ancient poems-第15节

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Now；　as　they　returned　from　the　church　to　an　inn；　The　father　and　mother　of　Ruth　did　begin　Their　daughter　to　know；　by　a　mole　they　behold；　Although　she　was　clothed　in　a　garment　of　gold。

With　transports　of　joy　they　flew　to　the　bride；　'O！　where　hast　thou　been；　sweetest　daughter？'　they　cried；　'Thy　tedious　absence　has　grieved　us　sore；　As　fearing；　alas！　we　should　see　thee　no　more。'

'Dear　parents；'　said　she；　'many　hazards　I　run；　To　fetch　home　my　love；　and　your　dutiful　son；　Receive　him　with　joy；　for　'tis　very　well　known；　He　seeks　not　your　wealth；　he's　enough　of　his　own。'

Her　father　replied；　and　he　merrily　smiled；　'He's　brought　home　enough；　as　he's　brought　home　my　child；　A　thousand　times　welcome　you　are；　I　declare；　Whose　presence　disperses　both　sorrow　and　care。'

Full　seven　long　days　in　feasting　they　spent；　The　bells　in　the　steeple　they　merrily　went；　And　many　fair　pounds　were　bestowed　on　the　poor；　…　The　like　of　this　wedding　was　never　before！



Ballad：　THE　BERKSHIRE　LADY'S　GARLAND。　IN　FOUR　PARTS。　To　the　tune　of　THE　ROYAL　FORESTER。



＇WHEN　we　first　met　with　this　very　pleasing　English　ballad；　we　　deemed　the　story　to　be　wholly　fictitious；　but　'strange'　as　the　　'relation'　may　appear；　the　incidents　narrated　are　'true'　or　at　　least　founded　on　fact。　　The　scene　of　the　ballad　is　Whitley　Park；　　near　Reading；　in　Berkshire；　and　not；　as　some　suppose；　Calcot　House；　　which　was　not　built　till　1759。　　Whitley　is　mentioned　as　'the　　Abbot's　Park；　being　at　the　entrance　of　Redding　town。'　　At　the　　Dissolution　the　estate　passed　to　the　crown；　and　the　mansion　seems；　　from　time　to　time；　to　have　been　used　as　a　royal　'palace'　till　the　　reign　of　Elizabeth；　by　whom　it　was　granted；　along　with　the　estate；　　to　Sir　Francis　Knollys；　it　was　afterwards；　by　purchase；　the　　property　of　the　Kendricks；　an　ancient　race；　descended　from　the　　Saxon　kings。　　William　Kendrick；　of　Whitley；　armr。　was　created　a　　baronet　in　1679；　and　died　in　1685；　leaving　issue　one　son；　Sir　　William　Kendrick；　of　Whitley；　Bart。；　who　married　Miss　Mary　House；　　of　Reading；　and　died　in　1699；　without　issue　male；　leaving　an　only　　daughter。　　It　was　this　rich　heiress；　who　possessed　'store　of　wealth　　and　beauty　bright；'　that　is　the　heroine　of　the　ballad。　　She　married　　Benjamin　Child；　Esq。；　a　young　and　handsome；　but　very　poor　attorney　　of　Reading；　and　the　marriage　is　traditionally　reported　to　have　been　　brought　about　exactly　as　related　in　the　ballad。　　We　have　not　been　　able　to　ascertain　the　exact　date　of　the　marriage；　which　was　　celebrated　in　St。　Mary's　Church；　Reading；　the　bride　wearing　a　thick　　veil；　but　the　ceremony　must　have　taken　place　some　time　about　1705。　　　In　1714；　Mr。　Child　was　high　sheriff　of　Berkshire。　　As　he　was　an　　humble　and　obscure　personage　previously　to　his　espousing　the　　heiress　of　Whitley；　and；　in　fact；　owed　all　his　wealth　and　influence　　to　his　marriage；　it　cannot　be　supposed　that　IMMEDIATELY　after　his　　union　he　would　be　elevated　to　so　important　and　dignified　a　post　as　　the　high…shrievalty　of　the　very　aristocratical　county　of　Berks。　　We　　may；　therefore；　consider　nine　or　ten　years　to　have　elapsed　betwixt　　his　marriage　and　his　holding　the　office　of　high　sheriff；　which　he　　filled　when　he　was　about　thirty…two　years　of　age。　　The　author　of　　the　ballad　is　unknown：　supposing　him　to　have　composed　it　shortly　　after　the　events　which　he　records；　we　cannot　be　far　wrong　in　fixing　　its　date　about　1706。　　The　earliest　broadside　we　have　seen　contains　　a　rudely　executed；　but　by　no　means　bad　likeness　of　Queen　Anne；　the　　reigning　monarch　at　that　period。＇


