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)'i'4ii^.iy,ij

HARVARD COLLEGE
LIBRARY

THE BEQUEST OF

EVERT JANSEN WENDELL

CLASS OF i88a
OF NEW YORX

>A\J

THE

THANE OF FIFE,

A POEM,

Printed by Hickman & Hnzzardy

No. 121, Chesnui-sfreet. I

THE

THANE OF FIFE, ^

A POEM,

/JV SIX CANTOS.

WILLIAM TENNANT,

▲rTHOR Of ARSTSB FAI&| &C.

> PHILADELPHIA'.

HICKM^H^ AISD HAZZARD, No. 121j
chbsni;t>9T£st*

1822.

MAt^j^ COiiEGE UBIAIY

FBOli

THEBEQUESTOF

EVEITT JMISCII WENBEkL

;/<

•)

•5

—1

PREFACE.

* Tn following poem is founded upon- an incident of
Scottish history, which is thus related by Buchanan,
lib. vi. <^ 8. «

** About these Jtimes the Danes, of all the Germans
then the most flourishing and powerful people, yield-
ed to the importun^y of the Picts, who solicited their
«id against the Scots ; and as their youthful population
vas then exuberant in numbers, and adventtirous in
fipirit, they willingly consented to cross over to Britain
yoilih a great fleet- They landed on the coast of Fife ;
and there, .instigate^ by their hatred of the christian
name, slew all without discrimination that fell within the
j^here of tl)|/eir ravage. They then, dividing their army
into two parts, spread a wide, havoc and devastation
throughout the district. Ring Constantine, in his march
to encounter them, lighted iir9t4iponthafdivision gf the
army which was headed by Rqbba, brother of the Dan-
ish monarch* f^e^ being prevented from re-joiningy<
fheur countrymeu* by a sudden overflow of the river
Jjeven, Were easily vanquished, and all fell on.the field,
flAFing a fewvwho were enabled, by their skill in swim-
ming, to rejoin Humber (or Hungaj*) their other leader*
' a2

vi PREFACE.

When the abatec] river again became passable, Conatan-
tine leadifg bis army confidently forward, as if to the
spoil, and not to the battle, met the enemy in theneigh-
bouchood of Crsil (or Carrail), where he had strongly
fortified himself. For the Dane, taught by %he unfor-
tunate issue of last battle, to be more wary and provideajt
agamst all contingencies, ha'd piled up, above a low
ridge of rocks that'stretched winding up near the sboK,
immense piles of the stones there lying,ao sis to present
the appearance of a rampart. There Constantine inju-
diciously attacking them, met a determined resistance,
and the almost despairing Danes, being now aided by
their situation, inflicted upon him for his temerity a
grievous punishment, in the loss of a great part of his
army. He himself was taken, dragged into a small cave,
and sliun. In that place are yet pointed out, as monu»
ments of the battle, the cave and the winding enclosure
of the camp, which is not measiired out into exact and
regular spaces, but follows the flexure of the ridge of
rocks. Some writers impute the misfortune of that af-
fair to the treachery of the Picts/who, after being re-
admitted to trust by Constantine, and inlisted to fight
under his banner, were the first to desert him in battle,
and drew aside with theih a great part ^f the army. The
Danes, after having collected the^oils, retired to their
ships. The king's body was found next day, and com-
mitted to the burial-grovnd of l)is ancestors, in the island
of lona. Constantine reigned 16 years. He was slain
in the year 874."

The aflair is also described by Boethius in his usual in-
elegant and difluse manner. It is surprisiiig that in the
Dani^ historian, Saxo Grammaticus, no mention what-

PREFACE. vii

ever U made ofan occuirence 'so glorious to his countiy-
meo as the discomfiture and slaughter of tK« Scottish
monarch ; an omission which can only be accounted for
by the supposition of a gap in the narrative of his history .
for the space of several hundred years. In his work I
have not been able to find 'even the names of Hungar
and Hubba.

In selecting for the foundation of my poem such an in-
cidenty and ofiAbch a period, acecmpanied necessarily
with a machinery of suitable and coeval gods and spirit-
ualities^ I do not kaow whether I shall be acquitted by
the critics, of temerity and indiscretion. Tbere*isaperil
in the experiment, of which I am well aware. I shall,
however, willingly and humbly submit myself to the
judgment of my readers. Should they disapprove of
the following effort, little is lost ;-"for I have never al-
lowed the wilting of verses to interfere eifher with my
professional duties or my more solid and nutritive studies
^•^nd, moreover, I shall gain, ity their disapproval, a
lesson to abstain in future from all' such perilous enter-
prises. Should any encouragement be given me by their
applause^ I shall be happy to employ what leisure hours
lAay be heftceforth allowed me in the prosecution and
completion of th^oem whose first cantos are now, with
the utmost diffidence, presented to the public.

• f

THE

.THANE OF FIFE.

CANTO I.

THE

THANE OF FIFE

cxhto I.

The Thane MacdufT^ and that contentious Dane
Who from the Cimbric Chersonese afar

Came with young Garnard forth, and on theplaln
Of Fij[e debark'd his proud invasive war ; -^

And how the chiefUins slew, and how were slainV
How armies jostled in the bloody jar.

And jniracles of gods and fairy sprites.

And ladies and their loves, and feats of fiery knights,' —

All these I sing, if haply to my theme

She, the most joyous of th' harmonious throng,

Xhat wont to glorify my midnight dream,
Euterpe, aidant come, t' adorn. my song

'With visions radiaift as the immortal beam
l*hat spangles young Apollo's tresses long ;

So shadl I build an edifice of rhyme.

Bold in its style and pre, fantastic and sublime.

THE TBiXE oj Fipi. Canto I

III.

Forth from the harbours of the Danish land '
Had sail'd the choicest of fier monarch's po^er«

Men fierce in spirit and of vigorous hand.
The kingdom's youthful glory and its power :

And now^ at sea, by fav'ring breezes fann'd.
Their cunning navi^tion every hour

West^^rd they ply with canvass and with 09r,

Chasing each star that sets, to gain Bodotria^^l^ore.

IV.

And nearer as to Scottish land they drew.
And swifter as their black stems clip the wave.

The fieryer every warrior's spirit grew.
The fiercer and the madder burn'd the brave ;

For, briskly as o'er head the breezes blew,
And fleetly as their prows the billows clave.

Their souls' desire for battle and for blood

Fore*flew both wing of wind and rush of rolling Qood.

A thousand ships come dancing o'er the brine.
With snowy sails and flaunting streamers trim.

And every vessel holds in her confine
A hundred warriors terrible of limb :

And every warrior tow'rds the sun'^ decline
Turns his sharp gaze and ruthless features grim.

Eager to hail with scowling threat of war,

Far in th' horizon's rim first peep of land afar.

Canto C. THE THASE OI FIPE. if*

- . • • • Vr. .

Three days thc^ danc'd before the merry gales, ;,
With ttiting keel, and citnvass strutting proud.

But on the third nfght flagg'dtbe flapping sails,
"Not pip'dii^e shrill wind in the tarry shroud ;

From the low depths of Neptune's humid vales
Steam'd round the ring of hes^n a misty cloud.

That, stealing up th' acclivities of sky,

SeaPd ug \)^' ethereal blue from pilot's weary eye.

/n Vll. *'

And still the vapours, close and closer prest,.

Condensing, frown'd into a fouler gloom.
Till wide o*€r sea's illimitable breast.

Enthroned, night spread her wings of direst plume,
Ont-blotling, from the heaven's rich-spangled vest.

The Ifolden studs that wont the world illume ;
The helmsman cast his eye-glance up the dark.
And kenn'd the gathering storm, land trembled for his
bark.

vm.

First from the deep there came a hollow soiind.
Swinging a sullen bodement on his ear,

As if the monsters of the salt profound.

Even at the sea's foundations, touch'd with fear,

Ilpvrd in their secret chambers, round and round.
Alarming prelude to 'the tempest near ; .

At length to rack the cloud was rent and riven.

And down upon the world the crush of storm was driven.

TBI TBiira ov TUB Caiito !•

IX.

I^hen ^th a sound, as if th' o'ertianging sjcy
Its marble roof had shattered and had rent

A thousand winds from the cloud's clefls on high*'
Bush reeling round the nezed firmament;

And swooping on the deeps outrageously.
Ridge into surges all the element.

Whipping with saucy gusts, in wrath out-blown.

Their fbam-becrested heads that rowland and ruffian on.

Nor slept the thunder in his black abode.

Amid his treasury of hail and rain ;
But now on hearen's great ridge his chariot rodCy

Now sounded down th' empyreal slopes amain ;

Whilst from his noisy wheels were flash'd abroad

Fires fulgent now, now swallow'd up again,
That arrow'd through th' opaque their forky fire.

Emblazing night's huge cave with gleamy terrors dire.

XT.

Then were the Danish barks tempested sore,

And scourg'd with whirlwind o'er the waste expanse :
As piles of chaff on farmer's thrashing-floor
Vagfary to the freakish wind, and dance,-
So bounded they the roaring waters o'er, »

. Disdainful of the helm's vain governance,
Yielding their masts and oak-enribbed sides,
Obnoxious to th' assault of winds and madding tides.

Canto I. - TBS TKAITE 07 f ITS.

xir.

Then terror took the men, that ne'er before
* Knew fear on battle's plain or ocean's floods,
JkB now they, mounting up the billowf hoar^

Hang in the stormy bosom of the clouds ;
Now, sweeping down with l!)illow-shearing prore,

S&ve intoliell an4 Pluto's grim abodes :
Forgotten now is war, and sword, and spear, '
And Huog%;r's mighty heart shrinks in, and stoops to fear.

xm.

He on the deck, subdu'd and shivering, stands,
With ruddy locks, unhelmeted and bare.

And spreads abroad to heaven his suppliant hands,
Addressing to the gods his soul in prayer :

** Oh thou," he says, <' who over seas and lands
Exertest thy dominion and thy care.

Chief of the gods ! whom Cimbrian nations fear

The warrior's stay and king, to whom the Dane is dear I

XIV.

Bear from thy halls, great Odin ! where on high
Thoa sit'st in thy« Valhalla roof 'd with gold ;

Where, round thy joyous table in the sky.
Feast blithe and boon the spirits of the bold :

Hear, nor to us thy children now deny ^
Th' assistant arm our fathers knew of old ;

Ssnre us from coward's death and whelming sea.

Save U8 to battle's field, and death for &me and thee.

#- THE XUANS OF FIFE. CantO T.

XV.

And thou the second god, mace-bearing Thor !

That standest at the right hand of thy sire, -
The thunder's king> and ocean's governor.

Whose game is tempest, and whose plaything* lire ;
Hear us antid thy own loudjttempest's roar ; •

Chide thou the winds thus blu9t*rln^ in their if 04'
And, with the virtue of thy club, comfoimd'
And smite these saucy waves that bum with foam around.

xvr.

So may our batter'd ships soon reach the soil
Where grows the harvest of our future fame ;

And where, as first-fruits of the battle's spfft].
To thee, and to thy sire, and to his dame^

Twelve Scottish youths^ caught in the bloody broil.
Shall fall ; and twelve fair ladies, void of blame z

These to thy mqther ; those, thy sire and thee ;

Here on my sword I swear that sacrifice shall be."

XVII.

He scarce had said, Nvhen in the orient heaven,
80 sabled o'er with gloom and turbulent, *

The canopy of stormy clouds was riven
Into a luminous disclosing rent.

Whence on t^e watery wilderness w^s given
A;gush of radiant light magnificent.

That gilt the frothy surges all with gold.

Casting their shadows west as onward proud they roU'd.

Canto t. VJ^E TBAirs of fife. 9

xvnr. •

'Twa^not, array'd in rays, the morning star,-
Gemming the cheek of heaven before her time ;

*rwa8 not the rooming, in her rubiea car,
Up-whirling from the ctyinibers maritime ;

Twas Odin's- self, 'twas he, the god of war.
High ridipg on iiis haughty steed sublime,. .

That in a show'r of glory from his hall

Bright bn4he:blacken'd world bursts forth at Hungar's
calK^ '

XIX.

He comes^upon his steed of snowy white.
That whb iiis silvery hoofs' indignant blow

Smit.es down the ruffian waves of fiercest might,
Trampling in scorn their saucy swellings low ;

He comes in all his majesty of light,
Dazzling the night-sky with celestial glow,

dirt with his panoply of fllaShy flame.

That round and round enclasp with fiery tongues his
fram^,

XX.

And in Mi^ strong unfleshly hand is borne.
Sword-like, a terror, vibrating its blaze.

Huge as the meteor which the northern mom
In winter, when her glories most she^lays.

Shoots upwards, reaching from th' horizon's b'ourft
To where Medusa's head her snakes displays ; *

Such and so broad a scymitar he' wayes.

Chastising witji its edge the storm that round him raves.

iO THfi TJUjnt OF *iFs. Qknto x.

XXI.

So on he marches, o'er th' enridged back

Of lesy that foams her indignation out*
Leaving behind him, in his shiny track.

Smooth deeps, and calm,',^d silence rotund about s
Till to the Cimbrian fleet, nigh tossed to wrack»

And scattered like an army in its rout ;
His radiant progress now arrive^ to cheer
Ifis people sore dStrest, and save from danger' near.

xxu.

Amid their fleet he rode ; and, as he pas^'d j

Each stooping over-laboor'd vessel by.
He reach'd his burning right-hand, red and vast,

Down from the middle regions of the sky.
And, clenching in his gripe the oblique mast,

Rear'd right the vessel from her jeopardy,
And chid away to death the blasts, that blow
Bufiliog amid the clouds, and weigh her topmasts low.

XXIU.

Tlien with his hand he push'd the poop ; and from

That touch th' elanced vessel flying Went,
Stemming her gladsome voyage, and to foam

Mincing bef(^e her prow the element :
As to its mark the arrow rushes home,
• When from the nerve by ai^pa of vigour sent
So bound the vessels westward to their shore.
Instinct from that strong' touch, unholp by sail or oar.

Canton tbe tHASE or tifb. * IJL

XXIV.

JThns o'er the salt they ride self-stcerM, self-blown,
Beanng glad hearts, now firm from fear, and brare,

IVhikt o*er them, as they voyag'd wdltering on.
Their waniorgod his b<|iedietion gave :

Tliat done, below he staid not, but anon

On steed that kiclc'd the now-becalmed wave.

He mottnted up the golden bridge, whose bend

Beaehe&fi^m heaven to earth, that d^in may ascend

XXV.

One spurn his courser gave the flashing deep,
And with a bound, that measured in its height

Half that long bow's amazing highway steep,
Mid space 'tween sky and earth hts hoofs alight :

One bound was visible ; the second leap

Plung'd him in heaven beside the Pleiads bright ;

Xhere lights the god befbce his palace-gate.

And In Valhalla's hall he seeks his lofty seat.

xxvr.

Amid his liall he came, whose gorgeous floor
Is pavM with tiles of pearl and chrysolite ;

'Whose roof is gold ; whose sides are garnish'd o'er
With swords all flashing fofth a joyous light :

There he his children found— the mighty Thor,
Miord the stern, and B||der the polite,

With all the brotherhood of gods, in throng

Consociate at their cups, carousing de^pand l«jg.

12 • * tVB rUA.'n of 'tiA. iJa<to r.

]

xxvir.

And faither off, at tables ranged round -
The circait of that broad and spacious hall,

Lean*d the huge ghosts of mighty heroes, crownM
With bloody laur6l^ grimly-featured al^

Earth's direst ones, most murderous, miMt renoWnM,
Bntofafcrs of life arid slayers capital,

Quafiing their hydromel «n measure full,

And lipping luseliusly their yellow cops of ijjflll.

XXVIII.

There, in long shadowy unsubstantial rows.
According to their age, and to their fame.

Sat, bench'd and bousing, all the shades of 'those
That in the Cimbric wars toilM out a name ;

From Bojorix of old, whom LAtiau foes
Before Massilia slew, but not with shame,

Down to the private (5lptain of renown

Slain by king Egbert's hand^ on field of Hengesdown.

XXIX.

All these, a ghostly crowd,— sans flesh, sans skin, —
Sat chirping shrill, and batt'ning on their mead.

Till, when their deity and king came in.
Up sprung the gloomy spirits of the dead.

And, bowing low their boneless statures thin,
Each in obeisance grim noi|down the head :

He, with a haughty disregariV mov'd on

A41 stately to tl^e seat wbere wont he feast alone*

<c%

XXX

For there* in very centre of hisliall^
Apart from that vain populace of guests,

High plac'd, and with his eye o'er-loitiing all«
He at his table solitary feasts ;

His foo^ is of the tusked anin^al

Whose fleshj though eaten stiUf yet never wastes ;

Hi».drink Is of th' imperishable wine,

That ffoiQ his £polden cup exudes it#gush divine.

XXXI.

He sat not down to diet on his boar ;

He sat liot down to rerel on his wine ;
He stood, and with his feet three times and four

Smote soundingly the pavement's sapphirine :
Trembled through all its round the solid floor

Beneath the trample of that foot divine.
And in an instant died from ev^y tongue
ThehubbubshrUlof shrieks wherewith the benches rung

xxxn.

He waved his hand for audience, and begun : —
*' Children and spirits of the dead renown'd.

That here on high above earth's rolling sun.

With splendour and with feast my throne surround,

To-day rejoice ye louder every one,
Add to your cups, an^et your joys abound,

For a g^eat feast is towstfd on the earth.

And bloody deeds push forth and stru^^le for a birtli.

14 THS THINE OF FIFE. CantO ^,

xxxiii:

Look downwards from the windows of the skies.
And see bow from the northern hive again

A swarm new-fiedg'd of desp'rate warriors flies
On winged ships across the hollow main :

Each western wind that from the ocean sighs.
Has blown amid that bold and boist'rous train

Kought but the smell of ravage, l}lood, and prey.

And westward sweep they now to plunder and to slay.

'^ xxxiv.

Near to the rocky-belted Scotian shore

They ride upon their horses of the deep ;
I found them in distress and laboring sore

O'er ocean's much-enchafed ridges steep ;
I left them skimming gUd the salt-sea floor,
^ Each blast and stormy billow lull'd asleep.
So that witli earliest b^m of day's gay star
Theirships shall keel the strand and disembark their war,

XXXV.

To-morrow's sun ^hall see the coast of Fife,
Like his own wheels, glitt'ring with glow of arms ;

To-morrow's sun shall see the rising strife
Give its first fruits of horror and alarms.

And havoc, with his sharp destroying knife.
Hew down the people as the tumult warms :

Death's bloody banquet their Iball feast us all,

And many a new-made ghost mount up to crowd our hall*

Ganto t. TB£ THAirs as vies. 15 '^

XXXVI.

Yet must we not permit these men of ours,
Hungar and Hubba, and that valiant race.

To fight unaided by those heavenly powers
Wherein their hope and confidence they place ;

Thine be it Thor to-morrow, when the hours
-.Yoke Titan's horses in their silvery trace,

From heaven's eternal revels to descend

On embassage of love our people to defend.

xxxvir. •* *

For on the coast, to which now sail the close,

No easyiprey their debarkation waits.
But sword and spear shall greet them from their foes,

With sharp salute of death and bloody fates ;
Nor human hosts alone prepare t' oppose ;

Sprites of the soil, queen Mab's subordinates.
Shall issue from earth's spiracles like mist,
Andf hovering o'er the wir, the native bands assist.

. xxxviir.

•

That aid of elvish imps to countervail,
Assume, Oh Thor, the terror of thy mace,

And with the brightness of thy fiery mail
Dazzle the foe to flight and foul disgrace :

It must not be, that Odin's sons must quail
Before a quaint hobgoblin populace :

Then, go, thy chariot yolte, and with th§ light *

Shout, from the Scottish hills, the land into affright,"

16 TH£ TRAJXJt OT FOX. CflintOf.

XXXIX.

He scarce had ceas'd wheih di' unessential throng
Of ghosts heroic that stand listening round, •

Set up a shout of shrieks, sharp, shrill, and long.
Screaming acclaim with miserable sound ;

As when the screech-owl sings her dreary song
Foretokening griefs to those upon the ground5

So rose from those tall ghosts the thin shoall yell.

Funereal, boding death to those on earth ths^ttiwell.

XL.

Meantime, while thus in Odin's court prevails

The joy of ghosts anticipating death,
I^ight's dragon-faarness'd pitchy car, that sidls

In silence through the sea of stars beneath,
Westward was hurl'd ; and now her dragon's tails

Feel blow upon them morning's spicy breath.
And heaven's far eastern marge, of late so dim.
Is whit'ning more and more with beams that upward
climb. '

XLI.

And soon pyroeis, whose long fiery mane
EnsafFrons with its splendour half the east,

O'erpeers the ocean with his sunny wain.
Pawing the glancing waves in silver drest,

And sooif he bounds into th' ethereal plain.
Making the world with light all manifest^

And o'er ,the Grampian hills, enrich'd with dew,

^laking the glories down of day-spring fresh and new-

GAPtO I, TUB TBAKX OF,<f ff£. 17

XUI.

Then broke in proipect on the Danish fleet,
Ab by the Ness of Fife they onward steer^

The Scottish knd, illumin'd as with a sheet
Of radiance, in its pride of greenness near ;

Her hills, high heaving their glad tops to greet
The m^m, up-dancing on her blithe career.

Her fields and plains expanding down to sea

Their garniflh'd green extent all rkh with tower and tree.

xLin.

Whereat, with doubled zeal of quick desire.
The Cimbrian pirates, ardent for the shore.

Array theiit ships in all^ their full attire

Of sails, and wing them with full many an oar.

The sooner to attain the happy shire.

And foot the beauteous soil their eyes before :

Fresh from the chambers of the dawn a breeze

Ituxuriates in their sails, and fleets them o'er the seas.

XLIV.

So on they speed, till as they near the land

Develop of trim ships the long array,
Uprises from the crowded decks, where stand

The warrior's helm'd and glittering in the ray,
A shoot of joy, that to the neighbouring strand

Spoke loud the coming people and the fray :
Balcomie rocks rung fearful with the sound,
And all the sea-beach caves in sighs respond around.

18 rnt, THAHB ot FiFS. Canto i.

XLV.

That tumult soon surceas'd ; and for a flpaoe
Silent the Hfe-o'ererowded decks remain ;

As tow'pd the sandy beach they veer apace
Their stems vermilion'd o'er with ruddy stain ;

Then as in equal line they skim the face
Of ocean, nearing to the Fifan plain, .

Begins the solemn war-song, full and slow,

Tim*d to the dashing oars that push the wav^ helow,

XLVI.

And aye at intervals the song is broke, '

When heaves the gather'd voice a pitch sublime.

By clash of sounding swords with many a stroke
Pealing upon their shields an iron chime ;

From mouth of Tay to May's sea-batter'd rock
The hollow sky kept ringing for a time.

As in triumphal glee, with pomp and song,

March to the ocean marge their streamer'd ships along.

XLVIT.

But when amid the beach's yellow sand

Their keels were bedded and were ddck'd secure.
High on his prow great Hungar took his stand,

In all his armour's gaudy garniture.
And poising in his strong and sinewy hand

The pond'rous spear, whose stroke is ever sure.
He hurl'd amid the startled land afkr.
At once, with forceful swing, his weapon and his war.

Canto i; roM zhavs'o; fits. 19

XLVUt

His weapon soqn he fuHowM, and with leap
Down spnmg the hero on the pebbly shore*

And, kneeling where the playful billows creep*
A fearful oath upon his sword he swore»

That, ere the bright-hair'd sun again should sleep
Chamber'd amid the loud Atlantic's roar,

In Scotsman's blood that weapon he should flesh.

And widi th« smell of war Heaven's nostrils all refresh .

XLIX.

Por Hungar's soul was of infiiriate mood.
Haughty and fierce, and gloomy and severe.

And to it8'%laughter-lust the bath of blood,
Like dew, was its regalement and its cheer ;

His field of glory was the salt-sea flood.
The pirate's trackless highway, where appear

Rich travellers floating in their grandeur by,

Beck'nlng the plunderer pn to spoil their bravery.

Kor less on land than on the rolling main
For hnn th' ensanguin'd crop of laurels grew ;

Each SHtish shore, which eastern winds in vain
Batter with waves up-heaving ever new,

From whecp the Foreland's horns the deep restrain*
To where the Pentland waters struggle through.

His bloody visitations felt, when he

Rosh'd like a rav'nous woll^ up4>rowltng from the sea.

