A Royal Visitor.
Unfurl the banner, let it court the breeze
Once more, on Ragnor's Towers.
A wedding peal
Now ring. Come virgins, strew with flowers
Their bridal path, whose woes this day will heal!
Look bright, ye frowning cliffs and laugh ye moaning seas!
What means that wild commotion an the strand?
A stately vessel nears
Old Ragnor's port!
"King Richard comes!" Sir Guy with terror hears.
"Haste, Harold, pay our sovereign royal court;
Crave pardon for me! Say, I lie at death's command!"
"Welcome, my liege!" "Sir Harold, welcome, too,
Is sight of thee, brave knight!
But where is he.
Sir Guy de Hastyngs,—flies he now my sight?"
"Nay, nay, my liege! his sponsor will I be;
His heart for thee, his king, doth bear allegiance true!"
The Royal Pardon.
"Your gracious pardon grant, my liege, I pray;
He has atonement made
For all he's done:
And nature's last great debt will soon be paid;
His life may even set with yonder sun!"
"Lead on, Sir Knight, I'd see him, ere he pass away."
"Farewell," King Richard said, "Heaven's peace be thine!
And you, Sir Harold, kneel!
Hand me your sword!
Now rise, for valiant deeds and service leal,
Of Hastyngs' lands and Normanhurst the Lord!
Till on young Eric's heels the spurs of knighthood shine!"
Once more old Ragnor's rocks resound with cries,
Of grief? Nay—joy and pride!
For on the sea,
A noble, full-rigged ship doth stately ride—
The Orient Pearl—her white cross streaming free;
Whose captain Mike and crew now laugh at frowning skies!