 | A Song of Heroes |  |
103
WALLACE AND BRUCE.
I will sing of Bruce and Wallace,
Sons of Jove to help our need,
Then when Norman Edward lusted
For wide sway benorth the Tweed.
Sons of Jove to help our need,
Then when Norman Edward lusted
For wide sway benorth the Tweed.
Doughty robbers were the Normans,
In rude rapine born and bred,
Bold as lion, fierce as tiger,
When they came with iron tread,
In rude rapine born and bred,
Bold as lion, fierce as tiger,
When they came with iron tread,
And with subtle fox-like wisdom,
Wise to weave a web of lies,
Where a lie might seem the shortest
Way to snatch a glittering prize.
Wise to weave a web of lies,
Where a lie might seem the shortest
Way to snatch a glittering prize.
104
English Edward from the Norman
Drew his state, and drew his blood,
Drew the despot-lust to trample
All free manhood in the mud.
Drew his state, and drew his blood,
Drew the despot-lust to trample
All free manhood in the mud.
When he found a stout gainsayer,
He would hang him for a knave;
When he found a weakling, he
Would gild the chain that bound the slave.
He would hang him for a knave;
When he found a weakling, he
Would gild the chain that bound the slave.
And he grew up with keen hunger
Of more land to swell his state;
And he forged the name of Scotland
In proud England's book of Fate.
Of more land to swell his state;
And he forged the name of Scotland
In proud England's book of Fate.
'Tis the logic of all robbers,
Romans, Normans, to make better
What they steal, and let the weak man
Wisely wear the strong man's fetter.
Romans, Normans, to make better
What they steal, and let the weak man
Wisely wear the strong man's fetter.
When the good King Alexander,
Who made haughty Haco mourn,
Fell, to find a briny burial,
From the steep cliff of Kinghorn;
Who made haughty Haco mourn,
105
From the steep cliff of Kinghorn;
When the Maiden-queen from Norway
Sailed and sickened on the sea,
And the crown without a wearer
Waited where the right might be,
Sailed and sickened on the sea,
And the crown without a wearer
Waited where the right might be,
Scotland lay defenceless, headless;
Then the robber knew his hour,
Like a hawk upon the pigeons
Down to swoop, and to devour.
Then the robber knew his hour,
Like a hawk upon the pigeons
Down to swoop, and to devour.
With a train of clerks and lawyers,
And a venal Romish scribe,
To the castled steep of Norham
Edward came, with craft to bribe
And a venal Romish scribe,
To the castled steep of Norham
Edward came, with craft to bribe
Any basest Scottish lordling,
Norman-bred, that would kneel down,
Swearing fealty to a swindler
For the bauble of a crown.
Norman-bred, that would kneel down,
Swearing fealty to a swindler
For the bauble of a crown.
106
Baliol took the bribe, as Clio,
Just recorder, set it down,
Baliol reigns, the traitor-slave,
Who sold his people for a crown.
Just recorder, set it down,
Baliol reigns, the traitor-slave,
Who sold his people for a crown.
He shall lick the foot that kicked him,
And with service cringing low,
He shall swallow down the spittle
Of his high contemptuous foe.
And with service cringing low,
He shall swallow down the spittle
Of his high contemptuous foe.
At Strathcathro, at Strathcathro,
Whelmed with shame and swift disaster,
He shall kiss the clay oare-headed,
And from England's haughty master
Whelmed with shame and swift disaster,
He shall kiss the clay oare-headed,
And from England's haughty master
Beg his craven life. The crafty
Longshanks now had played his game,
And Cimbric Wales and Celtic Albyn
Bowed before the Norman name,
Longshanks now had played his game,
And Cimbric Wales and Celtic Albyn
Bowed before the Norman name,
To his deeming. But there wanted
Much to make his deeming true;
He had juggled, not the people,
But a vile and venal crew,
Much to make his deeming true;
107
But a vile and venal crew,
Norman-bred, half-hearted lordlings,
Dangling round a stranger throne;
But the people prayed and waited
For a leader of their own;
Dangling round a stranger throne;
But the people prayed and waited
For a leader of their own;
And God sent him. William Wallace,
Starred with no heraldic pride,
But with proof of thews and sinews,
From the bosom of Strathclyde
Starred with no heraldic pride,
But with proof of thews and sinews,
From the bosom of Strathclyde
Rose, a Scot with blood untainted,
And with heart unbribed to stand
Stoutly 'gainst a thousand Edwards,
For the honour of the land.
And with heart unbribed to stand
Stoutly 'gainst a thousand Edwards,
For the honour of the land.
