144
miscellaneous poems.
No light, save from the moonbeam's ray,
Upon the casement streams;
The flame hath to the socket burnt,
The gentle lady dreams.
Upon the casement streams;
The flame hath to the socket burnt,
The gentle lady dreams.
Not then so darkly was it wont
On former eves to be;
Bright lights, then, from the casement stream 'd,
And merry minstrelsy.
On former eves to be;
Bright lights, then, from the casement stream 'd,
And merry minstrelsy.
And gallant knights within that hall,
Sighed for a smiling glance
From her, the loveliest in the land,
The royal dame of France.
Sighed for a smiling glance
From her, the loveliest in the land,
The royal dame of France.
But now she rests in captive thrall,
Fair Scotia's beauteous queen;
A brighter gem hath never beam'd
In diadem, I ween.
Fair Scotia's beauteous queen;
A brighter gem hath never beam'd
In diadem, I ween.
Oh! shame on Scotland's chivalry,
On Britain's nobles, shame;
Why rest their scabbards on the blade,
When weeps so fair a dame?
On Britain's nobles, shame;
Why rest their scabbards on the blade,
When weeps so fair a dame?
