Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/Legend of the Wine Tower
Legend of the Wine Tower.
The Wine Tower is au old quadrangular building, rising from a rock which overhangs the sea, about fifty yards east from the Castle of Kinnaird's Head, Aberdeenshire.
Love wove a chaplet passing fair,
Within Kinnaird's proud tower;
Where joyous youth, and beauty rare,
Lay captive to his power.
Within Kinnaird's proud tower;
Where joyous youth, and beauty rare,
Lay captive to his power.
But woe is me!—alack the day!
Pride spurned the simple wreath;
And scattering all those blooms away,
He doomed sweet love to death.
Pride spurned the simple wreath;
And scattering all those blooms away,
He doomed sweet love to death.
No bridal wreath, O maiden fair!
Thy brow shall e'er adorn;
A father's stern behest is there,
Of pride and avarice horn.
Thy brow shall e'er adorn;
A father's stern behest is there,
Of pride and avarice horn.
What boots to him thy vows, thy tears?
What boots thy plighted troth?
One rich in pelf, and hoar in years,
Is deemed of seemlier worth
What boots thy plighted troth?
One rich in pelf, and hoar in years,
Is deemed of seemlier worth
Than he who with but love to guide,
Keeps tryst in yonder bower;
Where ruffians—hired by ruffian pride—
His stalwart limbs secure.
Keeps tryst in yonder bower;
Where ruffians—hired by ruffian pride—
His stalwart limbs secure.
✱✱✱✱
Where rolls old ocean's surging tide,
The Wine Tower beetling stands,
Right o'er a cavern deep and wide—
No work of mortal hands.
The Wine Tower beetling stands,
Right o'er a cavern deep and wide—
No work of mortal hands.
Dark as the dark expanse of hell,
That cavern's dreary space;
Whence never captive came to tell
The secrets of the place.
That cavern's dreary space;
Whence never captive came to tell
The secrets of the place.
There bound in cruel fetters, lies
The lover fond and true;
No more to glad the maiden's eyes,
No more to bless her view!
The lover fond and true;
No more to glad the maiden's eyes,
No more to bless her view!
No pitying hand relieves his want,
No loving eye his woe;
A hapless prey to hunger gaunt—
He dies in torments slow!
No loving eye his woe;
A hapless prey to hunger gaunt—
He dies in torments slow!
✱✱✱✱
Thus slept the youth in death's embrace:—
Darkly the tyrant smiled;
The corse they dragged from that dread place,
And bore it to his child.
Darkly the tyrant smiled;
The corse they dragged from that dread place,
And bore it to his child.
"Ay, say," he cried, "what greets thy view?
Canst trace these whilome charms?
Henceforth a fitter mate shall woo
And win thee to his arms.
Canst trace these whilome charms?
Henceforth a fitter mate shall woo
And win thee to his arms.
"Didst think that these, my brave broad lauds
His love would well repay?
No, minion, no!—for other hands
Shall bear the prize away."
His love would well repay?
No, minion, no!—for other hands
Shall bear the prize away."
These direful words the maid arrest,—
A marble hue she bore;
Then sinking on that clay-cold breast,
"We part," she cried, "no more!
A marble hue she bore;
Then sinking on that clay-cold breast,
"We part," she cried, "no more!
"No more shall man his will oppose,
Nor man the wrong abet;
Our virgin love in fealty rose,
In fealty it shall sot."
Nor man the wrong abet;
Our virgin love in fealty rose,
In fealty it shall sot."
Then clasping close that shrouded form,
Which erst had love inspired;
Fearless she breasted cliff and storm,
By love and frenzy fired.
Which erst had love inspired;
Fearless she breasted cliff and storm,
By love and frenzy fired.
"Farewell, O ruthless sire," she cried,
"Farewell earth's all of good;
Our bridal waits below the tide,"—
Then plunged into the flood!
"Farewell earth's all of good;
Our bridal waits below the tide,"—
Then plunged into the flood!