The Waggoner – Canto Second

IF Wytheburn’s modest House of prayer,
As lowly as the lowliest dwelling,
Had, with its belfry’s humble stock,
A little pair that hang in air,
Been mistress also of a clock,
(And one, too, not in crazy plight)
Twelve strokes that clock would have been telling
Under the brow of old Helvellyn–
Its bead-roll of midnight,
Then, when the Hero of my tale
Was passing by, and, down the vale
(The vale now silent, hushed I ween
As if a storm had never been)
Proceeding with a mind at ease;
While the old Familiar of the seas,
Intent to use his utmost haste,
Gained ground upon the Waggon fast,
And gives another lusty cheer;
For spite of rumbling of the wheels,
A welcome greeting he can hear;–
It is a fiddle in its glee
Dinning from the CHERRY TREE!
Thence the sound–the light is there–
As Benjamin is now aware,
Who, to his inward thoughts confined,
Had almost reached the festive door,
When, startled by the Sailor’s roar,
He hears a sound and sees a light,
And in a moment calls to mind
That ’tis the village MERRY-NIGHT!
Although before in no dejection,
At this insidious recollection
His heart with sudden joy is filled,–
His ears are by the music thrilled,
His eyes take pleasure in the road
Glittering before him bright and broad;
And Benjamin is wet and cold,
And there are reasons manifold
That make the good, tow’rds which he’s yearning,
Look fairly like a lawful earning.
Nor has thought time to come and go,
To vibrate between yes and no;
For, cries the Sailor, ‘Glorious chance
That blew us hither!–let him dance,
Who can or will!–my honest soul,
Our treat shall be a friendly bowl!’
He draws him to the door–‘Come in,
Come, come,’ cries he to Benjamin!
And Benjamin–ah, woe is me!
Gave the word–the horses heard
And halted, though reluctantly.
‘Blithe souls and lightsome hearts have we,
Feasting at the CHERRY TREE!’
This was the outside proclamation,
This was the inside salutation;
What bustling–jostling–high and low!
A universal overflow!
What tankards foaming from the tap!
What store of cakes in every lap!
What thumping–stumping–overhead!
The thunder had not been more busy:
With such a stir you would have said,
This little place may well be dizzy!
‘Tis who can dance with greatest vigour–
‘Tis what can be most prompt and eager;
As if it heard the fiddle’s call,
The pewter clatters on the wall;
The very bacon shows its feeling,
Swinging from the smoky ceiling!
A steaming bowl, a blazing fire,
What greater good can heart desire?
‘Twere worth a wise man’s while to try
The utmost anger of the sky:
To ‘seek’ for thoughts of a gloomy cast,
If such the bright amends at last.
Now should you say I judge amiss,
The CHERRY TREE shows proof of this;
For soon of all the happy there,
Our Travellers are the happiest pair;
All care with Benjamin is gone–
A Caesar past the Rubicon!
He thinks not of his long, long strife;–
The Sailor, Man by nature gay,
Hath no resolves to throw away;
And he hath now forgot his Wife,
Hath quite forgotten her–or may be
Thinks her the luckiest soul on earth,
Within that warm and peaceful berth,
Under cover,
Terror over,
Sleeping by her sleeping Baby,
With bowl that sped from hand to hand,
The gladdest of the gladsome band,
Amid their own delight and fun,
They hear–when every dance is done,
When every whirling bout is o’er–
The fiddle’s ‘squeak’–that call to bliss,
Ever followed by a kiss;
They envy not the happy lot,
But enjoy their own the more!
While thus our jocund Travellers fare,
Up springs the Sailor from his chair–
Limps (for I might have told before
That he was lame) across the floor–
Is gone–returns–and with a prize;
With what?–a Ship of lusty size;
A gallant stately Man-of-war,
Fixed on a smoothly-sliding car.
Surprise to all, but most surprise
To Benjamin, who rubs his eyes,
Not knowing that he had befriended
A Man so gloriously attended!
‘This,’ cries the Sailor, ‘a Third-rate is–
Stand back, and you shall see her gratis!
This was the Flag-ship at the Nile,
The Vanguard–you may smirk and smile,
But, pretty Maid, if you look near,
You’ll find you’ve much in little here!
A nobler ship did never swim,
And you shall see her in full trim:
I’ll set, my friends, to do you honour,
Set every inch of sail upon her.’
So said, so done; and masts, sails, yards,
He names them all; and interlards
His speech with uncouth terms of art,
Accomplished in the showman’s part;
And then, as from a sudden check,
Cries out–”Tis there, the quarter-deck
On which brave Admiral Nelson stood–
A sight that would have roused your blood!
One eye he had, which, bright as ten,
Burned like a fire among his men;
Let this be land, and that be sea,
Here lay the French–and ‘thus’ came we!’
Hushed was by this the fiddle’s sound,
The dancers all were gathered round,
And, such the stillness of the house,
You might have heard a nibbling mouse;
While, borrowing helps where’er he may,
The Sailor through the story runs
Of ships to ships and guns to guns;
And does his utmost to display
The dismal conflict, and the might
And terror of that marvellous night!
‘A bowl, a bowl of double measure,’
Cries Benjamin, ‘a draught of length,
To Nelson, England’s pride and treasure,
Her bulwark and her tower of strength!’
When Benjamin had seized the bowl,
The mastiff, from beneath the waggon,
Where he lay, watchful as a dragon,
Rattled his chain;–’twas all in vain,
For Benjamin, triumphant soul!
He heard the monitory growl;
Heard–and in opposition quaffed
A deep, determined, desperate draught!
Nor did the battered Tar forget,
Or flinch from what he deemed his debt:
Then, like a hero crowned with laurel,
Back to her place the ship he led;
Wheeled her back in full apparel;
And so, flag flying at mast head,
Re-yoked her to the Ass:–anon,
Cries Benjamin, ‘We must be gone.
Thus, after two hours’ hearty stay,
Again behold them on their way!