"Thou warn'st me I have done amiss-
I should have earlier looked to this;
I lost it in this bustling day.
Retrace with speed thy former way;
Spare not for spoiling of thy steed,
The best of mine shall be thy meed.
Say to our faithful Lord of Mar,
We do forbid the intended war.
Roderick, this morn, in single fight,
Was made our prisoner by a knight;
And Douglas hath himself and cause
Submitted to our kingdom's laws.
The tidings of their leaders lost
Will soon dissolve the mountain host,
Nor would we that the vulgar feel,
For their Chief's crimes, avenging steel.
Bear Mar our message, Braco; fly!"
870 838. cognizance, coat-of-arms. 847. banditti, outlaws.
He turned his steed-"My liege, I hie—
Yet, ere I cross this lily lawn,
I fear the broadswords will be drawn."
The turf the flying courser spurned,
And to his towers the King returned. 875
Ill with King James's mood that day,
Suited gay feast and minstrel lay;
Soon were dismissed the courtly throng,
And soon cut short the festal song.
Nor less upon the saddened town
The evening sunk in sorrow down.
The burghers spoke of civil jar,
Of rumored feuds and mountain war,
Of Moray, Mar, and Roderick Dhu,
All up in arms-The Douglas too,
They mourned him pent within the hold,
"Where stout Earl William was of old."
And there his word the speaker stayed,
And finger on his lip he laid,
Or pointed to his dagger blade.
But jaded horsemen, from the west,
At evening to the Castle pressed;
And busy talkers said they bore
Tidings of fight on Katrine's shore;
At noon the deadly fray begun,
And lasted till the set of sun.
Thus giddy rumor shook the town,
Till closed the Night her pennons brown.
887. Earl William, stanza XX.
Through all the wreckful storms that cloud the brow of war."
2. What other names besides "Gael" and "chieftain" does the poet apply to Roderick Dhu? By what other names besides "Saxon" and "knight" is Fitz-James called?
3. Describe the picture that the reader gets from stanza II. As you read the vivid description of the mountain in stanza III, does it seem to you that Scott describes this Scottish scenery for the sheer love of the locality or does it serve a special purpose in the story?
4. What three accusations does Fitz-James bring against Clan Alpine's chief? How is each
one answered? Which is the most dramatic moment of the poem? What quality in FitzJames did Roderick Dhu recognize when he said, “Fear naught-nay, that I need not say-"? Why is the pathway called "seeming lonesome"? Does the prophecy in Canto Fourth, stanza vi, heighten the dramatic effect of the scene in stanza XIII? What do you think of Fitz-James's terms? What quality in Roderick Dhu does his answer to Fitz-James show? What effect did the mention of the "braid of his fair lady's hair" have upon FitzJames? Describe the combat. Which one, Roderick Dhu or Fitz-James, do you think excels in generosity and in courage?
5. What hint of other plans is there in the phrase "fairer freight," line 462? What do the proper names in stanzas XVII and xvIII add to the description? What mention of names in the games serves the same purpose?
6. What new facts about The Douglas have you learned from this Canto? Why did he come to Stirling? What reason did Ellen give in Canto Fourth, stanza x? Discuss stanza XIX as an artistic preparation for the following scene. Read aloud stanza xx to bring out the strong contrast between The Douglas's thoughts and the burgher's sports. Notice how the King's greeting is modified to suit the station of the various persons. What lines show that all are not friendly and loyal subjects at heart?
7. Discuss the success of Douglas at the games-in archery, in wrestling, and in hurling; what was the prize in each case and how was it bestowed? Compare the attitude of the crowd with that of the peers toward Douglas's success. Relate the incident of the dog Lufra. What quality does The Douglas show as he reveals himself to the King? What do you admire particularly about The Douglas in his "word with these misguided, men"? Do you think King James's judgment of the "changeling crowd" is too severe? What is the situation as revealed in stanzas XXXI to xxxIII?
CANTO SIXTH THE GUARD-ROOM
The sun, awakening, through the smoky air
Of the dark city casts a sullen glance,
Rousing each caitiff to his task of care,
Of sinful man the sad inheritance;
Summoning revelers from the lagging
At dawn the towers of Stirling rang
With soldier-step and weapon-clang,
While drums, with rolling note, foretell
Relief to weary sentinel.
Through narrow loop and casement barred,
The sunbeams sought the Court of Guard,
And, struggling with the smoky air,
Deadened the torches' yellow glare.
In comfortless alliance shone
The lights through arch of blackened stone,
And showed wild shapes in garb of war,
Faces deformed with beard and scar,
All haggard from the midnight watch,
And fevered with the stern debauch;
For the oak table's massive board,
Flooded with wine, with fragments stored,
And beakers drained, and cups o'erthrown,
Showed in what sport the night had flown.
Some, weary, snored on floor and bench;
Some labored still their thirst to quench;
Some chilled with watching, spread their
O'er the huge chimney's dying brands, While round them, or beside them flung, At every step their harness rung.
These drew not for their fields the sword,
Like tenants of a feudal lord,
Nor owned the patriarchal claim
Of Chieftain in their leader's name;
Adventurers they, from far who roved,
To live by battle which they loved.
There the Italian's clouded face;
The swarthy Spaniard's there you trace;
The mountain-loving Switzer there
More freely breathed in mountain-air
The Fleming there despised the soil,
That paid so ill the laborer's toil;
Their rolls showed French and German
name;
And merry England's exiles came,
To share, with ill-concealed disdain,
Of Scotland's pay the scanty gain.
