Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/The Vaudois Missionary

The Vaudois Missionary.

"The Vaudois Christians, who lived in the recesses of the Alps, sought to disseminate the Scriptures, which they themselves possessed and deeply valued, in the following manner:—They travelled over the country as pedlars, and when they had in this capacity obtained access to the dwellings of the rich, they offered them the Bible, and thus not unfrequently were the means of sowing the good seed, which afterwards sprang up and bore fruit to life eternal."

"O lady fair, these silks of mine Are beautiful and rare,The richest web of the Indian loom, Which beauty's self might wear.And these pearls are pure and mild to behold, And with radiant light they vie;I have brought them with me a weary way, Will my gentle lady buy?"

And the lady smiled on the worn old man Through the dark and clustering curls,Which veiled her brow as she bent to view His silk and glittering pearls.And she placed their price in the old man's hand, And lightly turned away;But she paused at the wanderer's earnest call, "My gentle lady, stay!

"O lady fair, I have yet a gem Which a purer lustre flings,Than the diamond flash of the jewelled crown, On the lofty brow of kings;A wonderful pearl of exceeding price, Whose virtue shall not decay,Whose sight shall be as a spell to thee, And a blessing on thy way!"

The lady glanced at the mirroring steel Where the youthful form was seen,Where her eye shone clear, and her dark locks waved Their clasping pearls between:"Bring forth the pearl of exceeding worth, Thou traveller grey and old;And name the price of thy precious gem, And my pages shall count thy gold."

The cloud went off from the pilgrim's brow, As a small and magic book,Unchased with gold or diamond gem, From his folding robe he took: "Here, lady fair, is the pearl of price, May it prove such to thee!Nay—keep thy gold, I ask it not, For the Word, of God is free."

The weary traveller went his way— But the gift he left behindHath had its pure and perfect work In that high-born maiden's mind,—And she hath turned from her pride of sin To the lowliness of truth,And given her human heart to God In its beautiful hour of youth.

And she hath left the old grey walls Where an evil faith hath power,The courtly knights of her father's train, And the maidens of her bower;And she hath gone to the Vaudois' vale By lordly feet untrod,Where the poor and needy of earth are rich In the perfect love of God.