His mother's body from the fiend, But being of her burden eas'd, And farther sorrow bred : And of her friends she did intreat, Desiring them to stay; "Out of the bed, (quoth she) this night, 'I shall be borne away. 'Here comes the spirit of my love, 'O watch with me this night, I pray ; ' And see you do not sleep; 'No longer than you be awake My body can you keep.', All promised to do their best ; So being all full fast asleep, The child-bed-woman, that woeful night, And to what place no creature knew, As strange a thing as ever yet You maidens that desire to love, For God, that hears all secret oaths, On such, that of a wilful vow BALLAD IV. THE WANDERING PRINCE OF TROY. WHEN Troy-town [had] for ten years wars, Withstood the Greeks in manful wise, Then did their foes encrease so fast, That to resist none could suffice: Waste lie those walls that were so good, Æneas, wandering prince of Troy, When he for land long time had sought, At length, arrived with great joy, To mighty Carthage walls was brought; Where Dido queen, with sumptuous feast, And, as in hall at meat they sat, The queen, desirous news to hear, Of thy unhappy ten years' wars, 'Declare to me, thou Trojan dear! "The heavy hap, and chance so bad, 'Which thou, poor wandering prince, hast had.' And then, anon, this comely knight, With words demure, as he could well, Of his unhappy ten years' wars With words so sweet, and sighs so deep, And then a thousand sighs he fet,* So that the queen, with ruth therefore, The darksome night apace grew on, And twinkling stars in skies were spread; And he his doleful tale had told, And every one was laid in bed; Where they full sweetly took their rest, This silly woman never slept; VOL. II. *Fetch'd. See p. 179, supra. As one unhappy, always wept, And to the walls she made her moan; And thus in grief she spent the night, Till twinkling stars from sky were fled, And then the queen, with bloody knife, In woeful wise she made her moan; O wretched Dido, queen! (quoth she), I see thy end approaching near; For he is gone away from thee, 'Whom thou didst love, and held so dear : Is he then gone, and passed by? 'O heart! prepare thyself to die. 'Though Reason would, thou shouldst forbear, And stay thy hand from bloody stroke; 'Yet, Fancy says thou shouldst not fear, Who fettereth thee in Cupid's yoke. Come death, (quoth she) resolve my smart:'And, with these words, she pierc'd her heart. When Death had pierc'd the tender heart And bloody knife did end the smart, Which she sustain'd in woeful teen ; Her funeral most costly made, And all things furnish'd mournfully; Her sister's tears her tomb bestrew'd; Then was Æneas in an isle, In Grecia, where he liv'd long space, In phrase of letters to her mind, False-hearted wretch, (quoth she) thou art; And treacherously thou hast betray'd Unto thy lure a gentle heart, 'Which unto thee such welcome made; My sister dear, and Carthage' joy, • Whose folly wrought her dire annoy. Yet, on her death-bed when she lay, |