All brave in arms, well trained to wield
The heavy halberd, brand, and shield;
In camps licentious, wild, and bold;
In pillage fierce and uncontrolled;
And now, by holytide and feast,
From rules of discipline released.
They held debate of bloody fray,
Fought 'twixt Loch Katrine and Achray.
Fierce was their speech, and, mid their, Our vicar thus preaches-and why should
A maid and minstrel with him come.'
Bertram, a Fleming, gray and scarred,
Was entering now the Court of Guard, 115
A harper with him, and in plaid
All muffled close, a mountain maid,
Who backward shrunk, to 'scape the view
Of the loose scene and boisterous crew.
"What news?" they roared. "I only know,
From noon till eve we fought with foe, 121
As wild and as untamable
As the rude mountains where they dwell;
On both sides store of blood is lost,
Nor much success can either boast."
"But whence thy captives, friend? Such
spoil
As theirs must needs reward thy toil.
Old dost thou wax, and wars grow sharp;
Thou now hast glee-maiden and harp!
Get thee an ape, and trudge the land, 130
The leader of a juggler band.”
"No, comrade; no such fortune mine.
After the fight these sought our line,
That aged harper and the girl,
And, having audience of the Earl,
Mar bade I should purvey them steed,
And bring them hitherward with speed.
Forbear your mirth and rude alarm,
For none shall do them shame or harm."
"Hear ye his boast?" cried John of Brent,
Ever to strife and jangling bent;
"Shall he strike doe beside our lodge,
And yet the jealous niggard grudge
To pay the forester his fee?
I'll have my share, howe'er it be,
Despite of Moray, Mar, or thee."
Bertram his forward step withstood;
And, burning in his vengeful mood,
Old Allan, though unfit for strife,
Laid hand upon his dagger-knife;
But Ellen boldly stepped between,
And dropped at once the tartan screen-
So, from his morning cloud, appears
The sun of May, through summer tears.
The savage soldiery, amazed,
As on descended angel gazed;
Even hardy Brent, abashed and tamed,
Stood half admiring, half ashamed.
129. glee-maiden, a girl who assisted the medieval juggler and did tumbling and dancing.
Boldly she spoke, "Soldiers, attend!
My father was the soldier's friend;
Cheered him in camps, in marches led,
And with him in the battle bled.
Not from the valiant or the strong
Should exile's daughter suffer wrong."
Answered de Brent, most forward still 165
In every feat or good or ill,
"I shame me of the part I played;
And thou an outlaw's child, poor maid!
An outlaw I by forest laws,
And merry Needwood knows the cause.
Poor Rose-if Rose be living now”-
He wiped his iron eye and brow-
"Must bear such age, I think, as thou.
Hear ye, my mates; I go to call
The Captain of our watch to hall;
There lies my halberd on the floor;
And he that steps my halberd o'er,
To do the maid injurious part,
My shaft shall quiver in his heart!
Beware loose speech, or jesting rough;
Ye all know John de Brent. Enough."
Their Captain came, a gallant young-
Of Tullibardine's house he sprung-
Nor wore he yet the spurs of knight;
Gay was his mien, his humor light,
And, though by courtesy controlled,
Forward his speech, his bearing bold.
The high-born maiden ill could brook
The scanning of his curious look
And dauntless eye; and yet, in sooth,
Young Lewis was a generous youth;
But Ellen's lovely face and mien,
Ill suited to the garb and scene,
Might lightly bear construction strange,
And give loose fancy scope to range.
"Welcome to Stirling towers, fair maid!
Come ye to seek a champion's aid,
On palfrey white, with harper hoar,
Like errant damosel of yore?
Does thy high quest a knight require, 200
Or may the venture suit a squire?"
Her dark eye flashed-she paused and
sighed―
"O what have I to do with pride!
170. Needwood, royal forest in England. 188. Tullibardine's house, a noble family whose castle was about twenty miles from Stirling.
His earliest feat of field or chase
In peace, in war, our rank we keep,
We cheer his board, we soothe his sleep,
Nor leave him till we pour our verse-
A doleful tribute!-o'er his hearse.
Then let me share his captive lot;
It is my right-deny it not!"
"Little we reck," said John of Brent,
"We Southern men, of long descent;
Nor wot we how a name-a word-
Makes clansmen vassals to a lord;
Yet kind my noble landlord's part-
God bless the house of Beaudesert!
And, but I loved to drive the deer,
More than to guide the laboring steer,
I had not dwelt an outcast here.
Come, good old Minstrel, follow me;
Thy Lord and Chieftain shalt thou see."
A bunch of ponderous keys he took,
Lighted a torch, and Allan led
Through grated arch and passage dread.
Portals they passed, where, deep within,
Spoke prisoner's moan and fetters' din; 275
Through rugged vaults, where, loosely
stored,
Lay wheel, and ax, and headsman's sword,
And many an hideous engine grim,
For wrenching joint, and crushing limb,
By artist formed who deemed it shame 280
And sin to give their work a name.
They halted at a low-browed porch,
And Brent to Allan gave the torch,
While bolt and chain he backward rolled,
And made the bar unhasp its hold.
They entered-'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
When Ellen forth with Lewis went,
Allan made suit to John of Brent:
"My lady safe, O let your grace
Give me to see my master's face!
His minstrel I-to share his doom
Bound from the cradle to the tomb.
Tenth in descent, since first my sires
Waked for his noble house their lyres,
Nor one of all the race was known
But prized its weal above their own.
With the Chief's birth begins our care;
Our harp must soothe the infant heir, 250
Teach the youth tales of fight, and grace
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