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SONGS FOR GIRLHOOD. |
119 |
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" For evil news from Mablethorpe
Of pyrate galleys warping down ; For shippes ashore beyond the scorpe,
They have not spared to wake the towne. But while the west bin red to see, And storms be none, and pyrates flee, Why ring ' The Brides of Euderby V "
I looked without, and lo! iny sonne
Came ridiug downe with might and main.
He raised a shout as he drew on, Till ail the welkin rang again,
" Elizabeth ! Elizabeth !"
(A sweeter woman ne'er drew breath
Than my Sonne's wife, Elizabeth.)
The olde sea-wall," he cried, " is downe ;
The risiug tide comes on apace; And boats adrift in yonder towne
Go sailing uppe the market-place." He shook as one that looks on death : " God save you, mother!" straight he saith ; " Where is my wife, Elizabeth ?"
" Good sonne, where Lindis winds away, With her two bairns I marked her long;
And ere you bells begaune to play Afar I heard her milking-song."
He looked across the grassy sea,
To right, to left. " Ho, Enderby !"
They rang "The Brides of Enderby!"
With that he cried and beat his breast;
For, lo! along the river's bed A mighty eygre reared his crest,
And uppe the Liudis raging sped, It swept with thunderous noises loud; Shaped like a curling snow-white cloud, Or like a demon in a shroud.
And rearing Lindis backward pressed,
I Shook all her trembling bankes amaine ;
Then madly at the eygre breast
Flung uppe her weltering walls again. Then baukes came down with ruin and
rout; Then beaten foam flew round about; Then all the mighty floods were out.
So farre, so fast the eygre drave, The heart had hardly time to beat
Before a shallow seething wave
Sobbed in the grasses at oure feet: |
The feet had hardly time to flee Before it brake against the knee, And all the world was in the sea.
Upon the roofe we sat that night,
The noise of bells went sweeping by:
I marked the lofty beacon-light
Stream from the church - tower, red and high�
A lurid mark, and dread to see;
And awsome bells they were to mee,
That in the dark rang " Enderby."
They rang the sailor lads to guide
From roofe to roofe who fearless rowed;
And I�my souue was at my side, And yet the ruddy beacon glowed :
And yet he moaned beneath his breath,
" Oh, come in life, or come in death!
Oh, lost! my love, Elizabeth !"
And didst thou visit him no more ?
Thou didst, thou didst, my daughter deare, The waters laid thee at his doore,
Ere yet the early .dawn was cleare. Thy pretty bairns in fast embrace, The lifted sun shone on thy face, Downe drifted to thy dwelling-place.
That flow strewed wrecks about the grass, That ebbe swept out the flocks to sea;
A fatal ebbe and flow, alas!
To manye more than myne and mee :
But each will mourn his own (she saith);
And sweeter woman ne'er drew breath
Than my sojne's wife, Elizabeth.
I shall never hear her more
By the reedy Lindis shore,
" Cusha, cusha, cusha !" calling,
Ere the early dews be falling;
I shall never hear her song,
" Cnsha ! cusha !" along
Where the sunny Liudis floweth,
Goeth, floweth ; From the meads where melick groweth, When the water, winding down, Onward floweth to the town.
I shall never see her more
Where the reeds and rushes quiver,
Shiver, quiver; Stand beside the sobbing river, |
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