The Moated Manse Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCBCDD A EFEFEFGG A EHEHEHDD G IJIJIJKK G LMLMLMNO G PQPQPQHH G RSTSRSEE G UEUEUEEE E HVHVHVDD E JWJWJWHH E XYXZXYCC E A2B2A2B2C2D2E2E2 E VF2VF2VF2G2G2 G MH2MH2MH2I2I2 G J2H2J2H2J2H2EE G XK2XK2XK2L2L2 G M2EM2EM2EN2O2 G P2H2P2H2P2H2H2H2 E Q2R2Q2R2Q2R2EE E H2S2H2S2H2S2EE E H2EH2EH2EGG E R2H2R2H2R2H2EE E XH2XH2XH2H2H2 G R2R2R2R2R2R2TR G GH2GH2GH2EE H2 H2EH2EH2H2T2T2 T2 R2HR2HR2HT2T2 T2 R2R2R2R2R2R2R2R2 E HR2HR2HR2R2R2 E R2R2R2R2R2R2HH E T2R2T2R2T2R2H2H2 E U2R2U2R2U2R2R2R2 E H2H2H2H2H2H2R2R2 T2 ER2ER2ER2H2H2 T2 R2V2R2V2R2V2H2H2 T2 HEHEHEH2H2I | A |
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And now once more we stood within the walls | B |
Of her old manor near the riverside | C |
Dead leaves lay rotting in its empty halls | B |
And here and there the ivy could not hide | C |
The year old scars made by the Royalists' balls | B |
Around the doorway where so many died | C |
In that last effort to defend the stair | D |
When Rupert like a demon entered there | D |
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II | A |
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The basest Cavalier who yet wore spurs | E |
Or drew a sword I count him with his grave | F |
Eyes 'neath his plumed hat like a wolf's whom curs | E |
Rouse to their harm within a forest cave | F |
And hair like harvest and a voice like verse | E |
For smoothness Ay a handsome man and brave | F |
Brave who would question it although 't is true | G |
He warred with one weak woman and her few | G |
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III | A |
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Lady Isolda of the Moated Manse | E |
Whom here that very noon it happened me | H |
To meet near her old home A single glance | E |
Told me 't was she I marveled much to see | H |
How lovely still she was as fair perchance | E |
As when Red Rupert thrust her brutally | H |
Her long hair loosened down the shattered stair | D |
And cast her shrieking 'mid his followers there | D |
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IV | G |
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She is for you Take her I promised it | I |
She is for you he shouted as he flung | J |
Her in their midst Then on her poor hands split | I |
And beaten by his dagger when she clung | J |
Resisting him and knees she crept a bit | I |
Nearer his feet and begged for death No tongue | J |
Can tell the way he turned from her and cursed | K |
Then bade his men draw lots for which were first | K |
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V | G |
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I saw it all from that low parapet | L |
Where bullet wounded in the hip and head | M |
I lay face upward in the whispering wet | L |
Exhausted 'mid the dead and left for dead | M |
We had held out two days without a let | L |
Against these bandits You could trace with red | M |
From room to room how we resisted hard | N |
Since the great door crashed in to their petard | O |
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VI | G |
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The rain revived me and I leaned with pain | P |
And saw her lying there all soiled and splashed | Q |
And miserable on her cheek a stain | P |
A dull red bruise made when his hand had dashed | Q |
Her down upon the stones the wretched rain | P |
Dripped from her dark hair and her hands were gashed | Q |
Oh for a musket or a petronel | H |
With which to send his devil's soul to hell | H |
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VII | G |
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But helpless there I lay no weapon near | R |
Only the useless sword I could not reach | S |
His traitor's heart with while I chafed to hear | T |
The laugh the insult and the villain speech | S |
Of him to her Oh God could I but clear | R |
The height between and hanging like a leech | S |
My fingers at his throat there tear his base | E |
Vile tongue out yea and lash it in his face | E |
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VIII | G |
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But badly wounded what could I but weep | U |
With rage and pity of my helplessness | E |
And her misfortune Could I only creep | U |
A little nearer so that she might guess | E |
I was not dead that I my life would keep | U |
But to avenge her Oh the wild distress | E |
Of that last moment when half dead I saw | E |
Them mount and bear her swooning through the shaw | E |
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IX | E |
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Long time I lay unconscious It befell | H |
