Llewelyn to his home returned, Unconscious of his wrong, and burn’d To meet the welcome he had earned In glory’s sanguine field.
Cold was the heart he thought his own, And colder had his welcome grown, And on his forehead sat a frown, Which half his fears revealed.
Unransomed to his Saxon home, With promises of gifts to come, Southward he bade De Breos roam, And gave him friendly grasp.
The lady wept, Llewelyn smiled, “Yield not, sweet wife, to sorrow wild, For friendship is a feeling mild; Her hand De Breos clasp.”
The Knight departed on his steed, With twenty horsemen for his need, To guard him over mount and mead, To fair Montgomory.
But, when he saw the Knight depart, Full jealous grew Llewelyn’s heart, “Oh can dissimulation’s dart Live in Johanna’s eye?”
Dark rumours reached his tortured ear, He gazed upon his lady near, And vengeance whispered “Chieftain, here Must the foul spoiler die.”
A month had scarcely rolled away, When to the Knight, so proud and gay, Predestined for revenge’s prey He sent a Herald light.
With soothing speech, and present rare, And invitation to repair With speed of horse, and heedful care, To Aber’s Castle bright.
The Herald well De Breos knew, On wings of guilty love he flew, His foul dishonour to renew With great Llewelyn’s dame.
But fatal was the meeting now, Llewelyn knit his dreadful brow, His angry blood began to glow, And in his eye was flame.
“Down with the slave to dungeon dark! Disgrace to knighthood, hear and mark! Upon the gibbet, cold and stark, To-morrow shalt thou hang.
“No more to whisper, fawn and lie— No more to gaze with wanton eye, No more to mix with chivalry, Or hear its martial clang.”
Johanna knows not of the fate That on her paramour doth wait; But e’er the sun through heaven’s gate Rolls forth to gild the sea;
Three taps upon her chamber door, Hath roused her from her dreams of yore, And stern upon her rush-strewn floor Llewelyn doth she see.
He seized her by the raven hair “What wouldst thou give, my lady fair. To see that Knight, so debonair, De Breos, once again?”
“Strong Aber’s castle which we dwell in, Wales, fair England, and Llewelyn, All I’d give to see my Gwilym, But all I wish in vain.”
He dragged her from her secret bower, While thunder on his brow did lower, And pointed to the falcon tower, “Behold, false dame,” he cried,