Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
France: Vols. IX–X. 1876–79.

Miscellaneous

The Troubadour

By Queen Hortense (1783–1837)

GLOWING with love, on fire for fame,

A Troubadour that hated sorrow

Beneath his lady’s window came,

And thus he sung his last good-morrow:

“My arm it is my country’s right,

My heart is in my true-love’s bower;

Gayly for love and fame to fight

Befits the gallant Troubadour.”

And while he marched with helm on head

And harp in hand, the descant rung,

As faithful to his favorite maid,

The minstrel-burthen still he sung:

“My arm it is my country’s right,

My heart is in my lady’s bower;

Resolved for love and fame to fight,

I come, a gallant Troubadour.”

Even when the battle-roar was deep,

With dauntless heart he hewed his way

Mid splintering lance and falchion-sweep,

And still was heard his warrior-lay;

“My life it is my country’s right,

My heart is in my lady’s bower;

For love to die, for fame to fight,

Becomes the valiant Troubadour.”

Alas! upon the bloody field

He fell beneath the foeman’s glaive,

But still, reclining on his shield,

Expiring sung the exulting stave:

“My life it is my country’s right,

My heart is in my lady’s bower;

For love and fame to fall in fight,

Becomes the valiant Troubadour.”