Ingerlille

With Queen Sophie King Waldmar sat,
Of times gone by ran on their chat;
While lightly tripped the dancers.

"My lord, since fair Christine's decease
"Say, where lives Ingerlille, thy niece?"

"I've given her yonder moated tower,
"And mean to give her greater power:

"And all the days I live will prove,
"How dearly I the maiden love.

"A father she shall find in me,
"And she in turn my daughter be."

"'Twere well," that wicked queen replied,
"Could Ingerlille at court reside.

"In you a father she might find,
"In me a mother quite as kind."

Her the king answer'd plain and flat;
"Not from thy heart hast thou said that.

"Such as thy treatment yet has heen,
"In thee no mother she has seen.

"And well is Ingerlille aware,
"That thou no love for her dost bear.

"How canst thou love the very maid,
"Whose mother's life thou hast betray'd?"

"Why not the pretty maiden love,
"If faithful she and trusty prove?

"Consent, my lord, that Ingerlille
"Enter my service, if she will."

"Aye, if she will, my leave I give,
"That Ingerlille with thee may live.

"Get ready, knaves, the gilded wain,
"And fetch my niece to court again."

Up to the maid the pageboy went;
"This wain for you your uncle sent."

"And gladly" said that maid so sweet,
"I drive with thee the king to meet."

She toss'd her shears and broidery down,
And dress'd herself in silken gown.

And all in scarlet robe array'd
They seated her, the lovely maid.

As Ingerlille drove up the street.
Went out the king his niece to meet.

And in his arms the royal Dane
Lifted her down from out the wain.

"Welcome, my niece, thou budding bloom!
"Right welcome thou to an uncle's home!"

The maid he robed in scarlet red,
And then to the upper chamber led.

As at the threshold she was seen,
To meet her rose Sophie, the Queen.

"Would that I knew," thought Ingerlille,
"What means this grace, and what her will!"

The King the maiden drew aside,
"Here at my court wilt thou reside?

"And is it, toll me, Ingerlille,
"To serve us hero thine own free will?"

"Hear," said the Queen, "what now I say,
"Thou stayest here till Easter day:

"In nothing else hast thou to serve,
"But what I say to thee, observe.

"Attend me, bring the clothes I wear,
"And day by day my bath prepare.

"With hand and foot good service do,
"And follow me, where'er I go."

"My king, and uncle, say, may I
"With open heart make my reply?"

"To speak thine inmost mind be free,
"And talk to her, as she to thee."

"Ill should I care for name or fame,
"If I your waiting maid became:

"Little respect should I deserve,
"Did I a Bishop's leman serve.

"For what I say, mine eyes have seen,
"The Bishop dallying with the Queen."

"Stay, Ingerlille, my dearest niece,
"From such unworthy slander cease."

"Help me the Virgin Queen on high,
"As truth I speak and do not lie!"

"If the court service thou dost spurn,
"Where wilt thou else thy living earn?"

"In some calm cloister I will live,
"To God alone my service give."

"And there within thy cloister wall
"To all thy mother's vices fall."

"On her has long since closed the tomb,
"And thy deed was her cruel doom.

"While my poor mother sleeps below,
"Thy shameless face thou darest show."

King Waldmar's cheek grew red as blood,
And wan as clay the guilty stood.

"If true is all that thou hast said,
"Sophie no longer shares my bed.''.

"Do not, dear maid, such language hold,
"For true is not what thou hast told."

"True are the crimes I've charged on thee,
"Murder and foul unchastity."

"Hark, my sweet niece, do thou reply,
"What death my guilty queen shall die."

"That best may say herself the queen,
"For well she knows what scourges mean.

"The same death die this worthless wife,
"By which she took my mother's life."

His little pageboy bade the king
At once five leather scourges bring.

"Fetch the five hither; haste, boy, baste;
"And all the five Sophie shall taste."

They lash'd her, till upon the floor
Were trickling round her streams of gore.

She crept beneath the maiden's cloak.
But back she spurn'd the wretch, and spoke:

"Dishonoured were my name for life,
"Could I protect thee, worthless wife."

The lash so long and hard they plied,
Till on the floor she sank and died.

"Dead is the Queen, her crimes repaid;
"Now where shall be her carcase laid?"

"Where she my mother's grave had plann'd,
"Under the street beside the strand."

"So be it. — Bear her off with haste,
"Under the pavement be she placed."

There in the street now lies Sophie,
And Ingerlille rules house and fee.

There lies Sophie beneath the mould,
And Ingerlille enjoys her gold.

Herself at last, with glory crown'd.
As Queen ruled long on English ground.