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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CANTILENA by ANONYMOUS

First Line: EULALIA WAS A YOUNG AND LOVELY MAID
Last Line: THROUGH HIS GREAT CLEMENCY
EULALIA was a young and lovely maid,
Her body fair, her soul more lovely still:
The foes of God to conquer her assayed,
And fain would make her serve the Devil's will.
To these ill teachers she no heed would pay;
God to reject, who dwells in heaven on high,
For gold nor silver nor for rich array,
Nor the king's threats, nor words of flattery,
Nothing could ever bend the girl, or move
That she God's service e'er should cease to love.

Before Maximian they the maiden bring,
Who in those days was o'er the pagans king;
He bade her do what she will never chuse--
To fly the name of Christian and refuse.
Nor life, nor goods, would she consent to spare,
And every torture she had sooner bear,
Rather than forfeit her virginity,--
For that in utmost honour did she die.

To burn her quick they cast her in the flame,
Yet burnt she not, because devoid of blame.
Still, this converted not the Pagan lord,
Who bade them cut her head off with a sword.
The maiden 'gainst the sentence ne'er appealed,
Content to quit the world if Christ so willed.
Then, as a dove, to heaven she winged her way.
Now all beseech she deign for us to pray
That upon us His pity Christ display,
And take us to Him whensoe'er we die,
Through His great clemency.



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