20 Tiis TBCtqB OF s-im. Canto i>

Him follows from the deck with leap oC^joy,
As next in blood so nearest in command,

His brother Hubba, Frotho's younger boy.
The fairest i)1osaom of the Danish land :

Not he, the beauty and the bane of Troy,
To whom queen jHelen gave th* illitit hand

Shone in a richer tinge of youth, what day

He stole from Sparu's streets their peerless g§m away.

LII.

His, not the futy and tlie reckless rage
Eor war, that in his bloody brother boil'd ;

Of softer mood, and fitter to engage
In chamber with fair-ogling lady mild.

Than with contentious Mars to tug and wage
Hot conflict in the storm of battle wild ;

Yet, at his brother's and his sire's repr9of.

He for rough warrior's life exchanged the peaceful roof

LIII.

And war with all its e^ccellence and show.
Its pomp of plumes and blazonry of brass,

Its sun-bright glory when in order'd row.
Dazzling all heaven, tii' accoutred legions pass.

Its trumpet-clang prelusive to the blow,

Pealing fierce courage through th' embodied mass— >

All these to young prince Hubba's soul had charms.

Wedding his gentler mood to Mar's roi^h alarms.

CufiXo X. rmt tbahs or vttit. ^l

So down he bounds upon the smooth sea-shore,
Joying to see, ere yet he touch*d the sand,

The shadow of his high plume^ung afore
By the bright sun upon a hostile ttrand ;

His spear, whose point stood guiltless yet of gore,
Swung long^-and graceful in his better hand.

While ii\ his left exultingly he held,

(Jnhack'd as yet and pure, fair expectation's shield.
»

LV.

Next after them, with leap the shore attain'd
* He for ^liose sake that war is wafted o'er,
Garnatd the son of Brude, who lately reign'd

In Pictland o'er her every shire and sjiore ;
Excluded from th' expected throne, constrain'd

To leave the realm his father rul'd before.
O'er many a land an exile he had gone.
Exciting kings to arm and vindicate his throne.

LVI.

And now, supported by the' Scaodian name,
And with ambitious hopes to flower out-blbwn.

He comes t' en^ce the unadmitted claim
With borrow'd strength and legions not his own ;

Glorying in hope*to fling retorted shame
Back on the king that holds by right the throne*;

Rejoicing with restored steps again

To tread hislktkcr'a land and reassert his reign.

c2f

Lvir.

To him in gift th^ Cimbric monarch give
Ten gallant ships, witji all their equipage.

And everf ship transpdMed o'er the wave
A hundred her^ in their prime of age»

CuU'd from his isles, the blossom of the brave
That o'er the deep piratic warfare Vtrage,

From Bittern and the rocky Cyclades ^

That with their islet-chain bespeck the Norrick seas.'

Lvm.

Xext lighted from his vessel'^ piunted side
Harald, the bastard of the Swedish king»*

To whom his &ther gave possession wide,
Halmstad and Gottenburg and lonkoping,

A land of ships, and shipmen taught to ride
The mad sea safe when waves their foam oat-fling ;

A land of pirates, an amphibious train.

Alike defying death, on ship-board and on plain.

LIX.

He, when the news were to his land blown o'er
By fame, whose trumpet ever clangs aloud,

That'to the port and road of Clsinore^'
The Danish ships were hasting o'er the flood.

Thence soon to atdk. the Caledonian /shore
On expedition perilous and proud,
t A herald sent, beseeching tie might shai'e

The dangers, toils* and fame of that i^vaiive ^war.

G«nt9 1. Tav TEAKS OS- Firx. 23*

LX.

»
And soon he left his pftlace and domain^

And his &ir spouse that pines her hours away*
Begardless of her tears that pl^d in vain

'Gainst his departure for a forei^iMray *
And up the Sound he conies to join the Dane,

With all his- hundred vessels floating gay,
Ezultingin the grandeur of his power.

And burning for exploits whereby his name may tower.

LXT*

•For love of honour was the restless sting

That liv'd and fretted in young Harald's breast,

Disquieting his soul with thougflts that bring
Self-accusation, shame, and much unrest.

How little he had done to grace a king,
And with a glotious light bis name invest ;

Whilst his fair sunny days of youth and might '

Roll on without their fame in bow'rs of vain delight

LXII.

•
So now, despising home, aojcl love, and ease,

EnamourM of the glory of a name,
He with his navji has o'er-skimm'd the seas.

To chase in western lands a warrior's* fame ;
^nd down he leaps; all-gladsome as he sees

Fair field before him where the prize t« claim ;
Already braving, in hfs valour's height,
Ev*n on his o#niiear soil, king Goostantine f^ fight.

!?4 TifG THANE oi; vtst, Canto i.

LXIU,

With him alights* companion of the war,
Ue]So, the iovd of Bleking'ti pleasant land»

That whilom, ticar the* walls of old Kalmar,
Throttled, witlt-^ripe of witch-deiying^ handy

The snakes, let loose by Lapmark's hags> to mar
With efHux poisonous that happy ^rand ;

Before the Swedish king he slew tliem twaiq.

King Eric paid th' exploif with Bleking's fiur donmifi.

s
LXIV.

Next from his lofty *hip, sea-dragon calldM,
Whose length lies sleeping in the tide aground.

Descended Norway's Ivero, llogenvald,
From Malino to the northern cape renown'd;

Well was his mansion known to many a scald,
And well his praises blown in song around,

For in his hall was feasting for the bard.

And in his heart was love and ever-dear regarcl.

LXV.

With him, attendant at his side, there came

His bard andJov'd companion Alarude,
Onerwho in Mars's or in Bacchus' game,

In field or hall aye near him sate or st6od ;
Wh^t though, like Sparta's king ono'ftot was lame ?^

His heart "Was manly and his courage good ;
He needed hands alone to beat and slay ;
He heeded not f\cet feet to scour from %ht away.

Canto !• THB TBANS 01! FIFK* 3 '

hX\U

His wfts the head felicitous to dream

Rich visions swimming in romantic lights

And his the tongue, all eloquent to stream
Rivers of tuneful language exquisite ;

Each flower, that 'neath Apollo's blissful beam
Grows in the muses* gardens sunny bright,

He well had cull'd, and feasted on its bloom.

And o'er his fervent mind dIfFus'd the rich perfume.

LX VII.

Next these alighted on the yellow sand
Th' enchantress-pirate with the golden hair,

Alvilda, daughter of king Edebrand,

That in fair Gothland's isle the sceptre bare ;

Her father's only child, through many a land
Fame her enchantments blew and beauty rare, *

That from the Baltic every wind blew in

Some wooer, pfoud and tain her hand and isle to wii.

•

LXVIII.

Her heart was nor impregnable, nor proof
To the shrewd hearts iind enginery of love ;

Yet, when assemfpled near her father's roof.
Her lovers in assiduous courtship strove.

Oft from the palace she wqu14 steal aloof,
A buakinM huntress, to the pine-tree grove.

And leaving them amid th' inglorious feast,

Vex'd with hei silver shafts to death the mountain-beast.

Sis TKL TRASS OTTIXE. CaRtO X.

LXIX.

Yet not alone the moimtaiii and the wood

Were conscious of the bold exploits she wniught;

Her bark she laiinch'd, and, roaming o'er the flood.
Shot through the Baltic's stream-disgorging throat.

And, like a giantess of valiant mood.
On every shore, both near and more remote,

Ueel'd in piratic ravage round and round ;

And Shetland knew her naitae» and trembled «t its sound.

LXX.'

So here, amid the ctmbric heroes fam'd.
She comes, the fam'd Marpesia of the north.

All sheen with showy arms, that flash'd and fiam'd
Back on the sun his beamy arrows forth.

Affronting him, that on her form unblam'd
And bosom heaving high its precious worth.

He should intrude his pert beams ere she wist.

And kiss those precious parts by man so gladly tiss*d-

LXXl.

So down she leaps, and as her buskin'd feet
Give quick their salutation to the gpround,
Xiie ^Iver quiver at her back, replete

With glitt'ring arrows, sends a datt'ring Sbund i-m.
And in her hand the beauteous bow, whence fleet
►' Those glittering arrows homeward to th6ir wound ;
Its idle cord now lax and all unstrung.
Curves in a graceful swell its silver flexure long.

Canto I. ytJ^ Ti^HS <^ Fpis. , * 2$

Her foUow'd tkear, as up the abofeshe past,
CMbrethj the lord of Rugen's fertile isle.

Her nice o'erweening paramour^ who cast
%hvtp am'rous glances' on her all the while ;

Well was his person prank'd, and quaintly grac'd
With corlsand rufTs, and ornaments of guile.

Whilst aye the sweet breeze sifting through his hair,

Told by ia seented breath th' attaint contracted there-

Lxxm.

His vessel too was^ like his person, drfiss'd

In foppery of grandeur sheen to see.
For sails of silk each gold-gilt mast invest

With gorgeous and redundant drapery t
In whose rich folds the breeze was proud to rest.

Kissing the beauteous threads in merry glee :
His boltsprit nodded o'er the deeps in gold.
In gold his poop's fair flag its curling length unroll'd.

LXXIV.

And Chilperic, the wise, past up the beach.
Whose mimsion on the Norway forelan^ stood

High on a tow*ry hill, whose prospects reach »
far round, commanding sky and shore and flood ;

The stars of heaven he knew, and well to each
Its name could give, and tell its longitude.

Prom where the dolphin swings his tail on high.

Hound to the torrid cmb whose cla^s enclasp the sky.

I
I

38 • TBS «i.^B OP mz. , QaotQ i'

And every wind hekneur, tnd wbAt tiie signs
In cloud or flood that gfale or rain foreshow i

When rushing forth to vex the Norway pinea^

And tug them from their craigs, the west should blow;

Or when the north should burst his bleak confines.
And in his icy boulter sift the snow ;

When the sweet breath of south should thaw the world}

And when the thunder's wheels down thie dark siy be
hurl'd.

LXXVL

His was the skUful pilotage, that led

The Danish navy o'er the seas afar.
For to the wisdom of his thoughtful head

His king had trusted that peculiar care ;
He was a wurnor too of might and dread.

And sharp and ponderous was the sword he bare.
And, with memorials of his prowess high,
Carv'd was his boastful shield, and blazon'd gloriously.

LXXVII.

Next him a crowd of lesser heroes came,

(Tliotigh less, yet each of note and puissant hand,)

Ismir, and Sorl, and Sangelor, whose name
Was known in Holsiein's pasture-blessed land;**

And boist'rous Gociefrid of giant frame,
Haquo, ancl S^t-nbiom, and Hildebrand,

And Sanibar, poisini^ on his shoulder great

The mord'rous battle-axe, whose sweep is rich With ftte.

<
ft

And Scorro, the Norwegian chief, whose sword
Is characterM with words of mystic power ;

And Slyngebond, that by Hardanger-fiord
Dwelt on his mountain, in star-kissing tower ;

And Roller, Femem's fresh new-married lord.
That left fair Imma weeping in her bower ;

And^ulbert, Odin's gloomy priest, who goes

Girt with his bloody knife for victims or for foes.

LXXIX.

And larmeric, who challenged heretofore
Twelve champions in tlie vale of Golerdal,

And with strong oak, which up from earth he tore,
Batter'd their clatter'd bones to pieces small ;

And Haldan, Bocar's son, that on the shore
By Fladstrand had his hospitable hall ;

And Rolf and Regner, on whose helmets gape

Fierce serpents, each in brass rolling his sinuous shape.

LXXX.

All these, and each of all, with all his train

Of surly soldiery expert in arms»
From hatches and from decks disgorg'd amain,

Hfeh up the noisy shore their sounding swarmsj
And with invastve tread vex all the plain

T^imaltuatlng round with loud alarms.

And from the beach, still farther and more far,

Up^roUing in fresh tides th* irruption dread of^ war.

30 . TBS THAVS OF VUX* CSOtOl.

Lxxxr,

And such the hiirly and the din that rose
From jnen and arms out-pour'd upon the shore»

As when the sharp December loudly blows
His eastern tempests from Sarmatia o'er,

Bmbroiling all the deep that chafes and throws
His waters out with never-ceasing roar.

Shaking green Albion with their billowy shocks,

And with high-climbing foam confounding all her rtw.

Lxxxn.

So loudly noisM that host as,up they clomb
The sea-marge with their gush of confus'd crowdj

Cov'ring and bright'ning all the shores of Rome *
With arms and warlike preparation proud ;

As when a flock of sea-fowl o,er the foam
Of ocean borne by winds that blow aloud.

Light down from heaven on Barra's barren breast.

And white with rustling wings her craggy shores invest.

LXXXIIT.

So thick that army, over ocean blown.

With men and bristling' arms oppress the shore.
All from Balcomie to old Carrail town

Pushing its hon^s and swelling more and more :
Mean time, while thus the Banish fleet pours down
I Its living fraughtage with their iron store, '

The son of Odin, Thor of matchless might,
I'rcpares him in the sjcies to take his earthward flight.

* A small haven near Crail.

Canto X. ^ *TaE tbasz of titx. Zl

liXXXIV.

Hifltdazzling bead he garlanded around
With g^ms up-gatber'd from the solar road,

Wliereon the sun's hot wheels, as fierce they bdundy
Grind down the stars to pearls. at random strow'd ;

The glist'ring baldric that his vesture bound
Was in its brightness worthy of a god.

And girt his garment, like heaven's belt of white,

WSose milky vein of stars enrings the blue of .night.

LXXXV.

His chariot, then, whose wheels of heavenly mould
Boasted their spokes each like a silver lance.

Whereby, as furious round they flash'd and roll*d.
They flickered sunshine in their radiant dance^

Strait out he drew ; and to the team of gold
Tok'd the twin goats that proudly perk. and prance.

Churning their silvery bits to snowy foam.

And pawing heav'n with rage abroad at will to roam.

LXXXVI.

Then did the aceptred god ascend his car.
Clad in bis garments of magnificence.

And seiz'd the silken reins, and down afar
BushM into ether's huge circumference :

Aatiursts from peak of heaven the shooting star-
Spouting toward earth its jet of light immense.

And meas'ring in a moment to the eye.

With its long splendid trail, each latitude of aky :

i.2 THK nusk OF vixB^ Gi&to^

ixxxm

80 quick the goat^Intwii chariot of that god
, ' On th* opal-arched bridge* theWmy.bow,
That kmU to earth Valhalla's high abodes

Meteorously fiaah'd and flew below*
And where Ben Kevia heaves to heav'n abroad

Ilia proud peak, propp'd on porpbyre pillars 80|
There the twin ailver^beards arriving, stay'd
Their fiery whirling wheels upon the monntun's Bead.

LXXXVIII.

Then to the eastern sky, with mom that glow'd,..

His lace the son of 0(Un turn'd about.
And lifted up his voice, and sent abroad

Tremendously his world-alarming shout ;
Thrice open'd he his lips, and thrice the god

CalPd IVom his sounding throat the thunder out.
And thrice the concave heaven with all her frame
Of globes and sheeny stars shook at the loud exclaim.

LXXXIX

Trembled the Scottish land through all her round.
With all her hundred isles and all their rocks.

And dire alarm and terror at the sound

Shot through the bosoms of her fearful folks ;

That moment every heart in all her ground.
Foreboding war and woimds and bloody strokes,

Shudder'd with secret apprehensions dire.

Fearful for babe or wife, for husband, son or sire.

6antO I. TB2 THANE OF VIFX. 3

Then throu^ the seigniories of Fife were seen

Horable things of sad and strange portent (
For on her hills and in her valleys green
. Her tender herbs a bloody sweat oat-sent ;
And all her ciystal springs, whence dear and sheen

Her brooks receive the wat'ry element^
Asagonis'd with secret pains» up-threw •

From earth's dark shuddering womb sad streams of san*
gaine hue.

XCI.

And in the burial-ground of Crail^ 'tis said*
That mom her. people sa^, with> fearful eye*

Fingers of fire, unutterably red.
Grow from the field wherein her dead men lie ;

Each turfy grave, wherein a corpse was^laid.
Sprouted a hand, that brandisb'd horribly

Its fingers flaming long, waving t* innte

IH»wn to dark graves below the living from tlie fight.

1'.

EHD OF THE FtBST CANTO.

THE

THANE OF Fn?E.

CANTO ir.

THE

THANE OF FIFE.

CAHTO II,

I ^ I.

MsAVTiMs king Constantine, where then he lay.
Within the city which the Acmtian saint,

Advis'd by dream, had founded near the bay
On Kilry's hill with fane and turret quaint.

From sleep arous'd, uneurtaih'd to the day ^

His eyes, that witness'd soul oppressed and fatnt^

Not fresh and strong from sleep's rejoicing dew^.

But grievousjty oppressed and pierc'd ^ith anguisll
through. .

• '■ "•-

For round his troubled pillow there hfli flowjv

A frightful vision, ominqy& and bad.
That o'er his laboring soul had flutter'd down

From its black pinions horror sick and sad % '
Perplex'd, and in alarm for life and tnrone>

Himself in sordid garb that piom he clad.
And to his chamber call'd his men of might,
^ad men of council wise that guide his thoughts ariglit

38 THX THAirs w ri#E. Canton.

UI. , '

They came, the men that prop and deck his relg^
Girding the throne with guardianship full sure,

Fife's blameless lord, the lion-hearted Thane,
MacdiifF, whose puissant name shall aye endure,

Athol and Douglas, mighty warriors twain,
CuUen, in wisdom and in days mature.

Good Adrian in bis white and priestly vest.

And Keliach with his cross fair gleaming on his bretst

IV.

»
All these, and many more, his men of skill

And might, the saftts and chieftains of the land,
Came joyous to receive their master's will.

And aid him or with counsel or with hand :
He, sad and cheerless from foreboded ill.

Amid his counsellors that round him stand,
Open'd his lips, and thus in full exprest
The heavineis of woe that hung upon his breast :—

Oh friends, that to my word compliant all
' have gather'd round me to await my hest,
Peem not that trivial cause or matter small

Xow stirs witii sharp anxiety my breast ;
Heaven oft in vi^ons gives a secret call

Preservative of those she loves the best,
And in the vision that last night I saw
Heaven surely gives a sign impress'd with holy awe

Canto xrf tiQb thave ov^nn. . «>9

Metfaought I, with my daughter Clafibel,
At ere was walking on the sea-beach sand.

Rejoicing in the summer-shine, that fell
From heaven all-glorious over sea and land ;

Earth, with the happy hour delighted well,
Seem'd gladsomely to gambol, and expand

Her boundless lap luxuriant to receive

The mist of sunny rays that lac*d the golden eve,

vir.

And ocean, by whose margin clea^as glass.
My child and I appear'd in dream to stray,

Was deeply slumbering through his mighty taass
Of waters that forgot their surging play,

Save where to kiss our feet, as by we pass.
The curling pretty billows, fVom the bay,

As \\ in courtesy came dancing in,

And twin*d around our steps their lucent silver thin«

viir.

It sto*od not long, that hour so blest and bright ;

Por in a moment from hi^ place in heaven
I^wn dropt the sun into the gulf of night,

And from the east, by whip of monster driven.
The horse, whereon sat darkness' angel pight,

^iop*d through clouds asunder split and riven.
And, with the blastment of his baneful breath,
fimpoison'd all the world to blackness and to death.

Canton.

40 TBX ^gUm OP I-IFE

IX.

Then ocean broke at once the chain that held

Him in his hollow basin aU at peace.
And, suddenly commov'd^ upheaved and swell'd

To stormy agitation all bis seas ;
Wave after waye, without a wind impell'd/

Roird gathering on with terrible increase, j

And, on their yesty tops high-couched, bore i

A thousand monsters black, all moving tow'rd the shore

Sea-monsters black, apd huge, and multiform.
Morses, sea-hogs, sea-calves, sea-serpents long.

Each submarine and weed-envelop'd worm
That warps bis maze voluminous along ;

All the foul train, that in the day of storm
Enround old Nereus with their cumbrous throng,

Floated in sounding tumult to the strand.

Where I and Claribel were pacing slow the sand,

XI.

To us-ward they advance, to us-ward near
They roll their huge unnumber'd phalanx on, ^

Each slimy moutJi agape t' englut us sheer.
Or craunch our feeble bodies bone by bone ;

Whilst rooted to the beach and ic'd with fear.
All impotent we stand and iix'd as stone.

Although, with many an idle tug, we toil

T' unroot our moveless feet, that grow unto the aplK

Canto A «THE ruAvjL o^M. 4|

xir.

At last they cli«ib the burdenM be»cb^ at last
Round us afar their huddling host extend ;

And now a hundred throats, all gaping vasty
Each Irith its death environ and impend.

When with the piereing p>ngs that through me past,
Foreseeing-mine and my dear daughter's end.

My soul, intolerably anguish'd, broke

Th' illusion's slender chain, and shuddering I awoke:

XIII.

I woke, but not to joy, for that bad dream
Dash'd all my spirit with a feverous dread.

And, maugre day-light, still its shadows seem
To play their vexing terrors round my head.

Portending death, or jeopardy extreme
Of life, my peace disturb'd or glory fled.

Or happy Scotland from some foreign foe

With inroad rude assail'd, and doom'd to war and wOe.

XIV.

-Rest it With you, my lords, t* interpret right
My dream, if true from Imaven, oi* false from hell ;

Mine be it, when such dubious thoughts affright.
To you niy soul's anxietKes to tell.

And what your wisdom counsels, that with might
T' achieve and act the kiVig with honour well :

Then speak, and bless me with advice, and share -

To me your comforts out, as I to you my care.

42 TBs.THAirz or mpe. Canto w.

XV.

He spoke, and none gave answer ; for anon
Is heard, from all the city^s streets around,

A noise of uproar, that came swelling on,
Assailing every ear with fearful sound ;

Hubbub of tongues confus'd, whose every tone,
Sharpened with fear, confessM a panic stound ;

Wild shrieks, as if from dread of hostile harm,

And all the city stirr'd and reeling with alarm.

XVI.

And forthwith, with a hot and fiery haste.
Into the presence of the king there broke

A dusty messenger, whose panting breast.
And sweat-bedrenched brow, and troubled look.

Told he that morn had travell'd far and fast.
With bitter tidings not to be mistook.

Which instantly requir'd the monarch's ear.

Importing dangers high, and imminent, and near.

XVM.

Oh king, he cries, this morn mine eyes have seen
The foe upon our shores his thousands land.

Where yesternight the beach shoui^d pure and clean
From foreign step its smooth imprinted sand.

There Hungar and his myriads, fierce and keen.
Torment with step successive all the strand.

And, where o*er-night the sea-mew lonely sang.

There peal loud shouts of war and armour's iron clang*

Ganto n. thb thanb o%' rax 43

xviir.

I saw the ocean's green and trembling face
C)a4 with their ships that flam'd with cinnabar ;

I saw them from their decks, with martial pace
March oiF, discumb'ring ocean of their war,

And up the shore spreading, to larger space.
Their weapon'd mass of soldiery afar :

Crail and her coasts are bright with hostile arms,

And all her streets resound with terrors and alarms.

XIX.

Blood, blood, the first-fruits of the^trife is shed*
The sword is out aiid hath its work begun ;

I saw its fiery gleam ; the grass is red
With murder's dew that steams up to the sun ;

The timid mother with her babe is fled ;
Townsmen and peasants to the uplands run ;

And h$i the shire^ from Leven to the Ness,

Is uproar, flight, and fear, and rapine and distress.

XX.

And let them land, these Danish foes of ours, ,

Eiclaims Macduff, Fife's lion-hearted Thane,

These vagabond and sbip-inhovell'd powers.
That ocean, like her weeds, spews out amain.

E'en let them land, and welcome to our shores—*
A bloody welcome give them to their bane—

TUk Odin and his race of thieves may know

What thistles guard our shores to prick to death the foe*

44 TBE vBAifz OS tm. Canto n.

i xxr.

For may the land, that in hef precious silil
Hug» and imbosoms me» and makes me blest,

Eject me, as unworthy and as vile, ' *

From loitering longer on her happy breast.

If this right hand henceforth shall sleep from toil,
And this good sword shall in its scabbard rest.

Till, with saint Andrew's aid, our skies we purge

Of foreign breath impure, outfields of Danish scouige.

xxu.

Me, sire, attended with a chosen train.
Permit forthwith to pass and meet the foe.