PART　I。

SHOWING　CUPID'S　CONQUEST　OVER　A　COY　LADY　OF　FIVE　THOUSAND　A　YEAR。

BACHELORS　of　every　station；　Mark　this　strange　and　true　relation；　Which　in　brief　to　you　I　bring；　…　Never　was　a　stranger　thing！

You　shall　find　it　worth　the　hearing；　Loyal　love　is　most　endearing；　When　it　takes　the　deepest　root；　Yielding　charms　and　gold　to　boot。

Some　will　wed　for　love　of　treasure；　But　the　sweetest　joy　and　pleasure　Is　in　faithful　love；　you'll　find；　Graced　with　a　noble　mind。

Such　a　noble　disposition　Had　this　lady；　with　submission；　Of　whom　I　this　sonnet　write；　Store　of　wealth；　and　beauty　bright。

She　had　left；　by　a　good　grannum；　Full　five　thousand　pounds　per　annum；　Which　she　held　without　control；　Thus　she　did　in　riches　roll。

Though　she　had　vast　store　of　riches；　Which　some　persons　much　bewitches；　Yet　she　bore　a　virtuous　mind；　Not　the　least　to　pride　inclined。

Many　noble　persons　courted　This　young　lady；　'tis　reported；　But　their　labour　proved　in　vain；　They　could　not　her　favour　gain。

Though　she　made　a　strong　resistance；　Yet　by　Cupid's　true　assistance；　She　was　conquered　after　all；　How　it　was　declare　I　shall。

Being　at　a　noble　wedding；　Near　the　famous　town　of　Redding；　（7）　A　young　gentleman　she　saw；　Who　belonged　to　the　law。

As　she　viewed　his　sweet　behaviour；　Every　courteous　carriage　gave　her　New　addition　to　her　grief；　Forced　she　was　to　seek　relief。

Privately　she　then　enquired　About　him；　so　much　admired；　Both　his　name；　and　where　he　dwelt；　…　Such　was　the　hot　flame　she　felt。

Then；　at　night；　this　youthful　lady　Called　her　coach；　which　being　ready；　Homewards　straight　she　did　return；　But　her　heart　with　flames　did　burn。

PART　II。

SHOWING　THE　LADY'S　LETTER　OF　A　CHALLENGE　TO　FIGHT　HIM　UPON　HIS　　REFUSING　TO　WED　HER　IN　A　MASK；　WITHOUT　KNOWING　WHO　SHE　WAS。

Night　and　morning；　for　a　season；　In　her　closet　would　she　reason　With　herself；　and　often　said；　'Why　has　love　my　heart　betrayed？

'I；　that　have　so　many　slighted；　Am　at　length　so　well　requited；　For　my　griefs　are　not　a　few！　Now　I　find　what　love　can　do。

'He　that　has　my　heart　in　keeping；　Though　I　for　his　sake　be　weeping；　Little　knows　what　grief　I　feel；　But　I'll　try　it　out　with　steel。

'For　I　will　a　challenge　send　him；　And　appoint　where　I'll　attend　him；　In　a　grove；　without　delay；　By　the　dawning　of　the　day。

'He　shall　not　the　least　discover　That　I　am　a　virgin　lover；　By　the　challenge　which　I　send；　But　for　justice　I　contend。

'He　has　caused　sad　distraction；　And　I　come　for　satisfaction；　Which　if　he　denies　to　give；　One　of　us　shall　cease　to　live。'

Having　thus　her　mind　revealed；　She　her　letter　closed　and　sealed；　Which；　when　it　came　to　his　hand；　The　young　man　was　at　a　stand。

