Nay,
Were the great trumpet blowing doomsday dawn,
I needs must rest.
Were the great trumpet blowing doomsday dawn,
I needs must rest.
Tennyson
Our guardsmen have slept well, since we came in?
LEOFWIN. Ay, slept and snored. Your second-sighted man
That scared the dying conscience of the king,
Misheard their snores for groans. They are up again
And chanting that old song of Brunanburg
Where England conquer'd.
HAROLD. That is well. The Norman,
What is he doing?
LEOFWIN. Praying for Normandy;
Our scouts have heard the tinkle of their bells.
HAROLD. And our old songs are prayers for England too!
But by all Saints--
LEOFWIN. Barring the Norman!
HAROLD.
Nay,
Were the great trumpet blowing doomsday dawn,
I needs must rest. Call when the Norman moves--
[_Exeunt all, but_ HAROLD.
No horse--thousands of horses--our shield wall--
Wall--break it not--break not--break-- [_Sleeps_.
VISION OF EDWARD. Son Harold, I thy king, who came before
To tell thee thou shouldst win at Stamford-bridge,
Come yet once more, from where I am at peace,
Because I loved thee in my mortal day,
To tell thee them shalt die on Senlac hill--
Sanguelac!
VISION OF WULFNOTH. O brother, from my ghastly oubliette
I send my voice across the narrow seas--
No more, no more, dear brother, nevermore--
Sanguelac!
VISION OF TOSTIG. O brother, most unbrotherlike to me,
Thou gavest thy voice against me in my life,
I give my voice against thee from the grave--
Sanguelac!
VISION OF NORMAN SAINTS. O hapless Harold!
King but for an hour!
Thou swarest falsely by our blessed bones,
We give our voice against thee out of heaven!
Sanguelac! Sanguelac! The arrow!