Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

DRAKE'S DRUM

Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand mile away,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)

Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,
An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
Yarnder lumes the Island, yarnder lie the ships,
Wi' sailor lads a-dancin' heel-an'-toe,

An' the shore-lights flashin', an' the night-tide dashin',
He sees et arl so plainly as he saw et long ago.

Drake he was a Devon man, an' ruled the Devon seas,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)

Rovin' tho' his death fell, he went wi' heart at ease,
An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe,
"Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,
Strike et when your powder's runnin' low;

If the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port o' Heaven, An' drum them up the Channel as we drummed them long ago."

Drake he's in his hammock till the great Armadas come, (Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)

Slung atween the round shot, listenin' for the drum,
An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
Call him on the deep sea, call him up the Sound,
Call him when ye sail to meet the foe;

Where the old trade's plyin' an' the old flag's flyin',

They shall find him ware an' wakin', as they found him

long ago!

Henry Newbolt

MESSMATES

He gave us all a good-by cheerily

At the first dawn of day;

We dropped him down the side full drearily
When the light died away.

It's a dead dark watch that he's a-keeping there,
And a long, long night that lags a-creeping there,
Where the Trades and the tides roll over him
And the great ships go by.

He's there alone with green seas rocking him
For a thousand miles round;

He's there alone with dumb things mocking him,
And we're homeward bound.

It's a long, lone watch that he's a-keeping there,
And a dead cold night that lags a-creeping there,
While the months and the years roll over him
And the great ships go by.

I wonder if the tramps come near enough,
As they thrash to and fro,

And the battleships' bells ring clear enough

To be heard down below;

If through all the lone watch that he's a-keeping there, And the long, cold night that lags a-creeping there,

The voices of the sailor-men shall comfort him

When the great ships go by.

Henry Newbolt

THE SONG OF THE BOW

What of the bow?

The bow was made in England:

Of true wood, of yew-wood,

The wood of English bows;

So men who are free

Love the old yew-tree

And the land where the yew-tree grows.

What of the cord?

The cord was made in England: A rough cord, a tough cord,

A cord that bowmen love;

And so we will sing

Of the hempen string

And the land where the cord was wove.

What of the shaft?

The shaft was cut in England:

A long shaft, a strong shaft,
Barbed and trim and true;

So we'll drink all together

To the gray goose-feather And the land where the gray goose flew.

What of the mark?

Ah, seek it not in England:

A bold mark, our old mark,

Is waiting over-sea.

When the strings harp in chorus,
And the lion flag is o'er us,

It is there that our mark will be.

What of the men?

The men were bred in England:

The bowmen- the yeomen,

The lads of dale and fell.

[blocks in formation]

To the hearts that are true

And the land where the true hearts dwell.

- Arthur Conan Doyle

ROBIN HOOD AND ALLIN A DALE

Come listen to me, you gallants so free,

All you that love mirth for to hear, And I will tell you of a bold outlaw, That lived in Nottinghamshire.

As Robin Hood in the forest stood,
All under the greenwood tree,

There he was aware of a brave young man,
As fine as fine might be.

The youngster was cloathed in scarlet red,

In scarlet fine and gay;

And he did frisk it over the plain,
And chanted a roundelay.

As Robin Hood next morning stood,
Amongst the leaves so gay,

There did he espy the same young man
Come drooping along the way.

The scarlet he wore the day before,
It was clean cast away;

And at every step he fetcht a sigh,
"Alack and a well a day!"

Then stepped forth brave Little John,

And Midge, the miller's son,

Which made the young man bend his bow,

When as he see them come.

"Stand off! stand off!" the young man said, "What is your will with me?"

"You must come before our master straight, Under yon greenwood tree.'

[ocr errors]

And when he came bold Robin before,
Robin askt him courteously,

"O hast thou any money to spare
For my merry men and me?"

"I have no money," the young man said,
"But five shillings and a ring;

And that I have kept this seven long years,
To have it at my wedding.

"Yesterday I should have married a maid,
But she is now from me ta'en,

And chosen to be an old knight's delight,
Whereby my poor heart is slain."

"What is thy name?" then said Robin Hood,

"Come tell me, without any fail:"

"By the faith of my body," then said the young man,

"My name it is Allin a Dale."

"What wilt thou give me," said Robin Hood,

"In ready gold or fee,

To help thee to thy true love again,

And deliver her unto thee?"

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »