 | Poems and songs |  |
61
HELENORE.
A FRAGMENT, IN IMITATION OF THE OLD SCOTTISH BALLAD.
[OMITTED]
An' wiel they baitht her bluidy face,
An' syne her bosom bare;
But O, her saft an' bonie skin
Bespak sum lady faire.
An' syne her bosom bare;
But O, her saft an' bonie skin
Bespak sum lady faire.
Her blinkand e'e was schut in dethe,
(Quhilk anes was fu' o' glie,)
An' clay-cauld war her rosie lips,
(Quhilk spak sae tenderlie.)
(Quhilk anes was fu' o' glie,)
An' clay-cauld war her rosie lips,
(Quhilk spak sae tenderlie.)
An' mony ane cam thair, I trow,
Quha did the tithings heir;
An' ay as they luiket on her bonie face,
Wi' sorro drapt a teir.
Quha did the tithings heir;
An' ay as they luiket on her bonie face,
Wi' sorro drapt a teir.
62
“O Heavin! it brekes my very hairt,
“A face sae sweit to see!
“But sure, sith nane a meith doth kna,
“O' fremit bluid she be.”
“A face sae sweit to see!
“But sure, sith nane a meith doth kna,
“O' fremit bluid she be.”
Sir Kenneth, knycht o' meikle fame,
Luikt owre his castle wa';
An' downe anethe the hingand heugh
The gathert thrang he sa:
Luikt owre his castle wa';
An' downe anethe the hingand heugh
The gathert thrang he sa:
An' lang he ferliet at the sicht,
An' sair he raxit his ein;
Syne hastenit fra his castle hie,
An' to the howe bedein.
An' sair he raxit his ein;
Syne hastenit fra his castle hie,
An' to the howe bedein.
“Quhat meins this thrang? Quhat meins this mane
“Amang baith yung an' ald?”
Syne he luikit at the deid lady,
Lay on the yird sa cald.
“Amang baith yung an' ald?”
Syne he luikit at the deid lady,
Lay on the yird sa cald.
63
The warrior schuke—O sair he schuke!—
Furth sprang the glitterand teir:
“O Chryste! O Chryste! it is Helenore!
“It is my dochter deir!”
[OMITTED]
Furth sprang the glitterand teir:
“O Chryste! O Chryste! it is Helenore!
“It is my dochter deir!”
| Poems and songs | |