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LORD DERWENT.

A FRAGMENT.

"O WHY look ye so pale, my lord?
And why look ye so wan?
And why stand mounted at your gate,
So early in the dawn?"

"O well may I look pale, lady!

For how can I look gay,

When I have fought the live-long night,

And fled at break of day."

"And is the border troop arrived?
And have they won the day?
It must have been a bloody field,
Ere Derwent fled away.

"But where got ye that stately steed,
So stable and so good?

And where got ye that gilded sword,
So dyed with purple blood?"

"I got that sword in bloody fray,
Last night on Eden downe;
I got the horse, and harness too,
Where mortal ne'er got one."

66 'Alight, alight, my noble lord;
God mot you save and see;
For never, till this hour, was I
Afraid to look on thee."

He turned him to the glowing east,
That stained both tower and tree :
"Prepare, prepare, my lady fair,
Prepare to follow me.

"Before this dawning day shall close, A deed shall here be done,

That men unborn shall shrink to hear, And dames the tale shall shun.

"The conscious morning blushes deep,
The foul intent to see.
Prepare, prepare, my lady fair,
Prepare to follow me."

"Alight, alight, my noble lord,
I'll live or die with thee;
I see a wound deep in your side,
And hence you cannot flee."

She looked out o'er her left shoulder
To list a heavy groan;

But when she turned her round again,
Her noble lord was gone.

She looked to east, and west, and south,
And all around the tower;

Through house and hall, but man nor horse She never could see more.

She turned her round, and round about,

All in a doleful state;

And there she saw her little foot page
Alighting at the gate.

"O! open, open, noble dame,
And let your servant in ;

Our furious foes are hard at hand,
The castle fair to win."

"But tell me, Billy, where's my lord?
Or whither is he bound?

He's gone just now, and in his side
A deep and deadly wound."

"Why do you rave, my noble dame,

And look so wild on me?

Your lord lies on the bloody field,

And him you'll never see.

"With Scottish Jardine, hand to hand,
He fought most valiantly,

Put him to flight, and broke his men,
With shouts of victory.

"But Maxwell rallying, wheeled about, And charged as fierce as hell;

Yet ne'er could pierce the English troop Till my brave master fell.

"Then all was gone; the ruffian Scot Bore down our flying band;

And now they waste, with fire and sword, The Links of Cumberland.

"Lord Maxwell's gone to Carlisle town,
With Jardine bold and true;
And young Kilpatrick and Glencairn
Are come in search of you."

"How dare you lie, my little page,
Whom I pay meat and fee?
The cock has never crowed but once
Since Derwent was with me.

"The bird that sits on yonder bush,
And sings so loud and clear,
Has only three times changed his note
Since my good lord was here."

"Whoe'er it was, whate'er it was,

I'm sure it was not he:

I saw him slain on Eden plain,
And him you'll never see.

"I saw him stand against a host,
While heaps before him fell:
I saw them pierce his manly side,
And bring his last farewell.

"O run! he cried, to my ladye.
And bear the fray before;

Tell her I died for England's right-
Then word spake never more.

"Come, let us fly to Westmoreland,
For here you cannot stay;
We'll fairly shift; our steeds are swift;
And well I know the way."

"I will not fly, I cannot fly, My heart is wonder sore;

My brain it turns, my blood it burns, And all with me is o'er."

She turned her eyes to Borrowdale; Her heart grew chill with dreadFor there she saw the Scottish band, Kilpatrick at their head.

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