The Maiden Gisselmore

And it was Norway's King and Queen,
So stormy were the seas,
Under the "Orkneys lay awhile
To wait a fairer breeze.
Ye maidens, leave off playing,

The King stood in his highest bower
To view the shores around,
And saw a youth with gilded masts
Who thither too was bound.

In steer'd the knight, and brown and blue
The sails his vessel bore;
His anchor on the sand he cast,
And stepp'd upon the shore.

His clothes were all of silken stuff
With golden tissue dight.
And followers bare his gilded shield
With jewels gleaming bright.

Young Alf, be stood before the king
With courteous air and dress:
"Is any bere, a knight or squire,
"Will play a game at chess?"

Sir Alf took out a chequer'd board,
That like the embers shone:
There play'd with him the king's men all,
But won a game not one.

Then up the King of Norway spake,
For vex'd at heart was be;
"Go, bid the maiden Gisselmore
"Come hither in to me."

In came the maiden Gisselmore,
And stood before the board;
"What is your royal will with me?
"Your grace bas sent me word."

"Hark thee, my little Gisselmore,
"This chess is thy delight;
"So sit thee down and play a game
"With yonder foreign knight."

Sir Alf and little Gisselmore
They sat at chess and play'd,
And aye with soft and coaxing words
He wooed the gentle maid.

They sat before the chequer'd board.
Were moving turn by turn;
"Fair maid, with right and loyal views
"Your favour I would earn.

"Hear me, my little Gisselmore,
"And plight your hand to me;
"I claim as born of noblest blood
"Equal with you to be."

"That of my brother you must ask,
"And of my other friends;
"For well you know, that not on me,
"Whom I may wed, depends."

"Your brother's leave I cannot ask,
"He lives so far away;
"Give me yourself your plighted troth,
"And you I'll not betray."

A ring, where lily twined with rose,
Into her lap he threw,
And all at once love's gentle pangs
Through her soft bosom flew.

"While yet' plough these dark blue waves,
"Three winters for me stay,
"And then to your island I'll return
"To keep our wedding day."

"I'll ask their leave of friends and kin,
"And surely wait for you;
"Nor ever any other wed,
"Although an Earl should sue."

There woo'd her Biorn of Vareness
AVith fifteen farms in fee;
She paid the knight all due respect,
But "was no longer free,"

Sir Alf sail'd o'er the salty waves
'Mid dangers not a few,
Until to a wealthy seaport town
The breeze his vessel blew.

And with a widow there he lodged,
A dame of wealth and power.
And there love-fetters bound his heart,
And vex'd him hour by hour.

The knight some love-drink surely drank.
His bride he quite forgot:
'Tis what young men too often do,
Their vows remember not.

The news was told at Norway's court.
And rumour'd far and wide;
"Sir Alf had won a widow's hand,
"And brought him home his bride."

There sat the Queen's young maidens all,
And work'd their silken seam;
The fairest of them, Gisselmore,
Her eyes were seen to stream.

She rose, the maiden Gisselmore,
And round her wrapped her cloak,
And mounting to the royal bower
To Norway's Queen she spoke.

"Lady, a while before my birth,
"My parents made a vow,
"That in the cloister I should live,
"And I would go there now.

"'Twas at an hour of urgent need,
"That they the promise gave,
"And there in cloister I would live,
"And there would find my grave."

They set her on a palfrey gray,
With gilded bit and rein,
And so to cloister led the maid.
To all her kinsmen's pain.