Then captured was Guarinos, King Charles's Admiral, thrall; Seven times when all the chase was o'er, for Guarinos lots they cast; Seven times Marlotes won the throw, and the knight was his at last. Much joy had then Marlotes, and his captive much did prize, Above all the wealth of Araby, he was precious in his eyes. "Now, for the sake of Allah, Lord Admiral Guarinos, Be thou a Moslem, and much love shall ever rest between us. Two daughters have I!-all the day shall one thy handmaid be The other (and the fairest far) by night shall cherish thee. "The one shall be thy waiting-maid, thy weary feet to lave, To scatter perfumes on thy head, and fetch thee garments brave: The other-she the pretty one-shall deck her bridal bower, And my field and my city they both shall be her dower. "If more thou wishest, more I'll give. Speak boldly what thy thought is." Thus earnestly and kindly to Guarinos said Marlotes : But not a minute did he take to ponder or to pause, "Now, God forbid! Marlotes, and Mary his dear mother, That I should leave the faith of Christ and bind me to another. For women-I've one wife in France, and I'll wed no more in Spain, I change not faith, I break not vow, for courtesy or gain." Wroth waxed King Marlotes, when thus he heard him say, And all for ire commanded, he should be led away; Away unto the dungeon-keep, beneath its vaults to lie. With fetters bound in darkness deep, far off from sun and sky. With iron bands they bound his hands; that sore unworthy plight Might well express his helplessness, doomed never more to fight. Again, from cincture down to knee, long bolts of iron he bore, Which signified the knight should ride on charger never more. Three times alone in all the year it is the captive's doom To see God's daylight bright and clear, instead of dungeongloom; Three times alone they bring him out, like Samson long ago, Before the Moorish rabble-rout to be a sport and show. On these high feasts they bring him forth, a spectacle to be— And gladden mosque and minaret with the first fruits of the flowers. Days come and go of gloom and show. Seven years are past and gone. And now doth fall the festival of the holy Baptist John; Christian and Moslem tilts and jousts, to give it honour due, And rushes on the paths to spread, they force the sulky Jew. Marlotes in his joy and pride a target high doth rear, Below the Moorish knights must ride and pierce it with the spear; But 'tis so high up in the sky, albeit much they strain. Wroth waxed King Marlotes, when he beheld them fail, pale. The herald's proclamation made, with trumpets, through the town, "Nor child shall suck, nor man shall eat, till the mark be tumbled down!" The cry of proclamation and the trumpet's haughty sound Did send an echo to the vault where the Admiral was bound. "Now help me, God!" the captive cries. "What means this cry so loud? O, Queen of Heaven! be vengeance given on these thy haters proud! "Oh! is it that some Paynim gay doth Marlotes' daughter wed, And that they bear my scorned fair in triumph to his bed? These words the jailer chanced to hear, and thus to him he said: "These tabours, lord, and trumpets clear conduct no bride to bed; Nor has the feast come round again, when he that hath the right Commands thee forth, thou foe of Spain, to glad the people's sight. This is the joyful morning of John the Baptist's day, When Moor and Christian feasts at home, each in his nation's way; But now our king commands that none his banquet shall begin, Until some knight, by strength or sleight, the spearman's prize do win." Then out and spoke Guarinos: "Oh! soon each man should feed, Were I but mounted once again on my own gallant steed. "Give me my horse, my old grey horse, so be he is not dead, All gallantly caparisoned with plate on breast and head; And give me the lance I brought from France, and if I win it not My life shall be the forfeiture, I'll yield it on the spot." The jailer wondered at his words. Thus to the knight said he: "Seven weary years of chains and gloom have little humbled thee. There's never a man in Spain, I trow, the like so well might bear, An' if thou wilt I with thy vow will to the King repair." The jailer put his mantle on and came unto the King, Close to his ear he planted him, and the story did begin, That were he mounted but once more on his own gallant grey, And armed with the lance he bore on the Roncesvalles day, What never Moorish knight could pierce, he would pierce it at a blow, Or give with joy his life-blood fierce at Marlotes' feet to flow. Much marvelling, then said the King: "Bring Sir Guarinos forth, And in the grange go seek ye for his grey steed of worth; His arms are rusty on the wall, seven years have gone, I judge, Since that strong horse hath bent him to be a common drudge. "Now this will be a sight indeed to see the enfeebled lord Essay to mount that ragged steed, and draw that rusty sword; And for the vaunting of his phrase he well deserves to die : So jailer gird his harness on, and bring your champion nigh." They have girded on his shirt of mail, his cuisses well they've clasped, And they've barred the helm on his visage pale, and his hand the lance hath grasped; And they have caught the old grey horse, the horse he loved of yore, And he stands pawing at the gate, caparisoned once more. When the knight came out the Moors did shout, and loudly laughed the King, For the horse he pranced and capered and furiously did fling; |