As suited' best the princely dais,

And royal canopy; And there he marshalld them their place,

First of that company.

VII... Then lords and ladies spake aside, And angry looks the error chide, That gave to guests unnamed, unknown, A place so near their prince's throne;

But Owen Erraught said,
6 For forty years a seneschal,
To marshal guests in bower and hall

Has been my honour'd trade. :
Worship and birth to me are known,
By look, by bearing, and by tone,
Not by furr'd robe or broider'd zone;

And 'gainst an oaken bough
I'll gage my silver wand of state,
That these three strangers oft have sate

In higher place than now.”—

VIII.

6 I, too," the aged Ferrand said, “ Am qualified by minstrel trade

Of rank and place to tell ;-
Mark'd ye the younger stranger's eye,
My mates, how quick, how keen, how high,

How fierce its flashes fell,
Glancing among the noble rout
As if to seek the noblest out,
Because the owner might not brook
On any save his peers to look ?

And yet it moves mé more,
That steady, calm, majestic brow,
With which the elder chief even now

Scann'd the gay presence o’er,
Like Being of superior kind,
In whose high-toned impartial mind
Degrees of mortal rank and state
Scem objects of indifferent weight.

The lady too-though closely tied

The mantle veil both face and eye,
Her motions' grace it could not hide,

Nor could her form's fair symmetry."-

Suspicious doubt and lordly scorn
Lourd on the haughty front of Lorn.
From underneath his brows of pride,
The stranger guests he sternly eyed,

And whisper'd closely what the ear
Of Argentine alone might hear; .

Then question'd, high and brief,
If, in their voyage, aught they knew
Of the rebellious Scottish crew,
Who to Rath-Erin's shelter drew, .

With Carrick's out-law'd Chief?
And if, their winter's'exile o'er,
They harbour'd still by Ulster's shore,
Or launch’d their galleys on the main,
To vex their native land again?

That younger stranger, fierce and high,
At once confronts the Chieftain's eye. .

With look of equal scorn ;-
66 Of rebels have we nought to show;
But if of Royal Bruce thou’dst know,

I warn thee he has sworn, Ere thrice three days shall come and go, His banner Scottish winds shall blow, ; ; Despite each mean or mighty foe, From England's every bill and bow,

To Allaster of Lorn.”Kindled the mountain Chieftain's ire, si But Ronald quench'd the rising fire ; 66 Brother, it better suits the time To chase the night with Ferrand's rhyme, Than wake, 'midst mirth and wine, the jars That flow from these unhappy wars.?-. “ Content,” said Lorn; and spoke apart With Ferrand, master of his art,

Then whisper'd Argentine, ici. “ The lay I named will carry. smart'. To these bold strangers' haughty heart, ;.

If right this guess of mine." ... He ceased, and it was silence all, ... : Until the Minstrel waked the halls

XI.

The Broach of Lorn. 6 Whence the Broach of burning gold, That clasps the Chieftain's mantle-fold, Wrought and chased with rare device, Studded fair with gems of price, On the varied tartans beaming, As, through night's pale rain-bow gleaming, Fainter now, now seen afar, Fitful shines the northern star ?' '

“ Gem ! ne'er wrought on highland mountains Did the fairy of the fountain,