CLVIII. THOMAS LOVE PEACOCK, 1785-1866. THE FRIAR'S SONG. HOUGH I be now a gray, gray friar, THOU Yet I was once a hale young knight: Little I recked of matin bell, But drowned its toll with my clanging horn: And the only beads I loved to tell Were the beads of dew on the spangled thorn. An archer keen I was withal, As ever did lean on greenwood tree; And could make the fleetest roebuck fall, A good three hundred yards from me. Though changeful time, with hand severe, CLIX. THE WAR-SONG OF DINAS VAWR. THE mountain sheep are sweeter, But the valley sheep are fatter; We therefore deemed it meeter To carry off the latter. We made an expedition ; We met an host and quelled it ; We forced a strong position, And killed the men who held it. On Dyfed's richest valley, Where herds of kine were browsing, To furnish our carousing. Fierce warriors rushed to meet us; We met them, and o'erthrew them : They struggled hard to beat us, But we conquered them, and slew them. As we drove our prize at leisure, He fled to his hall-pillars; And, ere our force we led off, Some sacked his house and cellars, While others cut his head off. We there, in strife bewildering, We brought away from battle, And much their land bemoaned them, Two thousand head of cattle, And the head of him who owned them: Ednyfed, King of Dyfed, His head was borne before us; His wine and beasts supplied our feasts, And his overthrow, our chorus. CLX. EYOND the sea, beyond the sea, BE My heart is gone, far, far from me; And ever on its track will flee My thoughts, my dreams, beyond the sea. Beyond the sea, beyond the sea, Beyond the sea, beyond the sea, CLXI. LADY CLARINDA'S SONG. N the days of old, IN Lovers felt true passion, Deeming years of sorrow Now the charms of gold, Through the forests wild, If the damsel smiled All their wanderings dreary Ample guerdon knew. Now one day's caprice Weighs down years of smiling, Love is bought and sold: |