'Twas the Earl of Leicester took the vows

For his godchild, England's prince; But the grace of a king is a brittle thing, And evil tongues convince

More than the flush on lifted brows

And the look that will not wince.

The Earl and his Countess fled beyond
Our ribbon of sea and spray.

His enemies laughed and his own wine quaffed
To the set of the Frenchman's day;

But the loves of youth knit a silken bond
That may hold where chains give way.

So the King, at pinch, found a noble friend,
Where he well had earned a foe,
And on English earth, in Kenilworth,
Montfort made splendid show
For many a joyous year, whose end
Thank God he could not know.

Weak and wilful was Henry Third,
And the Earl had a haughty heart.
Again it came to the quarrel-flame,

And their hands were rent apart,
And again, like the song of a far-off bird,
Did memory soothe the smart.

But when all the land was murmuring

Against the royal greed,

For the reign went still from ill to ill,

A garden choked with weed,

The barons rose against the King,

De Montfort in the lead.

This King had ever a craven mind.

The lightning in the skies

Affrayed him sore, but he dreaded more
The flash of Earl Simon's eyes;

And the loves of youth went down the wind
Of a royal captive's sighs.

Key of England" and "Mountain Strong,'
De Montfort's fame waxed bright.
"I will die under ban, a landless man,
Ere I forsake the right."

And the people lauded him in song
For Freedom's Redcross Knight.

The people loved the proud French lord,
But the Prince, his godchild, whom
He had taught to war, was his conqueror
With a host that scarce gave room
For the last grand swing of a hero's sword
In Evesham's battle-gloom.

Now call him Montfort the Englishman,
Who died for England's sake,

Who had fenced her cause with mightier laws

Than ever a king should break, And fell on sleep, as the weary can,

When Freedom was awake.

THE DEATH OF WALLACE

ROBERT SOUTHEY

EDWARD I. was an able king. He did much for justice and good government in England, and he undertook to bring all of Great Britain under his rule. Wales was annexed after spirited but brief resistance, but Scotland proved more difficult of conquest. Edward took advantage of a dispute as to the succession to possess himself of the government. The Scotch, however, resented English dominion. Under the lead of William Wallace, they rose in revolt and won a signal victory at Stirling Bridge (1297). Demoralized by jealous wrangles among its leaders, the Scotch army was defeated at Falkirk in the following year. Wallace escaped, but a price was set on his head. He was betrayed, taken prisoner, and carried to London, where, after being dragged through the streets as a show for the angry populace (1305), he suffered the common fate of traitors.

Joy, joy in London now!

He goes, the rebel Wallace goes to death;
At length the traitor meets the traitor's doom.
Joy, joy in London now!

He on a sledge is drawn,

His strong right arm unweapon'd and in chains,
And garlanded around his helmless head
The laurel wreath of scorn.

They throng to view him now

Who in the field had fled before his sword,
Who at the name of Wallace once grew pale
And falter'd out a prayer.

Yes! they can meet his eye,

That only beams with patient courage now;

H

Yes! they can look upon those manly limbs,

Defenceless now and bound.

And that eye did not shrink
As he beheld the pomp of infamy;

Not one ungovern'd feeling shook those limbs,
When the last moment came.

He called to mind his deeds

Done for his country in the embattled field;
He thought of that good cause for which he died,
And it was joy in death.

THE BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN

BRUCE'S ADDRESS TO HIS MEN

ROBERT BURNS

ROBERT BRUCE fought on the English side at Falkirk, but his heart was with the Scots. In 1306 he declared himself for the independence of Scotland, and was chosen king. He had a good chance of success, for Edward I. died in 1307. His successor, Edward II., was a weak and foolish prince, who wasted in self-indulgence the money that should have been spent for the conquest of Scotland. The patriotism and courage of Bruce inspired all true Scots, nobles and peasants alike, to fight for their country. He led a devoted and welldisciplined army to meet the English at Bannockburn.

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has often led;
Welcome to your gory bed,

Or to glorious victory!

Now's the day, and now's the hour;
See the front o' battle lour;

See approach proud Edward's power
Edward! chains and slavery!

Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha can fill a coward's grave?
Wha sae base as be a slave?

Traitor! coward! turn and flee!

Wha for Scotland's king and law
Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand, or freeman fa'?
Caledonian! on wi' me!

By oppression's woes and pains!
By your sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,

But they shall be shall be free!

Lay the proud usurpers low!

Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty's in every blow!

Forward! let us do or die!

BANNOCKBURN

SIR WALTER SCOTT

(From "The Lord of the Isles," Canto VI)

THE victory of Bannockburn gave Stirling to Robert Bruce and secured the independence of Scotland. His success was due to the excellent discipline of the Scotch foot soldiers, who stood unmoved in solid squares until the English archers were scattered by a sudden rush of cavalry. Edward's mounted knights fell into the pitfalls the Scotch had dug in the plain and were rendered useless. The appearance of a