Forsake his lonely haunts and come with him,
And sail beyond the seas and share his fate.
No! by my God! the high-hearted youth replied, It never shall be said Llewelyn left
His father's murderer on his father's throne!
I am the rightful king of this poor land. ..
Go thou, and wisely go! but I must stay,
That I may save my people. Tell me, Uncle,
The story of thy fortunes; I can hear it
Here in this lonely Isle, and at this hour,
Securely.
Nay, quoth Madoc, tell me first
Where are thy haunts and coverts, and what hope
Thou hast to bear thee up? Why goest thou not
To Mathraval? there would Cyveilioc give
A kinsman's welcome; or at Dinevawr,
The guest of honour shouldst thou be with Rhys; And he, belike, from David might obtain
Some recompense, though poor.
Exclaim'd Llewelyn; what hath he to give,
But life for life? and what have I to claim
But vengeance, and my father Yorwerth's throne?
If with aught short of that my soul could rest,
Would I not through the wide world follow thee,
Dear Uncle! and fare with thee, well or ill,
And show to thine old age the tenderness
My childhood found from thee!..What hopes I have
Let time display: Ilave thou no fear for me!
My bed is made within the ocean caves,
Of sea-weeds, bleach'd by many a sun and shower;
I know the mountain dens, and every hold
And fastness of the forest; and I know,...
What troubles him by day and in his dreams, ...
There's many an honest heart in Gwyneth yet!
But tell me thine adventure; that will be
A joy to think of in long winter nights,
When stormy billows make my lullaby.
So, as they walk'd along the moonlight shore,
Did Madoc tell him all; and still he strove,
By dwelling on that noble end and aim,
That of his actions was the heart and life,
To win him to his wish. It touch'd the youth ;
And when the Prince had ceas'd, he heav'd a sigh,
1 ong-drawn and deep, as if regret were there.
No, no! he cried, that must not be! lo yonder
My native mountains, and how beautiful
They rest in the moonlight! I was nurst among them ;
They saw my sports in childhood, they have seen
My sorrows, they have sav'd me in the hour
Of danger; ..I have vow'd, that as they were
My cradle, they shall be my monument!,.
But we shall meet again, and thou wilt find me
When next thou visitest thy native Isle,
King in Aberfraw!
Madoc replied, shall I behold the shores
Of Britain, nor will ever tale of me
Reach the Green Isle again. With fearful care
I chuse my little company, and leave
No traces of our path, where Violence,
And bloody Zeal, and bloodier Avarice,
Might find their blasting way.
And rightly thou hast judged, the youth replied,
Thou wilt not know my fate; .. but this be sure,
It shall not be inglorious. I have in me
A hope from Heaven... Give me thy blessing, Uncle!
Llewelyn, kneeling on the sand, embraced
His knees, with lifted head and streaming eyes Listening. He rose, and fell on Madoc's neck, And clasp'd him, with a silent agony,..
Then launch'd his coracle, and took his way,
A lonely traveller on the moonlight sea.
Now hath Prince Madoc left the holy Isle,
And homeward to Aberfraw, through the wilds.
Of Arvon, bent his course.
A little way
He turn'd aside, by natural impulses
Mov'd, to behold Cadwallon's lonely hut.
That lonely dwelling stood among the hills,
By a grey mountain-stream; just elevate
Above the winter torrents did it stand,
Upon a craggy bank; an orchard slope
Arose behind, and joyous was the scene,
In early summer, when those antic trees
Shone with their blushing blossoms, and the flax
Twinkled beneath the breeze its liveliest green.
But, save the flax-field and that orchard slope,
All else was desolate, and now all wore
One sober hue; the narrow vale which wound
Among the hills, was grey with rocks, that peer'd
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