THE LORD OF BURLEIGH. In her ear he whispers gayly, VOL. II. "If my heart by signs can tell, Maiden, I have watched thee daily, And I think thou lov'st me well." She replies, in accents fainter, "There is none I love like thee." He is but a landscape-painter, Leads her to the village altar, And they leave her father's roof. Love will make our cottage pleasant, 9 They by parks and lodges going Made a murmur in the land. From deep thought himself he rouses, On that cottage growing nearer, Where they twain will spend their days. O but she will love him truly! He shall have a cheerful home; She will order all things duly, When beneath his roof they come. Thus her heart rejoices greatly, And beneath the gate she turns; Than all those she saw before; And, while now she wonders blindly, Not a lord in all the county All at once the color flushes Her sweet face from brow to chin: As it were with shame she blushes, And her spirit changed within. Then her countenance all over Pale again as death did prove: But he clasped her like a lover, And he cheered her soul with love. So she strove against her weakness, Though at times her spirit sank: Shaped her heart with woman's meekness To all duties of her rank: And a gentle consort made he, And her gentle mind was such That she grew a noble lady, And the people loved her much. But a trouble weighed upon her, And perplexed her, night and morn, With the burthen of an honor Unto which she was not born. Faint she grew, and ever fainter, Three fair children first she bore him, Then before her time she died. Weeping, weeping late and early, Walking up and pacing down, Deeply mourned the Lord of Burleigh, Burleigh-house by Stamford town. And he came to look upon her, And he looked at her and said, Bring the dress, and put it on her, That she wore when she was wed." Then her people, softly treading, Bore to earth her body, drest In the dress that she was wed in, That her spirit might have rest. |