To the Devil that pricks on such pestilent carles! Hold by the right, you double your might; II. GIVE A ROUSE King Charles, and who 'll do him right now! Who gave me the goods that went since! King Charles, and who 's ripe for fight Give a rouse: here 's, in hell's despite now, King Charles! To whom used my boy George quaff else, King Charles, and who 's ripe for fight Give a rouse: here 's, in hell's despite III. BOOT AND SADDLE Boot, saddle, to horse and away! Then, God for King Charles! Pym and his Many's the friend there, will listen and pray snarls 1 impressing, enlisting 2 parleys, debates 3 may it serve These songs are meant to portray the spirit of the adherents of Charles I., and their hatred of the Puritans, or Roundheads. The Byngs "God's luck to gallants that strike up the layCHO.-Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!'' Forty miles off, like a roebuck at bay, Flouts Castle Brancepeth the Roundheads' ar ray: of Kent are famous in the annals of British Who laughs, "Good fellows ere this, by my warfare. Pym, a leader of the Long Parliament, Hazelrig (or Hesilrige), Fiennes (Lord Say), and Sir Henry Vane the Younger, were fay, all important figures in the rebellion against 4 Oliver's (i. e., Cromwell's) Charles. Prince Rupert was a nephew of The standard of Charles was raised there in Charles, and a celebrated cavalry leader. 1642, marking the beginning of the Civil War. 600 To see your flag-bird flap his vans Where I, to heart's desire, A heart-how shall I say?-too soon made glad. speech, 30 Or blush, at least. She thanked men,-good! but thanked Somehow I know not how-as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name Perched him!'' The chief's eye flashed; his In speech-(which I have not)-to make your plans Soared up again like fire. The chief's eye flashed; but presently Softened itself, as sheathes A film the mother-eagle's eye When her bruised eaglet breathes; 32 "You're wounded!" "Nay," the soldier's pride Touched to the quick, he said: "I'm killed, Sire!': And, his chief beside, Smiling the boy fell dead. 40 5 In Bavaria; stormed by Napoleon in 1809. The A Duke of Ferrara stands before a portrait of his deceased Duchess, talking coolly with the envoy of a Count whose daughter he seeks to marry. The poem is a study in the heartless jealousy of supreme selfishness. nature of the commands (line 45) which such a man might give, living at the time of the Italian Renaissance, may be left to the imagiThe artists nation, as Browning leaves it. mentioned (lines 3, 56) are imaginary. On the monologue form, see Eng. Lit., p. 301. In this my singing. And leave but ashes: so, sweet mage, He sings Past we glide, and past, and past! Past we glide, and past, and past! Like a beacon to the blast? Guests by hurdreds, not one caring For the stars help me, and the sea bears part; If the dear host's neck were wried: The very night is clinging Closer to Venice' streets to leave one space Above me, whence thy face Past we glide! She sings May light my joyous heart to thee its dwelling The moth's kiss, first! place. Kiss me as if you made believe 10 You brush it, till I grow aware My very words, as if each word . Unless you call me, all the same, 20 30 40 50 60 And carry thee, farther than friends can pursue, Written for a picture, "The Serenade," by Daniel Say again, what we are? The sprite of a star, I lure thee above where the destinies bar My plumes their full play Till a ruddier ray She replies, musing Dip your arm o'er the boat-side, elbow-deep, Than my pale one announce there is withering Or poison doubtless; but from water-feel! Go find the bottom! Would you stay me? There! 120 Now pluck a great blade of that ribbon-grass I flung away: since you have praised my hair, He speaks Row home? must we row home? Too surely Over the Giudecca2 piled; Lie back; could thought of mine improve you? And formal lines without a curve, From this shoulder let there spring 90 100 In the same child's playing-face? I scarce could breathe to see you reach To catch him ere he climbed too high That quick the round smooth cord of gold, As if the wounded lotus-blossoms 110 Stay longer yet, for others' sake 1 A long sandy bar lying off Venice. There is a Jewish cemetery there. Than mine! What should your chamber do? Who brought against their will together 130 140 150 161 These objects, and, while day lasts, weave And while such murmurs flow, the nymph And how your statues' hearts must swell! To that prim saint by Haste-thee-Luke! She speaks To-morrow, if a harp-string, say, Your gondola-let Zorzi wreathe A mesh of water-weeds about Its prow, as if he unaware Had struck some quay or bridge-foot stair! That I may throw a paper out As you and he go underneath. Resume your past self of a month ago! Be you the bashful gallant, I will be The lady with the colder breast than snow. Now bow you, as becomes, nor touch my hand 170 More than I touch yours when I step to land, And say, "All thanks, Siora!"— 222 Heart to heart And lips to lips! Yet once more, ere we part, Clasp me and make me thine, as mine thou art! [He is surprised, and stabbed.] It was ordained to be so, sweet!-and best 180 My blood will hurt! The Three, I do not scorn To death, because they never lived: but I 230 Have lived indeed, and so- (yet one more kiss) -can die! 190 200 210 There's Zanze's vigilant taper; safe are we. Only one minute more to-night with me? 4 Supply "which" before "his". At last the people in a body 20 To the Town Hall came flocking: *This poem was written by Browning to amuse the little son of the actor, William Macready, and furnish him a subject for drawings. The legend is an old one. John Fiske is disposed to identify it with various myths: "Goethe's Erlking is none other than the Piper of Hamelin. And the piper, in turn, is the classic Hermes or Orpheus. His wonderful pipe is the horn of Oberon, the lyre of Apollo (who, like the piper, was a rat-killer), the harp stolen by Jack when he climbed the bean-stalk to the ogre's castle." |