And charged hisold paternal shield
With bearings won on Flodden field.-
Nor sing I to that simple maid,

To whom it must in terms be said,
That king and kinsmen did agree
To bless fair Clara's constancy;
Who cannot, unless I relate,

Paint to her mind the bridal's state;
That Wolsey's voice the blessing spoke;
More, Sands, and Denny, passed the joke:
That bluff King Hal the curtain drew,

And Catherine's hand the stocking threw;
And afterwards, for many a day,
That it was held enough to say,

In blessing to a wedded pair,

"Love they like Wilton and like Clare!*

L'ENVOY.

TO THE READER

Why then a final note prolong,
Or lengthen out a closing song,
Unless to bid the gentles speed,
Who long have listed to my rede?-
To Statesmen grave, if such may deign
To read the Minstrel's idle strain,

Sound head, clean hand, and piercing wit,
And patriotic heart-as Prrr!

A garland for the hero's crest,

And twined by her he loves the bests

To every lovely lady bright,

What can I wish but faithful knight?

To every faithful lover too,

What can I wish but lady true?

And knowledge to the studions sage,

And pillow soft to head of age.

To thee, dear school-boy, whom my lay
Has cheated of thy hour of play,
Light task, and merry holiday.
To all, to each, a fair good night,
And pleasing dreams, and slumbers light

ΤΟ

THE MOST NOBLE

JOHN JAMES MARQUIS OF ABERCORN,

&c. &c. &c.

THIS POEM IS INSCRIBED

BY

THE AUTHOR

THE

LADY OF THE LAKE.

ARGUMENT.

The Scene of the following Poem is chiefly in the vicinity of Loch-Katrine, in the West Highlands of Perthshire The time of action includes six days, and the transac tions of each day occupy a Canto.

CANTO FIRST.

THE CHASE.

HARP of the north! that mouldering long hast hung
On the witch-elm that shades Saint Fillan's spring,
And down the fitful breeze thy numbers flung,
Till envious ivy did around thee cling,

Muffling with verdant ringlet every string-
Oh minstrel Harp! still must thine accents sleep?
Mid rustling leaves and fountains murmuring,
Still must thy sweeter sounds their silence keep,
Nor bid a warrior smile, nor teach a maid to weep

Not thus, in ancient days of Caledon,

Was thy voice mute amid the festal crowd, When lay of hopeless love, or glory won, Aroused the fearful or subdued the proud. At each according pause, was heard aloud Thine ardent symphony sublime and high!

Fair dames and crested chiefs attention bow'd; For still the burden of thy minstrelsy

Was Knighthood's dauntless deed, and Beauty's match.

less eye.

Oh wake once more! how rude soe'er the hand
That ventures o'er thy magic maze to stray;
Oh wake once more! tho' scarce my skill command
Some feeble echoing of thine earlier lay:
Though harsh and faint, and soon to die away,
And all unworthy of thy nobler strain,

Yet if one heart throb higher at its sway,
The wizard note has not been touch'd in vain.
Then silent be no more! Enchantress, wake again!

L

THE stag at eve had drunk his fill,

Where danced the moon on Monan's rill,

And deep his midnight lair had made

In lone Glenartney's hazel shade;

But, when the sun his beacon red

Had kindled on Benvoirlich's head,

The deep-mouthed blood-hound's heavy bay
Resounded up the rocky way,

And faint, from farther distance borne,
Were heard the clanging hoof and horn.

II.

As chief who hears his warder call,

"To arms! the foemen storm the wall!”
The antler'd monarch of the waste
Sprang from his heathery couch in haste.
But, ere his fleet career he took,
The dew-drops from his flanks he shook;
Like crested leader proud and high,
Tossed his beamed frontlet to the sky;
A moment gazed adown the dale,
A moment snuffed the tainted gale,

A moment listened to the cry,

That thickened as the chase drew nigh;
Then, as the headmost foes appeared,

With one brave bound the copse he cleared,
And stretching forward free and far,
Sought the wild heaths of Uam-var.

III.

Yelled on the view the opening pack-
Rock, glen, and cavern paid them back;
To many a mingled sound at once
The awakened mountain gave response.

22*