A Royal Visitor.
Reading edition
Unfurl the banner, let it court the breeze Once more, on Ragnor's Towers. A wedding peal Now ring. Come virgins, strew with flowers Their bridal path, whose woes this day will heal! Look bright, ye frowning cliffs and laugh ye moaning seas!
What means that wild commotion an the strand? A stately vessel nears Old Ragnor's port! "King Richard comes!" Sir Guy with terror hears. "Haste, Harold, pay our sovereign royal court; Crave pardon for me! Say, I lie at death's command!"
"Welcome, my liege!" "Sir Harold, welcome, too, Is sight of thee, brave knight! But where is he. Sir Guy de Hastyngs,—flies he now my sight?" "Nay, nay, my liege! his sponsor will I be; His heart for thee, his king, doth bear allegiance true!"