That I may question this intrusive Dane,
Ere to the strife thou gird thyself to go ;

Wherefore he now has helm'd across the main
His vessels fraught with savage soldiers so.

Assailant of our lov'd and peaceful land, ^

That little dream'd of wrong from foe's insulting bandt

XXIII.

And if the love of combat and of fray
Have brought him hither of a foe in quest,

Certes he need in search no farther stray
Around the warlike regions of the west.

For to the fight I challenge him to-day,
Ho^ proud and plum'd soever be his crest ;

And, in defiance of him and his god,

I with my weapon's point dispute his farther road«

Canto IT. TH9 WAKE OF ^FS. 1^ * .45

' .-

XXIV.

«*

S^ijk spo)ce, inflam'd with honourable glow,
Tne Thane ; sind thuS the monarch made reply :•

Oh thou, whose faith and valour well I know,
Frov'd heretofore in trialis g^eat and high.

To what thy blameless spirit calls thee, go,
Go, and precede me with thine energy ;

Plant thy strong foot athwart th' inradei^'s path,

ioid bid him halt apace and tarry in his wrath.

XXV.

Meantime, while thus that wolf is held at bay.
Mine be the care from all my wide domain, *

My Bheriifdoms and shires, without delay
To muster all my chiefs and all their train ;

That with assembled force and full array
Of battle we may bear upon the Dane*

And crush him back into the waves afar.

And make the sea regorge the vomit of his war.

XXVI.

So spoke the King ; and with a silent joy
The hero from the presence passed along,

And for the battle and its fierce employ .
'Gan muster up his manly spirit stropg :

He tarried not to trifle and to toy
With pastime or with words of idle tongue.

But seeks with eager and impatient speed.

His goodly armour bright and fiery-footed steed.

45 # m xKin or mx. Canto n>

He dons bi» goodly annoor giudy bright;

Gttinss and gorget fortify hisibreast ; - %^

The haubeik cksp* him in iU ateely weight;

His manly thighs are m their coiahes drest ;
Bich on his head the heUnet's brazen light

Predominates in ^loiy ; and his treat.
Tufted and tow'ring, to the vernal wind
Its long luxuriant plume in playiiil dance resign'd.

xxviii.

Unstabled, then, his fiery courser proud
All-gallant comes, and glorious for the fight^

Exulting in his pranclngs, and full loud •
With neighings boastful of his speed and might ;

Up springs bis valiant rider like a god
In grace, and regulates the reins aright.

Curbing that haughty horse, whose champing mouth

Feasts on the golden bit, and churns it into froth.

XXIX.

His squire, and train of horsemen few but strong,
' Equipt and muster'd, soon their lord surround ;
So« down th' encumber'd street they pass along,

Clatt'ring the causeway with a ringing sound ;
Splits, as they pass, the city's frequent throng.

That heave and shoal in trepidation round,
PerplexM and full of fears ; yet proud, to view
Thus ready for the foe their bulwark firm and true.

Caotq II , 4'HE THAN]^ or X-I^i.. / 4?

XXX.

Then did the ancient city, Ipose from bar

-filer iron-ribbed mvasy gates expand.
To let^ass tl^i-ough her chieftain to the war,

Inflam'd and zealous to defend his land :
He pass'd ; and now is up the moot afar.

Hoofing its he^er with his manlj band ;
He does not stop to drink in Kenly's wave.
He's down by Ais^ie fields ^^ith aU his band of brave*

XXXL,

And soon he hears and sees with ear and eye
The show and tumult of that fareign host^

Clangour of rattling arms resounding high.
Splendour of helms and shields with gold embost,

Hnge-stalup'd heroes, moving haughtily
Their steps of usurpation on his coast.

And all the flower of Denmark and her war

Blazon'd in liiir display, and camping wide and far. '

XXXII.

Bxults in secret that high-hearted Thane,

Atsiglit of foes so gallant and so gay,
In conscious worth anticipating fain

The rich reward of battle's conqu'ring day :
Thus joyful, prescient thus of glory's gain,

Down rushes he upon his rapid way,
To find the proud king, that presumeth so
To violate his land with foot of foreign foe-

48 THE TSINE OF PIFZ. CantO II

XXXOI.

He finds the proud king that hath so presum,d}
Between Balcomie and the fort of Crai]«

Conspicuous mid his hpst, full arm'd and plum'd»
Glancing and sunny in his golden tnaili

RoUingohis eye-glance fierce, a& it he doom'd
The soil whereon he luok'd to woe and wail.

And with majestic strides of haughty scorn»

Trampling that noble land where Thane Macduff was
btorn.

XXXIV.

•

A space beyond the camp's tumultuous roa^e.
The chief made halt with all hia warrior train.

And sent a herald from his side with charge
To crave brief parley with the royal Dane :—

King Hungar ! thou of might and heart so large,
Listen my words, to you they appertain ;

My lord and master Thane Macduff stands near.

Short pari with thee he craves, should thou but deigo
thine ear. .

XXXV.

Whereat the cimbrian monarch at the word
Approach'd the verge of that far-camping host,

There stood upon its limit, while the lord
Of Fife with bold address him 'gan accost : —

Oh thou, whom thus it pleases to unhoard
Tt^ treasury of war upon our coast,

I come not now, with greetings fair and free.
Men as thou art, to hail and welcome thee.

€antO !!• Tfl£ THASE OV FIFE. 49

XXXVI.

f come) tppointed by myHege and king.
Who at thy coming stands in some surprise,

T' enquire what cause has tempted thee to bring
Hither thy ships on doubtful enterprise ?

Have eastern winds, that o'er the broad sea-swing.
Blown thee transverse from where thy voyage lies P

Is it for pastime,' and for summer sport.

Thou com'st with armed force to revel in such sort f

' XXXVII. '

Or fike sea-rover and s^-bandit stout.
After thy custom and thy country's mode,

Com'st thou with these thy eastern hordes to spout
Thy devastations on our coasts abroad.

For plunder vagabonding round about
In name of thine abhorr*d wine-lapping god ?

If such thine errand and thine object be.

Here speak that I may know ; it recks my king and me-

XXXVIII.

To whom, with stem regard and sullen brow.
The Cimbrian king gave instantly reply :—

Thou goessest well, my lord ; I come not now
At random hither blown by stormy sky ;

I do not come, as if in sport, to show
My merry pomp of idle heraldry ;

I come, admonish'd by my country's god.

Here on these western shorea to let my war abroad.

50 THS THAKB OF FIFS. CailtO H-

XXXIX.

It is not mine, with preface stuflTM with words
And warnings, to proclaim the wars I make ;

I come at once with soldiers and with swords
T' announce what bold designs I undertake :

Here on thy shore I stand with all my lords.
To iight a battle for prince Garnard's sake,

To reinstal him on his father's throne.

And drag th' usurper down whom thou and tr«itors'owfl'

XL.

Go then, and tell thy king, that now I mean,
Maugre his power, and maugre thee and thine.

To chase him hence from his unjust domain.
And raise, and readvance Brude's royal line :

Should he dislike, his be it to restrain
These bands, and counterwork my high desigR i

And bid him haste, as this my falchion good

Hangs in its idle sheath a-hung'ring after blood. *

XLf.

Whereat incens'd, with ready words replied
The fearless chief of demi-Iion crest :-^

Oh kin^, if thus thy sword upon thy side
Hangs fretting at its cold unbloody rest.

And if thy purpose be In wrathful pride
T* embroil these happy regions of the west.

Here stand, here first approve thy sword on me.

Who in my country's name defy thy god and thee.

Canto I^ T^E THANE bf FI7X. 51

XtIL

Think not that though thou come, with purpose proad

Imperiously to dictate on our shore.
Thou like a master thus shalt be allow'd

To force that tyrant whom our states forswore ;
My king has nobles many that have vow'd

To save the land their fathers sav'd of yore ;
And 1 am one who, in saint Andrei^'s might,
Now dare thee to the death ; here stand and to the fight.

XLnr.

This said,, he from his noble ateed in haste
Dismounting gave his footsteps to the soil.

And went to meet tlie king, who on as fast
Came obvfous to the battle and the broil :

As whirlwinds from the chasms of ether vast
Con6ictiog rush and ruinous t' embroil

With gusts the cloudy chambers of the sky.

And o'er the troubled world in blustrous battle fly ^

^ XLIV.

So fiercely, and with such loud onset dire^
Rush'd the contending heroes to th6 fray.
As in their mighty breasts the mounting ire

Inflaiii'd them to the perilous assay;
Out-Bew and flash'd like flames of flirting fire
Their swords with inextinguishable play.
And in their greedy quest of deadly wound
Made ring both shield and mail with claijk of iron sound.

^ TOE THAsis or ?if £. Canto n.

•

XLV.

As when on rainy eve gf winter day
The peasants, gather'd from the clayey' fields

Crowd round the forge to sharpen or o'erlay
Coulter or share witl\ rigid nietal steel'd.

They with enormous double-handed sway
High over-head their pond'rous hammers wield.

And, whirling fast tUb never-ceasing' stroke.

Assault the anvil's strength with many a sgunding shocks

XLVI.

So on their shields and clatter'd froeks of^xuul,'

Shower'd from the swords of tliese enraged foesy
Frequent and furious fell the strokes lik^ haiJ,
^Eager to give to life its bloody close ;
Bach hauberk-chink, though small, that might avail

To adroit the cruel death with all its woes,
Was search'd by cunning eye, and well explor'd,
AH for the murd'rous stab by point of forcef^l sword.

XLVII.

«And, following the falchion's point, out-rush'd
The npbjle blood from many a latent wound.

Ensanguining their gilded mail, that blush'd
With red suffusion streaming to the ground ;

And now the heroes' hef&rts, that late were flush'd
With haughty strength, and wrath that knew no bound.

Wax'd faint, and in them sunk their irei'ui might.

And laxecswunf^ their swords, and feebler grew the fight

Canton. TBXfnuxt-ov nf£« 53

Sx,vm.

When in the blue recesses of U^e eas^
Where the" sky leans on sea*s remotest verge.

Came, whirl'd along the ocean's glassy breast,
A golden chariot sliding o'er the surge ;

As lightnings from their cloud burst noanifest.
So did that glory from mid-sea emerge.

And toward the shore, upon its wheels of pearl,

%i^'d like a globe of flame with smooth and steady
whirl.

XLIX.

And up high'^boundlng o'er the rocks of Carr
It flew, and up the beach's pebbles white.

And o'er the tops of that encamping war.
Skimming the helmed heads with rapid flight ;

Then halts, anon^ that silver.axled car
Near where the Thane and king pursue the fight,

When from its bosom a protruded spear

Thnists forth between the chiefs its glittering barrier
clear*

For Kiord, green-hair'd god that rules the sea,
Whose dripping beard down dangles from his chin.

Beneath that d^ariofs coral canopy,
Veil'd with a mist of gold, sat bright within ;

His are the wheels so pearl-embossM that be.
And his that interpos'd clear javelin,

Held out at length by his befriending ar^

To separate the chiefs and save the dea^y harm.

F ^

54 TB£ THANE OF FIFJE. CantO II r

LI.

For as in ocean's chambers, green as glass.

He sat a-toying with his mermaids fair.
His eyes up-glancing through the liquid mass

Of waters that above him weltYing were,
Discern'd the heroes' battle how it was.

What anger and what strife of strength was there.
And how their limbs wax'd faint with many a wound.
And how the ready death hung hovering o'er the groundb

LIL

His spear dissevers soon that dangerous fray ;

Back startling from the terror of its glance
The chiefs recede, full glad to scape away

From tlie red menace of the burning lance ;
Meantime a cloud, out-fuming on the day

Its darkness from the chariot's radiance,
Gather'd and gush'd before the team, and spread
Bnvelopement of mist fast round each warrior*s head.

LIU.

'Twas black as night around each warrior's head ;

He saw nor day nor the clear sunny rays
That swim in heaven, nor the blood-dabbled blade

Which yet his weary hand unquenched sways ;
In vain his eyes athwart th' involving shade

Search for the foe with ever baiBed gaze ;
In vain his sword, yet greedy after blood.
With many an idle thrust gropes blindly through the
cloud.

Canto II. THE THAHX 01' ri7E. 55

UV.

And still, the more he seeks t' attain the foe
The farther he is wilder'd in his maze,

Contrariously direcfed, errant so
That eastward he, the other westward strays :

The king, amid his troops that round him go,

'Scapes into day-light and the sunny blaze ;
Tht Thane beside his equivage and steed, *
So goYern'd in his steps, is from the darkness freed.

LV.

Thus, conscious both that that perplexing mist

Divinely came to terminate the broil,
Full glad alike from battle to desist, ^

So faint and languid from the bloody toil.
Sheathing his sword, each bold antagonist

Retires, his honour yet unstain'd with soil }
He to his royal and high-reared tent.
Where plung'd he courts repose, wiUi weariness o*er-
spent.

LVI.

The Thane, environed and enguarded round
By his attending train, a valiant throng,

Remounts his ready steed, and from the ground,
Oft hesiiating, slowly rides along;

For, though his weary limbs be weak with wound.
His heart's desire yet fervent is and strong.

And, in its fiery longings unsubdu'd.

Still iScditates of war and dreadful deeds renew'd.

S6i rrsE TBAHE or fifs Canton.

LVIL

And aye his thfeafaing eye-glance,, backward cast,
To scowl its short farewell up^ the foe.

Instead of foe and camp and tumult vast
Of haughty heroes stalking to and fro.

Sees but that cloud alone dlspreading fast
Its pitchy vapours in tremendous show*

Gonvolv'd in wreaths of gulfy mists, between ^

Him and fails Danish foes impenetrable screen,

Lvin.

H^ from its whirling skirts receding rode
Fast up the land amid his horsemen train ;

He past by Thirdpart's lawn-enclos*d abode.
He past o'er Airdrie's forest-fringed plain ;

The furzy moor that in the morn he trod,
Receiv'd the tramplings of his hoofs again $

And now, not distant on his right he saw,

Crown'd with its tell of prayer, Denino's grassy la^*

UX.

He came into the hollow dell where flows,
Kenly ! thy little and thy lucid stream ; t

There on thy verdure-fringed banks, where grows
The harebell dallying with th^ sunny beam,

ypoil his eyes a sudden scene a?ose.
Splendid and gay as summer evening's dream.

That made him in his journey halt to view

A spectacle so fair, fantastical, and new.

Canto II. THE THAKE OF FIFE. - . . 417

LX.

(Full well the spot I jpiow^ for often there.
When (lanc'd thet)uxom summer round our sky.

Strewn on the idle .turf, and void of care.
In muse at eve I have been wont to lie,

Surrend'ring up my soul to fancy's fair
Illusions, gorgeous as the rainbow's die ;

Or with great Homer in high converse joined.

Or feasting on the dreams of Plato's mystic mind.

LXI.

There, too, as in my thoughtful walks I err'd.
Rambling in sweet seclusion down the dell.

The crash and tumult of the world I heard
"When from his geak of power Napoleon fell \

And on what day his wasteful legions dar'd»
All-haughty as they were cuirass'd well.

To stand before our lion's wrath, whose howl

Backscatter'd them with shame, disaster'd sad and foul.)

LXII.

There o§ these banks, in a smooth grassy place,
Th' astonish'd Thane descried a wondrous scene :

The Fairy queen herself, with all her race
Of flimsy phantoms 6ifl^»Bgon the green,

Glitt'ring and glad, in vAture, shape, and face.
Chasing and chas'd the grassy spires between.

As gay, as flitting as the solar beams

Imag'd^ bright reflex from summer's breezy streams,

8 TKS THINS 09 KPB. CftUton.

Lxin.

In amice clad oFflow'^de-lace she 8ate»
Thron'd glortously upon her emorald chair»

And wielded in her slendet hand with state
Her sceptre, hewn from out a beryl fair.

Wherewith in queenly dignity elate
She govern'd that slim people of the air.

Directing them to harmonize the dance.

And intertwitt it well with subtle skip and glance.

LXIV.

They twist and trip and intervolve it well^
Flinging their phasms fantastically high.

Circling her chair with maze inscrutable,
Xot to be foUow'd by the empuzzied eye :

As little silvery waves with gentle swell.
In summer when the sea*breeze fans the sky.

Play round the r9ck8 with eddy and with whirl,

And up their shelly sides the foamless waters curl t

LXV.

So round her throne in rapid-whirling rings
That volatile small people glide and glance ;

There Dapperling, her chamberlain, up^spfrings *
Like spark from fire, lavoltii^ through the dance :

There Pheeze and Pangle, puny air-built things.
Wince loftier flings than those of skittish France,

And Strout, and Blossom on his limber shanks^.

Most merrily botmce it high and strut like mountebanks.

Canto tu TBI jftOTE or vtri. 59

lxVl

And Peasecody with a little rainbow 8a8h'd>
That girds the thumb-thick glory of his vuat ;

And Thimble, whose long coat-tails had been washM
In sunbeams that went round foim wheeling fyst -,

And Red-cap, with his saffron cowl, that flash'd
Like thread of fire as down the reel he past;

And Prim, Whose garments of eye-dazzling bloom

Up in the moon were wov'n in cynthia's silver loom*

LXVII.

All these, and more than I in rhyme can name,
^ huddling multitude of phantasms small,

Like bright'ScaPd fishes in a limpid stream.
Career with'fury through the gorgeous ball.

Inflaming Kenly^s green banks with a gleam
Of ever-shifting radiance magical :

The Thane Macduff was ravishM with delight.

And check'd his steed awhile to feast him on the sight

LXVIIL

He giz'd a space, till at the last the queen.
High waring o'er the dance her beryl wand, *

Laid qfget with that sign-the bustling scene,
And moveless round hfr all her peH^ple stand ;

Then, rising from her chair, with brow serene.
And with mijestic beckoning of band.

She fixjj^pon the Tliane attentive eye,

And lif^ up her voice and spoke melodiously.

» T

60 ' TBJE THAHJB QV'FItX. CCUltO U.

•

LXIX.

Oh thou, whom from thy country's wiirs with joy

I see returning in thy glory great,
And bid the hail, ^and in thy bold employ

Go prospVing onward joyous and elate ; •
Well have I spied to-day with what annoy

Tliy sword descended on thy foeman's pate,
Giving him bitter foretaste, as was due, •*

Of vengeance for him stor'd by Scotland and ^y you.

LXX.

For I was with thee when this morn thy irm
Strung up its sinews for the battle's shock.
And on thy falchion's edge with double harm

Irpde to aggravate its forceful stroke^ •

Thus countervailing with my fairy charm

What aid the Cimbrian from king Odin took ;
Thy wounds, inflicted by his steel, I heal'd.
And staunched the flowing blood when thou didst leave
the field.

f
LXXf.

For deem not that the hero's toils, to save*
His counftry from invader's wasteful hate,

To me and to roj subjects lieee and brave
Are foreign, and no anxious care create ;

*Tis ours, consulting in the moon-light cave,
To plan tlie preservation of the state, -

And, when tiie battle's fury is display'd.

To hover o'er tlie ^va^ with safety and with aid.

Canto, a. Tak thahe ov ms. 61

ISXIL

And ours it shall be^ when that furious Dane
Lets loose upon thy fields his dogs of prey^ '

With curb unseen his madness to restrain.
And tease him into torture and dismay ;

Maugre the god that led him o'er the main,
UnpunishM o'er the land he shall Hot stray ;

King Odin n^ay in spirit fret and rave.

But Mab and her small tribe shall vindicatp the brare

LXXnL

Then as a pled|^ and proof that fairy-land
Holds thee beloy'd, and will thy efforts aid.

Accept, Oh chief» a present from my handy
Thii magic helm by fairy artists made.

Of virtue that shall make thee well withstand
Malice or mischief levelled at thy head ; "^

Thy temples once surrounded with its charm,

Impaanve shalt thou meet the battle's every harm.

• LXXIV.

Take too this silver pipe, whose tube, though small,
Blown-to ashrilly whistle by thy breath,

XJp to tl^ aid shall conjure and shall call
What sprite thou wishes^from earth's ceUs beneath

^K genie, puny fay^r goblin tall,
Prompt to confound the foe or give hini death,

Cvok'd from inmost chambers of the ground,

S^ at thy feet appear emergent at the sound.

$2 THE TffAVE OF ftFI, CaOtO U.

LXXV.

With these assist thee in thy land's defence ;

Yet» though with thes^ full puissant be thine atsi)
Hope not by single might to sweep from hence \

Back to their deeps proud Hungar and his swirm :
Go, seek thy king ; and in the walled fence

Whose girdle guards saint Andrew's bones fromhinii)
Lodge thee awhile, till Scotland for the war
Rouse up her thousand chiefs with all their clans afar

LXXVI. . ^

This spoken, from her chair with stately p»ce
Advancing whither stood at gaze the Thane,

She laid before him with majestic grace *

The potent gifts that shall confound the Dane;

The silver whistle with its purple lace
Attached, of power each demon to constrain,

And the fair helm, whose length of capilon

Rich o*er the upsp ringing grass in streamy Ueauty shone.

LXXVII. '^ ,

These sjrmbols given, the gentle queen of Fays
With sweet retire nmjestical withdrew.

Leaving Hie hero silent in amaze
At these bright gifts so wonderful and new ;

One moment glanc'd he at their sparkling blaze.
The next, as down the banks he cast his view,

Nor good queen Mab, nor fay was to be seen,

Nought but the sunny grass, all goodly, smoothand green.

Canto II THE THABTS OF m£. 6

LXXVIII.

Evanish'd quite, suck'd back into the ground.

Was in a moment all that elvish band.
Gone ip a huddle down, without a sound.

Through the world's pores to secret fairy-land;
There, amid groves of pearl-hung trees renown'd.

And shrubberies whose leaves in gold expand.
And silver pools, and streets of emerald gay,
in day-light of their own to frisk their lives away.

LXXIX.

Dismounting then where these fair gifts were laid.
The chief up-rais'd them, wond*ring,from the ground;

He doff 'd his mortal helm, and in its stead
His temples with th' enchanted casque he crown'd ;

The broad paw'd lion seem 'd upon bis head
To grin in gold and make a furious bound ;

And round his breast the purple cord he flung.

Whereto the puissant pipe, that awes the devil, hung,

LXXX.

Thus clad in glory and in power, the Thane
There tarried not, but hasted to be gone ;

He twitch'd, anon, his courser's bridle-rein,^
His heals' sharp provocation urg'd him on ;

And up, Stravithie, thy fair fields again.
And o'er thy heath with flowery furze o'crgrown,

^pid he rush'd with all his train away,

TowardS'the fair-fenc'd town wherein the moqAfch lay.

xvn OT THS sxcoiro cahto.

THE f

TBANE OF FIFE.

CANTO m.

THE

THANE OF FIFE.

I
«

CAITTO III.

I' 1

Thisud, bright bounding on his wheels sublime
In flaming errand up tli' ethereal height.

Had not yet ceas'd the hill of heaven to climb,
Crossing earth's longitudes with streams of light.

When Constantine, that all the morning time
Had weigh'd in thought his country's cares aright^

'Gan send his speedy messehgers afar

Round through the ^cottish land t' alarm it to the war

II.

Then flew his heralds, each on rapid steed.

From every gate of Kilry*s city old.
And (^rried round th' astonish'd land witb speed

T|)e news to every Thane and baron bold ;
Th^ bade them buckle on for day of need.

Their swords of eager steel and helms of gold,
And muster round him each his vassal band.
And gua|^d the king with arms and vindicate liis lanj.

66 XHX ^HAva OF FiF£. Ganto in.

III.

For he, the noise and terror of the north.
King Hungar, with bis proud sea-wafted host.

Abettors of the Pict, are issued forth.

And stalk with steps of murder on our coast ;

Rouse ye, and prove your prowess and your worth,
Cheat the bold pirate of th' expected boasty

And push him back with slaughter and with shame.

Home to his native wave whence he presumptuous came.

IV.

King Constantine, amid his household, waits
Thy coming in Sanct Andriso* wall'd defence.

Protected by her walls and massy gates
Against the invader's bloody violence :

There sits he till his army congregates
The just completion of its power immense.

When, issuing forth to glory and the fray.

He from the fields of Fife shall chase the wolf awaj'-

Thus they, fast posting round the land, proclaimed
At once the levy and the new^ of war.

Arousing every Thane and leader fam'd
In every shire and lordship near and far :

Meantime the King, with pious zeal inflam'd.
Turn? to the blessed Saints his thoughtful care,

And bids convene his priests and ghostly men

To supplicate and kneel in Rule's most holy f%ne.

