Nor less upon the saddened town

The evening sunk in sorrow down.
The burghers spoke of civil jar,

Of rumoured feuds and mountain war,

Of Moray, Mar, and Roderick Dhu,
All up in arms :-the Douglas too,

They mourned him pent within the hold,

"Where stout Earl William was of old,” *.

And there his word the speaker staid,

And finger on his lip he laid,

Or pointed to his dagger blade.
But jaded horsemen, from the west,
At evening to the Castle pressed;
And busy talkers said they bore
Tidings of fight on Katrine's shore ;

At noon the deadly fray begun,

And lasted till the set of sun.

Thus giddy rumour shook the town,

Till closed the Night her pennons brown.

* Stabbed by James II. in Stirling Castle.

END OF CANTO FIFTH.

THE

LADY OF THE LAKE.

CANTO SIXTH.

The Guard-Room.

S

431

THE

LADY OF THE LAKE.

CANTO SIXTH.

The Guard-Room,

I.

THE sun, awakening, through the smoky air
Of the dark city casts a sullen glance,
Rousing each caitiff to his task of care,
Of sinful man the sad inheritance;
Summoning revellers from the lagging dance,
Scaring the prowling robber to his den;
Gilding on battled tower the warder's lance,
And warning student pale to leave his pen,

And yield his drowsy eyes to the kind nurse of men.