Britain ... - Blue-Lite

Scene I.] THE DEVOTED ONE. 199
GODWIN.
Fool ! on thy own base soul that curse shall fall.
Thine shall not be the gallant soldier's death,
His burial, nor his grave. No weeping friends
With martial pomp, nor war-horse, helm, nor plume,
Nor spear, nor banner trailing
in the dust,
Shall follow thee to a last peaceful home :
Nor holy priest nor solemn dirge wail forth
The warrior's funeral hymn. Thy death shall, like
Thy life, be foul and bloody ;
and thy tomb
The unblest wave, that on its shores shall fling
Thy mangled carcass to the scoffing world,
And scorn to give so base a thing a last
Dark hiding-place to rot in.
[Exit Edric, guarded and followed by Godwin.
CANUTE (coming forward.)
Now shall my reign,
The struggling tempests of its winter past,
Be like the spring-sun in its golden light,
Making the green earth rich in fruits and flowers ;
While peaceful music, breathing through the land,
Shall fill all hearts with gladness.
Enter Elgitha.
ELGITHA.
Deign, mighty prince, to hear a wretcn's prayei .
CANUTE.
Rise, and speak freely.
ELGITHA.
O, there is a ta^e
So fearful, wild, and ruthless, that it hangs
In terror on my pale and quivering lips