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Not such the usage I received,

When happye in my father's halle;
No faithlesse husbande then me grieved;
No chilling fears did me appalle.

I rose up

with the cheerful morne,

No lark more blithe, no flower more gaye; And, like the bird that hauntes the thorne, So merrillie sung the live-long daye.

Say that my beautye is but smalle,
Among court ladies all despised,

Why didst thou rend it from that halle,
Where (scornful earle,) it well was prizede ?

And when

you first to mee made suite,

How fayre I was, you oft woulde saye ! And, proude of conquest-plucked the fruite, Then lefte the blossom to decaye.

Yes, now neglected and despised,
The rose is pale-the lily's deade-
But hee that once their charms so prized,
Is sure the cause those charms are fledde.

For knowe, when sickening griefe doth preye, And tender love's repay'd with scorne,

The sweetest beautye will decaye;
What flow'ret can endure the storme?

At Court I'm tolde is beautye's throne,
Where everye lady's passing rare:
The eastern flowers, that shame the sun,
Are not so glowing not so fair.

Then, earle, why didst thou leave those bedds, Where roses and where lilys vie,

To seek a primrose, whose pale shades

Must sicken when those gaudes are bye?

'Mong rural beauties I was one,

Among the fields wild flowers are faire; Some countrye swayne might mee have won, And thoughte my beautie passing rare.

But, Leicester, (or I much am wronge,)
Or 'tis not beautye fires thy vowes;
Rather ambition's gilded crowne

Makes thee forget thy humble spouse.

Then, Leicester, why, again I pleade,
(The injured surelie may repyne,)
Why didst thou wed a countrye maide,

When some fair princesse might be thyne?

Why didst thou praise my humble charmes,
And, oh! then leave them to decaye?
Why didst thou win me to thy armes,

Then leave me to mourne the live-long daye?

The village maidens of the plaine
Salute me lowly as I goe;

Envious, they marke my silken trayne,
Nor think a countesse can have woe.

The simple nymphs! they little knowe,
How far more happy's their estate,
To smile for joye-than sigh for woe,----
To be contente, than to be greate.

How fare lesse bleste am I than them?
Dailye to pyne and waste with care!
Like the poor plante, that from its stem
Divided-feels the chilling ayre?

Nor (cruel earle !) can I enjoye

The humble charms of solitude;
Your minions proude my peace destroye,
By sullen frownes, or pratings rude.

Laste nyghte, as sad I chanced to straye,
The village deathe-belle smote my eare,
They winked asyde, and seemed to saye,
Countesse, prepare-thy end is neare.

And now, when happye peasantes sleepe,
Here sit I lonely and forlorne,
No one to soothe me as I weepe,
Save Phylomel on yonder thorne.

My spirits flag-my hopes decaye-
Still that dread deathe-belle strikes my eare,

And many a boding seems to saye,
Countesse, prepare-thy end is neare.'

Thus sore and sad that ladye grieved,
In Cumnor Halle so lone and dreare;
Full manye a heartfelte sighe shee heaved,
And let falle many a bitter teare.

And ere the dawne of day appeared,
In Cumnor Hall so long and dreare,
Full

manye a piercing screame was hearde,
And many a cry of mortal feare.

The deathe-belle thrice was hearde to ring,
An aërial voyce was hearde to call,
And thrice the raven flapped his wing

Arounde the towers of Cumnor Halle.

The mastiffe howled at village doore,
The oaks were shattered on the greene;
Woe was the houre-for never more

That haplesse countesse e'er was seene.

And in that manor now no more

Is chearful feaste and sprightly balle; For ever since that drearie houre

Have spirits haunted Cumnor Halle.

The village maides, with fearful glance, Avoid the antient moss-growne walle; Nor ever leade the merrye dance Among the groves of Cumnor Halle.

Full manye a traveller oft hath sighed, And pensive wepte the countess' falle, As wandering onward they've espied

The haunted towers of Cumnor Halle.

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