Some woodsmen found me having heard the sound | V |
Of fighting cease that for two days made dell | H |
And dingle echo ventured on the ground | V |
For plunder and it had not then gone well | H |
With me I fear had not their leader found | V |
That in some way I would repay his care | D |
So bore me to his hut and nursed me there | D |
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X | E |
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How roughly kind he was For weeks I hung | J |
'Twixt life and death health like a varying sick | W |
And fluttering pendulum now this way swung | J |
Now that until at last its querulous tick | W |
Beat out life's usual time and slowly rung | J |
The long loud hours that exclaimed Be quick | W |
Arise Go forth Hear how her black wrongs call | H |
Make them the salve to cure thy wounds withal | H |
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XI | E |
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They were my balsam for ere autumn came | X |
Weak still but over eager to be gone | Y |
I took my leave of him A little lame | X |
From that hip wound and somewhat thin and wan | Z |
I sought the village Here I heard her name | X |
And shame's made one How Rupert passed one dawn | Y |
And she among his troopers rode astride | C |
Like any man pale faced and feverish eyed | C |
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XII | E |
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Which way these took they pointed and I went | A2 |
Like fire after Oh the thought was good | B2 |
That they were on before And much it meant | A2 |
To know she lived still she whose image stood | B2 |
Ever before me making turbulent | C2 |
Each heart beat with her wrongs that were fierce food | D2 |
Unto my hate that Courage cried Rest not | E2 |
Think of her there and let thy haste be hot | E2 |
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XIII | E |
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But months passed by and still I had not found | V |
Yet here and there as wearily I sought | F2 |
I caught some news how he had held his ground | V |
Against the Roundhead troops or how he'd fought | F2 |
Then fled returned and conquered Like a hound | V |
Questing a boar I followed but was brought | F2 |
Never to see my quarry Day by day | G2 |
It seemed that Satan kept him from my way | G2 |
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XIV | G |
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A woman rode beside him so they said | M |
A fair faced wanton mounted like a man | H2 |
Isolda my Isolda better dead | M |
Yea dead and damned than thus the courtesan | H2 |
Bold unreluctant of such men A dread | M |
That such should be unmanned me Doubt began | H2 |
To whisper at my heart But I was mad | I2 |
To insult her with such thoughts whose love I had | I2 |
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XV | G |
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At last one day I rested in a glade | J2 |
Near that same woodland which I lay in when | H2 |
Sore wounded and while sitting in the shade | J2 |
Of an old beech what did I dream or men | H2 |
Like Rupert's own ride near me and a maid | J2 |
Isolda or her spirit Wildly then | H2 |
I rose and shouting leapt upon my horse | E |
Unsheathed my sword and rode across their course | E |
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XVI | G |
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Mainly I looked for Rupert and by name | X |
Challenged him forth Dog dost thou hide behind | K2 |
Insulter of women Coward save where shame | X |
And rapine call thee God at last is kind | K2 |
And my sword waits Like an upbeating flame | X |
My voice rose to a windy shout and blind | K2 |
I seemed to sit till with an outstretched hand | L2 |
Isolda rode before me from that band | L2 |
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XVII | G |
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Gerald she cried not as a heart surprised | M2 |
With gladness that the loved deemed dead still lives | E |
But like the heart that long hath realized | M2 |
Only misfortune and to fortune gives | E |
No confidence though it be recognized | M2 |
As good She spoke Lo we are fugitives | E |
Rupert is slain And I am going home | N2 |
Then like a child asked simply Wilt thou come | O2 |
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XVIII | G |
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Oh I have suffered Gerald oh my God | P2 |
What shame what vileness Once my soul was clean | H2 |
Stained and defiled behold it I have trod | P2 |
Sad ways of hell and horror I have seen | H2 |