Caato iw. TH« rn^tdt of mm. ^7

VI.

They came, his priests of'VetierabJe mein.
All in their seemly garbs of worship dreSt,

Adrian the chief, of sinless soul serene.
With mitre and with silver crosier gracM ;

Kellach, in snowy vesture pure and clean,
His golden cross down dangling on his breast ;

Monan and Fillin, in their cinctures fwr.

With all theii? holy monks> the men of hymn ahd pray^.

VII.

Oatpour*d they to the day their multitude^
From every dark recess, and hall, and cell.

Crowding the street with mitre, cross, and hodd,
In long procession to the clink of bell ;

For every heart was now of mornful mood,
And gloom in every face was visible :

Such was the Danskers' dread ; and so did fear

Eclipse their happy looks with shadows dark and drear.

VIIJ.

The city, too, was shaken ; she, through ^
Her lanes and streets convuls'd with deep alarms.

Out-threw her numerous thousands, great and small.
Gorging the ways with ever-swelling swarms ;

Fathers with heavy looks funereal,

Mothers in tears with infants m their arms,

Children and tender virgins in dismay,

Jwn the religious train to worship and to pray.

6d TVB THAirs ov ruTJi. Canloni.

<
4

IX.

As marcVd with flOlemn step the train along,
Their king and holj Adrian at its head.

Uprose to heaven the anthem and the song.
Far-sounding by ten thousand voices fed.

Now swelling up in heave of music strong.
Wherewith the city's spires all echoed,

xfow dying down to solemn notes and low,

With tears and terror mix'd^ and throbs of doabtahd wo^<

Till, when the chapel of St. Rule they gain'd«

At last the reverential anthem ceasM,
And through the boundless multitude there reign'd

Silenee a while of people, king, and priest:
Upon the ground they knelt in faith unfeign'dy

And turning to th' adored shrine, wh^re rest,
Encas'd in gold, saint Andrew's relics dear,
They supplicate aloud with fervency and fear.

XI.

Oh thou (the monarch's voice thus leads the prayer)
That sit'st in glory mid the choirs of heaven.

But to ouriand, bequeathment rich and rare.
Thy bones a token of thy love hast given.

Beneath whose patronage and guardian care
In works of war and peace our land has thriven.

Hear from thy place amid heaven's golden thrones,

liook down upon the shrine that holds thy ' honoured
bones.

Canto III. T8X TBAKx ov nt 1. 69

U>ok down upon thy people as they &11

Thus reverent and lowly at thy feet,
Hear, in thy love, their supplicating cal^

And answer downwards from thy golden seat ;
If e'er of old at solemn festival

Our sires have given thy name high honours meet.
If e'er to them thy love hath been display'd,
Oh visit now thy sons with safety and with aid !

xiir.

See how these ravagers, from Odin^s hive
His warrior-worshippers out-pour'd abroad.

Fierce o'er thy shores, an host unbaptiz'd, drive
The hurricane of battle and of blood ;

The banners proud, which to the winds they give*
Wave blasphemy against the christian's God,

And christian blood, spiU'd out by wrongful sword*

Is th€^bation dire>tbat glads their worshipped Lord.

XIV.

Ob then, in pity to thy favoured land.
Thus marred and tainted by a pagan crew^

Vfa^y ^e vigour of thy holy band,
And smite their souls with mad confusion through*

That, homeward chas'd, a panic-stricken band
In wreck and shame their landing they m»y rue»

And warn their sons henceforth to shun the shore

That gave th' unbidden sires a chastisement so sore*

70 THE THAHX OF FIFE. CaotO HI.

XV.

So shall our sons, through many a futere year.
To thy glad name increasing honours pay ;

And round the land shall many a temple rear
To thee its dedicated turrets gay :

Then grant a sign, Oh saint, and cause appear
Thy power and presence by some clear display,

That we, thy people, at that token given.

Still may rejoice in hope, and trust in thee and heaven!

xvr.

Here ceas'd the prayer, and here was given a sign;

For in an instant from the sacred ground.
Whereon stood altar, fane, and golden shrine^

Issued a solemn and fearful sound.
And all the temple by some power divina

Was shaken, and th' adjoining precincts round:
Monarch and people by that signal cheer'd,
Gave courage to their hearts that late so droopy and
fear'd.

XVII.

Meanwhile, as they within the city pent
Solac'd their souls with pious service good.

The Cimbrian ruler in his haughty tent
Sits wrathful, meditating deeds of blood;

His scornful soul, on ravage still intent.
Calls up the vow he made upon the flood.

What lime he in his ship nigh founder'd pray'd.

Bribing with promis'd blood his God to give him aid-

Canto, ni. ths taaite of Fifs. 71

XYIII.

He summons to his tent the gloomy priest
Of Odin, arm'd with murder-tainted knife :—

Fulbert ! prepare the sacrifice and feast
Due to the God that sav'd from flood iny lifei

Twelve youths, aH beauteous as the dawning east,
CiiU'd from the bloomy boys of plunder'd Fife, •

Twelve girls as fair, and of unspotted fame ;

To mighty Odin those, and these to Odin's dame.

XIX.

This charge receiv'd, the gloomy priest forth past,
Resolv'd and ruthless, on his bad emprise.

And took with him his warrior-troop that fast
Scour'd diverse, ranging for that sacrifice ;

Towns, hamlets, farms, upland and coast they trac'4*
In cruel quest of victim and of prize.

From Carrail prowling upwards to the sea.

West to the crag that juts, Balcarras, o'er thy lea.

XX.

They search'd, and found in upland or in coast
Twelve boys all bloomy as Narcissus' flower.

Twelve girls of snowy beauty, each the boast
Of dance in winter's hall or summer's bower ;

They found ; they seiz'd ; their tender hands they cross'd
With cords of cruel bondage o'er and o'er;

They dragg'd them with rude violence unkind

On to the hated spot for that sad rite design'd :

72 IBM rmkvm ov fifx. Cimto m* '

^ XXL

E'en to thy walls, Sanct Androifi, that thy kingy
Uia lordsy and all the citizens may view

Compeirdy affronted, piere'd by sorrow's sting.
The priest, the muider, and the murd'rous crew.

Though anguish'd, impotent the white to bring
Life and relief to that fair weeping crew-* »

There was design'd th' abominable ^pot ;

Thither by forceful foe these tender victims brought

XXII.

There stood the heath'nish alurs Ihrice-abhorr'cl,

Built to receive that pure and guiltless blood,
Whilst round them, Cimbrian soldier, priest and lord,

Gather'd in fearful preparation, stood ;
Exalting barb'rously, with look and word

High-challenging, in proud and scornful mood.
The men of Scotland to descend and save

Their death-devoted youth from slaughter and the
grave.

xxni.

Confusion then, and shame and sore alarm
Th' assembled people on the wall possess'd,

Condemn'd to eye the soul-detested harm , '

In hopeless horror by loud wail confessM;—

What clust'ring thoughts, in sad and troublous swarmi
Oh Thane ! roll darkly in thy valiant breast.

When from the city's towers thine eyes behold,

Thy land affronted so with act so base and bold ?

Canto ly. tbtb xHARt ot tm. 73

•*(.

XXIV. /

K0W9 laying on bis sword his mighty; hand.
Half out he drew the metal from its sheath,

Besolv'd to rush amid that murd'rous band
Alone, and balk the meditated death ;

Now scabbards he again the burning brand,
Ai^ chides his soul, and keeps his ire beneath,

As he beholds the formidable foe.

Spread unassailable in ridges grim below.

XXV.

At last he in perplexity of soul

Bethought him of his last and good resource,
E?*n that fair pipe whose whistle can controul

Or fay or goblin to appear perforce,
Hoge goblin, grim and burly, from the pole.

Fay, fleet and frisky, from Nile's mystic source :
To try its power, he pip'd so loud a twang, .
Tuzret and wall replied, and all Balmungo rang.

XXVI.

And, as he pip'd, he wilVd that there should ris^
The strongest spirit of Arabia'^ ground ;

Up stands anon before his stounded eyes
The mightiest sprite within Arabia's bound,

Calv'd by old mother earth to man's surprise,
A horrid moon-calf hy the sun disown'd.

Dwarfish and iron-limb'd, of features fell,

Tail'd lik^ the devil too, and sooty-grim as hell.

74 THE THAVS or FIPB. ^S^ntoiU'

XXVtt.

WitI) him »t once uprose from wormy teaitii ^

His blood-bedabbled beards prolix and long* |

That from his chin, of hideous length and girth, i

Like tail from ghastly comet streaming hung;

And with him too was born (stupendous birih !)
His weapon balancM on his shoulders strongs

An iron bar, of weight enougtito load

Old Jason's three-deck'd ship when o'er to Thoue bfc
row'd.

XXVIII.

Some say 'twas Schaibar, he whose name is known
From Mecca south to BabelmandePs shores ; •

Some call him Arshenk, he who holds the throne
Of Jcnnistan, and rules the genie powers;

Whate'er his name and land, full soon was showa»
I weet, his puissance near Sanct Androis' towers :

For as he in an instant sprung to sight,

So in a trice he mov'd tremendous to the fight.

XXIX.

And as he movM, his right hand swung about
His bar that round him circumvolv'd full fast,

Tormenting th' air with strokes of iron stout,
That the sky whistled as with stormy blast ;

Each step he took made th* abbey-wall throughout,
Heap'd as it was with press of people vast,

To shake, as formidably firm and slow,

Off from the wall he mov'd to meet his boastful foe.

Canto iji; tas thjlkx of vivjb. * 7$

Nor boast, nor thicat, was now, nor sVow of war.
Amid these boi^tful Dangers, as they saw

That earth- whelp'd monster, with his massj bar.
Coming to thmsh them down like oaten straw ;

The sacrificer hung his knife through fear.
And speechless stood, and ghastly-white with awe ;

Soldier, and leader, priest, and squire, and knight.

Trembled from head to toot at that soul-scaring sight.

XXXI.'

And Fulbert soon had fled with all his crew

Of soldiery, and of sacrificers base.
Had not a second wonder, sprung to view,

Delay'd their flying for a little space ;
For from Valhalla, up in ether blue,
I The son of OJin spied his men's disgrace,
• And down he flies, and here his golden wain
I ^'p to the Kinness-bum comes pealing o'er the plain.

xxxn.

He comes, and in his wheels that flash and fly
The thunder rattles, and the lightning flares ;

He comes, and in his hand he swings on high
The club, whose silver sheen the god declares ;

K'&ht on he drives, determin'd soon to try
That goblin's strength, who thus opposing dares

To interpose such quaint unearthly frame,

^nd spoil kis father's feast and stop the bloody game.

7S * , ^HB TQASTE OP MFB."* -^IrfD HI'

xxxin.

And, who art thou, the goat-drawn Thor exclaims,
Tadpole, whom earth has, in a fit of^pleen,

Spew'd from her lumber-house of shapeless frames,
To poison day-light with vile form obscene ^

Deem'stthou, that thatthy beard with bloodthat flames,
And that thy tail, and that thy surly mein.

Have pott^er the sons of Odin to appal ?

Home to thy ditch, thou toad ! lest mischief on theefiH

So sayings forward goes he to the war,
Commov'd, and burning with insatiate ire ;

Meanwhile the hero of the iron bar
Push'd up his frightful van, his beard of fire,
<His rear, the snaky tail, came following far
Swinging behind its convolution dire ;

He utter'd not a word ; (in sooth his trade

Was pithy deeds not words, to maul and not upbraid)

XXXV. ,

And with a frightful scowl, that well might scare
Hell from her fathomless foundations deep,

Hp nears his foe, still vibrating in wr
His pond'rous bar with circulating sweep ;

And to the head of Thor directing fair
That weapon with more upward motion steep,

He hit him on the jole so hard a stroke,

A s if heaven's thunder-atone had on him crashing broke

ftXJCVI, ,

• 4

Then with a soream and gliastly yelling^ cry,
Aa if a thous^d devil$ soreech'd and scream'd.

The wrilhing god, up-bick'nng to the sky.
Like to a silver arrow h^v'nward gleam'd ;

Of chariot, team, and goat, that late to th* eye*
Some glorious thing of star-bom beauty seem'd^

Nought now appeared save a long trail of ligl^

Idke foam behind a ship left where he ruah'd from sight.

XXX\tl.

Thus he, diseomiited and hard bested,

Slufikoff andin Valhalla lay conceal'd.
Leaving that haggard dwarf, Arabia's dread^

111' acknowledg'd master of the foughten field ;
Lowering' a laugh satanic, on he sped.

That genie with the bar that whfzz'd and wheel'd.
His mission to consummate, and to chase i

Down to their sea-ward camp the Danskers from the
place.

« XXXVIIL j

Astow'rd th^ir troop his face he turn'd, anon
His very look so witchM their souls with fear»

That down the land they scamper'd every one.
Scattered and scudding like a herd of deer ;

None thought of sacrifice or victim ; none
look'd now behind him in bis heavy cheer,

Ust he should feel that hugy bar robust,

Swang in his face at once to pound his skull to dust, .

7% • THE TffAFB OP riPEJ' 0$kO UL [

XXXIX.

Thus they, heart-struck with trepidation, scour

Southward to huddle in their camp at ease, . ^

Leaying their victims in that genie's power, j

To do according^ as his mood ms^ please i J

He sweet'ning to a smile his face's lower.
Their interchained hands from bondage frees,

And'gives his benediction kind, and sends

The youths away in joy to meet rejoicing friends-

XL. f

Whereat the folk that ontthe crowded wall.
Suspense and trembling, long had stood st gase^

Set up a merry outcry one and all.

Huzzaing jubilant their champion's praise^
*Full loudly, that the 'blue-roof *d heavenly hall .
In ^corresponding peals the shout repays ; '

Mennwhile, amid that noise, their champioja-sprite

Down in a moment sinks and vanishes from sight «

XLT. •

E'eiTin a moment dives he under-ground, *

With all his equipage of genie-state.
Bar, beard, and tail, that not a trace is found,

To show the people where he stood so late ;
As on the surface of the salt profound

A mallard floating in his pride elate,
• If chance tfrapid ship come stemming by,
Down dips into the deeps t' elude the seaman's eye :

Cantq S9i» the 'tuaiui or fifb. *|9

So disappeared that dvftrf beneatti tb6 'clo^,
Relieviog siui-light of iiis haggish form,

And through earth's fissures to his deep abode *
Creeps Uke a smoke, or Uke a slimy worm.

There in old Jennistan's green land and broad.
To nestle aqd encave his bulk deform, ,

Till fate, or till the whistle of the Thane,

Eroke him from his rest to fight for men again .

XLni.

Xeanwkite the people on the wall, in height

Of merriment triumphal, wide expand
Their gates t'admit to greetings of delight

Tbatslaughter-threaten'd trembling victim-band.
Much questioning and wondering every wight.

Whence he, the genie of deed-doing hand.
And what his name, and whitlier he had gone.
And how he lower'd and laugh'd, yet spoke a word to
none.

» ^ xuv.

Thus they in joy and marvel celebrate

Their children's rescue fi-om such threatened harms ;
Meantime, fast borne through all tlie Scottish state,,

The royal summons and the war's alurms
Shook the w^ide realm with preparation great.

Of soldiery and strife, and vengeful arms.
Infuriating the land with fervid zeal,
To prick th' invader home with stabs of bloody steel.-

go THE THAHK Qt IIFB. ^ fl^j^O IH

Each sbtre, and evei7 tovasbip of e>ch ahire.
Each earldom, seigniory, and island far, •

Catching th' infection of the martial fire,
Rous'd up in cIam'rou$ tumult f<{rthe war r'

Baron and yeoman, with one fierce desire,
Up-8tirr*d and burning for the broil, prepare

Th' accoutrements of Mars, his shirts of maif^

And all his gaudy gear, and swords that never fail*

XLVI.

There was nor silence in the land nor rest.
But shouts and hurried rushii%s he^e and ttierd.

And cries of arm, and fiery-footed haste.

And whet of sword, and furbisliing of speaf ;
"Wnds left their lands half plough'd, a seedless ^aate.
And rob their ploughs of coulter and of spear,

A boon to Mars, for now each household fire

TransfoaQs the tools of peace ta slaughterous uses dire.

xtvn. •

And ev'n at starry midnight men were seea
Hewing the spear-staff from the new.feird tree ;

And twanging bows were heard, and arrows keen
Were feather'd for the deaths about to be.

And steeds of mettle high, in afmour sheen
Were deck'd apd neigh*d for battle gallantly.

And foot and horsemen, under banners gay,

Mastered tumultuously their strong and stern -array.

■i ' ■• . . .• •

€anto Tir. f thb thais^e of fifb. -81

Thas were the shires commoy'd from wbere tbe cape
Of wrath grinds down to foam th' Atlantic surge,

Down to the fishy stream whose waters shape
The border-line, and play on England's .verge ;

So in their forces pour with rapid sweep.
Fleet o'er each intermediate space to urge,

Day after day, and band by band, their way,

Whither tbe king proclaims th' assemblage and th' array

XLIX.

Oh mu?e, that with thy keen ali-kenning eye
Explorest gods in sky, and men on earth,

Beclare, for thou wert there as rusliM they by.
Who first, who last, came to the muster forth ;

t^hat troops, and what their arms and valour high.
And what the heroes, and their peerless worth %

Pop I am erring, blind, arti nothing know,

Save what hi vision thou, oh goddess, deign'st to show*

Krst, fro© the bounds of men-sustaining Fife,
(The first as nearest to the war and foe, )

Assembled all her chieftains for the strife.
Girt v^ith their vassalage in warlike show ;

Crowdfng they come from all her coasts so rife
Of villagery, and fring'd with townships so,

Spearmen and bowmen in their several bands,

And troops of valiant horse that scour the grassy lands.

82 TSK TBASE OS ViFE*. ,Canto ni.

.LI.

Chief thine Maoduff I for, promptly to thy call, *
(Tbou^ absent thou thyself to tend thy lord).

Sprung forth thy yeomanry and footman all,
A thousand warriors waijling on thy Word,

From, the green fields that skirt thy palace wall'
By Falkland, eastward to saint Mary's ford.

Where Cupar in her valley sits as queen.

And sees her Eden roll his glassy wave serene.

LII.

These by Sanct Androis' wall appear the first
To fence their sovereign with uneonquer^d arms ;

And next them came the warlike people nurs'd
On fair Baicarras' sunward sloping farms, '

Beneath their valiant lord, whose soul athirst
For glory kindles at the war's alarms.

As to the sun, expanded broad and fair.

His gilded banner flaps its many stars in air.

LIU.

And Leven from Balgonie's castle sends
His troops, for king and country guard to keep ;

And Rothes, from his manor that extends
Wide round the lake of midland water deep»

(The lake whose liquid circuit well defends
Saint Servan in his holy isle asleep).

Collects his vassals for the martial field.

And, stately at their h ead, gripes fastthe spear and shield

CafntQ irr, h iae thajtb of fife* '83'

LIV. '

Them followed speedy from the western bounds
Tbe lords and bar6ns there that held the sway, *

"Wlere proud Dunfermline o'er the southern grounds •
Looks down exnltinji; in -her palace gay,

WliereResyth^s towers, which Neptune's tide surronnds,
Sboet heav'nward and command St. Marg'ret's bay.

East to the rock where Alexander died,

Thence to the cliff that props great Wemyss's castled
pride.

LV.

The nobles rauster'd next whose fi^rtile lands
Stretch to the eastern foreland by tbe coast ;

KelHe, wliose double griffin now expands
Bis wings of gold broad waving o'er his host ;

toQng Anstroyther, that in his potent hands
The pole-axe wields, the weapon of his boast ;

Pitmiliic, whose g^en dolphin swims in air ; «

itntrithie, and Grangemuir, and Airdrie, strong in war.

Lvr.

Ail these, and many more, Fife's prime and flower.
Came trooping" up with banners wide display'd,

And loud request the battlers instant hour
To purge their soil of Danskers wasteful tread,

Clainung the field alone, as if their power
8ofiic*d to conquer, bare of other aid ;

Tet £d their king such furious fire restrain,

^ his full sum offeree stood gather'd on the plain

84 THx THAXK OF mx. Ciuiti) m.

Kn\

LVII.

His sum of force toon gathers ; from the west.
Where broad and high CUckmannaQ's tower asdends.

And where, on rocky ridge tremendous pUc*d,
Huge Castle-Campbell o'er ^is dell impends.

Thence all along the valley o'er whose breast
Wide-sweeping Devon slowly westward wend%

Five hundred archers come with bows well strong.

Their rattling quivers stor'd with arrowssharp andloDg.

LVIII.

And Stirling from her ciladel, that heaves
Up to mid-heaven her towered and craggy mass,

Commanding all the vale where Perth's pure waves
Sea-ward in sinuous stripes of silver pass,

Her soldiers sends, in cuirass, helm, and greaves
Well-cas'd, and gleaming in refulgent brass.

Beneath their leaders rank'd in fair array,

Three thousand spearmen bold, all joyous for the fray.

LTX.

And Lennox fair, the nursing soil of sheep,
Within whose bosom winding many a mile

Clear to the sun her freshet-waters sleep,
A silver pool emboss'd with many an isle.

Sends from her lowly dales and ridges steep
Her people nerv'd and fresh for every toil.

Shepherds and hinds that now disrobe the weeds

Of f>eace for Mars's garb and bloody harmful deeds.

CADtoHl^.

THE THANE OF FIFE. 85

LX.

Then from the shire oF valleys and of hills.

Across whose breadtli from Dochart to the main

The Scottish Tiber, by her num'rous rills
Increas'd, sweeps eastward by St. Madoe's fane,

Greftt Atholl, whose dread name that region fills, '
Has congregated all his subject train,

l^e thousand fearless warriors, horse and foot,*

SkxOM or in fight or chase, in combat or pursuit.

LXL

Band aQer band, from mountain or from dale.

Mom, noon, and eve, they march with manly tread,

Tl>eir banners fettered savage to the gale
At Rberty disporting high o'erhead ;

As down they rush through Eden's verdant vale
High-crested, in their gaudery array'd,

Fife's mountain*girdled hollow rung afar

"With sound of rousing pipe and merry note of war.

LXII.

From Angus next, with all bis vassalage
Across the Taian firth in barges borne,

CuDies Lyon, Thane of Glammis, whose youthful age
Shows promise glorious as a summer morn ;

His joy was in the tangled woods to wage
War with the boar, and hold his tusks in scorn.

Or round th' extent of Grampian hill and heath

Tohant with hound and horn the roebuck to the death.

86 TBE TRAVX OV YlfB. CshtO XXI.

But now fall glad and willing to exchange-
For loftier war the sports of hill and wood,

down speeds he at his monarch's call, t' avenge
The Cimbrian's crimes, and flesh his steel in blood ;

His followers, tartan'd some in habit strange.
Show the rough marks of mountain hardihood,

Arm'd with the broad-sword of destructive sway ;

And some with lowland arms in lowlander's array.

LXIV.

Behind them come, close following in their rear.
The people of the shire whose northern bound

Is washM by Dee's soft-stealing waters clear,
Whose eastern, by the floods tliat loud resound :

Seven hundred warriors arm'd with bow and spear.
In fight of men or chase of boar renown'd.

Are from Dunottar's castle-gates out-pour'd.

Beneath the threefold star of Arbotbnoth their lord.

LXV.

Come nest the inerry men whose fields expand
Their greenness up the long extent of Marr :

With those beyond the Don, where Buchan's land
Mother of kine, her champaign spreads afat ;

Thence on to CuUen's brook, whose luckless strand
(Long after in bold Helric's furious war)

Receiv'd the blood of Indulf, when the shaft

Sent from tlie Scandian bow that king of life bereft*

<?antoflI. TB& THANE OF FIPB. ST

LXVI.

With them the folk that drink the streamlet pure

That winds by Elgin's venerable fane,
And they who dwell beside the gloomy moor

"Where Hecat's hags oft ride in hurricane.
And they whose rocky lands and hamlets poor

Banking the Nairn stretch downwards to the main ;
All these in bands, each by its Thane controird.
Come rank'd beneath the flag of Buchan'sAbthanebold.

LXVII.

Nor stay the men who dwell beside the hill

Of Cromarty, in eaeh contiguous vale,
Those by the Dornoch flood, and near the rill

Sent by Ben Duan down on Berrydale,
Thence to the bay where east winds blowing chill

With rainy gusts the Sinclair's towers assail.
Up to the farthest foreland round whose shore,
Incens'd by every wind, th' incessant surges roar :

LXVUI.

