To highest tower the castle round,

No Lady Edith was there found!

He shouted, "Falsehood !-treachery !—
Revenge and blood !—a lordly meed

To him that will avenge the deed !

.

A Baron's lands !"-His frantic mood
Was scarcely by the news withstood,
That Morag shared his sister's flight,
And that, in hurry of the night,

'Scaped noteless, and without remark,
Two strangers sought the Abbot's bark.-

"Man every galley !-fly-pursue !

The priest his treachery shall rue!

Ay, and the time shall quickly come,

When we shall hear the thanks that Rome

Will pay his feigned prophecy !" vnd mi

Such was fierce Lorn's indignant cry;

And Cormac Doil in haste obey'd,

Hoisted his sail, his anchor weigh'd,

(For, glad of each pretext for spoil, A pirate sworn was Cormac Doil.)

But others, lingering, spoke apart,~

"The Maid has given her maiden heart To Ronald of the Isles,

And, fearful lest her brother's word

Bestow her on that English Lord,

She seeks Iona's piles,

And wisely deems it best to dwell

A votaress in the holy cell,

Until these feuds so fierce and fell

The Abbot reconciles."

V.

As, impotent of ire, the hall

Echoed to Lorn's impatient call,

"My horse, my mantle, and my train !

Let none who honours Lorn remain !"—

Courteous, but stern, a bold request

To Bruce de Argentine express'd.

"Lord Earl," he said,-" I cannot chuse

But yield such title to the Bruce,

Though name and earldom both are gone,
Since he braced rebel's armour on-

But, Earl or Serf-rude phrase was thine
Of late, and launch'd at Argentine;

Such as compels me to demand

Redress of honour at thy hand.

We need not to each other tell,

That both can wield their weapons well;

Then do me but the soldier grace,

This glove upon thy helm to place

Where we may meet in fight;

And I will say, as still I've said,
Though by ambition far misled,

Thou art a noble knight."

VI.

"And I," the princely Bruce replied,

"Might term it stain on knighthood's pride,

་

That the bright sword of Argentine

Should in a tyrant's quarrel shine;

But, for your brave request,

Be sure the honour'd pledge you gave

In

every battle-field shall wave

Upon my helmet-crest ;

Believe, that if my hasty tongue

Hath done thine honour causeless wrong,

It shall be well redress'd.

Not dearer to my soul was glove,

Bestow'd in youth by lady's love,

Than this which thou hast given !

Thus, then, my noble foe I greet;

Health and high fortune till we meet,

And then-what pleases Heaven."

VII.

Thus parted they-for now, with sound

Like waves roll'd back from rocky ground,

The friends of Lorn retire;

Each mainland chieftain, with his train,

Draws to his mountain towers again, Pondering how mortal schemes prove vain, And mortal hopes expire.

But through the castle double guard,

By Ronald's charge, kept wakeful ward,
Wicket and gate were trebly barr'd,

By beam and bolt and chain;

Then of the guests, in courteous sort,

He pray'd excuse for mirth broke short,

And bade them in Artornish fort

In confidence remain.

Now torch and menial tendance led

Chieftain and knight to bower and bed,

And beads were told, and aves said,

And soon they sunk away

Into such sleep, as wont to shed

Oblivion on the weary head,

After a toilsome day.