THE COMPLETE POETICAL WORKS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. Walter Scott

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       Was exiled from his native land.

       The women praised his stately form,

       Though wrecked by many a winter’s storm;

       The youth with awe and wonder saw

       His strength surpassing Nature’s law.

       Thus judged, as is their wont, the crowd

       Till murmurs rose to clamours loud.

       But not a glance from that proud ring

       Of peers who circled round the King

       With Douglas held communion kind,

       Or called the banished man to mind;

       No, not from those who at the chase

       Once held his side the honoured place,

       Begirt his board, and in the field

       Found safety underneath his shield;

       For he whom royal eyes disown,

       When was his form to courtiers known!

       XXV

      The Monarch saw the gambols flag

       And bade let loose a gallant stag,

       Whose pride, the holiday to crown,

       Two favorite greyhounds should pull down,

       That venison free and Bourdeaux wine

       Might serve the archery to dine.

       But Lufra,—whom from Douglas’ side

       Nor bribe nor threat could e’er divide,

       The fleetest hound in all the North,—

       Brave Lufra saw, and darted forth.

       She left the royal hounds midway,

       And dashing on the antlered prey,

       Sunk her sharp muzzle in his flank,

       And deep the flowing lifeblood drank.

       The King’s stout huntsman saw the sport

       By strange intruder broken short,

       Came up, and with his leash unbound

       In anger struck the noble hound.

       The Douglas had endured, that morn,

       The King’s cold look, the nobles’ scorn,

       And last, and worst to spirit proud,

       Had borne the pity of the crowd;

       But Lufra had been fondly bred,

       To share his board, to watch his bed,

       And oft would Ellen Lufra’s neck

       In maiden glee with garlands deck;

       They were such playmates that with name

       Of Lufra Ellen’s image came.

       His stifled wrath is brimming high,

       In darkened brow and flashing eye;

       As waves before the bark divide,

       The crowd gave way before his stride;

       Needs but a buffet and no more,

       The groom lies senseless in his gore.

       Such blow no other hand could deal,

       Though gauntleted in glove of steel.

       XXVI

      Then clamored loud the royal train,

       And brandished swords and staves amain,

       But stern the Baron’s warning:

       ‘Back! Back, on your lives, ye menial pack!

       Beware the Douglas.—Yes! behold,

       King James! The Douglas, doomed of old,

       And vainly sought for near and far,

       A victim to atone the war,

       A willing victim, now attends,

       Nor craves thy grace but for his friends.—’

       ‘Thus is my clemency repaid?

       Presumptuous Lord!’ the Monarch said:

       ‘Of thy misproud ambitious clan,

       Thou, James of Bothwell, wert the man,

       The only man, in whom a foe

       My woman-mercy would not know;

       But shall a Monarch’s presence brook

       Injurious blow and haughty look?—

       What ho! the Captain of our Guard!

       Give the offender fitting ward.—

       Break off the sports!’—for tumult rose,

       And yeomen ‘gan to bend their bows,

       ‘Break off the sports!’ he said and frowned,

       ‘And bid our horsemen clear the ground.’

       XXVII

      Then uproar wild and misarray

       Marred the fair form of festal day.

       The horsemen pricked among the crowd,

       Repelled by threats and insult loud;

       To earth are borne the old and weak,

       The timorous fly, the women shriek;

       With flint, with shaft, with staff, with bar,

       The hardier urge tumultuous war.

       At once round Douglas darkly sweep

       The royal spears in circle deep,

       And slowly scale the pathway steep,

       While on the rear in thunder pour

       The rabble with disordered roar

       With grief the noble Douglas saw

       The Commons rise against the law,

       And to the leading soldier СКАЧАТЬ