THEN FOREMOST WAS THE GENEROUS BRUCE
TO RAISE HIS HEAD, HIS HELM TO LOOSE:

Canto VI. Stan XXXIII

LONDON, PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN & CO PATERNOSTER ROW, APRIL 1815.

Then foremost was the

generous Bruce

To raise his head, his helm to loose ;

"Lord Earl, the day is thine!

My Sovereign's charge, and adverse fate, Have made our meeting all too late :

Yet this may Argentine,

As boon from ancient comrade, crave

A Christian's mass, a soldier's grave."

XXXIV.

Bruce press'd his dying hand-its grasp

Kindly replied; but, in his clasp,

It stiffen'd and grew cold

And, "O farewell!" the victor cried,

"Of chivalry the flower and pride,

The arm in battle bold,

The courteous mien, the noble race, The stainless faith, the manly face!Bid Ninian's convent light their shrine,

For late-wake of De Argentine.

O'er better knight on death-bier laid,

Torch never gleam'd nor mass was said !”.

XXXV.

Nor for De Argentine alone,

Through Ninian's church these torches shone,

And rose the death-prayer's awful tone.
That yellow lustre glimmer'd pale,

On broken plate and bloodied mail,

Rent crest and shatter'd coronet,

Of Baron, Earl, and Banneret ;

And the best names that England knew,
Claim'd in the death-prayer dismal due.

Yet mourn not, Land of Fame!
Though ne'er the leopards on thy shield

Retreated from so sad a field,

Since Norman William came.

Oft may

thine annals justly boast

Of battles stern by Scotland lost;

Grudge not her victory,