St Nicholas [serial] . THE DtLCIMER. 77-] THE OLD-TIME MINSTRELS. 217 the sixteenth century, we have a picture of therlorn condition of the once jovial gleeman : The way was long, the wind was cold,The minstrel was infirm and old;His withered cheek and tresses graySeemed to have known a better A. BAND OF MINSTRELS WITH DULCIMER, BAGPIPE AND VIOL. The harp, his sole remaining joy, Was carried by an orphan boy. The last of all the bards was he Who sung of Border chivalry,—- For well-a-day their date was fled, His tuneful brethren all were dead; And he, neglected and oppressed, Wished to be
St Nicholas [serial] . THE DtLCIMER. 77-] THE OLD-TIME MINSTRELS. 217 the sixteenth century, we have a picture of therlorn condition of the once jovial gleeman : The way was long, the wind was cold,The minstrel was infirm and old;His withered cheek and tresses graySeemed to have known a better A. BAND OF MINSTRELS WITH DULCIMER, BAGPIPE AND VIOL. The harp, his sole remaining joy, Was carried by an orphan boy. The last of all the bards was he Who sung of Border chivalry,—- For well-a-day their date was fled, His tuneful brethren all were dead; And he, neglected and oppressed, Wished to be with them and at rest. No more on prancing palfrey borne, He caroled, light as lark at morn; No longer, courted and caressed, High placed in hall, a welcome guest, He poured to lord and lady gay The unpremeditated lay. Old times were changed, old manners gone, A stranger filled the Stuarts throne. The bigots of the iron time Had called his harmless art a crime. A wandering harper, scorned and poor, He begged his bread from door to door; And tuned to please a peasants ear, A harp a king had loved to hear. The minstrel, seeing no humbler resting-place athand, paused sadly at a castle gate. But a kindreception awaited him. The duchess marked his weary pace,His timid mien, and reverend face,A
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
