The Compulsory Marriage

I heard within my lady's bower
A knight with her at play;
Of gold the diceboard and the dice,
And thus he wooed his may.

"O deign, fair maid, to hear the knight,
"So humbly to you sues,
"And you shall dress in scarlet red,
"And walk in golden shoes.

"Deign, gentle maid, to plight me troth,
"O listen to my prayer,
"And I will place upon your head
"A crown of gold to wear."

"I've to the Virgin Mary sworn,
"And plighted her my vows,
"Never with sinful man to dwell,
"Or ever be his spouse/'

"It then, so warmly as I sue,
"You scorn and flout me still,
"I'll write such runes, as spite of you
"Shall win you to my will."

"And if you really write those runes,
"And foully work my fall,
"I'll all my life complain to Heaven,
"And vengeance on you call."

He wrote the runes, such potent runes,
And threw them on her gown,
That blood sprang from her finger ends,
And tears in streams ran down.

"Tomorrow come beneath my bower
"With thirty men beside;
"I've taken now a new resolve,
"And home with you will ride."

Ere yet the lark had trill'd his song
To greet the morning hour,
Rode up the knight with thirty men
Beneath his lady's bower.

Their horses all with gold were shod.
And all with pearl bestrown,
Their saddle knobs with crystal gleam'd
And many a precious stone.

And that on which the bride should mount,
As very snow was white,
His trappings of the silken cloth
With ruddy gold bedight.

Up at her window sat the bride
To gaze on dale and down,
And saw the knight with thirty men
Come riding up the town.

"Rise ye, my maids, and dress me now
"With all the haste ye may;
"A deed, I am loth enough to do,
"I must this very day."

They dress'd her in a silken dress.
And crown of gold so red;
"Heavens, that, maiden as I am,
"I were but lying dead!"

The horse no sooner saw the bride.
So gently trained was he,
Than down, to take her on his back.
He dropp'd upon his knee.

On the good horse she seated her,
And took in hand the rein,
And swallowed then an adder draught,
Should burst her heart in twain.

That fiery adder draught she drank.
Her heart was rack'd with thirst;
"A sinful woman I 'must be,
"Or else my heart would burst."

Over the high steep bills they rode,
And through the lowly dell;
"O would that to my mother's ear
"My wishes I could tell!

"Then would I pray her that my corpse
"Not on this heathen wold,
"But buried in Saint Mary's church
"Might lie in Christian mould."

"Care for your mother, maiden fair,
"Or other friend to sigh;
"Your corpse shall not in heathen soil,
"But in Saint Mary's lie."

They rode till gilded vanes they saw
Gleaming on lofty tower;
"That castle, lady, you shall rule,
"And there shall find your bower.

"Twelve maids I'll keep, shall day by day
"Attend you out and in,
"And eight young knights shall follow you
"To bear your scarlet skin.

"No day or hour shall be too long,
"Such pastimes I shall find;
"You could not, lady, plight your troth
"To any knight more kind."

"Fair as might be to lead with you
"Such life of joy and rest,
"Yet might I rather dwell in heaven
"With Jesus and the blest,"

And straight the pearl-bespangled silk
Over the earth was strown,
And so into the ladies bower
The gentle maiden shown.

The marriage feast was baked and brew'd,
The board with dainties piled,
Yet silent walked the gentle maid,
And neither joked nor smiled.

They drank the wedding all that day,
They drank it in the best,
And then the bridefolk rose from board,
And fain would go to rest.

Up rose the maidens twelve, with silk
The grassy earth to spread,
And rose the knights, and walk'd all twelve
Behind the bride to bed.

To bridal house they followed her.
That blushing gentle fair,
Nor tarried long the wealthy knight.
But soon himself was there.

Up on the bed they lifted her.
Took off her crown of gold;
"O that I might, maid as I am,
"Be laid beneath the mould!"

They sat together on bridal bed,
The bells of heaven heard ring;
They "at an hour, and over them
They heard God's angels sing.

They heard the merry bells of heaven,
They heard the angels' song;
"Come, gentle maiden, come with us,
"And tarry not so long."

Over them both was thrown the silk,
Was thrown the sindal red,
But naught knew he, till at his side
His bride was lying dead.

"Arid all so long as I have wooed,
"Is this then what I reap?
"O heavenly Father, grant us both
"In the same grave to sleep!"

Great sorrow fill'd the bridal house
And anguish and alarm;
Dead were the bride and bridegroom both,
One on the other's arm

Great sorrow fill'd that bridal house,
And all within it cried;
Bridegroom and bride they both were dead,
One at the other's side.

They laid them in a gilded chest,
And bare them to the tomb.
Of costly marble built its walls,
And on it graved their doom

"All! were they all my friends here,
"The foes that round me stand,
"How glad were I, my darling,
"With you to quit the land!
"How glad were I, my darling!"

"And whither would you take me,
"My brave, my gentle knight?
"To sleep beside my trulove
"I surely have the right;
"To sleep beside my trulove!"

"With him then are you sleeping?
"Alas, your dream is vain!
"Go, look beneath the linden,
"For there he's lying slain;
"Go, look beneath the linden."

The lady took her mantle.
And through the wood she sped,
And underneath the linden
She found her lover dead;
Beneath the fresh green linden.

"And here then lying slaughtered,
"All smothered in your blood!
"And so at last have ended
"Your vaunts and haugluty mood!
"In this at last have ended!

"Yourself so foully slaughtered,
"My comfort and my stay;
"And I left sad and friendless
"To mourn you many a day!
"Left all so sad and friendless!"

The lady took her mantle,
And sped her through the wood,
Her father's door was open,
And weeping there she stood.
Her father's door was open.

"But is there none among you,
"Not one of gentle birth,
"Will kindly come and help me
"To lay him in his earth?
"Will kindly come and help me?"

All still they sat and silent.
There spake to her not one,
And, turning back, the lady
Went weeping all alone;
Back to her dead the lady.

Up in her arms she rais'd him
From where they left him slain,
And on his mouth she kiss'd him
Again and still again;
On his cold mouth she kiss'd him.
And then his grave she delv'd him
All with his own bright blade;
With arms as white as snow-drift
His body in it laid;
With arms as white as snow-drift.
" Some copies have open and some bolted.

"And now to some small cloister
"I'll go, my duty done,
"And wear the veil my life long,
"And be a poor black nun;
"Will wear the veil my life long."

And there with her fair fingers
The hand-bell she would ring,
And with a voice most mellow
His vigil mass would sing;
With voice so sweet and mellow.