Up, all who love me! blow on blow! XVI. Then up sprung many a mainland Lord, Obedient to their Chieftain's word. Barcaldine's arm is high in air, And Kinloch-Alline's blade is bare, Black Murthok's dirk has left its sheath, And clench'd is Dermid's hand of death. Fierce Lorn's relentless thirst for blood. XVII. Brave Torquil from Dunvegan high, Lord of the misty hills of Skye, Mac-Niel, wild Bara's ancient thane, Duart, of bold Clan Gillian's strain, Mac-Duffith, Lord of Colonsay, Soon as they saw the broadswords glance, With ready weapons rose at once, More prompt, that many an ancient feud, Full oft suppress'd, full oft renew'd, Glow'd 'twixt the chieftains of Argyle, And many a lord of ocean's isle. Wild was the scene each sword was bare, Back stream'd each chieftain's shaggy hair, In gloomy opposition set, Eyes, hands, and brandish'd weapons met; Blue gleaming o'er the social board, Flash'd to the torches many a sword; And soon those bridal lights may shine On purple blood for rosy wine, XVIII. While thus for blows and death prepared, Each heart was up, each weapon bared, Still reverenced hospitable laws. All menaced violence, but alike Such silence, as the deadly still, Ere bursts the thunder on the hill. With blade advanced, each Chieftain bold Show'd like the Sworder's form of old, As wanting still the torch of life, To wake the marble into strife. XIX. That awful pause the stranger maid, Away her veil the stranger flung, And, lovely 'mid her wild despair, Fast stream'd her eyes, wide flow'd her hair. "O thou, of knighthood once the flower, Sure refuge in distressful hour, Thou, who in Judah well hast fought For our dear faith, and oft hast sought Renown in knightly exercise, When this poor hand has dealt the prize, Say, can thy soul of honour brook On the unequal strife to look, When, butcher'd thus in peacefull hall, Those once thy friends, my brethren, fall !" To Argentine she turn'd her word, The safety of my lovely bride My bride ?"-but there the accents clung In tremor to his fault'ring tongue. XX. Now rose De Argentine, to claim The prisoners in his sovereign's name, To England's crown, who, vassals sworn, 'Gainst their liege lord had weapon borne (Such speech, I ween, was but to hide His care their safety to provide; |