Part 17 (1/2)

Now, clear the ring! for, hand to hand, The manly wrestlers take their stand.

Two o'er the rest superior rose, And proud demanded mightier foes, 635 Nor called in vain; for Douglas came.

--For life is Hugh of Larbert lame; Scarce better John of Alloa's fare, Whom senseless home his comrades bear.

Prize of the wrestling match, the King 640 To Douglas gave a golden ring, While coldly glanced his eye of blue, As frozen drop of wintry dew.

Douglas would speak, but in his breast His struggling soul his words suppressed; 645 Indignant then he turned him where Their arms the brawny yeomen bare.

To hurl the ma.s.sive bar in air.

When each his utmost strength had shown, The Douglas rent an earth-fast stone 650 From its deep bed, then heaved it high, And sent the fragment through the sky, A rood beyond the farthest mark; And still in Stirling's royal park, The gray-haired sires, who know the past, 655 To strangers point the Douglas-cast, And moralize on the decay Of Scottish strength in modern day.

XXIV

The vale with loud applauses rang, The Ladies' Rock sent back the clang. 660 The King, with look unmoved, bestowed A purse well-filled with pieces broad.

Indignant smiled the Douglas proud, And threw the gold among the crowd, Who now, with anxious wonder, scan, 665 And sharper glance, the dark gray man; Till whispers rose among the throng, That heart so free, and hand so strong, Must to the Douglas blood belong.

The old men marked and shook the head, 670 To see his hair with silver spread, And winked aside, and told each son, Of feats upon the English done, Ere Douglas of the stalwart hand Was exiled from his native land. 675 The women praised his stately form, Though wrecked by many a winter's storm; The youth with awe and wonder saw His strength surpa.s.sing Nature's law.

Thus judged, as is their wont, the crowd, 680 Till murmur rose to clamors loud.

But not a glance from that proud ring Of peers who circled round the King, With Douglas held communion kind, Or called the banished man to mind; 685 No, not from those who, at the chase, Once held his side the honored place, Begirt his board, and, in the field, Found safety underneath his s.h.i.+eld; For he, whom royal eyes disown, 690 When was his form to courtiers known!

XXV

The Monarch saw the gambols flag, And bade let loose a gallant stag, Whose pride, the holiday to crown, Two favorite greyhounds should pull down, 695 That venison free, and Bordeaux wine, Might serve the archery to dine.

But Lufra--whom from Douglas' side Nor bribe nor threat could e'er divide, The fleetest hound in all the North-- 700 Brave Lufra saw and darted forth.

She left the royal hounds mid-way, And das.h.i.+ng on the antlered prey, Sunk her sharp muzzle in his flank, And deep the flowing life-blood drank. 705 The King's stout huntsman saw the sport By strange intruder broken short, Came up, and with his leash unbound, In anger struck the n.o.ble hound.

The Douglas had endured, that morn, 710 The King's cold look, the n.o.bles' scorn, And last, and worst to spirit proud, Had borne the pity of the crowd; But Lufra had been fondly bred, To share his board, to watch his bed, 715 And oft would Ellen, Lufra's neck In maiden glee with garlands deck; They were such playmates, that with name Of Lufra, Ellen's image came.

His stifled wrath is br.i.m.m.i.n.g high, 720 In darkened brow and flas.h.i.+ng eye; As waves before the bark divide, The crowd gave way before his stride; Needs but a buffet and no more, The groom lies senseless in his gore. 725 Such blow no other hand could deal, Though gauntleted in glove of steel.

XXVI

Then clamored loud the royal train, And brandished swords and staves amain, But stern the Baron's warning--”Back! 730 Back, on your lives, ye menial pack!

Beware the Douglas.--Yes! behold, King James! the Douglas, doomed of old, And vainly sought for near and far, A victim to atone the war, 735 A willing victim, now attends, Nor craves thy grace but for his friends.”

”Thus is my clemency repaid?

Presumptuous Lord!” the monarch said; ”Of thy misproud ambitious clan, 740 Thou, James of Bothwell, wert the man, The only man, in whom a foe My woman-mercy would not know: But shall a Monarch's presence brook Injurious blow, and haughty look? 745 What ho! the Captain of our Guard!

Give the offender fitting ward.

Break off the sports!”--for tumult rose, And yeomen 'gan to bend their bows-- ”Break off the sports!” he said, and frowned, 750 ”And bid our hors.e.m.e.n clear the ground.”

XXVII

Then uproar wild and misarray Marred the fair form of festal day.

The hors.e.m.e.n p.r.i.c.ked among the crowd, Repelled by threats and insult loud; 755 To earth are borne the old and weak, The timorous fly, the women shriek; With flint, with shaft, with staff, with bar, The hardier urge tumultuous war.

At once round Douglas darkly sweep 760 The royal spears in circle deep, And slowly scale the pathway steep; While on the rear in thunder pour The rabble with disordered roar.

With grief the n.o.ble Douglas saw 765 The Commons rise against the law, And to the leading soldier said-- ”Sir John of Hyndford! 'twas my blade, That knighthood on thy shoulder laid; For that good deed, permit me then 770 A word with these misguided men.

XXVIII

”Hear, gentle friends! ere yet for me, Ye break the bands of fealty.

My life, my honor, and my cause, I tender free to Scotland's laws. 775 Are these so weak as must require The aid of your misguided ire?