Childe Engel

A daring wight, Childe Engel,
He up and mounted horse,
A lady seized in Upland,
And bore her off by force.

He ask'd no leave of kinsmen,
He car'd not he for right,
But took her home to Westerns,
And slept with her the night.

But out of sleep Childe Engel
At dead of night awoke,
His dreams had been so frightful,
He turn'd to her and spoke.

"A gaunt and hungry wolfs whelp
"And mother wolf so gray
"My heart methought were munching,
"As wide awake I lay."

"Childe Engel, 'tis no wonder,
"Your dreams should be so sad;
"You've torn me from my kinsfolk,
"Their leave have never had,"

In stepp'd young Sauley Johnson,
And stood before the board,
A cunning man in parley
To find the fittest word.

"Childe Engel, up from table!
"Up, mount thee quick and ride!
"Here's come Sir Judah Lowman
"With men from every side."

"I tremble not for four men,
"I tremble not for ten,
"Nor yet for Judah Lowman
"And all his thirty men."

"But more there are than four men,
"Aye more there are than ten;
"There's with Sir Judah Lowman
"A hundred armed men."

In haste arose Childe Engel,
His lady towards him drew;
"For God's sake think, dear Malfred,
"And tell me what to do."

In sore distress Childe Engel
He tapped her on the cheek;
"What means are left of safety?
"O hear me, dear, and speak/'

"This counsel then I give thee,
"As best to serve our turn,
"St. Mary's church we'll purchase,
"For that they dare not burn.

"We'll spare not of your silver,
"We'll ladle out your gold,
"Give both to buy St. Mary's,
"Tomorrow get it sold.

"With all your brave retainers,
"Your bread with you who share,
"We'll while the danger urges,
"To yonder church repair.

"And all your gallant horsemen, ".
"Your steeds are wont to ride,
"Take all within St. Mary's,
"And there the storm abide.

"Such plan I deem the wisest,
"A poor weak wife am I,
"To lock us in St. Mary's,
"And there their threats defy"

In haste arose Childe Engel,
And into church he went,
And soon Sir Judah Lowman
His horsemen thither sent.

Five months so long and weary
They lay before the place,
And daily greater anger
Was in Sir Lowman's face.

Then spake fair Malfred's mother,
Nor could her spite withhold;
"Burn down the church and steeple,
"And build it up with gold."

The blaze began to sparkle,
And playful in it flew;
The lily cheek of Malfred,
From pale to paler grew.

It scalded in the churchyard,
It glow'd so fiery red;
Inside it still was hotter,
As ran the molten lead.

Then spake the lady Malfred,
Full sad was she of mood;
"We'll slaughter all our horses,
"And cool us in their blood."

"Alas!" Childe Engel answered,
Beneath the blazing aisle;
"Their blood will serve to cool us
"A very little while/'

"Kill them not" said the groomboy,
He loved them far too well;
"'Twere better Lady Malfred
"Herself the victim fell."

Childe Engel clasp'd his Malfred,
And "No, my dear" he cried,
"Of death art thou not worthy,
"My gentle dearest bride.

"But listen now, my Malfred,
"And grant me this my prayer,
"If son this year thou nursest,
"My own name let him bear."

They laid her on a buckler,
And lifted it with spears,
And up to the window rais'd her
All trembling and in tears.

Through churchyard went fair Malfred
Amid the smoke and glare,
All singed her scarlet mantle
And burnt her flowing hair.

There sank the Lady Malfred,
And pray'd on naked knee;
"Grant heaven I bare a son this year,
"And vengeance on them see!"

They took the lady Malfred
All in her mantle clad,
And raised her on her palfrey
So sorrowing and so sad.

"There," said the lady Malfred,
When to the mead they came,
"St. Mary's church is burning
"And brave men in the flame.

"There, there the church is blazing,
"And 'mid the cinders lain
"So brave a man, as never more
"Will here be seen again."

That year fair lady Malfred,
Ere many months were run,
Retired within her chamber,
And bare an infant son.

To holy font they brought him.
They christen'd him at night.
Him too they named Childe Engel,
And hid him all they might.

She nurs'd him through the winter,
She nurs'd him winters nine.
No lad in all that country
So fair as he and fine.

In grace and strength and beauty
Seven winters more he grew;
"Now hark!" said she, "thine uncle,
"'Twas he thy father slew."

And (lay by day she told him
For other winters five,
"Thine uncle slew thy father,
"Or he were still alive."

"Now hear me, dearest mother,
"All robed in costly" pall,
"I'll serve the king of Denmark,
"A trooper in his hall."

