Now every English eye, intent
On Branksome's armed towers was bent,
So near they were that they might know
The straining harsh of each cross-bow;
On battlement and bartizan*
Gleamed axe, and spear, and partizan;
Falcon and culvert on each tower
Stood prompt, their deadly hail to shower;
And flashing armour frequent broke,
From eddying whirls of sable smoke,
Where, upon tower and turret head,
The seething pitch and molten lead
Reeked, like a witch's cauldron red.
While yet they gaze, the bridges fall,
The wicket opes, and from the wall
Rides forth the hoary Seneschal.
Armed he rode all save the head;
His white beard o'er his breast-plate spread ; Unbroke by age, erect his seat,
He ruled his eager courser's gait ;
† Ancient pieces of artillery.
Forced him with chastened fire, to prance,
And, high curvetting, slow advance :
In sign of truce his better hand
Displayed a peeled willow wand;
His squire, attending in the rear,
Bore high a gauntlet on a spear.
When they espied him riding out,
Lord Howard and lord Dacre stout,
Sped to the front of their array,
To hear what this old knight should say.
"Ye English warden lords, of you
Demands the ladye of Buccleuch,
Why, 'gainst the truce of Border-tide,
In hostile guise ye dare to ride,
With Kendal bow, and Gilsland brand,
And all yon mercenary band,
Upon the bounds of fair Scotland?
My ladye reads you swith return;
And, if but one poor straw you burn,
Or do our towers so much molest,
As scare one swallow from her nest,
Saint Mary! but we'll light a brand
Shall warm your
hearts in Cumberland."
A wrathful man was Dacre's lord,
But calmer Howard took the word-
May 't please thy dame, sir Seneschal,
To seek the castle's outward wall;
Our pursuivant-at-arms shall shew,
Both why we come and when we go.”
The message sped, the noble dame
To the wall's outward circle came;
Each chief around leaned on his spear,
To see the pursuivant appear;
All in lord Howard's livery dressed
The lion argent decked his breast.
He led a boy of blooming hue-
O sight to meet a mother's view!
It was the heir of great Buccleuch.
Obeisance meet the herald made,
And thus his master's will he said.
"It irks, high dame, my noble lords, 'Gainst ladye fair to draw their swords; But yet they may not tamely see, All through the western wardenry, Your law-contemning kinsmen ride, And burn and spoil the Border side;
And ill beseems your rank and birth, To make your towers a flemen's-firth.* We claim from thee William of Deloraine, That he may suffer march treason pain :t It was but last Saint Cuthbert's even He pricked to Stapleton on Leven, Harried the lands of Richard Musgrave, And slew his brother by dint of glaive; Then since a lone and widowed dame These restless riders may not tame, Either receive within thy towers Two hundred of my master's powers, Or strait they sound their warrison, And storm and spoil thy garrison; And this fair boy, to London led, Shall good king Edward's page be bred."
He ceased-and loud the boy did cry,
And stretched his little arms on high;
Implored for aid each well known face,
And strove to seek the dame's embrace.
* An asylum for outlaws. + Plundered
A moment changed that ladye's cheer,
Gushed to her eye the unbidden tear;
She gazed upon the leaders round,
And dark and sad each warrior frowned.
Then, deep within her sobbing breast
She locked the struggling sigh to rest;
Unaltered and collected stood,
And thus replied, in dauntless mood.
Say to thy lords of high emprize, Who war on women and on boys, That either William of Deloraine
Will cleanse him, by oath, of march-treason stain, Or else he will the combat take
'Gainst Musgrave, for his honour's sake.
No knight in Cumberland so good,
But William may count with him kin and blood:
Knighthood he took of Douglas' sword,
When English blood swelled Ancram ford;
And but that lord Dacre's steed was wight,
And bare him ably in the flight,
Himself had seen him dubbed a knight.
For the young heir of Branksore's line,
God be his his aid, and God be mine;
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