shield of Caithbat near, that they may behold me amidst the arms of my fathers!" 'And is the son of Semo fallen?' said Carril with a sigh. Mournful are Tura's walls. Sorrow dwells at Dunscäi. Thy spouse is left alone in her youth. The song of thy love is alone! He shall come to Bragela and ask her why she weeps? He shall lift his eyes to the wall, and see his father's sword. 'Whose sword is that?' he will say. The soul of his mother is sad. Who is that, like the hart of the desert, in the murmur of his course? His eyes look wildly round in search of his friend. Connal, son of Colgar, where hast thou been, when the mighty fell? Did the seas of Togorma roll around thee? Was the wind of the south in thy sails? The mighty have fallen in battle, and thou wast not there. Let none tell it in Selma, nor in Morven's woody land. Fingal will be sad, and the sons of the desert mourn! By the dark rolling waves of Lego they raised the hero's tomb. Luath at a distance lies. The song of bards rose over the dead: 'Blest be thy soul, son of Semo! Thy Thou wert mighty in battle. strength was like the strength of a stream; thy speed like the eagle's wing. Thy path in battle was terrible; the steps of death were behind thy sword. Blest be thy soul, son of Semo, carborne chief of Dunscäi! Thou hast not fallen by the sword of the mighty, neither was thy blood on the spear of the brave. The arrow came, like the sting of death in a blast; nor did the feeble hand, which drew the bow, perceive it. Peace to thy soul, in thy cave, chief of the isle of mist!' 'The mighty are dispersed at Temora; there is none in Cormac's hall. The king mourns in his youth. He does not behold thy return. The sound of thy shield is ceased, his foes are gathering around. Soft be thy rest in thy cave, chief of Erin's wars! Bragela will not hope for thy return, or see thy sails in ocean's foam. Her steps are not on the shore, nor her ear open to the voice of thy rowers. She sits in the hall of shells. She sees the arms of him that is no more. Thine eyes are full of tears, daughter of car-borne Sorglan! Blest be thy soul in death, O chief of shady Tura!' ANCIENT POPULAR BALLADS. SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE. By force of armes great victorys wanne, When he had rested him a while, He armed rode in a forrest wide, 5 Who told him of adventures great, 20 25 Such wold I find, quoth Lancelot : Wheras a mighty knight doth dwell, That now is of great fame: (1) Human creature, man or woman. Therfore tell me what wight (1) thou art, And what may be thy name. 30 'My name is Lancelot du Lake.' Who has in prison threescore knights Knights of King Arthurs court they be, She brought him to a river side, Whereon a copper bason hung, And many shields to see. He struck soe hard, the bason broke; Sir knight, then sayd Sir Lancelot, For, as I understand, thou hast, If thou be of the Table Round, Both thee and all thy fellowship I utterly defye. That's over much, quoth Lancelot tho, They sett their speares unto their steeds, The ground besprinkled was wyth blood: Tarquin began to yield; 115 For he gave backe for wearinesse, This soone Sir Lancelot espyde, Forthwith he strucke his necke in two, From prison threescore knights and four Delivered everye one. 120 25 His wife must lend a shilling, And see, likewise, you keepe your day, This was the living of the wife, Her cow she did it call. Within that citie dwelt that time A marchant of great fame, Which being distressed in his need, Desiring him to stand his friend To lend to him an hundred crownes: Whatsoever he would demand of him, 30 35 40 No, (quoth the Jew with flearing lookes,) No penny for the loane of it You may doe me as good a turne, But we will have a merry jeast, You shall make me a bond, quoth he, And this shall be the forfeyture; 45 50 7 55 And here is a hundred crownes,blo vdT With right good will! the marekant says; And so the bond was made. mody OT When twelve month anda darek dh ya:quoq zo די That backe it should be Pouvoi tedT 760 The marchants ships were all at sda, dji 77 And money came not ingib lian] Which way to take, or what to do To thinke he doth begin got yd And to Gernotus