go；　And　found　out　a　master；　with　whom　she　agreed；　To　carry　her　over　the　ocean　with　speed。

Now；　when　she　arrived　at　the　kingdom　of　Spain；　From　city　to　city　she　travelled　amain；　Enquiring　about　everywhere　for　her　love；　Who　now　had　been　gone　seven　years　and　above。

In　Cadiz；　as　she　walked　along　in　the　street；　Her　love　and　his　lady　she　happened　to　meet；　But　in　such　a　garb　as　she　never　had　seen；　…　She　looked　like　an　angel；　or　beautiful　queen。

With　sorrowful　tears　she　turned　her　aside：　'My　jewel　is　gone；　I　shall　ne'er　be　his　bride；　But；　nevertheless；　though　my　hopes　are　in　vain；　I'll　never　return　to　old　England　again。

'But　here；　in　this　place；　I　will　now　be　confined；　It　will　be　a　comfort　and　joy　to　my　mind；　To　see　him　sometimes；　though　he　thinks　not　of　me；　Since　he　has　a　lady　of　noble　degree。'

Now；　while　in　the　city　fair　Ruth　did　reside；　Of　a　sudden　this　beautiful　lady　she　died；　And；　though　he　was　in　the　possession　of　all；　Yet　tears　from　his　eyes　in　abundance　did　fall。

As　he　was　expressing　his　piteous　moan；　Fair　Ruth　came　unto　him；　and　made　herself　known；　He　started　to　see　her；　but　seemed　not　coy；　Said　he；　'Now　my　sorrows　are　mingled　with　joy！'

The　time　of　the　mourning　he　kept　it　in　Spain；　And　then　he　came　back　to　old　England　again；　With　thousands；　and　thousands；　which　he　did　possess；　Then　glorious　and　gay　was　sweet　Ruth　in　her　dress。

PART　IV。

When　over　the　seas　to　fair　Sandwich　he　came；　With　Ruth；　and　a　number　of　persons　of　fame；　Then　all　did　appear　most　splendid　and　gay；　As　if　it　had　been　a　great　festival　day。

Now；　when　that　they　took　up　their　lodgings；　behold！　He　stripped　off　his　coat　of　embroidered　gold；　And　presently　borrows　a　mariner's　suit；　That　he　with　her　parents　might　have　some　dispute；

Before　they　were　sensible　he　was　so　great；　And　when　he　came　in　and　knocked　at　the　gate；　He　soon　saw　her　father；　and　mother　likewise；　Expressing　their　sorrow　with　tears　in　their　eyes；

To　them；　with　obeisance；　he　modestly　said；　'Pray　where　is　my　jewel；　that　innocent　maid；　Whose　sweet　lovely　beauty　doth　thousands　excel？　I　fear；　by　your　weeping；　that　all　is　not　well！'

'No；　no！　she　is　gone；　she　is　utterly　lost；　We　have　not　heard　of　her　a　twelvemonth　at　most！　Which　makes　us　distracted　with　sorrow　and　care；　And　drowns　us　in　tears　at　the　point　of　despair。'

'I'm　grieved　to　hear　these　sad　tidings；'　he　cried。　'Alas！　honest　young　man；'　her　father　replied；　'I　heartily　wish　she'd　been　wedded　to　you；　For　then　we　this　sorrow　had　never　gone　through。'

Sweet　Henry　he　made　them　this　answer　again；　'I　am　newly　come　home　from　the　kingdom　of　Spain；　From　whence　I　have　brought　me　a　beautiful　bride；　And　am　to　be　married　to…morrow；'　he　cried；

'And　if　you　will　go　to　my　wedding；'　said　he；　'Both　you　and　your　lady　right　welcome　shall　be。'　They　promised　they　would；　and　accordingly　came；　Not　thinking　to　meet　with　such　persons　of　fame。

All　decked　with　their　jewels　of　rubies　and　pearls；　As　equal　companions　of　lords　and　of　earls；　Fair　Ruth；　with　her　love；　was　as　gay　as　the　rest；　So　they　in　their　marriage　were　happily　blessed。

Now；　as　they　returned　from　the　church　to　an　inn；　The　father　and　mother　of　Ruth　did　begin　Their　daughter　to　know；　by　a　mole　they　behold；　Although　she　was　clothed　in　a　garment　of　gold。

With　transports　of　joy　they　flew　to　the　bride；　'O！　where　hast　thou　been；　sweetest　daughter？'　they　cried；　'Thy　tedious　absence　has　grieved　us　sore；　As　fearing；　alas！　we　should　see　thee　no　more。'

'Dear　parents；'　said　she；　'many　hazards　I　run；　To　fetch　home　my　love；　and　your　dutiful　son；　Receive　him　with　joy；　for　'tis　very　well　known；　He　seeks　not　your　wealth；　he's　enough　of　his　own。'

Her　father　replied；　and　he　merrily　smiled；　'He's　brought　home　enough；　as　he's　brought　home　my　child；　A　thousand　times　welcome　you　are；　I　declare；　Whose　presence　disperses　both　sorrow　and　care。'

Full　seven　long　days　in　feasting　they　spent；　The　bells　in　the　steeple　they　merrily　went；　And　many　fair　pounds　were　bestowed　on　the　poor；　…　The　like　of　this　wedding　was　never　before！



Ballad：　THE　BERKSHIRE　LADY'S　GARLAND。　IN　FOUR　PARTS。　To　the　tune　of　THE　ROYAL　FORESTER。



＇WHEN　we　first　met　with　this　very　pleasing　English　ballad；　we　　deemed　the　story　to　be　wholly　fictitious；　but　'strange'　as　the　　'relation'　may　appear；　the　incidents　narrated　are　'true'　or　at　　least　founded　on　fact。　　The　scene　of　the　ballad　is　Whitley　Park；　　near　Reading；　in　Berkshire；　and　not；　as　some　suppose；　Calcot　House；　　which　was　not　built　till　1759。　　Whitley　is　mentioned　as　'the　　Abbot's　Park；　being　at　the　entrance　of　Redding　town。'　　At　the　　Dissolution　the　estate　passed　to　the　crown；　and　the　mansion　seems；　　from　time　to　time；　to　have　been　used　as　a　royal　'palace'　till　the　　reign　of　Elizabeth；　by　whom　it　was　granted；　along　with　the　estate；　　to　Sir　Francis　Knollys；　it　was　afterwards；　by　purchase；　the　　property　of　the　Kendricks；　an　ancient　race；　descended　from　the　　Saxon　kings。　　William　Kendrick；　of　Whitley；　armr。　was　created　a　　baronet　in　1679；　and　died　in　1685；　leaving　issue　one　son；　Sir　　William　Kendrick；　of　Whitley；　Bart。；　who　married　Miss　Mary　House；　　of　Reading；　and　died　in　1699；　without　issue　male；　leaving　an　only　　daughter。　　It　was　this　rich　heiress；　who　possessed　'store　of　wealth