All these ob^y'd their chief, an honoured name,
Dung&ld, their aged Thane, whose gentle sway

Held half the north subjected, and whose fame
Was known in Norway's every creek and bay ;

For in his youth he held it jovial game.
Hoisting bis sails upon the liquid way^

The Scandian cruisers to their homes to chase.

And even within their hi vest' avenge th' excuruve race.

88 TUX THAVE OF FIFS. . GSIltO U^

LXIX.

Twice thirty years, his people's shepherd, he
« Had rulM in love upon the Caithness shore.
And though his looks now'^white and 8ilver'di)e,

Firm yet his heart to meet the battle's roar;
So, at his king's command, he. to the sea

Intrusts his galleys and his men once more.
And from the bay of Rice has set his sail
To meet his gladdened king ivith aids that ne^er &a.

LXX.

Meantime, whil^ these sail round to meet ^he wai^
The south is up and musters all her force ;
First Lothian's land, up-rousM by young Dunbar,

Assembles all her infantry and horse.
From where the Tyne, through corn-fields green aal
fair.

Hurries from Fala to the sea his course ;
From where the double veins of Esk rill down
Their silvery whirling waves by castle and by town ;

LXXL

From where Dunedin on her throne of rule
Sits c]\ieen, and sways her sceptre o'er the land.

And where Linlithgow, seated by her pool.
Yet glories in the good king Lotfa's command,

March out the splendid warriors in their full
Equipment, trooping bright in many a band,

A thousand horsemen riding gallantly,

And twice five thousand foot^ all boon and full of gk« •

Canto, nr. the trans of fivb. 89

LXXII.

AIL these, assembled on the Lothian shore.
Came wafted o'er in galleys to Kin^orn, ^

Jhence. eastyrard troop'd (their gallant Thane afore
High mounted, with hiB banner bright as morn^)

Making the land, with 9XpiB of polish'd ore.
And bannerets aloft in ether borne.

To gleam and glitter with reflected fire

As op the legions march rejoicing through the shire»

LXXIH.

Close fbUow on their steps the men who bide
Around the valley where the Douglas stream

Devolves from mossy hills his dusky tide
Fast by the castle of that haughty name,

And those who dwell where many-falling Clyde
Sweeps down by Bothwell's towers of massy frame,

^nd by the green where Glasgow's daughters lave

On summer days their robes within the crystal wave :

LXXIV.

All these were headed by their gallant lord.
Great Douglas, on whose fearless breast i»seen

Acbaifis^ honoured order by its cord
Dependent in its princely pride of green ;

And overhead his banner with its word.
And blazonry of stars and golden sheen,

Qives, writhing to the playful April wind.

Its salamander green with flames of fire entwin'd^

go Tits THANjft or f UB, Canto iii>

LXXV.

Next after them, but distant many a mile.

Across the island's breadth come speeding fast
Adust with march's sinew-stretching toil.

The men whose shores conCront the western blast ;
Ev'n they of Carrick land apd rainy Kyle,
Whose sky by sea-born clouds is ofl o'ercast.
And Cunninghame, and of the shire where flow
The Cart's divided brooks through humid lands and low.

LXXVI.

And with them march; in battailous display,
The skilful handlers of the bow, that won

Upon the southward shores where Galloway
Spreads her bare bosom to the mid-day sun ;

All these acknowledging the lordly sway
Of Roland, Uihred'a fiery^minded son.

Game rushing through the land to beard the Dane,

Twelye thousand warriors bold, a troop of mighty men.

LXXVII.

Next them the troopers each on fervent steed.
That dwell within the warm and flowery dales,

Where Annan, and where Esk, and Liddel, lead
Their streams, down tripping through the sunny vales ;

And where the stronger and more swelling Tweed,
Emergent from his midland mountain, trails

Voluminous and broad his waters down.

To meet the br'uiy sea by bulwark'd Berwick town.

Caoto nr. ^ ^ tbs rraurs or bok, 91

LXXVItl«

All these convok'd by trumpet's shrillalarni^
Blown from the summits of the hills aroundt
•Met numerous from hamlet, hall» and farm.
Beneath the banner of Balduch renown'd.

On silver-bitted charger, fiery-varm
For war, and pawing gallantly the ground^

AIL in the horseman's showy armour dight,

Cukass, and plumy helm, and fakhion broad and bright.

LXXIX.

Thus elad, thus moanted^ from the courts they poor
Of Scot, beneath his crescents and his star.

Three thousand troopers^ ripe for hottest hour
Of onset, and well exercis'd in war : ^

So northward through the Lothian lands they scour, .
Impetuous, scorning hindcrance or bar,

AndJ>y the bridge of Stirling wheeling round,

Plo^einto Fife's fair shire by its most western bound.

LXXX.

Last mov'd the tartan'd heroes that reside
Within the broad hill-countries of the west ;

For CuHen's sons (hinuself, his king beside
Remain'd, to help with counsel as seero'd best),

Psss'd through Argyle, from where the Atlantic tidie
Assaults Kintyre with surges ne'er at rest.

North to the mountain-cbair of granite proud.

Whereon Ben Nevis sits coounanding either flood.

92 ^THK TBA9£ OF SIFS« ^ C^tO HI

They pass'd, and passing rous'd each rough domun,
Co'wal and Lorn, and Knapdale, and Kantyre ;

Whilst Bancho, Lochaber's )>lack-plumed Thane, t
Bress'd his hill-tops in signal-fiames of fire> ..

Calling his bonneted and brawny men
To gather round him now for battle dire ;

And Badenoch was in a bustle all ;

And Ness's land was up, and Ross, at Ferquhard*s call.

LXXXII.

All these, o'er whom their several Thanes pread^
Serv'd Cullen, Thane of mountainous Argyle,

Whose sons, in absence of their father, guide
The gathered clans o'er hill and through defile;

And down they march in all their plaided pride
Of mountain garb, across the joyous isle.

Giving their tartans to the wind, that aye ^

Amid their sturdy limbs rejoice, to dance and play.

Lxxxin.

All they, with all the various bands &om all
Their coasts, with banners spread, and trumpet'sblasty

To meet their king beside Sanct Androis' wall
Congratulant, in sounding tumult past.

Exciting from the soil to heaven's high hall
Fife's dust by many a thousand feet up-cast,

And with the gleatn and gairishness of war

Emblazing half her soil that swarms with life afar.

(Jantb ixr. ' t^' tiuvb cff tzfx. * 93

And hearer as they drew their gathering place.
The more they melt into one heaving mass,

iTiB In the city, and the ample space
That girds her walls with sward of lusty grass.

Troop after troop, as they arrive apace,
Bristled and black with steel, and brigfht with brass,

Conglobing all into one boandless swarm.

From dusty march they rest, and toil of travel warm.

LXXXV.

Xor did the iftannoBS of the town suffice
To harbour that o'ersveUiog multitude ;

Bat by the walls, and by the space that lies
Spread cireomjacent out in many a rood.

Ten thousands canvass canopies upcise,
A sudden dty, huge of amplitude.

That in a m6ment to the sky upthrows.

Innumerable, its roofa in long and ridgy rows.

LXXXVL

As when the rheumy and raw-breathing south

BSuses o'er the frosty winter sky
His clouds, that white and round, in endless growth,

Fed from the dense horizon, upward fly,
Wi|h scattered specks of various shapes uncouth,

Fleck'ring the hollow heaven's immensity $
So thick around the waUs, and witch's bill.
These white spire^opped tents the grassy circuit fill.

• i2

94 TtfE raun ov )m. C«nto m*

LXXXVII.

And such the numher snd loud-noising swarm

Of men within the city and around.
As when on summer days serene and warm.

The hived bees, desiring change of ground.
Migrate from garden or from sunny farm.

To river's edg^ with flowery riches crown'd.
There settling, with their heaps and humming toil^
The many-huddling bank envelop and embroil.

LXXXVIII.

So numerous ana Mdth toil so loud and val^
That mighty host, all scatter'd and disjoin'd,

Heav'd round Sanct Androis' turrets far and fast.
Its fluctuations like the sea with ^nd.

As horsemen, horse, and foot, tumultuous past.
Mingling in loudest confluence, till they And

Fit harbourage in city, or in tent :

There settling they repose, with heat of march o*er«
spent.

EWD OF THE THIRD CAmrO.

THE

. THANE OF FIFE.

CANTO IV.

TSE

THANE OF FIFE.

CANTO IV.

As thus the army of king Constantine,
Encamped by Sanct Androis lay at rest,

Great Odin in his starry ball divine
Sat deeply musing in his mighty breast :

Down through his palace floor of sapphirine
He shot his eye's all-piercing glance, in quest

Of Hungar and his proud and Pagan host ;

And saw them spread alar on Fife's tent-cover'd coast*

ir.

And near them, but more far to north, he view'd
Spread out in opposition's horrid show.

As ambush'd for the onset rough and rude.
The Scottish army and their tents of snow ;

He saw the chiefs, and knew how stout and good
Their hearts, how stomach'd to repel the foe ; .

He beard the wrathful murmurings and threats,

And saw the shock at band, and murder-doing feats.

98 THE TBAKX OV riFS. CailtO IT.

9 III.

And underground his darted eye-glance caugbt
The spirits of the soit, air-built and small.

How busy-bustling, how alert and fraught
With wrath, as secret coadjutors all ;

Witness what day yon goblin stern and haught.
E'en from Arabia's bowels, at their call

Upsprung TindictiTe, with his iron mace.

And hit the havock'd Thor, and ploughed his bloody lace.

IV.

All these he sees, land easy thenoe foresees
What stern defiance, strife, and struggles sore»

From foemen holpen by such aid as these
Await his people on a foreign shore :

Then did bis soul forecast how most with ease^
And best with issue happier than -before.

To counterwork that sly auxiliar train,

A;)d prove his <j[ii£stiQn'd pow^r, apd glorify 'his n^en.

Forthwith he to his palace hi|^h, that lies
Right 'tween'the pole-sltar ^nd the polar main^

Hung in a golden chain amid the skies,
From the huge i«letree of Charles'-wain,

Convokes his family of deities.
The tutelary gods that |^ard the Dane ;

He stamps with soundiog toot his palace-floor,

Andh^lf ^h? stfLf^l^^u'^rld resounds &oi|[» sUpre to shore-

VI. ^

And instantly in rapid inarch upspring
Along the high-road leading to his hall»

(The opal bsw whose boundless bridging ring
Conjoins to sea and land his palace-wall),

Th' associate gods alert t* attend their king.
One from the seas that girdle round the ball^

One from the snow's up-treasur'd unthaw'd stores

Heap'd by «x thousand years upon the polar floors ;

Vlf.

One from the tops of Lapland's fab'lous hills*
Where oft the moon is witched from her way.

Another from old Norway's fords and rills,
Where he is wont to wade, and swim, and play ;

This from th' abyss of fire whence He<da fills
Her fumaeea to spout them on the day.

That one from where the Maelstroom's gurge he rides

UonPd on the gpddy surge* and whips the whirling tidev*

vni.

AH these, each rushing from his lov'd abode*
Up-cUmb with bustling speed th' qulh-kisaing bow*

And in the presence of the greater god
Appear with honour's reverential show ;

There mid his guests, the ghosts, a ghastly crowd*
That chirp eternally in many a row,

Theu seats at awful distance round they take*

And wait their monarch's word* who tima, uprising
spake :

IX.

Children and spirits of the famous deftd.
Not to the banquet are you snmmon'd now;

Not now to revel on rejoicing mead —
Far mightier cares these pastimes disalTow ; '

See ye the seams and scars, yet deep' and red,
GravM and intrench'd on Thor's endamagM brow?

Th^se be your thought ; and be it now your care,

To plot a fit reyenge to foes that thus shall dare. '

Look ye to earth, andiiee how all the ground
Adjoining where king Hungar's oamp is pigbt,

With tents, andlbes, and arms, o'er-eover*d round,
Shows fearful preparation for the fight $ -

Look under eartli, how in their cells profound
The tribes of paltry sprites* air-built and light

From Thule to the mountains of the moon.

Are huddling, hurryuig all t' assist the battle soon.

Much it behoves us, then, to plan how best
To thwart the idalice of our spiteful foes.

And in the proof make clear and manifest
That power they so dispute and so oppose ( •

Help ye to counsel, therefore, arid suggest
The means whereby our en*mies to enclose

Within the net of stratagem and snare ; *

Good is it to advise when times perplexing are.

Canto IXi TBIB TQAH9 pv 7»S. 201

He f poket 9nd ffom tb' assembly theVe arose
A chirp of gibbering ghosts ai|d hum of gods

Confiis'd, aswhen thp summer soi^th-wind blows
His abort si^all waves half-breaking on the floods,

Or as the tqs^'d leaves that, when July shows
His lmnir>' of greenness on the woods,

Whispef the secrets of the Dryads there,

To Zephyr, aa he skims the billowing foliage ^ir«

xm.

At hurt the g^en-hair'd god that sat alooi;

Niord, amid these murmurs, loudout-spalcfs : —
Oh sire, since of our power now proudest proof

Ev'n to our foe's confiision we must make»
Tis meet that, for the general behoof.

To potent means each should himself betUce;
Each, then, within his element retire ;
There operate revenge as wratli and shame require.

XIV.

And that king Hungar and bis valiant crew
Bfay be premonish'd of tb' impending shock,

(For ere to-morrow's sun hath dried the dew
The Scot shall to the war the Dane provoke ;)

Gommand aome meagre ghoat of aahy hue.
Gliding to earthward ailently as smoke.

To rouse the Cimbriao leader, and prepare

Aad fortify his heart against th' approachiqg war.

102 TBS THAXB •¥ Wtn. GutO IT

XV.

This Mid, kiiig Odin, we1I«pleas'd at that wofd, •

Bespoke the blustering' black tremendoua ghost
Of Bojorix, that mid that huddling^ horde

Of unsubstantial heroes chirp'd the most :—
. Oh ghost of him whose never-satiate sword

World-conq'ring Rome oft tasted to her cost.
Now leave a while the mead-canmsing throng,
And visit earth a space ; not hard tlie task or long.

XVI.

Go seek through starry night the tent where lies
King Hungar near old Camdl town asleep,

And from the drowsy weight that loads his eyes
Up-rouse him^ for his army watch to keep.

Lest rushing suddenly, his foes surprise
Him loitering thus with murder-spreading sweep;

Bid him draw out from camp his force at large,

Well-marshall'd, weapon'd well, for Mars's furious
charge,

xvir.

At which injunction that black Iwirly ghost.
Grinning with gladness at the mandate given,

Tack'd lip Jiis shadowy garments like a post.
The sooner to o'erscudL the half of heaven ;

Then gliding from amid that grisly host.
Swift as a moon-beam from the moon is driven,

He from the threshold dives amid the sky.

And streaks a yellow track as down he swims from

Canto iTp THS TBAirx ot viri. 103

XVUI.

As when to seamen, whose o'er weather'd bark.
From Baltic bound, at sea hath long been toss'd.

Appears amid the rainy midnight dark.
Far in the west, o'er Buchan's rocky coast,

A gloomy meteorrto their eyes a mark
Bortending storm increased or vessel lost,

As in a moment down the vault it flies.

Flashing a lurid light on floods, and seas, and skies ;

XIX.

Ev'n so, down darting from th' ethereal height.
Came that red spectre tall and terrible.

Obscuring with his yellow turbid light
The silver beams that from the Pleiads fell ;

Anid the Danish camp he shot forthK|{^t
Where by the sea in canvass roofs they 4ve]l,

Aad lighting on the king's pavilion fah*, , ^ .

High on Its golden top he perch'd e^ct in air.

XX.

Sleep'st thou, Oh s^ of Frotho ? Dost thou sleep.
King Hungar ' thus the frowning^ shade exclaims ;

lU it beseems a king who ought to keep
That people safe, who all his labour claims,

Thos in tiie grave of slumber buried deep.
To toy with phantasy's unfruitful dreams,

Ef'n in the hour when dangers gath'rin^ near.

Bid him arouse for^ame, for the fierce foe is near«

i04 THE TB4in5 07 FIFE* * OtntOlV.

xxt.

Thy fathers slept not, UutigAr> heretofore,
When pUnh of war reqair'd their vigiknee :

I slept not on the morn when Marias herb
His cohorts on to meet the Oiinbric iance.

What day the carcass^heap'd Massiten th6fe
Beek'd «rith the blood bf battle's #om mischMcfe ;

And wilt thoQ sleep when eqiial care demands

Thy Bi^hdj^ hoUrd to ihiis^ for these tliy ft&thfel bahdi ?

XXH.

Think nbt Oiil now thoii )ieit iki stately bed^

Safe in thy royal dome of Elsinore %
Here art thoa on a piePloin pillow laid«

By foes iencompassM 6n a distant shore :
Arouse thee, thfn^ lest soon th^ir martial tread

Heard Wfti ike north resounding more aild mor^
Anticipate tby^akihg, and assault
Thy people, )iaply doom'd t* atone their lead^s fault.

XXIII.

This 'havinlf iaid, that scowling sp#lt dire.
From the pavilion's summit flew on high.

Right upward like "a spark from crackTmg fire.
Amid the starry wilderness of sky,

leaving the 'chief ashamM and chaf'd with ire.
Against himself and his security :

Self-tortur'd and in maze us thus he lay,

A sweat of anguish chill brenks from his limbs away.

Cuito rr. THE TOAVB or fits. 105

XXIV.

And as within bis ears each horrid sound
OF that portentous shape yet seetn'd to ring,

Up from his pillow starting, soon he found
His garby the proud investments of a king.

Wherewith enveloped he his Innbs around ;
Then sought his armour, which he soon 'gan fling

Above his robes ; the gorget close that cleaves,

Ciushes, and-golden frock, and bnuto-bestudded greaves.

XXV.

His brows receive the pond'rous casque, whereon

Sits terror riding on its dusky plume.
And at his kingly side all glorious shone

The sword, o'ercharacter^d with words of doom.
Suspended by its broad and glist'ning zone,

Now harmlessly asleep as in its tomb.
But when unscabbarded to war and wrath,
Profuse in Hungar's hand of slaughter and of death^^

XXVI.

His hand eng^rasps his spear, the tow'ring tree
Hewn from Hardanger's top all black with pines,

Arm'd with its broad brass beaming dismally,
like the red comet that at mid-day shines ;

To poise its pond'rous length none fit but he
Alone of all his armed Scandian lines ;

Ten heroes scarce suffice t* uplift its load,

Hb single arm out-hurls the ^ear in sky abroad.

K 2

106 TfiE TBAirs or tife. Canto i^

XXVII.

Thus clad, thus terrible in arms, aud proud.

He from his XbAI pavilion issues forth.
And as the day-sprtng on the German flood

Is seen just trembling in its earliest birtby
He through the encampment past to seek where ftood

The tents where sleep the chiefs of highest worth ;
Fierce Garnard^ for whose sake the war he plies,
^ubbat and Rogenvald, and Cliilperic the wise.

XXVHI.

He found the tent where hnughty Garnard lay ;

Arise, prince Garnard ! sleep'st thou thus secure,
Ev'n on the dawn that haply leads the day

That shall thy kingdom forfeit or assure ?
Rouse thee ; the foe's astir, and pn his way ;

Beneath his tread resounds the upland moor,
"Whilst we inactive and inglorious wait,
Ev'n till his horse beset our oimp's affronted gate.

XXIX.

Thus passing tJ^rough the broadly-tented space,
Each of his mighty men he rousM to arms ;

The youthful Hubba of the royal race,
The bastard Harold panting for tb' alarms,

Wise Chilperic that reads the welkin's face,
Osbreth still sighing for Alvilda's charms.

Brave Rogcnvald the flower of warlike Norse,

And all the hardy knights stout bulwarks of his force.

Canto IT« THE TBAKX cig VIVS. 107

XXX.

AH these upspringing at their leader's call.

Forth from their canvass cabins eager rush^
Arm'd, and to arms uprouse their people all,

To meet the battle and its bloody brush ;
Forthwith, as now o'er heaven's high eastern wall
, Light's golden horns up-peer with joyous flush.
That wide encampment moves and stirs afar,
Witli preparation loud of men, and arms, and war.

XXXI.

As when a pop'Ious city at the hour
Of midnight, when her tumult's noise is low.

Hears rung aloud horn steeple and from tower
The sounds announcing conflagration's woe*

Anon her num'rous dwellings fast out^pour
Their fear-struck inmates in incessant ilow»

Glutting her caqseya with promiscuous swanns.

And every alley rings with terror and alarms.

xxxn.

So heav'd and rung with tumult round about«

Beneath Aurora's level-beaming eye.
That camp, as clank of arms and voices shout.

And cUing of rousing trumpets sounding higb»
And din of rapid heroes rushing out

Coafiis'd, to muster bu the field hard by»
Rear from the hollow trembling earth a sound*
Thst in heaven's golden vault rey«rber»tes around.

108 TBB TBASB OV WtWM. Ctoton.

xicxnL

And soon upon fhe moor mnd fields of Cnul,
Enrank'd they stand in long and fair display ;

As o'er each proud battaUon to the gale
Flutters its leader's banner gilded gay ;

King Hungar, sheeny in his sonny mail.
Amid them past to marshal and amy.

Exulting in his proud heart like a god.

As through their lengthen'd lines with haughty steps
he strode.

XXXIV.

Meanwhile the morning's golden tassell'd shoes
Had leapt from sea and now in heaven walk diy*

When looking tow'rd the north, king Hungar fiews,
Fringing as if with fire the rim of sky,

A glow not as of sunbeams on the dews.
But as of armour glancing gloriously,

Mix'd with thick whirls of dust through which obscure

Flashes a brazen light all o'er the dusky moor.

XXXV.

Nor long, ere more distinctly from the height^
That dusky gleam, as more and more it nears,

Developing itself, evolves to sight

Motion of armed men, and shields, and spears^.

With many a banner that i' the morning light
Afloat, and flaunting overhead appears,

Join'd with the peal of trumpets, and the neigh

Of horses heard from far, loud rushing on their way.

Canto ir. the thaits of fwb. 109

XXXVI.

Like as the Boic« of '«rhirlwind% when tliey vide
A-top of aome big^h-branched forest iair.

Making the -greenwood groan from side to side
With blasts that scourge her bonghs and leafy hair ;

Such sound, down swinging from the uplands wtde»
Well understood, announcM to Hungar's ear

The march of num'rous foemen on their way,

Acoout^d bright and strong, deacending to the fray.

XXXVII.

•

Anon the standard of king Conatantine,

The bloody Hon, ramping red in gold,
Hi^e^and terriblest is seen to shine

In splendoui^ o'er the mofing host unroU'd ; y
At vght of which, along each Danish line

A secret terror uneonfess'd took hold
Of these stout hearts, well knowing now not ftr,
Gtewny andchaig'd with death, the rattling cloud of war,

XXXVIII.

Advance the men of Constantine apace •

With battaik>u8 aspect to meet the foe.
Tin, separated by a scanty apace.

Confronting and oppos'd in horrid show
They halt, displaying the unmasked face

Of surly Mars just threatening bloody blow ;
Squadron'd they standi a close-embattled mass,
HorreCt ^th helms^ and shields, and pointa of blistly'
bnun.

110 THB TBAVS OF WJFK. CJUltO H.

xxxix.

There, as thus well appointed and array'd.
Both armies lower in horrid counterview,

A silence for a space, and awe, pervade
The raaks and squadrons of each martial crew,

As o'er their souls the dark abodements spread
Of death and bloody hazards to ensue :

Meanwhile, congenial to such mood of soul,

Up from the glassy deeps a sullen vapour stole ;

Which, steaming and convolving round the sun
Its dusky wreaths of day-destroying smoke.

Hooded his shining face in colours dun, *4I

-That not a beam o'er either army broke t

And from that cloud, that so did sky o*errun,
Ooz'd out a bloody mist which seem'd to soak

Heaven with its dire distilment, and on ground

And on the heroes' helms lea sanguine globes around.

XLI.

Nor less did sea her direful signs present}
For in the Frith, all round the isle of May,

A tremor seia'd her glassy-green extent.
Whereby her waters in tremendous play,

Swinging from shore to-shore alternate went.
In undulations swoln of rolling sway.