And lived all depths of lust Yet oh my God | P2 |
Blameless I hold myself of what hath been | H2 |
Though through it all yea this thou too must know | H2 |
I loved him my betrayer and thy foe | H2 |
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XIX | E |
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Sobbing she spoke as if but half awake | Q2 |
Her eyes far fixed beyond me far beyond | R2 |
All hope of mine So it was for his sake | Q2 |
His love that she had suffered blind and fond | R2 |
For what return And I to nurse a snake | Q2 |
And never dream its nature would respond | R2 |
With some such fang of venom 'T was for this | E |
That I had ventured all to find her his | E |
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XX | E |
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At first half stunned I stood then blood and brain | H2 |
Like two stern judges who had slept awoke | S2 |
Rose up and thundered Slay her Every vein | H2 |
And nerve responded Slay her at a stroke | S2 |
And I had done it but my heart again | H2 |
Like a strong captain in a tumult spoke | S2 |
And the fierce discord fell And quietly | E |
I sheathed my sword and said I'll go with thee | E |
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XXI | E |
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But this was my reward for all I'd borne | H2 |
My loyalty and love To see her eyes | E |
Hollow from tears for him her pale cheeks worn | H2 |
With grief for him to know them all for lies | E |
Her vows of faith to me to come forlorn | H2 |
Where I had hoped to come on Paradise | E |
On Hell's black gulf and as if not enough | G |
Soiled as she was and outcast still to love | G |
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XXII | E |
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Then rode one ruffian from the rest clay flecked | R2 |
From spur to plume with hurry seized my rein | H2 |
And What art thou demanded who hast checked | R2 |
Our way and challenged Then with some disdain | H2 |
Isolda Sir my kinsman did expect | R2 |
Your captain here What honor may remain | H2 |
To me I pledge for him Hold off thy hands | E |
He but attends me to the Moated Manse | E |
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XXIII | E |
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We rode in silence And at twilight came | X |
Into the Moated Manse Great clouds had grown | H2 |
Up in the West on which the sunset's flame | X |
Lay like the hand of slaughter Very lone | H2 |
Its rooms and halls a splintered door that lame | X |
Swung on one hinge a cabinet o'erthrown | H2 |
Or arras torn or blood stain turning wan | H2 |
Showed us the way the battle once had gone | H2 |
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XXIV | G |
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We reached the tower chamber towards the West | R2 |
In which on that dark day she thought to hide | R2 |
From Rupert when at last 't was manifest | R2 |
We could not hold the Manse There was no pride | R2 |
In her deep eyes now nor did scorn invest | R2 |
Her with such dignity as once defied | R2 |
Him bursting in to find her standing here | T |
Prepared to die like some dog hunted deer | R |
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XXV | G |
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She took my hand and as if naught of love | G |
Had ever been between us said All know | H2 |
The madness of that day when with his glove | G |
He struck then slew my brother and brought woe | H2 |
On all our house and thou incensed above | G |
The rest came here and made my foe thy foe | H2 |
But he had left 'T was then I promised thee | E |
My hand but ah my heart was gone from me | E |
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XXVI | H2 |
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Yea he had won me this same Rupert when | H2 |
He was our guest Thou know'st how gallantry | E |
And beauty can make heroes of all men | H2 |
To us weak women And so secretly | E |
I vowed to be his wife It happened then | H2 |
My brother found him in some villainy | H2 |
The insult followed he was killed and thou | T2 |
Dost still remember how I made a vow | T2 |
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XXVII | T2 |
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But still this man pursued me and I held | R2 |
Firm to my vow albeit I loved him still | H |
Unknown to all with all the love unquelled | R2 |
Of first impressions and against my will | H |
At last despair of winning me compelled | R2 |
Him to the oath he swore He would not kill | H |
But take me living and would make my life | T2 |
A living death No man should make me wife | T2 |
