THE KINGDOM Now we are come to our Kingdom, Our legions wait at the Palace gate — Now we are come to our Kingdom! Now we are come to our Kingdom, And the Crown is ours to take With a naked sword at the Council board, Now we are come to our Kingdom, With shame and fear for our daily cheer, And heaviness at night, Now we are come to our Kingdom! Now we are come to our Kingdom, But my love's eyelids fall. All that I wrought for, all that I fought for, Delight her nothing at all. My crown is of withered leaves, For she sits in the dust and grieves, Now we are come to our Kingdom! TARRANT MOSS I closed and drew for my love's sake That now is false to me, And I slew the Reiver of Tarrant Moss And set Dumeny free. They have gone down, they have gone down, They are standing all arow Twenty knights in the peat-water, That never struck a blow! Their armour shall not dull nor rust, Their flesh shall not decay, For Tarrant Moss holds them in trust, Until the Judgment Day. Their soul went from them in their youth, Ah God, that mine had gone, Whenas I leaned on my love's truth Whenas I leaned on lad's belief And not on my naked blade And I slew a thief, and an honest thief, They have laid the Reiver low in his place, But the twenty knights in the peat-water And ever they give me gold and praise And ever I mourn my loss For I struck the blow for my false love's sake And not for the Men of the Moss! SIR RICHARD'S SONG (A. D. 1066) I followed my Duke ere I was a lover, I had my horse, my shield and banner, And a boy's heart, so whole and free; But now I sing in another mannerBut now England hath taken me! As for my Father in his tower, As for my Mother in her bower, That rules my Father so cunningly, She will remember a maiden's power Tell her England hath taken me! |