Heroines of the CrusadesBloss, C. A. (Celestia Angenette)
History
Heroines of the Crusades
Bloss, C. A. (Celestia Angenette)
Crusades; Crusades -- Biography; Women -- Biography
"Your beauty, lady fair,
None views without delight;
But still so cold an air
No passion can excite.
Yet this I patient see,
While all are shunn'd like me."
Is it the voice of the warder mingling with his own in the concluding
strain, or has his rapt fancy taught the echoes to mock his impatience
with the loved tones of the royal troubadour? He pauses--'Tis neither
memory nor fancy. From the lonely turret and the closely barred casements
pours a liquid strain, and his fond ear drinks again the clear tones that
answered to his own, when in harmonious rivalry each sought the rich
reward of Berengaria's smile.
"No nymph my heart can wound,
If favors she divide,
And smile on all around,
Unwilling to decide:
I'd rather hatred bear
Than love with other share."
It is the voice of Plantagenet!! The song, the tune are his! He lives! He
may yet be ransomed.
A rough hand is laid upon the shoulder of the minstrel, and a surly voice
bids him, Begone! He departs without question or reply. He courts no
danger; for on his safety depends the life of his friend. The listless
stroll of the harper is exchanged for the quick firm pace of one who
hastes to the accomplishment of a worthy purpose. He avoids the populous
cities, and tarries not in the smiling villages. He reaches the
sea-coast--he finds a vessel--he lands in England--he obtains audience of
the queen regent. She who subscribes herself "Eleanora, by the _wrath_ of
God Queen of England," makes all Europe ring with the infamy of those
princes who have combined to keep her son in chains. The power of the pope
is implored, the mercy of the holy mother is invoked. The Emperor Henry
VI. requires the royal prisoner at the hands of Leopold. Richard is
brought before the diet at Worms, to answer for his crimes.
He is accused of making an alliance with Tancred, of turning the arms of
the crusade against the christian King of Cyprus, of affronting the Duke
of Austria before Acre, of obstructing the progress of the croises by his
quarrels with the King of France, of assassinating the Marquis Conrad
Prince of Tyre, and of concluding a truce with Saladin and leaving
Jerusalem in the hands of the Saracen emperor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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