Sooth, he was a man to look to
In an hour of danger; tall,
Strong, broad-shouldered, well-compacted,
Grandly furnished forth with all
In an hour of danger; tall,
Strong, broad-shouldered, well-compacted,
Grandly furnished forth with all
108
That makes a man a man; in action
Bold; in speech persuasive, mild,
Mingling firm stern-purposed manhood
With the sweetness of a child.
Bold; in speech persuasive, mild,
Mingling firm stern-purposed manhood
With the sweetness of a child.
And like Moses, quick to feel,
And nothing slow to strike was he,
When he laid the insolent Selby
Breathless in the fair Dundee.
And nothing slow to strike was he,
When he laid the insolent Selby
Breathless in the fair Dundee.
And the minions of the Percy,
When he fished in Irvine water,
Spoilers of his scaly booty,
He sent home to tell of slaughter.
When he fished in Irvine water,
Spoilers of his scaly booty,
He sent home to tell of slaughter.
In the castled strength of Lanark,
Where they killed his bonnie bride,
Many a haughty Norman hireling
With their heart's blood stained the Clyde.
Where they killed his bonnie bride,
Many a haughty Norman hireling
With their heart's blood stained the Clyde.
Tremble, Edward, for thy lordship;
When thy pride usurped a throne,
Wallace wight with Scotland's freemen
Drove thy titled slave from Scone.
When thy pride usurped a throne,
109
Drove thy titled slave from Scone.
Aberdonia, granite-fronted,
Strong Dunottar by the sea,
Perth fair-meadowed, tall-towered Brechin,
Shook the fetters from the free.
Strong Dunottar by the sea,
Perth fair-meadowed, tall-towered Brechin,
Shook the fetters from the free.
In the pride of kingship, Edward
Sent the creatures of his will,
Belted priests and knights of prowess,
Trained in war and tactic skill,
Sent the creatures of his will,
Belted priests and knights of prowess,
Trained in war and tactic skill,
Sheer to death to hunt the Wallace;
But the Wallace from the Tay
Marched with thunder-pace, and smote
Their serried ranks with sore dismay,
But the Wallace from the Tay
Marched with thunder-pace, and smote
Their serried ranks with sore dismay,
'Neath the castled steep of Stirling,
Where the Forth with fruitful pride
Round the cloistered Cambuskenneth
Slowly rolls its mossy tide.
Where the Forth with fruitful pride
Round the cloistered Cambuskenneth
Slowly rolls its mossy tide.
110
Like a troop of deer they hurried,
Spurred by fear, with rattling speed,
Till the near-seen England cheered them
From the forted banks of Tweed!
Spurred by fear, with rattling speed,
Till the near-seen England cheered them
From the forted banks of Tweed!
Scotland now might breathe; but only
For a space; her traitor lords,
Norman-bred and Norman-blooded,
Drooped their crests and sheathed their swords
For a space; her traitor lords,
Norman-bred and Norman-blooded,
Drooped their crests and sheathed their swords
To the proud usurper's summons,
Who, to tyrant wisdom true,
Marched with well-massed weight of numbers,
To down-tramp the patriot few.
Who, to tyrant wisdom true,
Marched with well-massed weight of numbers,
To down-tramp the patriot few.
On the far-viewed heights of Falkirk,
There his bristling lines he drew;
There with sweep of circling thousands
He outwinged the faithful few.
There his bristling lines he drew;
There with sweep of circling thousands
He outwinged the faithful few.
Victor he; but vanquished Wallace
Beaten stood, not broken; he
In the deep heart of the people
Reigned the free king of the free.
Beaten stood, not broken; he
111
Reigned the free king of the free.
Wisely from the strife a season
He withdrew, and sought in France
And in Rome a strong assertor
Of his rightful-wielded lance.
He withdrew, and sought in France
And in Rome a strong assertor
Of his rightful-wielded lance.
But the strong-willed fierce invader,
Year by year his wasteful course
Followed, till high-forted Stirling
Fell before his battering force;
Year by year his wasteful course
Followed, till high-forted Stirling
Fell before his battering force;
Fell, and bowed the head to England.
Only one man's head stood high,
Wallace, for his truth to Scotland
Marked for death by Edward's eye;
Only one man's head stood high,
Wallace, for his truth to Scotland
Marked for death by Edward's eye;
Marked for death by traitor lordlings,
By the false Menteith, who sold
Scotland's grace and Scotland's honour
For a bag of English gold.
By the false Menteith, who sold
Scotland's grace and Scotland's honour
For a bag of English gold.
112
To great London town they haled him,
Tried him there in mock of right,
Doomed him to the death of felons,
Gibbeted in public sight.
