"Sleep, sleep, my babe! of care devoid;
Thy mother breathes this fervent vow—
Oh! never be thy soul employed
On thoughts so sad, as her's are now!
"Now warder, warder, speak again!
What see'st thou from the turret's height?"
"Oh! lady, speeding o'er the plain,
The little foot-page appears in sight."
Quick beat her heart; short grew her breath;
Close to her breast the babe she drew—
"Now, Heaven," she cried, "for life or death!"
And forth to meet the page she flew.
"And is thy lord from danger free?
And is the deadly combat o'er?"
In silence Oswy bent his knee,
And laid a scarf her feet before.
The well-known scarf with blood was stained,
And tears from Oswy's eye-lids fell;
Too truly Eva's heart explained,
What meant those silent tears to tell.
"Come, come, my babe!" she wildly cried,
"We needs must seek the field of woe;
Come, come, my babe! cast fear aside!
To dig thy father's grave we go."
"Stay, lady, stay! a storm impends;
Lo! threatening clouds the sky o'erspread;
The thunder roars, the rain descends,
And lightning streaks the heavens with red.
"Hark! hark! the winds tempestuous rave!
Oh! be thy dread intent resigned!
Or, if resolved the storm to brave,
Be this dear infant left behind!"
"No! no! with me my baby stays;
With me he lives; with me he dies!
Flash, lightnings, flash! your friendly blaze
Will shew me where my warrior lies."
O see she roams the bloody field,
And wildly shrieks her husband's name;
Oh! see she stops and eyes a shield,
An heart, the symbol, wrapt in flame.