"Ride then and serve as guardsman,
"Be brave and earn thee fame,
"But think upon thy father,
"I need no more to name."

He serv'd the king of Denmark,
And won the royal grace.
But laugh as might his comrades,
Was sadness on his face.

Well marked the king of Denmark
The grief upon his brow;
"Come hither, speaks Childe Engel,
"And what thy grief, avow.

"Like some lone bird on branchlet,
"I hear thee ever moan;
"Like one who claims no kindred,
"Thou mop est all alone."

"Ah! hear then, King of Denmark,
"The reason why I pine;
"My uncle slew my father,
"And never paid the fine."

"To venge thy murder'd father
"To Upland thou shalt ride;
"I'll lend thee trusty guardsmen
"To combat at thy side.

"To venge a murder'd father,
"As right it is to do,
"I'll lend thee arm'd and mounted
"Three hundred good and true.

He mounted horse, Childe Engel,
And rode to the green-wood lawn;
And arm'd his gallant troopers,
And off at early dawn.

In came a little page boy,
And stood before the board,
And cunning he in parley
To choose the fittest word.

"Sir Judah Lowman, listen,
"Up, mount thee quick and ride,
"For here's Childe Engel marching
"With men from every side.

"From all four roads Childe Engel
"Is riding through the land,
"His face so full of anger
"His drawn sword in his hand."

"To Council and Assizes
"I've ridden far and near;
"But yet that name, Childe Engel,
"Has never reached my ear."

Then call'd his page Sir Lowman,
And tapp'd him on the cheek;
"If counsel thou canst give me,
"Be quick, my page, and speak."

"For shelter then betake thee
"To yonder room of stone;
"To me no other counsel,
"No refuge else is known.

"It's walls are all of marble,
"Of metal forged the gate,
"And hard shall be the struggle
"Ere foe break through the plate."

A moment checked Childe Engel
His troopers on the heath,
"In yonder church, St. Mary's,
"My father met his death.

"And there I see the mansion,
"My uncle dwells within:
"God guide us what atonement
"We have therein to win."

On all four sides Childe Engel
Besat that room of stone;
The first in every danger,
He made his valour known.

Then peer'd Sir Judah Lowman
From out the window loop;
"And who then is the captain,
"So boldly leads your troop?"

Childe Engel made him answer
Beneath his cloak so fine:
"'Tis I myself, Childe Engel,
"A sister's son of thine."

"Aye!" spake Sir Judah Lowman
With anger on his brow,
"And small the ground for glory;
"A bastard son art thou."

"And tho' I'm born a bastard,
"My birth I need not hide,
"I've gold in store, and silver,
"And gallant steeds to ride.

"Let be, I am born a bastard,
"For that art thou to blame,
"Green woods I have and meadows,
"And towers to guard the same.

"My father thou hast murder'd,
"And never paid the fine,
"And darest thus upbraid me!
"But vengeance now is mine.

"My friends, what profits hoarding?
"Our chest with gold is fill'd,
"We'll burn this room to cinders,
"And soon another build."

The anteroom was scalding.
All molten ran the lead,
But hotter was the chamber.
Where now the fire had spread.

Awhile he stood, Childe Engel,
His steed he turn'd not round;
"I'll stay but till the chamber
"Lies smouldering on the ground."

And then rode off Childe Engel,
And waved aloft his hands,
He saw his uncle burning
To cinder 'mid the brands.

He smiled and spake, Childe Engel,
As redder glow'd the fire;
"Now feelest thou the torment
"Thyself didst cause my sire."

He mounted horse, Childe Engel,
And up to his mother's rode,
And found her, robed in martin,
Before her own abode.

"Hail thou, my. dearest mother,
"In robe so richly drest!
"I've ridden up to Upland,
"I've done thy stem behest."

"Aye?" answered lady Malfred,
And tears she shed anew,
"Before I had but one grief,
"And now I weep for two.'

"I've done what thou hast bidden;
"Why drop those idle tears?
"Why weep for what thou badest?
"How woman's temper veers!"

Childe Engel turn'd his charger,
Nor longer would he stay,
But left his mother weeping.
And rode to Court away.

Before the royal mansion
He check'd his horse's rein,
Where stood the king of Denmark
To welcome him again.

Beside the king of Denmark
In to the Court he went,
And thank'd him well and warmly
For all the men he lent.

"I've taken now my vengeance,
"And in his marble-room
"The wretch, who burnt my father,
"Himself has met his doom.