MARGUERITE OF FRANCE. 275 MARGUERITE OF FRANCE.' "Thou falcon-hearted dove." COLERIDGE. THE Moslem spears were gleaming Round Damietta's towers, Though a Christian banner from her wall Waved free its lily-flowers. Ay, proudly did the banner wave, As queen of earth and air; But faint hearts throbb'd beneath its folds, In anguish and despair. Deep, deep in Paynim dungeon Their kingly chieftain lay, And low on many an Eastern field Their knighthood's best array. 'Twas mournful, when at feasts they met, For each that touch'd it silently, And mournful was their vigil 1 Queen of St. Louis. Whilst besieged by the Turks in Damietta, during the captivity of the king her husband, she there gave birth to a son, whom she named Tristan, in commemoration of her misfortunes. Information being conveyed to her, that the knights intrusted with the defence of the city had resolved on capitulation, she had them summoned to her apartment, and, by her heroic words, so wrought upon their spirits, that they vowed to defend her and the Cross to the last extremity. And dark their slumber, dark with dreams Of slow defeat and fall. Yet a few hearts of chivalry Rose high to breast the storm, And one-of all the loftiest thereThrill'd in a woman's form. A woman, meekly bending O'er the slumber of her child, And a strange, wild bower was thine, young queen' A dark and vaulted chamber, Deep in the Saracenic gloom Of the warrior citadel; And there 'midst arms the couch was spread, And with banners curtain'd o'er, For the daughter of the minstrel-land, The gay Provençal shore! For the bright queen of St. Louis, The star of court and hall! But the deep strength of the gentle heart, Wakes to the tempest's call! Her lord was in the Paynim's hold, His soul with grief oppress'd, Yet calmly lay the desolate, With her young babe on her breast! MARGUERITE OF FRANCE. 277 There were voices in the city, Voices of wrath and fear— "The walls grow weak, the strife is vain, Yield! yield! and let the crescent gleam They bore those fearful tidings To the sad queen where she lay- The blood rush'd through her pearly cheek, "Now call me hither those recreant knights Then through the vaulted chambers Stern iron footsteps rang; And heavily the sounding floor Gave back the sabre's clang. They stood around her-steel-clad men, Yes-as before the falcon shrinks So shrank they from th' imperial glance Of her—that fragile thing! 1 The proposal to capitulate is attributed by the French historian to the Knights of Pisa. VOL. VI.. -24 And her flute-like voice rose clear and high, "The honour of the Lily Is in your hands to keep, And the banner of the Cross, for Him And the city which for Christian prayer And is it these your hearts would yield "Then bring me here a breastplate And a helm, before ye fly, And I will gird my woman's form, And on the ramparts die! And the boy whom I have borne for woe, Shall go within mine arms to death "Look on him as he slumbers A woman and a queen, to guard Her honour and her child!" TO CAROLINE. Before her words they thrill'd, like leaves And a deepening murmur told of men And her babe awoke to flashing swords, As they gather'd round the helpless One, "We are thy warriors, lady! True to the Cross and thee! The spirit of thy kindling words Rest, with thy fair child on thy breast, St. Dennis for the Lily-flower, TO CAROLINE. WHEN thy bounding step I hear, Ah! fair child, not e'en for thee 279 |