Then had you seen a gallant shock, When saddles were emptied, and lances broke! For each scornful word the Galliard had said, A Beattison on the field was laid. Where the Beattison's blood mix'd with the rill, The Galliard's-Haugh men call it still. The Scotts have scatter'd the Beattison clan, In Eskdale they left but one landed man. The valley of Esk, from the mouth to the source, Was lost and won for that bonny white horse. XIII. Whitslade the Hawk, and Headshaw came, And warriors more than I may name; From Yarrow-cleugh to Hindhaughswair, From Woodhouselie to Chester-glen, Troop'd man and horse, and bow and spear; Their gathering word was Bellenden.30 And better hearts o'er Border sod To siege or rescue never rode. The Ladye mark'd the aids come in, And high her heart of pride arose: She bade her youthful son attend, That he might know his father's friend, And learn to face his foes. "The boy is ripe to look on war; I saw him draw a cross-bow stiff, And his true arrow struck afar The raven's nest upon the cliff; The red cross, on a southern breast, Is broader than a raven's nest: Thou, Whitslade, shalt teach him his weapon to wield, And o'er him hold his father's shield." XIV. Well may you think, the wily page And shriek'd and shed full many a tear, And moan'd and plain'd in manner wild. The attendants to the Ladye told, Some fairy, sure had changed the child, That wont to be so free and bold. Then wrathful was the noble dame; She blush'd blood-red for very shame:"Hence! ere the clan his faintness view; Hence with the weakling to Buccleuch! —— Watt Tinlinn, thou shalt be his guide To Rangleburn's lonely side. Sure some fell fiend has cursed our line, That coward should e'er be son of mine!"' XV. A heavy task Watt Tinlinn had, It cost Watt Tinlinn mickle toil But as a shallow brook they cross'd, And fled, and shouted, "Lost! lost! Full fast the urchin ran and laugh'd, Although the imp might not be slain, XVI. Soon on the hill's steep verge he stood, That looks o'er Branksome's towers and wood; And martial murmurs, from below, And banners tall, of crimson sheen, Shine helm, and shield, and spear. XVII. Light forayers, first, to view the ground, The Kendal archers, all in green, Advancing from the wood were seen. With kirtles white, and crosses red, That stream'd o'er Acre's conquer'd wall; XVIII. Behind the English bill and bow, Moved on to fight, in dark array, And sold their blood for foreign pay. And morsing-horns *and scarfs they wore; XIX. But louder still the clamor grew, * Powder-flasks. There many a youthful knight, full keen So rode they forth in fair array, XX. Now every English eye, intent On Branksome's armed towers were bent; XXI. 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. A glove upon a lance was the emblem of faith among the ancient Borderers, who were wont, when any one broke his word, to expose this emblem, and proclaim him a faithless villain at the first Border meeting. This ceremony was much dreaded. See LESLEY. XXII. "Ye English warden lords, of you XXIII. A wrathful man was Dacre's lord, XXIV. "It irks, high Dame, my noble Lords, ↑ An asylum for outlaws. + Plundered. Then, since a lone and widow'd Dame XXV. He ceased and loud the boy did cry, And thus replied, in dauntless mood: 66 XXVI. Say to your Lords of high emprize, Who war on women and on boys, That either William of Deloraine Will cleanse him, by oath, of marchtreason stain, Or else he will the combat take 'Gainst Musgrave, for his honor's sake. No knight in Cumberland so good, But William may count with him kin and blood. Knighthood he took of Douglas' sword,2 When English blood swell'd Ancram's ford; 33 And but Lord Dacre's steed was wight, And bare him ably in the flight, Himself had seen him dubb'd a knight. For the young heir of Branksome's line, God be his aid, and God be mine; Through me no friend shall meet his doom; Here, while I live, no foe finds room. Then, if thy Lords their purpose urge, Take our defiance loud and high; Our slogan is their lyke-wake | dirge, Our moat, the grave where they shall lie." Note of assault. Watching a corpse all night. XXVII. Proud she look'd round, applause to claim Then lighten'd Thirlestane's eye of flame; His bugle Watt of Harden blew; Pensils and pennons wide were flung, To heaven the Border slogan rung, "St. Mary for the young Buccleuch!" The English war-cry answer'd wide, And forward bent each southern spear; Each Kendal archer made a stride, And drew the bowstring to his ear; Each minstrel's war-note loud was blown: But, ere a gray-goose shaft had flown, A horseman gallop'd from the rear. XXVIII. "Ah! noble Lords!" he breathless said, "What treason has your march betray'd? What make you here, from aid so far, Before you walls, around you war? Your foemen triumph in the thought, That in the toils the lion's caught. Already on dark Ruberslaw The Douglas holds his weapon-schaw;* Clothe the dun heath like autumn grain; And Jedwood, Esk, and Teviotdale, In Liddesdale I've wander'd long; But still my heart was with merry England, And cannot brook my country's wrong; And hard I've spurr'd all night to show The mustering of the coming foe." XXIX. "And let them come!" fierce Dacre cried; "For soon yon crest, my father's pride, That swept the shores of Judah's sea, And waved in gales of Galilee, Weapon-schaw-military gathering of a chief's followers, or the army of a county. From Branksome's highest towers display'd, Shall mock the rescue's lingering aid!- XXX. "Yet hear," quoth Howard, "calmly Saw the blanche lion e'er fall back? 34 Certes, were desperate policy. XXXI. Ill could the haughty Dacre brook XXXII. The pursuivant-at-arms again Before the castle took his stand; His trumpet call'd, with parleying strain, The leaders of the Scottish band; And he defied, in Musgrave's right, Stout Deloraine to single fight; A gauntlet at their feet he laid, And thus the terms of fight he said: "If in the lists good Musgrave's sword Vanquish the Knight of Deloraine, Your youthful chieftain, Branksome's Lord Shall hostage for his clan remain: If Deloraine foil good Musgrave, Howe'er it falls, the English band, Unharming Scots, by Scots unharm'd, In peaceful march, like men unarm'd, Shall straight retreat to Cumberland." XXXIII. Unconscious of the near relief, For though their hearts were brave and true, From Jedwood's recent sack they knew, Durst not the secret prescience own, Sprung from the art she might not name, By which the coming help was known. Closed was the compact, and agreed That lists should be enclosed with speed, Beneath the castle, on a lawn: They fix'd the morrow for the strife, On foot, with Scottish axe and knife, At the fourth hour from peep of dawn; When Deloraine, from sickness freed, Or else a champion in his stead, Should for himself and chieftain stand, Against stout Musgrave, hand to hand. XXXIV. I know right well, that, in their lay, Such combat should be made on horse, He knew each ordinance and clause He brook'd not, he, that scoffing tongue Or call his song untrue: For this, when they the goblet plied, And such rude taunt had chafed his pride, The Bard of Reull he slew. On Teviot's side, in fight they stood, And tuneful hands were stain'd with blood: Where still the thorn's white branches wave, Memorial o'er his rival's grave. XXXV. Why should I tell the rigid doom, Wept till their eyes were dead and dim, Who died at Jedwood Air? He died! - his scholars, one by one, He paused: the listening dames again The fading wreath for which they bled; verse Could call them from their marble hearse. The Harper smiled, well-pleased; for ne'er Was flattery lost on poet's ear: |