Tried him there in mock of right,
Doomed him to the death of felons,
Gibbeted in public sight.
And the haughty harsh usurper,
With a cold unfeeling eye,
Drawn and quartered, disembowelled,
Saw the noblest Scotsman die.
With a cold unfeeling eye,
Drawn and quartered, disembowelled,
Saw the noblest Scotsman die.
Edward now had dreamless slumber,
None might mock his purple state;
Like a dog with gilded collar,
Scotland watched at England's gate;
None might mock his purple state;
Like a dog with gilded collar,
Scotland watched at England's gate;
Or like a dog for hunting cherished,
Fed on bones from groaning board,
That his life may do good service,
Nosing game to feed his lord.
Fed on bones from groaning board,
That his life may do good service,
Nosing game to feed his lord.
113
Might had triumphed for the moment,
But the Fates can bide their time;
Slow and sure the God-sent Fury
Follows on the track of crime.
But the Fates can bide their time;
Slow and sure the God-sent Fury
Follows on the track of crime.
'Mid the pomp of Edward's palace,
With the servile Norman crew,
Bruce had nursed in faithful memory
Scotland's crown to Scotland due.
With the servile Norman crew,
Bruce had nursed in faithful memory
Scotland's crown to Scotland due.
Not, like Wallace, pure; but tainted
With the breath of courts and kings,
To his country, late-repentant,
Loyal heart and sword he brings.
With the breath of courts and kings,
To his country, late-repentant,
Loyal heart and sword he brings.
On the bridge of busy London
He had seen a ghastly sight—
Norman foplings staring, jeering,
At the head of Wallace wight.
He had seen a ghastly sight—
Norman foplings staring, jeering,
At the head of Wallace wight.
And he felt as one that basely
Had forsworn his natal right,
And for gleam of courtly favour
Bowed his head to lawless might.
Had forsworn his natal right,
114
Bowed his head to lawless might.
And as Paul, who erst had goaded
To the death the Christian clan,
Came new-fashioned to Damascus,
And to blessing changed his ban;
To the death the Christian clan,
Came new-fashioned to Damascus,
And to blessing changed his ban;
So from London to Lochmaben
Came the Bruce a reborn man,
For his crown and for his country
To fight nobly in the van;
Came the Bruce a reborn man,
For his crown and for his country
To fight nobly in the van;
To the seat of royal Kenneth,
Where the thanes, with glad acclaim,
Crowned him Robert King of Scotland,
Freed from England's yoke of shame.
Where the thanes, with glad acclaim,
Crowned him Robert King of Scotland,
Freed from England's yoke of shame.
Like a bolt from Jove on Edward
Flashed the fact—“King crowned at Scone!”
On the seat of the MacAlpine,
Whence he stole the fateful stone.
Flashed the fact—“King crowned at Scone!”
On the seat of the MacAlpine,
Whence he stole the fateful stone.
115
Nevermore might Edward brook it;
He had boldly robbed and won,
Like a Roman, like a Norman;
Could such proud work be undone?
He had boldly robbed and won,
Like a Roman, like a Norman;
Could such proud work be undone?
Up he rose in wrath Titanic;
Like a white squall on the sea,
Like a vulture keen for carrion,
Down on Scottish land swooped he.
Like a white squall on the sea,
Like a vulture keen for carrion,
Down on Scottish land swooped he.
Methven knew his scathful scourging,
Almond water flowed with blood;
Rough Glendochart's rocky current,
Far Loch Awe's long-gleaming flood,
Almond water flowed with blood;
Rough Glendochart's rocky current,
Far Loch Awe's long-gleaming flood,
Saw the rightful monarch hounded
By the proud usurper's host;
Many bravest fell around him,
But he stood, and stoutly crossed
By the proud usurper's host;
Many bravest fell around him,
But he stood, and stoutly crossed
Swords with three, and lifeless laid them
'Twixt the Loch-side and the brae,
Where the false MacDougal
vainly
Strove to block his kingly way.
'Twixt the Loch-side and the brae,
116
The MacDougalls of Dunolly, Oban, the best of people now, were unfortunately on the wrong side in those days. As a memorial of their unhappy alliance with the English invader, the brooch torn from the plaid of Bruce in the encounter alluded to in the text, is still shown to the stranger. The best authority for all the facts mentioned in the text is unquestionably the ‘Scottish War of Independence,’ by W. Burns: Glasgow, Maclehose, 1874.
Strove to block his kingly way.
But his way might not be southward—
Pembroke now held all the plain;
He must watch and wait in hardship
Till the good hour come again.