As if her rocky basin deep below

Rock'd at an earthquake's touch, up-heaving to fplf'^'

Canto IT. THE TBAVB OF 7IFK. Ill

XLH.

And to her surface upward-waUpwing^ came
Out from their beds of darkness, rous'd with fright.

Her monsters manifold of ugly frame.
Such as had yet ne'er ncken'd at day-lights

Serpents, and hideous things without a name.
That crawl upon her bottoms day and night.

Now yiait air, alarm'd and terrified,

And on the reeling flood float flounciDg far and wide.

XLm.

Such sights in ocean and in sky prelude
With prodigy the just beginning fray, •

Astonhhing the souls, though brave and good.
Of these strong warriors rank'd in long array :

Meanwhile, excited by his valiant mood,
The king, whose fortune hinges on the day.

Great Constantine, intent on kingly deed,

Perth from his army rode upon his noble steed.

xuv.

'Tween either host he rode, and to the Dane
Boldly his countenance and words addressed :—

Oh monarch, thou that o'er the rolling main
Thy power hast wafted hither to contest

My crown, and in thy spirit's high disdain
To foot, unhid, my climate of the west,

Whv stand we thus with idly-gazing eye,

Wemat are come abroad to battle and to die ?

112 TVS TBA9S 01 Firs. Cwton.

XLV;

Here, in the fiice of Uiese % c^tmns all.
And armed powers confronting fierce and far>

I now appear^ to cb^Uenge and to caU
Thee or thy proudeat hero to the war :

If Odin guarda his champion, let me fall ;
If good saint Andrew iaa?e his men in care, y

I^t my opposer bite the clod^ and yield

To Scottland's king ^nd loixl ppsaession ol the field.

XLYI.

For, let my people's gi^, the rightful crown.
Be deem'd by sitting on my brows disgrac'd,

And let my rival Wear it as his own, 9

My rights abofish'd and my claims effac'd.

If to defend it, and my land's renown.
My soul prove coward or my hand unbrac'd :

Who bears the crown, behoves him to be brave s

Send out thy h^ro, then, for glory or a grave.

XLVH.

This chaUenge heard, out-rush'd with inst^int hsste
The.Cimbric warriors, that high strife to claim ;

Fair Hubba in his golden ar^nour cas'd, '
The bastard Harald burning for a name.

Gay Osbreth with his spangled surcoat grac'd.
Gigantic Godefrid of towery frame,

Scorro, with sword o'er-'Caryed with magic word;

And Haldao, Bocar's son, and Roller, Femern's l<vd

Canto IT. TH* THAlre o» wm.

XLVIII.

113

All these^ and more, tiie combfat loud demand ;

But chief and loudest of the gallant crew.
The son of him who ruVd the Pictish land.

Prince Garnard, claims it as his right and due :—
Mine be the strife ; to me and my right hand

Belongs it, or to perish or subdue
The crest of him whose brows usurping dare
Mine and my father^s crown thus haughtily to wei^r.

XLIX.

For not for this I have o'er-sail'd the sea

Idly to stand upon my father's soil.
And see the battle which belongs to me

Fought out and finish'd by anotber'f toil ;
Unmeet to cUim the scept^ should I be,

Degen'rate from my parentage, and vile
Nor worthy of my patron's aidant %rm.
If I should thus refuse my battle and its harm.

So spoke he on his proud steed mounted fair.
Whose fury scarce he checkM with bridle tight :

Nor less desire did Denmark's king declare
T' appropriate to himself the profier'd fight.

Claiming that kingly trial as his share,
Bis by precedence, if denied by right :

Mid that dispute, from Airdrie forest flew

A screaming ravfen large, of dire and dismal hu? ;

114 TBS THAHS OF lJr%. CutO FT.

LI.

And thrice ibore both hosts, widi mpid flight
In airy ring,~he hover'd and he wheePd,

Then pitching downwards from his soaring heigiit,
Re lighted on prince Gamard's glittering shield;

There thrice he flapp'd his pinions duA as nighty
Then flew and sought again his bosky field; '

Leaving convincM the chieftains by that sign.

Whom to achieve the strife th' o'erroling heavens d6
sign.

LIL

For battle then the combatants prepare.
Both noble, proud of heart, and strong of han^

This, though an exile, the great son and heir
Of him who governM late the Fictish land ;

That, the acknowledged king elect to wear
Fair Scotland's qrown, and rule with wide command;

So hostile, so high-minded, and so haught.

For battle they them busk'd with wrathful fury fraugbt

Llll.

Asunder wider stood, to yield them space.
Both armies, for their hot aind furious course,

As t^ck retiring to the farthest place,
The heroes rode to gather greater force ;

Awhile, ere rush they on their bloody race.
They halt, each curbing hi? impetuous horse.

As they collect and rouse their sum of strength.

Poising for forceful shock the spear's unwieldy length

Canto IT. TBS TBAirs or tun, 115

UV.

At gaz6 mean time, and silent on each hand«
Both armies, through their bristly ranks afar.

On the sharp edge of expectation stand.
Trembling and mutely anxious for the war ;

At last with furious steps that shake the land.
Both steeds, that white with fume and struggle are,

At once let loose from bridle's hindrance tight.

Hurry in fiery rush for conflict and the fight.

LV,

At once their spears, levellM fo^ rourd'roos aim,
HissM with their burning points a path through air.

And on their broad and massive bucklers came,
Sbatt'ring their strength of brazen hoses fair :

Tet piercM they not for death each boss-huilt frame ;
But, cheated of the winged wounds they bear.

One in the silyer'd marge hung quivering high.

One flew rebounding off, and lost itself in sky.

LVI. •

Prince Gamard's weapon in the topmost marge
Hung fix'd, and vibrating its poud'rous tree,

At which the king, feeling that weight overcharge
His arm, soon made it of th' encumbrance ftee.

And to the ground dropping th' o'erbalanc'd targe,
Pluck'd from his thigh, with noble energy,

The sword there bright suspended, and rein'd round'

His steed to meet the foe with onset and with wound.

116. TBI VU9K or riTB. Canto IT*

LVII.

Whereaty resigning too his weighty shield.
The son of Bnide out-drew his burnish'd brand,

And quickly round, liis courser having wheel'd,
Clos'd in tremendous conflict hand to hand :

Then thick and loud upon their proud crests peal*d
The sounding strokes, which scarce their helms with-
stand.

As, rain*d incessantly from either blade,

A hail of clanging blows descends on either head.

LVIII.

Now, with the edge down-swung with sweepy sway,
Clatters the casque and habergeon amain,

Kow mid the hauberk's joints their murd'rous way
Probe the dire points, athirst for bloody stain ;

And blood, soon copious rilling, 'gan bewray
That not their eager points had prob'd in vain,

Dut in the vulnerable parts had found

A secret entrance sore, and unapparent wound.

LTX.

At lut with anger thrice incens'd, the king
Heav*d from his highest altitude of arm

A stroke, which lighting, failM not down to bring
On Garnard's crest a storm of instant harm ;

Unhors'd at once by that tempestuous swing.
Came rolling firom his fiery courser warm.

The prince with all his armour to the ground ;

Earth rattled as he fell with armour's clashing sound.

Canto IT. THE THAXE' OlF FUS 117

LX.

Whereat the Danish foes, that stood not fkr,
Enrag'd to see their champipn thus bested,

Drew near in attitude of wrath and war :
And in a moment, round the monarch's head»

A hundred bows let fly their shafts in air,
A hundred slings dfcmiss tiieii* whizzing lead ; ,

Hardly sufiic*d the monarch's helm and mail,

To bear and bar that shower of murJer- seeking hail

LXI.

Then rusU'd to save their good king from the cloud

Of danger that envelops hinl so near«
Forth from their army's agitated crowd,,

Four heroes, whose stout hearts were strange to fear,
Macduff, high moving on his charger proud,

Balcarras, who his king as life held dear,
Pitmillie, with the dolphin on his crest,,
Danbar^ the trusty liege of ever-loyal breast.

LXII.

Two held on high, around tlie monarch's head.
Their shields to intercept the arrowy sleet.

Two caught his staggering courser's reins, to lead
Their master from the field in safe retreat,

As round them, unregarded, whistling sped
The missile storm in all its furious heat ;

Back to their ranks th' endanger'd king they guide ;

The ranks disparted, break, and ope an entrance wide.

118 TBS TfllHS OF Fin. GAIIUI H.

Lxm.

There plung^ngfni^, there hemmMand buhvMk'droiiDd
With bis own ridges of determin'd war, .

All feeble as he was from latent wound, '
And needful of the sacred leech'a care,

With convoy of pick'd warriors off the groum^
They send him from the furthir strife afar.

That in Sanct Androis he might safely wait

Supply of wasted strength, and renovated state.

LXIV.

The IDimbric captains also from the field, *
Where prostrated in doleful wreck he lay,

Up-rais'd the prince, and on his hollow shield
They bore him panting to his ship away.

There to be tended, and restor'd, and healM,
Fit for tough battle on a ftiture day :

Meanwhile a fury and a n\ging ire.

Through each opposed host spread maddening likcfirf

LXV.

And nearer and more near, each armed mass.
Swallowing with warlike step the space between^

Push'd out its dreadful curves with i'rn and brass
Protended, for the slaughter sparkling k^en ;

That moment there came blowing from the Baas
A breeze that swept the murky welkin clear.

Tossing before it to the northern bay

Th^ leaves of turbid mist that iat^ jcept the day.

Ctnto IT. THs TBAvx Or mi» \\9

Lxvr.

Tfcen stood apparent 16 the san, whose car ^

A-top o* the golden roof now bounded bright*

Tlie splendour and the horror of the war,
Reveard, expanded, in his own fair fight,

lodges of gloomy foot extended far,
Tunhs of heImM hAnemen frowning in their might,

Sharp wedge, consolidated phalanx strong.

And M ar^s bridges firm, and furrows rough and long.

LXVII.

As when the tide of ocean, from the shore
To her eternal channel ebbing back, ^

Uncover'd leaves what deep was hid before,
*Her shelly rocks and promontories black.

Sharp peaks, and shelving ledges shagged o'er
With tangling weed, and sea's out-spewed wrack ;

Ev'd so, as that black mist was blown from sky.

Shone out th' uncovered war before day's golden eye.

. LXVIII.

Tlien rose, pre-flourishihg th' impending shock.
Clangour of trumpets blown sonorously.

With sound of tabor and of pipe, that woke
Wrath in the veins^ and fearlessness to die.

Aye intermix'd with shouts, that nearly broke
With noise the hollow hyaline of sky.

And clash of datter'd shields that loudly rung.

And hymns to Odin*s pcaise in direful music sung. ^

laO TSS THAKK or MTK* CantO TT.

LXIX.

Amm, with shock and tamult like the aowiid-
Of twice ten thousand bUlows rolling proad.

And sweeping up the shore's rock-ribbed mound.
Mix the cnishM armies in encounter load ;

Whilst mad contention, hov'ring o'er the ground, •
Walk'd o'er the heads of each Infuriate crowd*

And waring 'tween the heavens and earth her arm,

Whipt them to conflict on, and scathe and bloody harm

•

LXX.

Then wrath, and fury, and debate, and strife.
Madness and murder, ever-coupled pair.

And scythe-arm'd death, that sweeps the crop of life.
And exultation proud, and pale despair,

And horror shudd'ring at red slaughter's knife.
And hellish hate, whose breath empoisons air,

Stalk'd glorying o'er each host that toils and bleeds,

Confounding all the field with foul and damned deeds.

LXXI.

A thousand spears thrust forth all pure and bright,
Tamish'd with death's red dew returned back ;

A thousand swords that wav'd aloft in light.
Falling, were dimm'd with life's unseemly wrack ;

And arrows, shot aloft with hissing flight.
In gore alighted from their gleamy track ;

And cries arose of triumph and of pain.

And shouts and shrilling shrieks of slaying and of slain.

CmtO IT. TBS THAHE OF tUt, ' ISl

LXXII.

Chief o'er the^eld in wlnrlwind'Wrack and wrath.

The Thane of Fife, with all his yeomen bold*
Were seen careering in the heart of death.
With quenehless souls and vigour uncontroll'd ;
Saricbing with a copious bloody bath.

From hostile veins, their land's insulted mould.
And, with destruction's sickle wide around.
If owing to hi^^oc down the fielded ranks renown'd.

Lxxni.

Who first, who last, Oh^muse, before his sword.
Shrunk howling down within the gates of hell ?

Gigantic Godefrid, fair Sleswick's lord,
Beneath his sword the slaughter's.firstling fell ;

Fool, though his bones with marrow rich were stor'd^
And huge of bulk, and lac'd with sinews well,

T* obtrude his vanity of vastness so,

Ev'n in the teeth of death, and grapple with such foe I

LXXIV.

He, as the Thane rode forward to th' assault.
Planted his magnitude of brawn before.

And dar'd his weapon and his voice exalt.
Against the hero on his own lov'd shore ;

Here in king Odin's name I bid thee hah.
Thou whose false crest with lies is written o'e^, .

For there the lion grins in wrath severe,

Wlule in thy coward heart skulks trembfingty the deer.

122 TB£ TOASX ov riFX. Canto it.

So speakiof^ Tsinly oonfidentt he tos^d
His MpCBr^ which sioipi^ up the rifted skyi

Hit the fiur golden lion th^t emboes'd
The hero's shield with gkmous imageiy ;

The golden lion, that no empty boast
Blight seem in his so fair impress to lie,

Beceiv'd as if in scorn the datt'ring spear.

And sent it flying off in shivers shattered sheer.

I-XXVI,

Thereat, the Thane approaching dose his foe^
Up-swung his arm for vengeance and brought down

As if from heaven his noble sword, with blow

Like thunder from the cloud sulphureous thrown ;

Cloven in a moment stood in fearful show
His giantship of burd'nous flesh and bone.

Helmet and head shorn through like summer grass,

Down to the gorget strong that binds his throat with
brass.

LXXVII.

And, stand thou thus, Macdufl* exulting said.
Thus stand, a monument of fearful sort,

(As stood that giant with his cloven head.
Lapsed down to either shoulder for support,}

Thusibe a warning what reception dread^
And salutation warm, and sharp and short,
' On their arrival waits the spoilful brood.

That come to summer here in carnage and in blood 1

Canto. IT^ TBI I'BAKE Ot 7IFX. 123

Lxxvni.

More words he wasted not, but in his wrath
Fast on to seek another foe death^oom'd.

Whom soon he founds for strait to thwart his path
With armed hindrance Odin*s priest presumed

Fulbert, the gloomy priest, whose right hand hath
His ugly knife from black sheath disentomb'd

And vibrates now its threatening point before.

Secure in Odin*s aid to thrust it home in gore.

LXXIX.

King Odin's aid tlien prov'd a help of straw
Against a foe of such unmeasur'd force.

For when the Thane that lowering aspect saw,
Ve dash'd upon him his high-bounding horse.

Which beating him to ground 'gan smite and paw
H^ith sturdy hoof the man into a corse,

Cmihing and grinding him with tortures fell.

And trampling down his grim and ghastly soul to hell.

LXXX.

That death accomplish'd, in a moment flew
Tht chief to where he saw his ranks destroy'd

By Sanbar, whose huge battle-axe o'erthrew
Where'er it struck, making the place a void ;

He flev, he smote him as he backward drew
His Teapon with its crop of murder cloy'd ;

His shculder where it joint the nape receives

The swird whose eve 17 stroke a shunless death ai^hieves*

m TKB ratm of virs. ' Canto it.

LXXXf,

Skwlder and am, at once dean lopp'd aw^r^

Drop earthward from that tborougfa-shearin^ wound;

(The quivering fingen sprawfing on the day.
Yet grasp convuhiTely their weapon round ;)

The d«spoird tnink, in woful disarray,
Totter*d a trice, then anking goes to groand.

While the stout ghost oat-flies to join withd

The labbleiout of shades that tenant Odtn'g haH.

Sttdi were the shugfatets of the Thane ; nor lesa
Around him Fife's each fiery lord and knight.

Attended hy their valiant yeomen, press
The Dane, with deeds of unreasted might $

Brave Kettie, ranging in his manliness.
Sweeps at his right hand through the field of fijgbt;

Leven and Rothes, lion-like, pursue

The death-work at his left, with swords of temper true.

Lxxxm.

Young ADStrojther, with pole-axe huge and loig^
Helmets and helmed heads asunder deaves ;

Balcarrasrfiuilchioning the thickest throng.
The glorious devastation fast achieves ;

Great Wemyss, with, spear protruded, sharp and stroa|:
Souls of their baple* bodies fiwt bereaves ;

Bdcaakie, and Balcomie, and Bslfour,

Approve them j^uissant men in battle's dang'roos boor.

danto xr. ras tbjlsb mr son. 12S

LXXXIV.

]|fcaiitiiiie» while in tiie centre tiiese engage.
On either wing as hot the battle glows.

Here Glamyss' Thane, young lion, in his nge,
Careering through the ranks, conspicuous showa^

And gilds with glorious deeds his youthful age.
Fleshing his hungry steel upon bis fpes ;

There Atho), with his merry men hedg'd round,

Dcfonns th' opiKMwd ranks with many a goring woond*

LXXXV.

Here Cullen, Thane of mountainous Argyle,
Girt with his brawny men of western breed.

Inflames and irritates the glorious toil
By fair example of heroic deed ;

Three brothers, mighty men from Meon's isle.
He slew, and sent to Odin's hall with speed,

Biom, and Stenbiom, and Thorbiorn,

Making their mother thence sit lonely and forlorn^

LXXXVI.

There, with his jolly troopers, young Dunbar
Scatters the showers ofiron death about ;

While Douglas and Balclugh, tough knots of war.
And Roland, with his western archers stout.

With battle's every torment rex and mar
The foe nigh to discomfiture and rout.

That haughty Hungar, by that storm o'erplied,

CompeU'd, shrank in Hit horns of hia aspultog pride*

126 Tn TBAvs at fivs. Canto ir*

LXXXVII.

TliiiSt throu^out all their length, from wing to wingi
Both hosts, in fight confounded and embroiPd,

From mid-day till the hour when mountains fling
Their shadows to the south-east, tugg'd and toii'di

Enormous in their struggle, tempesting
Both sk> and earth with stormy tumult wild,

Doii.>ly o'er-shaded, both with shafts that fly.

And vault of hov'ringdust; that stood up-heav'd in sky.

LXXXVIII.

•

Heaven rung above the warriors' heads, with sound,
. Of conflict, and its multiplied alarms,
Whilst rock'd beneath their feet th' o'er-trampled
ground.
With struggle, and with weight of men and arms :
The sick'ning sun, in vapours kerchief'd round,

Seem'd insecure amid these hideous harms ;
And wish'd, so to escape such dangerous broil,
To sink before hb time beyond Colonsay's isle.

sin) or THE 70UBTH CAHTO.

THE

THANE OF FIFE

CANTO V.

THE

THANE OF FIFE.

GAHTO Y.

Brr as the hour arriv'd when in the wood
The blackbird pipes her latest evening song.

And homeward chides to rest and supper's food
The he'wer, worn with labour all day long,

The Danish ranks, that had so long withstood
In battle keen, and unrelaxM, und strong.

With many an inroad now deibrm'd and bruisM,

Began t' incline apace, disorder'd and contus'd.

If.

And soon, ensoed had foul defeat and rout,
Ruinous rout through all their shattered host.

Had not the g^en-hair'tl god, that rules throughout
Old dcean's rolling mass from coast to coast.

Espied how danger hemm'c) bis men about.
How sore the battle was, how nearly lost.

From wliere he sat attentive all the while.

As on hia tower of watch, on May's aea^spuming ide,

M 2

130 TBS sain ov rax. Caator.

For there^ upon its krftieit cng of rod^
That juts tremendaQs o'er tbe wave ifiur.

He MtCp envelopM in his aeft-green clpsk^
High oa his untfliae aheU of gsody car,

Ev^ Irom the hour when Titan's buniii^ydkB
First •catter'd fight to aenre tbe 'ginniog war.

Till when the hroken weaiy Dane gsTe way.

There had he lingering look'd, obaenrant of the fray.

IV.

He saw with pity hia alBicted men.
Now shrinking to their ships in base retreat.

And calling on the gods thst guard the Dane
To interpose snd stay the foul defeat ;

He saw, and cast about how to regain
The field, the honour lost ; how yet to cheat

The Scot of his expected triumph proud.

How rally and restore hia own desponding crowd.

Straight from the pinnacle of rock so steep.
Where his sky-dazzling wheels at stay had been«

His chariot downward fetch'd a rapid sweep.
To hia own weltering element of green.

And down into the bowels of the deep
He plung'd, abandoning the solar sheen.

To seek his sunless wilderness of waves.

For monatem infamous, and dead men's bones and graTe3.

Canto ▼• Til nuHB oy nts. t$l

vr. *

There, as along its wsslqr bctttoms vast
The progress of his sea-green glory mOTflS,

Came round faira, Sttmmon'dby loud trumpet^ blast,
The groundlings of the deep In hideous droves ;

Up.floundering from their dungeons thick and fiat.
And from their never-shorn tall tangle groves.

Whole herds of sea-oows and of ores appear,

Hoddlinginhubbub huge, their king^seommand to hear.

vn.

Command he gives; and strMgkt afore his team
March that enormous train o'er ocean's floorsy

With immense labour lumb'ring through die stream,
As he directs them toward Fife's fair shores;

Till, near where on the w^'ry marge ej^treme
The many-masted Danish navy moon,

They into day-light all emerge and rowl

Up Crail's astonish'd beach their frightful phalanx fouL

vni.

Earth trembling felt their number and their weight,
And sent a sigh of horror from her womb.

As wallowing with tumultuous struggle great,
Auxiliars to the Dansker, up they clomb.

Monsters more huge, more fearful in their gait.
Than those which Neptune from the sea-beach foam

Bad climb the Acteao ibore, to scare with dread

ffippolytus's steeds, wlien from his sire he fled.

1^2 TKK roAjn 01 mx« Canto t.

Befor* tiieir car-borne king, who drhres tbom on
With whip oTsea-weed, up they toil to meet

The Danish host, now broken and o%rthrow% -,
And fiftng downwards (o their camp and fleet i

Amid their yielding ranks they plunge anon« ' . -.
Staying with dire assistance the retreat, '

And, wedging in their shapes 'tween man and man.

With unexpected war t' assail the Scot began.

Then rose a battle strange, and dire to tell,
Such as was never yet on dryland fought.

As with their writhen horns these sea-eow^ fell
Assault ferociously the conq'ring Scot,

Confounding with their onset terrible
His ranks, that all-astonish'd nigh forgot

The weapons in their hands, when they beheld

These shapeless ocean-brutes upgn them fierce impeU'd.

^ XI.

Kor sword, nw lance, nor shaft, might now avail

Such monsters or to terrify or wound,
But back rebounding from their scaly mail

Bropt frustrate down and harmless on the ground,
While with robust aggression they assail.

Undaunted, whomsoe'er oppos'd they found.
Mangling and crushuig both with fang and horn.
The files, by such impulse o'erpress'd and overborne

Cantor. Tdit teotb of mx. - ISS

xn.

Tlieii palsied with amazement grew thpse ^ands
That all daf long had mow'd in lii|ar*8 fioldy

And down tliey diop, relax'd, upon the lands
Thfise wei^n% u^elew now, and yein to wield ;

Nor coidd the chiefe, by threats w by coTxma$i^
Check the bold men, till t;hen not known to yield.

From ftying off, alurm'd, and fiua to 'acape

The 4eath$ that toward rolled in each unearthly shape.

xni.

So, hurried by the tide of men along, .

Inevitably push'd into retreat,
The leaders, with the fearless hearts and sfrpng,

Gaye also ground, with slow unwilling feet.
Great Douglas, and Dunbar, and Lyon young,

Leven and Rothes, in their noble heat,
ForcM to depress their haughty hearts of fire.
Though fronting still the foe, make slothftd sour rettfe.

XIV.

Then was the lion, that in golden field.
Engirt witk Uhes, samps with joyous leap.

That evening seen compulsively to yield
Before the bestial vomit of the deep ;

While opposite, the Danish Rav*n, highheld
By Hubba's arm, seem'd broader out to sweep

His dusl^ wings, and feather them with flame,

Eipanciing more bis plumes as onward more he came.*

134 TIB THAVX or HML Cftiitor-

XV.

