Book of Old English Ballads | Page 9

day?With diligence and love;?That sweet content and quietness?Discomforts may remove."
"In doing so, you glad my soul,"?The aged king reply'd;?"But what sayst thou, my youngest girl,?How is thy love ally'd?"?"My love" (quoth young Cordelia then),?"Which to your grace I owe,?Shall be the duty of a child,?And that is all I'll show."
"And wilt thou shew no more," quoth he,?"Than doth thy duty bind??I well perceive thy love is small,?When as no more I find.?Henceforth I banish thee my court;?Thou art no child of mine;?Nor any part of this my realm?By favour shall be thine.
"Thy elder sisters' loves are more?Than well I can demand;?To whom I equally bestow?My kingdome and my land,?My pompal state and all my goods,?That lovingly I may?With those thy sisters be maintain'd?Until my dying day."
Thus flattering speeches won renown,?By these two sisters here;?The third had causeless banishment,?Yet was her love more dear.?For poor Cordelia patiently?Went wandring up and down,?Unhelp'd, unpity'd, gentle maid,?Through many an English town:
Untill at last in famous France?She gentler fortunes found;?Though poor and bare, yet she was deem'd?The fairest on the ground:?Where when the king her virtues heard,?And this fair lady seen,?With full consent of all his court?He made his wife and queen.
Her father, old King Leir, this while?With his two daughters staid;?Forgetful of their promis'd loves,?Full soon the same decay'd;?And living in Queen Ragan's court,?The eldest of the twain,?She took from him his chiefest means,?And most of all his train.
For whereas twenty men were wont?To wait with bended knee,?She gave allowance but to ten,?And after scarce to three,?Nay, one she thought too much for him;?So took she all away,?In hope that in her court, good king,?He would no longer stay.
"Am I rewarded thus," quoth he,?"In giving all I have?Unto my children, and to beg?For what I lately gave??I'll go unto my Gonorell:?My second child, I know,?Will be more kind and pitiful,?And will relieve my woe."
Full fast he hies then to her court;?Where when she heard his moan,?Return'd him answer, that she griev'd?That all his means were gone,?But no way could relieve his wants;?Yet if that he would stay?Within her kitchen, he should have?What scullions gave away.
When he had heard, with bitter tears,?He made his answer then;?"In what I did, let me be made?Example to all men.?I will return again," quoth he,?"Unto my Ragan's court;?She will not use me thus, I hope,?But in a kinder sort."
Where when he came, she gave command?To drive him thence away:?When he was well within her court,?(She said) he would not stay.?Then back again to Gonorel?The woeful king did hie,?That in her kitchen he might have?What scullion boys set by.
But there of that he was deny'd?Which she had promis'd late?For once refusing, he should not,?Come after to her gate.?Thus twixt his daughters for relief?He wandred up and down,?Being glad to feed on beggars' food?That lately wore a crown.
And calling to remembrance then?His youngest daughters words,?That said, the duty of a child?Was all that love affords--?But doubting to repair to her,?Whom he had ban'sh'd so,?Grew frantic mad; for in his mind?He bore the wounds of woe.
Which made him rend his milk-white locks?And tresses from his head,?And all with blood bestain his cheeks,?With age and honour spread.?To hills and woods and watry founts,?He made his hourly moan,?Till hills and woods and senseless things?Did seem to sigh and groan.
Even thus possest with discontents,?He passed o'er to France,?In hopes from fair Cordelia there?To find some gentler chance.?Most virtuous dame! which, when she heard?Of this her father's grief,?As duty bound, she quickly sent?Him comfort and relief.
And by a train of noble peers,?In brave and gallant sort,?She gave in charge he should be brought?To Aganippus' court;?Whose royal king, with noble mind,?So freely gave consent?To muster up his knights at arms,?To fame and courage bent.
And so to England came with speed,?To repossesse King Leir,?And drive his daughters from their thrones?By his Cordelia dear.?Where she, true-hearted, noble queen,?Was in the battel stain;?Yet he, good king, in his old days,?Possest his crown again.
But when he heard Cordelia's death,?Who died indeed for love?Of her dear father, in whose cause?She did this battle move,?He swooning fell upon her breast,?From whence he never parted;?But on her bosom left his life?That was so truly hearted.
The lords and nobles, when they saw?The end of these events,?The other sisters unto death?They doomed by consents;?And being dead, their crowns they left?Unto the next of kin:?Thus have you seen the fall of pride,?And disobedient sin.
Fair Rosamond
When as King Henry rulde this land,?The second of that name,?Besides the queene, he dearly lovde?A faire and comely dame.
Most peerlesse was her beautye founde,?Her favour, and her face;?A sweeter creature in this worlde?Could never prince embrace.
Her crisped lockes like threads of golde,?Appeard to each man's sight;?Her sparkling eyes, like Orient pearles,?Did cast a heavenlye light.
The blood within her crystal cheekes?Did such a colour drive,?As though the lillye and the rose?For mastership did