In　her　letter　she　conjured　him　For　to　meet；　and　well　assured　him；　Recompence　he　must　afford；　Or　dispute　it　with　the　sword。

Having　read　this　strange　relation；　He　was　in　a　consternation；　But；　advising　with　his　friend；　He　persuades　him　to　attend。

'Be　of　courage；　and　make　ready；　Faint　heart　never　won　fair　lady；　In　regard　it　must　be　so；　I　along　with　you　must　go。'

PART　III。

SHOWING　HOW　THEY　MET　BY　APPOINTMENT　IN　A　GROVE；　WHERE　SHE　OBLIGED　　HIM　TO　FIGHT　OR　WED　HER。

Early　on　a　summer's　morning；　When　bright　Phoebus　was　adorning　Every　bower　with　his　beams；　The　fair　lady　came；　it　seems。

At　the　bottom　of　a　mountain；　Near　a　pleasant　crystal　fountain；　There　she　left　her　gilded　coach；　While　the　grove　she　did　approach。

Covered　with　her　mask；　and　walking；　There　she　met　her　lover　talking　With　a　friend　that　he　had　brought；　So　she　asked　him　whom　he　sought。

'I　am　challenged　by　a　gallant；　Who　resolves　to　try　my　talent；　Who　he　is　I　cannot　say；　But　I　hope　to　show　him　play。'

'It　is　I　that　did　invite　you；　You　shall　wed　me；　or　I'll　fight　you；　Underneath　those　spreading　trees；　Therefore；　choose　you　which　you　please。

'You　shall　find　I　do　not　vapour；　I　have　brought　my　trusty　rapier；　Therefore；　take　your　choice；'　said　she；　'Either　fight　or　marry　me。'

Said　he；　'Madam；　pray　what　mean　you？　In　my　life　I've　never　seen　you；　Pray　unmask；　your　visage　show；　Then　I'll　tell　you　aye　or　no。'

'I　will　not　my　face　uncover　Till　the　marriage　ties　are　over；　Therefore；　choose　you　which　you　will；　Wed　me；　sir；　or　try　your　skill。

'Step　within　that　pleasant　bower；　With　your　friend　one　single　hour；　Strive　your　thoughts　to　reconcile；　And　I'll　wander　here　the　while。'

While　this　beauteous　lady　waited；　The　young　bachelors　debated　What　was　best　for　to　be　done：　Quoth　his　friend；　'The　hazard　run。

'If　my　judgment　can　be　trusted；　Wed　her　first；　you　can't　be　worsted；　If　she's　rich；　you'll　rise　to　fame；　If　she's　poor；　why！　you're　the　same。'

He　consented　to　be　married；　All　three　in　a　coach　were　carried　To　a　church　without　delay；　Where　he　weds　the　lady　gay。

Though　sweet　pretty　Cupids　hovered　Round　her　eyes；　her　face　was　covered　With　a　mask；　…　he　took　her　thus；　Just　for　better　or　for　worse。

With　a　courteous　kind　behaviour；　She　presents　his　friend　a　favour；　And　withal　dismissed　him　straight；　That　he　might　no　longer　wait。

PART　IV。

SHOWING　HOW　THEY　RODE　TOGETHER　IN　HER　GILDED　COACH　TO　HER　NOBLE　　SEAT；　OR　CASTLE；　ETC。

As　the　gilded　coach　stood　ready；　The　young　lawyer　and　his　lady　Rode　together；　till　they　came　To　her　house　of　state　and　fame；

Which　appeared　like　a　castle；　Where　you　might　behold　a　parcel　Of　young　cedars；　tall　and　straight；　Just　before　her　palace　gate。

Hand　in　hand　they　walked　together；　To　a　hall；　or　parlour；　rather；　Which　was　beautiful　and　fair；　…　All　alone　she　left　him　there。

Two　long　hours　there　he　waited　Her　return；　…　at　length　he　fretted；　And　began　to　grieve　at　last；　For　he　had　not　broke　his　fast。

Still　he　sat　like　one　amazed；　Round　a　spacious　room　he　gazed；　Which　was　richly　beautified；　But；　alas！　he　lost