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XXVIII | T2 |
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The war that now consumes us did indeed | R2 |
Give him occasion I had not been warned | R2 |
When down he came against me in the lead | R2 |
Of his marauders With thy help I scorned | R2 |
His mad attacks two days I would not plead | R2 |
Nor parley with him who came hoofed and horned | R2 |
Like Satan's self in soul and with his aid | R2 |
Took this strong house and kept the oath he made | R2 |
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XXIX | E |
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Months passed Alas it needs not here to tell | H |
What often thou hast heard Of how he led | R2 |
His troopers here now there nor what befell | H |
Me of dishonor Oft I wished me dead | R2 |
Loathing my life than which the nether hell | H |
Hath less of horror So we fought or fled | R2 |
From place to place until a year had passed | R2 |
And Parliament forces hemmed us in at last | R2 |
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XXX | E |
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Yea I had only lived for this to right | R2 |
With death my wrongs sometime And love and hate | R2 |
Contended in my bosom when that night | R2 |
Before the fight that should decide our fate | R2 |
I entered where he slept There was no light | R2 |
Save of the stars to see by Long and late | R2 |
I leaned above him there yet could not kill | H |
Hate raised the dagger but love held it still | H |
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XXXI | E |
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The woman in me conquered What a slave | T2 |
To our emotions are we To relent | R2 |
At this long waited moment Wave on wave | T2 |
Of pitying weakness swept me and I bent | R2 |
And kissed his face Then prayed to God and gave | T2 |
My trust to God and left to God th' event | R2 |
I never looked on Rupert's face again | H2 |
For in that morning's combat he was slain | H2 |
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XXXII | E |
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Out of defeat escaped some scant three score | U2 |
Of all his followers And night and day | R2 |
They fled and while the Roundheads pressed them sore | U2 |
And in their road good as a fortress lay | R2 |
The Moated Manse where their three score or more | U2 |
Might well hold out I pointed them the way | R2 |
And they are come amid its wrecks to end | R2 |
The crime begun here Thou must go my friend | R2 |
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XXXIII | E |
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Go quickly For the time approaches when | H2 |
Destruction must arrive Oh well I know | H2 |
All thou wouldst say to me What boots it then | H2 |
I tell thee thou must go that thou must go | H2 |
Yea dost thou think I'd have thee die 'mid men | H2 |
Like these for such an one as I No no | H2 |
Thy life is clean Thou shalt not cast away | R2 |
Thy clean life for my soiled one Go I pray | R2 |
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XXXIV | T2 |
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She ceased I spoke I know not what it was | E |
Then took her hand and kissed it and so said | R2 |
Thou art my promised wife Thou hast no cause | E |
That is not mine I love thee We will wed | R2 |
I love thee Come A moment did she pause | E |
Then shook her head and sighed My heart is dead | R2 |
This can not be Behold that way is thine | H2 |
I will not let thee share this way that's mine | H2 |
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XXXV | T2 |
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Then turning from me ere I could prevent | R2 |
Passed like a shadow from the shadowy room | V2 |
Leaving my soul in shadow Naught was meant | R2 |
By my sweet flower of love then bloom by bloom | V2 |
I'd watched it wither then its fragrance went | R2 |
And naught was left now It was dark as doom | V2 |
And bells were tolling far off through the rain | H2 |
When from that house I turned my face again | H2 |
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XXXVI | T2 |
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Then in the night a trumpet and the dull | H |
Close thud of horse and clash of Puritan arms | E |
And glimmering helms swept by me Sorrowful | H |
I stood and waited till upon the storm's | E |
Black breast the Manse a burning carbuncle | H |
Blazed like a battle beacon and alarms | E |
Of onslaught clanged around it then like one | H2 |
Who bears with him God's curse I galloped on | H2 |
Madison Julius Cawein
(1)
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