"I come to bear the king his bride, Here is his hand and royal seal.” Old Erol looked the letter on, He scarcely could believe his ee; "Our royal liege is sore misled, I will not yield the maid to thee." "Then by my faith I must her take He pulled his broad sword from his thigh, Clash went the swords along the van, The king put her fair hand in his ! "Then join them, sire, and bless the bond, Lord Athol kneeled and clasped his king, "Go with thy lover, bonny Hay, "I ne'er saw such a lovely face, "Go, my brave Douglas of the dale, Old Douglas bowed and left the hall, O such a double bridal and feast, BARNARD. A MONASTIC LEGEND. WHEN first our convent settled there, The night was wild; the moon o'ercast Lay gasping on the ground. "The hand of death is o'er my head,My soul is full of doubt and dread,— Surely my groans have brought thee nigh! Then stop, and watch me till I die." "I will-but wherefore art thou here, Why thus alone, when death's so near?" "Alone! alone! The human race May well avoid this bloody place. But troops of spectres come again, And infants whom my sires have slain. Round those dark stones they used to play, And tell me of my dying day." "Old man, thou ravest, clear thy brow; What were thy sires, and who art thou?" "Behold around those scattered heaps, In each of these a Druid sleeps; These were my sires; but I have none, To do my rites, as their's were done. This glen has been my sires' abode, |