Perchance he wished his boon denied: For, when to tune his harp he tried,, His trembling hand had lost the ease, And scenes, long past, of joy and pain, The pitying Duchess praised its chime, Till every string's according glee And then, he said, he would full fain He could recal an ancient strain, He never thought to sing again. It was not framed for village churles, But for high dames and mighty earls; He had played it to King Charles the Good, When he kept court at Holyrood; And much he wished, yet feared, to try The long forgotten melody. Amid the strings his fingers strayed, And an uncertain warbling made, And oft he shook his hoary head. But when he caught the measure wild, The old man raised his face, and smiled; And lightened up his faded eye, In varying cadence, soft or strong, He swept the sounding chords along : The present scene, the future lot, His toils, his wants, were all forgot: Cold diffidence, and age's frost, "Twas thus the LATEST MINSTREL sung. THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL. CANTO FIRST. I. THE feast was over in Branksome tower, And the Ladye had gone to her secret bower; Her bower, that was guarded by word and by spell, Deadly to hear, and deadly to tell— Jesu Maria, shield us well! No living wight, save the Ladye alone, Had dared to cross the threshold stone. B II. The tables were drawn, it was idlesse all; Knight, and page, and household squire, Loitered through the lofty hall, Or crowded round the ample fire. The stag-hounds, weary with the chace, And urged, in dreams, the forest race, III. Nine-and-twenty knights of fame Hung their shields in Branksome Hall; Nine-and-twenty squires of name Brought them their steeds from bower to stall Nine-and-twenty yeomen tall Waited, duteous, on them all: They were all knights of mettle true, Kinsmen to the bold Buccleuch. IV. Ten of them were sheathed in steel, With belted sword, and spur on heel: They quitted not their harness bright, Neither by day, nor yet by night: They lay down to rest With corslet laced, Pillowed on buckler cold and hard; They carved at the meal With gloves of steel, And they drank the red wine through the helmet barred. V. Ten squires, ten yeomen, mail-clad men, Waited the beck of the warders ten; Thirty steeds, both fleet and wight, And with Jedwood-axe at saddle bow; |