That risk'd 'gainst each adventurous spear
A life so valued and so dear.
His broken weapon's shaft survey'd

66

The King, and careless answer made,—
My loss may pay my folly's tax;
I've broke my trusty battle-axe."
'Twas then Fitz-Louis, bending low,
Did Isabel's commission show;
Edith, disguised, at distance stands,
And hides her blushes with her hands.
The monarch's brow has changed its hue,
Away the gory axe he threw,

While to the seeming page he drew,

Clearing war's terrors from his eye.
Her hand with gentle ease he took,
With such a kind protecting look,
As to a weak and timid boy
Might speak, that elder brother's care
And elder brother's love were there.

XVII.

"Fear not," he said, "young Amadine!" Then whisper'd, "Still that name be thine. Fate plays her wonted fantasy,

Kind Amadine, with thee and me,

And sends thee here in doubtful hour.
But soon we are beyond her power;
For on this chosen battle-plain,
Victor or vanquish'd, I remain.
Do thou to yonder hill repair;
The followers of our host are there,
And all who may not weapons bear.—
Fitz-Louis, have him in thy care.-

Joyful we meet, if all go well;

If not, in Arran's holy cell

Thou must take part with Isabel;

For brave Lord Ronald, too, hath sworn,
Not to regain the Maid of Lorn,

(The bliss on earth he covets most,)
Would he forsake his battle-post,
Or shun the fortune that may fall
To Bruce, to Scotland, and to all.-
But, hark! some news these trumpets tell;
Forgive my haste-farewell-farewell."-

And in a lower voice he said,

"Be of good cheer-farewell, sweet maid!".—

XVIII.

99

"What train of dust, with trumpet-sound And glimmering spears, is wheeling round Our leftward flank?"-the Monarch cried, To Moray's Earl who rode beside. "Lo! round thy station pass the foes! Randolph, thy wreath has lost a rose.' The Earl his visor closed, and said, "My wreath shall bloom, or life shall fade.Follow, my household!"-And they go Like lightning on the advancing foe. "My Liege," said noble Douglas then, "Earl Randolph has but one to ten: Let me go forth his band to aid!""Stir not. The error he hath made, Let him amend it as he may; I will not weaken mine array."

1[See Appendix, Note Y.]

Then loudly rose the conflict-cry,
And Douglas's brave heart swell'd high,—
"My Liege," he said, "with patient ear
I must not Moray's death-knell hear!”—
Forth sprung the Douglas with his train:
But when they won a rising hill,
He bade his followers hold them still.-
"See, see! the routed Southern fly!
The Earl hath won the victory.
Lo! where yon steeds run masterless,
His banner towers above the press.
Rein up; our presence would impair
The fame we come too late to share.”
Back to the host the Douglas rode,
And soon glad tidings are abroad,
That, Dayncourt by stout Randolph slain,
His followers fled with loosen'd rein.—
That skirmish closed the busy day,
And couch'd in battle's prompt array,
Each army on their weapons lay.

XIX.

It was a night of lovely June,
High rode in cloudless blue the moon,

Demayet smiled beneath her ray;

Old Stirling's towers arose in light,
And, twined in links of silver bright,
Her winding river lay.

Ah, gentle planet! other sight
Shall greet thee, next returning night,
Of broken arms and banners tore,
And marshes dark with human gore,
And piles of slaughter'd men and horse,
And Forth that floats the frequent corse,

And many a wounded wretch to plain
Beneath thy silver light in vain!
But now, from England's host, the cry
Thou hear'st of wassail revelry,
While from the Scottish legions pass
The murmur'd prayer, the early mass!
Here, numbers had presumption given;
There, bands o'er-match'd sought aid from Heaven.

XX.

On Gillie's-hill, whose height commands

The battle-field, fair Edith stands,

With serf and page unfit for war,
To eye the conflict from afar.
O! with what doubtful agony
She sees the dawning tint the sky!—
Now on the Ochils gleams the sun,
And glistens now Demayet dun;
Is it the lark that carols shrill,
Is it the bittern's early hum?
No!-distant, but increasing still,
The trumpet's sound swells up the hill,

With the deep murmur of the drum.
Responsive from the Scottish host,
Pipe-clang and bugle-sound were toss'd,'
His breast and brow each soldier cross'd,

'There is an old tradition, that the well-known Scottish tune of "Hey, tutti taitti," was Bruce's march at the battle of Bannockburn. The late Mr. Ritson, no granter of propositions, doubts whether the Scots had any martial music, quotes Froissart's account of each soldier in the host bearing a little horn, on which, at the onset, they would make such a horrible noise, as if all the devils of hell had been among them. He observes, that

And started from the ground;

Arm'd and array'd for instant fight,
Rose archer, spearman, squire and knight,
And in the pomp of battle bright

The dread battalia frown'd.

XXI.

Now onward, and in open view,

The countless ranks of England drew,'

these horns are the only music mentioned by Barbour, and concludes, that it must remain a moot point whether Bruce's army were cheered by the sound even of a solitary bagpipe.—Historical Essay prefixed to Ritson's Scottish Songs. It may be observed in passing, that the Scottish of this period certainly observed some musical cadence, even in winding their horns, since Bruce was at once recognised by his followers from his mode of blowing. See note X. on canto iv. But the tradition, true or false, has been the means of securing to Scotland one of the finest lyrics in the language, the celebrated war-song of Burns,-"Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled."

-1

Upon the 24th of June, the English army advanced to the attack. The narrowness of the Scottish front, and the nature of the ground, did not permit them to have the full advantage of their numbers, nor is it very easy to find out what was their proposed order of battle. The vanguard, however, appeared a distinct body, consisting of archers and spearmen on foot, and commanded, as already said, by the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford. Barbour, in one place, mentions that they formed nine BATTLES, or divisions; but from the following passage, it appears that there was no room or space for them to extend themselves, so that, except the vanguard, the whole army appeared to form one solid and compact body:

"The English men, on either party,
That as angels shone brightly,
Were not arrayed on such manner:
For all their battles samyn 1 were

1 Together.