Twinkling faint, and distant far, Shimmers through mist each planet star; XVIII. The unearthly voices ceast, And the heavy sound was still; It died on the river's breast, It died on the side of the hill. But round Lord David's tower The sound still floated near ; For it rung in the Ladye's bower, And it rung in the Ladye's ear. She raised her stately head, And her heart throbbed high with pride: "Your mountains shall bend, And your streams ascend, Ere Margaret be our foeman's bride!" XIX. The Ladye sought the lofty hall, Where many a bold retainer lay, And, with jocund din, among them all, Her son pursued his infant play. A fancied moss-trooper, the boy The truncheon of a spear bestrode, And round the hall, right merrily, In mimic foray * rode. Even bearded knights, in arms grown old, Albeit their hearts, of rugged mould, For the gray warriors prophesied, How the brave boy, in future war, Should tame the Unicorn's pride, Exalt the Crescents and the Star. † † Alluding to the armorial bearings of the Scots and Cars. XX. The Ladye forgot her purpose high, One moment, and no more; One moment gazed with a mother's eye, Then, from amid the armed train, She called to her William of Deloraine. XXI. A stark moss-trooping Scott was he, As e'er couched border lance by knee: Through Solway sands, through Tarras moss, By wily turns, by desperate bounds, Alike to him was time or tide, December's snow, or July's pride; Alike to him was tide, or time, Moonless midnight, or matin prime: Steady of heart, and stout of hand, By England's king, and Scotland's queen. XXII. "Sir William of Deloraine, good at need, Mount thee on the wightest steed; Spare not to spur, nor stint to ride, Until thou come to fair Tweedside; And in Melrose's holy pile Seek thou the Monk of St Mary's aisle. Greet the father well from me; Say, that the fated hour is come, And to-night he shall watch with thee, To win the treasure of the tomb: For this will be St Michael's night, And, though stars be dim, the moon is bright; And the Cross, of bloody red, Will point to the grave of the mighty dead. XXIII. "What he gives thee, see thou keep; Stay not thou for food or sleep: Be it scroll, or be it book, Into it, knight, thou must not look; If thou readest, thou art lorn! Better had'st thou ne'er been born." XXIV. "O swiftly can speed my dapple-gray steed, Which drinks of the Teviot clear; Ere break of day," the warrior 'gan say, Again will I be here: And safer by none may thy errand be done, Than, noble dame, by me; Letter nor line know I never a one, Wer't my neck-verse at Hairibee." * * Hairibee, the place of executing the Border marauders at Carlisle. The neck-verse is the beginning of the 51st psalm, Miserere mei, &c. anciently read by criminals, claiming the benefit of clergy. 8 |