Bat exaUatioD and a glad surprise

Seiz'd all the cimbric powers, when Htty b^wld
Enrank'd amid their files their bmle allies*

So fiercely on the Tictor dash'd and loU'd -.
King Hungar, conscious whence these suooours TiXt

What God had drawn them from their wat'zy hold,
Hjgh-cheef*d, and blown with pride, as on he strode,
MurmurM his secret vows to his beftiending God.

XVI.

He vow'd that, ere the moon should mount in sky*
Thait steed whereon Fife's Thane so nobly rode,

Caparison'd with painted broidery
Of shields, and joyous *neath the wairior's loadf

Robb'd of his rider, on the beach should die
A sacrifice to his indulgent God :

He swore it on his sword—Heaven heard the oatb,

And blew it with his wind amid the ocean's froth.

xvu.

Fierce then with proud resolve and purpose vaio*
He rush'd to find the lion-crested lofd ;

He knew him by his helm's long floating tfain^
He knew him by his sweepy swing of sword:

He found him safeguarding his yielding men
Ag:nnst the Dansker and his aids abhorr'd.

Trampling to ground, and sub'ring in his wratfa,t

His mousters and his men in undistisguish'd death.

Canto y. ths thasi oi Tin. 135

xvin.

To him advancing, then, with bold ca^eer«
King Hungar the provoking word address' d»,

Oh chiei^ for whom ail day my restless speat
Hath bttm'd impatient, of thy blood in qujst^

Well hast thou done, so long to come not near
Its terror, and thy caution well confess'd ;

So hast tho« lengthened by some hours thy life.

And till the setting sun delay'd the deathfiil strife.

XIX.

So hast thou too, by that thy wise delay,

Acciunulated higher on thy head
The debt of vengeance I am bound to bay^

For these my subjects strewn among the dead ;
Whose gloomy ghosts around me clam'rous stray.

Upbraiding for the wrath so long delay 'd.
Which, agg^vaied now, and fierce as fire,
Thus in thy heart is plunged, to let thee ta^te mine ire.

So speaking, from the steed whereon he sate
High«>mounted, poising his enormous spear.

He thrcnr it whizzing in its pond'rous weight
Against the noble heart estrang'd from fear ;

Right o*er his courser's head the tempest great
Of thehurl'd weapon held its fierce career.

And smote the margin of his rounded shield,.

Thenoe boonding flew aslant diverted o'er the field.

135 xn iXAxs or nrs. Canto v

Not vBio, tboQilh emot in its deith, it M;

For in tlie-bcwoBi off a tqilir^ rannwn'd^
Airdrie* whp at hia ade lon|^ fooghtit wdQ»

Entfwiee unmeant tlie royal javelin fodnd;
Dovn diop|>'d the atricken hcto ftom his sefl,

Weigb'd by the quiv'fini; weapon to the ground -,
There, strewn amid hit eoutaer's leet» he lay,
As ooz'd in sanguine stream his manly aoul away.]

Inflam'd with fury at that sight, the Thane
PropeOM his coorser on the Scandian king(

Now be it mine, he said, imperious Dane,
for these deserts fit chastisement to bring ;

And, rearing high his arm, brought down amain
His sword upon his helm with forceful swing,

Whereby the casque, though strong, and tempered weUx

Bissilient from his head in golden shatters hVL

XXIIL

A second noUe stroke he swung from high.
Of power to smite the spirit down to beli.

Had not the gloomy God of ghosts been nigh,
Enwrapt in mist, that danger to repel.

His viewless hand he thrust, and tnrn'd awiy
The blow, ere on his fenceleas head it fell ;

Th' astonishM sword, baulk'd of its mortal wrongV

Descended in its force on the mail'd shoulder strong;

OmitOT* TBI TBAVK Of mi.' Idf

XXIV.

And where the habergeon's weak parts afford
Admission easier to the boist'rous blade.

Broke in with violence the crashing sword
And havoc of the nerves and sinews made :

The balf-uplifted hand of Denmark's lord
Enfeebled sunk, nor longer now obey'd

Th' impetuous soul, but pendent and unstrAfig

Unclenching drops the sword, half upwards heaved and
swung. .

.XXV.

A third time did the Thane his arm uprear^
And death had foUow'd in its dire descent.

And all the w*ar had terminated here.
And Denmark sorrow'd in the sad eren<;

Bat he, the gloomy god, that sav'd whilere.
Watchful once more that ruin to prevent,

Seiz*d with a sudden snatch his bridle-rein.

And twitch'd his steed aside, and sav'd the king agiuB*

XXVI.

Defrauded thus, that mortal-aimed blow.

Shearing the thin and vuhierable air.
Went hissing, fretful that such noble foe

Should be purloined from the woe it bare:
Aroaz'd, confounded at that baffling show,

STacduirB hig^ heart nigh shrunk into despair.
When he beheld his foe borne oflTwith speed.
As if wHb fiery spur aome god had atung his steed*

138 THX THAVB OV FIFB. CtDtO T.

XXVII.

For with a rage instinct, as if divine.

Back through the host the starting charger drives,
Nor halts, till clear within the camp's confine

He with his \«ounded rider safe arrives :
There the attendants of the tent conjoin

Their ministrations, whereby soon revives
Xhe monarch's swooning and strength-wasted heart,
Now cherish'd by repose and leech's sacred art

XXVIU.

Meantime, while from the dusty war remote
The wounded leader in his tent respires.

The ausiiiar gods that for the Dansker fought,
Seeing what soul the demi-lion fires.

Consulted high amid the clouds afloat.
On what assistance now their war requires.

And how prevent what of preponderance

The Scot might soon obtain by Hungar's evil chance.

XXIX.

One moment hatch'd and ripen'd their device ;

And down from his sky-roaming buoyant cloud
Flew Balder, Odin's son, and in a trice •

Appear'd unknown amid the Scandian crowdi
Clad like a bowman bold in habit nice,

Gairish with silver-lace, and quiver'd proud.
His bow in hand, with horns of ivory bright,
And golden-headed shaft fledg'd ready for the flight.

Cantor. tAz tbavx ov mx. - 139

XXX.

He through the Danish army ranging sought
Th' enchantress-pirate with the golden hair,

Alvilda, who in th' eastern wing remote
All day had held her Gothlanders in care ;

He found her, as amid them fierce ^he fought.
By deeds exampting to her liegemen there.

And with her arrows scatter' d thick and far,

Marring^e fronting lines of Cullen's haughty war.

XXXI.

He straight the lady-warrior 'gan accost :—
Why thus, Oh daughter of king Edebrand,

Amid a nameless scarce-deserving host.
Deal out these deaths from thy renowned hand f

And is it thus thy pride and glorious boast
Here to mow down the rubbish of a land^

Whilst foes more high and lionourable wait

Th' arriyal of thy shaft to yield to thee and fat^ ?

XXXIL

Yhou know'st not sure how from the battle far
Our royal chief lies wounded in his tent.

Leaving to lord it o'er th' abandoned war
iflis conqu'ror with a monarch's blood besprent $

That boaster to subdue, his pride to mAr,
That stalks insulting thus and insolent.

Requires thy dextrous aim to waft a' wound,

Eimobling to the arm from whence the shafl shall bound*

140 THS TB19B or Tus. Ga&to V.

XKXIII.

So speaking with facing words and sly»
The heroine archer from that place he lee],

Whither the Thane in glory tow'ripg high*
Round him a deathful desolation spread -,

Behind the foremost throng that fight and dle»
At sciinty dtstanee both their foot9tep8 stay'd*

From whence the well-directed sharp annoy

Of flbafis might ^hake the man and spoil his vauntfuljojf'

Then from the armour-strown and bloody jBeld,
The crafly god up-snatoh'd a buckler large,

Whose boss-built orb before the maid he held
That saf^r SQvher shafts she inight discharge ;

She, in the shading harbourage conceal'd
Of that orbicular uplifted targe.

Picks out an arrow of tran^cendant mould,

And to the trembling string adapts its notch of gold,

The trePYibJing string plie twa^g'd, and to the sky
The shaft transmitted like a streak of flame ;

Which 'tween the crested lion's paws on high^
Erroneous 6ew and vagr?int from its aim :

A second shaft she chose with cqnning eye,
A second time her bow^stsing twang'd the dame i

Caught on the glist'Hng shield \he shaft again

Qlmc'd into heaven aloft, all vagabond and vain.

Cffito V. TUB THAliB ov rm. 141

XXXVI.

Then brettfaM she to her God a silent prayer
As the third arrow fleeted on its course ;

That arrow was not idly spent in air-7
It spar'd the rider, but with furious force

His charger's front impierc'd, and quivering there, ^
. Stung into agony the warlike horse.

That sprung, and heel'd, and stagger'd with the pain,

Quite uncompliant now, and rebel to the rein.

XXXVII.

At which the chief, dismounting, to his squire
In charge consignM th' ungovernable steed.

Then rush'd, inflam'd with high heart-swelling ire.
Upon the twain from whence the shafts proceed :

The crafty jfod in bowman's rich attire.
Saw the nice moment his design to speed.

And as the vengeful hero nearer drew,

Dropt his concealing shield, and gave the fair to view

XXXVIU.

Then flash'd at once upon the warrior's eyes ,
The fightning lustre of that bowyer-maid,

like, as the moon, when sharp winds sweep the skies
Clear of the showery cloud's foul darksome shade.

Develops, as th' invidious vapour flies
From its black edge her silver-tired head ;

The shepherd-boy, enravish'd with the light,

Salates with gladsome hail the merry queen of night.

148 THS nu2n oy nri. Ca&to t.

XXXIX.

So shone, disdoa'd* that heroine^rcher fi^r ;

For on her form and face's every line
Th' attendant god, with one breath's balmy air.

Enchantment blew, and witchery diving ;
Bipglet on ringlet waving, danc'd her hair

Exuberant, 111^ knots of golden twine,
Down on her rosy cheeks and neck of white.
Whereon the queen of love had sbedherheav'ntiest fight.

XL.

Beneath her arched majesty of brow,
Her eyes, the cynosures of mortal hearts,

Glanc'd terrible, yet charming ih their glow,
Beams that awaken *d dear but cruel smarts

Ev'n Venus^ fiery urchin from his bow
Elances not such pleasant-painful darts.

When in May's rosy lap borne up the sky,

Down on the enliven'd world he lets his arrows fly.

XU.

Her bosom, like the hills of Paradise
Planted in Eden gay with flowery pride,

Beneath the mist of gauze that o'er it lies.
Shrewdly bewraying what it feigns to hide,

Heav'd up, in full luxuriance to the eyes.
Eyes feeding still, yet never satisfied.

The living luscious globes that rose and fell.

Whereon young Cupid sits as on his citadel.

Gmto T. TOE nu9^ ov yxis. 14^

xur.

Bare from tbe shoulders her smooth rounded armi^,
White as the liliest sew'd on Florals gown.

Display their pdlish of celestial charms.
Enough to drive staid reason from his throne ;

The cunning eye, that wantons and that warms^
From these uncover'd parts so riclf that shone«

Well argting, told the greedy madd'ning soul.

How shone the latent parts beneath the flowing stole.

XLtn.

Thus glorious was th' attraction, such the blaze.
Shot from the daughter of king Edebrand,

Entf»p|Sing and enrapturing the gaze.
With sorcery not wisdom could withstand ;

Awe-struck, bewitch'd, confounded with amaze.
Stood the brave Thane, and from his up-rear'd hand

Dropt with involuntary act to ground

His graspM and deadly sword, impending for its wound

XLIV.

Far other thoughts than those of murder now

His mighty spirit captiVd and inspired ;
Love's sudden torch had sent him all in glow.

The very marrow of his soul was iir'd :
iCo thought of blood, of battle, or of blow ;
. In his chang'd heart the surly Mars expirM,
And the sweet Venus, queen of playful wiles^
tliorp'dhisstonny stead with laughters and with smiles.

144 TBI TBiiTB or viNk» ' Canto t.

XLV.

But 8he» the beauteous sorceress^ that kn^r

Full well to play her meditated part»
Her bow down-dropping at the hero's view.

Fled out before him with a fearful start;
Her golden-buskin'd ancles^ as she flew,

Play'd glitteriiigly upon his captiv'd heart ;
Floated her tresses loose and long i' th' wind ;
Stream'd from her cinctur'd waist her longcymarbehind.

XLVI.

Drawn by the magic of her steps, the Thane>
Disarm'd and self-forgetful, followed fast ;

Fast flew the lady o'er old Carrail's plain,
Her mad-struck lover flew with equal haste ;

She halts not, or for dead or warring men.
He halts not, but bis game full hotly cbas'd ;

O'er field and down the shore she sea-ward wends,

O'er field and down the shore he at her heels attends.

XLVII.

Nor cease they, till on Osbrelh's ship at last.
That slept upon the sea-marge half-aground,

(The goigeous vessel with the ^Ided mast,)
Up-leap'd Alvilda with a gallant bound ;

And^ at her back, as furious and as fast,
Up-leap'd MacduflT, the Thane of Fife renown'd;

There, thel«, encag'd and caught as in a snare.

Inevitably caught as in love's pinfold there.

Canto Yf TUB THJiin or rm, 145

xLVin.

For when the crafty son of Odin spies
Both lover and beloy'd aboard the bargfe.

He, standing on the shooe in his disguise,
Fush'd the brave vessel from the sandy' tnargQ ;

And down, instinctive at the touch, she flies
Afloat amid the rolling sea at large :

The crafty god laugh'd loudly at that scene ;

Heaven rattled, as he laugh'd, from Leith to Aberdeen.

xux.

Abroad on sea, that hush'd and luHM away

Into a crystal smoothness all his waves.
The goodly ^essel spins her noiseless way

Between old Carrail and the Maian caves ;
Down irom the gold-gilt masts and sail-yards gay, ,

Expanded of itself, each soft sail waves
Its silky sheet, as emulous t' invite
Each straggling breeze of sky to waft that barge aright.

And round her masts and top-sails there did play
Aerial music from some band on high

Of heavenly harpers, that with amorous lay
Intoxicated the surrounding sky ;

Ev'n from the heart of sea, that slumb'ring lay.
Arose a strange unwonted melody.

As on the day when every green-hair'd maid

Sung lullaby around fair Thetis' infant bed.

'146 THE THiHS oi TITS. Canto T

And from a glorious cloud, that hov'rlng stood
High o'er the top-masts in the middle air.

Came show'ring richly down in multitude
Sweet roses blown in heaven, and heavenly fair,

That hung amid the shrouds and tackling good.
And on the decks lay odorous and rare,

Enriching like a gay Sabean bower

That lover-harb'ring barge with fragrance and with
flower. '

LII.

Meantime, while thus in floating bower concealM,
The Thane, diswitted, tuy'd his time away,

Upon the sliore the battle rag^d and reel'd
Alternating its tide with doubtful sway ;

Kow clid the surly Dane a little yield*
Though back'd with monsters was his black array ;

And now the Scot rebounded, overborne.

Back from the CHmbric lance and sea-cow's tortuous
liom. ^

LIU.

And deaths in every shape were thick and rife.
Covering with carnage all clotter'd soil ;

And Rage, rekindled, kindled still the strife.
That seem'd to flag exhausted with its toil ;

And Tumult, rattling o'er the fields of fife,
Hover'd in heaven above the bloody coil ;

And groans of deatli and shouts of glory rise.

And monsters growling loud behowl tlie frfghten'd Aies •

Canto r. the tbavb of tiFi. 147 ^

LIV.

For ever and anon the Scottish host,

Though widaw'd of their Chief, and hatter'd sore,
Reverting on the ground they just had lost,

With stones these monsiers' hides beat hard and sore ;

At which reverberant through all the coast

Ascends a terrible unearthly roar.
As to the heavens they ope, in hidious howl,
, Their black Tartarean jaws with shells o'er-crusted foul.

LV.

Amid these outcries, wounds, and deeds of blood.
And tumult, that confounded sky and earth

The twiliglit, from his cave in th' eastern flood
Slowly emerging, came in silence forth,

And o^er the seas, o*er mountain, vale, and wood.
Threw from the scorch *d south up to chilling north

His deWy, darksome, all-investing veil.

Making the goudy world look featureless and pale*

LVl.

And soon, t', embellish and engild his gloom.
Night's empress, joyous to begin her reign.

Out-stepping from her watVy dressing-room,
Danc'd in her silver slippers on the main :

Then did the skies before her glance assume
Glory that does not to the day pertain.

And all the wofM's convexity ky white,

And colour'd gloriously^ beneath her sacred light.

148 THB THAirs OY virx. Cgoto T.

LVII.

But never on a field so full of waste,
Uproar and wreck* and slaugbter-slaked ife.

Shone she, since first her silver arm embrao'd
The new-formM Earth, dress'd green in youth's atfire.

As then, when westward o'er fair Fife she Cast
Shadows of men and steeds, and tnonsterd dire»

Moving in huge disorder, like the waves

Of an upsurging sea, that in her channels raves,

LVIU.

Exhausted then, and with their toil overwrought
From day-spring to the night's so tardy fall.

The Scottish Captains of i>etreat bethought,
Compell'd retreat, within Sanct Androis; wall :

They saw how for their foes the demon fought ;
They saw the hideous death that dogg'd them all;

They saw alofl the battle's balance hung.

Their scale how drooping low, the Dane's how heaven-
ward swung :

UX.]

The Thane of Caithness first, the hoary-hair^d
And wise, who with his troops still held the van.

Sought out the the valiant Athol, him who shar'd.
Though young, his bosom's every thought and plan ;

He found the chief, though wasted and impair'il.
Yet heading fierce the heroes of his clan »

And by his side he standing, thus address'd

The thoughts and cottosels wise of Ms time-iipen'd .
breast:—

Canto y. tbe tbavx ot/wm. 149

LX.

Athol, whose fearless heart and noble hand .

Iti battle sig^ialfz'd aye first and best,
Still keepi'enlfnk'd as with a brasen band

Fortune and fame fast fetter'd to thy crest ;
Scest thou how like a torrent up the land,

Bt'h by the ni^ht uncheck'd and unrepress'd.
The host of Kasterlings audacious sweep
Bold in the auiifiar herd disgorged by the deep ?

LXT.

Full well the Devil's finger I behold

In these helKgoaded horrible allies.
And well their powers of mischief manifold

I know, admonish' d by true-telling eyes ;
For I was there when Denmark's king of old,

Frotho, the brave, the fearless, and the wise.
On Zef land's shore, beside his palace-gate,
From horn of cow murine receiv'd his piteous fate.

LXII.

'Twas on a festal day, when all his court ^

And people on the beach of Elsinore
Were met to celebrate in game and sport

Their god, star-diadem'd and thund'ring Thor ;
(My father's ship, then haply near their port

Lay anchor'd, whence we spied the pop'lous shore,
For there we waited till a homeward breeze
Should sweep our ling'ring ship across the western seas;)

150 TEX TBAH£ OF flFJi. CantO Y.

LXIII.

When suddenly all round my father's barge
The flood* as if with threes of Ubour tost»

Bore in a whirlpool, tusked, rourid, and large,
A monster, thick with shelly bumps imboss'd.

At whose black birth the waVes on ocean's marge
Ran bounding up, astonish'd o'er the coast ;

And round the mother-monster rose her brood,

A litter of foul cubs, calv'd hideous by the flood.

LXIV.

She clomb the beach ; she wallow'd wild her way
Clean through the frighted and disparted crowd*

To where the king, in royal garments gay.
Sat lofty lolling in his chariot proud ;

•She tore him from his lordly seat away.

She fang'd and gur'd him as he howl'd aloud;

And her detested cubs came huddling round

Their dam, to share his blood out-gushing on the ^und.

LXV.

tf o marvel then, if these our troops, dismay'd,
Hanted and havock'd by these horned foes,

Encumber'd, too, by night's involving shade.
Ask truce from further battle, and repose i

If man alone against us were array'd,
dr death or victory the strife should close ;

But when the wicked devil dogs us so,

'Tis wisdom to give place to that tremeadous foe.

Canto V. TBS TBAHS OT FITS. ^ 151

Lxyi.

Then let us, to necessity and night

Submissive, issue orders of retreat.
That these our ipen, war-worn and sad of plight.

May forthwith seek Sanct Androis' sacred seat ;
Whilst we, their leaders, and each valiant knight.

Protect, the whilt, from ruinous defeat.
Against our combinM foes the coverM rear ;
So speed us, gracious saint, whose name we love and
fear !

LXVII.

To whom the gallant captain, on whose shield
The lion and the fetter'd savage frown : —

Oh chiel^ that never yet forsook the field
Wherein is gathered flower of fair renown,

When hoary valour gives advice to yield
To b^te necessity, which bears us down.

Beseems the younger warrior to forego,

Maugre liis heady will, the contest and the foe.

LXVUE.

Let then our troops recede apace, while we
Bulwark their flying backs expos'd and bare ;

'Hiough grievedly and grudgingly I see
The Scottish lion hunted to his lair ;

But may the devil seize and throttle me.
If in retreating stoutly, I do spare

To castigate those big sea -vermin base.

If following at my heels too hot and hard they chase.

152 THS THANE Of FIF£. CaiUO V.

LXIX.

This parle concluded, there was blown aloud
The signal to retreat and leave the ground.

Which every chief re-echoed, till hisjcrowd
Of weary warriors caught the gladdening sound i

Whereto responding in his triumph proud,
Up-sent the Dane, from all his files around,

A surly shout of triumph, as he saw

With backs turn'dto the moon, the jaded Scot withdraw.

LXX.

And instantly, up-plucking courage new.
Fierce on the languid yielding foe he bore,

Join'd by his beastly aids, that onward drew
Huddling more hideoHS-stately than before ;

Then Gbilperic and Scorro hard pursue.
With all their liegemen of the Norrick shore ;

And red'hair'd Harald with his Swedish force.

And Meigo, hot as fire, in his destructive course.

Lxxr.

And Hubba, by whose arm yet stoutly held,
Black to the moon the standard-rav'n up-rears

His strutting neck, and o'er the conquered fieU
To croak with exultation vain appears ;

And Jarmeric unwearied yet to wield
The knotted oak he aye to battle bears.

Wherewith he smites and buffets boisterously

The Csledonian backs that fast before him fl^ee.

Gusto ▼. TO TBAV£ OF FIFE. 15^

Lxxa.

And Osbreth^ on who«e sur-coat danb'd with gokl.

The moon rejoices to behold her face,
A» bounding brisk along, no«r doubly bold,

Ue glitters as a glow-worm in the chase ;
And HaquOy in his bloody bear-skin roird»

Vibrating vauntingly his iron mace ;
Aod Sangelop with ail his sUnger-band,
And Bolf and surly Sorl, and shouting Hildebrand.

LXXIII.

All these with troops remuster'd, and with fire

Kindled afresh, impetuously pursue.
With arrow and witli stone and javHin dire.

Molesting, marring the receding crew ;
And all the way they hung on their retire.

From Carrsul nortliward, as the host withdrew .
Dtsorder'd, and di^join'd, and disarray'd.
Confounded horse and foot, as up the land they sped.

LXXIV.

Vet oft their captains, as they buckler' J well
Their people's backs with resolute defence,

Wheel'd vengeful round, to chastise and repel
The proud pursuer in his insolence ;

And as his monsters, rpwllng horrible.
Came grazing on their heels with tusks immenae.

They prick them in the throat with sword and spear.

Making them breathe a space from their so bold careei^

•v

154 THB THAks or vm. CMto^.

Now 90 bimre Athol« ia his madder vood ;

He from the bosom of the earth up-lore
A moss-grown rock of fearful magmtudey •

That bedded there had lain long years befole ;
(The peasants still the stony mass esdiew'd.

As with &eir ploughs in spring the turf they shore.)
He heav'e it overhead with stormy wheel.
And crush'd the monster dead that gaubbled ^t his heel.

LXXVI.

And bhck-plum'd Bancho, taking it in spleen
Thus to bedogg'd and worried home to bed.

Back turning on his foe, with M:hion keen
Gave to his neck a bloody kiss and red ;

Off from his shoulders, shorn and sundered cleSui,
Flew with its helm the insulated head.

The scornful lips, as down it feO, awhile

Held mutt'ring on in wrath reproachfkil words and vHe.

LXXVll.

And stout Steavithy, grieving in his heart
O'er his own grounds thas hotly to be chas*d.

On surly Sorl back bounding with a start,
Gaye him an iron greeting in the breast;

The red-hair'd chief nigh spitted by tbtA dart*
Writh'd his limbs hideously, with pangs oppress'd :

As from his fork the hind shakes grass or hay,

9d from his hmce the squire shook gasping S^l M«y.

