The Wake

There's Wake tonight, and off they throng,
They revel there all that revel will
They take their part in the dance and song.
But wakes at her home fair Signelille.

She went to her mother, and so she spake;
They revel there all that revel will
"And, mother, may I not see the Wake?"
She wakes at her home fair Signelille.

"But what at a Wake art thou to do?
"No brother hast thou, nor sister true.

"No brother or friend thy part to take,
"Thou shalt not go to a noisy wake.

"The King and his gay young men will come;
"No — listen to me, child, stay at home."

"The Queen is coming and all her train,
"To chatter with them I were so fain."

So long and so hard her suit she drave,
Her grudging consent the mother gave.

"Go then, my daughter, if such thy bent,
"Thy mother to wake rooms never went."

Fair Signelille up to her chamber hied,
And dress'd her in all her maiden pride.

She set on her head a golden crown,
Her hair left floating in tresses down.

And over the grassy mead she sped,
As went the queen and her maids to bed.

But when she came to the courtyard gate,
Was going the dance of stag at bait.

She saw young knights so gaily fling,
And dance with the rest himself the king.

The king held forward his hand so free;
"Come, lovely maiden, and dance with me."

"I'm come to the Wake across the dale
"To see and to tell the Queen my tale."

"Then trip it with us to a lively strain,
"Till she comes back to the dance again."

She stepp'd to the front as a graceful wand.
And danced away on his royal hand.

"Now, Signelille, listen to what I say,
"And sing me of love some tender lay."

"Of lays or love-ditties know I none;
"I'll try in their stead some other one."

She sang her song with a voice so clear,
Its notes the queen in her bed could hear.

She ask'd, as up in her bower she lay,
"Now which of my maidens dared to stay?

"Who, tell me, can this sweet songstress be?
"Why came she not hither to bed with me?"

"That," answer d the page in his red array'd,
"Is not any royal bower-maid.

"None other a song like that could trill,
"Bat th' upland maiden, Signelille/'

"Haste! hither my purple mantle bring;
"I'll go there and hear the maiden sing."

And when she came to the courtyard gate,
Was going the dance of stag at bait.

Three times they had danced it, and danced it still;
The queen stood gazing on Signelille.

That, thought Sophie, is a monstrous thing,
That Signelille dance with Denmark's king.

She call'd to her maid, "Up, maiden mine,
"And fetch me hither a horn of wine.

"Fetch hither the richly moulded horn,
"But drop in it first an Adder-corn."

Up stepped the king to his queen, Sophie;
"Wilt thou not enter the dance with me?"

"Before a place in the dance I fill,
"Must drink to my health fair Signelille."

She drank but a sip to quench her thirst,
Her guiltless heart in her bosom burst.

The king was a while with horror mute;
The maid lay lifeless before his foot.

"A fairer than she has ne'er drawn breath,
"Or guiltless come to a fouler death."

Both maids and matrons wept full sore,
As into the church her corpse they bore.

"O! had she but heard her mother's rede,
"Such would not have been her cruel meed."