Nay now, what faith?' said Alice the nurse,

'The man will cleave unto his right.'

'And he shall have it,' the lady replied, 'Tho' I should die to-night.'

'Yet give one kiss to your mother dear!
Alas, my child, I sinn'd for thee.'
'O mother, mother, mother,' she said,
'So strange it seems to me.

'Yet here's a kiss for my mother dear,
My mother dear, if this be so,
And lay your hand upon my head,
And bless me, mother, ere I go.'

She clad herself in a russet gown,
She was no longer Lady Clare :
She went by dale, and she went by down,
With a single rose in her hair.

The lily-white doe Lord Ronald had brought

Leapt up from where she lay,

Dropt her head in the maiden's hand,
And follow'd her all the way.

Down stept Lord Ronald from his tower:
'O Lady Clare, you shame your worth!
Why come you drest like a village maid,
That are the flower of the earth?'

'If I come drest like a village maid, I am but as my fortunes are:

I am a beggar born,' she said, 'And not the Lady Clare.'

'Play me no tricks,' said Lord Ronald,
'For I am yours in word and in deed.
Play me no tricks,' said Lord Ronald,

'Your riddle is hard to read.'

O and proudly stood she up!

Her heart within her did not fail: She look'd into Lord Ronald's eyes,

And told him all her nurse's tale.

He laugh'd a laugh of merry scorn :

He turn'd and kiss'd her where she stood:

'If you are not the heiress born,

And I,' said he, 'the next in blood

'If you are not the heiress born,
And I,' said he, 'the lawful heir,
We two will wed to-morrow morn,
And you shall still be Lady Clare.'

THE CAPTAIN.

A LEGEND OF THE NAVY.

HE that only rules by terror

Doeth grievous wrong.

Deep as Hell I count his error.

Let him hear my song.

Brave the Captain was: the seamen

Made a gallant crew,

Gallant sons of English freemen,

Sailors bold and true.

But they hated his oppression,

Stern he was and rash;

So for every light transgression

Doom'd them to the lash.

Day by day more harsh and cruel

Seem'd the Captain's mood.

Secret wrath like smother'd fuel
Burnt in each man's blood.

Yet he hoped to purchase glory,
Hoped to make the name

Of his vessel great in story,

Wheresoe'er he came.

So they past by capes and islands,
Many a harbour-mouth,

Sailing under palmy highlands

Far within the South.

On a day when they were going

O'er the lone expanse,

In the north, her canvas flowing,

Rose a ship of France.

Then the Captain's colour heighten'd,

Joyful came his speech:

But a cloudy gladness lighten'd

In the eyes of each.