The Hall and the Wood.
’Twas in the water-dwindling tide1
When July days were done,2
Sir Rafe of Greenhowes, ’gan to ride3
In the earliest of the sun.4
He left the white-walled burg behind,5
He rode amidst the wheat.6
The westland-gotten wind blew kind7
Across the acres sweet.8
Then rose his heart and cleared his brow,9
And slow he rode the way :10
“ As then it was, so is it now,11
Not all hath worn away.”12
So came he to the long green lane13
That leadeth to the ford,14
And saw the sickle by the wain15
Shine bright as any sword.16
The brown carles stayed twixt draught and draught,17
And murmuring, stood aloof,18
But one spake out when he had laughed :19
“ God bless the Green-wood Roof ! ”20
Then o’er the ford and up he fared ;21
And lo the happy hills !22
And the mountain-dale by summer cleared,23
That oft the winter fills.24
Then forth he rode by Peter’s gate,25
And smiled and said aloud :26
“ No more a day doth the Prior wait ;27
White stands the tower and proud.”28
There leaned a knight on the gateway side29
In armour white and wan,30
And after the heels of the horse he cried,31
“ God keep the hunted man ! ”32
Then quoth Sir Rafe, “ Amen, amen ! ”33
For he deemed the word was good ;34
But never a while he lingered then35
Till he reached the Nether Wood.36
He rode by ash, he rode by oak,37
He rode the thicket round,38
And heard no woodman strike a stroke,39
No wandering wife he found.40
He rode the wet, he rode the dry,41
He rode the grassy glade :42
At Wood-end yet the sun was high,43
And his heart was unafraid.44
There on the bent his rein he drew,45
And looked o’er field and fold,46
O’er all the merry meads he knew47
Beneath the mountains old.48
He gazed across to the good Green Howe49
As he smelt the sun-warmed sward ;50
Then his face grew pale from chin to brow,51
And he cried, “ God save the sword ! ”52
For there beyond the winding way,53
Above the orchards green,54
Stood up the ancient gables gray55
With ne’er a roof between.56
His naked blade in hand he had,57
O’er rough and smooth he rode,58
Till he stood where once his heart was glad59
Amidst his old abode.60
Across the hearth a tie-beam lay61
Unmoved a weary while.62
The flame that clomb the ashlar gray63
Had burned it red as tile.64
The sparrows bickering on the floor65
Fled at his entering in ;66
The swift flew past the empty door67
His wingèd meat to win.68
Red apples from the tall old tree69
O’er the wall’s rent were shed.70
Thence oft, a little lad, would he71
Look down upon the lead.72
There turned the cheeping chaffinch now73
And feared no birding child ;74
Through the shot-window thrust a bough75
Of garden-rose run wild.76
He looked to right, he looked to left,77
And down to the cold gray hearth,78
Where lay an axe with half burned heft79
Amidst the ashen dearth.80
He caught it up and cast it wide81
Against the gable wall ;82
Then to the däis did he stride,83
O’er beam and bench and all.84
Amidst there yet the high-seat stood,85
Where erst his sires had sat ;86
And the mighty board of oaken wood,87
The fire had stayed thereat.88
Then through the red wrath of his eyne89
He saw a sheathèd sword,90
Laid thwart that wasted field of wine,91
Amidmost of the board.92
And by the hilts a slug-horn lay,93
And therebeside a scroll,94
He caught it up and turned away95
From the lea-land of the bowl.96
Then with the sobbing grief he strove,97
For he saw his name thereon ;98
And the heart within his breast uphove99
As the pen’s tale now he won.100
“ O Rafe, my love of long ago !101
Draw forth thy father’s blade,102
And blow the horn for friend and foe,103
And the good green-wood to aid ! ”104
He turned and took the slug-horn up,105
And set it to his mouth,106
And o’er that meadow of the cup107
Blew east and west and south.108
He drew the sword from out the sheath109
And shook the fallow brand ;110
And there a while with bated breath,111
And hearkening ear did stand.112
Him-seemed the horn’s voice he might hear—113
Or the wind that blew o’er all.114
Him-seemed that footsteps drew anear—115
Or the boughs shook round the hall.116
Him-seemed he heard a voice he knew—117
Or a dream of while agone.118
Him-seemed bright raiment towards him drew—119
Or bright the sun-set shone.120
She stood before him face to face,121
With the sunbeam thwart her hand,122
As on the gold of the Holy Place123
The painted Angels stand.124
With many a kiss she closed his eyes ;125
She kissed him cheek and chin :126
E’en so in the painted Paradise127
Are Earth’s folk welcomed in.128
There in the door the green-coats stood,129
O’er the bows went up the cry,130
“ O welcome, Rafe, to the free green-wood,131
With us to live and die.”132
It was bill and bow by the high-seat stood,133
And they cried above the bows,134
“ Now welcome, Rafe, to the good green-wood,135
And welcome Kate the Rose ! ”136
White, white in the moon is the woodland plash,137
White is the woodland glade,138
Forth wend those twain, from oak to ash,139
With light hearts unafraid.140
The summer moon high o’er the hill,141
All silver-white is she,142
And Sir Rafe’s good men with bow and bill,143
They go by two and three.144
In the fair green-wood where lurks no fear,145
Where the King’s writ runneth not,146
There dwell they, friends and fellows dear,147
While summer days are hot.148
And when the leaf from the oak-tree falls,149
And winds blow rough and strong,150
With the carles of the woodland thorps and halls151
They dwell, and fear no wrong.152
And there the merry Yule they make,153
And see the winter wane,154
And fain are they for true-love’s sake,155
And the folk thereby are fain.156
For the ploughing carle and the straying herd157
Flee never for Sir Rafe :158
No barefoot maiden wends afeard,159
And she deems the thicket safe.160
But sore adread do the chapmen ride ;161
Wide round the wood they go ;162
And the judge and the sergeants wander wide163
Lest they plead before the bow.164
Well learned and wise is Sir Rafe’s good sword,165
And straight the arrows fly,166
And they find the coat of many a lord,167
And the crest that rideth high.168