| Oh, bring to me a cup of gold, And bring a platter fair, And summon forth my Captain old, Who keeps the royal stair. |
| And fetch a stoup of that rare wine That hailed my father’s fame; And bear some white bread from the shrine Built to my mother’s name. |
| Then, good my gentlemen, bring down My robe of soft samite; And let the royal horn be blown, For we ride far to-night. |
| Within the pleasant Vale of Loe Beside the Sea of Var, The Daughter of our ancient foe Dwells where her people are. |
| Tribute her fathers paid to mine— Young prince to elder crown; But for a jest ‘twixt bread and wine, They struck our banner down. |
| And we had foes from Blymar Hills, From Gathan and Dagost, And pirates from Bagol that spills Its refuse on our coast. |
| And we were girded South and North; And there beyond the Var, They drove our goodly fighters forth, And dimmed our ancient star. |
| Now they have passed us, home for home, And matched us town for town; Their daughters to our sons now come— Our feud it weareth down. |
| Between their cups, the hill-men cry, “The Lady of the Loe!” The sea-kings swing their flags peak-high Where’er her galleons go. |
| Once when the forge of battle sang ‘Tween Varan and Thogeel; And when ten thousand stirrups rang ‘Twixt girth and bloody heel, |
| I saw her ride ‘mid mirk and fire, Unfearing din and death, Her eyes upflaming like a pyre, Her fearless smile beneath. |
| Nor’land ‘gainst Southland then she drove, A million serfs to free; The reeking shuttle lifeward wove, Through death from land to sea. |
| And perched upon the Hill of Zoom, My gentlemen beside, I saw the weft shake in the loom, The revel blazon wide, |
| Until a thousand companies— Serf-lords from out Thogeel Their broadswords brake across their knees, Good captives to her steel. |
| And then I sware by name and crown, And by the Holy Ghost, When Peace should ride with pennon blown, From Gathan to Dagost, |
| Unto her kingdom I should get, And come not back again, Until a queen’s hand I had set Upon my bridle rein. |
| Our ships now nestle at Her coast, Her corn our garner fills; And all is quiet at Dagost, And on the Blymar Hills. |
| And I will do a deed to bind An ancient love once more; My gentlemen shall ride behind, My Captain on before; |
| And we will journey forth to-night Towards the Sea of Var, Until the vale shall come in sight, Where Her great cities are. |
| And to the Daughter of that land, Which once was kin to mine, My Captain, he shall bear in hand This sacred bread and wine. |
| And he shall show her soft and fair This peace-spread sacrament: Her banner it shall ride the air Upon my Captain’s tent. |
| And if the wine to lip she raise, With morsel of my bread; Then as we loved in ancient days, These lands of ours shall wed. |
| But mine the tribute. I will bring My homage to her door, My gentlemen behind their king, My Captain on before. |
| And we aslant will set our spears, Our good swords dipping free; And we will ravel back the years For love of her and me. |
| And I will prove my faith in this As never king was proved— For kings may fight for what they kiss, And die for what they loved! |
| But I will bring my court afar, My throne to hers shall go; And I will reign beside the Var, And in the Vale of Loe. |
| The younger kingdom, it shall be The keeper of my crown; And she, my queen, shall reign with me Within her own good town. |
| And men shall speak me kind, shall tell Her graces day and night So bring my steed that serves me well, My robe of soft samite, |
| And bring me here the cup of gold, And bring the platter fair, And summon me my Captain old, That keeps the royal stair. |
| For well know I the way I go; I follow but my star: My home is in the Vale of Loe, And by the Sea of Var. |