strait he comesut od With cap and bended khée, Paw 15X And sayde to him, Of curtesie I pray you beare with mee. My day is come, and I have not And little good the forfeyture With all my heart, Gernutus sayd, In thinges of bigger waight then this He goes his way: the day once past To get a sergiant presently; And clapt him on the backe: And layd him into prison strong, And sued his bond withall; And when the judgement day was come For judgement he did call. 70 75 80 A pound of fleshe is my demand, T And that shall be my hire v RT Then sayd the judge, Yet, good my friend, Let me of you desired log boot se low 918b 1 alton to'I' To take the fleshi from such a place, T As yet you let him live won ovil dtofl loan hundred crownes Do so To thee his Will Furon 197992 asifT No: no: quoth hegno: judgement here 165 From under his right side, ovo but. The bloudie Jew now ready is DATA And as he was about to strike Stay (quoth the judge) thy crueltie; Sith needs thou wilt thy forfeit have, For if thou take either more or lesse Quoth he at last, Ten thousand crownes, And so I graunt to set him free. The judge doth answere make; You shall not have a penny given; Your forfeyture now take. At the last he doth demaund But for to have his owne. No, quoth the judge, doe as you list, 120 125 And had all things with hearts content, As fairer could not be. So on a time it pleas'd the king Could shew the dearest love: For to my age you bring content, 130 Which of you three in plighted troth To whom the eldest thus began; 140 And so will I, the second said; And serve your highness night and day Either take your pound of flesh, quoth he, That sweet content and quietness Or cancell me your bond. O cruell judge, then quoth the Jew, And so with griping grieved mind He biddeth them fare-well. Good people, that doe heare this song, That many a wretch as ill as hee That seeketh nothing but the spoyle And send to them like sentence eke KING LEIR AND HIS THREE King Leir once ruled in this land (1) Knew. 150 155 Discomforts may remove. In doing so, you glad my soul, The aged king reply'd; 5 10 15 20 25 30 But what sayst thou, my youngest girl, 35 My love (quoth young Cordelia then) Shall be the duty of a child, And that is all I'll show. And wilt thou show no more, quoth he, I well perceive thy love is small, 160 Nor any part of this my realm To whom I equally bestow My kingdome and my land, With those thy sisters be maintain'd Thus flattering speeches won renown, The third had causeless banishment, 40 45 50 55 60 For whereas twenty men were wont To wait with bended knee: She gave allowance but to ten, Nay, one she thought too much for him; 85 In hope that in her court, good king, Am I rewarded thus, quoth he, Unto my children, and to beg For what I lately gave? I'll go unto my Gonorell: Will be more kind and pitiful, Full fast he hies then to her court; Return'd him answer, That she griev'd, But no way could relieve his wants; Within her kitchen, he should have What scullions gave away. 90 Which made him rend his milk-white locks, And all with blood bestain his cheeks, To hills and woods and watry founts 140 Till hills and woods and senseless things, Did seem to sigh and groan. Even thus possest with discontents, He passed o'er to France, In hopes from fair Cordelia there, 145 Most virtuous dame! which when she heard Of this her father's grief, As duty bound, she quickly sent 95 100 Him comfort and relief: And by a train of noble peers, In brave and gallant sort, 150 She gave in charge he should be brought 155 To Aganippus' court; Whose royal king with noble mind So freely gave consent, To muster up his knights at arms, To fame and courage bent. And so to England came with speed, 160 And drive his daughters from their thrones By his Cordelia dear. Where she, true-hearted noble queen, 165 Was in the battle slain; 110 Yet he good king, in his old days, Possest his crown again. But when he heard Cordelia's death, Who died indeed for love 170 Where when he came, she gave command To drive him thence away: When he was well within her court (She said) he would not stay. 115 Then back again to Gonorell Of her dear father, in whose cause |