Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79. | | | | Spain: Madrid | | The Captivity of Francis the First | | From the French |
| | Translated by L. S. Costello
WHEN the king, from France departing, | |
| Other lands to conquer sought, | |
| ’T was at Pavia he was taken, | |
| By the wily Spaniard caught. | |
| |
| “Yield thee, yield thee straight, King Francis, | 5 |
| Death or prison is your lot.” | |
| “Wherefore call you me King Francis? | |
| Such a monarch know I not.” | |
| |
| Then the Spaniards raised his mantle, | |
| And they saw the fleur-de-lys; | 10 |
| They have chained him, and, full joyous, | |
| Bore him to captivity. | |
| |
| In a tower where sun nor moon light | |
| Came but by a window small, | |
| There he lies, and as he gazes | 15 |
| Sees a courier pass the wall. | |
| |
| “Courier! who art letters bringing, | |
| Tell me what in France is said?” | |
| “Ah! my news is sad and heavy, | |
| For the king is ta’en or dead.” | 20 |
| |
| “Back with speed, O courier, hasten,— | |
| Haste to Paris back with speed, | |
| To my wife and little children; | |
| Bid them help me at my need. | |
| |
| “Bid them coin new gold and silver, | 25 |
| All that Paris has to bring, | |
| And send here a heap of treasure, | |
| To redeem the captive king.” | | | | |
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