In right-hand friendship. By our custom, blood
Should sanctify and bind the solemn act;
But by what oath and ceremony thou
Shalt proffer, by the same will Aztlan swear.
Nor oath, nor ceremony, I replied,
O King, is needful. To his own good word
The good and honourable man will act :
Oaths will not curb the wicked. Here we stand
In the broad day-light; the For-Ever one,
The Every-Where beholds us. In his sight
We join our hands in peace: if e'er again
Should these right hands be raised in enmity,
Upon the offender will His judgement fall.
The grave was dug; Coanocotzin laid
His weapon in the earth; Erillyab's son,
Young Amalahta, for the Hoamen, laid
His hatchet there; and there I laid the sword.
Here let me end. What followed was the work
Of peace, no theme of story; how we
Our sojourn in the hills, and sowed our fields,
And, day by day, saw all things prospering.
Thence have I sailed, Goervyl, to announce
The tidings of my happy enterprise;
There I return, to take thee to our home.
I love my native land; with as true love
As ever yet did warm a British heart,
Love I the green fields of the beautiful Isle,
My father's heritage! but far away,
Where Nature's booner hand has blest the earth,
My heritage hath fallen; beyond the seas
Madoc hath found his home; beyond the seas
A country for his children hath he chosen,
A land wherein their portions may be peace,
BUT while Aberfraw echoed to the sounds
Of merriment and music, Madoc's heart
Mourned for his brethren. Therefore, when no ear
Was nigh, he sought the King, and said to him,
To-morrow, I set forth for Mathraval;
For long I must not linger here, to pass
The easy hours in feast and revelry,
Forgetful of my people far away.
I go to tell the tidings of success,
And seek new comrades. What if it should chance
That, for this enterprise, our brethren,
Foregoing all their hopes and fortunes here,
Would join my banner?.. Let me send abroad
Their summons, O my brother! so secure,
You may forgive the past, and once again
Will
peace and concord bless our father's house.
Hereafter will be time enow for this,
The King replied; thy easy nature sees not,
How, if the traitors for thy banner send
Their bidding round, in open war against me
Their own would soon be spread. I charge thee,
Neither to see nor aid these fugitives,
The shame of Owen's blood.
And turned away; nor farther commune now
Did Madoc seek, nor had he more endured;
For bitter thoughts were rising in his heart,
And anguish, kindling anger. In such mood
He to his sister's chamber took his way.
She sate with Emma, with the gentle Queen;
For Emma had already learnt to love
The gentle maid. Goervyl saw what thoughts
Troubled her brother's brow. Madoc, she cried,
Thou hast been with the king, been rashly pleading
For Ririd and for Rodri!.. He replied,
Belike our brethren would go forth with me,
To voluntary exile; then, methought,
His fear and jealousy might well have ceased,
And all be safe.
And did the King refuse?
Quoth Emma. I will plead for them, quoth she, With dutiful warmth and zeal will plead for them; And surely David will not say me nay.
O sister! cried Goervyl, tempt him not!
Sister, you know him not! alas, to touch
That perilous theme is, even in Madoc here,
A perilous folly... Sister, tempt him not!
You do not know the King!
Fled to the cheek of Emma, and her eye,
Quickening with wonder, turned toward the Prince,
As if expecting that his manly mind
Would mould Goervyl's meaning to a shape
Less fearful, would interpret and amend
The words she hoped she did not hear aright.
Emma was young; she was the sacrifice
To that sad king-craft, which, in marriage-vows
Linking two hearts, unknowing each of each,
Perverts the ordinance of God, and makes
The holiest tie a mockery and a curse.
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