A doleful tribute !-o'er his hearse. XII. Then, from a rusted iron hook, I Through grated arch and passage dread. While bolt and chain he backward roll'd, They enter'd:-'twas a prison-room Of stern security and gloom, Yet not a dungeon; for the day Through lofty gratings found its way, And rude and antique garniture Deck'd the sad walls and oaken floor; 3. Such as the rugged days of old Deem'd fit for captive noble's hold. 66 Here," said De Brent, "thou mayst remain Till the Leech visit him again. Strict is his charge, the warders tell, And the lock's murmurs growl'd anew. XIII. As the tall ship, whose lofty prore "What of thy lady?—of my clan?, My mother ?-Douglas ?-tell me all? Have they been ruin'd in my fall? Ah, yes! or wherefore art thou here! Yet speak,-speak boldly,-do not fear.” (For Allan, who his mood well knew, Was choked with grief and terror too.)— "Who fought-who fled ?-Old man, be brief;Some might for they had lost their Chief. Who basely live?—who bravely died ?”– "O, calm thee, Chief!" the Minstrel cried, "Ellen is safe; -"For that thank Heaven! "And hopes are for the Douglas given ;The Lady Margaret too is well, And, for thy clan,-on field or fell, Has never harp of minstrel told, * 2 But ghastly, pale, and livid streaks In yon lone isle, . . . again where ne'er I Strike it! -and then (for well thou canst,) Free from thy minstrel-spirit glanced, Fling me the picture of the fight, I'll listen, till my fancy hears The clang of swords, the crash of spears! These grates, these walls, shall vanish then, And my free spirit burst away, 'There are several instances, at least in tradition, of persons so much attached to particular tunes, as to require to hear them on their deathbed. Such an anecdote is mentioned by the late Mr. Riddel of Glenriddel, in his collection of Border tunes, respecting an air called the "Dandling of the Bairns," for which a certain Gallovidian laird is said to have evinced this strong mark of partiality. It is popularly told of a famous freebooter, that he composed the tune known by the name of Macpherson's Rant while under sentence of death, and played it at the gallows-tree. Some spirited words have been adapted to it by Burns. A similar story is recounted of a Welsh bard, who composed and played on his deathbed the air called Dafyddy Garregg Wen. But the most curious example is given by Brantome, of a maid of honour at the court of France, entitled, Mademoiselle de Limeuil. “Durant sa maladie, dont elle trespassa, jamais elle ne cessa, ains causa tousjours; car elle estoit fort grande parleuse, brocardeuse, et très-bien et fort à propos, et très-belle avec cela. Quand l'heure de sa fin fut venue, elle fit venir a soy son valet, (ainsi que les filles de la cour en ont chacune un,) qui s'appelloit Julien, et scavoit très-bien jouer du violon. 'Julien,' luy dit elle, prenez vostre violon, et sonnez moy tousjours jusques a ce que me Voyez morte (car je m'y en vais) la défaite des Suisses, et le mieux que vous pourrez, et quand vous serez sur le mot, 'Tout est perdu,' sonnez le par quatre ou cing fois, le plus piteusement que vous pourrez,' ce qui fit l'autre, et elle-mesme luy aidoit de la voix, et quand ce vint tout est perdu,' elle le réitera par deux fois; et se tournant de l'autre costé du chevet, elle dit à ses compagnes : Tout est perdu à ce coup, et à bon escient;' et ainsi décéda. Voila une morte joyeuse et plaisante. Je tiens ce conte de deux de ses compagnes, dignes de foi, qui virent jouer ce mystere."-OEuvres de Brantome, iii. 507. The tune to which this fair lady chose to make lier final exit was composed on the defeat of the Swiss at Marignano. The burden is quoted by Panurge, in Rabelais, and consists of these words, imitating the jargon of the Swiss, which is a mixture of French and German : "Tout est velore La Tintelore, Tout est verlore, bi Got!" The trembling Bard with awe obey'd,- XV. BATTLE OF BEAL' AN DUINE." "The Minstrel came once more to view The eastern ridge of Benvenue, For, ere he parted, he would say Upon her eyry nods the erne, The deer has sought the brake; [The MS. has not this line.] ↑ A skirmish actually took place at a pass thus called in the Trosachs, and closed with the remarkable incident mentioned in the text. It was greatly posterior in date to the reign of James V. "In this roughly-wooded island,* the country people secreted their wives and children, and their most valuable effects, from the rapacity of Cromwell's soldiers, during their inroad into this country, in the time of the republic. These invaders, not venturing to ascend by the ladders, along the side of the lake, took a more circuitous road, through the heart of the Trosachs, the most frequented path at that time, which penetrates the wilderness about half way between Binean and the lake, by a tract called Yeachilleach, or the Old Wife's Bog. "In one of the defiles of this by-road, the men of the country at that time hung upon the rear of the invading enemy, and shot one of Cromwell's men, whose grave marks the scene of action, and gives name to that pass.** In revenge of this insult the soldiers resolved to plunder the island, to violate the women, and put the children to death. With this brutal intention, one of the party, more expert than the rest, swam towards the island, to fetch the boat to his comrades, which had carried the women to their asylum, and lay moored in one of the creeks. His companions stood on the shore of the mainland, in full view of all that was to pass, waiting anxiously for his return with the boat. But just as the swimmer had got to the nearest point of the island, and was laying hold of a black rock, to get on shore, a heroine, who stood on the very point where he meant to land, hastily snatching a dagger from below her apron, with one stroke severed his head from the body. His party seeing this disaster, and relinquishing all future hope of revenge or conquest, made the best of their way out of their perilous situation. This amazon's great-grandson lives at Bridge of Turk, who, besides others, attests the anecdote."-Sketch of the Scenery near Callender. Stirling. 1806, p. 20. I have only to add to this account, that the heroine's name was Helen Stuart. That at the eastern extremity of Loch Katrine, so often mentioned inthe text.. **Beallach an duine. The small birds will not sing aloud, Is it the thunder's solemn sound -I see the dagger-crest of Mar, That up the lake comes winding far! "Twere worth ten years of peaceful life, One glance at their array! XVI. "Their light-arm'd archers far and near Their centre ranks, with pike and spear, Their barbed horsemen, in the rear, The stern battalia crown'd. No cymbal clash'd, no clarion rang, Save heavy tread, and armour's clang, The sullen march was dumb. There breathed no wind their crests to shake, Or wave their flags abroad; Scarce the frail aspen seem'd to quake, That shadow'd o'er their road. Their vaward scouts no tidings bring, Can rouse no lurking foe, Nor spy a trace of living thing, Save when they stirr'd the roe; The lake is pass'd, and now they gain |