LORD DERWENT. A FRAGMENT. "O WHY look ye so pale, my lord? "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? "But where got ye that stately steed, And where got ye that gilded sword, "I got that sword in bloody fray, 66 'Alight, alight, my noble lord; He turned him to the glowing east, "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, "Alight, alight, my noble lord, She looked out o'er her left shoulder But when she turned her round again, She looked to east, and west, and south, 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 "O! open, open, noble dame, Our furious foes are hard at hand, "But tell me, Billy, where's my lord? He's gone just now, and in his side "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, Put him to flight, and broke his men, "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, "How dare you lie, my little page, "The bird that sits on yonder bush, "Whoe'er it was, whate'er it was, I'm sure it was not he: I saw him slain on Eden plain, "I saw him stand against a host, "O run! he cried, to my ladye. Tell her I died for England's right- "Come, let us fly to Westmoreland, "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. |