The Wedding of the Lady Theresa

'Twas when the fifth Alphonso in Leon held his sway,
King Abdalla of Toledo an embassy did send;
He ask'd his sister for a wife, and in an evil day
Alphonso sent her, for he fear'd Abdalla to offend;
He fear'd to move his anger, for many times before
He had received in danger much succour from that Moor.

Sad heart had fair Theresa when she their paction knew,
With streaming tears she heard them tell she 'mong the Moors must go,
That she, a Christian damosell, a Christian firm and true,
Must wed a Moorish husband, it well might cause her wo;
But all her tears and all her prayers they are of small avail;
At length she for her fate prepares, a victim sad and pale.

The King hath sent his sister to fair Toledo town,
Where then the Moor Abdalla his royal state did keep;
When she drew near, the Moslem, from his golden throne, came down
And courteously received her, and bade her cease to weep:
With loving words he press'd her, to come his bower within,
With kisses he caress'd her, but still she fear'd the sin.

"Sir King, Sir King, I pray thee," 'twas thus Theresa spake,—
"I pray thee have compassion, and do to me no wrong;
For sleep with thee I may not, unless the vows I break
Whereby I to the holy Church of Christ my Lord belong;
But thou hast sworn to serve Mahoun, and if this thing should be,
The curse of God it must bring down upon thy realm and thee.

"The angel of Christ Jesu, to whom my heavenly Lord
Hath given my soul in keeping, is ever by my side;
If thou dost me dishonour, he will unsheath his sword,
And smite thy body fiercely, at the crying of thy bride.
Invisible he standeth; his sword, like fiery flame,
Will penetrate thy bosom, the hour that sees my shame."—

The Moslem heard her with a smile; the earnest words she said,
He took for bashful maiden's wile, and drew her to his bower.
In vain Theresa pray'd and strove—she press'd Abdalla's bed,
Perforce received his kiss of love, and lost her maiden flower.
A woeful Woman there she lay, a loving lord beside,
And earnestly to God did pray her succour to provide.

The Angel of Christ Jesu her sore complaint did hear,
And pluck'd his heavenly weapon from out its sheath unseen,
He waved the brand in his right hand, and to the King came near,
And drew the point o'er limb and joint, beside the weeping Queen.
A mortal weakness from the stroke upon the King did fall,
He could not stand when daylight broke, but on his knees must crawl.

Abdalla shudder'd inly, when he this sickness felt,
And call'd upon his Barons, his pillow to come nigh;
"Rise up," he said, "my liegemen," as round his bed they knelt,
"And take this Christian lady, else certainly I die;
Let gold be in your girdles, and precious stones beside,
And swiftly ride to Leon, and render up my bride."—

When they were come to Leon, Theresa would not go
Into her brother's dwelling, where her maiden years were spent;
But o'er her downcast visage a white veil she did throw,
And to the ancient nunnery of Saint Pelagius went.
There long, from worldly eyes retired, a holy life she led;
There she, an aged saint, expired—there sleeps she with the dead.