Pembroke now held all the plain;
He must watch and wait in hardship
Till the good hour come again.
Fortune will be wooed with patience;
Never mortal man was great
In the evil hour who knew not
How to suffer and to wait.
Never mortal man was great
In the evil hour who knew not
How to suffer and to wait.
With the Douglas, with the Campbell,
By Loch Lomond, in Cantire,
In peaked Arran's rocky cincture,
Nursing Scotland's heart's-desire,
By Loch Lomond, in Cantire,
In peaked Arran's rocky cincture,
Nursing Scotland's heart's-desire,
For the ripening hour of judgment
Bruce did bravely wait and bear,
While the victor, tiger-hearted,
Valiant knights and ladies fair
Bruce did bravely wait and bear,
While the victor, tiger-hearted,
Valiant knights and ladies fair
117
Chained and caged, and made the scaffold
Glib with blood of noble men.
In his native wilds of Carrick,
Like a beast from den to den
Glib with blood of noble men.
In his native wilds of Carrick,
Like a beast from den to den
Hunted, Bruce, with never-failing,
Stout, high-purposed faith, did stand
Dauntless, with a loyal-hearted
Few, for honour of the land.
Stout, high-purposed faith, did stand
Dauntless, with a loyal-hearted
Few, for honour of the land.
Once there came of grim Galwegians
Twice a hundred men to hound him;
All alone, beside a boggy,
Black, slow-winding stream they found him.
Twice a hundred men to hound him;
All alone, beside a boggy,
Black, slow-winding stream they found him.
But he stood as stands a lion
Strong before a barking dog;
And twice five and four he stretched them
Breathless on the crimsoned bog.
Strong before a barking dog;
And twice five and four he stretched them
Breathless on the crimsoned bog.
Then he marched against the Pembroke's
Host, well massed with ordered skill;
But their plunging steeds were shattered
On his spears at Loudon Hill.
Host, well massed with ordered skill;
118
On his spears at Loudon Hill.
Woe to Edward! he had trampled
On the bleeding worm, the Scot;
But the worm, the hydra-headed,
Should have died, but die would not.
On the bleeding worm, the Scot;
But the worm, the hydra-headed,
Should have died, but die would not.
To Carlisle, all fretful fuming,
Down he shot, the Scots to hammer;
But o'er his eye with vengeance flashing
Fate had spread a deathful glamour.
Down he shot, the Scots to hammer;
But o'er his eye with vengeance flashing
Fate had spread a deathful glamour.
And he died on Solway, breathing
Curses on the Scottish clan;
But He did laugh who sits in heaven,
And into blessing changed the ban.
Curses on the Scottish clan;
But He did laugh who sits in heaven,
And into blessing changed the ban.
Edward died; but not with him
Died his fell and forceful doing;
With the heirship of his rancour,
Edward's Edward rushed to ruin.
Died his fell and forceful doing;
119
Edward's Edward rushed to ruin.
Like a bird uncaged from durance,
Bruce now spread his ampler wing;
Inverness and granite-fronted
Aberdonia hailed him king.
Bruce now spread his ampler wing;
Inverness and granite-fronted
Aberdonia hailed him king.
Rose the cry from eastmost Buchan,
Here no Norman lord we know!
Swelled from central Perth the slogan,
Lay the proud usurper low!
Here no Norman lord we know!
Swelled from central Perth the slogan,
Lay the proud usurper low!
Through the breadth of Selkirk forest,
With red blood from English slaughter
Gallant Douglas stained the tide
Of Ettrick's mountain-girdled water.
With red blood from English slaughter
Gallant Douglas stained the tide
Of Ettrick's mountain-girdled water.
Scotland too could boast her Edward,
Brothered to King Robert; he
Loose as mist the vauntful St John
Drave from granite banks of Cree.
Brothered to King Robert; he
Loose as mist the vauntful St John
Drave from granite banks of Cree.
120
At the base of tway-peaked Cruachan,
John of Lorn was clothed with shame;
And thy sea-fronting hold, Dunstaffnage,
Hailed the Bruce with loud acclaim.
John of Lorn was clothed with shame;
And thy sea-fronting hold, Dunstaffnage,
Hailed the Bruce with loud acclaim.
Nor the sword alone was loyal,
But on heights of fair Dundee
All the crosier-bearing people
Signed a bond to Scotland free.
But on heights of fair Dundee
All the crosier-bearing people
Signed a bond to Scotland free.
At Linlithgow, dear to story,
Eight men from a wain of hay
Leapt, and like a drift of pigeons
Drave the Normans in deray.
Eight men from a wain of hay
Leapt, and like a drift of pigeons
Drave the Normans in deray.
