תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

Of years fcant twenty-five was he,

And comely was his face;

His yellow locks, in ringlets free,
Hung down his neck with grace.

Blue were his eyes, and ftreams of fire,
When angry, from them came;
Not fo when urg'd by soft defire,
He woo'd the yielding dame.

His cheeks were red, for health was there,
And taught the blood to flow;
His limbs were ftrong, yet light as air
He chac'd the bounding roc.

Stout Hume to youthful Murray said,
My foul is fick with love;
I'm vanquish'd by an English maid

Thy faith I mean to prove.

Oft haft thou told me, truft

In any bold emprize;

my aid,

Quoth Murray, what he once hath said, Accurs'd be who denies !

The word which once I promis'd have, I fill will keep to death:

Thou fhalt not frown upon my grave;.

I'm thine while I have breath.

Then faddle ftraight thy dapple steed,

And take thy bow in hand;
While I, to ferve in time of need,
Gird on my trusty band.

And let us ftraight to Langley's hafte,
A churlish knight, and bold;
Fair Rofaline, his daughter chaste,
Is fhe I long t'enfold.

He is a knight of Percy's train ;
And when a hoflage there,
Iftrove fair Rofaline to gain,
But he refus'd my pray'r.

O Rofaline! how paffing fair,
How beautiful art thou !

Like cluft'ring bloffoms waves thy hair
Upon the fummer bough.

Thy forehead mocks the mountain fnow, Thy lips the fcarlet thread;

1

Thy cheeks, where blooming rofes grow,
Is Cupid's fragrant bed.

In her fweet eyes his form he fhrouds,
And whets his darts of war;

Her eyebrows are the heav'nly clouds
Whence breaks the morning flar.

Her teeth the iv'ry laugh to fcorn,

Her neck the chrystal clear,

Thro' which, in azure channels borne,
The ftreams of life appear.

The down of whiteft fwans 'twere fhame
To fay her breaft exceeds;
Its fwelling orbs the tender flame
Of love and virtue feeds.

Why fit we here, quoth Murray, then,
And spend our time in words?

Let us together call our men,

And bid them take their fwords.

Nay, Murray, nay, but thou and I
Muft do this deed alone;

Let us, brave Murray anfwered, fly,

The deed it fhall be done.

Each mounted then his dapple fleed,
They left the Scottish ftrand;

Thro' Langley's wood they now procced,
In fair Northumberland.

They reach'd the gate at morning tide,

The gate of Langley place:

When thro' a window Rofaline spy'd

Her ftately lover's pace.

Wha light difpels the morning gloom!
'Tis fhe! my love! 'tis fhe!

Then to the ditch-fide hafted Hume,
And lowly bent his knee.

With speed fhe thro' the window past,

And lit upon the ground;

While Hume he crofs'd the ditch with hafte,

He did not flay to found.

He bore her down the bank fo fleep,
He wanted not a guide;

He crofs'd the ditch, both wide and deep,
And landed on t'other fide.

They fpurr'd their dapple fleeds along,
Their fleeds out-ftrip'd the wind;
And foon was Langley's caftle firong
Full many a mile behind.

Langley awake! the porter cries,
Your daughter is fled away;
She is fled with Hume; arife! arife!
Purfue without delay!

Then Langley call'd his four bold fons,.

As bold as bold could be;

They fpur each fleed, which fwiftly runs,,
And fcours across the lee.

They fpur their fleeds with mickle might,

Till on a rifing hill,

They see the lovers full in fight,

Yet onward prick they fill.

They fee the lovers ford the Tweed,
To whom thus Murray kind,
Fly on, my friends, with treble fpeed,
While I remain behind.

Nay, Heav'n forefend! brave Hume reply'd,
That thou alone fhould'ft ftand,

I'll fix my feet thy feet befide,
And meet yon hoftile band.

Fly on, fly on, bold Murray cries,
For know, unless I dream,
Unless my bow-ftring fail, or eyes,
Not one fhall crofs the ftream.

O, fpare my father's valu'd life,
Quoth Rofaline, with a figh;
O, fpare my breth'ren in the ftri fe-
Quoth Murray, none shall die.

The lovers fled-His bow he drew,
And twang'd with utmoft force,
The arrow from th' elaftic yew
Strait kill'd the foremost horfe.

« הקודםהמשך »