For much that lady was in love

With the gallant Red-cross Knight;
And ere many a day, with this knight so gay,

Had hoped her troth to plight.

Oh! then bespake these ladies gay,

As they stood clad in pall : “ Oh! we'll devise how to make this knight

Stay in the castle hall.”
“ Now that's well said, my ladies dear;

And if he'll stay with me,
Then the mass shall be sung, and the bells be rung,

And we'll feast right merrily!”

Then softly spake those ladies fair,

Low whispering at the wall:
“ Oh, we've devised how to keep the knight

In thy fair castle hall :
Now, lady, command the warder blithe,

To come from yon tower high,
With tidings to say to inveigle away

Yon wily pilgrim-boy!"

“ Go, run! go, run! my foot-page dear,

To the warder take thy way,
And one of my ladies shall go with thee,

To tell thee what to say:
And now, if we can but compel the knight

To stay in the castle with me,
Then the mass shall be sung, and the bells shall be rung,

And we 'll all feast merrily.”

The warder came, and blew his horn,

And thus aloud did cry: “ Ho! is there a pilgrim in the hall,

Come from the North country?

M

For there's a foot-page waits without,

To speak with him alone.”
Thus the warder did call, till out of the hall

The pilgrim-boy is gone.

Meanwhile bespake the ladies gay,

As they stood clad in pall,
“ Right glad, brave knight, we welcome thee

Unto our castle hall.”
But the knight he heeded not their talk,

Although they cried with glee,
“ Let the mass be sung, and the bells be rung,

And feast thee merrily!"

“ But where's the pilgrim-boy (he cried),

To shew me my lady's grave ?”
That he should be sought for throughout the place,

The knight full oft did crave.
Then loud replied the ladies gay,

“ Now foul that knave befall; For lucre he hath beguiled thee,

And now hath fled the hall.

“And now, Sir Knight, do not give heed

To what he said to thee,
But send a page to the North country,

That lady fair to see ;
And, while he's gone to comfort her,

0, thou shalt share our glee ;
While the mass is sung, and the bells are rung,

And the feast eat merrily !".

But while those ladies, blithe and gay,

Attuned their lutes to joy,
The knight was sad, and searched around,

To find the pilgrim-boy:

He searched the castle hall about,

Through every turn and wind; But all in vain his toil and pain,

The pilgrim-boy to find.

In vain the lord's fair daughter sent

Her messengers to call
The knight; he would not heed their words,

Nor enter the castle hall.
In vain the wanton ladies sung,

And clamorous warders cry,-
“ Let the mass be sung, and the bells be rung,

And the feast eat merrily !"

0, then bespake those ladies gay,

As they stood clad in pall, “ Weep not, weep not, dear lady,

Though he'll not enter the hall;
But send the warder from the tower,

To bring the pilgrim-boy,
Whom we'll persuade to lend his aid,

This proud knight to decoy.

“ We 'll make that boy, on pain of death,

The Red-cross Knight deceive :
So that no more on his account

The fair young Knight shall grieve;
And then we 'll keep the Red-cross Knight,

To bear us company;
And the mass shall be sung, and the bells shall be rung,

And we will feast merrily!"

THE RED-CROSS KNIGHT.

PART III

And now ’t was night, all dark and drear,

And cold, cold blew the wind,
While the Red-cross Knight sought all about,

The pilgrim-boy to find.
And still he wept, and still he sighed,

As he mourned his lady dear! -
And where's the feast; and where's the guest,

Thy bridal bed to cheer?

Again he sighed; and wept forlorn,

For his lady that was dead !Lady, how sad thy wedding-tide!

How cold thy bridal bed! Thus the Red-cross Knight roamed sore and sad,

While all around did cry,— “ Let the minstrels sing, and the bells 'yring,

And the feast be eat merrily!”

And now the gentle moon around

Her silver lustre shed,
Brightened each ancient wall and tower,

And distant mountain's head;

By whose sweet light the knight perceived,

(A sight which gave him joy!) From a dungeon dread, the warder led,

The faithful pilgrim-boy!

In vain the warder strove to hide

The pilgrim-boy from him :
The knight he ran and clasped the youth,

In spite of the warder grim.
The warder, though wrath, his banner waved;

And still aloud did cry, “ Let the minstrels sing, and the bells 'yring,

And the feast eat merrily."

“ I'm glad I've found thee, pilgrim-boy!

And thou shalt go with me;
And thou shalt lead to my lady's grave,

And great thy reward shall be."
The affrighted pilgrim wrung his hands,

And shed full many a tear:--
“ Her grave," he cried, and mournful sighed,

“ I dread's --- not far from here!"

The knight he led the pilgrim-boy

Into the castle hall,
Where sat the lord, and his daughter fair,

And the ladies clad in pall.
“ I go! (he cried), with the pilgrim-boy,

So think no more of me; But let your minstrels sing, and your bells all ring,

And feast ye merrily!”.

Up then arose the lord's daughter,

And called to the pilgrim-boy“ Oh! come to me! for I 've that to say

Will give to thee much joy.”