by William Motherwell (1797 - 1835)
A steed! a steed of matchlesse speed
Language: English
A steed! a steed of matchlesse speed, A sword of metal keene! All else to noble heartes is drosse, All else on earth is meane. The neighyinge of the war-horse prowde, The rowlinge of the drum, The clangor of the trumpet lowde, Be soundes from heaven that come; And O! the thundering presse of knightes Whenas their war cryes swell, May tole from heaven an angel bright, And rouse a fiend from hell. Then mounte! then mounte, brave gallants, all, And don your helmes amaine: Deathe's couriers, Fame and Honor, call Us to the field againe. No shrewish teares shall fill our eye When the sword-hilt's in our hand, -- Heart whole we'll part, and no whit sighe For the fayrest of the land; Let piping swaine, and craven wight, Thus weepe and puling crye, Our business is like men to fight, And hero-like to die!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Poems Narrative and Lyrical, Third Edition, Boston: William D. Ticknor & Company, MDCCCXLIV (1844), pages 179-180Authorship:
- by William Motherwell (1797 - 1835), "The cavalier's song", appears in Poems Narrative and Lyrical, in Songs [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Frances Allitsen (1848 - 1912), "A cavalier's song", published 1899 [ voice and piano ], from Three Songs, no. 2, London: Metzler & Co. ; New York: G. Schirmer [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2012-08-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 145