Sir Walter’s Honor

POEM DETAILS

Five figures in a row boat travel away from a barque. Three of the figures row and steer; one figure stands and looks into the distance; a final figure hunches over and grabs the arm of the standing figure. Four figures watch the row boat from aboard the illuminated barque. They are perched over an ornate railing. Lanterns and ropes appear alongside the barque. Full-page illustration contained within a single-ruled border.

Poem title and byline are displayed in ornate gothic typeface with decorative swirls. The lead S in "Sir" is an inhabited capital. A vague mammal hangs on the top of the S with its tail wrapped around the centre. Four fish and ripple-like swirls are enclosed within two ovals and appear behind the S. Behind the left 1/2 of the poem title there are waves, flying birds, and a sail boat. The right 1/2 of the poem title is superimposed over the top 1/4 of a latter figure. Full-page width and approximately 1/6 page height.

Sir Walter’s Honor.

By
Margaret S. Preston

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O
                                 mother !  cast thy fears away,
Fling sadness from thy brow ;
My father’s ships, the sailors say,
Are in the offing now.”

“ Nay lad !— full oft before, to me
Hath come the self-same tale ;
A thousand times I’ve scanned the sea,
And never seen his sail.”

“ But hark, sweet mother !  In the street
The folk make wild uproar :
Haste !  let us be the first to greet
His step upon the shore.”

“ Ah, boy !— how dare my heart believe ?
How dare I crave, good lack !
While foes so plot, and friends deceive,
To have thy father back ?

“ They watch to seize and search his ship,
And O !  mine eyes grow dim,
And terror palsies heart and lip,
—They lay their snares for him.

“ My noble lord !— who weighed no pain,
Nor toil, nor cost, I ween,
Nor ruth of savage lands, to gain
New kingdoms for his queen.

“ Bermoothes’ rocks that gulfed his masts,
And tempest-wrack and foam,
Are kinder than the King who blasts
The joy of coming home !”

* A true incident in the life of Sir Walter Raleigh.

A seated woman holds a book and a cloth. Her dress billows over the sides of the chair. A man leans over her shoulder and holds a hat in his right hand. Beside them, a portrait of a man in an ornate picture frame sits upon a table. There is a piece of paper on the table and another folded paper on the ground. The top 1/4 of the illustration features a striped background decorated with floral and swirl motifs. The right 1/2 of the poem title is superimposed over this striped background. 1/2 page width and full page height. Occupies right column of the page.

Decorative banner on the bottom edge of the page. The quotation “O Mother Dry Thy Tears Away” appears in gothic typeface on the right. Several shells, plants, and swirl motifs surround the quotation. Some shells have barnacles. This illustration connects to a border that extends around the page; small shells extend to other areas of the page. Full page width and approximately 1/8 page height.

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Two figures—a man and a woman with a draping veil—embrace on a urban dock. His hat and one of her garments are on the ground. To the right, a boy looks toward them and points toward a crowd in the background. At the front of the crowd, a figure stands with her hands on her hips. Tall buildings, a pail, and a dock chain are in the surroundings. 1/2 page width and full page height. Occupies left column of the page.

The quotation “And While He Soothed Her Pale Alarms” appears in a script type face and is surrounded by swirl motifs. To the left, there are two flag poles in front of an enlarged crescent moon. 1/2 page width and approximately 1/8 page height. Connects to a border around the left column of the page.

II.

With drooping sail and shattered mast,
Sir Walter’s galleons lay
Beyond the bar, but soon they cast
Anchor in Plymouth Bay.

He leaped to shore with bated breath,
For there, right full in view,
Stood his fair wife, Elizabeth,
And his fair son, Carew.

“ My Bess” —he cried— “ My Bess—my boy !”
As through the throng he pressed,
And caught her, in his weary joy,
Dead-swooning, to his breast.

“ And while he soothed her pale alarms,
With words all passion-sweet,
He heard a troop of men-at-arms
Come clattering down the street.

He turned to see, as on they rode,
All dight in gallant gear ;
Then outspake he right merrily,
With voice of sudden cheer :

— “ Ha, good my cousin !  Scarce I thought
Such welcomings to win,
As thy fair courtesy hath brought
To greet thy kith and kin !

