Classic Poem

Of Hilary the Great and Good
They tell a tale at Christmas time.
I've often thought the story would
Be prettier but just as good
If almost anybody should
Translate it into rime.
So I have done the best I can
For lack of some more learned man.

Good King Hilary
Said to his Chancellor
(Proud Lord Willoughby,
Lord High Chancellor):
" Run to the wicket gate
Quickly, quickly,
Run to the wicket gate
And see who is knocking.
It may be a rich man,
Sea-borne from Araby,
Bringing me peacocks,
Emeralds and ivory;
It may be a poor man,
Travel-worn and weary,
Bringing me oranges
To put in my stocking. "

Proud Lord Willoughby,
Lord High Chancellor,
Laughed both loud and free:
" I've served Your Majesty, man to man,
Since first Your Majesty's reign began,
And I've often walked, but I never, never ran,
Never, never, never, " quoth he.

Good King Hilary
Said to his Chancellor
(Proud Lord Willoughby,
Lord High Chancellor):
" Walk to the wicket-gate
Quickly, quickly,
Walk to the wicket-gate
And see who is knocking.

It may be a captain,
Hawk-nosed, bearded,
Bringing me gold-dust,
Spices, and sandalwood;

It may be a scullion,
Care-free, whistling,
Bringing me sugar-plums
To put in my stocking. "

Proud Lord Willoughby,
Lord High Chancellor,
Laughed both loud and free:
" I've served in the Palace since I was four,
And I'll serve in the Palace a-many years more,
And I've opened a window, but never a door,
Never, never, never, " quoth he.

Good King Hilary
Said to his Chancellor
(Proud Lord Willoughby,
Lord High Chancellor):
" Open the window
Quickly, quickly,
Open the window
And see who is knocking.

It may be a waiting-maid,
Apple-cheeked, dimpled,
Sent by her mistress
To bring me greeting;
It may be children,
Anxious, whispering,
Bringing me cobnuts,
To put in my stocking. "

Proud Lord Willoughby,
Lord High Chancellor,
Laughed both loud and free:
" I'll serve Your Majesty till I die —
As Lord Chancellor, not as spy
To peep from lattices; no, not I,
Never, never, never, " quoth he.

Good King Hilary
Looked at his Chancellor
(Proud Lord Willoughby,
Lord High Chancellor):
He said no word
To his stiff-set Chancellor,
But ran to the wicket-gate
To see who was knocking.
He found no rich man
Trading from Araby;
He found no captain,
Blue-eyed, weather-tanned;
He found no waiting-maid
Sent by her mistress;
But only a beggarman
With one red stocking.

Good King Hilary
Looked at the beggarman,
And laughed him three times three;
And he turned that beggarman round about:
" Your thews are strong, and your arm is stout;
Come, throw me a Lord High Chancellor out,
And take his place, " quoth he.

Of Hilary the Good and Great
Old wives at Christmas time relate
This tale, which points, at any rate,
Two morals on the way.
The first: " Whatever Fortune brings ,
Don't be afraid of doing things. "
(Especially, of course, for Kings.)
It also seems to say
(But not so wisely): " He who begs
With one red stocking on his legs
Will be, as sure as eggs are eggs,
A Chancellor some day. "