And silently he strove With the workings of his breast; But there's more in late repentant love Than steel may keep suppress'd! And his tears brake forth, at last, like rain,— For his face was seen by his warrior-train, He look'd upon the dead, And sorrow seem'd to lie, A weight of sorrow, even like lead, He stoop'd-and kiss'd the frozen cheek, Till bursting words-yet all too weak- “Oh, father! is it vain, This late remorse and deep? Speak to me, father! once again, I weep-behold, I weep! Alas! my guilty pride and ire! Were but this work undone, I would give England's crown, my sire! "Speak to me! mighty grief Hush'd, hush'd-how is it that I call, And that thou answerest not? When was it thus, woe, woe for all The love my soul forgot! "Thy silver hairs I see, "Thou wert the noblest king, And thou didst wear in knightly ring, And thou didst prove, where spears are proved, Oh! ever the renown'd and loved Thou wert-and there thou art! "Thou that my boyhood's guide Didst take fond joy to be!The times I've sported at thy side, And climb'd thy parent knee! And there before the blessed shrine, My sire! I see thee lie, How will that sad still face of thine Look on me till I die!" THE VASSAL'S LAMENT FOR THE FALLEN TREE. "Here (at Brereton in Cheshire) is one thing incredibly strange, but attested, as I myself have heard, by many persons, and commonly believed. Before any heir of this family dies, there are seen, in a lake adjoining, the bodies of trees swimming on the water for several days.” - CAMDEN's Britannia. YES! I have seen the ancient oak On the dark deep water cast, And it was not fell'd by the woodman's stroke, For the axe might never touch that tree, I saw it fall, as falls a chief By an arrow in the fight, And the old woods shook, to their loftiest leaf, And the startled deer to their coverts drew, 'Tis fallen! but think thou not I weep But by that sign too well I know, A youthful head, with its shining hair But on his brow the mark is set Oh! could my life redeem him yet! He bounded by me as I gazed Alone on the fatal sign, And it seem'd like sunshine when he raised His joyous glance to mine! With a stag's fleet step he bounded by, So full of life-but he must die! He must, he must! in that deep dell, 'Tis known that ne'er a proud tree fell And he there's laughter in his eye, I've borne him in these arms, that now Are nerveless and unstrung; And must I see, on that fair brow, I must!-yon green oak, branch and crest, The noble boy!-how proudly sprung It seem'd like youth to see him young, But the hour of the knell and the dirge is nigh, For the tree hath fall'n, and the flower must die. Say not 'tis vain!-I tell thee, some THE WILD HUNTSMAN. It is a popular belief in the Odenwald, that the passing of the Wild Huntsman announces the approach of war. He is supposed to issue with his train from the ruined castle of Rodenstein, and traverse the air to the opposite castle of Schnellerts. It is confidently asserted, that the sound of his phantom horses and hounds was heard by the Duke of Baden before the commencement of the last war in Germany. THY rest was deep at the slumberer's hour, Of the savage horn from the mountain tower, The stag sprung up from his mossy bed |