“ Gra’mercy !  I am fain to vow
I nevermore will roam,
Since with such knightly guise as now,
Ye hail the wanderer home !”

Sir Lewis* quickly drew his blade,
As from his steed he sprang,
And on his kinsman’s shoulder laid
Its weight, with sudden clang.

He gave no greet ;  but on the ear
His words did sharply ring—
“ Sir Walter, I arrest thee here,
By mandate of the King !”

* Sir Lewis Stukely, who arrested Sir Walter on his return from
his last voyage, was his cousin.

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“ What hath he done ?”—the boy Carew
Flashed forth with angry frown ;
And from his father’s shoulder drew
The naked weapon down.

“ ‘What hath he done ?’ Why, treason’s taint *
Hung o’er his head of old ;
And he hath failed, though thrice he sailed,
To find the mine of gold.

“ And sheer against the King’s commands,
Who craves all grace of Spain,
He left on Orinoco’s sands
Full fifty Spaniards, slain.

“ Nay! peace !— What if they were the first
To fall upon thy crew ?
The scant pretence of such defence
Is weak to bear thee through !”

“ Would God I were a man !  I trow
My hand a thrust should deal”
(Out spake Carew),  “ and thou shouldst know
The temper of my steel !”

“ Tush, boy !” —Sir Lewis jeered in wrath,
“ Let go thy puny wrest !
—I wot the fledgeling eaglet hath
The daring of the nest !

“ Ho, forward !  sturdy musketeers !
Aside the stripling fling ;
—Bold lad be he who interferes
With orders from the King !”

(And ere Sir Walter turned about,
And ere the truth he wist,
They drew the linkèd iron out,
And clasped it on his wrist.)

Have off with him. Beshrew me, how
Young malapert doth frown !
But minding of his mother now,
Will cool his courage down !”

* Sir Walter was accused of siding with the party who wanted to
put, Arabella Stuart on the throne, instead of James.

Two figures—a boy and a woman—stand together on a cobblestone path. The boy holds a sword in his right hand and looks angry. The woman stands behind the boy and holds his left arm. Behind them, three faces peek out from among tree branches. In the background, there are flying birds, indistinct figures, and ship masts. 1/2 page width and full page height. Occupies right column of the page.

The quotation “And thou shouldst know the temper of my steel !” appears in the bottom-right in an angular handwritten typeface. The quotation is surrounded by rounded coils and spiked star-shaped decorations and encircled in an irregular zig-zagged border. The decorations extend to the left side of the page. Connects to a border around the right column of the page. Full page width and approximately 1/8 page height.

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A figure stands at a desk next to an open book. The figure holds a book in his left hand and places his right hand on a table. A second figure stands outside in the dark and peers through a window. The interior features an archway, a stool, and a lamp. 1/2 page width and full page height. Occupies left column of the page.

The quotation “I—loyal conscience-clear, and true—What need have I to go?” appears in cursive. The quotation is surrounded by miscellaneous curls and fleur de lys. In the bottom-left corner, a circular ornament depicts a sun on the horizon of the sea. In the bottom-right corner, a circular ornament depicts a hand holding an axe. 1/2 page width and approximately 1/8 page height. Connects to a border around the left column of the page.

“ Sir Lewis ;” —and the boy Carew
Fast clenched his fist— “ thy son
Will blush with shame, some day, to name
The deed which thou hast done !”

III.

’Twas midnight ;  but in Plymouth yet
Went on the wassail-bout ;
The early moon was just a-set,
And all the stars were out.

When at Sir Walter’s prison bars
A muffled tap was heard ;
And as his ear was bent to hear,
He caught the whispered word :—

“ Haste, father, haste !  the way is clear ;
I’ve bribed the seneschal ;
The warder o’er the henchmen’s beer,
Keeps riot in the hall.

“ I hold the key that opes the gates,
And at the water-stair
In the moored barge my mother waits—
She waits to meet thee there.

“ Quick, father !  catch thy doublet up,
Without a moment’s stay :
Before they drain their latest cup,
We must be far away.

