Mediaeval Tales Part 15

V.

Now when the Pope was aware of this, he was an angry man, His lips that night, with solemn rite, p.r.o.nounced the awful ban; The curse of G.o.d, who died on rood, was on that sinner's head-- To h.e.l.l and woe man's soul must go if once that curse be said.

VI.

I wot, when the Cid was aware of this, a woful man was he, At dawn of day he came to pray at the blessed Father's knee: "Absolve me, blessed Father, have pity upon me, Absolve my soul, and penance I for my sin will dree."--

VII.

"Who is this sinner," quoth the Pope, "that at my foot doth kneel?"

--"I am Rodrigo Diaz--a poor Baron of Castile."-- Much marvelled all were in the hall, when that name they heard him say, --"Rise up, rise up," the Pope he said, "I do thy guilt away;--

VIII.

"I do thy guilt away," he said--"and my curse I blot it out-- G.o.d save Rodrigo Diaz, my Christian champion stout;-- I trow, if I had known thee, my grief it had been sore, To curse Ruy Diaz de Bivar, G.o.d's scourge upon the Moor."

PART III.

COUNT ALARCOS AND THE INFANTA SOLISA.

Mr. Bouterweck has a.n.a.lyzed this ballad, and commented upon it at some length, in his History of Spanish Literature. See Book I, Section 1.

He bestows particular praise upon a pa.s.sage, which the reader will find attempted in the fourth line of stanza x.x.xi. of the following version--

Dedes me aca este hijo amamare por despedida.

"What modern poet," says he, "would have dared to imagine that _trait_, at once so natural and touching?"

Mr. Bouterweck seems to be of opinion that the story of the ballad had been taken from some prose romance of chivalry; but I have not been able to find any trace of it.

I.

Alone, as was her wont, she sate,--within her bower alone;-- Alone, and very desolate, Solisa made her moan, Lamenting for her flower of life, that it should pa.s.s away, And she be never wooed to wife, nor see a bridal day.

II.

Thus said the sad Infanta--"I will not hide my grief, I'll tell my father of my wrong, and he will yield relief."-- The King, when he beheld her near, "Alas! my child," said he, "What means this melancholy cheer?--reveal thy grief to me."--

III.

"Good King," she said, "my mother was buried long ago, She left me to thy keeping, none else my griefs shall know; I fain would have a husband, 'tis time that I should wed,-- Forgive the words I utter, with mickle shame they're said."--

IV.

'Twas thus the King made answer,--"This fault is none of mine, You to the Prince of Hungary your ear would not incline; Yet round us here where lives your peer?--nay, name him if you can,-- Except the Count Alarcos, and he's a married man."--

V.

"Ask Count Alarcos, if of yore his word he did not plight To be my husband evermore, and love me day and night?

If he has bound him in new vows, old oaths he cannot break-- Alas! I've lost a loyal spouse, for a false lover's sake."--

VI.

The good King sat confounded in silence for some s.p.a.ce, At length he made this answer, with very troubled face,-- "It was not thus your mother gave counsel you should do; You've done much wrong, my daughter; we're shamed, both I and you.

VII.

"If it be true that you have said, our honour's lost and gone; And while the Countess is in life, remeed for us is none.

Though justice were upon our side, ill-talkers would not spare-- Speak, daughter, for your mother's dead, whose counsel eased my care."

VIII.

"How can I give you counsel?--but little wit have I; But certes, Count Alarcos may make this Countess die; Let it be noised that sickness cut short her tender life, And then let Count Alarcos come and ask me for his wife.

What pa.s.sed between us long ago, of that be nothing said; Thus none shall our dishonour know, in honour I shall wed."--

IX.

The Count was standing with his friends, thus in the midst he spake-- "What fools we be! what pains men dree for a fair woman's sake!

I loved a fair one long ago;--though I'm a married man, Sad memory I can ne'er forego, how life and love began."--

X.

While yet the Count was speaking, the good King came full near; He made his salutation with very courteous cheer.

"Come hither, Count Alarcos, and dine with me this day, For I have something secret I in your ear must say."--

XI.

The King came from the chapel, when he had heard the ma.s.s; With him the Count Alarcos did to his chamber pa.s.s; Full n.o.bly were they served there, by pages many a one; When all were gone, and they alone, 'twas thus the King begun.--

XII.

"What news be these, Alarcos, that you your word did plight, To be a husband to my child, and love her day and night?

If more between you there did pa.s.s, yourself may know the truth, But shamed is my grey-head--alas!--and scorned Solisa's youth.

XIII.

"I have a heavy word to speak--a lady fair doth lie Within my daughter's rightful place, and certes! she must die-- Let it be noised that sickness cut short her tender life, Then come and woo my daughter, and she shall be your wife:-- What pa.s.sed between you long ago, of that be nothing said, Thus, none shall my dishonour know--in honour you shall wed."

XIV.

Thus spake the Count Alarcos--"The truth I'll not deny, I to the Infanta gave my troth, and broke it shamefully; I feared my King would ne'er consent to give me his fair daughter; But, oh! spare her that's innocent--avoid that sinful slaughter."--

XV.