Now all ye lovers, that faithful prove, (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,) Pray for their souls who died for love, For Love shall still be lord of all! XIII. As ended Albert's simple lay, Arose a bard of loftier port; For sonnet, rhyme, and roundelay, The gentle Surrey loved his lyre Who has not heard of Surrey's fame ? His was the hero's soul of fire, And his the bard's immortal name, And his was love, exalted high By all the glow of chivalry. XIV. They sought, together, climes afar, And oft, within some olive grove, When evening came, with twinkling star, They sung of Surrey's absent love. His step the Italian peasant staid, And deemed, that spirits from on high, Round where some hermit saint was laid, So sweet did harp and voice combine, XV. Fitztraver! O what tongue may say Regardless of the tyrant's frown, His harp called wrath and vengeance down. He left, for Naworth's iron towers, Windsor's green glades, and courtly bowers, And, faithful to his patron's name, With Howard still Fitztraver came; Lord William's foremost favourite he, XVI. Fitztraber. 'Twas All-soul's eve, and Surrey's heart beat high; He heard the midnight-bell with anxious start, Which told the mystic hour, approaching nigh, When wise Cornelius promised, by his art, To shew to him the ladye of his heart, Albeit betwixt them roared the ocean grim; Yet so the sage had hight to play his part, That he should see her form in life and limb, And mark, if still she loved, and still she thought of him. XVII. Dark was the vaulted room of gramarye, To which the wizard led the gallant Knight, Save that before a mirror, huge and high, A hallowed taper shed a glimmering light On mystic implements of magic might; On cross, and character, and talisman, And almagest, and altar, nothing bright; For fitful was the lustre, pale and wan, As watch-light by the bed of some departing man. XVIII. But soon, within that mirror huge and high, Placed by a couch of Agra's silken loom, And part by moonshine pale, and part was hid in gloom. XIX. Fair all the pageant-but how passing fair The slender form, which lay on couch of Ind! O'er her white bosom strayed her hazel hair, Pale her dear cheek, as if for love she pined; All in her night-robe loose she lay reclined, And, pensive, read from tablet eburnine Some strain, that seemed her inmost soul to find :That favoured strain was Surrey's raptured line, That fair and lovely form, the Lady Geraldine. XX. Slow rolled the clouds upon the lovely form, And swept the goodly vision all away So royal envy rolled the murky storm O'er my beloved Master's glorious day. Thou jealous, ruthless tyrant! Heaven repay On thee, and on thy children's latest line, The wild caprice of thy despotic sway, The gory bridal bed, the plundered shrine, The murdered Surrey's blood, the tears of Geraldine! |