Gimta' t,^ ruM thjutx of nri. 155

LXXVin.

Thus they, though chas*d, at tiroes rebounded back

Upon the chaser with a fell salute.
While flies before them, scatter'd as in wrack, '

The rabble of their army, horse and foot :
As when across the moon, the cloudy rack

In winter, when fierce winds the pine up-root.
Skims rapid, by the tempest teas'd and riven,
O'enoudding fast md thick the sea-propt bridge of
heaven ;

LXXIX.

So they across the fields of Fife full fast, >
Careering in, their panic-urged race,

Covered the moors with sounding conflux vast

Of soldiers hurrying to a hiding-place ;
Kenly's green banks were strewn and overcast

With arms down-scatter'd by that populace ;
Kinkell, Balrymont, and Balmungo's plain.
Resounded with the flight of horses and of men.

LXXX,

And o'er the bridged rivulet that flows

Before thy walls, Sanct Androis, hat they ru8fa»
And up into thy gates, that wide enclose
Their iron,-8tudded valves, commingling crush,
Filling the streets with terror and with shows

Of dire alarm, as in the rabble gush
For covert from the Dane, whqm in their fray
SlHl at their heels they deem, in act to strike And slay.

156

TH£ TOAVS Of flYB.

Canto ▼.

LXXXI,

but all their leaden, lords, and knigfatSy and aquirea^
More slow retired, undaunted, thoo^ constrain'dy

And in the shadow of the city's spires,
Without the ramparts, resolute remain'd ;

There kindtinjg where they stood broad-blazing' firea.
Strict and strong watch together they maintain'd.

Of purpose to ^sturb and daunt the foe.

From a more near approach to that defensive aihow.

XmD or THX FIFTH CAJTTO.

THE

THANE OF FIFE

CANTO vr.

THR

•

THANE OF FIFE.

CAKTO TI.

Now, in the very nxwel of the sky,
RoU'd in the vestment of her own fair light,

The gentle moon was walking up on high.
With all her starry handmaids of the night ;

The victor Pane, long ere approaching nigh
Thqf e gates to which the Scot had bent his flight.

Himself with weary weight of toil oppress'd,

Surceas'd the further chase, and wish'd his camp and rest

II.

And he, the green-garb'dgod, at whose command
The spawning pcean spew'd her monsters proud,

Took on Balcomie*8 highest rock his stand.
And crack'd hb long sea4angle whip aloud.

As Signal for his herd \o leave the land..
And seek their oo^ mansions in the flood ;

Thrice did his jerking lash the welkin wound.

And thrice fromCrail to Tay the smitten sky did sound.

160 THE THAITE OT FIFE. CantO TI*

111.

r
At that imperioiu signal heard and known^

All in a moment bis brute loathly host
Their uncouth march wheel sea-ward, and anon .

Rush with the sound of earthquake to the coast s
"And down the beached steep, o*er rock and stone.

I4imb'ring their lumpish bodies shell-embost.
Flounce plungingly into the flashing flood.
And disencumber earth for ever of their load.

IV.

Earth, as rejoicing in the bless'd relief,
Brisk'd up her bosom cheerier to the moon ;
The moon, that corresponded to her grief,

More lightsome, lightenM of that naisanee» shone :
Meantime, each Danish soldier and each chief,

Their work of midnight war and labour done.
Had left the field, and in their camp and fleet
Cherish'd themselves with food and slumber soft and
sweet

So, that r^d fleld that had endured all day.
The tort'ring tramp and stormy strife of men.

Beneath the holy night's peace-giving ray,
In silence now appear'd to sleep again.

Save from the groans of dying men that lay.
Giving their blood to glut the greedy plain.

And with sad gasps of nearly-strangled breath*

Beseeching onlv craves to wrap them, safe in deatl^

Canto y. tbe tvahe or pits. 16(

Vf.

But in Sanct Androis' city all the night

PrevaiPd alarm and perturbation dire.
Not less than, if combustion in bis might

Enkindling, stalk'd in air from spire to spire.
And all her houses, fanes, and temples bright,

Conflagrant, flew to bearen in smoke and fire ;
So were her people terrified, and so' ^

They hurried unresolved and shudd*ring to and fro.

Vlf.

For, in the city congregate and pent.
The flyinif host had scattered their alarm.

With outcry loud in every street up>sent

Of sword^ siege, slaughter from the Danish swarm.

And every heart was troubled and was rent
With anguish from anticipated harm.

And fathers stood confus'd, distraught with fear,

And mothers hid their .babes in places dark and drear.

VIII.

With arms some hurried to the walls, and raann'd
The battlements, in show of confidence ;

Some on saint Rule's cloud-kissing turrets stand
At gaze, and searching for the toe from thence ;

Others before the riirmes, a pious biftid,
Cow'r in despair save from the saint's defence i

Whilst peaceful priests crowd in and tremble there.

With candle and with book, and sobs of quivered prayer.

164 TflS THAITB OF FIVE. CailtO VI.

IX.

Thus they within the ramparts ; but without.
Less drooping, less dismay'd, the leaders all

Assembling their moon-dazzling fires about, ^

Held consultation near the city-wall ;

For they were wav'ring now and toss'd in doubf^.
Pondering what had befallen and might befal.

By what means to their country aid to bring,

' Thus danger'd, widow'd thus of hero and of lung.

Up-spoke young Roland, Uthred's hot-mouth'd son.
The lord of Carrick land and rainy Kyte :—

Warriors and chiefs, that each to day have done
High feats, and worthy of Herculean toil.

Yet, yet, deem scarce the bloody work begun,
'Tis but a foretaste merely of the broil ;

And God be prais'd— though now our sinews fail»

Our hearts, yet unconsum'd, rest sturdy still and hale.

XI.

Not, not, methinks, on beach of famous Troy,
Club-arm'd Alcides was so vex'd and chaaM

By that sespbrute up-spew'd for his annoy
One morning by the £gean's gulfy breast

A summer's day the Juno-hated boy
Was hotly hunted by her ocean beast.

Till Pallas brought at eventide relief.

And built a towcry wall to fence the fainting chief.

Canto. Ti. TBI THAHE OF sm, 163

xn.

Not he, a God, was harass'd then so hard.
As we to da^, a death-subjected band ;

Yet without Palha and her wall to g^ard,

Heart-whole, though sinew-shrunkeh,herewe stand

Here let us stand till th* Orient gpites unbarr'd
Scatter another morning o'er the land.

Then rallied, reimbattled, reinspiPd,

"Wreak on th' ambitious Dane the rich revenge desir'd.

XIII.

For this toniay hath been a school wherein
To discipline our rawness for the fight ;

To-morrow tutor'd well, and taught to win.
What loss is borne we shall in full requite ;

Certes the Devil, the sire of grief and sin.
Perforce must lose what he hath stolen by sleight.

And we will beard him, come he arm'd again

With brutes, and behemoths, and bugs of land and main*

xiv/

This said, the Thane of mountainous Argyle,
Cullen, the cautious and the cool begun :— •

111 now it fits us, friends, with martial toil
So shatter'd and our army so fordone.

With boist'rous brag and threat of hotter coil
Here to outwear the night and wait the sun.

Where foes shall haply, ere his car upsprings.

Surprise us braving thus and mutt'ring mighty things

164 THs Tiuvx Of ras. Canton

XV.

Doth not our monarch, overcome of wound.
Lie chftmber'd, useless to the future war ?

Where is his army's head» the Thane renown'd ?
Captiv'd or slain, or witch'd from us afar ?

Do not our panting soldiers skulking round
These bulwarks hog their very stones in fear.

While our flush foes on glory's tiptoe stand,

Ready once more to rush and chase us up the land?

XVI.

Let us prevent him then, and, ere the day.
Our powers collecting from th' unfurnish'd town,

March with our king from tliese her walU away
Amid oUr hills and moory midlands brown ;

There in our mountain lurking-holds make stay,
Till, finding fit occasion, rush we down.

Recruited and resistlsss, on the Dane,

As he expatiates loose and plunders through the plain.

xvii.

He had not finish'd when the prudent knight
Dungald overtook him in his race of words: —

Not thus I counsel ; not so cautious quite,
I do consult our army's weal, my lords :

Needs must we to the mountain take our flight ?
Not so— if yet these hands gripe well their swordi^

If yet we be not in despair, my voice

Bids us still tirry here to conquer and rejoice.

Canto Ti> THB T8AVX ov vatic 165

• xviir.

First then, obedient to the belly's etll.
Jejune and pining as we are with fast,

Here let us sup beside the city^j^all,-
And prop our tott'ring hearts with sweet repast t

This moonshine sky shall be our supper-hall ;
This moon our chandelier, globose and vast :

And the green hearty grass, on which we tread.

Shall be the table where our viands shall be spread.

XIX.

That duty to our wasted bodies done.
Bethink we next of choosing from our train

Two hardy heroes, fleet of foot to run.
And strong of heart their purpose to maintain ;

Let these, ere morning's watch be yet begun,
Marcjji scouting o'er the moor t' explore the Dane,

And slyly steal, e'en in his camp's confines,

Intelligence of all his doings and designs.

XX.

So, warn'd by their report, and well aware
Of his intentions, with the mbrning light

We shall fore-arm our people, and prepare.
If fight be wish'd again, again for fight ;

Or should he, dealing to the dead his care.
Require a truce to burn his dead aright.

Ours be it then t' avail ourselves the while.

And pluck advantage iair from th' intermitted toil.

166 THM TOAHB OF 7DI. CaolOTI.

XXI.

He ended, and his words had galn'd th* assent
Of all the chiefs tliea gathered on the green;

To supper's business t^en at once they went,
Full ardent, for their hanger's rage was keen ;

And soon from porket, sheep, and steer, were rent
The lives that in their blood inwrapp'd had becB;

And to the glowing embers were consign'd

Chines, ribs, and savoury thighs, with luscious &t en-
twin'd.

XXlI.

Tl)us while to heaven up-mounts the smoke of fetfti
Lo ! from the city's wide-spread gate descends

Good Adrian in his priestly vestments drest,
Glist'ning as tow'rd the Iroop his motion bends;

And at his back a menial train, opprest
With shouIder*borne huge jars of wine, attends,

Wine, from the vaults Episcopal convey'd,

Where it had ripen'd long in chilly darkness laid.

xxni.

This present to tU' assembled troops he brought,
With joyous fume t' exhilarate their cares,

A present worthy heroes who had fought
All day so nobly in their country's wars ;

He gave tliem hail, and in his holy thought
He bless'd their persons and their good affairs,

And told them, he had come with them to sup,

And had uncav'd his jars to heave their spirits up.

- — I

«anto VI. ' THE THAirs OF Firi;. ISy

XXIV.

So to their smoking supper down they sate
' i"^ Together on the smooth moon-shiny grass,
-'• ' Whilst by each chiet his spear, r?ibust and ^reat,
^ Stood fix'd, and earth'd in ground its beamy brass,
'»V All ready to be grasp'd, shoukl Danish hate ^
iJ"^ Assault them wiiilst their meal in progress was :
'•* Good Adrian, ere the griice-cup, gave them -grace,
^ Granting them license full to fill and feed apace.

' XXV.

So on their banquet with a furious gust

They pounc'd, and havocfc'd thigh, and rib, and chine,
"' Aye intermixing (as frail men needs must
•^^ That cherish life), aoundant draughts ot wine,
* That wash'd away and recompens'd the dust
And toil of battle with its juice divine.
Invigorating wearied nerve and limb.
And heaving up their souls to altitudes sublime.

-9

XXVI.

But when appeag'd with meat was stomach's rage.
And toil-worn hearts by Bacchus were repair'd,

Up-rbse again the Thane of Caithness sage.
And thus his prudent purposes declar'd :—

Now, that advent'rous heroes will engage.
With dauntless bosoms to each danger bar'd.

At this nocturnal hour the scout to play.

And from the Dansker's camp filch his designs away ?

168 TBK THlVE 07 VIFX. CaUtO \I.

XXVII.

Upstarted then full many a kniglit and squire^

Ambitious all that honour to obtain,
Roland, whose boisterous soul is e'er on fire.

Brave Bancho, Lochaber's black -plumed Thane,
Wing-footed Eth, that boasts a royal sire,

Lyon, whose sword still hungers for the Dane,
With Rothes and Grangemuir, and many more
Of Fife's stout-hearted chiefs that hazards still implore

XXVIII.

This dubious strife, 'gan Caithness lord ezchum.
The lot's arbitrament shall soon decide ;

And in the casque of Bancho throws each name.
That fortune o'er th' election (nay presidie :

Three times within the helmet's brassy frame
He toss'd the various claims from side to side ;

Then drew the symbols of th' advent'rous pair.

And Roland's name appear'd, and Banoho's name was
there.

XXIX.

Now by the mass, cried Carrick's chieftain out.
Blind thou art not, Oh fortune, as men say ;

Begird we, Bancho, our night-cloaks about.
For we must travel on a dubious way ;

And I have sworn to top my part of scout.
And steal a Cimbric head or two aw^y,

Therewith to decorate this city-wall,

"divulging to the sun a theft so capital.

Canto TI. TIDE THAHB OF TITE. 169

XXX,

This said, the gallant.pair themselves bedight
In arms befitting iheir night-ramble bold ;

A denai-lance each brancUsh'd short and light,
Gleam'd on their thighs their cutlasses of gold;

Thus lightly arm'd, they bade their friend* good-night.
And pass the Kennis-brook, and forward hold

On their night-march rejoicing to the moon.

To whom theywhisile blithe, and thank her for her boon*

XXXI.

Meantime, while these o'er-trip the prior-muir.

On scouting expedition bravely bent,
Down in the bowels of the world obscure.

Where burrow fays, and ouphes, and gobfms quaint ;
Right under Fife, where m the»r domes of pure

Nice-cairved silver they are resident.
The sprites indigenous in haste convene,
Call'd by the loud-blown trump of their high-throned
queen.

XXXIL

And now in crystal council-hall are met
That conclave substanceless of gilded things.

And now consulting deeply are they set
Of jostling armies and Of warring kings ;

For they bad heard overhead the horrid beat
Of troops and crash of war's encounterings.

Wherewith their subterranean city's vault

Had rattled all the day *neath Mars's loud assault.

170 tke thavs or rm. CtntOTi.

xxxur.

And well they knew in what a pointing plight,
Scatter'd and scar'd, the Scottish amy Uy,

And how their monarch, wonnded in the figh^
Enfeebled from the field was borne away ;

And how the Thane, bewitch'd by dezt'rous sleigfat,
At highest need was ravish'd from the fray ;

And how the Danish gods, provoking harms,

Were oat upon the world t' assist the Danish arms.

XXXIV.

Who then, proclaimed the queen, shall reascend
Through the thin breathing-holes of mother earth,

To quaff the dainty moon-light, and defend
The pair of warriors that now sally forth

Alone and with their virtue sole to friend.
Amid yon red-hair'd warriors of the north ?

Who will abet them to achieve their boast.

And bring them^loryingback, triumphant o'er an host?

XXXV.

Up from his beryl bench, in gallant guise,
Started a grandee-fay of mettle dread,

Flenipotent, though puny, for his size
O'ertoppM his peers by shoulders and by head ;

Plotcock his name, a creature slim, but wise, «
Whose fame of old round FiUan*8 sprmg was spread)

And in Glendevon's lonely vale, for there

Long swum on pevon's wave, his silver palace fair. .

Oanto Ti. THE TjBuurs of tikjs. 171

XXXVI.

Aline be it, cried the prince, as up^ he rose
Gigantic by three inches o'er the rest,,

Aftine be the task, through dangers and through foes.
To guide the chiefs in their nocturnal quest ;

And instantly be buckled round him close
The filmy sash that gath^r'd in his vest.

And took his wings of Iris-mocking dies.

That wont to fledge his form for distant embassies,

xxxvn.

And through an earthly spiracle that bends
Obliquely upward to the b.eam-blessM sky,

Like smoke through sooty chimney he ascends,
Worming his way with strange legerity ;

Till, where in green earth's ample surface end^.
Kissing and kiss'd by all the winds that fly,

He, glad to 'scat)e his gloomy vent so soon.

Into the presence bolts of Heaven's ajl-glorious moon,

xxxvni.

Afore the heroes' footsteps riglit he shot.
Without a struggle issued by the clod.

Like gilded fly, that gay in summer coat
From cups of half-blown lilies flies abroad ;

Around t|ieir heads, amid the shine afloat, '
He hover'd ; ever, as they onward trod.

Brushing their helms and cheeks, as if in play.

With his long-streaming train of freaked mantle gay.

172 TBI THA9K OV tt^, CsntO TI-

XXXIX.

And aye bis body, shifting^ in its flight
Its postures, as it quiver'd to tbe moon.

Went twinkling every colour brave and bright.
That iurks in th' opal's ever-cbanging stone ;

The stars of heaven, amended in tbeir light.
Through his transparent frisky members shfone,

As, flourishing the glory of his wings.

Between them and the sky he anticka and he flings.

XL,

Now, what is this, the chief of Carrick cries,
That wheels and buzzes round about us so ?

Hath heaven's huge rainbow to oar very eyes
Born a gilt baby of such glossy glow ?

Or, as the summer sun breeds speckled flies.
Breeds too the moon her pretty wasps for show I

Whate'er its birth, my sword shall with a stroke

Anatomize the thing — be 't flesh 9^ be it smoke.

XLI.

So saying, his rash weapon raught ano n
On that thin creature as he capers round,

A stroke, which, had his frame been flesh and bonCi
Had brought him clov'n asutlder to the ground ;

The unobstructed blade, descending prone,
Fas'*M shearing through him with iqnocuoMS wound;

A second slash cross'd deep his breast and wings;

The merrier at the gash prince Plotcocfc flirts and flings-

QaoltoTi. itos TBAirx OT iDrs. 173

XLIL

Thus sped the heroes o'er the heathy'Vield^

Escorted by their goblin-satellite,
Who round them alt the while revolving^ wheelM,

Lake white-wing'd moth about the candle's light ;
Little, I wot, to them was then reveal'd

The friendly virtue of th' anxiliar sprite,
Who, unrepuls'd by stab of sword or lance,
Environ'd aye their niarch with his protective dance.

XLIIL

But when they reached old Caryl's bloody plain.
With carcass-heaps encumbered and emboss'd.
And now drew near the encampment of the Dane,

Where his white tents stood glitt'ring by the coa^t,
A miracle was wrought upon them twain

By the shrewd elf when need requir'd it most;
He smote their bodies with his silver wand-
Invisible and dark they walk along the land.

XLIV.

Dark and invisible, and hedg'd around
With veil of air about them wov'n and wrought,'

The men approach the peril^over'd ground.
Their bodies lost and swallow'd into nought ;

Saving at times their speech's winged sound.
That seem'd from vacancy's unreal throat

To fly articulate, was nothing there

To testify and prove the presence of the pair.

ir4 TBB VBAirS OF ttVS. GUltO VX.

So down unto tlf encunpment are they gone,,
UnBeen, yet knowing not they are unseen^

Confiding in their virtuous souls alone
Sith quite unconscious of theic^iry skreen ;

The fires of watch that at the out-gates shone.
The armed guards patrolling on the green,

XJnnoticM and unqqestion'd did they pass ;

The watchmen heard their voice, but knew not whence.
it was!

XLVI.

Into the streets, and moon-illumin'd xowt

Of mansions of expanded canvass, quite
They plunge, amid a hive of ireful foes, ,

Casting on every side their curious sight :
Here, strown upon the ground for short repose.

Exhausted men steal slumber from the night.
Their beads unpillow'd, save upon the mould
And on their broad-spread limbs heaveq's dews <cIm-
cending cold.

XLVII.

There, huddling round their fires in jolly rings^

Less drowsy men carousingly rejoice,
Letting their souls fly out on Bacchus' winga^

Stunning the moon with clamour and with notae ;
Those hands, to which the blood of foes still clings

U nwash'd, now to their thirsty lips up-poise
The bousy cans, that fury re^inspire,
EjDgend'ring boasts and fumosy and words of wrttth md'
ire.

Canto XH TH£ THANX 0» FI1&. 175

XLVIIT.

Nop less from tent and booth on everynand,
Resounds the din of merry-make and boast.

Of chiefs, who, deemmg now the Scottish bandi%
SubduM, and scatter*d like the dust her host.

On the vain peak of maudlin triumph stand

Self-hois'd, and to the god whom fear they most

Th' uplifted chalice dedicate and drain,

And, swagg'ring in their rouse, boast many a Scotsman
slain.

XLIX.

That pride, these boasts, to whip lind to chastise,
Came on their camp these goblin-guarded men.

Like two destroying angels, to men's eyes
Denied, their dazzling weapons only seen :

Saint Andrew guide our sickfes, Carrick cries,
L.O ! what a harvest courts us on this green :

Give us good weather only, and some breath, ^

And we will heap with ghosts the creaking wains of deitlh.

So saying, to their harvest-work they fell,
Like sturdy sickleraen, that by the morn

FuU early rise, when signs sad rains foretell.
To house from red Orion's wrath their corn ;

Here Roland, Bancho there, wheel'd terrible
Amid the men by drunkenness o*epborne.

Their blades, that made the neckless heads to bound

From the unprepar'd trunks that still sat stifFon group''

176 THS TBAXB Of Flff. Cant^ XI'

LI.

As when a peefkh school-boy, ere lie goes
To school, upoo a shiny ^Dorning^&ir^ *

Lags m his fatherfs garden, where he j^trows,
Witn spiteful staff, the poppies tow'ring there ;

So thick and ruinous the beads of foes,
Clean from theu* wearers cropt, ere they were *ware»

Fell rattling down, and with their spouting blood

Bedew'd the very cups that crown'd before them stood.

UI.

Nor to th' astonlsh'd enemy were shown

These hands whence such a shower of ^uirder oame ;
For, looking round, they saw the sw|>rds alone,

Ungrasp'd, that slash'd about and fiar'd like flam^
As if, endued with 4^irtue of their own.

They sported, self-proaelj'd, that bloody game :
Terror the living seiz'd ; but, in their fright.
These swords were at their necks ere they had time for
• . fljght.

Liir.

Amid the crew of revellers there sate,
Carousing to the moon with impudence.

Big Jarmeric, who, in his strength elate.
Boasted aloud with arrogance immense.

That on that day his hand to Pluto's gate
Had jerk'd a score of sullen Scotsmen hence.

And had the night not fall'n, to screen the foes— •

His mouth receiv'd the stab which chock'd the period's
cl^e.

Canto VI. THB THAHE 01 FirK. 177

uv.

But Roller on the ground at length a^eep,

Received th' nnconacioua blow thaf struck him dead ;

For there he'dreaming lay, that o*er the deep.
Homeward to meet the lady he had wed, t^

He flew, and saw her in her chamber weep.
In weeds of widow dolefully array'd ;

Xhat gloomy dream to ratify, now came

fierce Roland on his rest, far gloomier than a dream.

LV.

Another chief was added to the slain :

That nightj^by chance, from Drontheim's distant ford^
l»Vith fifty ships to magnify the Dane,

Haquin arriv'd, Nidrosia's wizard Lord ;
For he had lingered, ere he took the Ifffkbi,

Long in his lake with all his troops aboard.
To catch a dexter sign, p6fllending good,
From eagle sweeping down from Salbo's upland wood.

LVL

That sign was aye denied ; yet ne*ertheless

He hois'd his tardy inauspicious sail.
And now his ships are moor'd beside theXess,

And now he comes to bid his kinsman hail
Ev'n at the hour when fierce and pitiless

These hands with murderment the camp assail ;
Of Scottish salt he found not time to taste-
He supp'd on Bancho's steel, and found it vile repast.

17S TKX THAKB OF TlFif. CanlO IV.

LVII.

Thus they, still sabVmg^ on witlibut controuT,
Witli bloody sorrow dash'd the Danish pride ;

Meanwhile the watchful bear that round the pole
Wheels his larg^ circuity scornful oF the tide,

Currd up his tail to north-west, and now st^le
Back from the glimpse «f morn, whom now he spied

Just shooting her thin hairs, with gold up-eurPd,

Out from the boundless sea that welters round the world.

Lvin.

Kow let us hence, cried Roland, as he spies

That glimmering announcement of clear day ;
For one poor morning's work let this suffice ;

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