Not thy castled strength, Dunedin,
Fearless now might front the sky,
There where on thy steepest steepness
Randolph cast his daring eye.
Fearless now might front the sky,
There where on thy steepest steepness
Randolph cast his daring eye.
And he clomb with slippery venture,
As a sailor climbs a rope,
Leapt the wall, and drave the warders
Hurrying down the eastern slope.
As a sailor climbs a rope,
121
Hurrying down the eastern slope.
Stroke on stroke, as near and nearer
Marched the God-predestined time,
When the son should answer prostrate
For the father's lofty crime.
Marched the God-predestined time,
When the son should answer prostrate
For the father's lofty crime.
Southward from high-forted Stirling
Flows a brook, slow-winding, through
Boggy meads and ragged fringes,
'Neath green slopes of ample view.
Flows a brook, slow-winding, through
Boggy meads and ragged fringes,
'Neath green slopes of ample view.
There the Bruce with wise disposal
Massed his men in order fair;
Gallant Randolph, Keith, and Douglas,
Sworn to death or victory there.
Massed his men in order fair;
Gallant Randolph, Keith, and Douglas,
Sworn to death or victory there.
Wisely too with cunning foresight,
Where the foeman's charge would be,
Pits he dug, and stakes he planted,
Roofed with grass that none might see.
Where the foeman's charge would be,
Pits he dug, and stakes he planted,
Roofed with grass that none might see.
122
'Twas a bright June day; and each man
On the fragrant grassy sod
Knelt at holy mass devoutly,
And confessed his sins to God.
On the fragrant grassy sod
Knelt at holy mass devoutly,
And confessed his sins to God.
Onward came the banded foemen,
Flashing, dashing, horse and man,
Norman, Gascon, Welsh, and Irish,
Brave De Bohun in the van.
Flashing, dashing, horse and man,
Norman, Gascon, Welsh, and Irish,
Brave De Bohun in the van.
Like an eagle proudly swooping
From Jove's chair on stormy wing,
On he rushed, with lance hot thirsting
For the blood of Scotland's king.
From Jove's chair on stormy wing,
On he rushed, with lance hot thirsting
For the blood of Scotland's king.
But the king, who wore the bonnet,
Rose, and with a mighty strain
Hove his battle-axe, and sheerly
Clave the knight through helm and brain.
Rose, and with a mighty strain
Hove his battle-axe, and sheerly
Clave the knight through helm and brain.
Well begun is half well-ended,
Nor the fight may linger long
Where the free man fights for freedom,
And the strong man leads the strong.
Nor the fight may linger long
123
And the strong man leads the strong.
On the mailèd Norman riders
Charged, in clattering multitude;
But the Scots with steady frontage
Like a bristling forest stood.
Charged, in clattering multitude;
But the Scots with steady frontage
Like a bristling forest stood.
Valiant Keith, the doughty marshal,
With five hundred knights in mail,
Prostrate laid the English archers,
As corn falls before the hail.
With five hundred knights in mail,
Prostrate laid the English archers,
As corn falls before the hail.
Heavenward rose the Scottish slogan,
While the gillies on the hill,
Spreading show of sheets for banners,
Downward rushed with forward will;
While the gillies on the hill,
Spreading show of sheets for banners,
Downward rushed with forward will;
Which the fear-struck, far beholding,
Fled like children from a ghost;
And their king, with floating bridle,
Galloped from the dwindling host.
Fled like children from a ghost;
And their king, with floating bridle,
Galloped from the dwindling host.
124
Forth and Bannock drank the red blood
Of ten times ten thousand slain;
Who escaped, like chaff were drifted
Where the west wind sweeps the plain.
Of ten times ten thousand slain;
Who escaped, like chaff were drifted
Where the west wind sweeps the plain.
Edward's Edward, shorn of kingship,
Fled the land and found the sea;
From Dunbar a light skiff brought him
Where his breathing might be free;
Fled the land and found the sea;
From Dunbar a light skiff brought him
Where his breathing might be free;
Even as Xerxes, cowed and crestless,
Backward ploughed fair Helle's tide,
Reaping, as the proud man reapeth,
Lowest fall from topmost pride.
Backward ploughed fair Helle's tide,
Reaping, as the proud man reapeth,
Lowest fall from topmost pride.
Fought and won is Freedom's battle;
Scotland's Muse no more shall mourn;
England no more toss her haughty
Crest o'er glorious Bannockburn.
Scotland's Muse no more shall mourn;
England no more toss her haughty
Crest o'er glorious Bannockburn.
| A Song of Heroes | |