Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 046.djvu/789

The mitred bishop, and the statesman sage,
The young patrician in his pupillage,
The chief, at once the nation's sword and helm,
The banded nobles of the fruitful realm—
All that were justly pious, truly brave,
Stood fast, their country from its mob to save.

The land of Sicily was full of wealth,
And every breeze was redolent of health;
And hope is rash, and modesty is rare,
And royal Argenis was young and fair;
And eagles gather where their booty lies.
And the sweet honey draws a crowd of flies;
No wonder, then, a troop of princes came,
And felt for Argenis, or feign'd a flame.
A Sicel cousin, generous and brave,
Woo'd her as a frank lover, not a slave,
But would not wear her Council's golden chains,
And so was sent to travel for his pains.
Two gallant princes, each in hope to please
The princess, from Batavia cross'd the seas;
They, like their fathers, pious were and just,
Each worthy of a loyal people's trust.
Their very nobleness, and e'en their name,
Was found a hindrance to their gentle aim;
For the bad Council fear'd the loss of power,
Should such a consort share the royal bower.
The youthful scions of the Bourbon stem
Attempted, too, the Sicel diadem;
The heir of Scythia came to be denied,
And was dismiss'd with his barbaric pride.
A swarm of wooers travell'd to and fro,
Of noble lineage some, and some of low.
She look'd upon them carelessly: Love's dart
Had miss'd as yet to touch her royal heart.
But there was one Andrugio much approved,
And she by his persuasion thought she loved.
Son of a line unheard of until late,
Royal by courtesy, of low estate,—
A house of vaulting hopes and high desires,
Whose means exceeded not a Sicel squire's;
This count without a county came to woo,
And seem'd a thriving courtship to pursue;
For he had with the Premier made a league,
And thought to win her through a court intrigue.

While the Queen's favourite, and wooer tall,
Jested together and kept festival;
While the bold prince indulged his love's young dream,
Glad to be party to the statesman's scheme,
Which promised him a bright imperial bride,
On terms well understood and ratified;
While joy was in the palace, earth and sky
Untoward signs gave out portentously:—
Strange voices startled both the hamlet lone,
And city large with busy life o'ergrown;
The days were fill'd with terror, and the nights
With prodigies, dread sounds and awful sights.
Portending judgments which the conscience fear'd,
As red as blood the sun and moon appear'd;
Wild vengeful eyes peep'd from the clouds on high,
And frightful meteors danced athwart the sky.