66

:

He tended him like welcome guest,
Then thus his further speech address’d.
Stranger,

I am to Roderick Dhu
A clansman born, a kinsman true;
Each word against his honour spoke,
Demands of me avenging stroke;
Yet more,—upon thy fate, 'tis said,
A mighty augury is laid.
It rests with me to wind my horn,-
Thou art with numbers overborne;
It rests with me, here, brand to brand,

Worn as thou art, to bid thee stand : moytie, et en donne a Claudius l'une des pieces, et puis mort en l'autre aussi sauouresement quil est aduis que il en feist la pouldre voller. Quant Claudius veit quil le mangeoit de tel goust, il en print grant faim, et commence a manger tresvoulentiers, et dist a Estonne: Par l'ame de moy, ie ne mangeay oncquesmais de chair atournee de telle guise: mais doresenauant ie ne me retourneroye pas hors de mon chemin par auoir la cuite. Sire, dist Estonne, quant is suis en desers d’Escosse, dont ie suis seigneur, ie cheuaucheray huit iours ou quinze que ie d'entreray en chastel ne en maison. et si ne verray feu ne personne viuant fors que bestes sau: uages, et de celles mangeray atournees en ceste maniere, et mieulx me plaira que la viande de l'empereur. Ainsi sen vont mangeant et cheuauchant iusques adonc quilz arriuerent sur une moult belle fontaine que estoit en vne valee. Quant Estonne la vit il dist a Claudius, allons boire a ceste fontaine. Or beuuons, dist Estonne, du boire que le grant dieu a pourueu a toutes gens, et que me plaist mieulx que les ceruoises d'Angleterre.”—La Treselegante Hystoire du tresnoble Roy Perceforest. Paris, 1531, fol. tome i. fol. lv. vers.

After all, it may be doubted whether la chaire nostree, for so the French called the venison thus summarily prepared, was any thing more than a mere rude kind of deer-ham.

But, not for clan, nor kindred's cause,
Will I depart from honour's laws;
To assail a wearied man were shame,
And stranger is a holy name;
Guidance and rest, and food and fire,
In vain he never must require.
Then rest thee here till dawn of day;
Myself will guide thee on the way,
O’er stock and stone, through watch and ward,
Till past Clan-Alpine's outmost guard,
As far as Coilantogle's ford;
From thence thy warrant is thy sword.”-
“ I take thy courtesy, by Heaven,
As freely as 'tis nobly given!”
“Well, rest thee ; for the bittern's cry
Sings us the lake's wild lullaby."
With that he shook the gather'd heath,
And spread his plaid upon the wreath;
And the brave foemen, side by side,
Lay peaceful down like brothers tried,
And slept until the dawning beam 1
Purpled the mountain and the stream.

1 [MS.—" And slept until the dawning streak

Purpled the mountain and the lake.”']

THE

LADY OF THE LAKE.

Τ Ι .

CANTO FIFTH.

THE COMBAT.

THE

LADY OF THE LAKE.

CANTO FIFTH.

THE COMBAT.

I.

1

FAIR as the earliest beam of eastern light,

When first, by the bewilder'd pilgrim spied, It smiles upon the dreary brow of night,

And silvers o'er the torrent's foaming tide, And lights the fearful path on mountain side ;

Fair as that beam, although the fairest far, Giving to horror grace, to danger pride,

Shine martial Faith, and Courtesy's bright star, Through all the wreckful storms that cloud the