“ Outside the bar a galley lies,
And ere the sun doth glance
Its earliest beam across the skies
We shall be safe in France.”

“ Ah, boy—my boy—my brave Carew !
Why tempt thy father so ?
I—loyal, conscience-clear, and true—
What need have I to go ?

“ My traitrous foes, once trusted friends,
Would be the-first to say !
I flout the laws, and flee, because
I am as false as they.”

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A man observes a boy within a dimly lit urban space. The boy in the foreground places one hand on a wall and holds the other to his mouth as if in thought. He appears to be mid-step. Behind him, a cloaked man in profile view observes him from the side of his eye. The man in the background stands in front of a dark doorway. 1/2 page width and full page height. Occupies left column of the page.

The quotation “And in The Shadow of The Well They Crossed The Prison Yard” appears in an irregular typeface that features curls at the letter-ends. The background is speckled and ornamented with flowers as well as both smooth and spiked circles. In the top-right, there is a key decorated with a flower. In the bottom-right, there is a key hole. Connects to a border around the left column of the page. 1/2 page width and approximately 1/8 page height.

“ Yet, father, come !  Foul threats they bring,
Dark counsels they have planned ;
And justice thou shalt never wring
From cold King James’s hand !

“ My mother at the water’s brink,
Waits, all her fears awake ;
And if escape should fail—I think—
I think her heart will break !”

Too much !  His bravery shrank to meet
The weight of such a blow ;
And springing instant to his feet,
He answered— “ I will go ! ”

They trod the narrow, stony hall ;
They found the door unbarred ;
And in the shadow of the wall,
They crossed the prison yard.

With stealthy steps they reached the shore,
And on its rapid way,
The boat, with softly dipping oar,
Dropped down the silent bay.

IV.

Across the star-lit stream they steal,
Without one uttered word,
The waters gurgling at the keel
Was all the sound they heard.

The good French barque, that soon would bear
Them hence, lay full in view ;
“ An oar’s length more, and we are there !”
Whispered the boy Carew.

They rocked within its shadow. Then,
Sir Walter, underbreath,
First spoke, and kissed, and kissed again
Lady Elizabeth.

“ Nay, Bess !  it must not, shall not be,
Whatever others can,
That I should like a dastard flee
For fear of mortal man !

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A woman and a boy grasp hands in the foreground. The woman wears long black robes and a black veil. A man walks away from them, up steps, and into the background. The scene is dimly lit. 1/2 page width and full page height. Occupies left column of the page.

The quotation “Before Temptation Sacrifice. Before Dishonour Death” is inscribed onto a folded banner. The words are decorated with curls. The banner is attached to a ship’s mast. The background is a series of swirls. Connects to a border around the left column of the page. 1/2 page width and approximately 1/8 page height.

“ All Orinoco’s mines of gold,
All virgin realms I claim,
Are less to me a thousand-fold,
Than my untarnished name.

Put back the boat !  Nay, Sweet, no moan !
Thy love is so divine,
That thou wouldst rather die than own
A craven heart were mine !

“ My purse, good oarsman ;  Pull thy best,
And we may make the shore
Before the latest trencher-guest
Hath left the warder’s door.

“ Hist !  not one other pleading word :
Life were not worth a groat,
If breath of shame could blur my name ;
Put back !  put back the boat !

“ Ah Bess—(she is too stunned to speak !)
But thou, my boy, Carew,
Shalt pledge thy vow, even here, and now,
That—faithful, tried, and true—

“ Thou’lt choose, whatever stress may rise,193

Whilst thou hast life and breath,194

Before temptation—sacrifice !195

Before dishonour—death !”196

V.

The boatman turned, he dared not bide,
Nor say Sir Walter nay ;
And with his oars against the tide
He laboured up the bay.

And when beside the water-stair,
With grief no words can tell,
They braced themselves at length to bear
The wrench of the farewell—

The boy, with proud, yet tear-dimmed eyes,205

Kept murmuring, under breath ;206

—“Before temptation—sacrifice !207

Before dishonour—death !”208

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